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In Nightfall
In the quaint town of Nightfall, Oregon, it isn't the dark you should be afraid of—it's the girls. The Lost Boys meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this propulsive novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Treatment.
Theo and her brother, Marco, threw the biggest party of the year. And got caught. Their punishment? Leave Arizona to spend the summer with their grandmother in the rainy beachside town of Nightfall, Oregon—population 846 souls.
The small town is cute, when it’s not raining, but their grandmother is superstitious and strangely antisocial. Upon their arrival she lays out the one house rule: always be home before dark. But Theo and Marco are determined to make the most of their summer, and on their first day they meet the enigmatic Minnow and her friends. Beautiful and charismatic, the girls have a magnetic pull that Theo and her brother can't resist.
But Minnow and her friends are far from what they appear.
And that one rule? Theo quickly realizes she should have listened to her grandmother. Because after dark, something emerges in Nightfall. And it doesn’t plan to let her leave.
Theo and her brother, Marco, threw the biggest party of the year. And got caught. Their punishment? Leave Arizona to spend the summer with their grandmother in the rainy beachside town of Nightfall, Oregon—population 846 souls.
The small town is cute, when it’s not raining, but their grandmother is superstitious and strangely antisocial. Upon their arrival she lays out the one house rule: always be home before dark. But Theo and Marco are determined to make the most of their summer, and on their first day they meet the enigmatic Minnow and her friends. Beautiful and charismatic, the girls have a magnetic pull that Theo and her brother can't resist.
But Minnow and her friends are far from what they appear.
And that one rule? Theo quickly realizes she should have listened to her grandmother. Because after dark, something emerges in Nightfall. And it doesn’t plan to let her leave.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 28, 2023
About the author
Suzanne Young
50 books4,819 followersSuzanne Young is the New York Times bestselling author of The Program, The Treatment, and several other novels. She currently lives in Tempe, Arizona where she teaches high school English and obsesses about books. Learn more about Suzanne at www.suzanne-young.blogspot.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 575 reviews
December 1, 2022
Gender reversed Lost Boys meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Salem’s Lot might be the briefest definition of the main plot! But I gotta say you have to get ready because your mind is about to be blown! I loved Suzanne Young’s previous works! This book is a little different than her other books! It’s more entertaining! I found myself guffawing aloud too many times! The smart ironies, sarcastic approach, amazing character development and world building, perfect Lost Boys references without rewriting Lost Boys won my heart!
This dark, enthralling, fast pacing, addictive book absolutely promises so much fun and scares you sh*tless! You find yourself scream and laugh, questioning your well being! Microwave your popcorn, grab your favorite poison kind of drink and enjoy the full ride!
Lastly, I am chanting for Nonna for being the best badass grandma I wish to have! She’s legendary! You’ll understand me completely when you devour the entire premise!
Quick recap of the story:
Marco and Theo(dora) are punished by being driven through Nightfall-Oregon : a place in the middle of nowhere to spend their 4 weeks summer holiday with their estranged Nonna they have never met.
After their parents get divorced and their mother moves to her new lovers’ house to live with his kids. Finally their father accepts to live them alone at his house as he plans to visit his hometown. But rebellious siblings threw the disastrous party of the year which resulted of arresting of forty six people with the charges of underage drinking, disorderly conduct, public disturbance! Of course their lovely house also destroyed! As a last resort their father force them climb into his car and directly drive them his hometown where only 876 souls are populated !
Their grandma acts like she is not happy to see them, warning them to be at home before it gets dark! Poor siblings find sticky dolls attached their clothes at each morning and as Marco sleeps at an attic might be haunted by ghosts, Theo tries to sleep in a room filled with scary porcelain dolls!
Only relief for their nightmarish summer holiday to meet with young and friendly townies! Both of the siblings make friends in short time and they don’t care much about their grandmother’s threats and warnings till Theo meets with her favorite podcasters and realizes there’s nothing as it seems at this haunted town and something more dangerous is lurking around to put their lives of danger!
Did I get your attention? What are you waiting for? Urgently add this book to your reading list and enjoy full ride!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s / Delacorte Press for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
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This dark, enthralling, fast pacing, addictive book absolutely promises so much fun and scares you sh*tless! You find yourself scream and laugh, questioning your well being! Microwave your popcorn, grab your favorite poison kind of drink and enjoy the full ride!
Lastly, I am chanting for Nonna for being the best badass grandma I wish to have! She’s legendary! You’ll understand me completely when you devour the entire premise!
Quick recap of the story:
Marco and Theo(dora) are punished by being driven through Nightfall-Oregon : a place in the middle of nowhere to spend their 4 weeks summer holiday with their estranged Nonna they have never met.
After their parents get divorced and their mother moves to her new lovers’ house to live with his kids. Finally their father accepts to live them alone at his house as he plans to visit his hometown. But rebellious siblings threw the disastrous party of the year which resulted of arresting of forty six people with the charges of underage drinking, disorderly conduct, public disturbance! Of course their lovely house also destroyed! As a last resort their father force them climb into his car and directly drive them his hometown where only 876 souls are populated !
Their grandma acts like she is not happy to see them, warning them to be at home before it gets dark! Poor siblings find sticky dolls attached their clothes at each morning and as Marco sleeps at an attic might be haunted by ghosts, Theo tries to sleep in a room filled with scary porcelain dolls!
Only relief for their nightmarish summer holiday to meet with young and friendly townies! Both of the siblings make friends in short time and they don’t care much about their grandmother’s threats and warnings till Theo meets with her favorite podcasters and realizes there’s nothing as it seems at this haunted town and something more dangerous is lurking around to put their lives of danger!
Did I get your attention? What are you waiting for? Urgently add this book to your reading list and enjoy full ride!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s / Delacorte Press for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
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March 25, 2023
"Last fire will rise behind those eyes
Black house will rock, blind boys don't lie
Immortal fear, that voice so clear
Through broken walls, that scream I hear
Cry, little sister (Thou shall not fall)
Come, come to your brother (Thou shall not die)
Unchain me, sister (Thou shall not fear)
Love is with your brother (Thou shall not kill)" - Cry Little Sister by Gerard McMahon, Lost Boys Soundtrack
I could not help hearing the Lost Boys Soundtrack while reading this book. I wonder why?????
Theo and her brother, Marco have arrived in the seaside town Nightfall, Oregon with their father to spend the summer with the grandmother, Nonna. The town is often bleak and dreary but beautiful when the sun does shine. Tourist flock to it and the locals flock indoors when the sun goes down. Nonna is a secretive and interesting character and she warns them both to be home before nightfall and keeps putting strange smelling dolls in their belongings.
Theo and Marco soon make friends with alluring and bizarre local teens and get invited out by them to bonfires and parties. Theo also meets two young men who have a podcast on the history of Nightfall. A history that is dark and dangerous.
The description of the book was not fooling around when it mentioned The Lost Boys. You will get the vibes in a very strong fashion. Much stronger than the Buffy the Vampire Slayer ones. Just saying.
This book was like a love letter to The Lost Boys. I for one who devoured that movie and watched it more times that I can shake a stick at (sorry, channeling my grandmother), I enjoyed taking a bite out of this book.
