I have recently been getting into more vampire books and am a devout love queer horror in literature so I have excited tO have stumbled upon this book. It was short and fast paced and easily digestible when it came to reading it. However, it was boring and many times I found the plot to fall flat for me. There was no part in the book that really stood to me or that made me have "wow" moment. In terms of characters, I did not really find them interesting and they lacked a certain spark for me to enjoy them in the story.

This was gay trash horror at its finest. The dedication sums it up perfectly: “for all hot queer sluts. You know who you are.”
This novel doesn’t take itself too seriously, and I adored the flamboyant characters, the delightfully campy narrative, and the wonderfully overdramatic inner monologue. Yet, amidst all the fun, this novel managed to convey deeply intense emotions, like envy, that anchor it back to serious territory alongside the horror elements.

I found a lot to admire here, but I think I'm just not the right reader for it as I couldn't connect with it emotionally. I'd read another book by this author though.

A fun, snarky, atmospheric, and erotic tale about a relationship between two vampires who go on a queer, erotic cruise.
On the cruise we see insights into the relationship between Hugh and Rebekah and how they can handle a mysteriously beautifully Heavenly through.

I enjoyed this book, it’s not something I would typically lean towards so I wasn’t sure how I found feel and thankfully I had a fun time but still found that it lacked a substantial plot-something I usually prefer.

The story had decent characters, the changes throughout Hugh and Rebekah’s relationship was the main attraction, but that unfortunately felt confusing and lacked execution at certain times.
The characters were still the best thing about this book and I loved the almost cat-and-mouse game between heaven and Rebekah, I’d love to have seen more backstory and explanation for heaven.

Ultimately I feel a 3 star rating is suitable. It is a fun bite sized novel with interesting protagonists, however I just felt like I didn’t end with anything I loved. I’d still recommend for anyone who is intrigued by the synopsis and is maybe interested in trying a steamy short book.

Loved this. Dark, erotic, delicious, a just enough violence to keep you on edge. Heaven is so satisfying to hate, but loving Rebekah is a guilty pleasure. A must read for Anne Rice fans.

I loved this!
The characters were so interesting, I fell in love with the main character Rebekah.
The descriptions are wonderful, it was especially interesting how energy vampires work in this book.
Fun, sexy and queer, and a little bittersweet reflection on relationships. 5 stars!

I adored this! It was an incredibly fun, camp, and entertaining read.

I love a good queer vampire moment and this delivered with all the drama.

I would highly recommend it for a fairly short and excellent time.

not for me :( some parts i really enjoyed but mostly fell flat. amazing and exciting premise but i think just could’ve used more time to flesh out

The premise of this book was so promising but the pacing and lack of plot exploration made this novella fall flat for me. That being said, it was a fun read and I did enjoy the ending.

I really loved the atmosphere of Vampires At Sea, the tension between our unreliable narrator and every other character really kept me reading. I loved the complexity of the main character, but felt like a couple other characters could have had more depth to them.

Thank you NetGalley and Creature Publishing for sending this book for review consideration.

Rebekah and Hugh, two vampires, join a queer cruise and cross paths with Heaven, a non-binary being who threatens to unravel their relationship. While the book had its standout moments, the tone and pacing didn’t resonate with me.

This novella was a fun and silly. The writing was fantastic, and the description of the way energy vampires operated in this world was enthralling. I must say I had very few expectations going into this, but I ended up enjoying it !

Sexy vampires on a queer cruise in a love triangle turned sour. What’s not to love? I finished this in one sitting and absolutely devoured it. This one was a bit of ”The White Lotus” meets “What We Do In The Shadows”. In other words I’m obsessed.

This novella was a fun, silly, surprisingly deep look into a vacation gone terribly wrong. The writing was fantastic, and the description of the way energy vampires operated in this world was enthralling. I had so few expectations going into this but I ended up enjoying it immensely!

