Thank you to Page Street Publishing for granting me access to this title.
What worked for me- I definitely had my vampire fiction phase as a teenager so this whole premise sounded exciting. The female friendships, the sapphic romance, I was fascinated by the implications and exploration of being turned at specific ages and in certain eras.
What didn’t work for me: the romance was...rushed? It felt a little instalove to me which isn’t always my scene. The big thing for me was probably the execution.
This is one of those cases where I think I set my expectations a little high and I let myself down rather than the book itself. And I just feel bad because I specifically emailed the publisher to be granted access to this book because I was so excited, it just wasn’t what I was hoping. I guess I was wanting it to be more unapologetic and vampiric or even more stereotypical in the vampires but a lot of the vampiric rules and norms were adjusted or changed in ways that just felt arbitrary to me just to make things more difficult.
Also, vampire books for me work best when they either truly embrace vampires being baddies or when they work out how to make them not kill people and therefore good, but like, it felt like in this one, the author couldn’t make up her mind. Holly has a code about only killing creepers and giving them a chance to run and the whole plot revolves around the girls wanting to stop Elton because he’s selfish and he’s just going to keep making more vampires and hurting people and manipulating them but then like you’ve got Stacey killing her cult without batting an eye and Ida’s gruesome art projects. There were so many moments where I was just left wanting Hartl to commit one way or another. It just made it all muddier for me. Like yeah, they are vampires and girls who didn’t deserve what Elton did to them but there were moments when it was harder to feel sympathetic. The Lost Girls just came off a little messy to me and that was a shame. I feel like if it really committed to a direction: campy, bloody, villainous, feel-good, romantic, or melancholy, it could have really done well. But as it was, it wasn’t executed as well as I would have liked.
I would say that I read this while listening to the new Billie Eilish and Halsey albums and it was a whole vibe and I highly recommend those that can read and listen to music at the same time repeat the experience. You’ll have a great time. I also listened to Halsey’s Badlands and that was also great for this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the eARC of this gore-geous and sapphic vampire novel with serious bite! I fell in love with the cover at first glance and was instantly reminded of the movie of a similar name but different gender-- and it turns out that was a stellar play; the novel gives us Holly, who was made into a vampire in 1987 at the young age of 16 years old. Her crimped hair tells the story of another lifetime as she slaves away in her nightly food service job, giving us a less glamorous view into the life of the turned and the unfamous. Unlike her media counterparts, Holly is straight up not having a good time. That is, until she forms a revenge plot with the other victims of her sire.

Elton, a gaslighting and cradle-robbing bloodsucker, left a trail of scorned women in his wake. Holly, Ida, and Rose team up to save the girl he has now set his sights on: Parker. Before her, Holly had reservations about taking the soulless being she once loved out. But suddenly, feelings develop between the human girl and the vampire. This was so exciting to me as a pansexual in a f/f relationship; vampires have always been my favorite supernatural creature, and most novels about them form romances between two members of the opposite sex-- a la Twilight. This is the kind of gay horror representation I've been looking for, and it was a thrilling and bloody ride. The story unfolded like a train without a conductor, and it was absolutely impossible to put down.

A beautiful mix of John Tucker Must Die with a tantalizing Buffy twist; The Lost Girls is a YA romance novel for a new generation. It shines with its dark humor, quirky nature, and intelligent characters-- not to mention a slow burn connection that is absolutely to die for. Sonia also did a beautiful job of exploring what it is to be in an abusive relationship, and how important communicating with your loved ones is in that situation, be it found family or blood relation. Isolation gets pretty lonely, especially in thirty four years. Holly would be more than happy to tell you that. Her growth mirrored some of my own, and it was a complete delight to experience.

When Elton Irving turned Holly Liddell into a vampire in 1987, he promised her eternal love. But thirty-four years later, Elton has left her, her hair will be crimped for the rest of immortality, and the only job she can get as a forever-sixteen-year-old is the midnight shift at Taco Bell.

Holly’s afterlife takes an interesting turn when, she meets Rose McKay and Ida Ripley. Having also been turned and discarded by Elton—Rose in 1954, and Ida, his ex-fiancée, in 1921—they want to help her, and ask for her help in return.

Rose and Ida are going to kill Elton before he turns another girl. Though Holly is hurt and angry with Elton for tossing her aside, she’s reluctant to kill her ex, until Holly meets Parker Kerr—the new girl Elton has set his sights on—and feels a quick, and nerve-wracking attraction to her.

The Lost Girls is a highly entertaining sapphic vampire romance and contemporary novel that really resonated with me. It’s the type of book that you just have to devour.