This book was a lot of fun for me. I flew threw it and enjoyed it very much. Like other reviewers, I wanted things to happen a little faster but at the same time, I enjoyed the build up. The I-know-something-is-going-to-hit-the-fan-I-can't-wait feel that I got with the mounting tension once things in the book got real.
Pure escapism reading which was nostalgic and fun. This book made my inner vampire loving teen self very happy.
#InNightfall #NetGalley.
Thank you to Random House Children's, Delacorte Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Black house will rock, blind boys don't lie
Immortal fear, that voice so clear
Through broken walls, that scream I hear
Cry, little sister (Thou shall not fall)
Come, come to your brother (Thou shall not die)
Unchain me, sister (Thou shall not fear)
Love is with your brother (Thou shall not kill)" - Cry Little Sister by Gerard McMahon, Lost Boys Soundtrack
I could not help hearing the Lost Boys Soundtrack while reading this book. I wonder why?????
Theo and her brother, Marco have arrived in the seaside town Nightfall, Oregon with their father to spend the summer with the grandmother, Nonna. The town is often bleak and dreary but beautiful when the sun does shine. Tourist flock to it and the locals flock indoors when the sun goes down. Nonna is a secretive and interesting character and she warns them both to be home before nightfall and keeps putting strange smelling dolls in their belongings.
Theo and Marco soon make friends with alluring and bizarre local teens and get invited out by them to bonfires and parties. Theo also meets two young men who have a podcast on the history of Nightfall. A history that is dark and dangerous.
The description of the book was not fooling around when it mentioned The Lost Boys. You will get the vibes in a very strong fashion. Much stronger than the Buffy the Vampire Slayer ones. Just saying.
This book was like a love letter to The Lost Boys. I for one who devoured that movie and watched it more times that I can shake a stick at (sorry, channeling my grandmother), I enjoyed taking a bite out of this book.
This book was a lot of fun for me. I flew threw it and enjoyed it very much. Like other reviewers, I wanted things to happen a little faster but at the same time, I enjoyed the build up. The I-know-something-is-going-to-hit-the-fan-I-can't-wait feel that I got with the mounting tension once things in the book got real.
Pure escapism reading which was nostalgic and fun. This book made my inner vampire loving teen self very happy.
#InNightfall #NetGalley.
Thank you to Random House Children's, Delacorte Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
February 1, 2023
Thank you to Random House Children’s, Delacorte Press, and Suzanne Young for this free advanced review copy of this book. The thoughts and opinions expressed below are honest and my own.
What I liked about the book:
1. I liked the sarcasm and the relationship between Theo and her brother Marco. It was genuine and believable.
2. I absolutely adored Nonna, especially after she told Theo her history in the town! She was a total badass.
What could have been better:
1. I was definitely lured by the cover and blurb on this one. Given The Lost Boys and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the Kristy Swanson and Luke Perry version) were two of my favorite movies when I was younger, I figured this would be a slam dunk.
What I didn’t figure was the book would feel like someone took The Lost Boys and made it into a Mad Lib for the author to fill out. It was especially hard to ignore in the first couple of chapters that this was a gender swapped, shot for shot remake of the film at times. Instead of the references being a “cool! I get that one!” they were very…cringy. Maybe if I hadn’t just watched the movie 2 weeks ago, I wouldn’t have caught as many of the comparisons and my thoughts on this would be a bit different?
However, I also didn’t feel there was much Buffy the Vampire Slayer-ness to it other than fighting a bunch of vampires in a prom dress. Perhaps I’m missing something because I’m over 20 years late watching the television show, but I honestly don’t think so.
2. I liked the podcast and mystery ideas within the story, but I didn’t feel they were utilized to their potential. I didn’t really understand what the point was of her even listening to the first episode of the podcast focusing on the town if she had already met the podcasters and formed a relationship with them. I also didn’t understand why they mentioned episode two would drop and then that never went anywhere.
I felt like this was a check-the-box exercise in throwing a podcast into a story, which I’ve seen a lot more of recently. Other than perhaps trying to create a vibe reminiscent of Serial for murder mystery books or trying to show characters as relatable by listening to podcasts, I’m not sure what the theory is behind including this trait now and rarely do I see it executed well.
3. Unfortunately, the book didn’t really get exciting for me until the big reveal we all knew was coming at around the 70% mark. The romance was bleh, the characters besides Nonna were bleh, and the plot was predictable. Overall, just not for me.
4. I hate being THIS PERSON, but this definitely could have used another round of editing. A couple slips are absolutely no problem for me, but constant sentences where you can tell a word was supposed to be deleted stagnate the flow and bring me out of the story altogether.
Final Thoughts: Overall, just not for me.
Final Rating: 2 stars
What I liked about the book:
1. I liked the sarcasm and the relationship between Theo and her brother Marco. It was genuine and believable.
2. I absolutely adored Nonna, especially after she told Theo her history in the town! She was a total badass.
What could have been better:
1. I was definitely lured by the cover and blurb on this one. Given The Lost Boys and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the Kristy Swanson and Luke Perry version) were two of my favorite movies when I was younger, I figured this would be a slam dunk.
What I didn’t figure was the book would feel like someone took The Lost Boys and made it into a Mad Lib for the author to fill out. It was especially hard to ignore in the first couple of chapters that this was a gender swapped, shot for shot remake of the film at times. Instead of the references being a “cool! I get that one!” they were very…cringy. Maybe if I hadn’t just watched the movie 2 weeks ago, I wouldn’t have caught as many of the comparisons and my thoughts on this would be a bit different?
However, I also didn’t feel there was much Buffy the Vampire Slayer-ness to it other than fighting a bunch of vampires in a prom dress. Perhaps I’m missing something because I’m over 20 years late watching the television show, but I honestly don’t think so.
2. I liked the podcast and mystery ideas within the story, but I didn’t feel they were utilized to their potential. I didn’t really understand what the point was of her even listening to the first episode of the podcast focusing on the town if she had already met the podcasters and formed a relationship with them. I also didn’t understand why they mentioned episode two would drop and then that never went anywhere.
I felt like this was a check-the-box exercise in throwing a podcast into a story, which I’ve seen a lot more of recently. Other than perhaps trying to create a vibe reminiscent of Serial for murder mystery books or trying to show characters as relatable by listening to podcasts, I’m not sure what the theory is behind including this trait now and rarely do I see it executed well.
3. Unfortunately, the book didn’t really get exciting for me until the big reveal we all knew was coming at around the 70% mark. The romance was bleh, the characters besides Nonna were bleh, and the plot was predictable. Overall, just not for me.
4. I hate being THIS PERSON, but this definitely could have used another round of editing. A couple slips are absolutely no problem for me, but constant sentences where you can tell a word was supposed to be deleted stagnate the flow and bring me out of the story altogether.
Final Thoughts: Overall, just not for me.
Final Rating: 2 stars
February 16, 2023
Review coming soon.
Shelved as 'wishlist'
March 9, 2023You can't compare a book to Lost Boys and then NOT give me a copy
Rude
Rude
March 13, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for my arc in exchange for my unbiased opinion.
