Joyce: Hey lovhers, welcome to the Book Lovhers Club, the podcast where we celebrate Black sapphic love stories one book at a time. I'm your host, Joy, a married lesbian, lifelong book lover and relational communication scholar. Here, we don't just read the romance, we learn from it. I believe that love stories can do more than just entertain us. They can teach us how to love better, how to see ourselves more clearly. and how to create the love life of our dreams. Each week, I'll dive into sapphic stories written for us and by us while weaving in personal insights and communication lessons you can take off the page. So grab your drink, get cozy and let's turn the page together. Welcome to the club.
Joy: Hey book Lovhers, welcome back to another episode of the Book Lovhers Club. I hope y'all can tell that I'm feeling better. Whatever sickness and illness my wife and I caught after our hiking trip, it is slowly fading away, okay? But I am so grateful because I am ready to yap with y'all today about Every Dark Desire by Fiona Zedde So, for those of y'all who are new to Discovering Me, I am a book club podcast. So we read Black Sapphic books every month, and I discuss them on air. So the two books that we're reading and discussing for the month of October are Death Card by Jasmine Smith and Every Dark Desire by Fiona Zedde So last week, my episode talked a little bit about Death Card. So today I'm going to talk a little bit about Every Dark Desire. I have not finished this book yet, but I will have it finished in time for my book discussion episode next week. So I'm only going to dabble a little bit into it. I'm about halfway through. Okay, but today I am talking about one of my favorite topics, which are vampires, bloodsuckers, the undead. Okay, the fanged and fine. I am a certified fang banger. I love any and all things vampire. Okay, so I was really excited for every dark desire because it is a sapphic vampire story, but I was not prepared for what it is given. Okay. I was not prepared. They not doing nothing but sucking and fucking in this book, okay? And the vampires are vicious in this one. I think over the years, how vampires have been romanticized in the media. I think we forgot that they are monsters, that they're animals, and they're vicious. Every dark desire really captures that on the page. The darkness of vampires. they are not romanticized in this book, This is not the Cullens. This is not a cozy vampire read, Like I said, most of the things that are happening in this book involve sucking and fucking. All right. if you like eroticas, then you're gonna enjoy this book, okay? Because the spice is given. You know, I enjoy it. It's just I need a little bit more plot. So I'm not saying I dislike the book. I just need a little bit more plot. I will say that it's very difficult for me to dislike a vampire story, you know, because I just really enjoy vampire lore. And I like how dark they are in this book. It really gives me like Anne Rice vibes. Like they're vicious, just like vampires are. Like I said, I think we've just gotten away from that. in recent depictions of vampires, but they are apex predators and we are the prey. And we get that. That comes across in this book. I do like that the vampires are freaky as fuck. I do enjoy it. Okay. I just like I said wish I had a little bit more plot. But you know, I'm not gonna get into all the details of the book, but I am going to use this book as an excuse. To talk about my favorite topic, which are vampires as a whole. So you are gonna leave this episode today with some book recs. I'm also gonna tell you a little bit about some of my favorite vampire movies and TV shows because this is my podcast and I can do what I want. But why would I pass up an opportunity to talk to you all about vampires, especially for spooky season? Because one thing I love is A vampire book, or movie in October. I feel like it just really brings the Halloween spirit to my spirit. You know, it like really, really does it for me. I cannot let this month end without watching a vampire movie. And I am not going to let that vampire movie be Twilight. For some reason, I like to watch Twilight when it's like really cold and gloomy outside. And we haven't quite Gotten to that part of the season. Okay, so that might be on my watch list for November. I'm not watching it right now. Okay. But there are some other things I will dabble in. So, you know, before I get into that, just a little bit about the book. So I've actually gotten some mixed reviews. So I've already put out some preliminary. questions to the book club on Fable and some of my book besties that are reading the book just to see what are people's initial impressions. And so far it's been a mixed crowd. You know, some people feel like me where, you know, they just wish it had a little bit more plot. Some others are like they like that it's an erotica. They like the spice. So we'll see where people land once the month ends and the ratings and stuff start coming in. But I do like that it is a darker vampire story than the ones we've seen in recent times. But I am not new to this. I am true to this. I've been loving vampires for a very long time. You know, when I was younger, and this is probably gonna age myself, you know, but I'm at my age. I can't hide it, can't deny it. All right, nor do I want to. Okay. But when I was younger, You know, I read a lot of Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High books. So Sweet Valley High has a book called Kiss of the Vampire. And it was like my very first vampire book that I read. And I gobbled it up. I got it from the library, you know, as a child, You really read the books that you have access to. And I grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago and the library that I would go to didn't have the largest selection of young adult books and children's books written by black authors. So, you know, I read a lot of Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High because they had endless supply of those books at the library, okay? But that vampire story, I gobbled it up. And I wanna say there's similarities between that story and Bram Stoker's Dracula, almost like it's the same type of vampire lore. But I really enjoyed it. And after that, I really came to love vampires after becoming obsessed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So I saw the movie first, and then the movie became a TV show, and I was obsessed, okay. How you know it's real, I own the entire series on DVD. every time a Christmas came around, my family would get me one of the seasons as a gift. But I loved Buffy. I still love Buffy. It's probably my favorite TV show. I rewatch it like it just came out. Okay. But I think that. TV series is what really locked in my love for vampires. And part of the reason why I love vampire stories is because of the themes and the tropes that tend to emerge in those stories, Vampire stories are really gonna give you this debate about immortality versus mortality. if you were propositioned by a vampire or had the choice to become one, you know, there are pros and cons to being immortal and just the things that vampires struggle with. You know, outliving all of your loved ones, being the last to die, if at all, you know. Really watching everyone that you know and love grow old while you stay young forever. being trapped in a body that doesn't age, but your mind and your consciousness is so much older than everyone else. You know, having all this wisdom and knowledge and seeing patterns that emerge in the world and witnessing all of that, but Being the only one to know that type of stuff, and you can't really disclose it to people because you can't really tell them that you're a vampire. You know, also think about mortality and how knowing that we are going to die one day and living every day like it could be your last really makes life worth living. It gives you something to live for. It makes every moment count, every moment meaningful. a lot of the vampires struggle with that because the longer that they've been undead, the further removed they get from their humanity. I love books that have this good versus evil battle. we see this a lot in vampire stories where there's a slayer or some type of hunter they have to save the world or rid the world of vampires and fight them. sometimes there's a big villain that they have to fight. I just love that. I even like when the savior is like a