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Archie Horror #2
Interview with the Vixen
High school bites-especially when you want to kill your classmates. Check out this original horror novel featuring Archie Comics characters!
Everyone knows the characters from Riverdale: popular Archie Andrews, sophisticated Veronica Lodge, girl-next-door Betty Cooper, and angsty Jughead Jones. But this is not the Riverdale you know and love. Something twisted has awoken in the town with pep. Inspired by the iconic Archie Horror comics, this reimagined universe takes the grittiness of the TV show and adds a paranormal twist.
Everyone thinks that Veronica Lodge has it all: the rich parents and the big house. The popular jock crush. The perfect best friend. But all that changes when she's bitten by an ancient vampire named Theodore Finch.
Theodore is turning all of Riverdale's most powerful citizens into vampires-including Veronica's parents. But that's only the beginning of what he has planned... Veronica escapes from becoming one of Theodore's minions, but the lives of the entire town are at stake. Veronica can't defeat him alone.
With some help from her friends, Veronica discovers how to turn everyone back to normal-including herself. All they have to do is kill Theodore. But Veronica's bloodlust is getting harder to control. Can Betty, Archie, Dilton, and Cheryl figure out how to stop Theodore-and save Veronica-before it's too late?
The Archie Horror series contains all-new, original stories that fans of horror AND fans of Riverdale will die for!
Everyone knows the characters from Riverdale: popular Archie Andrews, sophisticated Veronica Lodge, girl-next-door Betty Cooper, and angsty Jughead Jones. But this is not the Riverdale you know and love. Something twisted has awoken in the town with pep. Inspired by the iconic Archie Horror comics, this reimagined universe takes the grittiness of the TV show and adds a paranormal twist.
Everyone thinks that Veronica Lodge has it all: the rich parents and the big house. The popular jock crush. The perfect best friend. But all that changes when she's bitten by an ancient vampire named Theodore Finch.
Theodore is turning all of Riverdale's most powerful citizens into vampires-including Veronica's parents. But that's only the beginning of what he has planned... Veronica escapes from becoming one of Theodore's minions, but the lives of the entire town are at stake. Veronica can't defeat him alone.
With some help from her friends, Veronica discovers how to turn everyone back to normal-including herself. All they have to do is kill Theodore. But Veronica's bloodlust is getting harder to control. Can Betty, Archie, Dilton, and Cheryl figure out how to stop Theodore-and save Veronica-before it's too late?
The Archie Horror series contains all-new, original stories that fans of horror AND fans of Riverdale will die for!
332 pages, Paperback
First published July 2, 2020
About the author
Rebecca Barrow
8 books215 followersRebecca Barrow is the critically acclaimed author of Bad Things Happen Here, Interview with the Vixen, This Is What It Feels Like, and You Don’t Know Me But I Know You. She is a lover of sunshine, Old Hollywood icons, and all things high femme. She lives and writes in England. Visit her at www.rebecca-barrow.com
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 1, 2022
I'm not really sure what compelled me to pick this up as I know nothing about the Riverdale universe, either the comics or the show. But I highly enjoyed this audiobook, was a fun paranormal YA novel that was both engaging and entertaining.
October 31, 2021
This was another fun listen. This time we are back in Riverdale with Veronica as the main monster and the journey she takes as she tries to figure out who she is and what her place is. Loved this one.
October 22, 2022
Look, this book and I were doomed from the start - roughly around the point where it carelessly wrote out my favourite character by saying, and I quote, that he was on a "fishing trip or whatever."
How can you do my boy Juggie so dirty when he's a prime candidate to provide exquisite vampiric existential dread?! I mean, seriously, the broody loner gets written out? There's just so much wasted potential! He never had to be the main character, but if Cheryl and Reggie can have their own chapters and new characters can be invented to add villain drama? Well, there's frankly no reason Jughead couldn't have been included. None at all.
Hell, he could have even been the friend who pitched in to help Veronica research vampirism and find niche stores to buy vampire hunting supplies. Creepy, weird things and research are his jam in at least one iteration of the Archie 'verse. But nope. That role goes to Dilton instead.
Which, don't get me wrong there - I absolutely loved Dilton's role in this. He's a character who was done so dirty in Riverdale, he absolutely deserves a chance to shine. Seeing him get that chance was one of the very few good things about slogging through this book. I'm just salty because Jughead Jones is one of the so-called 'core four' characters and he was written out with a handwaved "or whatever."
That's right, I've already dragged out two gifs before I've even started talking about the plot of the book. You just know this one's gonna be a doozy! So buckle up and prepare for a rollercoaster ride I like to call All I Wanted Was Campy Vampire Horror; Instead, I Got Faux-Feminism and A Headache.
So, let's start at the beginning with important things to note. First, this book has nothing to do with the first Archie Horror instalment. They take place in totally different continuities and are written by completely different people. Werewolves from the first book are just plain humans here, and the dead victims of said werewolves are alive and kickin' as well. It's very much a standalone, though I would strongly suggest reading A Werewolf in Riverdale instead for a quick, fun dose of campy horror that doesn't take itself seriously. This book, on the other hand... hoo boy does it ever try way too hard to make some kind of hamfisted, clunky social commentary by slamming readers over the head with buzzwords at every turn and literally spelling out the 'metaphor' of vampirism.
See, normally, if vampirism is a metaphor it's left to the readers to figure that out. It'll be obvious in cleverly crafted ways, rather than spelled out directly on the page. That's not the case, here. No, here, we have page after page of literally writing out that Veronica feels as if the vampiric transformation has freed her from the shell of societal (and familial) expectations. Instead of subtle hints, we get preachy paragraph after preachy bloody paragraph of how Veronica - a teenager - deserves to be taken seriously as a potential business partner for her dad and doesn't like the oh-so-burdensome expectations of being financially privileged and thus living in high society. (Cry me a river, V.)
Woe is her, it's so difficult when everyone expects her to be demure and well put-together and sometimes she just wants to be sassy and wear fishnet stockings and a revealingly cut dress! Sometimes, she just feels so angry about her dad not taking her seriously that she thinks it could very well justify wanting to see him dead. Sometimes, she just wants to vamp out and sink her fangs into a blood bag in the middle of a library, and anyone who dares try to stop her is obviously just a misogynist. They clearly just don't want to see her look 'ugly' and aren't, y'know, trying to prevent her from losing control and slaughtering everyone or terrifying the masses with proof that monsters are real.
Y'all, when I say it's exhausting, I mean it is ex-haust-ing. I mean I wasn't even joking about getting a headache from all the mental gymnastics the characters performed. Take this, for example:
Girl, you are trying to rescue a hostage while his captor is distracted, and you detoured for a fucking lipstick. Shut up with your fake wokeness; Dilton has every right to be disgusted. I'm disgusted!
It gets worse, though.
Veronica is portrayed consistently as a vapid, shallow, whiny brat who cares more about things like fashion and makeup and celebrities than anything else other than her own perceived level of power. Don't believe me? She's legitimately the level of Bimbo Stereoptype who replaces Mother Mary with Meghan Markle when making mental exclamations during a time of crisis.
Considering she's Catholic in at least one continuity, I found this especially jarring, but it's also just plain stupid regardless of religion. I mean, let's be blunt, here. Who the hell speaks like that?! And even if you can think of the one, single person in the real world who might speak that way, surely they wouldn't think that way to themselves after having a life-altering accident wherein they possibly caused the death of a friend.