"In Nightfall" follows Theo and her brother Marco as they are forced to relocate to Nightfall, Oregon for the summer. The pair had thrown a party that went too wild and as a result are now stuck in the small and quaint town of Nightfall with their dad and their strange paternal grandmother, Nonna. Compared to their home in Arizona, the rainy beachside town is too gloomy and grey but the up side? Minnow and her strange group of friends who seem to lead everything in the small town. Turns out everything is not as it seems in Nightfall.
Young's book has been marketed as a "Lost Boys" meets "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" so of course I had to request this. And it's not wrong necessarily but I think it would be more accurate to tout this book as a "Lost Boys" rip-off. Other than absolutely nothing of note happening in the first 60-75% of the book. I saw reviews that said this was fun and a good mix of "Lost Boys" and BTVS and I have to ask: How much are they being paid? Cause legitimately, this book was so boring and absolutely just followed the "Lost Boys" movie but genderswapped with the addition of some true crime/supernatural podcasters in place of the Frog brothers (THEY DESERVED BETTER). I was seriously so disappointed with this one.
As someone who grew up watching "Lost Boys" and BTVS (movie and show), I was getting kind of annoyed at the shameless copying. I would NOT recommend this book to anybody.
"In Nightfall" follows Theo and her brother Marco as they are forced to relocate to Nightfall, Oregon for the summer. The pair had thrown a party that went too wild and as a result are now stuck in the small and quaint town of Nightfall with their dad and their strange paternal grandmother, Nonna. Compared to their home in Arizona, the rainy beachside town is too gloomy and grey but the up side? Minnow and her strange group of friends who seem to lead everything in the small town. Turns out everything is not as it seems in Nightfall.
Young's book has been marketed as a "Lost Boys" meets "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" so of course I had to request this. And it's not wrong necessarily but I think it would be more accurate to tout this book as a "Lost Boys" rip-off. Other than absolutely nothing of note happening in the first 60-75% of the book. I saw reviews that said this was fun and a good mix of "Lost Boys" and BTVS and I have to ask: How much are they being paid? Cause legitimately, this book was so boring and absolutely just followed the "Lost Boys" movie but genderswapped with the addition of some true crime/supernatural podcasters in place of the Frog brothers (THEY DESERVED BETTER). I was seriously so disappointed with this one.
As someone who grew up watching "Lost Boys" and BTVS (movie and show), I was getting kind of annoyed at the shameless copying. I would NOT recommend this book to anybody.
January 23, 2023
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley.
This was great. I loved the idea of a reverse [redacted.]. I don't want to spoil because I went in totally unspoiled and it was a great reveal. I loved how Young did the mini-twists and the ending. The two siblings (Theo and her brother Marco) had a great relationship and I found myself very invested in Theo figuring out what was going on in Nightfall and everyone getting out alive. Only reason I didn't give it a full 5 stars is the book drags here and there.
Theo and Marco get in trouble after Marco does a huge summer party at their father's house. As punishment, their father has them all go to Oregon for the summer to visit their maternal grandmother they have never met. What follows is the two teens dealing with the mysterious town of Nightfall...where the residents don't stay out after dark.
I thought Young did a great job with developing Theo and Marco. I got that they were two siblings struggling with their parent's divorce, and their mom moving on without them. I also loved the other characters we get to meet and Theo's mysterious grandmother.
The writing was good, though the flow dragged towards the end. One reason why I gave this four stars was that by the time Theo figures things out, there's still like 40 percent of the book to go. I just thought it could have been cut down a bit more here and there.
I loved the setting of Nightfall. I had so many questions based on the reveal of the town and how it was founded.
The ending was great and I loved how Young did a call back to old [redacted] movies.
This was great. I loved the idea of a reverse [redacted.]. I don't want to spoil because I went in totally unspoiled and it was a great reveal. I loved how Young did the mini-twists and the ending. The two siblings (Theo and her brother Marco) had a great relationship and I found myself very invested in Theo figuring out what was going on in Nightfall and everyone getting out alive. Only reason I didn't give it a full 5 stars is the book drags here and there.
Theo and Marco get in trouble after Marco does a huge summer party at their father's house. As punishment, their father has them all go to Oregon for the summer to visit their maternal grandmother they have never met. What follows is the two teens dealing with the mysterious town of Nightfall...where the residents don't stay out after dark.
I thought Young did a great job with developing Theo and Marco. I got that they were two siblings struggling with their parent's divorce, and their mom moving on without them. I also loved the other characters we get to meet and Theo's mysterious grandmother.
The writing was good, though the flow dragged towards the end. One reason why I gave this four stars was that by the time Theo figures things out, there's still like 40 percent of the book to go. I just thought it could have been cut down a bit more here and there.
I loved the setting of Nightfall. I had so many questions based on the reveal of the town and how it was founded.
The ending was great and I loved how Young did a call back to old [redacted] movies.
February 8, 2023
Going into the book, with the description making comparisons to The Lost Boys and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I knew that it was going to be about vampires. So I was a bit let down by how long it took for the vampire content to actually be blatantly put on the page. Yes, I as the reader could tell what was going on with the hints and subtext, but I was frustrated by it taking until 70% into the book for the main character to be in the know. So the beginning of the book felt very drawn out and then the end felt rushed.
I did really enjoy the setting of the town of Nightfall. A small, rainy beachside town in Oregon with a weird history, odd traditions, and where it’s not safe to be out after dark. The plot of Theo, her dad, and brother having to come to the town for the summer and getting involved with the locals was definitely interesting in the beginning. But then it started to feel a bit repetitive. I really liked the grandmother character, Nonna. Her personality and her motivations that get introduced later on were some of the more compelling parts of the book.
Overall this was a fine read. I just went into it with high expectations and ended up not being satisfied with the amount of vampire content in the book. Yes, the vampires are there all along. But I wanted more time with Theo being aware of what was going on.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I did really enjoy the setting of the town of Nightfall. A small, rainy beachside town in Oregon with a weird history, odd traditions, and where it’s not safe to be out after dark. The plot of Theo, her dad, and brother having to come to the town for the summer and getting involved with the locals was definitely interesting in the beginning. But then it started to feel a bit repetitive. I really liked the grandmother character, Nonna. Her personality and her motivations that get introduced later on were some of the more compelling parts of the book.
Overall this was a fine read. I just went into it with high expectations and ended up not being satisfied with the amount of vampire content in the book. Yes, the vampires are there all along. But I wanted more time with Theo being aware of what was going on.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 5, 2023
4¼⭐
…the bullet points
- YA horror
- Supernatural
- Serious Lost Boys vibes…you could even call it a retelling
- Also has some Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes
- This heroine is the non-simpering type
This one is for all the readers who can’t stand when the heroine in a vampire book is completely unable to see that the guy she thinks is so hot, is really just a blood-sucking killer. It also helps if you have a soft spot for anything remotely similar to the movie The Lost Boys (the one with Kiefer Sutherland) and/or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Overall I found this to be a refreshing take on the YA Vampire books…and honestly, I’m surprised that Suzanne Young was able to impress me this much…since I abandoned her Program Series due to how immature it was.
