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the_reading_vampire's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
n0s4a2's review
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
zea_d_writing's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I absolutely adored this book in middle school and high school. It was one (of a handful) that I re-read often during those years.
This was my first re-read as an adult and I honestly still had a fun time with it. There were certainly some moments/elements that my adolescent self swooned over but has me arching my eyebrow at as an adult. It’s not a perfect book by any means and you can absolutely tell that it was released in the 90s. But it doesn’t have anything too egregious (that I caught at least) that would earn it the “didn’t age well” designation.
The “romance” certainly fits into the insta-love category but is, in my opinion, far less annoying as other vampire YA novels that became popular in the early two thousands.
I also found myself still enjoying the ridiculous banter and edginess that younger me loved so much.
The ending was also so incredibly rushed. The rest of the story has great pacing and everything plays out in what feels like a reasonable time frame. And the abruptly everything just…ends. It felt like the editor/publisher literally just cut out a couple chapters at the end and called it good. It feels like there’s an important step missing, which makes the ending feel far less satisfying. Especially since there is no sequel, despite the fact that the two main characters don’t end up together (Something that actually happened a lot in ‘90s YA stories).
Overall this was a fun, nostalgic re-read for me.
This was my first re-read as an adult and I honestly still had a fun time with it. There were certainly some moments/elements that my adolescent self swooned over but has me arching my eyebrow at as an adult. It’s not a perfect book by any means and you can absolutely tell that it was released in the 90s. But it doesn’t have anything too egregious (that I caught at least) that would earn it the “didn’t age well” designation.
The “romance” certainly fits into the insta-love category but is, in my opinion, far less annoying as other vampire YA novels that became popular in the early two thousands.
I also found myself still enjoying the ridiculous banter and edginess that younger me loved so much.
The ending was also so incredibly rushed. The rest of the story has great pacing and everything plays out in what feels like a reasonable time frame. And the abruptly everything just…ends. It felt like the editor/publisher literally just cut out a couple chapters at the end and called it good. It feels like there’s an important step missing, which makes the ending feel far less satisfying. Especially since there is no sequel, despite the fact that the two main characters don’t end up together (Something that actually happened a lot in ‘90s YA stories).
Overall this was a fun, nostalgic re-read for me.
ellasamms's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Kidnapping
julieshuff's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Just some early y2k spooky season YA. I enjoyed the characters but the ending was a bit anti-climatic.
carolsnotebook's review
3.0
The vampire, while still being sexy, at least to the 16 year-old main character, is still a vampire. He drinks human blood, kills when needed, lies to her left and right, but she still falls in love with him. Of course, she is a teenager and he does know how to manipulate her. I felt the vampire did care for her, but he never lost his "vampireness" if that makes sense.
hazelambers's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
aarynn's review
5.0
My third re-read of this book in the last 7 years with me being 16 when I read it originally. Always going to be an all time favorite of mine as I love the vampires in this one and I've never read another story quite like it though I wish desperately that I could so that I didn't have to keep re-reading this one to feel how I felt reading it at 16.