(Bonus pedantic point of interest: the Christian deity is supposed to get a capital 'G' because it's treated as a name. Uncapitalized 'god' is like 'dog,' but 'God' is like 'Fido' - one's a type of thing, the other is the name of a specific thing. Then again, knowing how pathetically shallow and stereotypical this version of Veronica is, she was probably calling upon a random demigod who presides over fashion.)
Unfortunately, the other main female points of view, Betty and Cheryl, aren't much better. Betty comes across as a horribly selfish girl who's struggling with the occasional emergence of a conscience and Cheryl is a self-centered mean girl who mistreats others then acts shocked that nobody truly likes or wants to spend time with her. And while those are indeed facets of their personalities in other media, it becomes all they are instead of small parts of realistic, flawed characters.
For a story written by a woman, I expected better than a mess of tired, old tropes and stereotypical personalities hidden behind a veneer of allegedly feminist views. It's kind of stunning, really.
At one point, Betty even deliberately watches scary movies with Archie so she has an excuse to snuggle him... then remarks in her mind how 'simple' straight guys are for doing things like being protective over scared partners during horror films. (You know, the exact thing she set Archie up to do because she wanted the contact.)
Then, she and Veronica act as if it's Archie's fault that they're bickering over who gets to date him - ironically, treating Archie like the very same 'thing to have' Veronica spends a chapter complaining others view her as. What, are they just helpless little girls who cannot possibly exercise autonomy to either agree to walk away if Archie won't make a choice, not pursue him, or decide which of them will ask him out...? News flash, kiddos: nobody is 'stringing you along' if you're both willingly and knowingly pursuing him while well aware he is not ready or willing to commit to just one of you. You can't blame a guy for accepting the affection handed to him by his lady-friends when they're clearly willing, he's clearly willing, and nobody involved is in a committed relationship. That's what we call casual dating or having friends with benefits, and if you don't like that arrangement then it's fairly simple to not get into it.
But I digress. Not because there aren't even more things of this nature which pissed me off in the book, but rather because I'm legitimately just sick of the topic and there are other things to criticize... and, surprisingly, also praise. (But mostly criticize.)
This is also where I break out my trusty friend the list, because I just plain don't have the mental energy to try forming all of these little points into articulate, flowing paragraphs. Also because I can't be bothered to try circumventing the review length limit when I've already ranted so hard my fingers ache.
THE GOOD
* Cheryl and Veronica's dynamic toward the middle of the book onward was exquisite. I enjoy seeing a new friendship grow, nurtured by mutual understanding in a time of crisis.
* As I already mentioned, I loved the role Dilton played as the anti-vampire weapon supplier and lore researcher.
* In an attempt to find a silver lining in the darkness, I'm going to say I'm glad Juggie wasn't around to be wrongly accused of misogyny when he, I dunno, breathed in Veronica's general direction. My fave deserves better, anyway.
* When the focus wasn't being stolen by hamfisted attempts at social commentary, the mental struggle of vampirism against humanity was written fairly well.
* The eleventh-hour villain reveal and seeing their power in action was fun. I'd have loved more of that. Psychological horror is my jam, and my peanut butter, and my bread. It's my pb&j sammich, and I want more!
THE BAD
* The writing style in general grated on my nerves. Though it evened out as the story progressed, earlier portions were laden with so many sentence fragments it made my brain ache. Grammar is our friend, m'kay?
* At one point, Veronica steals a motorcycle to use as a getaway vehicle. The suspension of disbelief required for this is enough to cause an aneurysm. You see, first the bike has to have its key left in the ignition. Then, Veronica has to know where the ignition is and how to start the bike since it's not as simple as just turning a key to crank a car. Next, she has to know how to properly handle the bike both in terms of balance and in terms of shifting gears, braking, etc. to avoid becoming roadkill. And on top of all that, we have to assume that the bike is coincidentally the correct size and weight for her, a complete and utter novice, to be able to keep it upright and handle it on turns and not kill herself trying to pretend she's a badass. As someone who grew up around motorcycles, I find this harder to swallow than the idea of vampires being real.
* A pyre is lit inside a newly-built hotel on its opening night. No mention is ever made of the sprinklers the building would likely be required to have - not going off, or being disabled.
THE WTF
* The vampires can breathe, have pulses, get adrenaline rushes, and sleep (complete with nightmares). They even sweat and cry! They're supposed to be undead, their eyes turn red, they can shapeshift and partake mind control, and they have retractable fangs... but honestly, they come across more as slightly superpowered humans than vampires. At one point, a group of vampires even appear to be drowning during a battle in a pool. All three hold their breaths and struggle for the surface of the water; the one whose POV is followed at the time even has mention of their lungs burning for air. Please, make it make sense.
* The vampires are referred to as strigoi and moroi. From what I could tell, the vampires in this book and lore cited for them don't actually match the real life Romanian lore from whence the terms originate. This is far from the first book to do that - here's looking at Vampire Academy - but it's still a strange choice to make. Even stranger is the choice to riff on Twilight with a "no, of course vampires don't sparkle" reference (pretty sure that was done in Vampire Academy too, based on the wiki text I read) when at least the vampires in Twilight don't carry on with human bodily functions after being turned.
* One of the characters invented to be a cartoonish villain in the book is named Theodore Finch. When searching the name to make sure I got it right, I stumbled upon the fact he doesn't exist in actual Archie 'verse lore. In fact, Theodore Finch is the name of a main character in All the Bright Places, which was published in 2015. This book was published in 2020, and is loosely based on the comic series Vampironica - in which there is no Theodore Finch, and the character he took the place of is named Ivan. What a... peculiar choice to make.
* Most of the vampires in the story are turned by killing them first. However, killing their sire can restore them to human life, as if they'd never been murdered or grown fangs. What?
THE END
There. I wasted a couple hours of my life trying to articulate the frustration I felt from a book I already wasted a few hours reading when I should've quit earlier. I'd already purchased the book and had such immensely high hopes based on the first instalment of the series, thus it became a challenge. But in the end, I have accomplished nothing, I feel exhausted, and I don't even like the way this review sounds when I read it back pre-posting. Yay me?
Truth is: I toss in gifs and attempts at humour to lessen the blow, but dwelling on books I loathe long enough to review them wears me out mentally. I even considered not posting this review at all, but I can't quite bring myself to throw away hours of articulation and replace it with "This was definitely not for me, and I regret finishing it" followed, perhaps, by a gif.
Here's to me learning - yet again - to just cut ties with books that make me grumpy.
How can you do my boy Juggie so dirty when he's a prime candidate to provide exquisite vampiric existential dread?! I mean, seriously, the broody loner gets written out? There's just so much wasted potential! He never had to be the main character, but if Cheryl and Reggie can have their own chapters and new characters can be invented to add villain drama? Well, there's frankly no reason Jughead couldn't have been included. None at all.
Hell, he could have even been the friend who pitched in to help Veronica research vampirism and find niche stores to buy vampire hunting supplies. Creepy, weird things and research are his jam in at least one iteration of the Archie 'verse. But nope. That role goes to Dilton instead.
Which, don't get me wrong there - I absolutely loved Dilton's role in this. He's a character who was done so dirty in Riverdale, he absolutely deserves a chance to shine. Seeing him get that chance was one of the very few good things about slogging through this book. I'm just salty because Jughead Jones is one of the so-called 'core four' characters and he was written out with a handwaved "or whatever."
That's right, I've already dragged out two gifs before I've even started talking about the plot of the book. You just know this one's gonna be a doozy! So buckle up and prepare for a rollercoaster ride I like to call All I Wanted Was Campy Vampire Horror; Instead, I Got Faux-Feminism and A Headache.