…about the narration
🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️/5
- Elena Rey was seriously good.
...the score
➨ 8.44/10 | Opening-8 | Characters-8.3 | Plot-8 | Atmosphere-8.5 | Writing Style-8.3 | Ending-9 | Overall Enjoyment- 9
…the bullet points
- YA horror
- Supernatural
- Serious Lost Boys vibes…you could even call it a retelling
- Also has some Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes
- This heroine is the non-simpering type
This one is for all the readers who can’t stand when the heroine in a vampire book is completely unable to see that the guy she thinks is so hot, is really just a blood-sucking killer. It also helps if you have a soft spot for anything remotely similar to the movie The Lost Boys (the one with Kiefer Sutherland) and/or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Overall I found this to be a refreshing take on the YA Vampire books…and honestly, I’m surprised that Suzanne Young was able to impress me this much…since I abandoned her Program Series due to how immature it was.
…about the narration
🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️/5
- Elena Rey was seriously good.
...the score
➨ 8.44/10 | Opening-8 | Characters-8.3 | Plot-8 | Atmosphere-8.5 | Writing Style-8.3 | Ending-9 | Overall Enjoyment- 9
May 8, 2023
I love The Lost Boys and was really excited to see a book inspired by it! I’m always here for a vampire story too, especially when they are not sparkly ones 😂
I loved the creepy small town setting and thought it was fun to check out the town as the MC Theo and her brother first arrive to stay with their grandma. It did take too long to get going with the mystery though and the first half of the book struggled to hold my interest. There was a podcast element, but it wasn’t worked in well and felt like it didn’t belong. A lot of the plot depended on sketchy decisions and miscommunication which didn’t sell me on the story.
This was a bit too close to The Lost Boys plot, while it was gender swapped it otherwise felt too on the nose to the original. It was an entertaining read still but go in expecting a slow burn mystery with most of the action taking place only at the very end.
Thanks to @getunderlined for the gifted copy!
I loved the creepy small town setting and thought it was fun to check out the town as the MC Theo and her brother first arrive to stay with their grandma. It did take too long to get going with the mystery though and the first half of the book struggled to hold my interest. There was a podcast element, but it wasn’t worked in well and felt like it didn’t belong. A lot of the plot depended on sketchy decisions and miscommunication which didn’t sell me on the story.
This was a bit too close to The Lost Boys plot, while it was gender swapped it otherwise felt too on the nose to the original. It was an entertaining read still but go in expecting a slow burn mystery with most of the action taking place only at the very end.
Thanks to @getunderlined for the gifted copy!
September 6, 2023
2.5 Stars
Buffy the Vampire Slayer this is not. More like Clueless and Vampires? There was some good tension and a creepy atmosphere established in the first parts of the novel that kept me reading, but the main character was in the dark for a mindbogglingly long time. I really loved Nonna and the vampire folklore of the town. The vampires themselves were suitably menacing. Everything was cruising along nicely until we got to a certain point where I literally thought 'well that's just silly'. I am aware that thinking a plotline has become implausible in a teen vampire book may seem ridiculous but even these stories can have plot holes or things that don't make sense. Anyway, it turned out to be just okay for me.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer this is not. More like Clueless and Vampires? There was some good tension and a creepy atmosphere established in the first parts of the novel that kept me reading, but the main character was in the dark for a mindbogglingly long time. I really loved Nonna and the vampire folklore of the town. The vampires themselves were suitably menacing. Everything was cruising along nicely until we got to a certain point where I literally thought 'well that's just silly'. I am aware that thinking a plotline has become implausible in a teen vampire book may seem ridiculous but even these stories can have plot holes or things that don't make sense. Anyway, it turned out to be just okay for me.
April 23, 2024
Absolutely addictive vampire book!
If you liked the movie “The Lost Boys,” you’d probably really enjoy this story.
Our FMC lives with her brother and her dad in Arizona. After the two of them throw a huge party at their house while their dad is on a work trip, he takes them to their grandmother’s house for the summer so they won’t be able to get in trouble with their friends.
The grandmother lives in Nightfall, Oregon, a small coastal town with odd rumors surrounding it, and a community that is scared as soon as the sun goes down.
Once they get into town, they are immediately befriended by a group of gorgeous, charming, interesting, and super fun teenagers. They can’t help but want to be around them.
From there, the story becomes very similar to The Lost Boys.
It’s a young adult, vampire thriller & mystery, with a super cool setting and atmosphere. I got completely sucked into the story from the first page.
I also felt like there were some nods to Twilight in the story as well, so if you’re a TwiHard or just love vampire stories, I’d give it a try. It was an easy 5 star read for me.
If you liked the movie “The Lost Boys,” you’d probably really enjoy this story.
Our FMC lives with her brother and her dad in Arizona. After the two of them throw a huge party at their house while their dad is on a work trip, he takes them to their grandmother’s house for the summer so they won’t be able to get in trouble with their friends.
The grandmother lives in Nightfall, Oregon, a small coastal town with odd rumors surrounding it, and a community that is scared as soon as the sun goes down.
Once they get into town, they are immediately befriended by a group of gorgeous, charming, interesting, and super fun teenagers. They can’t help but want to be around them.
From there, the story becomes very similar to The Lost Boys.
It’s a young adult, vampire thriller & mystery, with a super cool setting and atmosphere. I got completely sucked into the story from the first page.
I also felt like there were some nods to Twilight in the story as well, so if you’re a TwiHard or just love vampire stories, I’d give it a try. It was an easy 5 star read for me.
August 3, 2023
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In Nightfall by Suzanne Young is a good YA gender swapped Lost Boys with some Buffy the Vampire Slayer elements as well. I loved the atmosphere and the setting of the story the most. It took a little too long for the story to get going especially in terms of the main character. Otherwise, I think my expectations might have simply been a little too high.
In Nightfall by Suzanne Young is a good YA gender swapped Lost Boys with some Buffy the Vampire Slayer elements as well. I loved the atmosphere and the setting of the story the most. It took a little too long for the story to get going especially in terms of the main character. Otherwise, I think my expectations might have simply been a little too high.
March 16, 2023
When Theo finds herself stuck in the spooky town of Nightfall, she is expecting a boring summer break getting to know her grandma and hanging out with her brother. But to her dismay, Summer Love quickly turns to Heads Will Roll—it’s everything Twilight should have been and more. It’s compulsively readable and atmospheric, I love it!
March 15, 2023
That was overall a really lackluster story. The last 20% of the book was interesting in terms of the way that the action scenes played out, but nothing came as a surprise and the only really interesting character is Nonna.
June 24, 2024
{4/5}
× atmospheric
× great character development
× plot twists
- 1 star because it was a bit predictable ;)
I really like it, if you are looking for a short scary story this book is for you !
× atmospheric
× great character development
× plot twists
- 1 star because it was a bit predictable ;)
I really like it, if you are looking for a short scary story this book is for you !