Vampires at Sea by Lindsay Merbaum had an intriguing premise that initially hooked me—vampires on a mysterious sea voyage? Yes, please! The setting itself is atmospheric and full of potential, offering a mix of gothic vibes and supernatural intrigue. The concept of vampires navigating life at sea, with all the isolation and danger that comes with it, really piqued my interest.

However, the execution didn’t quite live up to my expectations. While the world-building had great potential, I felt like the author didn’t fully explore or develop the setting to its fullest extent. The pacing also dragged in certain places, and at times, the plot felt more like it was meandering than building towards anything substantial. The characters, too, didn’t feel as fully fleshed out as I had hoped, and I found it hard to connect with them on a deeper level.

I’m giving Vampires at Sea 3 out of 5 stars. It’s not a bad read by any means—it’s just that the concept was so promising, and I wanted more depth and sharper tension. If you enjoy supernatural tales with a bit of mystery, it’s worth checking out, but don’t go in expecting a fully realized world or characters to truly sink your teeth into.

Two vampires go on a queer Black Sea cruise in an attempt to smooth over relationship trouble caused by one's ex-lover, but instead they get more of the same.

This was a fun novella with a sexy protagonist who has little to no regard for the people around her (in the best way possible). The characters are queer, non-monogamous, and gender non-conforming and the tone of the story is irreverent and funny. It's 80-some pages of gay vampire debauchery and I really hope Merbaum has more like it.

This book was an odd one for sure, but not one that I disliked. It was not an overly long piece, just a novella. I was definitely intrigued by the blurb, so I requested it through NetGalley. I have no regrets reading it, but it was not my favorite.

Wow! I didn't know what I was getting into with this one, but I'm so glad I read it. At 84 pages, this was easy to read in one go, but I suspect I might have finished it in a single session even if it was twice as long. The writing was exquisite and the plot felt fresh, which isn't easy for a vampire story. The whole thing takes place on a sex cruise, and while there's plenty of graphic sex scenes, the tone keeps it away from erotica territory. I'd say it's more a meditation on love and jealousy, and a funny one, at that.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Creature Publishing for the chance to read this title in advance of its publication!

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I opened the title ‘Vampires at Sea,’ but now, I would absolutely read more about Rebekah and her husband Hugo. This novella was a blend of modern vampire aesthetic meets ‘The White Lotus’ and I was enraptured through the whole story. Much like Rebekah, I would also begin to go a little stir crazy on a boat full of people, especially once I learned one is a shapeshifter and a bit power hungry. If drama on the high sea mixed with feral vampires interests you, then you’ll absolutely want to take a bite out of this one. (Yeah, I know…vampire pun. How original?!)

Thanks to NetGalley and Creature Publishing for this eARC. ‘Vampires At Sea’ is out October 7, 2025 and is currently available for pre-order.

Vampires at Sea is the unique sexy vampire novel I've been DYING for. Full of hilarious sex and emotional tenderness, Merbaum gives us the stunning Rebekah and her eternal partner Hugh on a cruise through Eastern European seas in the midst of a war-torn world. Rebekah and Hugh meet nonbinary influencer Heaven, who threatens their partnership with their increasing interest in Hugh, which flares Rebekah's red flags and serious jealousy.

This was fun, inventive and hot. Rebekah is a force to be reckoned with and I would read a hundred novels about her exploits. There's a lot of character growth and unique world building. Considering we're in the midst of a vampire renaissance - Interview the Vampire, Nosferatu, What We Do In the Shadows, etc. - I definitely see an audience for this at my library and will be recommending it for purchase.

Plus that cover. Just gorgeous!

This is a strange one. Two vampires, emotionally dependent on one another, bound together through time, go on a queer cruise on the Black Sea. It has a lot of things that should set me up for success in the write-up. I like vampires. I like queer vampires. I like books that take place on boats. I haven't read a queer cruise book, but it sounds like fun and a magical non-binary social media influencer sounds like they could be amazing. However, ultimately I was pretty bored.