In her new novel, Bram Stoker award winner, Hailey Piper turns her hand to the vampire novel. Combining epistolary storytelling with a traditional narrative, Piper tells the story of two trans women, Ivory Sloan and Cabrina Bright.
The story centres around Ivory Sloan, who in order to fit in following a terrifying ordeal in her teens hides behind an almost Victorian epitome of womanhood, quiet and subservient. Hiding in plain sight, Ivy comes across the body of Cabrina Bright after her morning swim. Whilst examining the body she finds her suicide note, which turns out to be more of a poem rather than a message of pain. This leads Ivory to find out more about the dead girl and the reasons why she was found washed up on a beach.
As she digs deeper, her search leads her to the terrifying secrets of Ghost Cat Island and the bloodthirsty entity that wants to be set free on the world.
Now I have to say, I wanted to love this book, and guess what? I bloody well did. The story starts off small, examining the lives of the people that live in the town of Cape Morning, slowly transforming to a murder mystery to finally reaching its gore soaked crescendo and going absolutely batshit crazy.
Piper presents a different vampire story, and with her inimitable ability to draw from absolutely all the influences and a few more besides. The vampires themselves at times reminded me of those ones in the Stephen King film, Sleepwalkers as they are kind of a werecat. However, with her ability to use all the influences from both horror cinema and fiction, Piper crafts something new.
The book uses all the elements of gothic fiction, but changes them to give a distinctive feel, such as changing the looming, dark castle for a haunted island. However, the other elements are there, such as the ghostly figure, the malignant atmosphere and the ominous and superstitious elements, but the direction changes dramatically in the fourth act.
Throughout the book there is a definite argument against the traditional TERF diatribe that demoralise and stigmatise trans women, which is encapsulated by the two main characters, both the alive one and the dead one.
However, Piper hides this in the story and never hits you over the head with it, as this not only an angry shout at those that deny transwomen their womanhood and the trauma they inflict, it is also entertainment and Piper does this with style. Especially in the last act of the book, where the story becomes a climactic battle of Ivory’s rage and those around her.
All The Hearts You Eat is a brilliantly original take on the vampire legend and gives it a fresh vibrancy that

What happened to Cabrina Brite?

An accidental discovery of Cabrina's corpse and a mysterious note left behind pulls Ivory into a bizarre mystery focused on the supposedly haunted Ghost Cat Island. With unexpected twists and a variety of characters, it's a unique and at times entertaining story. Overall, I liked it even if I have some issues with pacing and the ending.
I can say that I certainly didn't expect it to go where it did. Whether that's a good or bad thing is up to you. But I enjoyed the originality of the story. It's refreshing. The characters are interesting and complicated, especially Ivory. I always love a diverse cast especially when more than one main character is trans. It's something I appreciate about Piper's work. I think it handles the topic of grief and how people react to a young trans teen's death, well. I liked how characters question why Ivory is even involved, she didn't know Cabrina after all. It's interesting when you can start out a book liking a character but swap opinions by the end, though I wouldn't say I necessarily dislike the character. I also always love a unique writing style so the bits of Cabrina's diary we get were a nice addition.
However, and this is a problem I have with a lot of Piper's work, the ending did not do it for me. Without going into details, it just felt so flat and left too many plot threads dangling. There's so many questions by the end that go unanswered and even questions that are manufactured by the ending. The pacing also felt a bit stop and go to me. There would be stretches with nothing happening and then suddenly a bunch of things happen all at once. It felt a bit long for the story ultimately being told.

I would still ultimately recommend it to any fans of queer horror. Hailey Piper thrives with unique ideas and that's what keeps me reading her stories. Just be super mindful of content warnings, because this gets heavy.

When Ivory discovers a body on the beach, with a poem indicating it was not intentional... she needs to know more about the mysterious Cabrina Brite

She tries to talk to the people she knows but gets the feeling they don't get it, or don't believe her. But when strange things start happening, and Cabrina may be back in a different way, she will need to dig deeper

However, Ivory isn't alone, in a small town everyone is connected and Cabrinas closest friends Xi and Rex have also been experiencing strange things, Xi especially

What happened to Cabrina and what is happening to them all now... and how will it affect the small town as a whole...

Definitely the strangest take on the vampire lore I've read, but kept me wanting to turn those pages to see where it was going

For warning, this book deals with a lot of tough issues around the characters and their real life going ons and challenges in addition from the fantasy horror portrayed here. Also has a lot of horror, especially body horror, so please check triggers if you need to

Out today! Go pick this up for spooky season if it sounds like your thing!

