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Hollow Empires #1
Vampires of Shanghai
Power. Devotion. Ruin.
Mina Park is a vampire on the run from her powerful and obsessive creator, Lian Zhang, who rules Shanghai with centuries-old charm and terrifying control. After a brief, doomed attempt to build a life abroad, Mina is dragged back into a life built on obedience and fear. What begins as a fight for freedom unravels into political conspiracy, forbidden connection, and the question of whether monsters can ever escape the ones who made them.
Her unlikely ally is Javier Robles, a human donor who wades into Shanghai searching for his estranged sister. Along the way, he uncovers the grim truth beneath the city’s utopian façade. Javier must decide how far he’s willing to go—and what he’s willing to become—to confront the abuses of power and save those trapped in a system designed to devour.
A lush, gothic fantasy of obsession, survival, and the dangerous duality of love—perfect for fans of A Dowry of Blood and Certain Dark Things.
Vampires of Shanghai is the first book in Hollow Empires, a sweeping trilogy tracing a centuries-old battle for power across continents and empires.
Mina Park is a vampire on the run from her powerful and obsessive creator, Lian Zhang, who rules Shanghai with centuries-old charm and terrifying control. After a brief, doomed attempt to build a life abroad, Mina is dragged back into a life built on obedience and fear. What begins as a fight for freedom unravels into political conspiracy, forbidden connection, and the question of whether monsters can ever escape the ones who made them.
Her unlikely ally is Javier Robles, a human donor who wades into Shanghai searching for his estranged sister. Along the way, he uncovers the grim truth beneath the city’s utopian façade. Javier must decide how far he’s willing to go—and what he’s willing to become—to confront the abuses of power and save those trapped in a system designed to devour.
A lush, gothic fantasy of obsession, survival, and the dangerous duality of love—perfect for fans of A Dowry of Blood and Certain Dark Things.
Vampires of Shanghai is the first book in Hollow Empires, a sweeping trilogy tracing a centuries-old battle for power across continents and empires.
510 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 2, 2026
5 people are currently reading
141 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
3.5 ⭐️ 2🌶
This book took awhile to get through. I think it was due to the pacing of the story. Some parts felt rushed and others were dragged out. I did overall enjoy this book. The key elements in play, political intrigue, tension, subservience, magic, corruption etc.
Mina is well written and her overall story line helps to keep the book moving. Javier is a bit too naive and gullible. His hero complex can be a bit much.
Lian is a diabolically dark ruler written well for the story. The stranglehold she has over this world is palpable.
The atmosphere and world building are unique, where cities can be ruled by vampires and humans are nothing but a tagged number.
I'm interested to see where the sequel goes in terms of the magic.
This book was good but not great for me, others will definitely enjoy it more.
I was given an advanced copy for an honest review.
This book took awhile to get through. I think it was due to the pacing of the story. Some parts felt rushed and others were dragged out. I did overall enjoy this book. The key elements in play, political intrigue, tension, subservience, magic, corruption etc.
Mina is well written and her overall story line helps to keep the book moving. Javier is a bit too naive and gullible. His hero complex can be a bit much.
Lian is a diabolically dark ruler written well for the story. The stranglehold she has over this world is palpable.
The atmosphere and world building are unique, where cities can be ruled by vampires and humans are nothing but a tagged number.
I'm interested to see where the sequel goes in terms of the magic.
This book was good but not great for me, others will definitely enjoy it more.
I was given an advanced copy for an honest review.
January 9, 2026
What I liked:
* World Building
* Characters
* Story
This was a very interesting read. I liked the world-building. Vampires living openly and in control of a city? 8 Vampire families that have their own traditions, simultaneously also adhering to Vampiric societal structures. There are Witches, Brujeira, and Ghosts. Also, Vampires get sick in the book and they wear glasses. So being a vampire doesn’t guarantee a 100% perfect physique.
We have 3 POVs. Mostly Mina’s, a few of Javier's, and 2 of August’s. I like Mina, her low self-esteem was familiar at times and I liked how she refuses to give up and succumb despite everything. Her relationship with Lian is very toxic and abusive. Some scenes made me squirm, so it really delivered on that part. Javier is witty and funny but can be too naive + hero complex and August was too complacent, I think. Lian’s such a good villain. There is no redemption for this woman, even if she has a horrible history, nothing excuses what she has done. She just downright sucks, I can’t wait for her demise 😂 My gripe was that some chapters felt like they were dragging, and some decisions that Mina and Javier made were not wise or if I may say plain dumb, or it was just to advance the plot. But cliffhanger in the end’s a good setup for book 2.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and I want to know more about Hallow Empires' world. I’m sure I’ll be reading book 2
Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
* World Building
* Characters
* Story
This was a very interesting read. I liked the world-building. Vampires living openly and in control of a city? 8 Vampire families that have their own traditions, simultaneously also adhering to Vampiric societal structures. There are Witches, Brujeira, and Ghosts. Also, Vampires get sick in the book and they wear glasses. So being a vampire doesn’t guarantee a 100% perfect physique.
We have 3 POVs. Mostly Mina’s, a few of Javier's, and 2 of August’s. I like Mina, her low self-esteem was familiar at times and I liked how she refuses to give up and succumb despite everything. Her relationship with Lian is very toxic and abusive. Some scenes made me squirm, so it really delivered on that part. Javier is witty and funny but can be too naive + hero complex and August was too complacent, I think. Lian’s such a good villain. There is no redemption for this woman, even if she has a horrible history, nothing excuses what she has done. She just downright sucks, I can’t wait for her demise 😂 My gripe was that some chapters felt like they were dragging, and some decisions that Mina and Javier made were not wise or if I may say plain dumb, or it was just to advance the plot. But cliffhanger in the end’s a good setup for book 2.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and I want to know more about Hallow Empires' world. I’m sure I’ll be reading book 2
Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
January 2, 2026
This was a really cool story. When Javier goes to Shanghai, a city ruled by vampire bureaucracy where humans can apply for visas to work and donate to the controlled blood amount, to find his sister who disappeared over a decade ago, he finds much more than he expected. As he learns the "etiquette" of being a mere human in a society of vampires, he runs into Mina and adventures abound. There are elements of magic, science, nobility and even a little romance. But don't be fooled, there is also a lot of blood and gore (I would definitely check the triggers on this, especially if abuse is one of yours). At first I felt a little bored, but not too far into the story the action and blood started and didn't let up. There were some really cool gruesome scenes that I still think about now. I loved the science, culture, and languages used throughout the book. It seems like there will likely be a sequel, and I cant wait to get my hands on it! If you are a fan of Certain Dark Things by Moreno-Garcia, or modern vampire lore in general, pick this one up. It just came out today! Thanks to Netgalley and Mercerized book for the opportunity to read the ARC.
December 15, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
Vampires of Shanghai introduces you to compelling characters, immersive worldbuilding, and so many new ways to view vampires. It leaves you with questions and wanting so much more. As it's only book one, thankfully there's a promise for more, because the ending of the book is so devasting - giving you a glimpse of hope.
I think this is a great book if you're into vampires, different class/familial structures that exist within vampire books, political intrigue, and aren't triggered with displays of domestic abuse. This book has a very compelling plot and truly delves into what a city run by vampires would look like, which I really enjoyed. The characters had a lot of heart, and felt incredibly realistic.
My main complaint would be that at some points conversations felt repetitive. I felt like I read the same arguments between characters and they weren't going anywhere, the progress between characters dissolving, but then the plot would push through and their barriers of communication fell away. In addition, I do wish more plot lines got resolved, but I do understand that this is only book one, so some things aren't going to be resolved until the next book.
Overall, I really enjoyed Vampires of Shanghai and highly recommend it.
Vampires of Shanghai introduces you to compelling characters, immersive worldbuilding, and so many new ways to view vampires. It leaves you with questions and wanting so much more. As it's only book one, thankfully there's a promise for more, because the ending of the book is so devasting - giving you a glimpse of hope.
I think this is a great book if you're into vampires, different class/familial structures that exist within vampire books, political intrigue, and aren't triggered with displays of domestic abuse. This book has a very compelling plot and truly delves into what a city run by vampires would look like, which I really enjoyed. The characters had a lot of heart, and felt incredibly realistic.
My main complaint would be that at some points conversations felt repetitive. I felt like I read the same arguments between characters and they weren't going anywhere, the progress between characters dissolving, but then the plot would push through and their barriers of communication fell away. In addition, I do wish more plot lines got resolved, but I do understand that this is only book one, so some things aren't going to be resolved until the next book.
Overall, I really enjoyed Vampires of Shanghai and highly recommend it.
December 28, 2025
Vampires of Shanghai by Katherine Mercer pulls you into a dark, gothic version of modern-day Shanghai, a city ruled by powerful vampire families who operate much like mafia houses. From the start, the atmosphere is heavy and unsettling, with danger lurking in every corner. This book is much darker than I expected and leans strongly into horror themes.
