Hungerstone was a really moody read which I find to be rare with WLW books, I feel like a lot of lesbian fiction tries to hard to sell womanhood by making them without flaw. This was a great slow burn between women. Love!

Hungerstone was a really moody read in the best way. I loved the slow build between Lenore and Carmilla, it was intense and kind of unsettling, but in a way that totally worked. The setting felt vivid, like you could almost smell the old stone. Some parts dragged a little in the middle, but the atmosphere and the tension kept me going. If you're into gothic stories with a queer twist, it's definitely worth checking out. Solid 4 stars from me.

This was a great retelling of the classic Carmilla story. A dark feminist gothic horror/romance where Lenore battles between her loyalty to her husband and the appeal of Carmilla. It is a little bit slow moving but that worked for this book for me.

Could this be.... a 5 star ARC?? I think so! I think I need to re-read Carmilla now. I read that a couple of years ago and loved it. This story, centered on Lenore, is also fantastic. It reminded me of Dowry of Blood as well. The concept of hunger is explored in a very interesting way that I hadn't expected. And there's a specific trope that I really enjoy in books like this-- the "men are going to underestimate me anyway so I might as well use that to my advantage" trope. I almost read the entire thing in a day but had to take a break bc I was feeling sick and this is NOT a comfort read. (Not a bad thing, every book has its purpose.) Anyway, I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy now that I know how amazing this is. Sorry this is barely even a review, I just really love unhinged sapphic vampires.

I don’t want fluffy drivel in my gay books. So this is great. AND GOOD FOR HER! (But this isn’t really my type of prose or time period I care for, unless I’m reading some subpar fanfiction to lull me to sleep)

HUNGERSTONE by Kat Dunn absolutely sank its teeth into me, and I didn’t want it to let go. Dunn gives us everything: gothic atmosphere, layered worldbuilding, complex characters, and VAMPIRES. Like, real vampires. Blood, hunger, yearning. Yes please.

The writing is rich and immersive, pulling you into a world that feels ancient and alive at the same time. There’s mystery, power, romance, and that delicious tension only good vampire fiction knows how to deliver. Every chapter felt like a slow descent into something darker, and I loved every second of it.

If you’re like me and will never stop being obsessed with vampires done right, this is a must-read. I’m already craving more. Thank you to NetGalley and Zando for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dripping with loneliness, this Carmilla retelling lives up the social media hype. We love to see it.

Hauntingly beautiful but creepy retelling of Carmilla. Claustrophobic, slow burn, addictive. Absolutely wonderful read.

4.75⭐️
For what do you hunger?

Kat Dunn’s Hungerstone is a Carmilla retelling. Carmilla is the book said to inspire Bram Stoker’s Dracula. And this is a story about the unraveling of women, before our very eyes.

I had extremely high expectations for this book and I was not disappointed. I absolutely devoured it. The writing was just delicious, it was sapphic and vampiric and full of ravenous rage and desire and had a real thirst for revenge. We had some really strong commentary on women’s autonomy, agency and sexuality.

In the story, we follow Lenore who is an old-money woman in her thirties and her new-money husband, Henry, and their slightly soured relationship. The story is set in nineteenth century Northern England and we see Lenore and Henry moving into their new country estate. However, on the journey there they come across a carriage accident wreckage. Among which, is a woman, of course, they offer their hospitality to this woman. Her name is Carmilla, and wherever she goes, strangeness seems to follow.

This is definitely going to be one of my top reads of the year! It was so close to perfection for me, so much so that I not only preordered the special edition but also attended an event to have it signed too! I would highly recommend this book.

I didn't love the first set up but it really payed off. Gothic, creepy, unhinged. I loved the voice of the main character. The slightly heavy handed political commentary - but it will be allowed because it is so camp. Loved this.

After reading the original Carmilla for the first time last summer it was interesting to then very quickly follow up with a new retelling by Kat Dunn. Now set in the industrial north, Dunn is at her most evocative when describing the landscape. I think that if you’re hoping to read a sexy vampire novel then this most likely isn’t the one for you but it’s on the lighter side of literary fiction and is a well written novel that aims to capture what motivates us to let the darkness in rather than being solely focused on the vampires themselves.