So, let's start at the beginning with important things to note. First, this book has nothing to do with the first Archie Horror instalment. They take place in totally different continuities and are written by completely different people. Werewolves from the first book are just plain humans here, and the dead victims of said werewolves are alive and kickin' as well. It's very much a standalone, though I would strongly suggest reading A Werewolf in Riverdale instead for a quick, fun dose of campy horror that doesn't take itself seriously. This book, on the other hand... hoo boy does it ever try way too hard to make some kind of hamfisted, clunky social commentary by slamming readers over the head with buzzwords at every turn and literally spelling out the 'metaphor' of vampirism.
See, normally, if vampirism is a metaphor it's left to the readers to figure that out. It'll be obvious in cleverly crafted ways, rather than spelled out directly on the page. That's not the case, here. No, here, we have page after page of literally writing out that Veronica feels as if the vampiric transformation has freed her from the shell of societal (and familial) expectations. Instead of subtle hints, we get preachy paragraph after preachy bloody paragraph of how Veronica - a teenager - deserves to be taken seriously as a potential business partner for her dad and doesn't like the oh-so-burdensome expectations of being financially privileged and thus living in high society. (Cry me a river, V.)
Woe is her, it's so difficult when everyone expects her to be demure and well put-together and sometimes she just wants to be sassy and wear fishnet stockings and a revealingly cut dress! Sometimes, she just feels so angry about her dad not taking her seriously that she thinks it could very well justify wanting to see him dead. Sometimes, she just wants to vamp out and sink her fangs into a blood bag in the middle of a library, and anyone who dares try to stop her is obviously just a misogynist. They clearly just don't want to see her look 'ugly' and aren't, y'know, trying to prevent her from losing control and slaughtering everyone or terrifying the masses with proof that monsters are real.
Y'all, when I say it's exhausting, I mean it is ex-haust-ing. I mean I wasn't even joking about getting a headache from all the mental gymnastics the characters performed. Take this, for example:
It helps a little when she gets to her own room. [...] She wants to run in and dive beneath her crisp white covers, gather up all her clothes and accessories and vital beauty products, but it would take time they just don’t have.
She darts in and grabs a lipstick anyway, and when Dilton frowns she flips him off. “This is important,” she says. “Stop devaluing femininity because you think it equates to weakness, Dilton.”
Girl, you are trying to rescue a hostage while his captor is distracted, and you detoured for a fucking lipstick. Shut up with your fake wokeness; Dilton has every right to be disgusted. I'm disgusted!
It gets worse, though.
Veronica is portrayed consistently as a vapid, shallow, whiny brat who cares more about things like fashion and makeup and celebrities than anything else other than her own perceived level of power. Don't believe me? She's legitimately the level of Bimbo Stereoptype who replaces Mother Mary with Meghan Markle when making mental exclamations during a time of crisis.
Maybe it wasn’t anybody at all—perhaps it was only a deer that she hit.
Please, Jesus and god and mother Meghan Markle, let it have been a deer.
Considering she's Catholic in at least one continuity, I found this especially jarring, but it's also just plain stupid regardless of religion. I mean, let's be blunt, here. Who the hell speaks like that?! And even if you can think of the one, single person in the real world who might speak that way, surely they wouldn't think that way to themselves after having a life-altering accident wherein they possibly caused the death of a friend.
(Bonus pedantic point of interest: the Christian deity is supposed to get a capital 'G' because it's treated as a name. Uncapitalized 'god' is like 'dog,' but 'God' is like 'Fido' - one's a type of thing, the other is the name of a specific thing. Then again, knowing how pathetically shallow and stereotypical this version of Veronica is, she was probably calling upon a random demigod who presides over fashion.)
Unfortunately, the other main female points of view, Betty and Cheryl, aren't much better. Betty comes across as a horribly selfish girl who's struggling with the occasional emergence of a conscience and Cheryl is a self-centered mean girl who mistreats others then acts shocked that nobody truly likes or wants to spend time with her. And while those are indeed facets of their personalities in other media, it becomes all they are instead of small parts of realistic, flawed characters.
For a story written by a woman, I expected better than a mess of tired, old tropes and stereotypical personalities hidden behind a veneer of allegedly feminist views. It's kind of stunning, really.
At one point, Betty even deliberately watches scary movies with Archie so she has an excuse to snuggle him... then remarks in her mind how 'simple' straight guys are for doing things like being protective over scared partners during horror films. (You know, the exact thing she set Archie up to do because she wanted the contact.)
Then, she and Veronica act as if it's Archie's fault that they're bickering over who gets to date him - ironically, treating Archie like the very same 'thing to have' Veronica spends a chapter complaining others view her as. What, are they just helpless little girls who cannot possibly exercise autonomy to either agree to walk away if Archie won't make a choice, not pursue him, or decide which of them will ask him out...? News flash, kiddos: nobody is 'stringing you along' if you're both willingly and knowingly pursuing him while well aware he is not ready or willing to commit to just one of you. You can't blame a guy for accepting the affection handed to him by his lady-friends when they're clearly willing, he's clearly willing, and nobody involved is in a committed relationship. That's what we call casual dating or having friends with benefits, and if you don't like that arrangement then it's fairly simple to not get into it.
But I digress. Not because there aren't even more things of this nature which pissed me off in the book, but rather because I'm legitimately just sick of the topic and there are other things to criticize... and, surprisingly, also praise. (But mostly criticize.)
This is also where I break out my trusty friend the list, because I just plain don't have the mental energy to try forming all of these little points into articulate, flowing paragraphs. Also because I can't be bothered to try circumventing the review length limit when I've already ranted so hard my fingers ache.
THE GOOD
* Cheryl and Veronica's dynamic toward the middle of the book onward was exquisite. I enjoy seeing a new friendship grow, nurtured by mutual understanding in a time of crisis.
* As I already mentioned, I loved the role Dilton played as the anti-vampire weapon supplier and lore researcher.
* In an attempt to find a silver lining in the darkness, I'm going to say I'm glad Juggie wasn't around to be wrongly accused of misogyny when he, I dunno, breathed in Veronica's general direction. My fave deserves better, anyway.
* When the focus wasn't being stolen by hamfisted attempts at social commentary, the mental struggle of vampirism against humanity was written fairly well.
* The eleventh-hour villain reveal and seeing their power in action was fun. I'd have loved more of that. Psychological horror is my jam, and my peanut butter, and my bread. It's my pb&j sammich, and I want more!
THE BAD
* The writing style in general grated on my nerves. Though it evened out as the story progressed, earlier portions were laden with so many sentence fragments it made my brain ache. Grammar is our friend, m'kay?
* At one point, Veronica steals a motorcycle to use as a getaway vehicle. The suspension of disbelief required for this is enough to cause an aneurysm. You see, first the bike has to have its key left in the ignition. Then, Veronica has to know where the ignition is and how to start the bike since it's not as simple as just turning a key to crank a car. Next, she has to know how to properly handle the bike both in terms of balance and in terms of shifting gears, braking, etc. to avoid becoming roadkill. And on top of all that, we have to assume that the bike is coincidentally the correct size and weight for her, a complete and utter novice, to be able to keep it upright and handle it on turns and not kill herself trying to pretend she's a badass. As someone who grew up around motorcycles, I find this harder to swallow than the idea of vampires being real.
* A pyre is lit inside a newly-built hotel on its opening night. No mention is ever made of the sprinklers the building would likely be required to have - not going off, or being disabled.
