Read this after reading the original last month, and enjoyed it a lot. It feels more like the ideal of what I'd want from a sapphic vampire novel. And if I had to choose just one to recommend it'd be this especially for those seeking out the sapphic aspect over it being a "classic". But theyre both short and think most people would do fine to read both. The one thing I think maybe I liked a little more was how the setting was written and added to it feeling dark. Also, I listened to audiobook while reading along, and for once the audiobook didn't feel like it was helping. I was not a fan of the voices the narrator had for the main characters especially Carmilla. But besides that I loved the ending they got, and the way we got to explore their relationship and other moments with characters like De Lafontaine. The only other thing I feel a little conflicted over is about the fact that Carmilla is otherwise known to be the first vampire prototype written before Dracula.

My expectations were low, and yet I really enjoyed this. I didn't go into it really thinking about Hunger Games at all, and it's probably best you don't. That's all kinda of background, and we don't get a decent dive into why those that are bad are straight up evil. But then no one is really innocent here, they're all just unhinged. 😭

Quickly grew attached to our terribly down bad nonbinary MC Kohl who's freakiness knew no limits. Kohl said "I know what I'm about" and never backed down. Which meant this was my response to them behaving like a killer lovesick puppy

It took awhile to feel like I had a better understanding of Victoria but then you quickly find out she matches Kohls freak energy and just happy for these little killers.

Overall I really enjoyed the book it was fun, even though I was going through e-reader troubles that had me take longer than I would have. Things like typos and such are easy to forgive, but there was a part where it got kinda bad to where I was a little confused by the author misgendering Kohl who's nonbinary and they state their pronouns in the beginning of the book and everyone despite willing to murder each other don't seem to think to ever misgender them.