The story follows Mina, a fledgling vampire trying to escape the control of her cruel and powerful sire, Lian, an ancient vampire who rules through fear and punishment. Javier, a human searching for his missing sister, becomes caught in their world and helps ground the story with his humanity. The tension between these three characters is strong, and their paths crossing raises the stakes even higher.
The world itself is fascinating blood is treated as currency, and vampire politics control the city. I did wish we had more time to explore the vampire families and their history, as there are many interesting ideas that could be expanded on in future books.
One important thing to note is the extreme level of abuse in this story. The relationship between Lian and Mina includes physical, emotional, psychological, and verbal abuse, which can be very uncomfortable to read at times. This book doesn’t shy away from showing how dangerous absolute power can be.
While the pacing slows a bit in the middle, the ending is strong and left me wanting more. I didn’t realize this was the first book in a series until the end, so be prepared for a cliffhanger.
Overall, this is a dark, intense debut with strong characters, high tension, and gothic vibes. I’m very interested to see where the series goes next.
⭐ Rating: 4.0/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Mercerized Books for the advance copy.
The story follows Mina, a fledgling vampire trying to escape the control of her cruel and powerful sire, Lian, an ancient vampire who rules through fear and punishment. Javier, a human searching for his missing sister, becomes caught in their world and helps ground the story with his humanity. The tension between these three characters is strong, and their paths crossing raises the stakes even higher.
The world itself is fascinating blood is treated as currency, and vampire politics control the city. I did wish we had more time to explore the vampire families and their history, as there are many interesting ideas that could be expanded on in future books.
One important thing to note is the extreme level of abuse in this story. The relationship between Lian and Mina includes physical, emotional, psychological, and verbal abuse, which can be very uncomfortable to read at times. This book doesn’t shy away from showing how dangerous absolute power can be.
While the pacing slows a bit in the middle, the ending is strong and left me wanting more. I didn’t realize this was the first book in a series until the end, so be prepared for a cliffhanger.
Overall, this is a dark, intense debut with strong characters, high tension, and gothic vibes. I’m very interested to see where the series goes next.
⭐ Rating: 4.0/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Mercerized Books for the advance copy.
January 19, 2026
“𝑯𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒏𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒐𝒐𝒅, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒐𝒄𝒄𝒖𝒑𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒏𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 - 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆.”
•
ડꫝꪖꪀᧁꫝꪖⅈ ꪜꪖꪑρⅈ𝕣ꫀડ • 4 ⭐️
•
This book did surprise me, it was a familiar vampire story, with the classic characteristics, but the plot and the setting made it feel more distinctive. I especially liked the way Shanghai operates with its vampire/human symbiotic dynamic, which added an extra layer of world-building, with growing complexity and tension throughout the plot.
Mina’s character had a lot of depth and I thought she was really well written, her dynamics with the characters throughout the book was really interesting to see, and fed further into how her life is being pulled by the straining weight of Lian’s control.
Lian was a standout. I loved the sheer viciousness of her personality and manipulation, it was clear to see a very compelling villainess-type character, manipulating the world around her. She really held my attention whenever she was on the page.
I also enjoyed the subplots and how naturally they fed into the main storyline without feeling like filler. They really added to the complexity and politics of the world. The ending felt a little different than traditional endings as well, which I always enjoy!
A few things I’d like to have seen more of was added depth to Javier’s character. He felt a little too naive and simplistic at times, relying a little too heavily into the “white knight” role. I found in his perspectives the pacing occasionally drifted, which made parts of the story feel slightly less focused. There was also a subplot with him that felt almost like it came out of nowhere and while later started to tie into the story, felt a little too rushed.
Overall though, I really enjoyed the characters and unique setting of the story, and where it might go next. I’m glad I picked this one up.
Thank you to BookSirens for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. I’m looking forward to seeing what Katherine writes next.
•
ડꫝꪖꪀᧁꫝꪖⅈ ꪜꪖꪑρⅈ𝕣ꫀડ • 4 ⭐️
•
This book did surprise me, it was a familiar vampire story, with the classic characteristics, but the plot and the setting made it feel more distinctive. I especially liked the way Shanghai operates with its vampire/human symbiotic dynamic, which added an extra layer of world-building, with growing complexity and tension throughout the plot.
Mina’s character had a lot of depth and I thought she was really well written, her dynamics with the characters throughout the book was really interesting to see, and fed further into how her life is being pulled by the straining weight of Lian’s control.
Lian was a standout. I loved the sheer viciousness of her personality and manipulation, it was clear to see a very compelling villainess-type character, manipulating the world around her. She really held my attention whenever she was on the page.
I also enjoyed the subplots and how naturally they fed into the main storyline without feeling like filler. They really added to the complexity and politics of the world. The ending felt a little different than traditional endings as well, which I always enjoy!
A few things I’d like to have seen more of was added depth to Javier’s character. He felt a little too naive and simplistic at times, relying a little too heavily into the “white knight” role. I found in his perspectives the pacing occasionally drifted, which made parts of the story feel slightly less focused. There was also a subplot with him that felt almost like it came out of nowhere and while later started to tie into the story, felt a little too rushed.
Overall though, I really enjoyed the characters and unique setting of the story, and where it might go next. I’m glad I picked this one up.
Thank you to BookSirens for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. I’m looking forward to seeing what Katherine writes next.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Vampires of Shanghai is a strong first instalment to the Hollow Empires books. If this is a debut, I look forward to reading more from the author.
From the beginning, the book establishes a compelling female lead and a fascinating world. In the Vampires of Shanghai, vampires are organised like a mob, divided into families, with each family having a head and fledglings (aka turned vampires).
One thing I often find missing in vampire books is the depth of immortality, vampire relationships, and how humanity fades to create pure monsters. In many aspects, I was missing a book like Vampires of Shanghai. I love the concept of having century-old families that develop slowly and turning vampires to grow the family enterprises. I like the idea of having complex political interests and world conquests, and intense and toxic relationships. If vampires were real, centuries of hunting and killing would make them cold-blooded individuals that would want to dominate humans and this book showcases that really well. I also loved delving into toxic vampire relationships, with Lady Zhang and Mina's relationship at the centre of this. I really liked how the relationship between Mina and Lian was presented from the get-go, the way it evolved during the book and Mina's thoughts about it. It was overall really well done, with the influence of Lian on Mina's actions and thoughts, and Lian's desire to shape Mina into the perfect child/lover.
I also loved how dark this book was. Often, dark fantasy does not really hit for me, but this one really did. I loved the atmosphere, how the world was set up and slowly revealed as deeply corrupt and dangerous. I liked that we had Mina's POV on Shanghai and human vs vampire politics as a vampire living in the high circle of the city for decades. I also liked that this POV was balanced with Javier's POV, with fresh eyes on the world, who is discovering it and slowly understanding how dangerous the city is.
Whilst the beginning of the book was strong (particularly loved the way we first meet Mina as a runaway that is quickly forced back into Shanghai) and the end as well, I did have some pacing issues in the middle. I felt like they were not a lot at stake, a lack of a plot, and that we were merely discovering the world. Despite liking the world and the characters, I wanted more, and this book delivered in the last 40% of the book. The ending builds up on the world-building, vampire politics and revelations, and the ending was fast-paced and set up the next book perfectly.
Overall, a very first book with interesting and compelling characters (loved Auguste and I hope to read more about him!), a complex but fascinating world-building and a good plot. I also loved how vampires, magic and politics were blended. I will be looking out for the next book. I expect it to be very different but equally good.
Vampires of Shanghai is a strong first instalment to the Hollow Empires books. If this is a debut, I look forward to reading more from the author.
From the beginning, the book establishes a compelling female lead and a fascinating world. In the Vampires of Shanghai, vampires are organised like a mob, divided into families, with each family having a head and fledglings (aka turned vampires).
One thing I often find missing in vampire books is the depth of immortality, vampire relationships, and how humanity fades to create pure monsters. In many aspects, I was missing a book like Vampires of Shanghai. I love the concept of having century-old families that develop slowly and turning vampires to grow the family enterprises. I like the idea of having complex political interests and world conquests, and intense and toxic relationships. If vampires were real, centuries of hunting and killing would make them cold-blooded individuals that would want to dominate humans and this book showcases that really well. I also loved delving into toxic vampire relationships, with Lady Zhang and Mina's relationship at the centre of this. I really liked how the relationship between Mina and Lian was presented from the get-go, the way it evolved during the book and Mina's thoughts about it. It was overall really well done, with the influence of Lian on Mina's actions and thoughts, and Lian's desire to shape Mina into the perfect child/lover.
I also loved how dark this book was. Often, dark fantasy does not really hit for me, but this one really did. I loved the atmosphere, how the world was set up and slowly revealed as deeply corrupt and dangerous. I liked that we had Mina's POV on Shanghai and human vs vampire politics as a vampire living in the high circle of the city for decades. I also liked that this POV was balanced with Javier's POV, with fresh eyes on the world, who is discovering it and slowly understanding how dangerous the city is.