THE WTF
* The vampires can breathe, have pulses, get adrenaline rushes, and sleep (complete with nightmares). They even sweat and cry! They're supposed to be undead, their eyes turn red, they can shapeshift and partake mind control, and they have retractable fangs... but honestly, they come across more as slightly superpowered humans than vampires. At one point, a group of vampires even appear to be drowning during a battle in a pool. All three hold their breaths and struggle for the surface of the water; the one whose POV is followed at the time even has mention of their lungs burning for air. Please, make it make sense.
* The vampires are referred to as strigoi and moroi. From what I could tell, the vampires in this book and lore cited for them don't actually match the real life Romanian lore from whence the terms originate. This is far from the first book to do that - here's looking at Vampire Academy - but it's still a strange choice to make. Even stranger is the choice to riff on Twilight with a "no, of course vampires don't sparkle" reference (pretty sure that was done in Vampire Academy too, based on the wiki text I read) when at least the vampires in Twilight don't carry on with human bodily functions after being turned.
* One of the characters invented to be a cartoonish villain in the book is named Theodore Finch. When searching the name to make sure I got it right, I stumbled upon the fact he doesn't exist in actual Archie 'verse lore. In fact, Theodore Finch is the name of a main character in All the Bright Places, which was published in 2015. This book was published in 2020, and is loosely based on the comic series Vampironica - in which there is no Theodore Finch, and the character he took the place of is named Ivan. What a... peculiar choice to make.
* Most of the vampires in the story are turned by killing them first. However, killing their sire can restore them to human life, as if they'd never been murdered or grown fangs. What?
THE END
There. I wasted a couple hours of my life trying to articulate the frustration I felt from a book I already wasted a few hours reading when I should've quit earlier. I'd already purchased the book and had such immensely high hopes based on the first instalment of the series, thus it became a challenge. But in the end, I have accomplished nothing, I feel exhausted, and I don't even like the way this review sounds when I read it back pre-posting. Yay me?
Truth is: I toss in gifs and attempts at humour to lessen the blow, but dwelling on books I loathe long enough to review them wears me out mentally. I even considered not posting this review at all, but I can't quite bring myself to throw away hours of articulation and replace it with "This was definitely not for me, and I regret finishing it" followed, perhaps, by a gif.
Here's to me learning - yet again - to just cut ties with books that make me grumpy.
July 20, 2020
Bloody, long-lost family quarrels stalk the town with pep in this second entry into the Archie Horror novel canon. Rebecca Barrow's licensed-fiction debut showcases obvious appreciation for the inherently campy and juicy source material, as well as her trademark appreciation for the longings, ambitions, and secrets that make up teen girls' lives. Veronica might be sporting a new set of fangs and a mean right hook, but her thrill ride toward vamp-hood is steeped in carefully-grounding details and framed by her relationships to her parents, Archie and Betty, and perhaps most importantly Cheryl.
The vampire has been used as a metaphor for many things, but its efficacy in examining queerness is unparalleled. Queer literature is often synonymous with romance, but Interview with the Vixen is a fine example of a seemingly-light teen book and obvious locus for romance containing not an overt romance plot but a story of tangled friendships, family power dynamics, and personal change that will feel familiar and empowering to many queer readers. The ambition and drive Veronica's spent so much time trying to curate and tame for the sake of her family, friends, and school come roaring out in the wake of her encounter with a powerful vampire--and once bitten, any shyness about what she wants and who she might become are gone, a neat mirror to the metamorphosis queer people often experience around coming out.
Pearl girls gone feral, frenemy team-ups, Archie the Damsel, holy-water swimming pools, high-fashion stakes, and a visit or two to Pop's: Vixen has something for Riverdale fans, Buffy acolytes, and anyone who loves a good spin on the ultimate monster of camp (the vampire) (or possibly Cheryl Blossom...)
The vampire has been used as a metaphor for many things, but its efficacy in examining queerness is unparalleled. Queer literature is often synonymous with romance, but Interview with the Vixen is a fine example of a seemingly-light teen book and obvious locus for romance containing not an overt romance plot but a story of tangled friendships, family power dynamics, and personal change that will feel familiar and empowering to many queer readers. The ambition and drive Veronica's spent so much time trying to curate and tame for the sake of her family, friends, and school come roaring out in the wake of her encounter with a powerful vampire--and once bitten, any shyness about what she wants and who she might become are gone, a neat mirror to the metamorphosis queer people often experience around coming out.
Pearl girls gone feral, frenemy team-ups, Archie the Damsel, holy-water swimming pools, high-fashion stakes, and a visit or two to Pop's: Vixen has something for Riverdale fans, Buffy acolytes, and anyone who loves a good spin on the ultimate monster of camp (the vampire) (or possibly Cheryl Blossom...)
July 13, 2020
This book was such a fun ride! I loved how strong they made Veronica and I was so happy to see Cheryl featured more as well
January 25, 2021
I should have known better
I grew up reading Archie Comics, they were an integral part of my childhood. I never watched Riverdale, because I knew it would taint my feelings towards my favorite beloved characters. (Also, I wasn't happy with the casting choices- that's neither here nor there.) I'm older now though, and my husband bought this for me for my birthday. I know that none of this is cannon, and I like the horror genre so I would go into this knowing that this is essentially fan made.
ugh
This was so cheesy and I don't think it was even on purpose. Each character felt like a caricature of the person they were supposed to be. It was almost like the author was given a prompt, that said "spoiled rich girl with daddy issues" and that was meant to be Ronnie (she never went by "V.") It was the same for everyone else. Where was Jughead? I know this was book two, and maybe Jughead was in the first, but he's a main character in the comics...I don't know. The writing wasn't that good either. Also, the "feminism" twist felt so so forced...Idk. The only redeeming factor of this book was Cheryl and Veronicas dynamic.
Nothing about this was inherently problematic, and it was readable so two stars. If the author somehow finds this, the bulk of my opinion is based in the fact that this is the Archie universe and I'm very protective of that- nothing against you.
I grew up reading Archie Comics, they were an integral part of my childhood. I never watched Riverdale, because I knew it would taint my feelings towards my favorite beloved characters. (Also, I wasn't happy with the casting choices- that's neither here nor there.) I'm older now though, and my husband bought this for me for my birthday. I know that none of this is cannon, and I like the horror genre so I would go into this knowing that this is essentially fan made.
ugh
This was so cheesy and I don't think it was even on purpose. Each character felt like a caricature of the person they were supposed to be. It was almost like the author was given a prompt, that said "spoiled rich girl with daddy issues" and that was meant to be Ronnie (she never went by "V.") It was the same for everyone else. Where was Jughead? I know this was book two, and maybe Jughead was in the first, but he's a main character in the comics...I don't know. The writing wasn't that good either. Also, the "feminism" twist felt so so forced...Idk. The only redeeming factor of this book was Cheryl and Veronicas dynamic.
Nothing about this was inherently problematic, and it was readable so two stars. If the author somehow finds this, the bulk of my opinion is based in the fact that this is the Archie universe and I'm very protective of that- nothing against you.
November 20, 2022
DNF
I was really looking forward to this because I loved how fun a werewolf in Riverdale was, but this is a different author set in a different world and it pales in comparison.
I actually started reading this for Halloween, it's only because it's on my Goodreads I even remembered. Even with the really short chapters it still felt like a chore, if anything but just made the story feel disjointed.
Maybe I just don't care about Veronica as a character, she's not as daddy obsessed in this as she is in the show, but the viewpoint of a spoilt rich girl still doesn't interest me.