November 30, 2022
I really want to give this book 5 stars. I love the idea of it and the main character. But, as an adult, more and more frequently I get so frustrated with the adult influence in books. I just wanted to shake the dad and yell “be a parent!” I wanted to grab the grandma and say, “tell them the truth of what’s going on!” If you are honest with teens about what’s happening, maybe they won’t sneak off as much and get themselves in trouble!
August 23, 2023
Trigger warnings: blood, death, complex relationship with parent, death, drowning, murder
It took me approximately forever to read this, but it was SO GOOD. Very strong Lost Boys vibes, to the point where I'm not quite sure if it's meant to be a retelling or not?? Anyway, I loved the characters and the inclusion of some horror podcasters. I loved the vibes of the town and the way that Oregon weather was critical in the story. The characters were great, especially the grandmother, and that cover? CHEF'S KISS.
Personally, I think the vampire reveal took way too long to eventuate, but maybe if you haven't seen Lost Boys multiple times, it may have come as a surprise?? IDK IDK.
It took me approximately forever to read this, but it was SO GOOD. Very strong Lost Boys vibes, to the point where I'm not quite sure if it's meant to be a retelling or not?? Anyway, I loved the characters and the inclusion of some horror podcasters. I loved the vibes of the town and the way that Oregon weather was critical in the story. The characters were great, especially the grandmother, and that cover? CHEF'S KISS.
Personally, I think the vampire reveal took way too long to eventuate, but maybe if you haven't seen Lost Boys multiple times, it may have come as a surprise?? IDK IDK.
May 4, 2023
I need more books like this one! In Nightfall was a supernatural YA thriller (Lost Boys meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer) that I really enjoyed. This book is fast-paced, addictive, dark, and entertaining. The pacing is great with a sinister atmosphere that drew me right in. I read it in one day and absolutely loved the wild ride it took me on trying to figure out the mystery of this small town!
(Also Suzanne Young is one of the nicest authors I’ve ever met and I can’t wait to continue supporting her through any/all new releases!)
(Also Suzanne Young is one of the nicest authors I’ve ever met and I can’t wait to continue supporting her through any/all new releases!)
April 26, 2023
I think this book was written for me. You give me gender swapped lost boys with a mix of Buffy vibes and expect me not to give it 5*???
I genuinely had so much fun with this, it was fun, had a good mystery to it and worked incredibly well as a stand-alone story! Everything was wrapped up neatly and the pacing was great, I feel like we had the right amount of time for everything to evolve and the plot to fall into place! It was also surprisingly gory which I loveddd! Plus I love the horrific looking vampires always!
Anyway 5* for this as I spent most of it being like omg lost boys omg lost boys at all the little plot points and parts and come onnnnn…one of the characters was called Marko (he’s my favourite so it made me extra happy) it’s just a really fun paranormal mystery book and I loved every second!
I genuinely had so much fun with this, it was fun, had a good mystery to it and worked incredibly well as a stand-alone story! Everything was wrapped up neatly and the pacing was great, I feel like we had the right amount of time for everything to evolve and the plot to fall into place! It was also surprisingly gory which I loveddd! Plus I love the horrific looking vampires always!
Anyway 5* for this as I spent most of it being like omg lost boys omg lost boys at all the little plot points and parts and come onnnnn…one of the characters was called Marko (he’s my favourite so it made me extra happy) it’s just a really fun paranormal mystery book and I loved every second!
May 11, 2023
Nightfall, a remote town in Orlando that is rumoured to have the highest number of missing persons but nobody seems to have heard of it.
Our main characters, Theo and Marco, have been busted after throwing a party while their dad was away, so as punishment they are to spend the summer with their grandma in Nightfall.
When they first meet their Nonna she gives them only one rule…to be home before dark. Naturally, the teens break it on their first night and so begins a rather bizarre (yet very familiar) tale.
If you know The Lost Boys then you know what’s coming. Virtually every detail of the story is the same; our only difference is that the characters causing trouble here are female.
There’s a definite nostalgic element here for older readers - I only wish the line about the brother had been more accurately used - but for younger readers/those who don’t know the source material there’s plenty here to keep them entertained.
Our main characters, Theo and Marco, have been busted after throwing a party while their dad was away, so as punishment they are to spend the summer with their grandma in Nightfall.
When they first meet their Nonna she gives them only one rule…to be home before dark. Naturally, the teens break it on their first night and so begins a rather bizarre (yet very familiar) tale.
If you know The Lost Boys then you know what’s coming. Virtually every detail of the story is the same; our only difference is that the characters causing trouble here are female.
There’s a definite nostalgic element here for older readers - I only wish the line about the brother had been more accurately used - but for younger readers/those who don’t know the source material there’s plenty here to keep them entertained.
April 9, 2023
I had to give myself a little time before reviewing IN NIGHTFALL. I was so far into my feels with it I needed a passport to get back. I am all for Lost Boys-inspired books. It’s pretty much a guarantee that I will pick it up. It’s how I found the Blood Coven series by Mari Mancusi (after a referral from a friend) and MAYHEM by Estelle Laure. GIVE. IT. TO. ME. So when I saw that IN NIGHTFALL was Lost Boys-inspired, I went YES.
Until I read the blurb.
Why did the blurb take be aback? Because it’s basically the plot of The Lost Boys. Down to moving from Phoenix to a small beach town in California, I mean Oregon. Commence rage.
No, Donna! Don’t! Don’t judge it until you can read it! That might not be the case!
So I read the first chapter preview.
There was more rage.
Why? Because it’s the opening credits scene of The Lost Boys. Nearly to a T.
THINGS AREN’T LOOKING GOOD.
I’d requested the book as soon as I heard about it back in July or August. I just got the approval for it in March and I immediately started reading because I had to know.
I HAD TO.
And????
I’ll start with what I liked about it:
Divorced from its source material, it’s exactly the sort of YA horror I’ve been looking for in the current market. Not too deep, kind of kitschy, fun, spooky, underlying creepy. An all around good time. Doesn’t require too much thought and gives me exactly what I was looking for. In that aspect, it nailed The Lost Boys right on the head.
Unfortunately, it nailed everything else about The Lost Boys right on the script.
IN NIGHTFALL isn’t an homage to The Lost Boys. It’s not inspired by. It IS. Young did not deviate from the plot of the movie at all. So readers, if you’re familiar with The Lost Boys, you will know the entire plot of this book before even picking it up. You will know which character is which, what happens to who, every twist and turn, and how it ends. You already know how this book pans out. There aren’t Lost Boys easter eggs in here. It’s the whole damn rabbit. Characters, actions, scenes, character motivations, the blood-sucking Brady Bunch. It’s all there.
What’s different about it? It takes place in Oregon and the vampires are chicks. That’s about it.
It’s The Lost Boys without the personality of The Lost Boys. Gone is Joel Schumacher’s sexiness, the dark undercurrent of the story wrapped in a pseudo-happy-go-lucky veneer, and the flash genius in the frying pan of the 80s to do something wholly unique. IN NIGHTFALL ends up being a pale, bland knock off that’s disappointingly straight. Where Schumacher’s movie was throbbing with queer subtext, Young’s book gives mid-teens YA vibes in its heteronormativity. Of course, I can’t forget the Frog brothers, I mean the gay podcasters that are the token gay comedic relief that exist to serve the main character. I’ve literally read better, more inventive TLB fanfic (and I’ve read A LOT of TLB fanfic). This book screams self insert Emerson sister fic.
