Funny and strange at points, but I didn't feel much for this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

An odd little novella. Interesting premise, but the execution failed to grab me. Felt very flat and unanimated for a book purporting to be about vampires. Where is the eroticism??

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC!

I am very sorry to this author, because I can tell a lot of love went into this, but I didn’t like this book.

What I loved was how unapologetically queer this was. I loved the concept of a queer cruise and queer poly vampires, but that was about it.

I hated the narrative voice, I found it super corny. I didn’t find any of the three main characters particularly interesting, and I’ll say for a book with the word ‘Vampires’ in the title, these were potentially the most unvampiric vampires i’ve ever seen.

Unfortunately, this book also suffered from telling not showing. There were a lot of passages that went like this: They went here. They wore these clothes. Then they had sex.

There was no romance, there was no eroticism, there was no passion in the writing to ME personally.

I also found the ending incredibly anticlimactic, but considering I didn’t connect with any of the characters and wasn’t rooting for any of them, that isn’t really a shock.

* spoiler alert ** This was a fun little snack of a read.

I will admit it took a minute to fall into the writing style. But that might be partly on my having come from several very heavily styled reads to this one. But once you fall into the rhythm of it, it is a fun way to hear the main characters world. The vulgar way Rebekah talks mixed with the constant mention of outfits and her unimpressed views of those around her were great fun. This book also heavily feels like it takes place in the same world as What We Do In The Shadows.

The plot was quick, the characters were interesting. The big baddie was a flashy bundle of, 'look at me,' with an interesting twist. I enjoyed that it turned in part into a murder mystery and toward the end got a little deeper with the character development.

I did feel at the end a little put out because of how quick everything suddenly came to a close. It both made sense and didn't. Did everything get tied up? Sure. Did all the characters but mainly our protagonist find their end? Sure. But it felt a little rushed. It almost in a way felt a little like they were given X amount of pages to tell their story and realized when they were nearly out of pages they still had story to tell and just put it out there without the filler added in that we get the other 90% of the book. It wasn't an issue in the end but you can definitely feel it.

All in all this was a good story with neat ideas. A nice easy read full of fun quotes.

Thank you to Netgalley and Creature Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was pitched as everything I love: vampires, queerness, orgies, and cruises, so I was overjoyed when I got an eARC. Unfortunately, it ended up falling a bit flat for me in a lot of areas, but there were still some elements I enjoyed.

Vampires at Sea follows Rebekah and Hugo (or Hugh to Rebekah), one day they get an invitation to go on a queer cruise and figure "why not?" Chapters are divided by day of this two week cruise, getting to know what happens everyday (spoiler alert: a whole lotta nothing) Eventually they run into Heaven (literally) and they story really begins (did anyone else picture Heaven as JVN the whole time or just me?)

Rebekah narrates the story which is one of its saving graces, she is that bitch and she knows it. I loved being in her head for the most part though I'm not sure she would feel the same. That being said I have a lot of issue with pacing, this is a rather short book but it still felt very slow and not in a mysterious way.

going into spoilers:
The sex scenes in this book were pretty boring and not "graphic" as I've seen they described, for example the orgy from the synopsis lasts maybe 2 pages (I read on my kindle) and most of it was focused on characters who were not participating. I don't really have a problem with this per se, but it is not what I have seen people talk about.

This book also left with with so many questions and about zero answers. What is (was?) Heaven really? What are (were) their powers? What happened to Rebekah's memories? What's going on with Hugh (just like in general)? What's up with the war? What is Rebekah and Hugh's backstory? And so many others.

Overall this book could 100% appeal to a certain type of person looking for a certain type of story but that was regrettably not me. 2.5/5

This is tough, because I think this had great potential to turn into something very cool. Unfortunately, that never really came to fruition. By the end of it, I was just feeling a bit... indifferent? Nothing about this changed me, but it was fun!

Thank you, Netgalley, for providing me with an eARC of this book.