She does stupid things like purposely pick out high heeled boots to run and fight in because fashion is power or whatever. Like I get fashion is really important for some people and some clothes do make you feel a certain way, but that doesn't mean you have to make dumbass decisions that could kill you.
Apparently later on she detours during a hostage situation to put on lipstick, then chastises Dilton for commenting on it, saying he 'views femininity as weakness'. That's some real cringe, chronically online faux woke crap right there, he's not being sexist just trying to get your priorities in order!
You just know her version of feminism began and ended with the girl boss era.
I will read another Archie horror series because the concept is fun, this one just didn't deliver.
I was really looking forward to this because I loved how fun a werewolf in Riverdale was, but this is a different author set in a different world and it pales in comparison.
I actually started reading this for Halloween, it's only because it's on my Goodreads I even remembered. Even with the really short chapters it still felt like a chore, if anything but just made the story feel disjointed.
Maybe I just don't care about Veronica as a character, she's not as daddy obsessed in this as she is in the show, but the viewpoint of a spoilt rich girl still doesn't interest me.
She does stupid things like purposely pick out high heeled boots to run and fight in because fashion is power or whatever. Like I get fashion is really important for some people and some clothes do make you feel a certain way, but that doesn't mean you have to make dumbass decisions that could kill you.
Apparently later on she detours during a hostage situation to put on lipstick, then chastises Dilton for commenting on it, saying he 'views femininity as weakness'. That's some real cringe, chronically online faux woke crap right there, he's not being sexist just trying to get your priorities in order!
You just know her version of feminism began and ended with the girl boss era.
I will read another Archie horror series because the concept is fun, this one just didn't deliver.
April 4, 2021
This is a fun way to escape. I really enjoy vampire stories and having this set in Riverdale is neat. My only complaint... I missed Jughead. Not sure why they chose to keep him out of this story.
March 14, 2022
This feels like a novel-length episode of the old Archie's Weird Mysteries cartoon series. In that series (which ran from 1999 to 2000), there was a 3-part Halloween episode in which Veronica seemed to be some kind of chosen one called the Ender, who was destined to end the eternal night of the vampires (once it was brought about). She was turned into a vampire twice during that trilogy and went by the name "Vampronica". The line-up of Archie's Weird Mysteries was, generally, Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Reggie, and Dilton.
In 2012, the classic Betty and Veronica comics title did a 2-issue story called "Betty the Vampire Slayer vs. Vampironica", during which Veronica was turned into a vampire. Note the slight change to her vampire name compared to Archie's Weird Mysteries. This story can be found in Betty and Veronica #261-262. The story was played mostly for laughs.
Fast forward to 2018. Archie Comics had (ahem) revamped its main line of comics 3 years earlier, and it had also been experimenting with AU horror titles, such as Afterlife With Archie, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and Jughead: The Hunger (in which Jughead became a werewolf). So it was only natural to do a Vampironica title, which ran for 5 issues. This was followed by a 5-issue interdimensional crossover with Jughead: The Hunger in 2019. Finally, there was a second miniseries, Vampironica: New Blood, which ran for 4 issues from 2019 to 2020.
This novel, Interview with the Vixen, is, at its most basic, a novelization of the first Vampironica miniseries. But calling it that wouldn't be doing it justice. Author Rebecca Barrow has greatly expanded the story, especially in its second half, giving the characters much more to do and giving them amazing depths of characterization. These feel more like real people, not cartoon characters.
The novel borrows a lot from Riverdale without being set in that continuity. Josie's mom is the mayor, and Kevin's dad is the sheriff, though neither Josie nor Kevin appear or are even mentioned in this story. Veronica is said to have brown skin, which is a nod to her Riverdale actor (she's white in the Vampironica comic). Cheryl is said to have brown eyes (she has green or blue eyes in the comics), which is a nod to her Riverdale actor. She's also openly gay and trained in the use of a crossbow.
So the basic plot is Veronica gets turned into a vampire, but she's not under the master vampire's mind control (unlike the other vampires), and she must find a way to kill the master vampire, so she (and everyone else that was turned) can be turned back to normal.
To this end, she's helped by Dilton, Betty, Archie, and...Cheryl! Can we talk about the amazing chemistry between Veronica and Cheryl in this book? Veronica/Cheryl wasn't something that I thought I needed in my life (my preferred ship is Betty/Cheryl), but their scenes together are so good! Spoiler: they don't get together; they're just friends. But Veronica worries a LOT for Cheryl's safety in this book (much more than she does about Betty, her supposed "best friend"), and Cheryl is concerned about Veronica being disappointed in her. You would totally expect them to share a passionate kiss. Alas, it doesn't happen. But the final scene of the novel is a private, tender scene between Veronica and Cheryl, and you can tell they truly care for each other.
The story gets into some heavy subject matter with Veronica having to kill two major characters (and the others being prepared to, if necessary) and then having to wrestle with her guilt, debating whether she's a murderer or not. Cheryl counsels Veronica in the final scene, saying they're in this together: "So we make a pact. That's what friends do, right? If you go down, then I go down. But we won't. Because we're going to stick together on this. You have nothing to feel guilty about. Promise me. You won't torture yourself thinking about what happened. We're moving on. Promise?"
I'm not sure if a sequel was ever planned, although I'd be surprised if one comes out at this point. One major issue was left unresolved, and there are questions of what the future will hold. But Veronica Lodge is forever changed by her experience. She has known horror and triumph, known what it's like to live up to people's expectations of her and what it's like to truly live, and she doesn't want to go back to her old life. Not ever.
In 2012, the classic Betty and Veronica comics title did a 2-issue story called "Betty the Vampire Slayer vs. Vampironica", during which Veronica was turned into a vampire. Note the slight change to her vampire name compared to Archie's Weird Mysteries. This story can be found in Betty and Veronica #261-262. The story was played mostly for laughs.
Fast forward to 2018. Archie Comics had (ahem) revamped its main line of comics 3 years earlier, and it had also been experimenting with AU horror titles, such as Afterlife With Archie, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and Jughead: The Hunger (in which Jughead became a werewolf). So it was only natural to do a Vampironica title, which ran for 5 issues. This was followed by a 5-issue interdimensional crossover with Jughead: The Hunger in 2019. Finally, there was a second miniseries, Vampironica: New Blood, which ran for 4 issues from 2019 to 2020.
This novel, Interview with the Vixen, is, at its most basic, a novelization of the first Vampironica miniseries. But calling it that wouldn't be doing it justice. Author Rebecca Barrow has greatly expanded the story, especially in its second half, giving the characters much more to do and giving them amazing depths of characterization. These feel more like real people, not cartoon characters.
The novel borrows a lot from Riverdale without being set in that continuity. Josie's mom is the mayor, and Kevin's dad is the sheriff, though neither Josie nor Kevin appear or are even mentioned in this story. Veronica is said to have brown skin, which is a nod to her Riverdale actor (she's white in the Vampironica comic). Cheryl is said to have brown eyes (she has green or blue eyes in the comics), which is a nod to her Riverdale actor. She's also openly gay and trained in the use of a crossbow.
So the basic plot is Veronica gets turned into a vampire, but she's not under the master vampire's mind control (unlike the other vampires), and she must find a way to kill the master vampire, so she (and everyone else that was turned) can be turned back to normal.
