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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
I also have a booktube channel where i do more in-depth reviews of books — and will be posting a video format of my thoughts on this book if anyone is interested: https://youtube.com/c/TheresesNook
My review for the book is up: https://youtu.be/VO1QP-qIVFM
1/5 stars
I was not a fan of this book.
I was really excited to pick up this book — queer, vampires, boarding school, and friends to enemies to lovers — it was everything I wanted. And unfortunately, the only thing I really enjoyed was just the world and the concept of the vampires and the disease. Sadly, it’s all where it kind of stopped.
There were unnecessary racist and homophobic remarks — all to prove the point that the main character, Kat, is a woke white person. She was the only one who cared that there were 7 black people in the school only to be responded with something along the lines of “why would any black kids come here when there are people like so and so talking about how much they lost during the civil war?”, she was the only one who cared when the LI was teased for being gay, the only one who cared about social justice clubs, about how the main bad boy’s mom was from pre-colonial India and his dad was from the British trading company — with said main guy stating “it wasn’t like that.” It was all made to make it look like Kat was this amazing and good person because she got to hang out around humans growing up.
I’m not a fan of revised history fantasy books where vampires are around for centuries and there are a myriad of other ways to show how good a character can be — and the author uses racism and homophobia as a medium. It’s unnecessary and far too white savior.
There’s a scene where Kat is trying to figure out if she’s gay and recalls her two human friends. She states that she was always the token straight ally, and the one time she asked her gay friend how he knew how he was gay and his response was “you just know you’re gay, you don’t find out.”
The main disease had similarities to HIV/AIDs, it came about 50-60 years ago, no one really has a cure, people are still looking for a cure (but not really), and because of this disease, the population for older vampires had died out. But there was nothing expanded on regarding this.
The romance wasn’t really there. The two girls didn’t interact a lot, so there wasn’t a lot of chemistry, and it didn’t really go from there. They were somehow all of a sudden in love with each other after one weekend where they spent most of the time watching Twilight.
The wrap up to the big problem was rushed and not developed at all. Everyone believed a group of teenagers during a school performance and that’s how they fixed it.
Overall — worldbuilding and the concept was a good idea. But everything else was poorly executed and not thought out, at all.
My review for the book is up: https://youtu.be/VO1QP-qIVFM
1/5 stars
I was not a fan of this book.
I was really excited to pick up this book — queer, vampires, boarding school, and friends to enemies to lovers — it was everything I wanted. And unfortunately, the only thing I really enjoyed was just the world and the concept of the vampires and the disease. Sadly, it’s all where it kind of stopped.
There were unnecessary racist and homophobic remarks — all to prove the point that the main character, Kat, is a woke white person. She was the only one who cared that there were 7 black people in the school only to be responded with something along the lines of “why would any black kids come here when there are people like so and so talking about how much they lost during the civil war?”, she was the only one who cared when the LI was teased for being gay, the only one who cared about social justice clubs, about how the main bad boy’s mom was from pre-colonial India and his dad was from the British trading company — with said main guy stating “it wasn’t like that.” It was all made to make it look like Kat was this amazing and good person because she got to hang out around humans growing up.
I’m not a fan of revised history fantasy books where vampires are around for centuries and there are a myriad of other ways to show how good a character can be — and the author uses racism and homophobia as a medium. It’s unnecessary and far too white savior.
There’s a scene where Kat is trying to figure out if she’s gay and recalls her two human friends. She states that she was always the token straight ally, and the one time she asked her gay friend how he knew how he was gay and his response was “you just know you’re gay, you don’t find out.”
The main disease had similarities to HIV/AIDs, it came about 50-60 years ago, no one really has a cure, people are still looking for a cure (but not really), and because of this disease, the population for older vampires had died out. But there was nothing expanded on regarding this.
The romance wasn’t really there. The two girls didn’t interact a lot, so there wasn’t a lot of chemistry, and it didn’t really go from there. They were somehow all of a sudden in love with each other after one weekend where they spent most of the time watching Twilight.
The wrap up to the big problem was rushed and not developed at all. Everyone believed a group of teenagers during a school performance and that’s how they fixed it.
Overall — worldbuilding and the concept was a good idea. But everything else was poorly executed and not thought out, at all.
medium-paced
I liked this it was cute, good pastime.
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I actually really enjoyed this book. It's two boarding school vampires who have a complicated past and an even more complicated set of relationships and social balances between them.
I will say that getting into the beginning it was very slow, but when I got to the heart of it I literally couldn't put it down! I was enthralled. The end did tie most things up quite nicely, and though I wish we could have seen a bit more of their life 'after' and Galen and Kat reconciling (their friendship was so important to me).
The way that this book deals with the topic of vampiric segregation and social hierarchies is a bit hamfisted at points, where the mention of racism and exclusion from elite circles is remarked on with a very passive remark, and seems to be added on randomly.
I will say, at some points I was absolutely infuriated at Kat's mother and don't think she recieved enough reckoning for how thoroughly she abandoned her daughter (who she kept in the dark about absolutely everything). And, there were certainly points where Taylor was upset at Kat's actions when it was very obviously tied to her experience of wealth insecurity. I did really appreciate the moral greyshading of these characters, how even people you dislike at first have more to them.
I will say that getting into the beginning it was very slow, but when I got to the heart of it I literally couldn't put it down! I was enthralled. The end did tie most things up quite nicely, and though I wish we could have seen a bit more of their life
The way that this book deals with the topic of vampiric segregation and social hierarchies is a bit hamfisted at points, where the mention of racism and exclusion from elite circles is remarked on with a very passive remark, and seems to be added on randomly.
I will say, at some points I was absolutely infuriated at Kat's mother and don't think she recieved enough reckoning for how thoroughly she abandoned her daughter (who she kept in the dark about absolutely everything). And, there were certainly points where Taylor was upset at Kat's actions when it was very obviously tied to her experience of wealth insecurity. I did really appreciate the moral greyshading of these characters, how even people you dislike at first have more to them.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Felt like the caricature of teen melodrama and wokeness, it didn't feel like genu ne diversity but ticking boxes. The plot had potential but found myself wanting to skip parts.
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
funny
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Blood
Minor: Body horror, Cursing, Alcohol
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated