I think this book was a bit lost at sea… I feel like this one suffers from lost potential.

Vampires on a cruise… The blurb had sounded fun and intriguing. I think I was expecting something with a bit of biting, dark humour. But, alas, the plot seemed unsure of what it wanted to be. The book blurb says “…Rebekah begins to question her past, much of it lost to time” So I was expecting more in the way of flashbacks, but it barely touched on anyone’s past. And I really wanted to know more of Rebekah and Hugh’s back stories, but was left longing.

And the mention of a war going on was just weirdly placed and kind of irrelevant to the story.

Some of the writing was truly stunning. It had hints of the kind of prose found in Rice’s vampire novels, but it was inconsistent. Similarly, there was signs of humour, but again, it was fleeting.

I think I just really wanted the story to pick a direction, more of the gorgeous prose, more of the dark humour, and go somewhere a bit more exciting.

𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝑵𝒆𝒕𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒅𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒚. 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒍𝒚.

Deliciously wicked, hilarious, and utterly unapologetic

Vampires at Sea is a wild, irreverent ride that gleefully tears apart vampire tropes while serving up sharp wit, smutty chaos, and emotional depth in all the right doses. Rebekah and Hugh are the perfect pair of chic, narcissistic emotional vampires—equal parts glamorous and unhinged—and their misadventures on a queer Black Sea Cruise are as outrageous as they are compelling.

The book balances absurd comedy and erotic horror with surprising insight into relationships, identity, and desire. Rebekah’s unraveling as Hugh falls for the enigmatic Heaven is darkly funny but also strangely moving. There’s real emotional undercurrent beneath the satire, making this more than just a campy romp (though it’s definitely that too—in the best way).

If you’re tired of brooding vampires and looking for something bold, queer, and full of bite, Vampires at Sea is your next must-read. It’s weird, wild, and wonderful.

I'm still not entirely sure what I read or what the point actually was. But I did enjoy the shapeshifter aspect of it and that Rebekah was able to walk away on her own

I thought this was written for me: a queer horror book about vampires on a cruise with a stunning cover, yes PLEASE?! It was fine I guess and it may be perfect for someone else but it never quite delivered for me.

Lots of unanswered questions remain at the end and I can’t help but feel that the authors goal of creating a meaningful/symbolic story came at the expense of actual story.

I did like that these weren’t traditional vampires but the story lacked on the horror element that was promised.

I thought it was interesting how Hugh ended up being spiteful of the life they lived that was tailored and created for his comfort.

LINDSAY MERBAUM THE GAY YOU ARE!!!! I loved this. Ate it up in one sitting, as is wont to do with Novellas. Thank you so so much NetGalley for this arc. I felt seen and it was hot. Seriously, the devotion within the relationship and the unabashed sluttiness outside of the relationship were perfectly balanced. Truly, such a fun read, got me out of a reading rut I was stuck in for a bit. Pretty sure I will be purchasing a physical copy once it's published!

Horny vampires on a queer cruise?? This is a short but fun read with romantic gothic vampire vibes but also keeping it light with a funny vibrant style

wow… this sure was a book a read. I honestly have no idea what to say. I was so excited for this book and am grateful I got it as an ARC, but sheesh this was hard to get through.

First of all, they are on a queer cruise because they got a coupon, as immortal beings with more than likely unlimited resources, and they us go on this cruise for shits and giggles? It’s basically just a sex cruise.

I’m allllll for a spicy queer book, but omfg what was this??? The way things were described was so uncomfortable and not at all how a person would speak. Even an ancient immoral vampire. It’s like AI wrote a lot of it. It’s so clunky.

This part really got me. What is happening??
"My gaze doesn't latch. They're not looking at me. They only have eyes for Hugh, who's sporting a pleasurably dazed expression, like an infant drunk on brandy. I direct my body at them, put an elbow on the table, and prop up my teacup breasts."

Truly, what? I'm supposed to relate and know what it's like to be a drunk baby?? Be for real.

I LOVE the cover of this book and was so excited for it. But good god this book was bad. It for sure has some bones, but the way the bones were arranged did not work out.

What an astonishing read this was. I can only describe it as like walking into a shared lucid dream. Evocative writing, and what an imagination!

Loved it, thank you so much.

I think the thing that attracted me the most was the cover and the title, the cover is absolutely chaotic and I love it.

It’s a short story, about 180 pages, and the author did a great job of fitting a whole novel into those 180 pages. I loved the main character Rebekah, I loved how much she loved herself, and she was very entertaining.

If you love short stories and vampires, Vampires At Sea needs to be on your radar !

It was a good fast paced read. As much as i enjoyed what i read i wish it would have been longer. Maybe a bit more in depth with the characters especially a back story. I would say its a fun small read.

Emotional vampires Rebekah and Hugh are an old married couple who decide to go on a queer cruise in the Mediterranean. After all, it seems like the perfect hunting ground. On the cruise, they meet another being, Heaven, who quickly pulls Hugh into their spell. Rebekah, however, is on to Heaven and is sure there's some kind of evil afoot. Over the course of two weeks, Heaven and Rebekah engage in an epic battle for Hugh, and maybe Rebekah's life as well.
This was the kind of book that often had me thinking, What on earth did I just read? Still not sure, but I do know I liked it. This book was kind of insane in the best way possible. It's campy and queer and Rebekah is such a messy bitch. It also has a ton of heart on top of all the wild vampire shenanigans; at its heart it really is a story about a hard breakup and a relationship falling apart. There just also happens to be an evil shapeshifter there.

