*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

*More like 3.5 stars than 3.*

I have really mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, the art was great, the characters were all good-looking, and the main love interests had chemistry, but on the other hand, the whole depiction of the vampire thrall felt exploitative and the circumstances surrounding it felt extremely odd and problematic.

The way the protagonist clearly had a bust but then somehow managed to hide it when pretending to be a boy was entirely unrealistic. I could accept the idea of this vampire hiding in a boy’s dormitory, but I couldn’t suspend belief enough to stretch it to that, especially when the vampire love interest hugged the protagonist and was in close quarters with her many times. It was just impossible that he didn’t realise she was a girl at any point.

Still, the plot was interesting and had some twists, specifically when the character Ren, who I assumed was the second male love interest, entered. So this vol wasn’t without potential or somewhat engaging content, but it did make me feel uncomfortable because of the vampire love slave angle.

Thanks to NetGalley, Kodansha and the author for providing an e-ARC of this manga in exchange for an honest review. All the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
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I already had high expectations for Vampire Dormitory from reading the blurb and the manga definitely met them! This is an interesting take on the vampire trope and had a lot of unexpected twists and turns for a first volume. It's definitely an engaging read and one that even those new to reading vampire-themed stories would enjoy. The art style is beautiful to boot and character expressions are depicted very accurately.

Overall rating: 5/5 stars!

My manga shelf is not that big on numbers and I'm always skeptical about the romance ones but Vampire Dormitory had me sold with the cover, title, and description. I won't say it was amazing, but I enjoyed it enough to google if the next volumes had come out.

Every single panel art is satisfying and Ruka and Rem, oh boy! Talk about a Japanese Edward Cullen and Jacob Black! However, I only got a Twilight vibe when Rem showed up.

Ruka and Mito had some very hot panels, though it would've been more than okay had Mito been a boy only. But I guess, this is one factor that drives the plot in the other volumes. I'm also betting on some more smut in the future.

What a fun, new little twist on vampires! I really enjoyed this first volume and all of the set up we got. It definitely left me with some questions but I’m excited to have those explored in future volumes!

The art was done super well, I flew through this. It follows the main character Mito who has been disguising herself as a boy to get by when she gets saved by a vampire. He decides to make her his thrall and she agrees despite her lying about being a boy.

The premise was intriguing and I can’t wait to see where things go after that cliffhanger of an ending! There’s so much more I would like to learn about these characters and the vampire lore in general. A great beginning volume for any vampire fan!

4/5⭐️

After the death of Mito parents , she was raised by her relatives, that kept passing her around because nobody really wanted to raise her. After the graduation she was thrown out on the street and she lived her days as boy trying to survive until she meets Ruka, a vampire that will save her/him.

I've never read anything about vampires but I'm happy that I have been chose to review this manga because I liked it so much!
The art style is amazing and I could easily understand the emotions of the characters.
I was like: "Omg, what's happening" during all the reading!
The misunderstanding about Mito's sexuality makes the story more compelling.
To be only the first volume there are several twists, but I love it!

When I got to the last page I was sad because I wanted to read more, I'll buy this manga!

2/5 stars

Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for a review.

This manga was sort of Ouran High School Host Club meets Hana Kimi meets vampires. Vampire Dormitory is set in a fancy boy's dormitory, has a girl who passes for a guy, a hot vampire (and guys in general), and a love triangle?! While the premise seemed really interesting, I just did not get into the actual storyline. It just felt rushed and a bit underwhelming. Mainly, I wished that the Mito and Ruka had time to develop as characters individually before being paired together and that their relationship had a slower start so that it would create more anticipation and tension for the reader. I think the art is gorgeous though.

Mito is an abandoned girl living her life disguised as a boy to stay safe on the streets. She runs into a vampire named Ruka, who offers her to be his thrall. Ruka is unaware that Mito is really a girl. Ruka has this thing about only being able to drink from boys. A boy by the name of Ren comes into the story and warns Mito away from Ruka, because Mito will turn into a vampire if she continues to let Ruka drink from her.

The ending left me wanting more. I can't wait to pick up the second book to continue the story.

Will Ruka ever figure out Mito is a girl?
Will Mito turn into a vampire?
Why does Ren care about Mito so much?

The art is beautiful and the story really keeps you interested. If you enjoy light hearted manga, then this is the book for you.

