I am a die-hard fan of S.T. Gibson's prose. If S.T. Gibson's prose has a hundred fans, I am one. If it has no fans, I am dead. Reading an S.T. Gibson book is like slipping into a warm bath after a long day. The pacing js never too slow, the dialogue packs punches, and the tone is immersive as hell.

THAT BEING SAID. This is not a Carmilla retelling. Go into this with the expectation of a queer romance with themes about ending toxic cycles and being kinky and drinking blood. Don't expect a true thematic reworking of Carmilla. Carmilla isn't even a vampire until halfway through this book. She's as much of a kid as Laura is, and it makes the dynamic not Carmilla-like at all. De LaFontaine is a complete addition/disctraction from a retelling/reworking. The girls' names are Laura and Carmilla, but that's where the similarities end, in my opinion.

But it's a good book! I liked it a lot! I just wish I had gone into it with different expectations.