~

I see the vision. The vision unfortunately kinda sucked. The first half of this novella is full of thinly veiled sarcasm that I felt bordered on being just flat out insulting.
I almost enjoyed the middle, where there begins to be an actual story, but unfortunately our main character & narrator is insufferable. It felt repetitive, and I grew tired of the little “humorous” clips being thrown in in parenthesis during scenes they did not belong in.
I expected a lot more from this, unfortunately, and it failed to deliver.

I think in the end this was... fine? I struggled for a majority of the book to connect with the characters, and I was admittedly hoping for a bit more vampy-ness. I KNOW that these are emotional vampires, but it felt like they were only vampiric in order to make the book hornier a lot of times. I was hoping for more horror, more fantasy, more something- but this felt like a litfic, maybe a bit of magical realism, but not exactly what I wanted.

It was a quick read, it was entertaining, most (and best) of all it was gay as fuck, but it didn't leave a lasting impression or move me in any momentous way.

I usually don’t mind a book with minimal plot if the characters are memorable and the atmosphere is strong. Vampires at Sea had potential in both areas, but unfortunately, it fell a bit short.

The characters, in particular, lacked depth and development, which made it hard to stay fully invested in their journey. That said, the writing style was a highlight. It was lyrical and evocative, perfectly suited to the moody setting. I also appreciated the fresh take on vampires, especially the intriguing way they feed, though I wish that aspect had been explored more fully.

In the end, while there were some good ideas and I did enjoy the read overall, the story felt too surface-level to earn more than three stars.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Vampires at Sea by Lindsay Merbaum is a seductive swirl of horror, humor, and heartbreak set aboard one of the queerest (and weirdest)cruise ships you’ll ever encounter.

What makes Vampires at Sea stand out is its unapologetic camp, its gleeful eroticism, and the bold emotional complexity hiding beneath the smut and snark. This isn’t your average vampire tale, it’s more like Interview with the Vampire meets White Lotus with a liberal dose of glitter, angst, and queer liberation.

The Plot :
Immortal lovers Rebekah and Hugh, vampires who feed on emotions rather than blood, board a Black Sea queer cruise with a shared goal: indulge, unwind, and consume others’ longing. Rebekah is bold, hungry, and complex; Hugh is poetic and aloof. But their plans get derailed when Hugh becomes obsessed with a mysterious nonbinary influencer named Heaven, whose charm might be more than just digital charisma. As Hugh drifts, Rebekah spirals—and blossoms. What begins as a sultry vacation quickly turns into a voyage of ego, jealousy, and revelation.

What I loved:
* Rebekah is the kind of messy, magnetic protagonist you don’t always like,but you can't stop reading about. Her evolution is the novel’s true arc. Watching her untangle love, identity, and power was deeply satisfying.
* Heaven is a standout. Their presence is disruptive in the best way, challenging both characters and readers to question where obsession ends and self-erasure begins.
* The setting: a cruise ship full of indulgence and queerness, feels like a pressure cooker. It’s playful but also claustrophobic, forcing the characters to face themselves.
* The writing is sharp, sensual, and brimming with campy flair. It flirts with absurdity but never loses emotional depth.
*
What didn’t quite work:
The first few chapters were a slow swim. The tone is so irreverent and stylized that it took me time to find the emotional current underneath the glitter. Some readers might find the pacing a bit uneven, especially before Heaven's entrance. Also, the cruise setting, while clever, can feel a touch repetitive at times.

It’s a queer, fun time. Honestly was fast paced and kept my interest, interesting dynamic between the three main characters.

Vampires at sea by Lindsay Merbaum was funny, sexy and moving.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
queer horror comedy - novella

This novella follows a rather unusual vampire couple: Rebekah is seductive, wanton and has a lot of bite, while Hugh is a quiet, artistic and very sensual force.

⚓️ These lovers go on vacation on a cruise ship, organized for queer people. Their objective? To relax, indulge in orgies and feed off the passengers.

