Vampires of Shanghai by Katherine Mercer sweeps readers into a lush, gothic world where darkness lingers behind every corner and love is as dangerous as it is consuming. As the first entry in the Hollow Empires trilogy, this novel establishes a gritty and intoxicating vision of Shanghai, ruled by vampiric aristocracy and blood-fueled politics.
The book excels at atmosphere—Mercer’s descriptions drip with opulence and menace, conjuring a Shanghai whose beauty is rivaled only by its cruelty. The rules of the world are clever and believable, making the supernatural elements feel deeply rooted in the gritty realism of the city’s underbelly.
The narrative pivots around three compelling leads: Lian Zhang, the enigmatic and ruthless vampire queen; Mina Park, her trapped and emotionally complex fledgling; and Javier Robles, a human donor desperate to find his sister. Each character is written with depth and nuance, and their motivations and arcs intertwine in a way that feels both inevitable and utterly fraught. Mina in particular stands out as a protagonist torn between desire and survival, making her journey genuinely engrossing. Lian is a study in magnetic menace, while Javier’s humanity brings an essential grounding to the high-stakes intrigue.
What truly sets this book apart is the way it explores power, addiction, and the cost of loyalty. The relationships are as sharp and intimate as they are dangerous, especially the codependent dynamic between Lian and Mina. The romance threads do not shy away from darkness or ambiguity, appealing to fans of morally gray characters and layered emotional conflict.
While the world-building and characterization are top-notch, the pacing can occasionally feel slow—particularly in the middle sections where the plot lingers on internal struggles and subtle maneuvering. However, the payoffs are rich, and the resolutions feel earned, laying a strong foundation for the rest of the series.
Overall, Vampires of Shanghai is a richly atmospheric, emotionally intelligent take on the vampire genre that will appeal to readers who enjoy high-stakes drama, complex characters, and gothic romanticism. I’m eager to continue the Hollow Empires trilogy and see where these dark alliances lead next.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Recommended for: Fans of A Dowry of Blood, Certain Dark Things, and gritty, character-driven fantasy.

Vampires of Shanghai is a very dark take on the abusive nature that can take control in when someone has absolute power over another person. It is dark and chilling, more horror than I expected going in.

The world this author is playing in is very cool. The idea of openly recognized vampire families basically ruling a city almost akin to mob families was interesting. This world needs more explanation and a better chance to breathe as the author has some pretty cool concepts that didn't really get a chance to shine in this novel. I need to know more about the families and what the relationships are like. I want more on how they took control of Shanghai. What are the rest of Lian's fledglings like? I thought Lian was a terrifying villain for this story. I like the fact that the romance was really the tertiary plot of the book and the story is more focused on the political, science space and how the FMC and MMC are able to help one another in this absurd system.

My main negative for this book is just the severe amount of abuse that comes with this relationship while some vampire stories do have some abuse due to the dynamic of a sire and it's fledgling this was to the extreme there was physical, emotional, psychological, and verbal abuse. And it was a lot. It definitely made me uncomfortable at times and hard to read.

For a debut novel I thought this did a great job I'm interested to see where the author goes from here. I didn't realize this was the first in a series until I got to the end. If you're not a fan of cliffhangers you might want to wait for the sequel.

Thank you NetGalley and Mercerized Books for an advance copy of this book.

The description of this book really true me in and it did not let me down. I wanted pain and trauma and relationships that hurt and just that feeling of despair. Please note that this is not a happy book, but that’s what I was looking forward to. I thought this book had some really unique things going for it:
- The Shanghai backdrop
- A fledging vampire that wasn’t JUST turned, Mina has been a vampire for 10 years at this point
- The vampire that turned her is a SHE. And she is old and cruel and powerful. She is Mina’s mother, friend, tormentor, lover, abuser - and so much more.
- A Hispanic MMC from California stumbling through a new world basically
- An array of side characters, including an unexpected Russian vampire leader that I grow to appreciate.

I think if you enjoyed something like ‘An Education in Malice’ by S.T Gibson - I can see you enjoying this one. It’s gothic, the prose is beautiful, and it has a messy (to be putting it lightly) relationship.

Knocking a star off because I did not really feel that connection between Mina and Javier, it felt a bit like savior/survivor complex to me. BUT - I think these characters do need one another and I am just so curious where this series takes us. I think there is also so much more to explore just with the lore of this world. What happened to Lina before? How did Shanghai really become the first vampire safe haven basically?

Overall, would recommend!

Going into Vampires in Shanghai, I expected atmosphere and darkness, and that is exactly what this book delivers. It is not fast paced, but it sets the scenery and the mood immediately, with a strong focus on power dynamics and the way the story slowly unfolds. From the beginning the setting feels heavy and intentional and the characters are written in a way that makes you empathise with them.
One of the strongest aspects of this story for me is the way the scenery is described. I love vampire stories, especially when they are written with darkness at their core and this book fully embraces that. The world feels rich, shadowed, and alive and the atmosphere carries a constant sense of danger and tension throughout.

This is the first book of a planned trilogy and also the author’s debut, which makes the level of worldbuilding especially impressive. I also really appreciated that by subscribing to the author’s newsletter, readers receive a prequel to the story. It adds extra depth to the world and felt like a thoughtful way to invite readers further into this universe. I am very curious to see how this story continues.

Being a fan of urban fantasy and horror I have read my fair share of books dealing with vampires that said Vampires of Shanghai was such an interesting twist to the usual tales with such brilliant writing that I couldn’t put it down. I loved the world building in this one and the characters. I really loved the dynamics between Mina, Lian and Javier and how the story was built. I will definitely be buying a physical copy because it’s most certainly a re-readable novel and a fantastic start to the series.
As always thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy to review, my reviews are always honest and freely given.

4.5 out of 5 (rounded to 5)

Vampires of Shanghai is everything I look for in an urban fantasy. It features flawed characters, a gritty underbelly that highlights the many layers of the city, and side plots that enhance rather than distract from the main storyline, all while staying true to some key elements of traditional vampire lore with a fresh new twist. As a lover of horror, the descriptive, gritty gore scenes really pulled me in and delivered the paranormal vibes I was hoping for.

There is comic relief woven throughout the story, but never to the point of taking away from the more serious, plot-driven elements. I am very excited to continue this series, as Mercer has only scratched the surface of this world and the MMC’s arc.