To this end, she's helped by Dilton, Betty, Archie, and...Cheryl! Can we talk about the amazing chemistry between Veronica and Cheryl in this book? Veronica/Cheryl wasn't something that I thought I needed in my life (my preferred ship is Betty/Cheryl), but their scenes together are so good! Spoiler: they don't get together; they're just friends. But Veronica worries a LOT for Cheryl's safety in this book (much more than she does about Betty, her supposed "best friend"), and Cheryl is concerned about Veronica being disappointed in her. You would totally expect them to share a passionate kiss. Alas, it doesn't happen. But the final scene of the novel is a private, tender scene between Veronica and Cheryl, and you can tell they truly care for each other.
The story gets into some heavy subject matter with Veronica having to kill two major characters (and the others being prepared to, if necessary) and then having to wrestle with her guilt, debating whether she's a murderer or not. Cheryl counsels Veronica in the final scene, saying they're in this together: "So we make a pact. That's what friends do, right? If you go down, then I go down. But we won't. Because we're going to stick together on this. You have nothing to feel guilty about. Promise me. You won't torture yourself thinking about what happened. We're moving on. Promise?"
I'm not sure if a sequel was ever planned, although I'd be surprised if one comes out at this point. One major issue was left unresolved, and there are questions of what the future will hold. But Veronica Lodge is forever changed by her experience. She has known horror and triumph, known what it's like to live up to people's expectations of her and what it's like to truly live, and she doesn't want to go back to her old life. Not ever.
January 17, 2023
I think my big takeaway from this is that the Archie horror spinoffs just really aren't my thing. I've tried multiple times to get into Jughead the Hunger and always dropped it by the third issue, so I thought I should give Vampironica a fair shot.
The characters were alright, I guess. I think a lot of more "mature" Archie adaptations struggle to get any real, high-stakes conflict out of them, because at the end of the day, that's not what they're for. They're built for silly gag comics, and while making dramatic stroylines with them CAN work, it's not easy. Making Veronica struggle with her identity as daughter of a Lodge was a neat idea, but the fact that all of her friends still preferred the old, pre-badass-vampire her felt mean, and not like something that this iconic friend group would ever think about each other. Give them a chance, Ronnie! You just fought off a vampire horde together! Who's to say they won't accept you if you actually explained your issues to them?
(I'm a little sad that the best fictional character of all time - Jughead Jones - was written out entirely, but it did give me the very funny mental image of everyone going through crisis after crisis while he's out of town on a chill fishing trip. so there was that, at least.)
It also tries to delve into the whole love triangle between Veronica, Archie, and Betty, which is to be expected from any Archie property. But the way it's handled is just bizarre. Somehow, both Betty and Veronica arrive at the conclusion that their whole ordeal is Archie's fault, since he won't buckle down and pick one of them... even though they're both involved in this, too. Like, you're the ones who would rather be passive-aggressive towards each other instead of telling him that this is even a problem! This is literally such an easy situation to avoid!
And don't get me started on the unbelievably sloppy attempts at #feminism. Lord Diavolo, it got rough sometimes. If I ever hear the word "villain-splain" again, I'm going to set a hotel on fire. Or that weird bit where Veronica thinks that if someone objects to her drinking out of a bloodbag, they must be a misogynist. Or when she is in an ACTIVE HOSTAGE SITUATION and goes off the path to grab some lipstick, and accuses Dilton of "devaluing femininity because he thinks it equates to weakness" when he is rightfully fed up with it. What is it with Archie adaptations and giving Veronica the cringiest attempts-at-feminism lines imaginable?
The prose here is really my biggest problem. It gets the job done, but it's not very interesting. There was never a line that stuck in my head, or a bout of vivid imagery that stayed in my mind's eye after I closed the book. It's passable, but nothing more. There's a lot of weird... one-liners? In there too, that just ruins any tension or flow that was there. Just let the moment breathe without a shoddy quip, damn you! Combined with the extremely short chapters and frequent changes in POV, it made it difficult to ever get very attached to what was going on. Which is a shame, because I did actually like the vampire lore and premise quite a bit! But it just couldn't land.
Okay, not all of the vampire lore was good. They put in a "DUH, of course vampires don't sparkle" bit in there (in 2020! have we as a society really not moved past bringing up Twilight in every piece of vampire media yet?) while they have vampires with retractable teeth like they're night furies from How to Train your Dragon. Please.
Overall... it's okay. I certainly wouldn't recommend it, though, and I definitely won't read it again.
The characters were alright, I guess. I think a lot of more "mature" Archie adaptations struggle to get any real, high-stakes conflict out of them, because at the end of the day, that's not what they're for. They're built for silly gag comics, and while making dramatic stroylines with them CAN work, it's not easy. Making Veronica struggle with her identity as daughter of a Lodge was a neat idea, but the fact that all of her friends still preferred the old, pre-badass-vampire her felt mean, and not like something that this iconic friend group would ever think about each other. Give them a chance, Ronnie! You just fought off a vampire horde together! Who's to say they won't accept you if you actually explained your issues to them?
(I'm a little sad that the best fictional character of all time - Jughead Jones - was written out entirely, but it did give me the very funny mental image of everyone going through crisis after crisis while he's out of town on a chill fishing trip. so there was that, at least.)
It also tries to delve into the whole love triangle between Veronica, Archie, and Betty, which is to be expected from any Archie property. But the way it's handled is just bizarre. Somehow, both Betty and Veronica arrive at the conclusion that their whole ordeal is Archie's fault, since he won't buckle down and pick one of them... even though they're both involved in this, too. Like, you're the ones who would rather be passive-aggressive towards each other instead of telling him that this is even a problem! This is literally such an easy situation to avoid!
And don't get me started on the unbelievably sloppy attempts at #feminism. Lord Diavolo, it got rough sometimes. If I ever hear the word "villain-splain" again, I'm going to set a hotel on fire. Or that weird bit where Veronica thinks that if someone objects to her drinking out of a bloodbag, they must be a misogynist. Or when she is in an ACTIVE HOSTAGE SITUATION and goes off the path to grab some lipstick, and accuses Dilton of "devaluing femininity because he thinks it equates to weakness" when he is rightfully fed up with it. What is it with Archie adaptations and giving Veronica the cringiest attempts-at-feminism lines imaginable?
The prose here is really my biggest problem. It gets the job done, but it's not very interesting. There was never a line that stuck in my head, or a bout of vivid imagery that stayed in my mind's eye after I closed the book. It's passable, but nothing more. There's a lot of weird... one-liners? In there too, that just ruins any tension or flow that was there. Just let the moment breathe without a shoddy quip, damn you! Combined with the extremely short chapters and frequent changes in POV, it made it difficult to ever get very attached to what was going on. Which is a shame, because I did actually like the vampire lore and premise quite a bit! But it just couldn't land.
Okay, not all of the vampire lore was good. They put in a "DUH, of course vampires don't sparkle" bit in there (in 2020! have we as a society really not moved past bringing up Twilight in every piece of vampire media yet?) while they have vampires with retractable teeth like they're night furies from How to Train your Dragon. Please.
Overall... it's okay. I certainly wouldn't recommend it, though, and I definitely won't read it again.
April 2, 2023
"how about smart daddy, how about creative and business minded"
*i read this book as part of fright night fridays.
i would be lying if i said i didn't pick this book up because of the hot vampire cheerleader on the cover.
(i only had tabs while i was annotating and i don't remember the points i was going to make so ill be quoting and then responding)
i wouldn't say im a fan of riverdale and i was completely lost after like season 4, so i can't be the best judge at plotline inaccuracies.
im not sure where exactly this is set because Jason is alive, they're a year or two from college and bighead isn't a thing.
ive always been able to relate to Ronnie based solely on the fact we have similar fathers. while i did enjoy some of her "empowering movements" there's a line and this book crossed it all of 50 times.
