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jessthemama's review against another edition
5.0
i wouldn't say that this book is like twilight at all other then the fact that one of the characters is a vampire, twilights five stars are rated way higher then this books five stars if you get what i mean, but there is no reason that i should give this book only 4 stars it was very good book, scary, but good. if you like vampires i recemend that you read this book :D
camilleisreading24's review against another edition
4.0
Loved this book! I wish I had stumbled upon it in my tweens; it was spooky and atmospheric and I would’ve devoured it.
The 90s feel gave me nostalgia — divorced parents, no cellphones, and a guy with an earring? This book has it all!
Cynda’s parents split up ten years ago when her dad left her mom for one of his students. (The fact that said student was 18 at the time is definitely brought up, but not as big of a deal as you’d think. Again, the ‘90s…) While her mother and stepdad are traveling, 16 year old Cynda goes to stay with her dad, his wife Susan, and her 6 year old half brother Todd, at the remote inn they run in a small Maine town. This is Cynda’s chance to have a relationship with her dad and finally get to know her stepmom and brother. At first, the inn is boring and Cynda chafes at all the chores she is expected to do. She meets Will, an artistic boy her age, but when the mysterious Vincent Morthanos comes to stay at the inn, all thoughts of a friendship or romance with Will leaves Cynda’s mind. Vincent is older, a poet, and the most handsome man Cynda has ever met. When he starts paying special attention to her, she can hardly believe it. Never mind that Will’s grandmother tells tales of a murdered girl whose ghosts haunts the inn since her killer was never found. Never mind that as she grows closer to Vincent, Cynda begins to resent her absent father, bossy stepmother, and annoying little brother more and more…
Like most vampire books, this one has themes of predation and isolation. I thought the story was well paced and readable. It’s also a fascinating contrast to the vampire books I was actually reading at 13 (hi Twilight) and there are moments of real danger and terror here.
The 90s feel gave me nostalgia — divorced parents, no cellphones, and a guy with an earring? This book has it all!
Cynda’s parents split up ten years ago when her dad left her mom for one of his students. (The fact that said student was 18 at the time is definitely brought up, but not as big of a deal as you’d think. Again, the ‘90s…) While her mother and stepdad are traveling, 16 year old Cynda goes to stay with her dad, his wife Susan, and her 6 year old half brother Todd, at the remote inn they run in a small Maine town. This is Cynda’s chance to have a relationship with her dad and finally get to know her stepmom and brother. At first, the inn is boring and Cynda chafes at all the chores she is expected to do. She meets Will, an artistic boy her age, but when the mysterious Vincent Morthanos comes to stay at the inn, all thoughts of a friendship or romance with Will leaves Cynda’s mind. Vincent is older, a poet, and the most handsome man Cynda has ever met. When he starts paying special attention to her, she can hardly believe it. Never mind that Will’s grandmother tells tales of a murdered girl whose ghosts haunts the inn since her killer was never found. Never mind that as she grows closer to Vincent, Cynda begins to resent her absent father, bossy stepmother, and annoying little brother more and more…
Like most vampire books, this one has themes of predation and isolation. I thought the story was well paced and readable. It’s also a fascinating contrast to the vampire books I was actually reading at 13 (hi Twilight) and there are moments of real danger and terror here.
hannahreads09's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
funsized327's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
waclements7's review against another edition
4.0
Good YA Vampire tale
Spoilers ahoy!!
This is a great story that it feels like Twilight drew inspiration from, but the vampire is the baddie. Oops—is that a spoiler? I mean, c’mon, Vincent is a creepy, sauve, thirty five year old interested in a 16 year old. Obvious to the reader (well, as an adult), no well-intentioned adult male is going to take an interest in a 16 year old, but I remember being a tween and early teenager and wanting adult attention. At 16 it’s so easy to convince yourself you’re in love and really mean it (that’s the curse of teenage emotions).
Cynda is so typical in so many ways that I think she’s a relatable character. Getting Todd involved in the whole thing was a touch of how nasty Vincent really is. And poor Will, who doesn’t mean anyone any harm...
I liked the ghosts thrown into the mix as well.
Spoilers ahoy!!
This is a great story that it feels like Twilight drew inspiration from, but the vampire is the baddie. Oops—is that a spoiler? I mean, c’mon, Vincent is a creepy, sauve, thirty five year old interested in a 16 year old. Obvious to the reader (well, as an adult), no well-intentioned adult male is going to take an interest in a 16 year old, but I remember being a tween and early teenager and wanting adult attention. At 16 it’s so easy to convince yourself you’re in love and really mean it (that’s the curse of teenage emotions).
Cynda is so typical in so many ways that I think she’s a relatable character. Getting Todd involved in the whole thing was a touch of how nasty Vincent really is. And poor Will, who doesn’t mean anyone any harm...
I liked the ghosts thrown into the mix as well.
n0s4a2's review
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
novelesque_life's review
3.0
3 STARS
"When sixteen-year-old Cynda goes to stay with her father and his second wife, Susan, at their remote bed-and-breakfast inn in Maine, everything starts off well despite legends about ghosts and a murder at the inn. But Cynda feels like a visitor in Dad's new life, an outsider. Then intense, handsome stranger Vincent Morthanos arrives at the inn and seems to return Cynda's interest. At first she is blind to the subtle, insistent signs that Vincent is not what he seems-that he is, in fact, a vampire. Can Cynda free herself-and her family-from Vincent's power before it's too late? Full-bodied characterizations and page-turning suspense ensure that this eerie, riveting novel will appeal to middle school fans of mystery and horror." (From Amazon)
A thrilling ghost story for teens.
"When sixteen-year-old Cynda goes to stay with her father and his second wife, Susan, at their remote bed-and-breakfast inn in Maine, everything starts off well despite legends about ghosts and a murder at the inn. But Cynda feels like a visitor in Dad's new life, an outsider. Then intense, handsome stranger Vincent Morthanos arrives at the inn and seems to return Cynda's interest. At first she is blind to the subtle, insistent signs that Vincent is not what he seems-that he is, in fact, a vampire. Can Cynda free herself-and her family-from Vincent's power before it's too late? Full-bodied characterizations and page-turning suspense ensure that this eerie, riveting novel will appeal to middle school fans of mystery and horror." (From Amazon)
A thrilling ghost story for teens.
littlespookycute's review
3.0
This book reminded me of all the moody books I used to read in middle school
sandwich_bro's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75