Whilst the beginning of the book was strong (particularly loved the way we first meet Mina as a runaway that is quickly forced back into Shanghai) and the end as well, I did have some pacing issues in the middle. I felt like they were not a lot at stake, a lack of a plot, and that we were merely discovering the world. Despite liking the world and the characters, I wanted more, and this book delivered in the last 40% of the book. The ending builds up on the world-building, vampire politics and revelations, and the ending was fast-paced and set up the next book perfectly.
Overall, a very first book with interesting and compelling characters (loved Auguste and I hope to read more about him!), a complex but fascinating world-building and a good plot. I also loved how vampires, magic and politics were blended. I will be looking out for the next book. I expect it to be very different but equally good.
January 21, 2026
Vampires of Shanghai was such an interesting read for me especially because I already love the city and Chinese culture. Mixing that with vampires lol Yeah, I was immediately on board.The story follows Mina Park a vampire trying to escape the grip of her powerful and obsessive creator, Lian Zhang, who essentially controls Shanghai through charm, fear, and centuries old authority. What starts as Mina’s fight for freedom slowly unravels into something much bigger political conspiracies, power struggles, and the question of whether monsters can ever truly escape the systems that created them. Alongside her is Javier Robles, a human donor searching for his estranged sister, who gets pulled into the dark truth beneath Shanghai’s polished, utopian surface.The world building was one of my favorite parts. The idea of a city run by vampire bureaucracy was genuinely fascinating humans can apply for permits to run businesses, work within the system, and even legally donate controlled amounts of blood. That concept alone made the story feel fresh and layered, and it added a lot of depth to how power, control, and survival intersect in this world.I really enjoyed the characters and their backstories, especially how their personal histories shaped the choices they made. That said I’m giving this one four stars because parts of the book did feel a bit slow even though the story plot was a 5 star for me. There were moments where it took longer than I expected to get through certain sections, even though the payoff was usually worth it.Overall, this was a fantastic gothic fantasy with a unique setting and an interesting take on vampires. If you love good world building, morally gray characters, and stories that explore power through culture and systems, Vampires of Shanghai is definitely worth the read. Thank you netgalley gallery for the early arc. All reviews are my own.
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January 23, 2026Thank you to NetGalley and Mercerized Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review
Everyone knows I love a vampire book, so a romantic mystery in the vampire-run city of Shanghai? I was on board immediately. Ultimately, this is a book about power in abusive relationships and I thought that Mina and Lian's horrifying dynamic was one of the best parts of this book. Not because it was pleasant to read (Book 2 better be kinder to Mina poor girl), but because the tension of not knowing which way Lian's mood was going to swing was agonising as a reader.
In contrast, Javier was a bit of a flat character for me - I'll admit he was really trying his best in a city where he was way out of his depth, but nothing made me warm to him as our MMC and his chapters were decidedly less interesting than Mina's.
Great tension building, and fascinating vampire politics, but will probably leave it there after one book
Everyone knows I love a vampire book, so a romantic mystery in the vampire-run city of Shanghai? I was on board immediately. Ultimately, this is a book about power in abusive relationships and I thought that Mina and Lian's horrifying dynamic was one of the best parts of this book. Not because it was pleasant to read (Book 2 better be kinder to Mina poor girl), but because the tension of not knowing which way Lian's mood was going to swing was agonising as a reader.
In contrast, Javier was a bit of a flat character for me - I'll admit he was really trying his best in a city where he was way out of his depth, but nothing made me warm to him as our MMC and his chapters were decidedly less interesting than Mina's.
Great tension building, and fascinating vampire politics, but will probably leave it there after one book
January 20, 2026
4.5 out of 5 (rounded to 5)
Vampires of Shanghai is everything I look for in an urban fantasy. It features flawed characters, a gritty underbelly that highlights the many layers of the city, and side plots that enhance rather than distract from the main storyline, all while staying true to some key elements of traditional vampire lore with a fresh new twist. As a lover of horror, the descriptive, gritty gore scenes really pulled me in and delivered the paranormal vibes I was hoping for.
There is comic relief woven throughout the story, but never to the point of taking away from the more serious, plot-driven elements. I am very excited to continue this series, as Mercer has only scratched the surface of this world and the MMC’s arc.
**Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for an advance copy of the book. All opinions are my own**
Vampires of Shanghai is everything I look for in an urban fantasy. It features flawed characters, a gritty underbelly that highlights the many layers of the city, and side plots that enhance rather than distract from the main storyline, all while staying true to some key elements of traditional vampire lore with a fresh new twist. As a lover of horror, the descriptive, gritty gore scenes really pulled me in and delivered the paranormal vibes I was hoping for.
There is comic relief woven throughout the story, but never to the point of taking away from the more serious, plot-driven elements. I am very excited to continue this series, as Mercer has only scratched the surface of this world and the MMC’s arc.
**Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for an advance copy of the book. All opinions are my own**
January 27, 2026
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!
Unfortunately I had to DNF this book as it just wasn’t gripping me. The blurb sounded right up my street but the main characters just felt a bit bland to me, I wanted to really love it but I found I wasn’t picking up the book as much as I wanted to. The world sounded so interesting but there wasn’t enough about it to keep me interested! I thought it was a wrong time sort of book for me but it definitely wasn’t!
Unfortunately I had to DNF this book as it just wasn’t gripping me. The blurb sounded right up my street but the main characters just felt a bit bland to me, I wanted to really love it but I found I wasn’t picking up the book as much as I wanted to. The world sounded so interesting but there wasn’t enough about it to keep me interested! I thought it was a wrong time sort of book for me but it definitely wasn’t!
December 11, 2025
Amanda Update: I signed up for "NetGalley" so I can get select books before they're published in exchange for an honest review. This book is one such case! I'm excited about the site even if I'm not cool enough to get access to super exciting books ahead of time...still kind of neat. P.S., I tried to write a better, more balanced review of this that acknowledges good and bad:
Great worldbuilding in this--vampire 'families' run Shanghai (and other cities), providing jobs and housing for humans in exchange for blood donations. The blood descriptions were so vivid they actually made me lightheaded, which I thought was impressive! I think the sequels could go in an interesting direction, there were a lot of loose ends at the end of the book. Also, I personally really liked the vampire science sequences.
That being said, I'm putting it at 3/5 because the pacing was too slow for me, and I didn't like the writing style too much. The dialogue often felt cliche, and the adverb-heavy writing was too fanfic-y for my preferences. The various romance elements were also ranging from bizarre to boring...be prepared for a confusing blend of mother/father figure plus romantic partner who is 300 years older than their partners (I was lost at first because of references to being "children" but also being romantically involved--caught on eventually). The strength of this book definitely lies in worldbuilding, less in characters.
Great worldbuilding in this--vampire 'families' run Shanghai (and other cities), providing jobs and housing for humans in exchange for blood donations. The blood descriptions were so vivid they actually made me lightheaded, which I thought was impressive! I think the sequels could go in an interesting direction, there were a lot of loose ends at the end of the book. Also, I personally really liked the vampire science sequences.
That being said, I'm putting it at 3/5 because the pacing was too slow for me, and I didn't like the writing style too much. The dialogue often felt cliche, and the adverb-heavy writing was too fanfic-y for my preferences. The various romance elements were also ranging from bizarre to boring...be prepared for a confusing blend of mother/father figure plus romantic partner who is 300 years older than their partners (I was lost at first because of references to being "children" but also being romantically involved--caught on eventually). The strength of this book definitely lies in worldbuilding, less in characters.
December 13, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️ — 3 stars
This was a good read overall, but it didn’t fully work for me.
Don’t get me wrong—I love vampire stories and I’m a huge fan of the genre, so I went into this with high expectations. The setting and atmosphere were easily the strongest parts. Shanghai felt dark, moody, and immersive, and I really enjoyed the gothic tone mixed with power struggles, control, and political tension. Mina’s story also had a strong premise, with themes of obsession, devotion, and survival that kept things interesting.
That said, this one just didn’t fully click for me. There were moments where the pacing felt slow, especially in the middle, and I found myself struggling to stay as engaged as I wanted to be. Some scenes dragged, and while the characters had potential, I didn’t always feel emotionally connected to them or fully invested in their relationships. I kept waiting for that moment where everything would really pull me in—but it never quite happened.
In the end, I’m glad I read it, but it landed in that “good, but not for me” category. I can see other vampire and gothic fantasy fans enjoying this more than I did.
Thank you to NetGalley and Mercerized Books for the eARC.
This was a good read overall, but it didn’t fully work for me.
Don’t get me wrong—I love vampire stories and I’m a huge fan of the genre, so I went into this with high expectations. The setting and atmosphere were easily the strongest parts. Shanghai felt dark, moody, and immersive, and I really enjoyed the gothic tone mixed with power struggles, control, and political tension. Mina’s story also had a strong premise, with themes of obsession, devotion, and survival that kept things interesting.