4/5 stars

This was a really solid beginning and I think the start of a manga series I'm going to really like. I'm really excited to see where this series goes and who I hope for our main character to end up with as it seems like a triangle may be in the works. The art style in this one also really worked for me. I for sure plan on picking up more in this series.

Vampire Dormitory is an absolutely hillarious (and even cute) story about a girl with a rough life that ends up living with a vampire in a boarding school. And nobody knows she's a girl!
As your usual gender-bender manga, it definitely calls for some suspension of disbelief. However I love this type of stories for their light-heartedness, so don't let that turn you away!
In this volume we mostly get to meet the main characters and learn about the universe. The vampire lore is a bit unique and I'm hoping it gets expanded in the coming volumes, as I like it for now. The plot is also just setting in and it seems pretty promising - I definitely am excited for more. (Oh and it's looking like a romance is forming and I'm loving it!)
If you feel like reading something light and fun, and you're open to ignoring your logical brain a bit in regards to the gender-bender, then this'll definitely be up your alley.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha for providing me with an free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.*

TW: Suicidal thoughts.

This manga kind of started like Ouran High School Host Club with the vase and cafe which I thought was interesting. I enjoyed this manga and omg Ruka…hot damn… I love how Ruka and Mito are discovering their feelings for each other. Ren is probably included so there’s a possible love triangle in future volumes. I thought it was interesting how Ruka’s friends don’t actually know he’s a vampire, but they all have such a cute dynamic. There were some parts of the story that seemed a bit random, but overall it’s an interesting story and I love the growing chemistry.

I’ll admit that this wasn’t full of substance or serious content. Nope, and that’s why I think I like it so much. It’s vampire fluff and it’s so much fun!! I will also admit that I might have given this five stars if Mito had really been a boy, but that’s neither here nor there. She becomes Ruka’s thrall, which for those of you not in the know is basically a human blood bank. The vampire feeds on said human and don’t suck them dry.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this!! I’m a huge fan of the protective relationship and the two have this going on hardcore. Super cute!! The secretive drama and then Ren thrown in, it’s basically a soap opera. And that is so much fluffy adorable-ness that I can’t stop myself from liking this.

If you’re into serious vampire content, this may not be for you. But if you’re into manga with protective guy/girl relationships with a little vampire thrown in, you will most likely dig this one. I certainly do!!

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Kodansha, and Ema Tōyama for the opportunity to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion!!

Will be posted on my blog and Amazon shortly.

Ema Toyama is a very skilled mangaka that really sets up great romance stories with twists and turns. I have always enjoyed her works and Vampire Dormitory is definitely one that I will continue. The character Mito is a character that you can sympathize with and Ruka seems to be in for a roller coaster of emotions which not knowing that Mito is a woman. Ren is a character that is set up as a foil but may be in over his head as well. We will see how this story progresses.

I enjoyed reading this manga and plan on continuing the series. The characters were interesting, but the story was on the cheesy side.

This opening volume reminded me of a more supernatural and somber version of Ouran Highschool Host Club, which isn't a bad thing. I'll be interested where this series goes beyond the initial similarities. We’ve got a mix of a secret identity story, a supernatural creature is actually a huge nerd story, and a budding vampire romance story all rolled into one. It's an interesting mix, to say the least. I don't know if it will remain balanced in all these factors, but I want to continue it! There's some interesting world building in this series, and I want to see these characters grow.

Cliche and simple, and that makes it more than well done.

Mito's looks are said to be the golden ticket through life, but someone forgot to tell life that. After being fired from the cafe, Mito's back on the street without a thing to live off of. When Ruka, a vampire, crosses Mita's path and soon offers to take care of everything, it's not hard to agree. After all, allowing a vampire to feed a little here and there with the promise of knowing how to stop is better than dying on the streets. It might be a dangerous game, but Mito doesn't realize how deadly until she discovers that Ruka doesn't like girls...only the ones he reads about on paper. Mito dresses up as a boy to keep herself safe, since she usually lives on the streets, but she's shocked Ruka hasn't figured that out. Now, she's not sure how she can keep her secret because going back on their deal is no longer an option.

