(3.5)

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for allowing me to read this ARC!

Content Warning: violence, death, underage drinking.


Theo and her brother, Marco, are not excited about spending their summer in gloomy Nightfall, Oregon. After Marco throws a huge party, destroying the house and nearly getting many of his friends arrested, it's their father's idea of a punishment and visit to his mom all rolled into one. Once they arrive, however, Theo is immediately and begrudgingly charmed by the small town, and once Marco meets the beautiful, intriguing Minnow, things start to get a little more interesting for the both of them. Theo, too, is enamored by a crush of her own, but she finds their grandmother a little strange, especially with her one important house rule: never stay out after dark. When Theo is drawn into Minnow's friend group, she quickly realizes that something about the girls is -- off, somehow. And by the end of her summer trip, she might be forced to confront the dark side of Nightfall.

These days, I don't mix much with most YA books. I just don't click with it anymore, probably because I'm not exactly the intended audience anymore. Sometimes, though, you just want to pick up something fun, feel transported back to your teenage years, and for me, In Nightfall is a great example of a book that does just those things. Originally, I was intrigued by the comparisons to The Lost Boys, especially the idea that this was a sort of gender-flipped version, but beyond that shallow first impression, it manages to find its own path -- something that a lot of books with big-name comparisons can't achieve.

Theo is our main character, as we get everything from her first-person perspective, but this is really more of an ensemble type of novel, particularly when it comes to the involvement of her brother, Marco, and their family unit. She's interesting enough, and very likable, with relatable problems that many teenagers (and even adults) will be able to sympathize with. One problem I found with the entire book, however, is that most of the characters don't feel very fleshed-out, and this issue mostly plagues Theo's crush, Parrish, and the group of "wild" girls that Theo and Marco both get involved with. The two characters who assist Theo in her quest to figure out what's going on in Nightfall (and potentially help her fight any monsters who may or may not be terrorizing the town) suffer from the same problem, and I think it feels especially noticeable when they're supposed to be the Edgar and Alan of Young's book.

With that being said, Young does an excellent job of maintaining the sensation of fun and adventure, and I was really rooting for Theo and her family. Young's exploration of changing family dynamics is also spot-on, although I do wish that there had been more time to follow up with Theo's strained relationship with her mother. Another element I have to compliment is the wonderful way that Young builds up the fake town; it feels somehow genuine and authentic, with little touches and details that add a quality of realness, while also managing to keep Nightfall mysterious and just slightly off-kilter.

What kept me from giving this four stars has to do with In Nightfall's girl gang. I was so excited to see how they would come alive on the page, but unfortunately, their allure was lukewarm for me. Truthfully, I was expecting (and hoping for) a deeper connection between Theo and the girls, especially with its comparison to The Lost Boys. In the film, it's easy to see why Michael falls under the spell of the boys, the classic tale of wanting to belong, even if it means fitting in with people who you don't truly like or get along with. Minnow, Annemarie and Beatrice are more like window-dressing, and their backstories and lives are never fully explored, something that would've made things far more interesting.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I think it'll gather a lot of fans. It isn't perfect, but it's never short of fun, and it's the kind of thing you want to reread when you're feeling down.

Fun! Fruity!! Ooky spooky vibes!! What’s not to love? I am so into the setting of this one and I hope we’ll get spin offs about the rich rich cast of side characters here— they’re all so compelling

In Nightfall, is a creepy, atmospheric YA horror that haunts its readers, but makes them question just what they’re being haunted by. If you’ve read the synopsis of this book, you’ll know it's pitched as The Lost Boys meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer and without being very familiar with both, I’d say that’s fairly accurate. In fact, this is pretty much just a gender-swapped retelling of The Lost Boys. Still, it’s great. It's campy and fun, and there is a truly badass grandmother in this. Books don’t have to be wholly unique to be a good time, and this proves it.

We follow Theo and her brother, Marco, during a summer vacation they are forced to spend in their father’s gloomy hometown of Rainfall, Oregon. As soon as we get to this place, the vibes are immaculate. There’s cute shops, a beach, and every house looks a little haunted. The other immediately great thing is Theo and Marco’s friendship. They are siblings who feel so realistic. They care about each other, they are embarrassed by each other, they lock each other in their bedrooms when they worry they’ve transformed into a bloodthirsty monster. There’s just a lot of heart in their little family dynamic, and it's hard to not to feel for Theo when her brother drifts away from her to hang out with Nightfall’s it girl.