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan for the review copy.. all opinions ny own

Possibly a classic example of “there is a book for everybody, and this one just wasn’t for me”. The writing seems phenomenal, but in all honesty, I only made it through just past the first chapter. Admittedly, some books take a bit longer to grip the reader, but I just felt like I was never to connect with this protagonist the way I needed to in order to enjoy this one.

After finding myself thinking “I wonder how others connected with this book” I hopped on a couple different book review websites to see what other readers I trusted had to say about this book. One ‘friend’ stated that they had a difficult time getting into this story. Another mentioned something along the same lines and dropped the fact that this story contained vampires. While the author apparently puts an interesting twist on the mythical creatures, I just can’t do yet another vampire tale. They are least favorite mythical horror creature, and I will not do that to myself.

Others have been loving this book, and if you’re wanting a dark read that delves into heavy topic material then I encourage to give this a try. Just don’t be afraid to DNF, like I did, if it isn’t hitting right.

Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy, and I wish this book much success with the right readers.

I love everything I've read of Hailey's and All the Hearts You Eat is no exception. Epic in emotional scope but taking place in a strange little small town, the story is told by various narrators and is at times heartbreaking, at times visceral and intense, and always fantastic. I love Hailey's writing style, and this book really swings for the fences, a long (but not too long) and fabulously realized story of love and death and identity that just worked so well for me. I think we've seen some really fantastically interesting takes on vampires recently, from Nat Cassidy's Nestlings to Johnny Compton's Devils Kill Devils, and Hailey both nods to classic vampire stories and puts her own unique vision on the page in a way that feels both new and familiar. Really loved this one.

All The Hearts You Eat is a chilling gothic horror that is perfect for autumn and winter nights. Or any time if you love your horror. The very first thing I want to say is the atmosphere of this book is fantastic. You get swept up into the story and feel as if you are in the town with them.

The writing is wonderful with an array of characters that are fleshed out and include natural representation which is something I love. I will say I think some people may not enjoy the representation and some may not like the writing style and tone used but for me I thought it worked and worked well for the tale. The plot itself is so engaging with a beautiful mixture of haunting and heartbreak.

I don’t want to spoil anything but I will say I really enjoyed this one and I think if you are a fan of gothic horrors you will too.

As always thank you to Titan Books and Netgalley for my copy. My review is always honest, truthful and freely given.

Hailey Piper once again does what Hailey Piper always does so powerfully: tells a horror story that stirs the imagination with dark imagery while also offering an abundance of heart and passion to her characters. All the Hearts You Eat is chilling while, at the same time, painful. It’s a story composed of friendship and alliance and love, but is also tempered by longing and loneliness for Ivory—a woman who has spent her life trying to be pleasant and unobtrusive, perhaps not for the purpose of fitting in, but more so to not stand out.

Small town claustrophobia adds dimension to the story, in the sense that Ivory’s solitude comes largely from her desire to remain inconspicuous, to be unproblematic. Ivory wants to find love, but settles for being wanted; though, even the physical connections come with conditions. That is, when Ivory isn’t an inconvenience. The author’s answer to this is in the discovery and exploration of another world, a dimension that gives Ivory what she’s seeking. Including a thirst for vengeance.

One of the greatest surprises in this book is who becomes the heroes. This unexpected but beautifully executed turn adds more than a few touching moments within the terror. As a precaution to those readers who appreciate it, teen depression and suicide figure prominently into the plot. All Cabrina Brite wanted was to be herself. Her death is not simply a warning; it’s a clarion call for unconditional love and support.

Vivid narrative, intriguing characters, dark souls and local mythology defines this story in a way only Hailey Piper could breathe life into it.

Oh Hailey... I found myself awake at 3am last night, composing this review. Like all of her books, it gets into your head and sets up camp, full of ideas and sudden 'hold on!' revelations, long after you've turned the final page.

This book has such beautiful atmosphere, but that's not all - it's absolutely solid in story and characters too. I was reminded of other vampire tales, such as 'Near Dark', 'The Lost Boys' and 'Salem's Lot' (the book), as it's set in a lovely town full of interesting people, but with a dark undertow rising to the surface. Compelling and addictive, appropriately enough.

I genuinely loved Ivory and was initially confused as to why they didn't tell the story fully. Then other townsfolk showed up with their own perspectives and the bigger picture came into view.

I also appreciated the very natural inclusion of LGBTQIA+ folk here. It's not an issue - it's just who they are. This will probably annoy some, but in that case, this book isn't for them.