I was so, so hopeful that Young was going to do something different with it. Killer mermaids or sirens or selkies or something. Do something to make it actually her own story. Those were the vibes I was getting for the first, like, third of the book. NOPE. It’s The Lost Boys, slightly tweaked.
Who is this book supposed to be for? Because when the blurb is using comps like The Lost Boys and Buffy, are today’s teens going to know what any of that is? Probably not, unless they have parents with taste. Those comps are for people my age, because this YA book isn’t really being sold to teens, now is it? Says the teen librarians themselves, books like this are being written for the adults who buy them, not the teens who read them. The thing is, IN NIGHTFALL is actually a great book to fit in that space. The MC doesn’t even have her license yet. This is actually a fantastic YA book FOR TEENS. But the marketing is targeting the nostalgia of the people with the bank accounts. I’m sure teen readers, especially younger teen readers, would love this book, but it has nothing to do with The Lost Boys or Buffy.
It’s just getting old that publishers are getting so risk averse with what they put out that they just keep regurgitating the same thing because it’s safe. Young, with her impressive backlist, is as safe and as sure of a bet as one can get in publishing, which is why we’re here. Her writing is fine. It’s nothing to write home about, but she can string a sentence together. It gets the job done and moved me from one end of the book to the other. But this safety also guarantees that instead of a unique take on The Lost Boys, something that is genuinely a hat tip to the movie but stands on its own and speaks to a newer author’s imagination and verve, we get barely conceived fanfiction that doesn’t do anything with the source material except follow the movie’s plot. I’ll just watch the movie, thanks.
PS: Where the hell does Buffy come into this? The fancy dress and vampire-staking at the end? Bit of a stretch.
1.5
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Until I read the blurb.
Why did the blurb take be aback? Because it’s basically the plot of The Lost Boys. Down to moving from Phoenix to a small beach town in California, I mean Oregon. Commence rage.
No, Donna! Don’t! Don’t judge it until you can read it! That might not be the case!
So I read the first chapter preview.
There was more rage.
Why? Because it’s the opening credits scene of The Lost Boys. Nearly to a T.
THINGS AREN’T LOOKING GOOD.
I’d requested the book as soon as I heard about it back in July or August. I just got the approval for it in March and I immediately started reading because I had to know.
I HAD TO.
And????
I’ll start with what I liked about it:
Divorced from its source material, it’s exactly the sort of YA horror I’ve been looking for in the current market. Not too deep, kind of kitschy, fun, spooky, underlying creepy. An all around good time. Doesn’t require too much thought and gives me exactly what I was looking for. In that aspect, it nailed The Lost Boys right on the head.
Unfortunately, it nailed everything else about The Lost Boys right on the script.
IN NIGHTFALL isn’t an homage to The Lost Boys. It’s not inspired by. It IS. Young did not deviate from the plot of the movie at all. So readers, if you’re familiar with The Lost Boys, you will know the entire plot of this book before even picking it up. You will know which character is which, what happens to who, every twist and turn, and how it ends. You already know how this book pans out. There aren’t Lost Boys easter eggs in here. It’s the whole damn rabbit. Characters, actions, scenes, character motivations, the blood-sucking Brady Bunch. It’s all there.
What’s different about it? It takes place in Oregon and the vampires are chicks. That’s about it.
It’s The Lost Boys without the personality of The Lost Boys. Gone is Joel Schumacher’s sexiness, the dark undercurrent of the story wrapped in a pseudo-happy-go-lucky veneer, and the flash genius in the frying pan of the 80s to do something wholly unique. IN NIGHTFALL ends up being a pale, bland knock off that’s disappointingly straight. Where Schumacher’s movie was throbbing with queer subtext, Young’s book gives mid-teens YA vibes in its heteronormativity. Of course, I can’t forget the Frog brothers, I mean the gay podcasters that are the token gay comedic relief that exist to serve the main character. I’ve literally read better, more inventive TLB fanfic (and I’ve read A LOT of TLB fanfic). This book screams self insert Emerson sister fic.
I was so, so hopeful that Young was going to do something different with it. Killer mermaids or sirens or selkies or something. Do something to make it actually her own story. Those were the vibes I was getting for the first, like, third of the book. NOPE. It’s The Lost Boys, slightly tweaked.
Who is this book supposed to be for? Because when the blurb is using comps like The Lost Boys and Buffy, are today’s teens going to know what any of that is? Probably not, unless they have parents with taste. Those comps are for people my age, because this YA book isn’t really being sold to teens, now is it? Says the teen librarians themselves, books like this are being written for the adults who buy them, not the teens who read them. The thing is, IN NIGHTFALL is actually a great book to fit in that space. The MC doesn’t even have her license yet. This is actually a fantastic YA book FOR TEENS. But the marketing is targeting the nostalgia of the people with the bank accounts. I’m sure teen readers, especially younger teen readers, would love this book, but it has nothing to do with The Lost Boys or Buffy.
It’s just getting old that publishers are getting so risk averse with what they put out that they just keep regurgitating the same thing because it’s safe. Young, with her impressive backlist, is as safe and as sure of a bet as one can get in publishing, which is why we’re here. Her writing is fine. It’s nothing to write home about, but she can string a sentence together. It gets the job done and moved me from one end of the book to the other. But this safety also guarantees that instead of a unique take on The Lost Boys, something that is genuinely a hat tip to the movie but stands on its own and speaks to a newer author’s imagination and verve, we get barely conceived fanfiction that doesn’t do anything with the source material except follow the movie’s plot. I’ll just watch the movie, thanks.
PS: Where the hell does Buffy come into this? The fancy dress and vampire-staking at the end? Bit of a stretch.
1.5
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 17, 2024
this was ok ig. supernatural is just not for me. also literally nothing happened and then everything happened in the last 20 pgs which was annoying.
also it was written like a fanfic and i didn’t like it.
also it was written like a fanfic and i didn’t like it.
July 22, 2022
4.75/5 stars
I got an ARC of this from Edelweiss as a bookseller.
Suzanne Young is truly my favorite author of all time. When I saw this on Edelweiss, I freaked out! This was so good, such a good mystery to it. I sort of guessed what the twist was but there was a lot in there that made me second guess myself. I kept going back and forth as I read, trying to piece everything together. In the end, I got some things right and some things wrong. Truly was guessing till the very end! It was honestly so refreshing to have a MC, Theo, not be ignorant and blind to the issues around her. She saw that things were off, that her brother wasn’t himself, and she didn’t try to explain it away. She took action because she knew something was wrong and she wasn’t going to let anyone convince her otherwise and make her feel crazy. The pacing of this was great, and I simply devoured every page. It didn’t make it to 5 stars for me simply because I felt there was one thing that just didn’t need to happen. I will go more in depth in my spoilers below. Do not keep reading until after you’ve finished this book!!! GO READ THIS BOOK NOW!!!
