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onceuponabookcase's review
4.0
I love me some vampires, yes I do! So for the simply fact that By Midnight had vampires in it was a definite plus in it's favour for me reading it. However, I am not a fan of books where people are popular and rich and focus all their attention on either how they look or putting others down. From the blurb above, I assumed that's what I would find, among other things, in this book, and it did put me off for a while - hence the fact that I've only just read it. But I picked it up recently when trying to decide what to read next, and vampires and murders and cememtries... well, my interest was piqued enough to know now was the time to give it a go.
By Midnight is a really good stry, but it's not what I expected. I know it's a mystery, but the fact that it's about vampires, I expected a bit more of the supernatural element. You know, maybe April stumbling across some vampires being vampish and drinking blood or being extra strong or something, but there isn't much of anything along those lines in the book until much later on. It really is a mystery. April doesn't find out the existance of vampires by accident, but through trying to work out who's behind various murders. Through clues, and books, and talking to people, and going about things the old fashioned way.
I have to say, the research part of the book was just awesome! This book is loosely based on actual real life legends of the Highgate Vamire, people actually believed there was one in Highgate Cemetary, which features hugely in this book. Real places with real "supernatural" history are the settings for this story, which just add credibility to this story which is just wonderful. I actually want to go visit Highgate Cemetary now because it sounds wonderful. But I also love the research April does herself into vampires; the old victorian books she reads that are just full of brilliant myths and folklore, and, oooh, I want those books! It was just fascinating!
The mythology James has created for her story is just wonderful, but highly intriguing. There is still a big mystery, and the mechanics of the vampire society, if you will - or what we know of it so far - is just so interesting. There's a lot of conspiracies going on, and because of this I can't tell you much more, but I can't wait to find out more about vampires as a whole, and the specifics that April is interested in in the later books.
Thankfully, there wasn't too much queen bee bitching going on to wind me up, but there were elements of By Midnight that did annoy me. April is 16 and starting her A-Levels. I remember being that age, and the people around me. April was sometimes too immature and shallow for her age, and I just wanted to shake her and yell at her to grow up. She could be so fickle, swayed too easily by good looks. And when she had an inkling as to what was going on, she would jump back and forth over whether she was right or wrong, without actually listning to what would give her the answers she would need to know either way. She really wound me up, and I have to say, I'm not her biggest fan.
But still, the story was really, really intriguing, and I'm really looking forward to reading the sequel Darkness Falls. A pretty good book!
From Once Upon a Bookcase - YA book blog
By Midnight is a really good stry, but it's not what I expected. I know it's a mystery, but the fact that it's about vampires, I expected a bit more of the supernatural element. You know, maybe April stumbling across some vampires being vampish and drinking blood or being extra strong or something, but there isn't much of anything along those lines in the book until much later on. It really is a mystery. April doesn't find out the existance of vampires by accident, but through trying to work out who's behind various murders. Through clues, and books, and talking to people, and going about things the old fashioned way.
I have to say, the research part of the book was just awesome! This book is loosely based on actual real life legends of the Highgate Vamire, people actually believed there was one in Highgate Cemetary, which features hugely in this book. Real places with real "supernatural" history are the settings for this story, which just add credibility to this story which is just wonderful. I actually want to go visit Highgate Cemetary now because it sounds wonderful. But I also love the research April does herself into vampires; the old victorian books she reads that are just full of brilliant myths and folklore, and, oooh, I want those books! It was just fascinating!
The mythology James has created for her story is just wonderful, but highly intriguing. There is still a big mystery, and the mechanics of the vampire society, if you will - or what we know of it so far - is just so interesting. There's a lot of conspiracies going on, and because of this I can't tell you much more, but I can't wait to find out more about vampires as a whole, and the specifics that April is interested in in the later books.
Thankfully, there wasn't too much queen bee bitching going on to wind me up, but there were elements of By Midnight that did annoy me. April is 16 and starting her A-Levels. I remember being that age, and the people around me. April was sometimes too immature and shallow for her age, and I just wanted to shake her and yell at her to grow up. She could be so fickle, swayed too easily by good looks. And when she had an inkling as to what was going on, she would jump back and forth over whether she was right or wrong, without actually listning to what would give her the answers she would need to know either way. She really wound me up, and I have to say, I'm not her biggest fan.
But still, the story was really, really intriguing, and I'm really looking forward to reading the sequel Darkness Falls. A pretty good book!
From Once Upon a Bookcase - YA book blog
ayanamifaerudo's review
2.0
That girl was one of the stupidest, high-strung, frustratingly-naive (I thought she was described to be sharp) and over-dramatic heroines I've ever read. No character development whatsoever. I didn't see why everyone wanted her.