That said, this one just didn’t fully click for me. There were moments where the pacing felt slow, especially in the middle, and I found myself struggling to stay as engaged as I wanted to be. Some scenes dragged, and while the characters had potential, I didn’t always feel emotionally connected to them or fully invested in their relationships. I kept waiting for that moment where everything would really pull me in—but it never quite happened.
In the end, I’m glad I read it, but it landed in that “good, but not for me” category. I can see other vampire and gothic fantasy fans enjoying this more than I did.
Thank you to NetGalley and Mercerized Books for the eARC.
December 27, 2025
**3.5 stars**
Vampires are not only out in the open, they are taking over cities and creating vampire run communities. Lady Zhang runs Shanghai with goals of running even more cities. Her fledgling Mina is lost and looking for something besides being a pet to her cruel mistress. In comes Javier, a California native and human to completely disrupt everything.
I was originally drawn in with the imaginative concept. Reading through the text I had some thoughts.
Things I liked:
-Mina is definitely a victim of Stockholm syndrome or could be see as an indentured servant. She gave up her humanness for a life she thought was interesting but turned out to be quite the opposite. Lady Zhang was a typical narcissistic abuser who saw a young girl in need of a family.
-The note about electronics messing up when the vampires were around was an interesting complement. I’m curious to explore how that notion came about (even though we learn why it happens).
-I absolutely hate Lady Zhang. The author did a great job of writing her character because they got the intended outcome.
-A vampire only being able to turn a human once every 10 years is intriguing. And then having the fledgling reliant on the vampire plays into the “abuser” aspect that Lady Zhang took.
-The structure of the society, having travel/employment visas based on needing donors in a city was something I liked. It was very original and I’d actually like to hear more on that.
-I would like a book on Mina’s travels. Maybe a novella on how she got from one place to another, where she went, how she got along & if she grew at all.
-I appreciated how Javier knew he couldn’t beat the vamps physically so went espionage route. But nothing came of it. Hopefully it’s not a forgotten plot line and shows up in the next book.
-I was kind of pleased it’s a role reversal that the man has unknown familial magic than a woman. Dual POVs are nice but the switch up of Javier being the “underestimated strong female” was nice.
-I was VERY happy the Mcs are older. Reading any type of fantasy that involves teenagers is getting really old.
-Lord Vasa getting rabies is interesting when vampires are supposed to be resistant to diseases. I am curious how that is explained.
Things I didn’t like/need more of:
-I was a little confused because even though I read and re-read the paragraphs, I missed where Javier learned Mina’s name. He seemed to just know it.
-I needed more about Eva leaving. the explanation was just but the relationship repair between Javier and Eva was weird and too convenient. So much more needed to be said between them.
-I however did not care for the romance aspect. It felt extremely rushed. We all have “lust at first sight” at some point in our lives, but Javier making it his whole personality was actually disturbing. It was kind of stalkish behavior. Mina rushing made sense, because she was looking for a way out.
-I was a in a bit of disbelief that practicing magic makes blood more potent. I need to see the science to back that up, this was touched on briefly but supposed to be a major component.
-Honestly, I was getting kind of bored until about 77% in when the plot twist of Lady Zhang’s blood dilution scheme was uncovered. I know that will be a bigger component in the next book and I look forward to it.
-I was surprised Mina attempted (she thought she was successful) assignation of Lady Zhang but not mad. She deserved to go down. However it was coincidental the staff didn’t care and helped her? One of their biggest clients, they knew who she was, but brushed off her death by helping Mina escape? Surely they knew the downfall of the tea house would come because they “did nothing”? Mina was also very naive to think a hair pin was going to kill Lady Zhang.
-Javier doesn’t ask enough questions. He just simply either takes the word of his sister or Mina OR stops the conversation. In fact, many conversations needed to be longer. Complientcy is rampant.
Overall, up to 90% in I was not really interested in a second book. But after that it piqued my interest. Not that it was slow or bad, I just wasn’t drawn in enough to want to read “one more chapter”. That is, up until the 77% mark. The last portion is what kept me reading.
Vampires are not only out in the open, they are taking over cities and creating vampire run communities. Lady Zhang runs Shanghai with goals of running even more cities. Her fledgling Mina is lost and looking for something besides being a pet to her cruel mistress. In comes Javier, a California native and human to completely disrupt everything.
I was originally drawn in with the imaginative concept. Reading through the text I had some thoughts.
Things I liked:
-Mina is definitely a victim of Stockholm syndrome or could be see as an indentured servant. She gave up her humanness for a life she thought was interesting but turned out to be quite the opposite. Lady Zhang was a typical narcissistic abuser who saw a young girl in need of a family.
-The note about electronics messing up when the vampires were around was an interesting complement. I’m curious to explore how that notion came about (even though we learn why it happens).
-I absolutely hate Lady Zhang. The author did a great job of writing her character because they got the intended outcome.
-A vampire only being able to turn a human once every 10 years is intriguing. And then having the fledgling reliant on the vampire plays into the “abuser” aspect that Lady Zhang took.
-The structure of the society, having travel/employment visas based on needing donors in a city was something I liked. It was very original and I’d actually like to hear more on that.
-I would like a book on Mina’s travels. Maybe a novella on how she got from one place to another, where she went, how she got along & if she grew at all.
-I appreciated how Javier knew he couldn’t beat the vamps physically so went espionage route. But nothing came of it. Hopefully it’s not a forgotten plot line and shows up in the next book.
-I was kind of pleased it’s a role reversal that the man has unknown familial magic than a woman. Dual POVs are nice but the switch up of Javier being the “underestimated strong female” was nice.
-I was VERY happy the Mcs are older. Reading any type of fantasy that involves teenagers is getting really old.
-Lord Vasa getting rabies is interesting when vampires are supposed to be resistant to diseases. I am curious how that is explained.
Things I didn’t like/need more of:
-I was a little confused because even though I read and re-read the paragraphs, I missed where Javier learned Mina’s name. He seemed to just know it.
-I needed more about Eva leaving. the explanation was just but the relationship repair between Javier and Eva was weird and too convenient. So much more needed to be said between them.
-I however did not care for the romance aspect. It felt extremely rushed. We all have “lust at first sight” at some point in our lives, but Javier making it his whole personality was actually disturbing. It was kind of stalkish behavior. Mina rushing made sense, because she was looking for a way out.
-I was a in a bit of disbelief that practicing magic makes blood more potent. I need to see the science to back that up, this was touched on briefly but supposed to be a major component.
-Honestly, I was getting kind of bored until about 77% in when the plot twist of Lady Zhang’s blood dilution scheme was uncovered. I know that will be a bigger component in the next book and I look forward to it.
-I was surprised Mina attempted (she thought she was successful) assignation of Lady Zhang but not mad. She deserved to go down. However it was coincidental the staff didn’t care and helped her? One of their biggest clients, they knew who she was, but brushed off her death by helping Mina escape? Surely they knew the downfall of the tea house would come because they “did nothing”? Mina was also very naive to think a hair pin was going to kill Lady Zhang.
-Javier doesn’t ask enough questions. He just simply either takes the word of his sister or Mina OR stops the conversation. In fact, many conversations needed to be longer. Complientcy is rampant.
Overall, up to 90% in I was not really interested in a second book. But after that it piqued my interest. Not that it was slow or bad, I just wasn’t drawn in enough to want to read “one more chapter”. That is, up until the 77% mark. The last portion is what kept me reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2026
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)
------------------
Summary
Vampires of Shanghai by Katherine Mercer follows Mina, a young vampire drawn into the dangerous supernatural underworld of Shanghai, where rival vampire factions secretly control the city amid political tension, crime, and colonial influence. Entangled with powerful immortals whose ancient grudges and hidden agendas endanger both humans and vampires, Mina’s fate becomes increasingly uncertain. Meanwhile, Javier, an ordinary human, arrives in Shanghai searching for his missing sister, Eva, expecting only to endure a few snotty vampires and uncover the truth—until his path collides with Mina’s, and both of their worlds are irrevocably changed.
------------------
What I Liked
• The setting of this book. There is a mixture of modern and traditional which I really enjoyed.
• The politics of the city and how vampires run their court was extremely interesting and explained in quite a bit of depth so you understand the different power plays easily enough while still not seeing all the plot twists.
• The magic system - which is not explained enough but provides you with just enough insight to know it will be awesome in the second book.
------------------
What I Didn't Like
• Although I was warned that the ending was sad and a cliffhanger, 500 pages to end like, felt disappointing. It felt like we are back at step 1 instead of moving forward in the plot (maybe step 1.5)
• I understand that Mina and Lian’s relationship is abusive, but some of Mina’s internal monologue got annoying and repetitive pretty fast.