A gorgeous contemporary vampire tale of love and darkness, set in a world that I felt I could visit in reality. And would I? Probably, yes - so long as I had Hailey with me as guide!

This was a difficult read. I found myself engrossed in the central mystery, but I struggled with Piper's imagery and descriptions. it wasn't always clear to me what was real and what was a dream. I had to go back and re-read chapters several times to follow the plot. Unfortunately, this wasn't for me.

Thanks to NetGalley & Titan Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Titan Books for an ARC of All the Hearts You Eat in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

It's a beautifully crafted read with some sad moments. It's very immersive. I liked switching between the journals throughout the chapters. It made for an engaging read. It's chilling and profound. I recommend it to anyone looking for a horror story with deep and meaningful themes.

"...we all come from the sea, and maybe we go back there when we die, no matter where we die. Like an ocean of ghosts."

While out on a morning swim, Ivory inadvertently witnesses the discovery of a body washed up on shore. While others are attending to the body, she discovers something hidden away on the beach: a death poem. Ivory begins to feel haunted, watched, and wonders if she's being punished for pocketing the rolled-up revelation. After all, what right did she have to own it? But once she discovers that the body was that of Cabrina, a young trans woman, Ivory begins to feel a kinship, a responsibility, a calling. Ivory is a trans woman who, after a painful incident in her past, feels that she must find out what happened to Cabrina and help appease her spirit. What role do Cab's best friends, Xi and Rex, play in all this? Or Cabrina's cold politician mother that stamped her tombstone with a deadname? Why does Ivory keep having these dreams with visions of mountainous stones and cat creatures? And what happens once she eats the bloody, pulpy heart and swims to Ghost Cat Island?

I was stoked to be approved for this ARC of All the Hearts You Eat by Hailey Piper. Because ya'll, Piper can WRITE. A story with everything: mystery, toxic family dynamics, trying to overcome your past and your present, creatures!, blood!, queer horror!, ghosts, vamps, revenge, unconditional love and loyalty, and tons of heart (all the heart you can swallow, in fact!).

There are multiple instances where transphobia is present, sometimes violently, so consider that before proceeding if it may be triggering for you.

Overall, I really enjoyed it which is no surprise. Yet another winner from Piper. You know I love a good creature feature, and this delivers. Think 1982's Cat People meets Scooby-Doo Zombie Island (where the monsters are actually REAL 💅).

A million thanks to @netgalley and @titanbooks for letting me read this ARC. Get yours, preorder now, do what you gotta do, out on October 15th!

#AlltheHeartsYouEat #NetGalley #haileypiper #bookreview #bookstagramreview #arcreview #bookstagram

Not for me.

The themes in this book seemed to be something I would be interested in, but I cannot get through it. The writing is very juvenile and random. It reads like a middle school diary entry to me and I cannot get invested in the book. Some of the language and descriptions are a little crude. Describing body parts as “meat shapes.” Ick. It seems very aimed towards Gen Z to me.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for access to the ARC of this book. I truly appreciate the opportunity.

Words cannot explain how seen this book made me feel. Cabrina's mother is a perfect example of how truly draining someone can be. Yet the people truly SEE Cab show us the important sense of community. This story is important for so many reasons. LGBTQIA+ representation and empathy alone were reason alone to love it; the fact that it was an absolutely stellar horror story was ultimately the added bonus for me. Truly honored to have been approved for this ARC.

A small town gothic horror that will chill your heart. The sea is full of wonder and darkness in this folklore inspired book. I enjoyed the mystery of what happened to Cabrina Brite and how this impacted on the characters we follow. The book is deep, covering topics such as identity, human connection and acceptance. I loved the vampiric aspects as well, it was raw and brutal. The book expertly blends realism with the supernatural and leave the reader feeling unnerved. If you like a twisted and disturbing read then I recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

All the Hearts You Eat by Hailey Piper is a haunting, gut wrenching, beautiful, gut roiling, and complex tale set in the eerie town of Cape Morning. When a resident's body washes up on shore, the town is shaken, and the story spirals into a cosmic horror that is impossible to forget. This was my second book by Piper, the first being *A Light Most Hateful*, so I knew going in that I was in for something unique and wild—and I wasn’t disappointed.

Let me be honest: Piper’s prose isn’t always an easy read for me as a plot-focused reader. Her writing is so intricate and rich that it takes effort to fully appreciate it. But once you settle into her style, it’s breathtaking. Her words are some of the most beautiful, raw, and powerful that I’ve ever come across in modern Gothic horror. The world she creates is unlike anything I’ve read before—bold, dark, and brimming with atmosphere. I can’t even imagine what it’s like to live inside her mind!