If you’re at all familiar with the source material, you can guess where this goes. I personally thought this was all done really well. In the past, I have really struggled with naive teenage girl characters, because in this day and age, girls get it. But it works so well in this because Theo is being swindled by girls she believes are like her. Girls she believes have experienced the same things as her and want the same things as her. My only real issue was how much work it took on behalf of the other side characters to convince her something was wrong with the town. At first, when she thought she was the only one being gaslit, gatekept and girlbossed into thinking things were perfectly fine, it all made sense. But after a while, the repetition became a little much.

Speaking of this, my other complaint, still small, was the lack of development for the expansive cast of side characters. I was still trying to remember the names of all the freaky locals when the horror podcasters popped in out of nowhere. They all seemed surface-level interesting, but it never went deep enough. That being said, Suzanne Young please give me a whole series about these gay monster hunting podcasters. I am on my knees.

In the end, this is a solid 4.5/5 stars for me. As a proud member of the no plot just vibes community, I loved the slow build here, and I loved the fun action scenes that followed. I was genuinely spooked throughout, and was pleasantly surprised at how campy Suzanne Young got. It was a lot of fun, and will be a great spooky season read for teens!

5 stars ....for (fast, fun, simple plot/read)
Maybe it was just my mood but I loved the atmosphere in this story. I loved how mysterious in the beginning. The crushes were cute. It just fit my mood and was so fun to read. Sure there could have been more to it but, I did not care and throwing in a horror podcast! I wish they would have made the podcasters really funny and the ice cream worker even more dark and mysterious but i still had a great time with it.

Theo and Marco are dragged from Phoenix, AZ by their newly single dad back to his rainy hometown of Nightfall, OR after a divorce that left him lonely. There the kids meet their grandma, Nonna, for the first time. She seems a bit odd, but loving all the same.

The locals seem fairly inviting, but the town closes up at dusk. Local kids throw parties at the beach in the coming days before what they call The Midnight Dive. The Midnight Dive is an annual event that has an eerie ritual rumor surrounding it.

Minnow, a local girl, and her friends take a liking to Marco and Theo. Maybe a little too much.

Two hosts of a popular podcast come to town for an episode on the conspiracy of the town. After some strange events, Theo begins to ask questions and regrets not adhering to Nonna's rules.

__


It was advertised as The Lost Boys meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but felt more so like The Lost Boys meets The Coldest Girl in ColdTown.

It was predictable at times, and Theo and Marco were a bit naive, even for teens. Once I suspended my belief a little, the story flew by and was decently enjoyable! The father was very lax with the strict rules of his mother’s house, and it obviously went sour quickly.

Nonna was an icon, and I love her.

Overall, this is a very young YA story, but it was an entertaining time.

This book is perfect for those who enjoyed The Coldest Girl in ColdTown by Holly Black.

Thank you to Random House Children’s, Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the review copy!

This book felt like a gender-bending love letter to the movie The Lost Boys, and I LOVED it. The characters were great, the story was engaging and fun, I devoured this book. I felt like the pacing was perfect. I highly recommend this book to fans of the movie, The Lost Boys, and just vampire fans in general.

I’m going to start this by staying that vampire books are not my thing. They never have been something I was drawn too. And I told Suzanne this when she told me she was going to write this In Nightfall. But I also told her, if she wrote it, I would read it. And now I can say with 100% confidence that I am I’m so happy she wrote it and that she had me read it. As a huge fan of everything of Suzanne’s, this is one of the best books she has written. It had me on the end of my seat just turning page after page, it was that good!

In Nightfall is, as the description says, “The Lost Boys meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer”. The story starts when Theo, and her brother Marco, are forced to leave Arizona for the summer to go and stay with their grandmother in Nightfall, Oregon, a small town with under 850 souls in the populations. Both siblings have not spent much time with their strange, antisocial grandmother so living with her is an experience. She gives them one rule when they arrive, they must be home before it’s dark. But Theo and Marco like to live on the edge, after all that is why they are stuck in Nightfall, and want to make their summer unforgettable. Instead of abiding by their grandmother’s rule they venture out and meet town local Minnow and her crew. Unfortunately for them Minnow and company aren’t exactly what they appear to be. By the end of summer Theo and Marco will be wishing one thing…that they listed to the superstitious grandmother and got home before dark.

I was a huge fan of the movie The Lost Boys and this In Nightfall had so many of the things I loved about the movie that I was immediately endeared to the story. Suzanne did a fabulous job of bringing out the nostalgia of movie but also making it her own. As I was reading I would be able to notice a scene in the book that was inspired by the movie but with a Suzanne Young twist, like the lead being female instead of male. It made it feel like it was a fresh and different take on a familiar story. The way she wrote the story of Theo and Marco was perfectly done, and yes, I’m being vague on purpose, and it was so easy to become obsessed with the story on these pages.