------------------
Tropes & Content Warnings
Tropes:
• Social and Political Turmoil
• Powerful Artifact
• Unlikely Allies
Triggers/Content Warnings:
• Violence / Domestic Violence
• Abuse
• Torture / murder
------------------
Favorite Quotes/Phrases
"Giving birth and nourishing, having without possessing, acting with no expectations, leading and not trying to control: this is the supreme virtue. — Laozi Tao Te Ching"
------------------
My Review
Vampires are probably my favorite supernatural creatures. Having read a lot of different takes on vampires in different genres, I was really excited to come across this book. Honestly the vampires in this book were fascinating. I love how we learn about their strengths, limitations, hierarchy dynamics and in general their day to day, from different aspects. There is the first person POV of Mina learning about vampire things she didn’t know, Eva who is a scientist studying vampire related things, Javier as a human trying to understand this vampire city and us as readers just going along for the ride while picking up tidbits of vampires. I don’t mind long books but some of these parts I really had to push through because I just got bored or felt repetitive. Overall I do believe this is a great read and I will be looking forward to continuing this adventure.
------------------
Would I recommend this book?
Yes
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)
------------------
Summary
Vampires of Shanghai by Katherine Mercer follows Mina, a young vampire drawn into the dangerous supernatural underworld of Shanghai, where rival vampire factions secretly control the city amid political tension, crime, and colonial influence. Entangled with powerful immortals whose ancient grudges and hidden agendas endanger both humans and vampires, Mina’s fate becomes increasingly uncertain. Meanwhile, Javier, an ordinary human, arrives in Shanghai searching for his missing sister, Eva, expecting only to endure a few snotty vampires and uncover the truth—until his path collides with Mina’s, and both of their worlds are irrevocably changed.
------------------
What I Liked
• The setting of this book. There is a mixture of modern and traditional which I really enjoyed.
• The politics of the city and how vampires run their court was extremely interesting and explained in quite a bit of depth so you understand the different power plays easily enough while still not seeing all the plot twists.
• The magic system - which is not explained enough but provides you with just enough insight to know it will be awesome in the second book.
------------------
What I Didn't Like
• Although I was warned that the ending was sad and a cliffhanger, 500 pages to end like, felt disappointing. It felt like we are back at step 1 instead of moving forward in the plot (maybe step 1.5)
• I understand that Mina and Lian’s relationship is abusive, but some of Mina’s internal monologue got annoying and repetitive pretty fast.
------------------
Tropes & Content Warnings
Tropes:
• Social and Political Turmoil
• Powerful Artifact
• Unlikely Allies
Triggers/Content Warnings:
• Violence / Domestic Violence
• Abuse
• Torture / murder
------------------
Favorite Quotes/Phrases
"Giving birth and nourishing, having without possessing, acting with no expectations, leading and not trying to control: this is the supreme virtue. — Laozi Tao Te Ching"
------------------
My Review
Vampires are probably my favorite supernatural creatures. Having read a lot of different takes on vampires in different genres, I was really excited to come across this book. Honestly the vampires in this book were fascinating. I love how we learn about their strengths, limitations, hierarchy dynamics and in general their day to day, from different aspects. There is the first person POV of Mina learning about vampire things she didn’t know, Eva who is a scientist studying vampire related things, Javier as a human trying to understand this vampire city and us as readers just going along for the ride while picking up tidbits of vampires. I don’t mind long books but some of these parts I really had to push through because I just got bored or felt repetitive. Overall I do believe this is a great read and I will be looking forward to continuing this adventure.
------------------
Would I recommend this book?
Yes
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.4 stars
I received an ARC of Vampires of Shanghai via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
~~~~~
I had some polarising feelings about this book. There were times where I really enjoyed it, but then other moments, unfortunately, where I appreciated it less so. To give a fair review, I tracked my reactions consistently on a 1-5 scale then averaged them.
I knew going in that this book explores dark themes, and that's actually what intrigued me the most about it.
Things I loved:
The worldbuilding! Wow! The setting is rich, immersive, and clearly well-researched. The descriptions make you feel as if you're there, and I particularly loved the scenes featuring food. Yum!
The characters were (mostly) well developed. Lian, the antagonist? I found her *incredibly* terrifying, vicious, but also layered. I never quite knew her next move, and that tension kept me reading. August, too, was surprisingly a standout character for me and easily one of the highlights of the book. Engaging and emotionally grounding, especially compared to Lian! Javier and his background were interesting too, and I liked the multi-pov structure.
Things I personally didn't jive with:
There are significant sections where the pacing is either too fast or too slow. I noticed this first when Javier found his sister. It happened quite quickly, then only a few scenes later he is completely infatuated with Mina. I might have expected some stakes to occur prior to Javier finding his sister (rather than easily tracking her down at the library, and somehow fooling the guards at reception?). Then there are the situations of abuse, which felt overextended at times.
In a similar note, some of Mina's internal self-flagellation became repetitive, and I had hoped to see more growth from her, but even by the end it felt like her act against Lian was not so much intentional as it was an accident.
There is some tonal whiplash in this book as well: moments that are very adult and dark followed by stretches that read closer to YA (particularly with the romance and dialogue), which occasionally pulled me out of the story.
All that to say, I think this was an ambitious novel with an *excellent* premise and real expositional strengths. It's a solid, interesting read that would likely resonate strongly with the right audience.
I received an ARC of Vampires of Shanghai via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
~~~~~
I had some polarising feelings about this book. There were times where I really enjoyed it, but then other moments, unfortunately, where I appreciated it less so. To give a fair review, I tracked my reactions consistently on a 1-5 scale then averaged them.
I knew going in that this book explores dark themes, and that's actually what intrigued me the most about it.
Things I loved:
The worldbuilding! Wow! The setting is rich, immersive, and clearly well-researched. The descriptions make you feel as if you're there, and I particularly loved the scenes featuring food. Yum!
The characters were (mostly) well developed. Lian, the antagonist? I found her *incredibly* terrifying, vicious, but also layered. I never quite knew her next move, and that tension kept me reading. August, too, was surprisingly a standout character for me and easily one of the highlights of the book. Engaging and emotionally grounding, especially compared to Lian! Javier and his background were interesting too, and I liked the multi-pov structure.
Things I personally didn't jive with:
There are significant sections where the pacing is either too fast or too slow. I noticed this first when Javier found his sister. It happened quite quickly, then only a few scenes later he is completely infatuated with Mina. I might have expected some stakes to occur prior to Javier finding his sister (rather than easily tracking her down at the library, and somehow fooling the guards at reception?). Then there are the situations of abuse, which felt overextended at times.
In a similar note, some of Mina's internal self-flagellation became repetitive, and I had hoped to see more growth from her, but even by the end it felt like her act against Lian was not so much intentional as it was an accident.
There is some tonal whiplash in this book as well: moments that are very adult and dark followed by stretches that read closer to YA (particularly with the romance and dialogue), which occasionally pulled me out of the story.
All that to say, I think this was an ambitious novel with an *excellent* premise and real expositional strengths. It's a solid, interesting read that would likely resonate strongly with the right audience.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2025
Thank you to Mercerized Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!
One thing I often find lacking in the vampire genre is a genuine exploration of immortality, and Vampires of Shanghai felt like a refreshing take. A world where vampires and humans coexist across centuries would inevitably reshape relationships, strip away humanity and turn vampires into something far more monstrous than romantic. This book leans away from romanticising vampires and instead presents them as predators who view humans as resources.
The concept of century-old vampire families who grow slowly and deliberately, turning others not out of love or impulse but to expand power, influence, and long-term family enterprises, was fascinating. The political manoeuvring, territorial ambition and looming sense of domination made the vampires feel cold, calculating and disturbingly believable.
The worldbuilding is deeply gothic, vivid and lived-in, with a strong sense of history pressing in from every angle. This is paired with complex, morally ambiguous characters that drive the emotional core of the story. The standout for me was the toxic relationship between Lady Zhang and Mina. From the very beginning, their dynamic is unsettling in the best way. Watching Mina’s internal struggle, her shifting perception of Lian, and the subtle but constant influence Lian has over her thoughts and actions felt disturbingly authentic. Lian’s desire to mould Mina into the perfect creation was intimate, manipulative and genuinely uncomfortable to read.
That said, the book isn’t without its flaws. The pacing is inconsistent and can feel clunky at times, with certain sections dragging longer than necessary. Some moments felt repetitive and slowed the momentum. A few character perspectives started to feel stale or overused, which dulled their impact. These issues didn’t ruin the book for me, but they did pull me out of the narrative at times.
Vampires of Shanghai is a dark, atmospheric and thoughtful take on vampire mythology that isn’t afraid to lean into discomfort. While it stumbles with pacing and repetition, its exploration of immortality, power and toxic relationships makes it a standout for readers who prefer their vampires cold, political and unapologetically monstrous.
One thing I often find lacking in the vampire genre is a genuine exploration of immortality, and Vampires of Shanghai felt like a refreshing take. A world where vampires and humans coexist across centuries would inevitably reshape relationships, strip away humanity and turn vampires into something far more monstrous than romantic. This book leans away from romanticising vampires and instead presents them as predators who view humans as resources.
The concept of century-old vampire families who grow slowly and deliberately, turning others not out of love or impulse but to expand power, influence, and long-term family enterprises, was fascinating. The political manoeuvring, territorial ambition and looming sense of domination made the vampires feel cold, calculating and disturbingly believable.