(vampire mythology)
• as a vampire fanatic myself im going to be judging this book harshly. (here are my vampire based tabs)
-"vampires are not solely mythological creatures, there's plenty of historical evidence" -dilton 'scientist'
dilton aside, NO THERE WASN'T. that's why they're mythological. as someone who 100% believe they are real, i have to disagree then light on fire his reasoning.
-"weakness against garlic, silver, holy water, and crosses"
i don't even know where to begin. first of all silver is for werewolves. ive never seen a religious character in rvd im sincerely doubting they even have a church. i wish SOME research had been done into it because you're telling me that if a person of another faith encountered a vampire, he would need to forsake his religion and hold up a cross for it to work? it is not exclusive!!
-"we'll make a shield, put up your crosses Betty" oh god. they quite literally took out their crosses and flung them around. has the author never read fright night. the most basic vampire movie around. YOU NEED TO HAVE FAITH FOR IT TO WORK.
-"you turned me, without my consent. you need to ask permission first you jerk" *sighs* Veronica. Veronica.
(plot inconsistencies)
-"it's like he's walked into an alternate version of riverdale where the paranormal is just... normal" excuse me??? does rvd happen in the same universe as caos. i might be imagining this but didn't show Veronica say that everyone in rvd has seen a dead body? let's not even talk about g&g, the black hood and mothman 💀
-"sleepovers at Betty's being 9 and desperate to make it past midnight" 🧍♂️ in no version ever did they know each other as kids.
-"Jason's doing so well in Switzerland" first of all wasn't that dude dead. second why would Jason be in boarding school but not Cheryl? what was the reasoning for a rich family to send one kid to a private boarding school and then another to a trash dumpster fire one.
(conclusion)
• Veronica is struggling with this whole no one likes the real me just this facade I've been putting on. it's a nice plotline if it was done properly. (they did not do it properly)
if you are a cheronica stan though this book is definitely for you and there's a lot of hinting that goes from enemies to friends to something more?
this book also goes through ronnie and Betty pining for Archie since they were kids then make it seem like it's Archie's fault and it was like a horribly written start of a why choose.
i have no idea what's going on here and i never did infact the only thing i learnt from this was that if it's Riverdale, it's bad. And this is so bad i want to give it a zero but i can't so i give it a one.
*i read this book as part of fright night fridays.
i would be lying if i said i didn't pick this book up because of the hot vampire cheerleader on the cover.
(i only had tabs while i was annotating and i don't remember the points i was going to make so ill be quoting and then responding)
i wouldn't say im a fan of riverdale and i was completely lost after like season 4, so i can't be the best judge at plotline inaccuracies.
im not sure where exactly this is set because Jason is alive, they're a year or two from college and bighead isn't a thing.
ive always been able to relate to Ronnie based solely on the fact we have similar fathers. while i did enjoy some of her "empowering movements" there's a line and this book crossed it all of 50 times.
(vampire mythology)
• as a vampire fanatic myself im going to be judging this book harshly. (here are my vampire based tabs)
-"vampires are not solely mythological creatures, there's plenty of historical evidence" -dilton 'scientist'
dilton aside, NO THERE WASN'T. that's why they're mythological. as someone who 100% believe they are real, i have to disagree then light on fire his reasoning.
-"weakness against garlic, silver, holy water, and crosses"
i don't even know where to begin. first of all silver is for werewolves. ive never seen a religious character in rvd im sincerely doubting they even have a church. i wish SOME research had been done into it because you're telling me that if a person of another faith encountered a vampire, he would need to forsake his religion and hold up a cross for it to work? it is not exclusive!!
-"we'll make a shield, put up your crosses Betty" oh god. they quite literally took out their crosses and flung them around. has the author never read fright night. the most basic vampire movie around. YOU NEED TO HAVE FAITH FOR IT TO WORK.
-"you turned me, without my consent. you need to ask permission first you jerk" *sighs* Veronica. Veronica.
(plot inconsistencies)
-"it's like he's walked into an alternate version of riverdale where the paranormal is just... normal" excuse me??? does rvd happen in the same universe as caos. i might be imagining this but didn't show Veronica say that everyone in rvd has seen a dead body? let's not even talk about g&g, the black hood and mothman 💀
-"sleepovers at Betty's being 9 and desperate to make it past midnight" 🧍♂️ in no version ever did they know each other as kids.
-"Jason's doing so well in Switzerland" first of all wasn't that dude dead. second why would Jason be in boarding school but not Cheryl? what was the reasoning for a rich family to send one kid to a private boarding school and then another to a trash dumpster fire one.
(conclusion)
• Veronica is struggling with this whole no one likes the real me just this facade I've been putting on. it's a nice plotline if it was done properly. (they did not do it properly)
if you are a cheronica stan though this book is definitely for you and there's a lot of hinting that goes from enemies to friends to something more?
this book also goes through ronnie and Betty pining for Archie since they were kids then make it seem like it's Archie's fault and it was like a horribly written start of a why choose.
i have no idea what's going on here and i never did infact the only thing i learnt from this was that if it's Riverdale, it's bad. And this is so bad i want to give it a zero but i can't so i give it a one.
April 16, 2021
Something bad is going down in Riverdale and Veronica's in for quite a change.
Not only does she stumble upon her dead parents' bodies, she's also attacked by a vampire leading her to get into a car crash with one of her classmates immediately afterwards.
Upon waking up alone in the woods she realizes something is very different.
With the help of her friends, she attempts to save Riverdale from a vampire takeover.
But will she be willing to go back to being her old, human self again afterwards?
This is my first Archie horror spin off book and I plan to read the graphic novel version right after this.
This book is not in any way connected to the show (Riverdale on Netflix). Veronica and Archie aren't a couple, neither are Betty and Jughead. Also Cheryl's brother Jason is very much alive and well.
This was a cool twist on a classic comic book that I absolutely loved as a kid. I remember always getting a new Archie comic whenever I'd go grocery shopping with my mom and I COULD NOT possibly have been happier when I heard that the comics were getting a reboot in book form to go along with the show.
There were a couple minor things I didn't like, the biggest being that Jughead was not included in this one at all! Being my favorite character of the bunch, it sucked he wasn't involved.
I also found that the characters seemed to feel a little flat to me. Cheryl was lacking her feisty attitude, Veronica was lacking her usual confidence, etc.
This was still a fun read overall and I can't wait to read the graphic novel as well as A Werewolf in Riverdale.
Not only does she stumble upon her dead parents' bodies, she's also attacked by a vampire leading her to get into a car crash with one of her classmates immediately afterwards.
Upon waking up alone in the woods she realizes something is very different.
With the help of her friends, she attempts to save Riverdale from a vampire takeover.
But will she be willing to go back to being her old, human self again afterwards?
This is my first Archie horror spin off book and I plan to read the graphic novel version right after this.
This book is not in any way connected to the show (Riverdale on Netflix). Veronica and Archie aren't a couple, neither are Betty and Jughead. Also Cheryl's brother Jason is very much alive and well.
This was a cool twist on a classic comic book that I absolutely loved as a kid. I remember always getting a new Archie comic whenever I'd go grocery shopping with my mom and I COULD NOT possibly have been happier when I heard that the comics were getting a reboot in book form to go along with the show.
There were a couple minor things I didn't like, the biggest being that Jughead was not included in this one at all! Being my favorite character of the bunch, it sucked he wasn't involved.