Horny modern vampires on a gay cruise, but make it camp. While this isn't something I would typically be interested in, the length, pace, and comedy made this short read much more enjoyable than I anticipated! I loved the idea of the vampires being energy vampires, rather than your typical blood-sucker. Merbaum manages to not take herself or the story too seriously, and this was the perfect start to pride month. Because of its shorter length, I did finish with questions that are never addressed, so personally I would have loved to see these characters and their stories fully fleshed out.

Thank you Creature Publishing & NetGalley for the arc.

Thank you so much for the ARC! Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t what I was expecting or wanting. I dnfed after day 7/about 46% of the way through.

I requested an ARC of Vampires at Sea because of the beautiful cover, I like vampires and the ocean, and it was in the horror category.

Instead, I got a novella that is just a lot of sex and narcissism. In theory, I think the take on vampires that feed on lust and desire could be really interesting! This book just wasn’t delivering on it for me.

Vampires at Sea also wasn't delivering on the horror at all — which is the primary reason I requested it in the first place.

Finally, I couldn’t connect with the characters and just didn't really like them. I was also struggling with writing style and I couldn't get invested in the plot.

Gets a star for queer rep, but unfortunately this novella was an overall miss for me.

Thank you again for the arc!

The concept was super intriguing but I think the writing was just wonky. The sentences were so choppy in some parts it was super distracting. There was also just a bunch of unnecessary information that led to literally no where plot wise. Rebekah and Heaven's characters were slightly believable and understandable in their actions and motives, Hugh's character and actions were not. It just made no sense.

Sex is the only thing that can make up for poor plot. This couldve been redeemed if the smut was actually spicy and not just a vague brief description or a passing sentence about how they were so horny.

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc copy of this book, unfortunately I couldn’t get into it. The writing while descriptive it didn’t grip me.
The characters felt so unrealistic, even for vampires or maybe not vampires? It was all a bit confusing.
Also, I thought it was going to be more of a period setting, and the story to take place in a cruise in the present day,… just weird and not in a good way.

Vampires at Sea is a gloriously indulgent, debauched romp that fully embraces its campy, over the top charm. Lindsay Merbaum delivers a novella that is unapologetically hedonistic, packed with queer sensuality, sharp wit, and a jaded vampire voice that oozes attitude.

Don’t be misled by the beautiful cover art, it has little to do with what’s inside. This isn't your typical gothic horror or high seas adventure. Instead, it’s a short, sharp dose of queer smut wrapped in a knowing wink, with just enough blood and bite to keep things interesting.

If you're in the mood for something bold, fun, and just a little unhinged, something that feels like Interview with the Vampire took a shot of espresso and went to a drag show, then this is the perfect one sitting read for you.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Lindsay Merbaum, and Creature Publishing for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own.
This book was..something, definitely.
“Vampires at sea” promises emotional vampires, desires and sorrows, but honestly it could just be summarized as smut and narcissism, no emotion at all characterizing the characters or -in general- between the main married couple. I’m sure some people loved it, and I’m happy for them - I feel like it’s targeted for a specific niche that must have really enjoyed it!
I was constantly debating whether to dnf it, because I really wasn't interested in the story.

Oh this one is definitely going to be polarizing. It is weird! Be prepared for that! This is a short little nugget of a story. If you are looking for a clear resolution, or answers to questions that arise from the shenanigans of an immortal being, this one is not it. If you're looking for SUPER queer, SUPER horny (like really can't stress enough how horny), super bored vampires on a pleasure cruise experiencing some unexpected feelings, this one might be for you. If you roll with very casual, matter-of-fact smut that is not really about romance, this might be for you. If you're a fan of What We Do in the Shadows, this one might be for you. (The author is very clear about being a fan and being partially inspired by it for this story.) If you're okay with unlikeable characters making decisions you don't understand or necessarily agree with, especially considering, again, that they're immortal beings, this one might be for you.

I had a great time with it. Obviously humor is subjective, but the humor here really worked for me, I think partially because I'm a fan of similar comedy vehicles as the author (like the aforementioned WWDITS). I also really want to support a new small press which is specifically focused on feminist horror, so please pick this one up if it sounds at all up your alley!

Rounded up from 3.5 stars.

Happy pride babes! What better time to talk about this queer little novella 🤭

I sat with this one for a little while after finishing it. I liked it, but I couldn't put my finger on why.

I like the concept of energy or emotion vampires (looking at you Colin Robinson) and think in general its a niche of vampire fiction that could use some beefing up. I also enjoyed that the story is seemingly just a slice of life. We are dumped into the story sort of haphazardly and follow our MC through her brief but tumultuous time on a sexy cruise.

There is sex, there is jealousy, there is intrigue.

I would actually love it if we got another novella in the same universe, perhaps following a different vampire experiencing life away from the cruise that we are on in this book. I would love more regardless, so please take that as a hint Lindsay 😅

I was honestly really enjoying this book. The characters are fun and incredibly well-defined in who they are and why. The writing style is really nicely paced. And the story overall is interesting in a fun, naughty way that is both not too complex and not shallow.

Overall, I DNFed this book for personal reasons related to its content. Hence, I have given a neutral star rating. Had these reasons not existed, I potentially would have enjoyed it and given it a higher rating.