teenager or like a supernatural youth is what I call them. But I think about Buffy and how she was the slayer and but she was in high school and a teenager and having to save the world every night and fight vampires. But there are a lot of stories where there's hunters and things like that, like the TV show Supernatural, And then there's like this coming of age story that also accompanies it where they're learning to develop their powers and strengthen their powers and things like that. So I think that's what I really loved about Buffy. And there are just other stories like that. There's a TV show on Netflix called First Kill. And it's a sapphic vampire-themed TV show where the romance is between a vampire hunter and a vampire. And I really enjoyed it. It did get canceled after the first season, and I'm still mad about that because they deserve to at least get a second season. That show was good. Okay, it was good. And we don't really have a lot of TV shows that are sapphic and vampires. Like I just really enjoyed the representation of it. this coming of age story, both for the vampire and the hunter, both of them learning about their abilities and powers. And then something that we also see that shows up in these TV shows and books are the different tropes. Forbidden Romance is one of my favorite tropes. And if we think back to the Book Lovhers Fest, we played that game, Battle of the Book tropes. That was the top trope. Like most of the people voted for Forbidden Romance. Like that is the trope that came out on top. So I think that's why a lot of us gravitate towards vampire stories because of this forbidden aspect. if you are immortal and you're in love with a human. You really only have a couple of options available. You know, if you stay in that relationship, you have to navigate the complexities of watching your lover grow old and eventually die while you stay young and live forever. That's a difficult situation to navigate. if we think about Twilight, Edward didn't want Bella to be a vampire. You know, but Bella, like, I don't wanna sit here and be getting old turning into an old lady and you stay seventeen forever. part of the reason why I wanna be a vampire, I want the supernatural abilities. I do. Give to me, baby. I want the supernatural abilities. I love when the vampires have powers outside of just being a vampire. So like If they could read minds, tell the future, you know, if they are telekinetic, they can move things, if they can shape shift, they can turn into bats. Give me all the supernatural powers. That's what I would want as a vampire. A supernatural ability that I would really desire Being able to compel people to do what I want. You know, I think about True Blood. If you've never watched that TV series, you need to get your life and go watch it. Okay, it's so good. But In True Blood, they were able to glamour people. I think that's what they called it, but compel folks and tell people to do certain things. Okay. Even in vampire diaries, if they weren't on Vervain, they could have people doing all kinds of stuff and have little minions running around and mind control. So I kind of want that. You know, I want the supernatural abilities. I want the super strength. I want to be able to run fast. The way Edward. was running through them woods with Bella on his back and stuff and some of the vampires can fly. I want all of those abilities, okay? I know it comes at the expense of drinking human blood, but I think I will manage that. We got blood banks. I can get me a donor. Have me a little harem of humans that I could drink their blood and then maybe promise them eternal life one day. But I'ma really have to vet people because eternity is a long time to be stuck with somebody that you don't like for real. You know, and what if we got a sire bond? What if I turn you into a vampire and now you wanna always be up under me like a Velcro vampire? That's a lot for me. Like I'm a Capricorn. Okay. Now I do like the aspect of the sire bond where I can, you know, make you do my bidding. Like you're like my little minion. But I would have to be sired to someone too, And what if my sire is like Klaus or something? You know, it's levels. So I don't know. Now what if I get propositioned To be a vampire and get offered immortality and my wife doesn't want it. How do we navigate that? You know, like this isn't something that I had a conversation with her about. Like, what if I want immortality? Like, do you want to be mortal? Because that's something that we need to discuss. Because, do I have to sit here now and navigate watching you grow old and die? But I want to live forever? You know, is that something that you break up over? these are questions that need answers. I'm probably gonna end this episode and then go ask my wife, like, look, are you trying to be immortal? Because what if I get hit up to be a vampire? Like, I'm turning you to boo. Anyway, okay, but we can have us a little harem of humans drinking their blood on demand, I'm ready to be a vampire baby, okay? Anyway. Another thing that I like in vampire stories is this concept of like humanity. versus inhumanity or like in some of the vampire stories there's literally a humanity switch that they could turn on and off I like that when that shows up in stories you know in this book Every Dark Desire Naomi you know now that she's become a vampire she goes by Belle now but she feels very detached from her human side. And the more that she leans into these desires and these urges as a vampire, she becomes further removed from her humanity. But just this idea of the hunger, the thirst, this thing that they can't control, that they're gonna always be wanting more than anything is this thirst for human blood, this lack of self-control, or there are some vampires who do have some control over their thirst. Like I think about Bella and how she could control her thirst, but that's a common theme in books, is just this fight to control something that's so integral. Into who they are now that they've become a vampire, where they will do any and everything to get human blood, just the chaos and the destruction that they create on the quest for human blood. I love reading about that in a book, I also like when vampire stories have some politics. So there are some vampire books. And vampire movies and things like that where there's a lot of political intrigue. So there's a book series called the Chicagoland Vampire series by Chloe Neill It is one of my favorites, mainly because it's set in Chicago, but you can also tell that she got some inspiration from Charlaine Harris and True Blood, because Ethan, the main MMC and male vampire lead. He is really given Eric Northman. but that book I think talked about the political climate in Chicago and then overlapped it with vampire politics as well. It's a really good series. Also, True Blood. some of you all may not know, but the True Blood TV show is also based off of books. So that Charlaine series, the Sookie Stackhouse series, those are the books that got adapted into the TV show. But in that there are a lot of vampire politics. You got the vampire kings and queens. They got sheriffs and things like that. So I like when that shows up in the books. Cause I feel like it's giving you a vampire story, but also there's some social commentary that's also happening. So, you know, I just love it. I love it. I could talk about vampires all day. Okay. But there's some vampire lore that I like really enjoy that I prefer over others. You know, I was surprised, but I really did like the vampire sparkling in sunlight and twilight. I thought that was creative. I think Stephanie Meyer, she did something different. Like she put her own spin on vampires, and I really liked that. Also the fact that Edward could read minds and Alice could, you know, see into the future. So I like that. Also, vampire diaries. that TV show is also based off of books. I've never read the books. It's on my list of things to read. It's on my TBR. I've watched the vampire diaries, the originals, even Legacies. Even though Legacies isn't my favorite, I did watch it, but I do want to go and read the books because I love those TV shows so much. But I like the concept of a daylight ring. You get a really pretty piece of jewelry and now you can go out into the sunlight. I like that. And then some of the books have a birthmark or some type of mark that's on their body that showcases that they're a vampire