Hartl has this really funny and witty writing style that draws you in straight away. It opens with this utterly unglamorous view of teenage vampirism, hilariously dispelling any expectations you may have going in. From there on, Hartl keeps this darkly comic tone that infuses the story with so much humour and heart that makes you utterly fall in love with the book. Vampirism is discussed so casually, with quite a lot of death and blood galore. They are blood-sucking creatures after all, so they will leave a trail of death behind them. It has such strong What We Do in the Shadows vibes to it, which I absolutely adored. The writing style is so pacy and constantly flowing, making this a very easy book to binge in one sitting. Alongside the humour, there is also plenty of suspense and tension that keeps the pages turning and the reader completely enthralled.

This is also a deeply feminist book. I’d be inclined to describe it as a sapphic, vampiric John Tucker Must Die. There’s that ongoing thread of revenge and a kind of poetic justice. Elton is a slimy, manipulative figure that you just utterly loathe. Interestingly Hartl uses the symbol of the male vampires to encapsulate abusive and predatory men. We see through Holly’s moral code that human men can be just as monstrous, as she only kills men who are sexually harassing her or other women. The vampire counterparts of these men are just as manipulative, with an interesting take on the Nice Guy trope being exhibited. These men feel entitled to the women they prey upon, with Elton literally treating his female victims as his property and also as being completely disposable. The cycle of violence and abuse is thoroughly explored here, primarily through the chain of his victims. He goes after a particular type: the titular Lost Girls of society. Therefore, Hartl uses these supernatural symbols to provide fascinating and timely social commentary that only hits harder when you consider the culture and environment these women are stuck in. Elton’s actions and attitudes have not changed through the years and are still reflected in his modern-day counterparts.

On the flipside, Hartl also explores the power of female solidarity and friendship. It is only by coming together that these women can take down Elton once and for all. This leads to some amazing dialogue and really interesting dynamics. Each woman has such a different reaction to her immortality, but they’re all ultimately connected by their brutal ending of their human lives. There’s so much potential and longing for what could have been, leading to some heart-breaking moments. This is a book that really ruminates on memory and how our past affects our present. Rose, Ida and Holly are such three-dimensional and lovable characters that really jumped off the page and into my heart. Elton’s next intended victim, Parker, is also an intriguing character. She’s mired in her own circumstances, which have left her isolated from the world and deeply pessimistic. Her vulnerability is what draws Elton’s eye and it is made abundantly clear how depraved and disgusting that is. However, I absolutely loved the dynamic between her and Holly. Their chemistry is so well-matched and their dialogue crackled with flirtatious, funny and empathetic sparkle. I also liked how Hart explored the secrets buried within their relationship and the intrinsically odd dynamic of their ages.

The Lost Girls is an absorbing and alluring tale that explores female rage, solidarity, and friendship. It’s a darkly comic sapphic vampire romance that will make you fall in love.

I liked this book and appreciated the way the author expanded upon traditional vampire lore. The writing was fine, and Holly's voice was distinct. I loved the relationship between Holly and Elton's previous conquests Rose and Ida--and the revenge plot storyline was great. However, I felt like the book jumped the shark when suddenly Holly is falling for Payton. Their romance never really felt authentic to me, and it didn't move me. The book would have been so much stronger if it remained an us versus him, Thelma and Louise-type of story showcasing strong female friendships born out of a quest for revenge/freedom. I also never really got the appeal of Elton. Why did he have these women so wrapped up in him? Why were they willing to lose everything to be with him? He just seemed ho-hum to me. Although I enjoyed the book and was really into it when I started reading, it left me feeling a bit disappointed in the end.

This short read is about three vampire girl's, from three generations, who all once loved the same vampire boy. The rules of vampirism are different in this book - they can go out in sunlight; garlic and stakes don't hurt them; and they don't need an invitation to enter. But they are compelled to follow their maker, staying within the same city. Holly, Ida, and Rose are tired of following Elton around, and now he has led them back to their home town, where he plans to turn another teen girl. But they think they've finally found a way to kill him first.

This is a fun book. I loved the generational and style differences between the three main girls, Holly, Ida, and Rose. Parker, the next teen girl that Elton has his eye on, was a great character, and she and Holly were adorable together.

I loved Ida's art projects - appropriately macabre.

On the other hand, the *three* mentions of the vampire Gwen and kitten heads was overkill for me. Once was enough to get the point across that she was sadistic.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the free ARC.

This sounds like a good premise, but for whatever reason, I can't get the netgalley to work! I've tried several times and it never shows up. Sorry book. You sounded really good!

