Book Review: Vampires, Hearts, and Other Dead Things by Margie Fuston

Vampires, Hearts, and Other Dead Things by Margie Fuston
Length: 320 Pages
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

A special thanks to Netgalley and Margaret K. Elderry Books for an ARC of this book!

Trigger Warnings in this book for Cancer and Death of a Loved One

"I cry until I'm so empty it seems like I might float up into the sun and combust if Henry lets go of me. I actually move away from him to see if it will happen. 
Nope. I stand still in the sun as he watches me, waiting.
I am empty, but not broken.
Empty things can be filled again."

As an unrepentant lover of anything vampire related, I knew I had to snatch up Margie Fuston's Vampires, Heart, and Other Dead Things, which promised vampire hunting in a place I've always dreamed to visit: New Orleans. And what better place for vampires than New Orleans, with it's buildings -- dating hundred of years back -- its nightlife and of course, Anne Rice. I was really expecting to love this book more, but in the end, I was just okay with it.

Victoria and her Dad are obsessed with vampires and love to rewatch their favorite flicks (Underworld is mentioned several times, which is one of my favorites, too) and debate what real vampires would be like. Can they really not stand garlic, or the sign of the cross? Can they control the weather, like the undead Draugrs of Norse myth? Their love for their beloved stalkers of the night is only solidified when a man goes on television and claims he's a vampire and even stabs himself -- and seemingly heals in the blink of an eye.

It's been years since that fateful moment, and vampires, if they were ever really real, have gone underground after a string of murders are attributed to the one who revealed everything on live TV.
But Victoria has never stopped believing. And it is this belief that is holding her fragile life together when her father runs out of options to beat cancer. They had always planned to go to New Orleans together, but now Victoria takes the opportunity to fly there herself. And, hopefully, find a vampire.

Tagging along is her bestfriend and lifelong crush Henry Nakamura. They had a falling out when he started dating their other bestfriend, Bailey, and have been excommunicado for a year. However, Henry is not going to let that get in the way, and forces himself back into Victoria's life, possibly when she needs him the most.

While there, Victoria finds Nicholas, who is handsome, nocturnal, and powerful, and he wants her to play along in his game. If she can prove to him that she loves life, he might just let her live...forever.

My favorite part of this book was the lush descriptions of New Orleans, in all its gothic beauty. I especially loved the inclusion of a little vampire folklore which I'm familiar with -- the Ursuline Convent which once housed the infamous "Casket Girls" of New Orleans. There were many juicy tidbits of vampire lore sprinkled throughout, and I loved every minute of it.

Unfortunately, I struggled with connecting to Victoria, who was so hard to empathize with I kept wondering why in God's name Henry wanted to have anything to do with her! She was selfish and treated him like garbage. The poor boy deserved better! While Victoria is going through possibly the most difficult thing a person can go through, she did it with such a lack of regard for anyone else that it set my teeth on edge. I'm also one to bottle up my emotions, but that doesn't stop me from being there for family and my friends.

Overall, I think Vampires, Hearts, and Other Dead Things is a great choice for a vampire aficionado, like myself, and if you can get past the less than loveable protagonist, I think it'll be a fun ride for someone who wishes they could go to New Orleans and find them a real creature of the night. I know this would have been something I really liked as a teen, so if you have any like minded ones, let them know!