outside of just having fangs. So Granger, the Maggie Gray series, they have that white patch that shows up on their body to signify that they're in the first family and that they're vampires. I really like that. And there's another vampire book series that I enjoy. It's called the Crowns of Nyaxia book series by Carissa Broadbent The first book in that series is The Serpent and The House of Night, but they get an heir mark. So if you ascend to become like a vampire king or queen, there's a mark that shows up on your body to represent your bloodline. And we see marks like that. The House of Night series. It's a OG book series, okay? So for my OG vampire book girlies, House of Night came out around the time that Twilight was popular. It's older, but they would get like marks on their body too. So I like that. Also, I thought it was creative in the originals, the TV show, where if you kill an original, their entire sire line dies. Thought was unique. I like that lore. I do. You know, I already told y'all I like the humanity switch because I want to be able to switch my humanity off. You know, sometimes these feelings that empathy gets to be a bit much, And having the ability to just switch it off, but you know, you're just gonna be out here killing and really embracing your. most violent tendencies. and then once they turn the humanity switch back on and all of that guilt and shame that they have to endure I think about Stefan, how he was a ripper and he was just killing folks left and right. And then once that humanity switch came back on and he had to face the reality Of how many people he murdered. Crazy. Okay, but I think that's creative. But if you are looking for some book recs, I have several. I've read so many vampire books. I am not gonna go through my entire list because it's long, it's lengthy. Okay, so I'm gonna start off with the sapphic book recs. Okay, so these are some sapphic vampire book recs. So bite me twice. By J.S. Jasper. It's a black sapphic vampire novella. Really loved it. It's good. J.S. Jasper is consistent. So I think y'all will enjoy that book. I gobbled it up. Okay. So bite me twice. And then Tee Unique. She just dropped a Halloween novella, but it's got vampires, werewolves, and strippers. Okay. Yeah. All the things that we like. It's called Sweet Sin. So it's recently dropped. Go and read that. It's only 29 pages, y'all. It's a quick read. I honestly hope she fleshes that story out some more. I know this was her first time dabbling in the paranormal genre, but she did a great job. Okay. Like I I really enjoyed the book. And for the story to be wrapped up like that in 29 pages, I just would like to see what she could do with a longer novel. In this universe that she's crafted. I really enjoyed it. So I hope she sees the feedback that she's getting from a lot of us and that a lot of us like it and would love to read more. And she fleshes that story out for us some more and does more in this universe. But it's called Sweet Sin. Okay? by Tee Unique If you like young adult books, This Ravenous Fate by Hayley Dennings. It's Black Sapphic Vampires set during the Harlem Renaissance. Okay. I like that book. I do think that she could have done more to really like bring those Harlem Renaissance elements to the forefront. Like I really wanted more, but it's still a good book. the second book has already come out. So it's two books that you could read. But yeah, this ravenous fate. Now, this is not a black sapphic book. But I loved it. It is a sapphic book. It's just not a black book. But Contract Bound by Elle Mae I love that book. I recommend it all the time. it's a vampire princess and she has a bodyguard. And it's a romance between her and the bodyguard. The bodyguard is a vampire hunter. It's so good, y'all. Now I didn't like the sequel as much as I did the first book. But that first book is worth a read. Okay. It's really good. So it's called Contract Bound. Highly recommend. Okay. And the other book is called Afterglow by Emily Antoinette. That is another vampire book that I love. I reread it often. Okay. Lesbian vampires. It's got a sex club. It's got some monsters in there. BDSM. And it has invisible illness and disability rep. And I really loved it. So those are my sapphic recs that I would give y'all. So go. If y'all have not read them, I highly recommend them. Now, if you will read some books with the heteroes, okay, some black vampire books that I love and always recommend. Of course, Maggie Motherfucking Gray. Okay. The Maggie Gray series. By Granger. So the first book in that series is The Secret World of Maggie Gray. If you have not read that series, seriously, what are you doing? What are you doing? Okay. It's got vampires as well as witches, sirens, fairies. It's so good, okay? But my favorite book out of that series is The Mortal Affairs. And that one is a vampire book. And it's got fairies and vampires, but it's a vampire story. Like, but the entire series is about vampires. You know, Maggie, the main character, the FMC, she is a vampire and a member of the first family. So yeah, gobbled it up. Highly recommended. It is my favorite. Granger is one of my favorite authors. I recommend it all the time. Another black vampire book that y'all gonna want to read is I Accidentally Hooked Up With a Vampire by Jessica Cage. And she is a Chicago girly. Okay, so we always gonna put on for the home team. But she is hilarious. I really think she missed the calling as a stand-up comedian and she decided to be an author, which is cool because I love her books. But the way that she ties humor into her books, they are hilarious. You will literally laugh out loud. But that book is so good. It's my favorite book out of her accidents happen series, and I love it. So highly recommend. Okay. Now Another young adult read that I would recommend is Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma That book is so good. And I think it's a true enemies to lovers Okay. Another book series now. If you don't mind going back and reading something older, this is a throwback. But LA Banks has a series called the Vampire Huntress series. The first book in that series is Minion. I haven't finished the entire series yet, but I was able to find all of the books through a thrift store. So I now have the complete series. It is my plan to go ahead and read it and finish it. But I really loved Minion. And then another book I read that I really like is Chosen by a Vampire by Wynta Tyme If you liked the movie Vampire in Brooklyn, Chosen by a Vampire reminds me of that movie. it's similar humor Now, if you're willing to dabble in some non-melanated books, I do have some to recommend. Okay. The Zodiac Academy by Caroline Peckham. That book series is so good. It is a favorite of mine. I am going to reread it this year at some point. But it is an emotional roller coaster. It's going to take you through there. But it is so good. It's like a CW TV show, but a book. Okay. It's got so much drama and action and humor. It's hilarious. I it just made me feel so many things because it's gonna really take you through there. It really is. But it's worth it in the end. Okay, so if you like a good series, it's like thirteen books. In that book series, and it's got some spinoffs. It's worth the read. Okay. Now, some people you either love it or hate it. I personally read it. I found it so entertaining. And I've already mentioned it, but the other one that I put on your radar. Is the Crowns of Nyaxia book series by Carissa Broadbent So the first book in that series is The Serpent and the House of Night. That is phenomenal. It is really good. Okay, I done read it and listened to the audiobook. Okay, I did both. I read it on my Kindle first, and then I listened to the audiobooks when I got them on sale. Okay. Now, if you're willing to go back 10 plus years and you want to read some of the vampire stories that really shaped me as a reader, you know, I've already told y'all I'm an OG Twilight Girly. Okay. OG Twilight Girly. Look, I done had the trip to Forks, Washington to prove it. Okay. I done hiked my ass down to La Push Baby. It's La Push to the Beach. All right. So It's nostalgic at this point. But during the era when Twilight came out, there were other vampire book series that popped up. And I don't know, I just feel like they didn't get the right recognition, but maybe they did. But Vampire Academy by Richelle Meade. I feel like that book series was better than