krisglomb 's review for:

So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison

2.25

funny reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I usually like a genre blend book, but this one didn’t seem to be able to account for its various elements well. The book starts kind of as a buddy comedy with horror undertones. There’s the loud and over the top best friend and the quiet friend trying to keep real problems and seeming paranoia in check. Naomi and Sloane are great together, but also definitely a caricature of female friendships. 

Then, when we get to the horror bit the author goes “oh but maybe these are romantic vampires and its paranormal romance” and things get weird. I think there’d be a way to bring romance into this story, but the central plot seemed to be around transformation for the main character: embracing the elements of herself she doesn’t like and learning to live fully with the consequences of her actions instead of always playing the victim. I think falling in love with a vampire, a symbol of all that, could have worked well but instead of the vampire remaining the monster, he’s kind of the gloomy shadow daddy type. He’s overprotective, tells the FMC who she is and how to feel, and is just very attractive. Also she immediately demands monogamy from a guy she met less than 24 hours ago?!

I’m spending too much time on the romance but the way the romance was written in completely stripped away some of the harder hitting female friendship and self actualization themes that were actually central to the story. It just was kind of a moss for me. 

Highlight? Sloane and Naomi met at Auntie Anne’s eating cinnamon sugar pretzels at the mall and I thought that was a magical and uniquely girlish experience (being a nearly middle aged woman who recently ate Auntie Anne’s pretzels at the mall with her friends). 

Quotes

You never feel old enough until the day you don’t feel young enough. 

I shouldn’t’ve eaten so much cheese. 

Because when you’re 14 and the coolest person you’ve ever met is in your corner, you feel invincible. 

Just because you have all the time in the world doesn’t mean you can’t still waste it.