SPOILERS START HERE!!!!
Listen, Nonna is the best character in this book but she’s also the worst. I get wanting to protect your friend, but literally… this was all her fault. Nonna, you’re a badass, but you should’ve been a badass years ago and killed your BFF. But still, I loved that she was the old woman keeping secrets, especially since it helped build this divide between her and the grandchildren she’s never known, so once all her secrets are out, her and her grandchildren are able to connect. I loved seeing that progression!
Why did I take off .25 of a star? Because I genuinely feel like Parrish shouldn’t have died. He was so miserable and he did all he could for Theo, but a lot was out of his control. It just felt so wrong and cruel to have Theo kill him and then only think of him fondly afterwards. They had this really lovely and beautiful soul connection, his death should’ve hurt her so much more than it seemed to have. I just feel like the ending would have been the most satisfying if he had lived. He deserved to triumph over everything, but instead Minnow gets to live and he dies? It just feels wrong. Maybe I’m a hopeless romantic, but it felt like Parrish shouldn’t lived and gotten to see Arizona, the actual state. That would’ve been the perfect ending.
I got an ARC of this from Edelweiss as a bookseller.
Suzanne Young is truly my favorite author of all time. When I saw this on Edelweiss, I freaked out! This was so good, such a good mystery to it. I sort of guessed what the twist was but there was a lot in there that made me second guess myself. I kept going back and forth as I read, trying to piece everything together. In the end, I got some things right and some things wrong. Truly was guessing till the very end! It was honestly so refreshing to have a MC, Theo, not be ignorant and blind to the issues around her. She saw that things were off, that her brother wasn’t himself, and she didn’t try to explain it away. She took action because she knew something was wrong and she wasn’t going to let anyone convince her otherwise and make her feel crazy. The pacing of this was great, and I simply devoured every page. It didn’t make it to 5 stars for me simply because I felt there was one thing that just didn’t need to happen. I will go more in depth in my spoilers below. Do not keep reading until after you’ve finished this book!!! GO READ THIS BOOK NOW!!!
SPOILERS START HERE!!!!
Listen, Nonna is the best character in this book but she’s also the worst. I get wanting to protect your friend, but literally… this was all her fault. Nonna, you’re a badass, but you should’ve been a badass years ago and killed your BFF. But still, I loved that she was the old woman keeping secrets, especially since it helped build this divide between her and the grandchildren she’s never known, so once all her secrets are out, her and her grandchildren are able to connect. I loved seeing that progression!
Why did I take off .25 of a star? Because I genuinely feel like Parrish shouldn’t have died. He was so miserable and he did all he could for Theo, but a lot was out of his control. It just felt so wrong and cruel to have Theo kill him and then only think of him fondly afterwards. They had this really lovely and beautiful soul connection, his death should’ve hurt her so much more than it seemed to have. I just feel like the ending would have been the most satisfying if he had lived. He deserved to triumph over everything, but instead Minnow gets to live and he dies? It just feels wrong. Maybe I’m a hopeless romantic, but it felt like Parrish shouldn’t lived and gotten to see Arizona, the actual state. That would’ve been the perfect ending.
May 5, 2023
This book took me longer to finish because works been kind of crazy to be honest I just find it kind of very dull I can’t be too hard on it because I don’t think I was the Target demographic I found a kind of predictable and paint by numbers I think if I was younger I probably would’ve really more enjoyed it if you have younger readers in your house this might be a good book for them but all in all I just find it kinda Average at best
April 5, 2023
This was an actual, literal rip off of The Lost Boys. The story is exactly the same, only with “modernized” characters. It’s insane that this book exists.
April 16, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for providing me with a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!
I was drawn in by the cover and description. The story follows Theo as she and her brother, Marco, are forced to travel from Arizona to their father's small hometown of Nightfall, Oregon for their summer vacation, as a sort of punishment for throwing a massive party at their home. With a population of under 1,000 people, the town is quiet, rainy, but also a tourist destination. Theo and Marco are quickly welcomed into a gorgeous, popular friend group-- it almost seems to good to be true! Theo notices odd happenings surrounding their new friends, though. Their grandmother is making things all the stranger, as well-- warning them to always come home before dark. What exactly is lurking in the town at night, and why does it seem as if it wants Theo and her family to stay in Nightfall?
The book is promoted as The Lost Boys meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer. That's not inaccurate, but the story leans far more heavily on The Lost Boys... I would even say it is a gender-swapped retelling of the film. As far as a YA vampire story goes, In Nightfall is fine. I found it to be a relatively compelling read, with an interesting setting and an endearing family at the heart of the story. If you are familiar with The Lost Boys, though, you will see straight through the mystery. The major plot points are almost exactly the same as those of the film. In Nightfall is more modern, with lore and a few interesting ideas of its own. However, the main plot is still the same. I could predict exactly what would happen to which characters, which sucked some of the enjoyment out of reading the novel.
I did like the setting. There is a unique contrast of Nightfall as a gloomy Oregon town but also as a tourist spot. So, it's foggy, chilly, and has an underlying sinister atmosphere, but there are also cute ice cream shops, an upcoming parade, and beach parties. Nightfall felt real and pulled me in. I was curious about the locals, the town's history, and the secrets everyone appeared to be hiding.
I also enjoyed our main characters. I found Theo to be a fine protagonist. She's snarky, independent, and stands up for herself and her family. She also reads very much like a normal teenage girl, so I imagine she's easy for readers to see themselves in. I also liked Marco and Nonna (their grandmother). Marco's relationship with Theo feels authentic, and I appreciated their conversations, especially at the beginning of the novel. Nonna is quirky and has a hard edge, but you can tell there was something earlier in her life that made her that way. I wanted to learn more about her and her motivations. The only main family member I didn't love was the father-- he's okay, but like most YA parents, he mostly disappears for 80% of the story (as the plot needs him to do).
The side characters are different, though. I found them to mostly be one dimensional. The three main girls are cardboard cutouts of the hot, popular girl trope. We learn a teeny bit about their backstories later on, but I would have loved to have seen them developed more (and earlier). Parrish is the stereotypical moody male love interest. Just like with the girl group, he's given some development near the end, but it was too little too late. The podcasters who Theo befriends appear to be a plot device to give her information on the monsters in town, but they didn't do a lot for me as characters.
The writing is fine. Young did a great job of building a town and a family that felt real, so I appreciated that. Her descriptions brought everything to life. Although, sometimes I felt like she spent too much time describing the mundane parts of Theo's day. Did it make it more realistic? Absolutely. Did it also make the story drag on? Yeah. There is probably a better balance that could have been struck to quicken the pace. Also, and I know that this is nitpicky, the story is told through Theo's voice, and she uses a lot of adverbs and redundant words (ex: she describes herself as "a bit nervous" or someone else as "a little mean" all the time). I did this so much in high school (and maybe that's why it bothered me here). It's realistic to how a teenager speaks, but it also makes the writing clunky at times. I doubt it would bother younger readers, though.