Twilight. hear me out. I think it was better. And it's had a movie which was kind of a flop. The movie didn't do well. And then the T V series got canceled after one season. But I watched all of it. I think the TV series needs some justice. It shouldn't have got canceled. The TV series was good. And they canceled it right when it was getting really, really good, you know? So it ended on a a cliffhanger, which sucks. But it's worth the watch. But yeah, Vampire Academy, read that. I enjoyed it. So already told y'all that True Blood was based on some books. I have the entire series on my shelf. It is a favorite of mine. The first book in that series is Dead Until Dark. Now, the books did go in a different direction than the TV show. So even if you watch the TV show, If you read the books, it is a different experience, and they're both just as good. So I highly recommend it, okay? I already told y'all about the Chicago Vampire series. Love it by Chloe Neill Highly recommend it. Another one that I like is Discovery of Witches. So that has become a TV show. But I read the books and I watched the TV show. Highly recommend both. And then the last one I'll put on your radar is called The Casquette Girls. That one is set in New Orleans. And I got that book when I went to New Orleans for a trip and I stopped by the vampire store and they had some signed copies in there. The book is good. It's a series. But I went on a haunted tour and they talked about the casquette girls. So this book expands on that. So yeah. Go ahead and read that and then take a trip to New Orleans and put it all together. Okay. You won't be disappointed. But it's by Alys I think that's how you pronounce her name, Alys Harden. But her name is spelled A L Y S. Harden. So yeah. Now, if you're looking for some vampire movies to watch, I got a couple that I recommend. And these are probably already on your radar, but these are my favorites. So, of course, Sinners. I done watched it numerous times. Highly recommend it. It is so good. Michael B. Jordan acted his ass off in that film. It's so good. So Sinners is at the top of the list. Highly recommend. I already told y'all about Vampire in Brooklyn. Angela Bassett, Eddie Murphy, solid film. And it's one of those movies that I still watch today. Like it's still funny. I still love it. Okay. Queen of the Damned with Aaliyah playing Queen Akasha, I loved it. And the soundtrack is fire. that is one of my comfort movies. I re-watch it often. I always come back to it. Bram Stoker's Dracula is my favorite vampire movie, period. I love Bram Stoker's Dracula. And it's just so romantic to me. And I think it captures all of the things that I love about a vampire story. And it's just the classic. I remember when it first came out, my grandmother would not let me watch that movie. She said it was too grown for me. So I didn't watch it until I was older. But it's one of my favorites. And I love that it has reincarnation in the movie. That's another theme that I just love that sometimes pops up in vampire stories. So highly recommend that. Blade Blade is classic okay if you've never watched Blade you need to get your life together a black vampire who's a daywalker and a hunter come on yes blade and You know, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a movie before it came a TV show. I've already mentioned that. That's one of my favorites. So if you've never watched that, it's just a classic to indulge in. And then interview with a vampire, if you've never watched it, I highly recommend it. And you should watch the TV shows. So most of these movies are books and TV shows. So, like I told y'all, Buffy is my favorite TV show ever. But a lot of people did not watch Angel. So that was the spinoff. You know, Angel ended up leaving Sunnydale and then got his own TV show. It's just as good. So if you've never watched Angel, it's worth the watch. it aged well. It's still good. And I've already told y'all about True Blood, Discovery of Witches, Interview with a Vampire. We talked about vampire diaries a little bit. Love vampire diaries, but the originals is my favorite. I prefer the originals over vampire diaries. I think it's because vampire diaries is about high schoolers. And I don't know. I like the more adult themes that popped up in the originals. But, you know, I am Team Damon and Elena. I'ma stick beside my show. I do rewatch it, but justice for Bonnie Bennett, they played in my girl's face the entire series. And I really don't like it. And it's anti black and racist. Kat Graham, is such an amazing actress. And she deserves so much more from that show. So anyway, but I do love I watched Legacies. Like I told y'all, it was okay. It's not the best. I don't hate it, but it's not the best. Now, there are some movies and stuff that aren't necessarily my favorites, but I think they're still worth the watch. So if you've never watched Mortal Instruments, So that's a book series by Cassandra Clare. I've read some of the books. I didn't read the entire book series, but it got adapted into a movie and a TV series, which I've watched. Both are good. Okay? Some of the acting is questionable in both, but I enjoyed them. there's a movie on Netflix called Night Teeth. I really like that. That's a vampire movie. And then there's one with Jamie Foxx called Day Shift. Highly recommend. And then if you want some more TV shows, Hemlock Grove is really good. And then Being Human. There's a US version and a BBC British version. So both are good. I can talk about vampires all day, but I'm not going to. I just wanted to let y'all know, like every dark desire is leaving much to be desired. It's not a bad book. It's just so far, there's not a lot of plot. But my book Bestie said once I get to chapter 25, it does kick up a notch. So I'm almost there. So we'll see. But, you know, vampires, I love them so much. And I think there's just a lot of lessons we can learn from vampire stories because there's a lot of metaphors So this week's love lesson, I want us to think about the vampires in our lives. Okay, so when you think about vampires, they have this uncontrollable hunger. that can only be satisfied by drinking the blood of humans, it's like they have this void, they have this need that's beyond their control. Sometimes the thirst is also for chaos and destruction. Depends on the vampire. But this thirst is what drives them. It's a part of who they are. And satisfying that hunger. Always comes at the expense of others because they need to drink your blood to satisfy it, right? I think about how we sometimes attract those types of people in our real lives. they may not necessarily thirst for our blood. Maybe they're thirsting for our energy. They're thirsting for our resources. They want to drain our finances. They want our power. It could be a variety of things. But Energy vampires are real. And this isn't just something that exists on the page. So I want you to think about. Any relationship or friendship that you've been in that just left you feeling depleted. it could have been that there was a constant need for attention, they constantly needed validation, or they always wanted you to put their needs first. there was just some type of void in their life that they were looking towards you to fill. So that's what this love lesson is about this week. And I want you to put up a boundary. So ask yourself: are the people in my life nourishing me or are they draining me? Think about at least one relationship in your life where you may need to create a healthier boundary between you and that person, have a better balance between give and take. You know, you don't want them to drain you dry. are they on the verge of leaving your carcass on the side of the road? Cause they done depleted you of everything that you had to give. Okay? Cause that's what Naomi and them are doing left and right in this book. Well, Belle. So I want you to identify these people in your life who Are seeking to do the same to you. And then what's one actionable step that you can take to better protect your energy, better protect your peace while still showing up with love? So I want you to think about that. That's your love lesson this week. Let's take a page from these vampire stories. We're not gonna let these people leave us drained and depleted. No, we not.