It’s a novel to read on a long weekend in the countryside so that you get the full impact of the narrative pull and the historical elements are lightly dealt with but feel true enough to the period to be sustainable. Dunn most successfully captures the gothic in her engagement with the natural world as I said and this is a faithful retelling in that it keeps the essential spirit of Carmilla in the dark and powerful force of the vampire while also adding a feminist spin through centring the female narrator as a not entirely passive victim of dark forces. Carmilla rather becomes a saviour of female independence in a thoroughly modern reimagining of the gothic despite its Victorian setting.

Hungerstone was a very hyped book on my social media and I was beyond grateful to receive an ARC. I apologize for my delayed review!

I am such a huge sucker for a Carmilla retelling, and this one was phenomenal. Adding so much of Lenore’s perspective was unique, and giving hardly any details or background on Carmilla was something I haven’t seen before. I really enjoyed it, and as hard as it is to bring something new to a story that’s been told over and over, Kat Dunn absolutely did it. Every ounce of hype was deserved.

This book was full of feeling. You could see the author’s passion in the pages. Beautifully written with a plot that keeps you wanting more. A must read if you’re a lover of moody reads

A pretty decent retelling of Carmilla. It didn't really add too much to the story but I did enjoy Lenore as a character.
Very "Good for her" vibes. I just wanted a bit more.

Hungerstone by Kay Dunn is a new favorite!!

"The blood that came each month after. At first, a disappointment, then a fear, then a grief, then an inevitability. I was good for nothing but blood.

"That is what Henry bought in me: taste, refinement, high birth, and good blood. ......There are perhaps some graces to being un-mothered. My body is as unused as a dress not yet worn, and so remains as crisp and fresh as the day it was bought."

"He was good to me, once. I hold onto that, like a prayer, like a plea. Let this life of mine be about more than pain."

This was unsettling in the best way and I could not stop thinking about it once I was done. Womanhood is horror and pleasure and adventure and desire and yeah... Kat Dunn gets it and this book captures it so well. Scary lady queers, this one was for us.

The book starts with the quote 'do you want to live deliciously?' and it couldn't be more appropriate. This is a decadent and gothic re-telling of Carmilla and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Lenore was a fascinating and sometimes frustrating protagonist and Carmilla was mysterious and tempting. I thought the slow build up of their relationship was done very well and I also enjoyed the interactions between Lenore and her husband. There were parts that felt a little bit repetitive, but overall, this was a very entertaining read and I would definitely recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. I took a little too long to read this, as life got in the way, and I needed to be in the correct headspace to savor every moment of it, but once I finally had room to lose myself in it, I devoured this in a gulp. I believe my current Goodreads review is, in its entirety, five stars, "GOOD FOR HER," and that sums it all up. What a beautiful, terrifying, chilling, atmospheric book that evokes all of my favorite things and has immediately skyrocketed to the top of my "must throw this at everyone I know" lists. Dunn is an absolute master of prose, and the tension between classic Gothic literature and a very modern, very queer voice made for a deeply satisfying, wonderful read. Thank you so much for trusting me with this book; it's incredibly special, and I'm so honored to have been able to read it.

As a bookseller, it's difficult not to judge a book by it's cover, but when I saw this one, I judged it to be a new favourite--and I was right. I love horrors like this. Not quite overt, but it gets under your skin until you're face to face with the dark. The gothic atmosphere is what hooked me, but I stayed for that lingering dread that permeated the pages. I would have loved to sink a little deeper into the vampirism and into the Carmila inspiration, but I did leave quite satisfied (pun slightly intended).

VAMPIRES ARE SO BACK!!! Hungerstone is a feminist Carmilla retelling and follows Lady Lenore as she comes to herself. Although Carmilla isn't always physically around throughout the book, you can feel her looming and menacing presence. Dunn sets a great gothic setting and the backdrop of England in the Industrial Revolution feels immersive.

The problem is that I've read Carmilla and Rebecca, and enjoyed them both so I found Hungerstone to be quite underwhelming. It might be the fault of marketing but it seems that like other readers, I thought Carmilla was going to play a bigger role as part of the "thrillingly seductive sapphic romance." Instead, she comes and goes, and is missing most of the time. Dunn's Carmilla doesn't hold the same charm and eloquence as Le Fanu's in my opinion. This Carmilla is unlikeable to be quite frank, even to Lenore, making the chemistry between her and Lenore to be more questionable. She's used as a plot device and symbol rather than as a character. I also found the book to be too slow for my liking.

Fans of well-set exposition, female rage, and gothic fiction would like this one. Not for the squeamish because there is gore, animal harm, and body horror. Thank you Kat Dunn, Zando, and NetGalley for the eARC!