The main reason I can't rate this novel higher is just that it wasn't very unique or different. There are thousands of vampire stories out there. This one is alright-- I had a fine time reading it, and I don't regret picking it up. Ultimately, though, I know it's not going to stand out in my memory or be worth revisiting. I'm sure there are other vampire books out there that would have made more of an impact on me. Also, if you watched The Lost Boys, you'll have already seen a similar version of this story play out.
The last issue I had with In Nightfall was the pace. The beginning and ending were strong, but the middle dragged. A few minor plot points didn't go anywhere, and they could have been cut out entirely to speed things up (the item Erika has Theo give Parrish, the second podcast episode, and more). I don't mind a slow book, and I never really struggled to finish this one. However, after finishing, I looked back and realized that much of the middle felt like fluff.
Overall, this book is alright. I don't regret reading it, and it had some fun moments. I just didn't find it to be spectacular. And when you compare it to The Lost Boys, it does seem even less unique. I wish the author had used the film as more of a general inspiration, rather than as an outline of her plot. I do think teens will like this one, though. It's moderately well-written, and there are some interesting aspects of the story. If they haven't seen The Lost Boys, I predict they might even like it more. I'd recommend this to people looking for a gender-swapped retelling of the movie, to teenagers stepping their toes into supernatural books, and to folks who want a light, moody vampire read.
3 out of 5 stars.
I was drawn in by the cover and description. The story follows Theo as she and her brother, Marco, are forced to travel from Arizona to their father's small hometown of Nightfall, Oregon for their summer vacation, as a sort of punishment for throwing a massive party at their home. With a population of under 1,000 people, the town is quiet, rainy, but also a tourist destination. Theo and Marco are quickly welcomed into a gorgeous, popular friend group-- it almost seems to good to be true! Theo notices odd happenings surrounding their new friends, though. Their grandmother is making things all the stranger, as well-- warning them to always come home before dark. What exactly is lurking in the town at night, and why does it seem as if it wants Theo and her family to stay in Nightfall?
The book is promoted as The Lost Boys meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer. That's not inaccurate, but the story leans far more heavily on The Lost Boys... I would even say it is a gender-swapped retelling of the film. As far as a YA vampire story goes, In Nightfall is fine. I found it to be a relatively compelling read, with an interesting setting and an endearing family at the heart of the story. If you are familiar with The Lost Boys, though, you will see straight through the mystery. The major plot points are almost exactly the same as those of the film. In Nightfall is more modern, with lore and a few interesting ideas of its own. However, the main plot is still the same. I could predict exactly what would happen to which characters, which sucked some of the enjoyment out of reading the novel.
I did like the setting. There is a unique contrast of Nightfall as a gloomy Oregon town but also as a tourist spot. So, it's foggy, chilly, and has an underlying sinister atmosphere, but there are also cute ice cream shops, an upcoming parade, and beach parties. Nightfall felt real and pulled me in. I was curious about the locals, the town's history, and the secrets everyone appeared to be hiding.
I also enjoyed our main characters. I found Theo to be a fine protagonist. She's snarky, independent, and stands up for herself and her family. She also reads very much like a normal teenage girl, so I imagine she's easy for readers to see themselves in. I also liked Marco and Nonna (their grandmother). Marco's relationship with Theo feels authentic, and I appreciated their conversations, especially at the beginning of the novel. Nonna is quirky and has a hard edge, but you can tell there was something earlier in her life that made her that way. I wanted to learn more about her and her motivations. The only main family member I didn't love was the father-- he's okay, but like most YA parents, he mostly disappears for 80% of the story (as the plot needs him to do).
The side characters are different, though. I found them to mostly be one dimensional. The three main girls are cardboard cutouts of the hot, popular girl trope. We learn a teeny bit about their backstories later on, but I would have loved to have seen them developed more (and earlier). Parrish is the stereotypical moody male love interest. Just like with the girl group, he's given some development near the end, but it was too little too late. The podcasters who Theo befriends appear to be a plot device to give her information on the monsters in town, but they didn't do a lot for me as characters.
The writing is fine. Young did a great job of building a town and a family that felt real, so I appreciated that. Her descriptions brought everything to life. Although, sometimes I felt like she spent too much time describing the mundane parts of Theo's day. Did it make it more realistic? Absolutely. Did it also make the story drag on? Yeah. There is probably a better balance that could have been struck to quicken the pace. Also, and I know that this is nitpicky, the story is told through Theo's voice, and she uses a lot of adverbs and redundant words (ex: she describes herself as "a bit nervous" or someone else as "a little mean" all the time). I did this so much in high school (and maybe that's why it bothered me here). It's realistic to how a teenager speaks, but it also makes the writing clunky at times. I doubt it would bother younger readers, though.
The main reason I can't rate this novel higher is just that it wasn't very unique or different. There are thousands of vampire stories out there. This one is alright-- I had a fine time reading it, and I don't regret picking it up. Ultimately, though, I know it's not going to stand out in my memory or be worth revisiting. I'm sure there are other vampire books out there that would have made more of an impact on me. Also, if you watched The Lost Boys, you'll have already seen a similar version of this story play out.
The last issue I had with In Nightfall was the pace. The beginning and ending were strong, but the middle dragged. A few minor plot points didn't go anywhere, and they could have been cut out entirely to speed things up (the item Erika has Theo give Parrish, the second podcast episode, and more). I don't mind a slow book, and I never really struggled to finish this one. However, after finishing, I looked back and realized that much of the middle felt like fluff.
Overall, this book is alright. I don't regret reading it, and it had some fun moments. I just didn't find it to be spectacular. And when you compare it to The Lost Boys, it does seem even less unique. I wish the author had used the film as more of a general inspiration, rather than as an outline of her plot. I do think teens will like this one, though. It's moderately well-written, and there are some interesting aspects of the story. If they haven't seen The Lost Boys, I predict they might even like it more. I'd recommend this to people looking for a gender-swapped retelling of the movie, to teenagers stepping their toes into supernatural books, and to folks who want a light, moody vampire read.
3 out of 5 stars.
November 18, 2023
I DNFed this at 60% so I feel comfortable reviewing this book and I'm really only here to state that the representation in this book is absolutely atrocious. None of the BIPOC characters are written as BIPOC characters- they're all white characters we are told are Mexican or Black. The siblings in this book are half Mexican and that has so little to do with their identities that you FORGET they're supposed to be Mexican.
And NACHOS? You're going to choose NACHOS as the food the Mexican mom is known for? BFFR.
Research into Minnow's storyline shows me that there is some weird context in general with the way these characters are treated in the books.
To top it all off- its boring.
And NACHOS? You're going to choose NACHOS as the food the Mexican mom is known for? BFFR.
Research into Minnow's storyline shows me that there is some weird context in general with the way these characters are treated in the books.
To top it all off- its boring.
October 14, 2023
This was a FANTASTIC YA horror thriller that sees Theo and her brother sent to spend the summer with their father and grandmother in the small town of Nightfall. Unbeknownst to them its infested with vampires and they will have to fight to survive the summer, figuring out which of their new 'townie' friends can be trusted. Great on audio and perfect for fans of books like Youngblood or You're not supposed to die tonight. HIGHLY recommended for #SpookySeason reading!
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