Joyce: Thank you for tuning in to the Book Lovhers Club. If you love today's episode, make sure you subscribe so you never miss a chapter. And if you're feeling generous, leave a review, because you know those reviews help other lovhers find us. So if you want to keep this conversation going, please join me on Instagram or hop on over to Fable to join the virtual book club. And until next time, remember the stories we read can help us write the love lives of our dreams. See you next Sapphic Saturday.
Joy: Hey book Lovhers, welcome back to another episode of the Book Lovhers Club. I hope y'all can tell that I'm feeling better. Whatever sickness and illness my wife and I caught after our hiking trip, it is slowly fading away, okay? But I am so grateful because I am ready to yap with y'all today about Every Dark Desire by Fiona Zedde So, for those of y'all who are new to Discovering Me, I am a book club podcast. So we read Black Sapphic books every month, and I discuss them on air. So the two books that we're reading and discussing for the month of October are Death Card by Jasmine Smith and Every Dark Desire by Fiona Zedde So last week, my episode talked a little bit about Death Card. So today I'm going to talk a little bit about Every Dark Desire. I have not finished this book yet, but I will have it finished in time for my book discussion episode next week. So I'm only going to dabble a little bit into it. I'm about halfway through. Okay, but today I am talking about one of my favorite topics, which are vampires, bloodsuckers, the undead. Okay, the fanged and fine. I am a certified fang banger. I love any and all things vampire. Okay, so I was really excited for every dark desire because it is a sapphic vampire story, but I was not prepared for what it is given. Okay. I was not prepared. They not doing nothing but sucking and fucking in this book, okay? And the vampires are vicious in this one. I think over the years, how vampires have been romanticized in the media. I think we forgot that they are monsters, that they're animals, and they're vicious. Every dark desire really captures that on the page. The darkness of vampires. they are not romanticized in this book, This is not the Cullens. This is not a cozy vampire read, Like I said, most of the things that are happening in this book involve sucking and fucking. All right. if you like eroticas, then you're gonna enjoy this book, okay? Because the spice is given. You know, I enjoy it. It's just I need a little bit more plot. So I'm not saying I dislike the book. I just need a little bit more plot. I will say that it's very difficult for me to dislike a vampire story, you know, because I just really enjoy vampire lore. And I like how dark they are in this book. It really gives me like Anne Rice vibes. Like they're vicious, just like vampires are. Like I said, I think we've just gotten away from that. in recent depictions of vampires, but they are apex predators and we are the prey. And we get that. That comes across in this book. I do like that the vampires are freaky as fuck. I do enjoy it. Okay. I just like I said wish I had a little bit more plot. But you know, I'm not gonna get into all the details of the book, but I am going to use this book as an excuse. To talk about my favorite topic, which are vampires as a whole. So you are gonna leave this episode today with some book recs. I'm also gonna tell you a little bit about some of my favorite vampire movies and TV shows because this is my podcast and I can do what I want. But why would I pass up an opportunity to talk to you all about vampires, especially for spooky season? Because one thing I love is A vampire book, or movie in October. I feel like it just really brings the Halloween spirit to my spirit. You know, it like really, really does it for me. I cannot let this month end without watching a vampire movie. And I am not going to let that vampire movie be Twilight. For some reason, I like to watch Twilight when it's like really cold and gloomy outside. And we haven't quite Gotten to that part of the season. Okay, so that might be on my watch list for November. I'm not watching it right now. Okay. But there are some other things I will dabble in. So, you know, before I get into that, just a little bit about the book. So I've actually gotten some mixed reviews. So I've already put out some preliminary. questions to the book club on Fable and some of my book besties that are reading the book just to see what are people's initial impressions. And so far it's been a mixed crowd. You know, some people feel like me where, you know, they just wish it had a little bit more plot. Some others are like they like that it's an erotica. They like the spice. So we'll see where people land once the month ends and the ratings and stuff start coming in. But I do like that it is a darker vampire story than the ones we've seen in recent times. But I am not new to this. I am true to this. I've been loving vampires for a very long time. You know, when I was younger, and this is probably gonna age myself, you know, but I'm at my age. I can't hide it, can't deny it. All right, nor do I want to. Okay. But when I was younger, You know, I read a lot of Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High books. So Sweet Valley High has a book called Kiss of the Vampire. And it was like my very first vampire book that I read. And I gobbled it up. I got it from the library, you know, as a child, You really read the books that you have access to. And I grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago and the library that I would go to didn't have the largest selection of young adult books and children's books written by black authors. So, you know, I read a lot of Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High because they had endless supply of those books at the library, okay? But that vampire story, I gobbled it up. And I wanna say there's similarities between that story and Bram Stoker's Dracula, almost like it's the same type of vampire lore. But I really enjoyed it. And after that, I really came to love vampires after becoming obsessed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So I saw the movie first, and then the movie became a TV show, and I was obsessed, okay. How you know it's real, I own the entire series on DVD. every time a Christmas came around, my family would get me one of the seasons as a gift. But I loved Buffy. I still love Buffy. It's probably my favorite TV show. I rewatch it like it just came out. Okay. But I think that. TV series is what really locked in my love for vampires. And part of the reason why I love vampire stories is because of the themes and the tropes that tend to emerge in those stories, Vampire stories are really gonna give you this debate about immortality versus mortality. if you were propositioned by a vampire or had the choice to become one, you know, there are pros and cons to being immortal and just the things that vampires struggle with. You know, outliving all of your loved ones, being the last to die, if at all, you know. Really watching everyone that you know and love grow old while you stay young forever. being trapped in a body that doesn't age, but your mind and your consciousness is so much older than everyone else. You know, having all this wisdom and knowledge and seeing patterns that emerge in the world and witnessing all of that, but Being the only one to know that type of stuff, and you can't really disclose it to people because you can't really tell them that you're a vampire. You know, also think about mortality and how knowing that we are going to die one day and living every day like it could be your last really makes life worth living. It gives you something to live for. It makes every moment count, every moment meaningful. a lot of the vampires struggle with that because the longer that they've been undead, the further removed they get from their humanity. I love books that have this good versus evil battle. we see this a lot in vampire stories where there's a slayer or some type of hunter they have to save the world or rid the world of vampires and fight them. sometimes there's a big villain that they have to fight. I just love that. I even like when the savior is like a teenager or like a supernatural youth is what I call them. But I think about Buffy and how she was the slayer and but she was in high school and a teenager and having to save the world every night and fight vampires. But there are a lot of stories where there's hunters and things like that, like the TV show Supernatural, And then there's like this coming