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3.05 AVERAGE
3.05 AVERAGE
I think this book needs a disclaimer that it isn't about Vampires. Because I feel like one is lead to believe that it is. But it is about a group of high schoolers who are filming a vampire horror movie to get into college. And after the half way mark it turns into a slasher. However, you have to getting through half for anything to happen.
What I liked is the fan service to all the horror movies and books of days gone by. And it was interesting but it wasn't what I was expecting. And I would have liked to see action a lot sooner.
I think if you can handle slow burns then you may like this one.
Thank you to Netgalley and Razorbill for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
What I liked is the fan service to all the horror movies and books of days gone by. And it was interesting but it wasn't what I was expecting. And I would have liked to see action a lot sooner.
I think if you can handle slow burns then you may like this one.
Thank you to Netgalley and Razorbill for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
A group of student filmmakers get the opportunity of a lifetime when a famous actress decides to back their Dracula-inspired film project. Her support helps them crowdfund a bigger budget than they ever imagined, and she even hooks them up with the perfect filming location: the actual Romanian castle said to have inspired the original Dracula. However, when they arrive at the castle things are not quite right. They are stranded in the castle with no way to get ahold of the outside world, someone has stolen the money from their Gofundme account, and they soon realize they are not alone in the castle after all.
I wanted to like this, since I love Dracula, and I also really enjoyed the author's other book (Eat Your Heart Out). Unfortunately, it just fell a bit flat for me. The story doesn't take off until fully halfway through the book, they don't even arrive at the castle until about 40% in, and even with all that exposition time, the characters still felt flat and I didn't feel like I knew anything about any of them. This made it hard to feel afraid for them or care what happened to them in the castle, and once the action does pick up it all happens so fast that there is no real time to feel suspense or fear. The ending was interesting but didn't really do the rest of the story justice, and overall the read just didn't pan out for me.
It was still a cool concept and I'm sure other people might like it more than I did.
*Thank you to Penguin Teen for an ARC of this to review!
I wanted to like this, since I love Dracula, and I also really enjoyed the author's other book (Eat Your Heart Out). Unfortunately, it just fell a bit flat for me. The story doesn't take off until fully halfway through the book, they don't even arrive at the castle until about 40% in, and even with all that exposition time, the characters still felt flat and I didn't feel like I knew anything about any of them. This made it hard to feel afraid for them or care what happened to them in the castle, and once the action does pick up it all happens so fast that there is no real time to feel suspense or fear. The ending was interesting but didn't really do the rest of the story justice, and overall the read just didn't pan out for me.
It was still a cool concept and I'm sure other people might like it more than I did.
*Thank you to Penguin Teen for an ARC of this to review!
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
So, the beginning kinda had my attention, but also kind of didn’t. About half way through the book when the action picked up… wow did this get hard to put down.
The way everything connects is superbly done. And the twists are so hard to see. Though, the final one, I had a feeling about, though I didn’t call the reasoning.
The thriller aspects are definitely there. Movie buffs will also enjoy this with all the film and director mentions.
My only issues was the case stuff at the end of each chapter. Sometimes they were a good segue into the next chapter, sometimes they weren’t. Personally, I wouldn’t have had them in there at all.
The way everything connects is superbly done. And the twists are so hard to see. Though, the final one, I had a feeling about, though I didn’t call the reasoning.
The thriller aspects are definitely there. Movie buffs will also enjoy this with all the film and director mentions.
My only issues was the case stuff at the end of each chapter. Sometimes they were a good segue into the next chapter, sometimes they weren’t. Personally, I wouldn’t have had them in there at all.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Cursing