The worldbuilding is deeply gothic, vivid and lived-in, with a strong sense of history pressing in from every angle. This is paired with complex, morally ambiguous characters that drive the emotional core of the story. The standout for me was the toxic relationship between Lady Zhang and Mina. From the very beginning, their dynamic is unsettling in the best way. Watching Mina’s internal struggle, her shifting perception of Lian, and the subtle but constant influence Lian has over her thoughts and actions felt disturbingly authentic. Lian’s desire to mould Mina into the perfect creation was intimate, manipulative and genuinely uncomfortable to read.
That said, the book isn’t without its flaws. The pacing is inconsistent and can feel clunky at times, with certain sections dragging longer than necessary. Some moments felt repetitive and slowed the momentum. A few character perspectives started to feel stale or overused, which dulled their impact. These issues didn’t ruin the book for me, but they did pull me out of the narrative at times.
Vampires of Shanghai is a dark, atmospheric and thoughtful take on vampire mythology that isn’t afraid to lean into discomfort. While it stumbles with pacing and repetition, its exploration of immortality, power and toxic relationships makes it a standout for readers who prefer their vampires cold, political and unapologetically monstrous.
January 9, 2026
Vampires of Shanghai follows Mina, a fledgling vampire to an abusive vampire empress. There are eight different vampire houses in Shanghai, a city run by vampires for vampires - overseen and run by Lady Lian, Mina's mistress. A city where humans from across the world can get a work visa to in exchange for blood donations. In Mina's journey to defy her lady, she meets Javier - an American human who travelled to Shanghai on a mission to find his long lost sister.
Vampires of Shanghai was a bit darker than my usual reads but I still enjoyed it. It was really complex and brooding while still building tension throughout. There were a few questions I had throughout the book in the back of my head that I needed the answers to but didn't receive - not sure whether it went over my head or if it will be discussed in book two because yes, there will be a sequel!
I'm so happy there will be a second book. Book one concluded beautifully - it stands proudly on its own while leaving a lot of quests waiting to happen. The mid section stretched out a bit longer than necessary but the last 15% was a rollercoaster of events that had me glued to the screen.
Read this if you like:
⭐ political intrigue
⭐ vampires
⭐ star-crossed lovers
⭐ dark themes
⭐ immersive worldbuilding
Favourite quotes:
📖 If there is some magic in me,” he whispered to the night, “don’t let me burn the world down before I get a chance to understand it.”
📖 She would take this moment for what it was, a respite from the quagmire of self-loathing and doubt she normally lived in. For right now, she could just be.
Release date: 2 January 2026
Rating: 3 stars
⚠️ Please read the trigger warnings for this book.
Thank you NetGalley, Mercerized Books and Victory Editing for an e-ARC of Vampires of Shanghai by Katherine Mercer in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Vampires of Shanghai was a bit darker than my usual reads but I still enjoyed it. It was really complex and brooding while still building tension throughout. There were a few questions I had throughout the book in the back of my head that I needed the answers to but didn't receive - not sure whether it went over my head or if it will be discussed in book two because yes, there will be a sequel!
I'm so happy there will be a second book. Book one concluded beautifully - it stands proudly on its own while leaving a lot of quests waiting to happen. The mid section stretched out a bit longer than necessary but the last 15% was a rollercoaster of events that had me glued to the screen.
Read this if you like:
⭐ political intrigue
⭐ vampires
⭐ star-crossed lovers
⭐ dark themes
⭐ immersive worldbuilding
Favourite quotes:
📖 If there is some magic in me,” he whispered to the night, “don’t let me burn the world down before I get a chance to understand it.”
📖 She would take this moment for what it was, a respite from the quagmire of self-loathing and doubt she normally lived in. For right now, she could just be.
Release date: 2 January 2026
Rating: 3 stars
⚠️ Please read the trigger warnings for this book.
Thank you NetGalley, Mercerized Books and Victory Editing for an e-ARC of Vampires of Shanghai by Katherine Mercer in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Vampires of Shanghai – Katherine Mercer
Vampires of Shanghai is a book about vampires in a new age... its perspective on vampire politics was something that shines in this book. It’s clear the author thought a lot about the political systems, and the world building for this book and for that I commend them.
I did almost DNF this book in all honesty, as in Chapter 20 the word “Spastic” is used. It is used as a descriptive. Maybe this is a cultural thing, but that word offends more than any swear word ever could and it down right upset me. As someone who is disabled, as someone who has been brought up around the disabled community... it’s a word that highly offends me, in any aspect but as I was reminded not every review always has to be so positive... and it’s something I really did not want to skip over. Maybe this is a me issue, for words only carry the weight we give them.
This is a debut for Kathrine Mercer, and I did really enjoy the characters we meet in this book, they are full of life, full of meaning. We meet one of the main characters, Mina, as she runs away from her creator Lian, Minas life is shrouded by abuse not only from Lian, but also others. When she makes her connection with the Javier, it’s clear as day that they will eventually end up together. They have this magnetism that is hard for both of them to ignore, they continuously return to the other no matter the consequences.
This is the first book in what is going to be a series of novels, it is proving to be a very well thought out story. You can enjoy this book on its release on January 2nd 2026!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Merverized Books for advanced readers copy.
#vampiresofshanghai #Netgalley
Vampires of Shanghai is a book about vampires in a new age... its perspective on vampire politics was something that shines in this book. It’s clear the author thought a lot about the political systems, and the world building for this book and for that I commend them.
I did almost DNF this book in all honesty, as in Chapter 20 the word “Spastic” is used. It is used as a descriptive. Maybe this is a cultural thing, but that word offends more than any swear word ever could and it down right upset me. As someone who is disabled, as someone who has been brought up around the disabled community... it’s a word that highly offends me, in any aspect but as I was reminded not every review always has to be so positive... and it’s something I really did not want to skip over. Maybe this is a me issue, for words only carry the weight we give them.
This is a debut for Kathrine Mercer, and I did really enjoy the characters we meet in this book, they are full of life, full of meaning. We meet one of the main characters, Mina, as she runs away from her creator Lian, Minas life is shrouded by abuse not only from Lian, but also others. When she makes her connection with the Javier, it’s clear as day that they will eventually end up together. They have this magnetism that is hard for both of them to ignore, they continuously return to the other no matter the consequences.
This is the first book in what is going to be a series of novels, it is proving to be a very well thought out story. You can enjoy this book on its release on January 2nd 2026!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Merverized Books for advanced readers copy.
#vampiresofshanghai #Netgalley
January 22, 2026
Vampires of Shanghai is a the first book in the series and Katherine Mercer is definitely an author to watch. This is a massive first installment for the Hollow Empires series, and honestly, it gave me exactly what I’ve been missing in the vampire genre lately.
I absolutely loved how this world is established from the jump. These aren't your typical sparkly vampires; they’re organized like a ruthless mob, divided into powerful families with heads and fledglings. It makes so much sense that centuries of hunting would turn these beings into cold-blooded individuals obsessed with domination and family enterprises. The book leans into that "monster" aspect where humanity has long since faded, and I found the complex political interests and world conquests so compelling.
The heart of the story for me was the exploration of those dark, toxic relationships. The dynamic between Lady Zhang and Mina was fascinating, but it was really the evolution of Mina and Lian that stole the show. Seeing the way Lian tries to shape Mina into this "perfect" child/lover was unsettling and so well-written you can really feel Lian’s influence creeping into Mina’s every thought and action.
The atmosphere is where this book truly shines. It’s gritty, dark, and deeply corrupt. I loved the contrast in POVs, having Mina’s perspective as someone who has lived in the city’s high circles for decades balanced against Javier’s "fresh eyes." Watching Javier arrive looking for his sister, thinking he can handle a few snotty vampires, only to realize just how dangerous his world has become, kept the tension high.End the ending...well a gut punch.
If you want a dark fantasy that actually feels dangerous and doesn't shy away from the brutality of immortality, you need to pick this up.
I absolutely loved how this world is established from the jump. These aren't your typical sparkly vampires; they’re organized like a ruthless mob, divided into powerful families with heads and fledglings. It makes so much sense that centuries of hunting would turn these beings into cold-blooded individuals obsessed with domination and family enterprises. The book leans into that "monster" aspect where humanity has long since faded, and I found the complex political interests and world conquests so compelling.
The heart of the story for me was the exploration of those dark, toxic relationships. The dynamic between Lady Zhang and Mina was fascinating, but it was really the evolution of Mina and Lian that stole the show. Seeing the way Lian tries to shape Mina into this "perfect" child/lover was unsettling and so well-written you can really feel Lian’s influence creeping into Mina’s every thought and action.
The atmosphere is where this book truly shines. It’s gritty, dark, and deeply corrupt. I loved the contrast in POVs, having Mina’s perspective as someone who has lived in the city’s high circles for decades balanced against Javier’s "fresh eyes." Watching Javier arrive looking for his sister, thinking he can handle a few snotty vampires, only to realize just how dangerous his world has become, kept the tension high.End the ending...well a gut punch.
If you want a dark fantasy that actually feels dangerous and doesn't shy away from the brutality of immortality, you need to pick this up.
December 8, 2025
Vampires of Shanghai is a very dark take on the abusive nature that can take control in when someone has absolute power over another person. It is dark and chilling, more horror than I expected going in.
The world this author is playing in is very cool. The idea of openly recognized vampire families basically ruling a city almost akin to mob families was interesting. This world needs more explanation and a better chance to breathe as the author has some pretty cool concepts that didn't really get a chance to shine in this novel. I need to know more about the families and what the relationships are like. I want more on how they took control of Shanghai. What are the rest of Lian's fledglings like? I thought Lian was a terrifying villain for this story. I like the fact that the romance was really the tertiary plot of the book and the story is more focused on the political, science space and how the FMC and MMC are able to help one another in this absurd system.
My main negative for this book is just the severe amount of abuse that comes with this relationship while some vampire stories do have some abuse due to the dynamic of a sire and it's fledgling this was to the extreme there was physical, emotional, psychological, and verbal abuse. And it was a lot. It definitely made me uncomfortable at times and hard to read.
For a debut novel I thought this did a great job I'm interested to see where the author goes from here. I didn't realize this was the first in a series until I got to the end. If you're not a fan of cliffhangers you might want to wait for the sequel.
Thank you NetGalley and Mercerized Books for an advance copy of this book.
The world this author is playing in is very cool. The idea of openly recognized vampire families basically ruling a city almost akin to mob families was interesting. This world needs more explanation and a better chance to breathe as the author has some pretty cool concepts that didn't really get a chance to shine in this novel. I need to know more about the families and what the relationships are like. I want more on how they took control of Shanghai. What are the rest of Lian's fledglings like? I thought Lian was a terrifying villain for this story. I like the fact that the romance was really the tertiary plot of the book and the story is more focused on the political, science space and how the FMC and MMC are able to help one another in this absurd system.
My main negative for this book is just the severe amount of abuse that comes with this relationship while some vampire stories do have some abuse due to the dynamic of a sire and it's fledgling this was to the extreme there was physical, emotional, psychological, and verbal abuse. And it was a lot. It definitely made me uncomfortable at times and hard to read.
For a debut novel I thought this did a great job I'm interested to see where the author goes from here. I didn't realize this was the first in a series until I got to the end. If you're not a fan of cliffhangers you might want to wait for the sequel.
Thank you NetGalley and Mercerized Books for an advance copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley for sending me this arc in exchange for an honest review. This book is expected to be published on Jan 2, 2026.
‼️If these bullet points sound interesting, you will want to read this book:
-humans existing under vampire rule in Shanghai
-easy to follow world building
-dystopian vampire politics
-light romance
-some toxic characters
About the book📚
This book is set in a “utopian” Shanghai, where humans live under vampire rule. The city uses a donation system to provide blood for vampires, minus the violence.
🧛♀️Mina is vampire of 10 years, created by Lian, the most powerful vampire ruler of Shanghai. In the beginning of the book, Mina tries to escape from abuse caused by Lian but gets caught. She is then sent back to live the rest of eternity under Lian’s thumb.
🙋🏽♂️Javier, an America human, goes to Shanghai to look for his missing sister of 16 years. Javier soon finds clues that lead him towards finding his sister and uncovering dark secrets about Shanghai’s “utopia”
My thoughts 💭
👍Pros:
-This is only the second book I’ve read before that gave me the urban vampire feel.
-I liked Mina and Dimitri’s friendship
-I really like Mina as a FMC.
-Javier was very entrancing the first half of the book which made me want to continue reading it
👎Cons:
-So much abuse from Lian. Some scenes were really hard to get through. My bad for not checking if there were trigger warnings or not. But just something to note in case you are trying to avoid that.
-I don’t like Javier now
-It felt super slow at times
-I don’t feel inclined to read the next book
‼️If these bullet points sound interesting, you will want to read this book:
-humans existing under vampire rule in Shanghai
-easy to follow world building
-dystopian vampire politics
-light romance
-some toxic characters
About the book📚
This book is set in a “utopian” Shanghai, where humans live under vampire rule. The city uses a donation system to provide blood for vampires, minus the violence.
🧛♀️Mina is vampire of 10 years, created by Lian, the most powerful vampire ruler of Shanghai. In the beginning of the book, Mina tries to escape from abuse caused by Lian but gets caught. She is then sent back to live the rest of eternity under Lian’s thumb.
🙋🏽♂️Javier, an America human, goes to Shanghai to look for his missing sister of 16 years. Javier soon finds clues that lead him towards finding his sister and uncovering dark secrets about Shanghai’s “utopia”
My thoughts 💭
👍Pros:
-This is only the second book I’ve read before that gave me the urban vampire feel.
-I liked Mina and Dimitri’s friendship
-I really like Mina as a FMC.
-Javier was very entrancing the first half of the book which made me want to continue reading it
👎Cons:
-So much abuse from Lian. Some scenes were really hard to get through. My bad for not checking if there were trigger warnings or not. But just something to note in case you are trying to avoid that.
-I don’t like Javier now
-It felt super slow at times
-I don’t feel inclined to read the next book
December 26, 2025
The description of this book really true me in and it did not let me down. I wanted pain and trauma and relationships that hurt and just that feeling of despair. Please note that this is not a happy book, but that’s what I was looking forward to. I thought this book had some really unique things going for it:
- The Shanghai backdrop
- A fledging vampire that wasn’t JUST turned, Mina has been a vampire for 10 years at this point
- The vampire that turned her is a SHE. And she is old and cruel and powerful. She is Mina’s mother, friend, tormentor, lover, abuser - and so much more.
- A Hispanic MMC from California stumbling through a new world basically
- An array of side characters, including an unexpected Russian vampire leader that I grow to appreciate.
I think if you enjoyed something like ‘An Education in Malice’ by S.T Gibson - I can see you enjoying this one. It’s gothic, the prose is beautiful, and it has a messy (to be putting it lightly) relationship.
Knocking a star off because I did not really feel that connection between Mina and Javier, it felt a bit like savior/survivor complex to me. BUT - I think these characters do need one another and I am just so curious where this series takes us. Additionally, around the one third mark - pacing was a bit slow. However, I think there is also so much more to explore just with the lore of this world. What happened to Lina before? How did Shanghai really become the first vampire safe haven basically?
Overall, would recommend!
Thank you to Netgalley and publishers for the eARC of this book.
- The Shanghai backdrop
- A fledging vampire that wasn’t JUST turned, Mina has been a vampire for 10 years at this point
- The vampire that turned her is a SHE. And she is old and cruel and powerful. She is Mina’s mother, friend, tormentor, lover, abuser - and so much more.
- A Hispanic MMC from California stumbling through a new world basically
- An array of side characters, including an unexpected Russian vampire leader that I grow to appreciate.
I think if you enjoyed something like ‘An Education in Malice’ by S.T Gibson - I can see you enjoying this one. It’s gothic, the prose is beautiful, and it has a messy (to be putting it lightly) relationship.
Knocking a star off because I did not really feel that connection between Mina and Javier, it felt a bit like savior/survivor complex to me. BUT - I think these characters do need one another and I am just so curious where this series takes us. Additionally, around the one third mark - pacing was a bit slow. However, I think there is also so much more to explore just with the lore of this world. What happened to Lina before? How did Shanghai really become the first vampire safe haven basically?
Overall, would recommend!
Thank you to Netgalley and publishers for the eARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is the time for toxic vampire relationships, although that is not the main focus of this story.
Mina is a vampire and wants to leave the “perfect” utopia of Shanghai, and its overseer Lian Zhang.
No city or being is worth being a captive even if the cage is gilded.
Javier is human, and in the one place where being human is not 100% safe, but he is on a journey to find his lost sister. So maybe he’s where he’s supposed to be.
Mina and Javier are what you want in a dysfunctional duo, although both have their own strengths they equally have their faults.
Mina is older than she looks obviously, but severely underdeveloped mentally. Having lived in and through this empire of suffering for so long, Mina is still the young 20 something who wanted this life so long ago.
Javier really thought he could get in and get out with his sister in tow. Very American of him, I loved that it was a good laugh.
This book wasn't what I was expecting, I was hoping for some weird romanticism, but was given vivid world building, very I want to say Del Toro-esq Shanghai. With these elements the characters did lack depth and that's okay, a debut is allowed its hiccups; I do hope by the second installment the characters grow more, and the conversations grow as well.
Several scenes even in the beginning dragged so hopefully those get cut down as well.
I didn’t hate this nor dislike it, I hope to see this grow and get better and better.
Thank you to Victory Editing and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from Author
This take on modern vampirism is surprisingly fresh and is a spin on the genre I haven't seen since some early 2000's movies. Overall the story has really good pacing, strong emotional aspects, very well written characters, and an interesting set of plots and subplots. There are a couple of moments throughout where it felt like the author had a character do something that didn't exactly make sense with what we know of that character's motivations, but those moments are small and the story progression makes sense.
