In Nightfall by Suzanne Young- 4 stars!
Today's tea choice: Starbucks peppermint mocha k-cup cuz I need the energy!
Trigger warnings: gore and violence (this is a vampire book, after all!)\
Genre: YA Paranormal/Horror
Pages: 384
In the quaint town of Nightfall, Oregon, it isn't the dark you should be afraid of—it's the girls. The Lost Boys meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this propulsive novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Treatment.
Theo and her brother, Marco, threw the biggest party of the year. And got caught. Their punishment? Leave Arizona to spend the summer with their grandmother in the rainy beachside town of Nightfall, Oregon—population 846 souls.
The small town is cute, when it’s not raining, but their grandmother is superstitious and strangely antisocial. Upon their arrival she lays out the one house rule: always be home before dark. But Theo and Marco are determined to make the most of their summer, and on their first day they meet the enigmatic Minnow and her friends. Beautiful and charismatic, the girls have a magnetic pull that Theo and her brother can't resist.
But Minnow and her friends are far from what they appear.
And that one rule? Theo quickly realizes she should have listened to her grandmother. Because after dark, something emerges in Nightfall. And it doesn’t plan to let her leave.
My Review:
If you're looking for a fresh take on vampires where women aren't the victims, this book is for you! I absolutely loved the femme fatale aspect of this novel.
Setting: First, the setting details were expertly crafting with great sensory detail, including visual imagery of the forest and small towns, to the scents peppered in along the way. Anyone who's been to a small seaside town will instantly recognize the town of Nightfall.
Characters: When the novel first starts, we learn that Theo and Marco are in major trouble after throwing a big end-of-school party. At first, I thought they were going to be spoiled brats, but they were very relatable and authentic! Theo was extremely funny, especially when she has to deal with her brother's antics! I wish there was a bit more physical description so I could picture them better, but they were characters you could root for in this terrifying ordeal.
Themes: As I mentioned before, this book is a different take on vampires. At first, the reader isn't sure why Theo's grandmother is so strange, but the vampire motif keeps occurring throughout the novel. Nonna loves to make charms, wears a huge cross, covers the mirror upstairs and cooks with a ton of garlic :)
Plot: This is the only element I struggled with. The plot was a bit slow at times, and as a reader, I waited for something to happen, wanting a bit more of a breadcrumb trail. However, when everything finally falls into place, the action sequences were fantastic!
Authors Can Learn:
How to create authentic teenage characters and brilliant setting imagery!
Readers Will Love This:
If you're sick of paranormal academies and random paranormal boys showing up at human high schools, try this femme fatale take on vampires. It was awesome!
I give this book 4 stars.
-Kyla