In the end, In Nightfall, was exactly the kind of vampire book I can find myself enjoying. There was nothing over the top. There was a great plot and just amazing writing. It was everything I expect to get from a Young book, with the addition of vampires. It’s hard to explain exactly why I loved this story and why I think you would without giving anything away, but just know this is one that you shouldn’t miss. You’ll thank me, I hope!

4⭐️
What do we get while visiting the town of Nightfall?

☑️ Creepy Town
☑️ Weird Towns People
☑️ Worrisome Legend about Drowning
☑️ Creepy but Beautiful Girls
☑️ A Hardened Nonna Who Will Come Through For You in the End
☑️ Wooden Stakes
☑️ Possibly Vampires
☑️ Ghost Facers (please tell me you get this reference)
☑️ Lost Boys meets Buffy

I quite enjoyed this. The pacing was a tad slow in some places but I was here for this creepy town with its beautiful girls. I was also a little worried about who was actually going to survive the story. The ending did come quick but it closed out the town and story nicely.

If you are needing a quick, YA, vampire read, give this one a try 🖤

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

In Nightfall follows teen Theo and her brother Marco as they visit the mysterious town of Nightfall, where they will spend the summer with their grandmother as punishment for throwing a party.

I feel like I’m always on the lookout for the next vampire novel that will change my life, and while In Nightfall wasn’t that, it was still a fun vampire read. Though often predictable, the story was still entertaining, with gender-swapped Lost Boys vibes and a relatively intriguing mystery at the heart of the vampiric goings-on in the town. The writing itself is perfectly fine, although there are some characters who I would have liked to have seen developed a little more. Even so, I think this book will definitely find its following, as it was certainly a quick, fun read with a decent amount of vampires.

Thank you to Netgalley, Suzanne Young and Delacorte Press for an e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I was so excited to get my hands on this book based on the blurb. I grew up absolutely loving Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I really enjoyed the dynamics and banter in the beginning of this book but once the family got to Nightfall, everything started to go downhill. I feel like this book was a great idea but poorly executed. I felt like pacing was a major issue; halfway through things really seemed to slow down. As a result, the ending feels really rushed.

I wish I would have skipped this one.

Theo and Marco have been uprooted from their warm and comfortable Arizona home to Nightfall Oregon due to a giant party foul. Nightfall is a quaint little town near the water that rarely has any sunlight and mostly rains.

Upon arrival the two meet “the girls” of the town and from there hell comes free. These girls who are more like super models than high schoolers are magnetic in their pull. Marco is in it to win it from the beginning but Theo is a little more apprehensive as is their grandmother. A women they just met for the first time ever is short but spunky and is cryptic and a whole lot creepy, I fell in love with her instantly.

As the story progresses things happen and by the end it is definitely more of a Heathers meets Twilight situation. Most of the characters in the book are very interesting, I loved the podcasters. I felt it could have been a shorter book honestly as not much happens and it does at times drag on. Once everything starts to come out in the open it’s over in a snap, a little disappointed in that.

All in all I did love the writing as everyone was very natural in their conversations which always makes or breaks the characters for me. I would recommend this book highly as a quick read that will give some good nostalgia for any 80’s-90’s kids out there.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s, Delacorte Press for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this one! The twists and reveals were so well done, and I liked finding things out with our main character, Theo. Will absolutely recommend this one to those looking for mystery and supernatural.

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.

After their parents divorce, Theo and her brother Marco spend their summer at their dads childhood home in Nightfall. This little town is cute and cloudy, but things are not as they first seem. Because when grandma tells you that you should be scared of the dark, you better listen. Because that’s where the monsters hide.

Described as The Lost Boys meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this book is a dark and fast paced urban fantasy with things that go bump in the dark. This book was full of great vibes, and I found myself very invested in Theos life. Overall I liked this cast of characters, and the story. I have enjoyed the author's earlier works, and I’m so happy this one was just as entertaining.

But speaking of the character - one thing that irked me a bit was when something was so obvious for the reader, while the character was absolutely clueless. Some things were just so predictable that it just felt weird that the character didn’t realize it. Also the ending felt a bit rushed and underdeveloped. I would have liked a little more build-up for it.

