What’s a boy to do–in Caleb Roehrig’s YA paranormal romance The Fell of Dark–when his crush is a hot vampire with a mystery to solve? The only thing August Pfeiffer hates more than algebra is living in a vampire town. Located at a nexus of mystical energy fields, Fulton Heights is practically an electromagnet for supernatural drama. And when a mysterious (and annoyingly hot) vampire boy … annoyingly hot) vampire boy arrives with a cryptic warning, Auggie suddenly finds himself at the center of it.
An ancient and terrible power is returning to the earthly realm, and somehow Auggie seems to be the only one who can stop it.
more
With The Fell of Dark, Caleb Roehrig gives us a queer story in a fun blend of genres. It has bits of fantasy, thriller, and contemporary YA and feels like watching a season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but Buffy is a gay art student.
This book was not what I expected at all, but I was enthralled with what I found. Much like Buffy, this book has a sarcastic sense of humor, a healthy dose of teen angst and romance, and a looming apocalypse. The world building is exceptional, as we’re introduced to bits of vampire lore and the different sects of vampires in small, steady doses. We also see glimpses of historical figures and learn slowly how they relate to the situation in which we find our hero, Auggie. Oh, and this story has witches too!
It’s a fun read and a well-crafted story. Auggie is all too relatable as our main character who has to worry about vampires, college, his friends, boys, and worst of all, Algebra. The way he processes his situation feels authentic. The themes of changing friendships, wondering who to trust, and the fight to control one’s own destiny are evergreen in YA, and Roehrig offers a fresh and creative take on them. He also expands into some political and environmental ideas and musings on immortality.
I gave this novel three bloodsucking stars.
I had really high hopes for this one, but by the time I finished I felt more … annoyed?
Don’t get me wrong, there are great things about this book, but there are just about as many not so great things.
In a nutshell, this book is about a gay teen named Auggie Pfieffer living in Fulton Heights, a hotspot for vampires due to the Nexus present. Still, like any gay kid his age he wants to find his place in the world and his first boyfriend. But when he receives a bizarre warning from a vampire, his life is turned upside down. According to the vampire, he is going to end the world. Is this all just one big joke, or is there really something to be concerned about?
I enjoyed the writing style of this book. It’s witty, full of sarcastic metaphors, and blends pretty well for the most part. That was the thing that really drew me in at first.
Also, how could you not like Auggie? A sassy gay main character? We need a lot more of those in the world! His viewpoint made sense in the beginning. He just wants to live his life without all the supernatural craziness of the town getting to him. But when stuff really starts hitting the fan, Auggie made quite a few bad decisions.
Obviously I don’t expect him to be a saint. He is a teen after all, but I found he was a bit too willing to put himself in danger or make hasty decisions, which made certain situations worse or didn’t make enough sense.
I liked the best friend Adriana and her abuela, as well as Daphne. They stuck to their personalities pretty well.
The plot was intriguing at first, but I think by the halfway point I felt there was too much going on. There were way too many interested parties in Auggie’s plight, and that really muddied things up and made it confusing. Also, I found that at a certain point the plot followed an annoying pattern, which was plot point, drama fest, plot point, drama fest.
Yes, yes, Auggie is a gay teen and that often includes drama, but there’s only so much a reader can take. After a while it felt like he was just whining about his circumstances for the hell of it.
Lately the new YA books I’ve been reading have followed this trend of teens being overly emotional like this, but I don’t completely buy it. Not all teens are complete emotional messes, and it would’ve been nice to see Auggie calm down and get his crap together at some point.
Was this book fun? Yes. Annoying? Yes. Worth a read? Not completely sure, but it could be the right reading journey for you if you like all things YA, LGBT, and vampire.
Vampires in a small town, the lines between the living and the undead blurring as August, a gay high school student, starts becoming overwhelmed by mysterious visions and dreams. Somehow, he’s found himself at the center of a nexus of supernatural power, and he’s the only one who can stop an ancient evil.
This book had an intense ticking clock that kept me flying through the pages; a keep-you-up-late mystery layered in paranormal romance. Roehrig has such a distinctive voice, and I found myself wanting to highlight his one-liners. I absolutely LOVE vampires when they’re done well, and he does them WELL. They’re scary, sexy, a little monstrous, a little human. HIGHLY recommend, but don’t start this book right before bed unless you don’t have an early morning. It’s not easily put down!