Sometimes a pitch for a book just makes you want to read it and for me, that’s exactly how I felt about American Ghoul by Michelle McGill-Vargas.
If there’s one genre most people associate with me, it’s romance. No doubt that I’m a proud romance reader, but sometimes I do stray away from the genre but it’s usually in the opposite direction aka thrillers and horror.
That’s where American Ghoul comes in as it’s a horror, a comedy, a survival story, and a historical all in one. Frankly, there is so much going on in this book and I mean that in the best way.
Whether you’re straying away from your normal genre like me, are looking for a debut author to try, or love the cover, then you’re in for a wild ride with American Ghoul.
American Ghoul is a jam-packed horror by Michelle McGill-Vargas.
Since I’m not someone who normally reads horror, I had no idea what to expect but let me give you a brief idea of the story. We’re following Lavinia who is a freed slave who is now jailed for killing her mistress: Simone. While it seems pretty straightforward, we find out very quickly that Simone is a vampire and that plays a huge role in this story as Lavinia becomes Simone’s keeper, best friend, and surrogate mother all rolled into one.
As the story is unraveling, we’re learning about Lavinia’s past, how she met Simone, and how she ended up in jail now. She’s also telling the story to her jailer, making this a story within a story. The commentary the jailer keeps making is utterly hilarious as he can’t seem to put any blame on Simone.
While American Ghoul is labeled as a horror, I can attest that it’s not too gory. Of course, we do see Simone kill and drain people dry. While that might make some people queasy, it doesn’t take up too much of the plot. For the most part, we’re following Lavinia as she tries to take care of Simone, and herself and even possibly foster a relationship with a man she ends up meeting while the two are on the run.
Horror isn’t usually my genre, but American Ghoul surprised me. Once I was sucked in, I couldn’t put it down. What it lacked in thrills and chills, the book made up for by showing the horrors of reality along with the social commentary McGill-Vargas wove within these pages. I will the ending did leave me with some questions but I can only hope that we get a sequel as I feel like the author left that door open.
Even if we don’t, American Ghoul is a great start for Michelle McGill-Vargas and I’m excited to see what she does next.
American Ghoul by Michelle McGill-Vargas is out now where books are sold.