#BookReview - The Lonely Vampire

The Lonely Vampire

By: Ann Greyson
Publisher: Ingram Spark
Publication Date: September 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0578705088
Reviewed by: Risah Salazar
Review Date: September 25, 2020

Twenty-three going on twenty-four, Myrna Ivester feels lost in life. Being roommates with her best friend, Siobhan Mulcahy, is not helping. While Myrna is not jealous of her, she can’t help but compare their achievements. Siobhan just got promoted as head nurse in her department while Myrna is, well, she’s in the medical field too and wants to help people but she is not content with that. Call it a quarter-life crisis or something else, there is certainly a nagging feeling toward her existence that she can’t quite shrug off.

Ileana Vladislava is a vampire and is the last of her kind. She is lonely, yes. But more than anything else, she is annoyed. Choosing Wightwick Hall as her new residence seemed like the best option then, as it is close to the woods where she can hunt and is away from nosy neighbors. But Lorraine Krag destroyed Ileana’s much needed isolation when she and her husband moved close to Wightwick Hall. When there’s something that Lorraine wants to know, she is relentless. Will she discover Ileana’s secret or will Ileana succeed in scaring her off?

The moment Ileana sets her eyes on Myrna, she decides she is perfect. Well, perfectly troubled. After so many years, she has found another soul that she thinks she can drag into the vampire life. After carefully planning her steps, Ileana makes her move and not long after, Myrna awakes differently than she ever had in her entire life.

Ann Greyson’s The Lonely Vampire starts with suspense and action. Amazing imagery brings the setting and characters to life instantaneously, although the world-building takes some time to establish. With a slow pacing, the bigger picture becomes visible only halfway through the book. With an alluring yet calm tone, it draws the reader in. But the constant switching of perspectives from the third to the first person makes the story hard to envision. The characters, on the other hand, are written well; they have a solid background and are relatable most of the time. It is also nice that the book is LGBTQ-friendly, although Ileana's decision to convert Myrna to a vampire so she can be with her might have some readers questioning it as it was done without Myrna's consent. Overall, however, The Lonely Vampire is a very satisfying read.

Quill says: The Lonely Vampire is a case of “do-not-judge-the-book-by-its-cover.” Admittedly, the cover can be more aesthetically pleasing but the story surely makes up for it. It is simple and shallow, but it’s entertaining enough to ignite the senses.

For more information on The Lonely Vampire, please visit the author's website at: annsgreyson.com/The LonelyVampire