As a fan of both light novels and vampire stories, Akaoni was a really enjoyable read. It felt like a refreshing story in both genres, with light novels of late being focused on fantasy and parallel worlds and vampire stories being stuck in the same old tropes. It has a mix of everything: romance, school life, action, mystery, and likeable characters. There aren't any sparkling vampires here, but their eyes do glow and they have very interesting abilities that add to the overall story. The character development and romance are well-fleshed out for a first volume in a light novel series. There are two love triangles going on, which were a lot of fun to see develop. I would have liked to see more of what was going to happen in the relationship between the main couple, but I assume that will be covered in later volumes. Overall, this was a really enjoyable read and I can't wait to see where Hiroro will take the story and the remaining mysteries.

As for the translation, it read smoothly. More like a novel written in English than a light novel, which was refreshing too. The art was gorgeous and really added to the scenes. I'd love to get a copy of it in print someday if they release one! I can recommend the story to anyone who likes vampires, light novels, and interesting characters!