As for the story, it was going well despite that girl. Mystery on-going, weird things, high-profile vampires, wacky best-friend, you know the usual pitfalls. It was vampires obviously but then it took so long and nothing was really uncovered anyway but more theories. Then, three-fourths through or something it threw in why our girl is special snowflake. I mean, come one. A Fury? I'm all for something different but it does not really work. Call it something else and maybe it will get better. She's a Vladescu for crying out loud. A girl and a boy who are the antithesis of each other. I can almost smell the fact the she's the reincarnation of Lily.
I'm also not onboard with how Silvia, our special snowflake's mother, was portrayed. Her vapid, careless attitude did not fit in with the situation despite her redeeming quality that she really did love her husband.
Oh yeah, I had flashes of Twilightish moments and phrases. Basically, anytime the word "addiction" comes up in a vampire story I'm immediately on high alert.
I want to read the next book just to see what happens but I'm afraid to. I'm afraid there would be no character development.
As for the story, it was going well despite that girl. Mystery on-going, weird things, high-profile vampires, wacky best-friend, you know the usual pitfalls. It was vampires obviously but then it took so long and nothing was really uncovered anyway but more theories. Then, three-fourths through or something it threw in why our girl is special snowflake. I mean, come one. A Fury? I'm all for something different but it does not really work. Call it something else and maybe it will get better. She's a Vladescu for crying out loud. A girl and a boy who are the antithesis of each other. I can almost smell the fact the she's the reincarnation of Lily.
I'm also not onboard with how Silvia, our special snowflake's mother, was portrayed. Her vapid, careless attitude did not fit in with the situation despite her redeeming quality that she really did love her husband.
Oh yeah, I had flashes of Twilightish moments and phrases. Basically, anytime the word "addiction" comes up in a vampire story I'm immediately on high alert.
I want to read the next book just to see what happens but I'm afraid to. I'm afraid there would be no character development.
chloejaynne's review
4.0
i was really surprised about how good this book was. i found that i couldnt put it down. great read if you like vampres
incrediblemelk's review
2.0
I just noticed this book on a pile of books I was hoping to sell secondhand. I remember enjoying it even though it's quite clumsily written (though, as I've observed before, that seems to be par for the course in supernatural YA romance) and owes an obvious debt to Twilight, especially the idea that the vampire hero is attracted to our heroine not because of her intelligence or personality or even really her looks, but some gross, objectifying quality like her scent or her blood or her latent powwuhs.
This is a fantasy for teenage girls who yearn to be special, and to be recognised for that specialness despite being quite ordinary. So how better than to claim their specialness operates in a supernatural register that's only recognisable by other supernatural beings? But at the same time it's the reason why I could never get into the Twilight books: this completely passive, gormless protagonist who's acted upon rather than an actor.
By far the best aspect of the book was its setting in and around Highgate Cemetery in London. I'd read about this cemetery before in [b:Falling Angels|2872|Falling Angels|Tracy Chevalier|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327995250s/2872.jpg|2220311], and about its historical context in [b:Necropolis: London and Its Dead|930118|Necropolis London and Its Dead|Catharine Arnold|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1328766754s/930118.jpg|915111]. I enjoyed the way James presents the cemetery as a teenager's playground: a place that has new scariness and romance for young people today rather than being a space for contemplation of past eras.
I only just looked the book up now on Goodreads to see if James has written any sequels, because by the time I reached the end of this one it ended on a total cliffhanger that suggested it was only really the pilot episode, if you will, for a long-running series. Also, I have a weakness for 'school stories' and I was looking forward to reading more about Ravenwood Academy. God help me. God help us all.
This is a fantasy for teenage girls who yearn to be special, and to be recognised for that specialness despite being quite ordinary. So how better than to claim their specialness operates in a supernatural register that's only recognisable by other supernatural beings? But at the same time it's the reason why I could never get into the Twilight books: this completely passive, gormless protagonist who's acted upon rather than an actor.
By far the best aspect of the book was its setting in and around Highgate Cemetery in London. I'd read about this cemetery before in [b:Falling Angels|2872|Falling Angels|Tracy Chevalier|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327995250s/2872.jpg|2220311], and about its historical context in [b:Necropolis: London and Its Dead|930118|Necropolis London and Its Dead|Catharine Arnold|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1328766754s/930118.jpg|915111]. I enjoyed the way James presents the cemetery as a teenager's playground: a place that has new scariness and romance for young people today rather than being a space for contemplation of past eras.
I only just looked the book up now on Goodreads to see if James has written any sequels, because by the time I reached the end of this one it ended on a total cliffhanger that suggested it was only really the pilot episode, if you will, for a long-running series. Also, I have a weakness for 'school stories' and I was looking forward to reading more about Ravenwood Academy. God help me. God help us all.
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