of age story that also accompanies it where they're learning to develop their powers and strengthen their powers and things like that. So I think that's what I really loved about Buffy. And there are just other stories like that. There's a TV show on Netflix called First Kill. And it's a sapphic vampire-themed TV show where the romance is between a vampire hunter and a vampire. And I really enjoyed it. It did get canceled after the first season, and I'm still mad about that because they deserve to at least get a second season. That show was good. Okay, it was good. And we don't really have a lot of TV shows that are sapphic and vampires. Like I just really enjoyed the representation of it. this coming of age story, both for the vampire and the hunter, both of them learning about their abilities and powers. And then something that we also see that shows up in these TV shows and books are the different tropes. Forbidden Romance is one of my favorite tropes. And if we think back to the Book Lovhers Fest, we played that game, Battle of the Book tropes. That was the top trope. Like most of the people voted for Forbidden Romance. Like that is the trope that came out on top. So I think that's why a lot of us gravitate towards vampire stories because of this forbidden aspect. if you are immortal and you're in love with a human. You really only have a couple of options available. You know, if you stay in that relationship, you have to navigate the complexities of watching your lover grow old and eventually die while you stay young and live forever. That's a difficult situation to navigate. if we think about Twilight, Edward didn't want Bella to be a vampire. You know, but Bella, like, I don't wanna sit here and be getting old turning into an old lady and you stay seventeen forever. part of the reason why I wanna be a vampire, I want the supernatural abilities. I do. Give to me, baby. I want the supernatural abilities. I love when the vampires have powers outside of just being a vampire. So like If they could read minds, tell the future, you know, if they are telekinetic, they can move things, if they can shape shift, they can turn into bats. Give me all the supernatural powers. That's what I would want as a vampire. A supernatural ability that I would really desire Being able to compel people to do what I want. You know, I think about True Blood. If you've never watched that TV series, you need to get your life and go watch it. Okay, it's so good. But In True Blood, they were able to glamour people. I think that's what they called it, but compel folks and tell people to do certain things. Okay. Even in vampire diaries, if they weren't on Vervain, they could have people doing all kinds of stuff and have little minions running around and mind control. So I kind of want that. You know, I want the supernatural abilities. I want the super strength. I want to be able to run fast. The way Edward. was running through them woods with Bella on his back and stuff and some of the vampires can fly. I want all of those abilities, okay? I know it comes at the expense of drinking human blood, but I think I will manage that. We got blood banks. I can get me a donor. Have me a little harem of humans that I could drink their blood and then maybe promise them eternal life one day. But I'ma really have to vet people because eternity is a long time to be stuck with somebody that you don't like for real. You know, and what if we got a sire bond? What if I turn you into a vampire and now you wanna always be up under me like a Velcro vampire? That's a lot for me. Like I'm a Capricorn. Okay. Now I do like the aspect of the sire bond where I can, you know, make you do my bidding. Like you're like my little minion. But I would have to be sired to someone too, And what if my sire is like Klaus or something? You know, it's levels. So I don't know. Now what if I get propositioned To be a vampire and get offered immortality and my wife doesn't want it. How do we navigate that? You know, like this isn't something that I had a conversation with her about. Like, what if I want immortality? Like, do you want to be mortal? Because that's something that we need to discuss. Because, do I have to sit here now and navigate watching you grow old and die? But I want to live forever? You know, is that something that you break up over? these are questions that need answers. I'm probably gonna end this episode and then go ask my wife, like, look, are you trying to be immortal? Because what if I get hit up to be a vampire? Like, I'm turning you to boo. Anyway, okay, but we can have us a little harem of humans drinking their blood on demand, I'm ready to be a vampire baby, okay? Anyway. Another thing that I like in vampire stories is this concept of like humanity. versus inhumanity or like in some of the vampire stories there's literally a humanity switch that they could turn on and off I like that when that shows up in stories you know in this book Every Dark Desire Naomi you know now that she's become a vampire she goes by Belle now but she feels very detached from her human side. And the more that she leans into these desires and these urges as a vampire, she becomes further removed from her humanity. But just this idea of the hunger, the thirst, this thing that they can't control, that they're gonna always be wanting more than anything is this thirst for human blood, this lack of self-control, or there are some vampires who do have some control over their thirst. Like I think about Bella and how she could control her thirst, but that's a common theme in books, is just this fight to control something that's so integral. Into who they are now that they've become a vampire, where they will do any and everything to get human blood, just the chaos and the destruction that they create on the quest for human blood. I love reading about that in a book, I also like when vampire stories have some politics. So there are some vampire books. And vampire movies and things like that where there's a lot of political intrigue. So there's a book series called the Chicagoland Vampire series by Chloe Neill It is one of my favorites, mainly because it's set in Chicago, but you can also tell that she got some inspiration from Charlaine Harris and True Blood, because Ethan, the main MMC and male vampire lead. He is really given Eric Northman. but that book I think talked about the political climate in Chicago and then overlapped it with vampire politics as well. It's a really good series. Also, True Blood. some of you all may not know, but the True Blood TV show is also based off of books. So that Charlaine series, the Sookie Stackhouse series, those are the books that got adapted into the TV show. But in that there are a lot of vampire politics. You got the vampire kings and queens. They got sheriffs and things like that. So I like when that shows up in the books. Cause I feel like it's giving you a vampire story, but also there's some social commentary that's also happening. So, you know, I just love it. I love it. I could talk about vampires all day. Okay. But there's some vampire lore that I like really enjoy that I prefer over others. You know, I was surprised, but I really did like the vampire sparkling in sunlight and twilight. I thought that was creative. I think Stephanie Meyer, she did something different. Like she put her own spin on vampires, and I really liked that. Also the fact that Edward could read minds and Alice could, you know, see into the future. So I like that. Also, vampire diaries. that TV show is also based off of books. I've never read the books. It's on my list of things to read. It's on my TBR. I've watched the vampire diaries, the originals, even Legacies. Even though Legacies isn't my favorite, I did watch it, but I do want to go and read the books because I love those TV shows so much. But I like the concept of a daylight ring. You get a really pretty piece of jewelry and now you can go out into the sunlight. I like that. And then some of the books have a birthmark or some type of mark that's on their body that showcases that they're a vampire outside of just having fangs. So Granger, the Maggie Gray series, they have that white patch that shows up on their body to signify that they're in the first family and that they're vampires. I really like that. And there's another vampire book series that I enjoy. It's called the Crowns of Nyaxia book series by Carissa Broadbent The first book in