Fans of Vampire Knights, Boys over Flowers, or any tales, which swim between those lines, will enjoy this one. The story is nothing original...(poor girl agrees to deal to survive with hot and wealthy guy, finds out things might not be as she thought, has other hot guys interested in her, romance buds from one direction or the other, and soon, she has all sorts of problems)...but it's exactly this cliche-ness which makes it so wonderful. It's the kind of read to pick up, know what's basically coming up, and yet, has enough twists and turns to pull the reader in.

The graphics follow the plot, allowing it to give the right emotions and context, and creating a great balance with the written words. It's easy to follow, easy to understand, and a quick read. There is a side bar, every now and then, with a humorous cat adding its tidbits. This cheeses it up just right and fits the tale, in general. Because while there is a dark hint, it keeps itself light, too. So, it's a fun mix.

I always find that these are, if anything, too short. The characters gain the needed depth to make them interesting and engaging, and the plot thickens with twists and hints at danger to come. But of course, there's just enough to wet the fangs before the volume is done. The urge to grab up the next one and see what happens next is definitely there

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Kodansha for the chance to review this manga volume.

Vampire Dormitory nails all the tropes it sets out to hit.
Likeable main character, that's had a rough time getting by.
This gave me some Ouran vibes because of the mistaken for a boy aspect of things.
You an interesting lead in our vampire Ruka-Kun he's the cool type but he's pretty funny too.
I really liked him plus he wore glasses in a few panels and I was a goner!
Then enter Ren and all bets are off because he's the mysterious brooding type and who doesn't love that.
Like I said this is your typical paranormal Shōjo and fan's of such will really enjoy it.
The character design is excellent and the story is very interesting. It seems like they'll go the love triangle route and at this point I don't know who I would choose.

Vampire Dormitory falls into the category of “potential” but doesn’t succeed so much with the first volume. As a rule, I tend to at least read two books in a series before I decide to proceed or stop, sometimes three (unless something in book one is a ‘no way’ for me). I’ve found that the first book is rarely the best at setting plot and characters up.

Mito has no family. The story starts with her loosing her current employment because she’s too beautiful. Also, it is worth noting that if you don’t read the synopsis, it’s easy to assume Mito is a boy. She uses this disguise to be left alone when she’s sleeping on the streets. Anyway, she tumbles into a fancy café, meets vampires, plot goes from there.

I think the second book will give a better idea of Vampire Dormitory so I’ll make up my mind after I read that.

*I received a free copy of Vampire Dormitory Vol 1 in exchange for an honest review*

I'll start by saying that I am a big fan of Shoujo. That said, this is an amazing example of why I love the genre. It has some Ouran Host Club vibes so, if you like that series, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a try.

The protagonist, Mito, has had it rough since her parents died. Relatives made it clear that they didn't want her around and she's felt alone and unloved for a good part of her life. Which made her blood taste awful and bitter. After being kicked out, she decided to disguise herself as a boy to deter unwanted attention.

Ruka is a vampire that hasn't drank from a human in some time. He refuses to drink from women for a, yet undisclosed, reason. But when he meets Ruka, he's talked into making him (her) his thrall. He becomes committed to ripening her blood by making her feel loved. It becomes obvious that he's falling for her fast but how long will it take for a girl that hasn't felt loved in so long to realize his feelings?

Vampire Dormitory has such a great cast of characters already and I'm sure there are more to come in later volumes.

Vampire Dormitory wasn't my cup of tea, but it's not all that bad either, if you like what it has to offer. Mito mostly lives on the streets and pretends to be a boy, since it's easier that way. Ruka then is an otaku vampire, who cannot stand real women but dreams of 2D waifus. Thus he takes a liking to Mito thinking that Mito is a boy and makes Mito his thrall. The supposed boy moves in the boys' dorm and then we seem to have a smutty reverse harem at our hands. The premise seemed great, since it combines stuff that's not usually seen together, but the manga cannot use it fully. Soon Mito acts like a girl and somehow no one wonders. Also, the possible BL part could've been even better used, but now is soon forgotten as no one wonders about it.

The art looks OK, way too girly though, but somehow fits still. The story takes off too fast and we cannot really enjoy the setting. The blood drinking is mostly porn and hearts fly everywhere too soon too. Somehow I have a feeling we'll see beach trip too, since onsen is already in this part. Such a great potential, but now lost to falling back into cliches after cliches.

read a vampire shoujo after a long time, and this was very sweet. liked reading something like this after a long time <3