Spoilers below:
I had a major issue with the climax of the story. With Eva being so well established as an expert in vampire physiology and pretty conservative when it comes to decision making, wouldn't she be more curious to know how Mina knew for sure Zhang was dead? Wouldn't Eva had been able to say that a small wooden stake might not have been enough to actually kill Lian? The twist on a twist of Lian still being alive was harder to believe because our in-lore source of information didn't even bat an eye when Mina said Lian was dead.
This issue didn't prevent me from enjoying the book, but it did make it somewhat less satisfying of a conclusion. I will still be on the lookout for the next book in the series to see how Javier, August, and Mina are going to get themselves in more trouble. 4.4/5 Would recommend, would reread.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Spoilers below:
I had a major issue with the climax of the story. With Eva being so well established as an expert in vampire physiology and pretty conservative when it comes to decision making, wouldn't she be more curious to know how Mina knew for sure Zhang was dead? Wouldn't Eva had been able to say that a small wooden stake might not have been enough to actually kill Lian? The twist on a twist of Lian still being alive was harder to believe because our in-lore source of information didn't even bat an eye when Mina said Lian was dead.
This issue didn't prevent me from enjoying the book, but it did make it somewhat less satisfying of a conclusion. I will still be on the lookout for the next book in the series to see how Javier, August, and Mina are going to get themselves in more trouble. 4.4/5 Would recommend, would reread.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2025
I really enjoyed Mina’s part of the story and her relationships with Lian, August, and Dimitri. Particularly with her relationship with Lian, it was an interesting study in relationships with an incredibly unequal power balance: Lian is Mina’s creator, lover, “mother”, and abuser. It is truly an intricate story of abuse on top of the realities that they are vampires and this abuse literally can go on forever.
I am glad that we got to spend a few chapters with August, who I thought was an entertaining and interesting character that she slightly more light on Lian. It is clear that he is more compassionate and caring than she is. Although we can see how a similar power dynamic can still hold with his new fledgling, Dimitri.
Now, for what I absolutely did not like: Javier. I felt that he was such a whiny, juvenile character that thought he was this macho man. The storyline with his sister was also really weird: he found his sister after three days while in Shanghai but couldn’t find her for a decade at home?? And his sister also didn’t seem interested in him. I would have preferred that he was not the MMC or at the very least that we spent less time with him.
I might continue the series because I care about Mina and August, but Javier’s character really brought it down for me.
———
Thank you NetGalley and Mercerized Books for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am glad that we got to spend a few chapters with August, who I thought was an entertaining and interesting character that she slightly more light on Lian. It is clear that he is more compassionate and caring than she is. Although we can see how a similar power dynamic can still hold with his new fledgling, Dimitri.
Now, for what I absolutely did not like: Javier. I felt that he was such a whiny, juvenile character that thought he was this macho man. The storyline with his sister was also really weird: he found his sister after three days while in Shanghai but couldn’t find her for a decade at home?? And his sister also didn’t seem interested in him. I would have preferred that he was not the MMC or at the very least that we spent less time with him.
I might continue the series because I care about Mina and August, but Javier’s character really brought it down for me.
———
Thank you NetGalley and Mercerized Books for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 9, 2026
Vampires of Shanghai is a dark, dystopian-leaning vampire story that reimagines Shanghai as a city run by predators… and it works so well.
In this world, vampires aren’t the romanticised, glittering immortals of paranormal romance. They’re rulers. Makers. Monsters with power, influence, and systems designed to keep humans compliant. Our FMC, Mina, is living under the control of her maker, Lian Zhang, when she crosses paths with Javier, a newly arrived human who’s searching for his missing sister, Elena. From there, the story starts pulling on threads that expose just how deep the corruption and influence of the vampire run society goes.
One of the biggest strengths for me was the worldbuilding. The book takes time to explain how vampire and human society operate side by side, and the details are so immersive. I genuinely felt transported to Asia through the food, language, and cultural references woven throughout the story. It’s atmospheric in a way that makes the city feel like a character in its own right.
That said: this one is not light. There are dark themes (including domestic abuse), sci-fi touches, and some genuinely gory scenes, so definitely check content warnings before diving in.
Overall, this was a gripping, unsettling read with bold worldbuilding and a refreshingly predatory take on vampires. Cold, calculating, toxic - and completely in control.
In this world, vampires aren’t the romanticised, glittering immortals of paranormal romance. They’re rulers. Makers. Monsters with power, influence, and systems designed to keep humans compliant. Our FMC, Mina, is living under the control of her maker, Lian Zhang, when she crosses paths with Javier, a newly arrived human who’s searching for his missing sister, Elena. From there, the story starts pulling on threads that expose just how deep the corruption and influence of the vampire run society goes.
One of the biggest strengths for me was the worldbuilding. The book takes time to explain how vampire and human society operate side by side, and the details are so immersive. I genuinely felt transported to Asia through the food, language, and cultural references woven throughout the story. It’s atmospheric in a way that makes the city feel like a character in its own right.
That said: this one is not light. There are dark themes (including domestic abuse), sci-fi touches, and some genuinely gory scenes, so definitely check content warnings before diving in.
Overall, this was a gripping, unsettling read with bold worldbuilding and a refreshingly predatory take on vampires. Cold, calculating, toxic - and completely in control.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy!
Let's start with the positives because this book deserves some praise. I really liked the take on vampires; they physically had more in common with humans than one might expect while still maintaining that 'otherworldly' vibe. And I like how humans are aware of their presence in the world, even if not everyone has encountered one before.
Aside from the vampires, I enjoyed the dark fantasy vibe. A lot of times I feel books get marketed that way without delivering a sinister atmosphere, but it's felt here with the amount of torture and the way the hierarchy works. I was turning pages just waiting to see what punishment was going to follow a character's actions because there are always severe consequences. This book also does a wonderful job of portraying an abusive relationship. You'll feel sympathy for the main character over and over again, noticing she's caught in a web she really can't escape.
There were some parts I felt were weaker in the story though. I do wish Shanghai had felt more present than a few mentions. I also wasn't entirely sold on the romance, which is disappointing since it was supposed to be the healthier option.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to the publication followed by the rest of the series!
Let's start with the positives because this book deserves some praise. I really liked the take on vampires; they physically had more in common with humans than one might expect while still maintaining that 'otherworldly' vibe. And I like how humans are aware of their presence in the world, even if not everyone has encountered one before.
Aside from the vampires, I enjoyed the dark fantasy vibe. A lot of times I feel books get marketed that way without delivering a sinister atmosphere, but it's felt here with the amount of torture and the way the hierarchy works. I was turning pages just waiting to see what punishment was going to follow a character's actions because there are always severe consequences. This book also does a wonderful job of portraying an abusive relationship. You'll feel sympathy for the main character over and over again, noticing she's caught in a web she really can't escape.
There were some parts I felt were weaker in the story though. I do wish Shanghai had felt more present than a few mentions. I also wasn't entirely sold on the romance, which is disappointing since it was supposed to be the healthier option.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to the publication followed by the rest of the series!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2026
I received a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review and I am grateful for the opportunity.
The Vampires of Shanghai is an easy read with a strong central concept. The writing is solid, the pacing stays steady and I got to the end without any real struggle. There are also some genuinely interesting ideas in the mix, especially around how this version of vampire society functions day to day.
Where it fell short for me was depth. It is character-driven in structure, but the characters did not fully come alive for me and I found myself spotting familiar tropes even when the book seemed to be trying to sidestep them. The darker tone suggested by the marketing also did not match my reading experience. The story includes violence and coercive dynamics, but it did not feel especially intense or original in how those elements were handled.
I also wanted more from the worldbuilding. Some big context questions are left vague, and the magic thread lacks clear rules, which created a few logic bumps for me. Shanghai is a great setting choice, but I would have loved more vivid grounding and texture on the page.
Overall, this was broadly fine, and I would recommend it for readers who enjoy YA-leaning vampire fiction or are dipping into the genre. For me it lands at a solid three stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Vampires of Shanghai is an easy read with a strong central concept. The writing is solid, the pacing stays steady and I got to the end without any real struggle. There are also some genuinely interesting ideas in the mix, especially around how this version of vampire society functions day to day.
Where it fell short for me was depth. It is character-driven in structure, but the characters did not fully come alive for me and I found myself spotting familiar tropes even when the book seemed to be trying to sidestep them. The darker tone suggested by the marketing also did not match my reading experience. The story includes violence and coercive dynamics, but it did not feel especially intense or original in how those elements were handled.
I also wanted more from the worldbuilding. Some big context questions are left vague, and the magic thread lacks clear rules, which created a few logic bumps for me. Shanghai is a great setting choice, but I would have loved more vivid grounding and texture on the page.
Overall, this was broadly fine, and I would recommend it for readers who enjoy YA-leaning vampire fiction or are dipping into the genre. For me it lands at a solid three stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
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