that series is The Serpent and The House of Night, but they get an heir mark. So if you ascend to become like a vampire king or queen, there's a mark that shows up on your body to represent your bloodline. And we see marks like that. The House of Night series. It's a OG book series, okay? So for my OG vampire book girlies, House of Night came out around the time that Twilight was popular. It's older, but they would get like marks on their body too. So I like that. Also, I thought it was creative in the originals, the TV show, where if you kill an original, their entire sire line dies. Thought was unique. I like that lore. I do. You know, I already told y'all I like the humanity switch because I want to be able to switch my humanity off. You know, sometimes these feelings that empathy gets to be a bit much, And having the ability to just switch it off, but you know, you're just gonna be out here killing and really embracing your. most violent tendencies. and then once they turn the humanity switch back on and all of that guilt and shame that they have to endure I think about Stefan, how he was a ripper and he was just killing folks left and right. And then once that humanity switch came back on and he had to face the reality Of how many people he murdered. Crazy. Okay, but I think that's creative. But if you are looking for some book recs, I have several. I've read so many vampire books. I am not gonna go through my entire list because it's long, it's lengthy. Okay, so I'm gonna start off with the sapphic book recs. Okay, so these are some sapphic vampire book recs. So bite me twice. By J.S. Jasper. It's a black sapphic vampire novella. Really loved it. It's good. J.S. Jasper is consistent. So I think y'all will enjoy that book. I gobbled it up. Okay. So bite me twice. And then Tee Unique. She just dropped a Halloween novella, but it's got vampires, werewolves, and strippers. Okay. Yeah. All the things that we like. It's called Sweet Sin. So it's recently dropped. Go and read that. It's only 29 pages, y'all. It's a quick read. I honestly hope she fleshes that story out some more. I know this was her first time dabbling in the paranormal genre, but she did a great job. Okay. Like I I really enjoyed the book. And for the story to be wrapped up like that in 29 pages, I just would like to see what she could do with a longer novel. In this universe that she's crafted. I really enjoyed it. So I hope she sees the feedback that she's getting from a lot of us and that a lot of us like it and would love to read more. And she fleshes that story out for us some more and does more in this universe. But it's called Sweet Sin. Okay? by Tee Unique If you like young adult books, This Ravenous Fate by Hayley Dennings. It's Black Sapphic Vampires set during the Harlem Renaissance. Okay. I like that book. I do think that she could have done more to really like bring those Harlem Renaissance elements to the forefront. Like I really wanted more, but it's still a good book. the second book has already come out. So it's two books that you could read. But yeah, this ravenous fate. Now, this is not a black sapphic book. But I loved it. It is a sapphic book. It's just not a black book. But Contract Bound by Elle Mae I love that book. I recommend it all the time. it's a vampire princess and she has a bodyguard. And it's a romance between her and the bodyguard. The bodyguard is a vampire hunter. It's so good, y'all. Now I didn't like the sequel as much as I did the first book. But that first book is worth a read. Okay. It's really good. So it's called Contract Bound. Highly recommend. Okay. And the other book is called Afterglow by Emily Antoinette. That is another vampire book that I love. I reread it often. Okay. Lesbian vampires. It's got a sex club. It's got some monsters in there. BDSM. And it has invisible illness and disability rep. And I really loved it. So those are my sapphic recs that I would give y'all. So go. If y'all have not read them, I highly recommend them. Now, if you will read some books with the heteroes, okay, some black vampire books that I love and always recommend. Of course, Maggie Motherfucking Gray. Okay. The Maggie Gray series. By Granger. So the first book in that series is The Secret World of Maggie Gray. If you have not read that series, seriously, what are you doing? What are you doing? Okay. It's got vampires as well as witches, sirens, fairies. It's so good, okay? But my favorite book out of that series is The Mortal Affairs. And that one is a vampire book. And it's got fairies and vampires, but it's a vampire story. Like, but the entire series is about vampires. You know, Maggie, the main character, the FMC, she is a vampire and a member of the first family. So yeah, gobbled it up. Highly recommended. It is my favorite. Granger is one of my favorite authors. I recommend it all the time. Another black vampire book that y'all gonna want to read is I Accidentally Hooked Up With a Vampire by Jessica Cage. And she is a Chicago girly. Okay, so we always gonna put on for the home team. But she is hilarious. I really think she missed the calling as a stand-up comedian and she decided to be an author, which is cool because I love her books. But the way that she ties humor into her books, they are hilarious. You will literally laugh out loud. But that book is so good. It's my favorite book out of her accidents happen series, and I love it. So highly recommend. Okay. Now Another young adult read that I would recommend is Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma That book is so good. And I think it's a true enemies to lovers Okay. Another book series now. If you don't mind going back and reading something older, this is a throwback. But LA Banks has a series called the Vampire Huntress series. The first book in that series is Minion. I haven't finished the entire series yet, but I was able to find all of the books through a thrift store. So I now have the complete series. It is my plan to go ahead and read it and finish it. But I really loved Minion. And then another book I read that I really like is Chosen by a Vampire by Wynta Tyme If you liked the movie Vampire in Brooklyn, Chosen by a Vampire reminds me of that movie. it's similar humor Now, if you're willing to dabble in some non-melanated books, I do have some to recommend. Okay. The Zodiac Academy by Caroline Peckham. That book series is so good. It is a favorite of mine. I am going to reread it this year at some point. But it is an emotional roller coaster. It's going to take you through there. But it is so good. It's like a CW TV show, but a book. Okay. It's got so much drama and action and humor. It's hilarious. I it just made me feel so many things because it's gonna really take you through there. It really is. But it's worth it in the end. Okay, so if you like a good series, it's like thirteen books. In that book series, and it's got some spinoffs. It's worth the read. Okay. Now, some people you either love it or hate it. I personally read it. I found it so entertaining. And I've already mentioned it, but the other one that I put on your radar. Is the Crowns of Nyaxia book series by Carissa Broadbent So the first book in that series is The Serpent and the House of Night. That is phenomenal. It is really good. Okay, I done read it and listened to the audiobook. Okay, I did both. I read it on my Kindle first, and then I listened to the audiobooks when I got them on sale. Okay. Now, if you're willing to go back 10 plus years and you want to read some of the vampire stories that really shaped me as a reader, you know, I've already told y'all I'm an OG Twilight Girly. Okay. OG Twilight Girly. Look, I done had the trip to Forks, Washington to prove it. Okay. I done hiked my ass down to La Push Baby. It's La Push to the Beach. All right. So It's nostalgic at this point. But during the era when Twilight came out, there were other vampire book series that popped up. And I don't know, I just feel like they didn't get the right recognition, but maybe they did. But Vampire Academy by Richelle Meade. I feel like that book series was better than Twilight. hear me out. I think it was better. And it's had a movie which was kind of a flop. The movie didn't do well. And then the T V series got canceled after one season. But I watched all of it. I think the TV series needs some justice. It shouldn't have got canceled. The TV series was good. And they canceled it right when it was getting really, really