Release Date: September 10, 2024
Publisher: Berkley Books
Where to Buy: Bookshop
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Synopsis
It’s Sloane Parker’s birthday and all she wants to do is forget about it. Her husband, Joel, has something else in mind. He surprises Sloane with a weekend getaway with her best friend Naomi. Naomi plans to get Sloane out of her shell, to get her to stop letting life happen to her, and to start living it. But things get out of hand at a house party hosted by a strange man Naomi meets at a bar.
One moment, Naomi is having the time of her life and Sloane is potentially finally letting her guard down, when things go horribly wrong, changing their lives forever. The friends must deal with the consequences, and Sloane must finally learn to live, though she now has forever to do so.
My Thoughts
This is a vampire novel. That’s not a spoiler, it says so on the cover. I, like many women my age, had my twilight phase in middle and high school. That phase led to such a deep obsession with vampires that I burnt out pretty fast and haven’t picked up a vampire book since. But I’m a fan of Rachel Harrison, and her unique take on horror, so I had to give it a go.
I loved this book. The ride or die friendship between Sloane and Naomi had me hooked. The fear of risk and refusal to rock the boat from Sloane hit home in a way I didn’t expect. Naomi’s free spirit nature had me exhausted just thinking about it but also wishing I had a friend like her. That aspect alone, and the growth between them made the book great. The vampires were just the icing on the cake.
Vampires are usually the bad guys. Monsters to be hunted down by Van Helsing or Buffy. I love the take of vampires just being people who struggle with their own issues, and happen to drink blood. No, this isn’t new. But Harrison changes the lore up a bit and adds depth. They’re not goody two shoes. They make mistakes. They also have morals and acknowledge that bad stuff happens. It can’t be prevented, especially when you’re still learning to control your thirst.
Just like life, all a new vampire can do is learn from her mistakes and try to do better next time. Oh, and maybe admit that sometimes you’re the problem.
Rating
5/5
Alicia Coast 