I also found that the characters seemed to feel a little flat to me. Cheryl was lacking her feisty attitude, Veronica was lacking her usual confidence, etc.
This was still a fun read overall and I can't wait to read the graphic novel as well as A Werewolf in Riverdale.
January 7, 2022
Ever since I was little, Jughead has been my favorite of the Riverdale gang, and Veronica one of my least favorite. So the fact that I enjoyed Interview with the Vixen more than Werewolf in Riverdale (the Jughead-centric Archie Horror YA novel) is a bit miraculous--especially since Juggie didn't really show up at all in this one.
Veronica Lodge is changed into a vampire against her will after finding her parents murdered in her large mansion. She finds help in an unlikely person: Dilton Doiley, the resident science geek who has no issues accepting her new vampiric nature because, as he points out, he's not exactly blind. On her quest to change herself back, Veronica ends up having to save the whole of Riverdale. (The book also made me consider the off-the-wall pairing of Dilton and Veronica as viable, which is not a thought I've had in my years of being an Archie fan.)
The Archie Horror comics, and now its YA novels, understand the Riverdale gang so much better than the TV show while holding up as comics or YA novels in their own rights. Veronica's vampire transformation is (surprise surprise) symbolic of her coming of age, and the themes work well in this book.
Unfortunately, I'm not sure who the target audience of this book is. Is it 30-something's with Archie nostalgia (me, specifically)? Is it Riverdale fans? Because it doesn't, on the face of it, seem appealing to either of those sets of people. For the 30-something's, the Archie Horror comics exist. Riverdale fans might find the cover/premise too campy or not gritty enough. Regardless, I'd recommend this book to people in both of those camps.
Veronica Lodge is changed into a vampire against her will after finding her parents murdered in her large mansion. She finds help in an unlikely person: Dilton Doiley, the resident science geek who has no issues accepting her new vampiric nature because, as he points out, he's not exactly blind. On her quest to change herself back, Veronica ends up having to save the whole of Riverdale. (The book also made me consider the off-the-wall pairing of Dilton and Veronica as viable, which is not a thought I've had in my years of being an Archie fan.)
The Archie Horror comics, and now its YA novels, understand the Riverdale gang so much better than the TV show while holding up as comics or YA novels in their own rights. Veronica's vampire transformation is (surprise surprise) symbolic of her coming of age, and the themes work well in this book.
Unfortunately, I'm not sure who the target audience of this book is. Is it 30-something's with Archie nostalgia (me, specifically)? Is it Riverdale fans? Because it doesn't, on the face of it, seem appealing to either of those sets of people. For the 30-something's, the Archie Horror comics exist. Riverdale fans might find the cover/premise too campy or not gritty enough. Regardless, I'd recommend this book to people in both of those camps.
October 13, 2021
I will state first of all. This isn't a continuation of the first book. If you read this one first it won't matter or like only wanna read this and you'll still be fine. Sadly they don't connect. Honestly that was confusing me for a long time. Also they act like Jugghead doesn't exist but I'm chill with that because I'm a HUGE Cheryl fan and a decent size fan of Veronica although if Riverdale Veronica was a vampire Id be a WAY bigger fan. This book is basically a fanfic by a lesbian who wants Cheryl&Veronica to date BUT doesn't wanna piss off the people paying them to write the book so like some stuff got cut. I'm picturing a lot of hot sex&kiss scenes that got cut by straight editors who were like "this is for teenage feminists who were mad about Twilight but still love vampires....not lesbians." But I would-'ve given it 5 stars if they just me a crumb of a kiss with Cheryl&Veronica...frenemies turned lovers is my new trope! They'd be the hottest power couple ever!! The vampire storylines are really interesting but they add a lot of mind control aspects that don't make sense. I love how much they add to the story but I got lost and had to rewind a lot. I listen while walking my dog so if I get distracted for even two seconds by my dog chasing a chicken or whatever I gotta rewind😂
Either way This makes me want to lower my rating for the first book to like two stars! This was so much better!! So well written and creative. Just a kiss away from perfection!!
Either way This makes me want to lower my rating for the first book to like two stars! This was so much better!! So well written and creative. Just a kiss away from perfection!!
July 22, 2020
Archie Horror is slowly becoming my new obsession, and I am not ashamed in the slightest. After reading "A Werewolf in Riverdale" by Caleb Roehrig, I knew I needed more horror tales from the town of Riverdale, and thankfully Author Rebecca Barrow's "Interview With The Vixen" was right there waiting for me.
Veronica Lodge, one of the two girls perpetually vying for Archie's affections, has her life turned completely upside down when she is turned into a vampire against her will. Determined to get her life back, Veronica sets out to kill the one who turned her. Along with her friends, she finds herself fighting thr forces of darkness that had been hiding in Riverdale for centuries.
Clever, action-packed, and appropriately humorous, Interview With The Vixen was a fantastic read. I had an absolute blast seeing familiar characters fight to survive in this strange new reality they find themselves in.
My biggest hope now, having read both Archie Horror novels, is that they do "Jughead The Hunger vs. Vampironica" in novel form. Nothing would make me happier than that!
Five out of Five Stars!
Veronica Lodge, one of the two girls perpetually vying for Archie's affections, has her life turned completely upside down when she is turned into a vampire against her will. Determined to get her life back, Veronica sets out to kill the one who turned her. Along with her friends, she finds herself fighting thr forces of darkness that had been hiding in Riverdale for centuries.
Clever, action-packed, and appropriately humorous, Interview With The Vixen was a fantastic read. I had an absolute blast seeing familiar characters fight to survive in this strange new reality they find themselves in.
My biggest hope now, having read both Archie Horror novels, is that they do "Jughead The Hunger vs. Vampironica" in novel form. Nothing would make me happier than that!
Five out of Five Stars!
October 1, 2020
SUCH A FUN BOOK!!! Ahhh, it had Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes and I just loved how campy and energetic and fast-paced the book was. I listened to the audiobook and have decided Frankie Corzo is my favorite narrator of all time.
Highly recommend especially if you're looking for a low-stakes, action-packed spooky book. It's not scary at all, but is perfect for October. I also enjoyed reading this and visualizing the actors from Riverdale :)
Highly recommend especially if you're looking for a low-stakes, action-packed spooky book. It's not scary at all, but is perfect for October. I also enjoyed reading this and visualizing the actors from Riverdale :)
August 6, 2020
I’m only vaguely familiar with the comics and have only seen a handful of Riverdale episodes, so I worried my lack of knowledge would cause confusion, but it didn’t because this book was such a blast to read.
It’s fun horror with smart humor and loads of female empowerment.
It’s fun horror with smart humor and loads of female empowerment.
January 31, 2021
I really loved this book overall the one hiccup for me is the fact that it isn't in the same universe as "A Werewolf In Riverdale." Which I can't hold against it so FIVE STARS. I sincerely hope they continue with not only Veronica's storyline from this but I would love more supernatural Archie.
January 9, 2022
I've always loved Riverdale so I thought this was quite fun. I've always loved Veronica and Cheryl so I was happy to see them both. I really enjoyed the dynamics. Interview With the Vixen was exactly what I was hoping for - a quick fun, paranormal read with characters I already liked.
December 27, 2020
I absolutely loved this book! As someone who loves both the vampire diaries and riverdale, this book was perfect! I would love for there to be another one 💕
April 27, 2021
Not horrible but took a bit to keep me interested as it dragged on a little
November 8, 2022
Well-woven, faithful to the characters I grew up watching cartoons of. Love the vampire twist/flavour.
May 27, 2023
Idk what I read but it was surely something.
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