The Fell of Dark

Starred review from July 1, 2020
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Fulton Heights, Illinois. It's just a little too far from Chicago to be fun, and a little too close to a nexus of magical energy to be boring?making it a known hotspot for vampires. For August, an artistic high-school junior suffering through Algebra I, vampires, who only kill three people a year on average, are less of a concern than finding someone to make out with in a place that doesn't have any other out gay guys. But that's before a (disturbingly attractive) vampire named Jude shows up with a (disturbingly ominous) message about rival vampire cults, an ancient and mysterious evil being, and most worryingly, Auggie himself. As nearly everyone in his life turns out to have secrets, Auggie struggles with some life-changing revelations and the fact that he might lose control of his body and his future. Roehrig (Death Prefers Blondes, 2019) both pays homage to teen vampire tropes and revitalizes them in a tale that's by turns sexy, scary, and filled with ideas about choice that will resonate with readers learning about the impact of theirs. A little bit M. T. Anderson's Thirsty, a little bit Buffy, this is a vampire story for a new generation of teens entering a world that they have no reason to be optimistic about. Snappy dialogue and irreverent humor makes it all the wilder a ride.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)