The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

For those of you wondering, yes this is a vampire book. But it is by no means just a vampire book.

As I tend to do with books that I wholly adore, I blew through all 400+ pages in 48 hours. Right off the bat, I knew I was reading a fantastic book—I was gripped from the first page to the last and I loved every moment of it.

Granted, I'm not anti-paranormal or sick of vampires, but even if I was, I suspect I would have loved this book just as much. This isn't a girl-meets-super-sexy-vampire book, this is a book about survival and making difficult decisions to protect the people you love. This is a book with truly memorable and complicated characters and incredible twists. And as a bonus to some, it's a standalone novel.

I'm going to continue to recommend this book to anyone who will listen, because I loved it that much. It immediately jumped onto my favorite books list and I hope to see more vampire books that are just as compelling and ultimately, perfect.

This review is also posted on my site Behind the Pages: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

Vampires have been romanticized for years. The alluring suitors that will make your darkest dreams come true. Distant stories that soon became a reality when the first outbreak occurred. A single bite can infect you, turn you cold and give a thirst for blood. And a single drop of blood once you're infected can turn you into a full-fledged vampire. In an attempt to keep the vampires contained, Coldtowns were created to seal them behind walls. But monsters are never easy to trap. Tana wakes up from a party to find the house littered with corpses and her ex-boyfriend infected by a vampire. She starts a desperate race to reach a Coldtown. A vampire is willing to help them reach it, but will they make it in time before they cave into their blood cravings?

This was a dark and haunting tale, filled with blood and betrayal. Written in a style that blends past and present, the story unfolds piece by piece. It reveals broken and flawed characters, each with their own burdens from a tormented past. As the plot progresses, they must face their fears in an attempt to overcome the chains holding them back. It's a difficult and violent road, one that refused to let me leave.

The only downfall to The Coldest Girl in Coldtown was the romance. I'm not one for romance in books, but if it is justified then I roll with it. I understand it's a high selling point, and most readers enjoy it. But the romance in this book felt random. It seemed to be an afterthought added in a later draft once the story was completed. There was no build-up, not even an instant connection, it was sort of just...there.

Despite the slip up with romance, Holly Black never fails to put her characters through hell and back to push them forward. It makes the journey they undertake all the more rewarding, or heartbreaking depending on how it goes. This isn't a book for those who like a quick light read. Taking on this experience is going to require a taste for horror.

3.5 stars. I loved the world building and the characters. The romance didn't quite get there.