However, I did struggle a bit with the length and some repetition. I’m sure it served a purpose, but it was a challenge at times. That being said, it’s hard to critique such a stunning piece of work. There’s so much to unpack here, from the metaphors and themes around the trans experience to the visceral imagery that hits all your senses. You can smell the blood and dirt on the pages.

In the end, I’m so glad I read this book. It opened my eyes to new perspectives and left me thinking about it long after the last page. This was a deep, brutal, and unforgettable story that will lead to hours of discussion.

There was so much about this book that felt unexpected. It's less cosmicly weird than anticipated, but still retains some of the telltale Piper oddness.

Instead, you're offered a vampire tale of sorts embedded into the main narrative where our characters bond together to help pull their fallen friends from the clutches of soulless evil.

The book explores some tough themes and certainly doesn't pull any punches. There's rampant transphobia, abuse, anger, regret/remorse, but also a powerful love.

This one is a little long but if you're looking for a roller coaster of emotions with some terrifying elements and want to question reality just a bit, this might be for you.

Well this destroyed me! And I will need to take PTO to recover! 4.5 ⭐️

Emotionally gripping and full of gore, All the Hearts You Eat is a tenderly-written take on the vampire mythos that cleverly utilizes the symbolism and imagery of common vampire stories to draw parallels to the trans and queer experience.

This was masterful horror but also incredibly heartfelt coming of age. I really loved it. The only criticism is that it ran a bit long for my personal taste.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This title officially releases October 15, 2024. Pick it up!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I was skeptical going into this book. I have read 2 of Hailey Piper’s novellas and was not a fan. A full length novel seemed like something I wasn’t going to enjoy. However, all the reviews were so positive I knew I had to give it a shot. I’m glad I did.

This was heartbreaking, beautiful, raw, visceral, and just so so sad. I actually shed a few tears. Ivory is a strong character to follow and we see her spiral from beginning to end. My heart also broke for poor Cabrina.

The vampire element to this I didn’t see coming and it was a wild ride. The whole end of this book felt like a fever dream, which Hailey Piper seems to be good at in their books. There was so much plot to this it sometimes felt overwhelming. However, this was an amazing book. There is so much going on and it is so good. I got emotional reading it and it’s going to stick with me for a while. The gory bits were so detailed. There is no shying away from anything is this book.

There is rage. Rage at yourself, at others, at life, and at how things could have and should have been. There’s abuse from partners and parents. There’s transphobia. But there’s also love. Love that knows no bounds. Unconditional love. A trio of friends who would do anything for each other. Even bring their lost loved one back from the clutches of a monster Queen. I’m awed by this book and look forward to more novels by Hailey.

All The Hearts You Eat is a Trans Horror by Hailey Piper. A haunting small town gothic horror that is beautifully written. It's poetic while also being gory and disturbing. A horror story with mystery. the trans experience, ghosts, violence, and intense feelings.

In All the Hearts You Eat by Hailey Piper the story of one trans adult and three trans teenagers turns from tragedy to full blown horror story quickly. One of them becomes a ghost…or are they something more?

All the Hearts You Eat is the latest book I received early from Net Galley for review. Its a horror novel and it is absolutely terrifying and gripping. Let me talk about the main characters first before going back to the story.

The main characters in this book are so unique and interesting. These are complex human beings with thoughts and feelings and a point of view that is rarely shown in…well…anything. Not just one trans-person but four are the main characters of this novel. And if your heart doesn’t break for each and every one of them, you are not human at all. I don’t want to talk to you.

I felt for each of them. I don’t know their experiences. I’ve never experienced anything like what they went through. And yet I felt so much for them. I wanted the best for them and my heart broke seeing what they were put through in this book, especially the kids. Oh my god. Those kids. Cabrina Brite especially.

The main characters are the anchors to the plot. The plot isn’t a rollercoaster ride like A Light Most Hateful by Hailey Piper. Instead, this is a novel that creeps up on you. There’s a deep dread that weaves its way throughout this book. Some moments will disgust you and anger you and there are moments that will make you want to cry. This is a horror novel that will make you feel if you are not all like Cabrina’s mother (who I hated so much).

I do wish we could’ve known a little bit more about what happened to some of the characters at the end but overall, I thought this was an excellent novel. If you want a horror novel with unique characters and something that’ll have you on the edge of your seat, then you should check out All the Hearts You Eat.

All the Hearts You Eat will release on October 15th, 2024. Yes, just in time for Halloween. A perfect time for this one. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for letting me check this out early.