The book that asks the question, “What would you do if Bella Swan was your best friend?”
Just because Mel lives in New Whitby, a city founded by vampires, doesn’t mean she knows any of the blood-drinking undead personally. They stay in their part of town; she says in hers. Until the day a vampire shows up at her high school. Worse yet, her best friend, Cathy, seems to be falling in love with him. It’s up to Mel to save Cathy from a mistake she might regret for all eternity
On top of trying to help Cathy (whether she wants it or not), Mel is investigating a mysterious disappearance for another friend and discovering the attractions of a certain vampire wannabe. Combine all this with a cranky vampire cop, a number of unlikely romantic entanglements, and the occasional zombie, and soon Mel is hip-deep in an adventure that is equal parts hilarious and touching.
Acclaimed authors Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan team up to create a witty and poignant story of cool vampires, warm friendships, and the changes that test the bonds of love.
I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I wanted to. I’m not sure why.
It was fun, the characters were enjoyable. The world was interesting. I liked how it ended and how it made a lot of the characters question what they believed and I liked how it made me laugh.
But, I don’t know. I have loved other works by these authors. I highly enjoy their online personas and the views the have about young adult fiction and such. But I just couldn’t shake the feeling that they were making fun of young adult fiction.
Vampire books in generally. And, I know even if they were it was all in good fun and they like vampire books and all. But I don’t know. It just rubbed me the wrong way. And that sort of hovered over the rest of the book.
Also, and with an Australian lady and an Irish lady writing a book about American teenagers there was bound to be some slang mishaps and two really stood out to me. Though, I read an ARC so they might have changed it. But I really don’t think an American teenager would use the word “corridor” or call washing the dishes “washing up.”
And, yes, I’m being VERY nitpicky with this. But as one of these authors use to write Harry Potter fanfiction, I’m sure she knows the importance of getting the local slang right.
Now I feel like a jerk. Really, I enjoyed this book. It made me laugh and it pointed out all the ridiculousness that paranormal fiction likes to say is normal and it did it all while having it’s own unique plot and character arcs. And that can’t be easy.
There was a good mystery that had a rather tragic edge to it and Mel was relate-able and normal and I really liked her. And I really liked the idea of putting this every day girl in the middle of a paranormal romance and seeing how she would really react. I liked that idea.
And I thought the ending was perfect. The mystery was solved and the characters were forced to see things from one another’s point of view.