In Nightfall is overall a very fun and quick read, and sometimes that’s all that matters. There’s horror elements, but nothing so bad that the scaredy-cat in me couldn’t handle it. If you’re looking for a supernatural YA urban fantasy, consider picking up this book for a good time.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Suzanne Young, and publisher Random House Children's-- Delacorte Press for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

First of all, can we please appreciate that COVER?!?!?! It is SO insanely good and completely drew me to the novel, even though I'm not a big fan of vampire novels. I did enjoy this read though! It had all the good makings of a YA-- some teen angst, romance, mean girl dynamics, family drama, and finding yourself. It also had all the good makings of a suspense-- mysterious teenagers, creepy town vibe, unknown town history. I think that this would be a great read in the fall/near Halloween, and I feel like this could be a really cool show or movie that had an aesthetic similar to the cover! However, it fell just a bit flat for me. I love character development, and while we got to see some for Theo, I think many of the characters just fell flat. The book just read a bit surface level in terms of the story and characters, and I found myself wishing it took some more risks. Once the vampires finally came out to play, it started picking up, but then it felt too rushed towards the end. I thought the conclusion was way rushed overall, although I did appreciate one last twist that I genuinely wasn't expecting. Even spending time with Theo as the narrator, I didn't really get a sense of who she was beyond her having struggles with her parents' divorce and missing her friends back home. This was a fun, quick read that did have a lot of spooky elements that I think will appear to teens, but a lack of character development prevented me from being fully invested in the story.

Welcome to Nightfall, Oregon, where the girls are pretty and the atmosphere is.. killer. Theodora and Marco Maggione have just arrived to spend the summer with their father in Nightfall, where he grew up, and meet their mysterious grandmother. Right away, the two are taken with the group of beautiful, otherworldly young people they meet in the town. Theo and Marco aren't used to this kind of attention, but they definitely enjoy it. It isn't long before Marco is no longer acting like himself, and Theo sees some things that lead her to question who her new clique really is. Will the Maggione siblings be able to survive In Nightfall ?

This book is definitely for a younger audience, but I still got a kick out of reading it. No new ground was really tread here, but it's a super fast and fun take on the vampire trope. There is some adult language and mild gore, so I'd recommend this one for ages 15+. Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for the chance to review this advance copy. In Nightfall publishes 3/28/23.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 3.5/5 stars.

This was a mid read. I loved the concept and felt serious Buffy vibes along with some gravity falls inspo (it’s always the PNW). Our main character finds herself n a quaint town in Oregon for the summer after her and her brother royally mess up while dealing with the divorce of their parents…but of course this town isn’t what it seems.

There’s romance, queen bees, a mystery to be solved, and some maybe possibly dead bodies? Oh, and the grandmother who is superstitious but won’t give any explanation besides just that they need to listen to her.

I liked it. It was a good thriller but I also think about 1/4 of the book is unnecessary for the plot. The ending was my favorite part with the serious buffy vibes…but I also have SO many questions and things didn’t get developed as well as I wish they would. I could def see this being a mini series or a movie though.

When reading a YA book I always have to read the book with a completely different view. A teenage protagonist is always going to do and act completely different than an adult and so you can't judge them like you would an adult. Now, with that being said I really enjoyed this book. Advertised as a cross between Lost Boys and Buffy the Vampire slayer, two pieces of pop culture I absolutely adored as a teen, so I really wanted to read this. I do think it leaned more toward Lost Boys than Buffy, but it gave off 80/90s horror vibes in a very modern way.

Theodora (Theo) was a great protagonist, even if I didn't always agree with some of the choices she made. Most of the story was a little obvious but I don't think that Young was trying to hide anything. Young's worldbuilding was great, the author was able to deliver history about Nightfall without info dumping it all on you and even making it interesting.

I almost didn't think I would like the book since the first half had a lot of setup and was just a little slow, it's the second half of the book that really shines. Once the fun and chaos started I didn't want it to stop, I practically raced through the book in one sitting, something that I have not done in a long while. It was such an enthralling, fast-paced, joyride. I now wish I had a grandma as cool and badass as Nonna is, although Theo's dad really needs to answer some of my questions.

Overall, a dark and fun rollercoaster.

This was a quick and enjoyable read. I really liked Theo and Marco, and their relationship with each other. It did take a bit to get to the juicy vampire bits, but that didn't really bother me. I loved that Theo got to meet two of her favorite podcasters, and really enjoyed the episode we got to see on the page and read all about the weirdness of Nightfall.

Once all the vampirery stuff comes out everything starts happening pretty fast, and at any given point I wasn't sure which one of the characters would be making it to the end of the book. There are plenty of unexpected twists and turns, and their grandma who prefers to be called Nonna became one of my favorite people, she is super badass.

Thank you to Net Galley and Suzanne Young for an ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

I really enjoyed this book! At some points I felt confused but overall really liked the setting and the writing. It was such a fun read!