Hello, Book Nerds! Welcome back to Reading Has Ruined My Life or welcome if you are new. As always, my name is Hannah and I am your captain on this journey into my bookcases.
Happy Valentine’s Day, Book Nerds. Be kind to yourself today and buy some yummy chocolate. Or wait a day and get it when it’s half off. That’s what I’m doing. February 15 is truly the best day of the year purely for the half-off chocolate.
While we wait for the best day to arrive, let’s talk books. Specifically one book. A romance. Something rarely seen on this blog. But it is the month of love so a romance review is in order.
Please welcome to the stage My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine!
Ah yes, a romance novel with a spooky twist. Now it makes sense. So let’s crack in.
As always, a spoiler alert is in order. This is your one and only warning. If you have read any other review I’ve written, then you know I love to spoil the majority of the books I read. Synopsis time now.
Cassie Greenberg is a Chicago based artist who is being evicted from her apartment. Her bestie has offered to let her crash on his couch and live with him and his husband until she can find a new place, but she politely declines. She has a better offer. From Craigslist. For a room in a two bedroom apartment that only costs $200 a month. Okay, it’s not a better offer since the roommate who comes with the place is likely a serial killer or something, but it would hurt Cassie’s pride to take her bestie up on his offer.
Sketchy Craigslist ad it is! And things aren’t bad at all. The apartment is beautiful with tons of natural light and a view of a nearby lake, its décor is simply a little dated. And Cassie’s new roommate isn’t a serial killer either! Yay! He’s just a bit old fashioned. And a vampire.
Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is a total gentleman, freakishly hot, a vampire, and in need of a modern day tutor. He was asleep for the past 100 years and was looking for a mortal roommate he could observe to figure out modern day society. Things don’t work out as planned though. Cassie discovers his secret within her first week there, and the two start to catch feelings for the other the moment they lay eyes on each other. What’s our girl Cassie to do? Take Frederick up on his offer and teach him all the ways of the modern world of course! And also maybe begin some type of romantic relationship.
My Roommate is a Vampire is so charming. I love the premise, it has great potential. There’s just too much going on within its pages. Major spoilers ahead! I have to mention details from later on in the book to properly talk about this issue. Skip to after my favorite bears if you don’t want to be spoiled though I recommend reading what I have to say because it will give you a pretty big insight into this book and really help you decide if you want to read the story for yourself.
As I said, this book has too much going on. I give credit to Jenna Levine for having so many ideas, and they’re all interesting ones, but there are too many plot points in this little read. First you have Cassie learning Frederick is a vampire and that vampires are real. Secondly, you have her teaching Frederick how to live in the modern day. Then you have Frederick’s arranged marriage and kidnapping that comes in during the final third. Finally there is Cassie contemplating becoming a vampire in the epilogue which may set up a sequel.
There’s too much. There’s too much going on. This book should have focused on the first two plot points only. Great rom-com potential right there. And there are great scenes while in that point of the plot. I cried from laughing so hard when Frederick whipped out a fanny pack and tried to pay for coffee with gold doubloons. It’s great! Then the arranged marriage comes in out of nowhere and the book changes directions.
My Roommate is a Vampire should have been the first book in a trilogy. The first entry being Frederick learning and adjusting to modern society, the second book focusing on the whole arranged marriage thing, and then end with Cassie contemplating becoming a vampire. It just makes sense. Now I understand the author had absolutely no promise of a sequel–nor do I know if she even wanted to write a sequel for that matter–when her book was picked up, let alone a trilogy, so I understand her trying to fit in as much action as possible. But I would much rather read a story with a single, more fleshed out and detailed plot than read a book which has small tastes of multiple unfleshed out stories in one.
Spoilers are over now. It’s time we talk about our couple, they’re why we’re all here after all. Both Cassie and Frederick are fine. I much preferred Frederick to Cassie. Cassie doesn’t have too much going on for her. She’s a pretty basic female lead. She’s down on her luck, isn’t looking for love, and has kinda given up on it to an extent; like I said, pretty standard fare. She’s neither a horrible character nor is she exemplary; she’s basic, she’s meh.
Frederick makes this book though. Frederick is so awkward and so charming. See my note about him attempting to pay for coffee with gold doubloons. I’ve decided I love him. He gives cinnamon roll energy. My Roommate is a Vampire is as strong as it is because of this man. He has this naiveté, this innocence to him thanks to being asleep for the past 100 years that just makes you love him so. And it’s written so well. Everything is an adventure with him. Frederick is hard not to love. He is baby.
For all you romance girlies wondering what tropes this book has, I got you covered. My Roommate is a Vampire includes:
· Age Gap
· Slow Burn
· Friends to Lovers
· Forbidden Romance
· Forced Proximity
· He Falls In Love First
Overall, I had a fun time with this read. Frederick was adorable. I just wish things were fleshed out a tad bit more and some aspects edited out. I think it would have helped out greatly.
With that, I shall bid you all adieu. I will see you all again next week with another great review.
Until then, stay safe, wash your hands, and read some good books for me.
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