This review will be posted on Goodreads and The Wellesley News; the links will be added once they're up. I will also be talking about this book in my TikToks!

I first heard about this book when Sonia Hartl posted a Twitter meme about it. I think it might have been “how it started / how it’s going” with her original idea for the book in an old tweet and the book deal announcement. I’ve been excited for it ever since.
Holly has been 16 years old since 1987. She was turned into a vampire by Elton, who promised her a life of immortality and love, but now, 34 years later, he’s dumped her. When Holly meets Rose and Ida, two vampires who were also lured in by Elton, they ask Holly a favor: kill Elton before he turns his next victim. Holly’s not too sure about this plan … until she meets the girl Elton is targeting.
I mean, this is everything you could possibly want in a vampire book. Fun revenge story, gratuitous violence, some classic debunking of vampire myths (though nothing quite on the level of the sparkly vampires in Twilight). And the main cast of girls are literally all queer. I simply think this was incredible.
The Lost Girls is a very quick read (my digital copy was about 250 pages) perfect for anyone living through the Twilight renaissance. I can’t wait to hold a copy of this book in my hands.
I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Page Street Kids for responding to my ARC request incredibly quickly; no, seriously, it took less than a week.

The Lost Girls is described as a John Tucker Must Die style revenge with scorned vampire ladies! This premise immediately had me hooked as it is so very common within vampire fantasy that eternal love is, well, forever. It was so refreshing to see a realistic take on what would happen if a teenager was caught up in the supernatural; and the fact that Holly is stuck with crimped hair for eternity has me second guessing all my fashion choices (y’know just in case) 😉

What I primarily loved about this book was how easy it was to read. It’s quite short with a conversational flow that made me feel totally engaged but it mainly made me feel nostalgic. It connected to my teenage vampire heart that I’ve never truly let go of 😅 it had laugh out loud moments (seriously if I had to work in a fast food restaurant even after death I’d be fuming) and the character descriptions were amazing!!! I have a soft spot in my heart for the vampire ladies Ida and Rose and in all honesty I wanted even more of them! To see the three girls actually create a bond together was so heartwarming!

And how could I not mention that this book also has LGBTQ+ rep!!! Yes that’s right one of our vampy ladies falls for the human girl her ex lover is trying to turn!!! Every scene with these two girls has me giggling and smiling like an idiot it was so wholesome! Honestly I thoroughly enjoyed this book and quite literally consumed it. If you’re a vampire girl like me it’s a must, especially if you’re in the mood for something more YA!!!

While the title might bring to mind Kiefer Sutherland, Correy Feldman, and the classic teenage horror/paranormal movies of the 1980's, this is definitely not a story about The Lost Boys. This story is for the teenage girls-turned vampires that give away their humanity for boys that promise an eternity of passion, devotion, and true love. But let's get real, forever is a long time, and do promises really extend to eternity? Definitely not in vampire Holly Liddell's afterlife. Holly was sucked into Ezra Irving's orbit in 1987, trading her mortal life for the promise of eternal love. Thirty-four years have passed and all Holly is left with is permanently crimped hair and the the only job a forever-sixteen-year-old girl can really get - a minion at Taco Hell. However, when Holly meets two of Ezra's other banged-fanged-hanged out to dry exes, they offer her help and friendship, and in return, ask for her help to kill Ezra before he can ruin another girls life. The relationship between these Lost Girls gets complicated when Holly starts to get the feels for Ezra's newest conquest, Parker, who the girls are trying to protect. This book is full of wicked humor, perpetual angst, and big feminine energy and rage. It's a must for anyone who has experienced the pain of broken promises and lost love AND the euphoric flutterings of new love.. They're calling this book John Tucker Must Die with a feminist girl gang of vampires, and while it is that, it's also The Lost Boys all of us girls really wanted all along.

I was very excited to receive an ARC of the Lost Girls and I loved it. I loved the Sapphic romance. I also loved the found family and themes of forging your own future despite your past. The characters were all fantastic and wonderfully developed. Each of the girls had their own interesting backstories with the mistakes that brought them all together. I also loved how the vampire lore was made in this one. It felt unique and was an interesting portrayal of vampires. There was a lot of humor and emotion to this book. This was a phenomenal book with a lot of twists that kept me glued to the pages.

I would like to thank the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

I love this book! I was immediately sold when this book was described as John Tucker Must Die meets vampires. I stayed for the found family storyline, letting go of the past and building your own future despite your past.
This book is going to be so big once it’s released and I’m so happy I’ve had the opportunity to read it before it’s release!