⚓️ Everything changes when they meet Heaven: a non-binary influencer with enchanting charm, but also an unidentified supernatural creature. Hugh becomes fascinated, Rebekah quickly feels abandoned. Far from moping, she tries to win him back, to console herself, to take revenge... all stratagems that lead her to question herself and the life she has led up to now.

⚓️ The beginning of this text took a while to get me on board. I didn't understand where the author was taking us, as I had plunged in without rereading the summary. The only thing I knew was that I was still obsessed with vampires and that the dedication had made me smile. I had a bit of trouble with the direct, sharp writing style. I wasn't too keen on the characters, and the setting was a bit repetitive.

⚓️ In retrospect, it seems that this routine was done on purpose to cut the story short with the arrival of Heaven, who turns the whole dynamic of this vampiric couple upside down. After her appearance, I found it hard to put the book down. The pages went by, and so did the drama and laughter.

⚓️ Hugh was an interesting character, but the real stars of the show for me are Rebekah and Heaven. These two characters have a fascinating relationship that regularly oscillates between hatred and burning desire. It was delicious to follow their passive-aggressive discussions that followed dangerous and tense sexual encounters. They know what they're worth and aren't afraid to assert themselves.

⚓️ The context of the cruise was very original and fun. I found it perfectly suited to the evolution of the characters. The boat starts from point A and the whole process up to point B fundamentally changes who they all are. Rebekah's evolution blew me away. She embraces her vampiric nature, her freedom (with a kind of sadness). She chooses herself because she refuses to be extinguished by love for someone who has abandoned her. Her rejection of her previous life, too quotidian and flat yet comfortable, is brilliant. The fact that she travels when she could have done so many times before as a vampire awakens her from a long sleep.

⚓️ There's a very camp, rocambolical aspect to it, but it's still very moving and satisfying to witness this emancipation. Decentering men (even vampires) is a nice revenge. That's what I liked best about this story.

In short, it was a real surprise for me. It took me a while to appreciate what I was reading, but when the action finally starts, it's impossible to tear yourself away. It's biting, it's sexy and Rebekah is the vampire of my dreams. I wish I'd read it while I was on vacation by the sea.

Thanks to Creature Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC!

FR VERSION 🇫🇷

Vampires at sea était drôle, sexy et émouvant.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
queer horror comedy - novella

Cette nouvelle suit un couple de vampires un peu particulier : Rebekah est séductrice, dévergondée, a beaucoup de mordant, tandis que Hugh est une force tranquille, artiste, très sensuel.

⚓️ Ces amoureux partent en vacances sur un bateau de croisière, organisé pour les personnes queer. Leur objectif ? Se détendre, s’adonner à des orgies et se nourrir des passagers.

⚓️ Tout bascule lorsqu’ils font la rencontre de Heaven : un.e influenceur.se non-binaire au charme enchanteur mais aussi une créature surnaturelle non identifiée. Hugh s’en passionne, Rebekah se sent rapidement abandonnée. Loin de se morfondre, elle tentera de le reconquérir, de se consoler, de se venger…autant de stratagèmes qui l’amèneront à se questionner sur elle-même et la vie qu’elle a mené jusqu’ici.

⚓️ Le début de ce texte a pris du temps à m’embarquer. Je ne comprenais pas où l’auteur.ice nous emmenait puisque je m’y étais plongée sans relire le résumé. La seule chose que je savais c’est que j’étais toujours autant obsédée par les vampires et que la dédicace m’avait fait sourire. J’avais un peu de mal avec la plume directe, tranchante. Les personnages ne m’emballaient pas plus que ça, le contexte était un peu répétitif.

⚓️ Avec du recul, il semblerait que cette routine soit faite exprès afin de couper net avec l’arrivée de Heaven qui chamboule toute la dynamique de ce couple vampirique. Après son apparition, j’ai eu du mal à poser mon livre. Les pages s’enchaînent, les drames et les rires aussi.

