The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

Black, Holly. (2013). The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. New York: Little Brown and Co.

Yet another vampire book for young adults! Thankfully this one stands out among the rest due to the engaging storyline and characters created by author Holly Black. The story follows Tana, a young teenager, who believes she may have been "infected" with the virus that causes you to turn into a vampire. What is interesting about this book is the fact that vampires have become a cool thing for young people to want to become despite the government's efforts to all but eliminate them from society by creating these "Coldtowns." In this dystopian world, people still flock to these towns on the outskirts of society to enter in and offer themselves to the vampires inside even though there's a chance they may never leave. As Tana finds herself mixed up with a mysterious boy (who we later find out is an ancient vampire bent on revenge) and three other teenagers (including her ex-boyfriend) who are dying to leave their normal mortal lives behind and become vampires, she is led on one adventure after another and eventually finds herself in a Coldtown. Will she eventually turn or defy the odds to escape unharmed back into normal society?

I enjoyed the different take on the whole vampire story and also the suspense this story leads you on as you wonder if Tana will turn. I also liked the relationship that developed between Tana and Gabriel, the dark and mysterious ancient vampire. The author includes various types of relationships: gay, straight, bi, and transgender.

Holly Black's website:
http://blackholly.com

Book trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0nSwPPI3qo