Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Following a deadly indiscretion, vampire siblings Charlotte and Reginald Drake, who have been undead teenagers for over a century, are sentenced by the vampire elders to the worst punishment imaginable: mortal life. Stripped of their vampiric abilities, they're sent to live in boring Nowhere under irascible, retired vampire slayer Salvador's supervision. Attending Hope High School, the siblings attempt--with mixed success--to blend in with their fellow students, finding both friends and potential romances, even as they petition the elders for a retrial to regain their immortality. Charlotte and Reginald soon stumble upon a Nowhere secret that could potentially return them to their former glory while circumventing the retrial, but when they realize this ancient and powerful magic comes at a high price, they must decide what they're willing to give up for a new lease on undead life. Though the protagonists' characterizations feel thin and the worldbuilding lacks depth, Lange (The Chaos of Now) deftly balances the siblings' fish-out-of-water hijinks with the underlying drama and intrigue surrounding their former existences and Nowhere's history, humorously subverting the classic vampire genre. Major characters read as white. Ages 13--up. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (Sept.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up--Charlie and Reg did something so terrible, they have been sentenced to a fate worse than eternal death (mostly because they have already experienced that and had a little too much fun). They are siblings and teenage vampires, but now must live as mortals with a legendary vampire slayer as their guardian, in the literal middle of Nowhere, Iowa. As the two find a group of friends that make being human almost bearable, they are possibly given another chance to regain their immortality, but will they give up life to live again in the afterlife? Charlie is written with a dry sense of humor and her relationship with her brother Reg is fun to read, as they both navigate high school life after centuries as vampires. This creates humorous moments (such as Charlie showing up to school realizing her leather outfit does not fit in with the casual country attire of her classmates) in an overall paranormal read with some horror moments. The book moves slower as characters are established and the early scenes are set but builds to a thrilling and devastating conclusion that will keep readers engaged until the end. VERDICT A worthy purchase for high school collections where newer horror/paranormal and vampire novels are popular.--Molly Dettmann
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Vampire siblings are turned back into mortal teenagers and forced to attend high school in Nowhere, Iowa. Charlotte and her brother, Reginald, have been vampires for a century now, but after Charlie almost kills a human and Reg gets involved, their punishment is to become mortal again. Charlie tries repeatedly to persuade the Elders to make them back into vampires. In the meantime, they reluctantly agree to attend Hope High School. Charlie's assumption that she'll fit right in as the new queen bee is quickly dashed, but eventually she and Reg make friends, find love interests, and start to appreciate certain aspects of human life like sunlight and coffee. When the opportunity to regain her immortality finally comes but with severe stipulations, Charlie has to decide who she truly wants to be. Charlie's first-person narration is inviting and amusing as she walks a fine line between confident and egotistical. Her growth drives the story, though some of her changes feel too abrupt. However, the tale falls into tired tropes: Reg is lovable but ultimately comes across as an underdeveloped queer sidekick, and the ending of his story arc is unsatisfying. An important paranormal power is briefly explained as originating from a long-ago Indigenous woman. Enough is left open at the end of the book for a potential sequel, but it comes at the detriment of this story, which is left feeling incomplete with underexplored worldbuilding. Main characters are implied White. A compelling premise that lacks needed depth. (Paranormal. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