⚓️ Hugh était un personnage interessant mais les vraies stars du show restent Rebekah et Heaven à mes yeux. Ces deux personnages entretiennent une relation passionnante qui oscille régulièrement entre une haine et un désir brûlant. C’était délicieux de suivre leurs discussions passives agressives qui suivaient des relations sexuelles dangereuses et tendues. Iels savent ce qu’elles valent et n’ont pas peur de s’imposer.

⚓️ Le contexte de la croisière était très original, fun. Je trouve qu’il épouse parfaitement l’évolution des personnages. Le bateau part d’un point A et tout le processus jusqu’au point B modifie fondamentalement qui ils sont tous. L’évolution de Rebekah m’a bluffée. Elle épouse sa nature vampirique, sa liberté (avec une forme de tristesse). Elle se choisit elle-même car elle refuse de s’éteindre par amour pour quelqu’un qui l’a abandonnée. Son rejet de sa vie d’avant, trop quotidienne et plate bien que confortable, est génial. Le fait de voyager alors qu’elle aurait pu le faire tant de fois avant avec sa condition de vampire la réveille d’un long sommeil.

⚓️ Il y a un aspect très rocambolesque, très camp, il n’en reste que c’est très émouvant et satisfaisant d’assister à cette émancipation. Décentrer les hommes (même vampire) est une belle revanche. C’est ce que j’ai préféré dans cette nouvelle.

En résumé, ça a été une vraie surprise pour moi. J’ai pris du temps à apprécier ce que je lisais mais lorsque l’action commence enfin, il est impossible de s’en détacher. C’est mordant, c’est sexy et Rebekah est la vampire de mes rêves. Je regrette de ne pas l’avoir lu pendant mes vacances, au bord de la mer.

merci à Creature Publishing et Netgalley pour le SP !

I was initially drawn to Vampires at Sea by Lindsay Merbaum due to its unique concept and atmospheric setting. It definitely stood out for me.

And yet, I found myself unable to connect with the story and characters in the way I had hoped, and I made the decision to DNF it. This may be more a case of personal taste than a reflection on the book itself.

I’m grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

a fun sexy romp novella that was well suited to a cover to cover read. rebekah is a manifestation of most 20 somethings fears despite being a vampire who has been around for who-knows-long. i enjoyed this a lot and can’t wait to see what else lindsay writes!

Vampires At Sea was everything it promised it would be; a quick tale of narcissistic emotional vampires with relationship issues. Every character is detestable and the ending really worked with that in mind. This book is a vibe.

This was fine! I love the cover, it's absolutely gorgeous. The book wasn't what I was expecting even after reading the synopsis but I still liked it very much.

This book was very weird , very queer, but unfortunately totally missed the mark for me personally. It’s like a quick little read which was ideal for me. I found it kinda felt like a gay little fever dream with very narcissistic characters that I really wanted to end. The book is not badly written by any means it just was not for me.

Thankyou Netgalley for this eArc.

This was a short novella that was fast paced, horny (for both people and life) and included vampires.

THere was no blood sucking involved so if thats the kind of vampires you love then think about that going in! These are my fave vampires - ENERGY. Horny, Sad, you name it they will suck it up. It was a pleasant surprise as well.

It was an interesting tale of a couple who embark on a queer cruise over the black see and how one person can change everything you think. It had just the right amount of fun, thoughtfullness and spice for the book and I will be looking and Lindsay's other books now as i enjoyed this so much.

4

This was such a really good slay book with sapphic horror notes also the writing.....perfection

the way my excitement about getting a netgalley ARC died faster than I learnt characters' names.

this has to be one of the most atrocious "writing styles" I've seen this year — it's as if a 12yo wattpad ficwriter discovered flow of consciousness genre and took out their glittery pink diary from first grade and added a bunch of sex-related words in it to look mature. I wish I could say that at least smut was worth it but the only railing done is the way this fucked my brain while I was attempting to keep reading it in hopes it would get better.

I'm gonna go touch grass now.