good, you know? So it ended on a a cliffhanger, which sucks. But it's worth the watch. But yeah, Vampire Academy, read that. I enjoyed it. So already told y'all that True Blood was based on some books. I have the entire series on my shelf. It is a favorite of mine. The first book in that series is Dead Until Dark. Now, the books did go in a different direction than the TV show. So even if you watch the TV show, If you read the books, it is a different experience, and they're both just as good. So I highly recommend it, okay? I already told y'all about the Chicago Vampire series. Love it by Chloe Neill Highly recommend it. Another one that I like is Discovery of Witches. So that has become a TV show. But I read the books and I watched the TV show. Highly recommend both. And then the last one I'll put on your radar is called The Casquette Girls. That one is set in New Orleans. And I got that book when I went to New Orleans for a trip and I stopped by the vampire store and they had some signed copies in there. The book is good. It's a series. But I went on a haunted tour and they talked about the casquette girls. So this book expands on that. So yeah. Go ahead and read that and then take a trip to New Orleans and put it all together. Okay. You won't be disappointed. But it's by Alys I think that's how you pronounce her name, Alys Harden. But her name is spelled A L Y S. Harden. So yeah. Now, if you're looking for some vampire movies to watch, I got a couple that I recommend. And these are probably already on your radar, but these are my favorites. So, of course, Sinners. I done watched it numerous times. Highly recommend it. It is so good. Michael B. Jordan acted his ass off in that film. It's so good. So Sinners is at the top of the list. Highly recommend. I already told y'all about Vampire in Brooklyn. Angela Bassett, Eddie Murphy, solid film. And it's one of those movies that I still watch today. Like it's still funny. I still love it. Okay. Queen of the Damned with Aaliyah playing Queen Akasha, I loved it. And the soundtrack is fire. that is one of my comfort movies. I re-watch it often. I always come back to it. Bram Stoker's Dracula is my favorite vampire movie, period. I love Bram Stoker's Dracula. And it's just so romantic to me. And I think it captures all of the things that I love about a vampire story. And it's just the classic. I remember when it first came out, my grandmother would not let me watch that movie. She said it was too grown for me. So I didn't watch it until I was older. But it's one of my favorites. And I love that it has reincarnation in the movie. That's another theme that I just love that sometimes pops up in vampire stories. So highly recommend that. Blade Blade is classic okay if you've never watched Blade you need to get your life together a black vampire who's a daywalker and a hunter come on yes blade and You know, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a movie before it came a TV show. I've already mentioned that. That's one of my favorites. So if you've never watched that, it's just a classic to indulge in. And then interview with a vampire, if you've never watched it, I highly recommend it. And you should watch the TV shows. So most of these movies are books and TV shows. So, like I told y'all, Buffy is my favorite TV show ever. But a lot of people did not watch Angel. So that was the spinoff. You know, Angel ended up leaving Sunnydale and then got his own TV show. It's just as good. So if you've never watched Angel, it's worth the watch. it aged well. It's still good. And I've already told y'all about True Blood, Discovery of Witches, Interview with a Vampire. We talked about vampire diaries a little bit. Love vampire diaries, but the originals is my favorite. I prefer the originals over vampire diaries. I think it's because vampire diaries is about high schoolers. And I don't know. I like the more adult themes that popped up in the originals. But, you know, I am Team Damon and Elena. I'ma stick beside my show. I do rewatch it, but justice for Bonnie Bennett, they played in my girl's face the entire series. And I really don't like it. And it's anti black and racist. Kat Graham, is such an amazing actress. And she deserves so much more from that show. So anyway, but I do love I watched Legacies. Like I told y'all, it was okay. It's not the best. I don't hate it, but it's not the best. Now, there are some movies and stuff that aren't necessarily my favorites, but I think they're still worth the watch. So if you've never watched Mortal Instruments, So that's a book series by Cassandra Clare. I've read some of the books. I didn't read the entire book series, but it got adapted into a movie and a TV series, which I've watched. Both are good. Okay? Some of the acting is questionable in both, but I enjoyed them. there's a movie on Netflix called Night Teeth. I really like that. That's a vampire movie. And then there's one with Jamie Foxx called Day Shift. Highly recommend. And then if you want some more TV shows, Hemlock Grove is really good. And then Being Human. There's a US version and a BBC British version. So both are good. I can talk about vampires all day, but I'm not going to. I just wanted to let y'all know, like every dark desire is leaving much to be desired. It's not a bad book. It's just so far, there's not a lot of plot. But my book Bestie said once I get to chapter 25, it does kick up a notch. So I'm almost there. So we'll see. But, you know, vampires, I love them so much. And I think there's just a lot of lessons we can learn from vampire stories because there's a lot of metaphors So this week's love lesson, I want us to think about the vampires in our lives. Okay, so when you think about vampires, they have this uncontrollable hunger. that can only be satisfied by drinking the blood of humans, it's like they have this void, they have this need that's beyond their control. Sometimes the thirst is also for chaos and destruction. Depends on the vampire. But this thirst is what drives them. It's a part of who they are. And satisfying that hunger. Always comes at the expense of others because they need to drink your blood to satisfy it, right? I think about how we sometimes attract those types of people in our real lives. they may not necessarily thirst for our blood. Maybe they're thirsting for our energy. They're thirsting for our resources. They want to drain our finances. They want our power. It could be a variety of things. But Energy vampires are real. And this isn't just something that exists on the page. So I want you to think about. Any relationship or friendship that you've been in that just left you feeling depleted. it could have been that there was a constant need for attention, they constantly needed validation, or they always wanted you to put their needs first. there was just some type of void in their life that they were looking towards you to fill. So that's what this love lesson is about this week. And I want you to put up a boundary. So ask yourself: are the people in my life nourishing me or are they draining me? Think about at least one relationship in your life where you may need to create a healthier boundary between you and that person, have a better balance between give and take. You know, you don't want them to drain you dry. are they on the verge of leaving your carcass on the side of the road? Cause they done depleted you of everything that you had to give. Okay? Cause that's what Naomi and them are doing left and right in this book. Well, Belle. So I want you to identify these people in your life who Are seeking to do the same to you. And then what's one actionable step that you can take to better protect your energy, better protect your peace while still showing up with love? So I want you to think about that. That's your love lesson this week. Let's take a page from these vampire stories. We're not gonna let these people leave us drained and depleted. No, we not.
Joyce: Thank you for tuning in to the Book Lovhers Club. If you love today's episode, make sure you subscribe so you never miss a chapter. And if you're feeling generous, leave a review, because you know those reviews help other lovhers find us. So if you want to keep this conversation going, please join me on Instagram or hop on over to Fable to join the virtual book club. And until next time, remember the stories we read can help us write the love lives of our dreams. See you next Sapphic Saturday.
