If you’re looking for a fun and fast paced vampire book, this is for you! It follows Theodora and Marco, whose father takes them to his hometown of Nightfall, Oregon for the summer. The population is less than a thousand people and there are many legends about the place, including missing girls and things that come out after dark. When they start hanging out with some of the townspeople, they quickly realize that something is amiss.

I loved following Theo as she uncovered clues about what was really going on in the town. The spooky vibes were great and there were some good side characters, including a badass grandmother and two famous murder mystery podcasters. There were some good reveals and action packed moments and this can easily be read in less than a day. Overall really enjoyed!

Thank you to Random House Children’s and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Random House Children’s, Delacorte Press, and Suzanne Young for this free advanced review copy of this book. The thoughts and opinions expressed below are honest and my own.

What I liked about the book:
1. I liked the sarcasm and the relationship between Theo and her brother Marco. It was genuine and believable.

2. I absolutely adored Nonna, especially after she told Theo her history in the town! She was a total badass.

What could have been better:
1. I was definitely lured by the cover and blurb on this one. Given The Lost Boys and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the Kristy Swanson and Luke Perry version) were two of my favorite movies when I was younger, I figured this would be a slam dunk.

What I didn’t figure was the book would feel like someone took The Lost Boys and made it into a Mad Lib for the author to fill out. It was especially hard to ignore in the first couple of chapters that this was a gender swapped, shot for shot remake of the film at times. Instead of the references being a “cool! I get that one!” they were very…cringy. Maybe if I hadn’t just watched the movie 2 weeks ago, I wouldn’t have caught as many of the comparisons and my thoughts on this would be a bit different?

However, I also didn’t feel there was much Buffy the Vampire Slayer­-ness to it other than fighting a bunch of vampires in a prom dress. Perhaps I’m missing something because I’m over 20 years late watching the television show, but I honestly don’t think so.

2. I liked the podcast and mystery ideas within the story, but I didn’t feel they were utilized to their potential. I didn’t really understand what the point was of her even listening to the first episode of the podcast focusing on the town if she had already met the podcasters and formed a relationship with them. I also didn’t understand why they mentioned episode two would drop and then that never went anywhere.

I felt like this was a check-the-box exercise in throwing a podcast into a story, which I’ve seen a lot more of recently. Other than perhaps trying to create a vibe reminiscent of Serial for murder mystery books or trying to show characters as relatable by listening to podcasts, I’m not sure what the theory is behind including this trait now and rarely do I see it executed well.

3. Unfortunately, the book didn’t really get exciting for me until the big reveal we all knew was coming at around the 70% mark. The romance was bleh, the characters besides Nonna were bleh, and the plot was predictable. Overall, just not for me.

4. I hate being THIS PERSON, but this definitely could have used another round of editing. A couple slips are absolutely no problem for me, but constant sentences where you can tell a word was supposed to be deleted stagnate the flow and bring me out of the story altogether.

Final Thoughts: Overall, just not for me.

Final Rating: 2 stars

I was definitely interested in this book because of the book cover and the synopsis. The Lost Boys meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Yes! Here’s what I thought:

+ I like the mysteriousness of the Oregon town, Nightfall. Something seems off to Theo but she doesn’t know what it is. I love the setting and I did like the addition of the paranormal podcasters which sets the tone for something spooky and amiss possibly going on in Nightfall.

+ I like the Theo and Marco sibling connection. I got a good sense of their family bond and the recent challenges in their broken family. And I like how Theo fights for Marco when things start to hit the fan.

+ The story moves quick and I thought it was an easy read.

~ Some issues I had with the story was that I wanted more action, wanted more danger, and wanted more tension. The villains didn’t come off super dangerous until the end climactic scene. I like my vamps to be dangerous – I want to be scared, but I wasn’t.

~ I didn’t get why Theo’s grandmother was so hostile and couldn’t help them out by telling them more about the town. If it’s to keep everything mysterious, it didn’t work, it just made me frustrated. She comes through in the end but honestly a little heads up on some of the things going in town would’ve been helpful to Theo and Marco.

Tropes: small town

Why you should read it:
*set in a small town, a gender-bent The Lost Boys (vampires)
*quick, easy read, lots of mystery and in the end some vampire slaying

Why you might not want to read it:
*for me, I just wanted more from the story- more action, more danger

My Thoughts:

This was an okay read for me but I love the cover and the nods to The Lost Boys and Buffy. I just wish it had more spooky vibes and more danger but overall it was entertaining.

Unfortunately this book was a DNF for me. And while It wasn't bad, and I wouldn't sway anyone from reading it, it just didn't resonate with me. One of my fellow booksellers LOVED it however so I would def defer to them in hand-selling this title. Thank you for letting me give it a chance!

If you are looking for some true '80s nostalgia with a Gen Z twist, pick up Suzanne Young's In Nightfall. Young takes the cult classic from the 1980's The Lost Boys (starring a young Kiefer Sutherland) and brings it into the 2020's. Readers who have seen or at least familiar with the original storyline will be able to guess how the story will unfold, but those who aren't will not be disappointed. From strong females to eerie moments of dread, In Nightfall brings a highly enjoyable read on the typical teen vampire genre. When a brother and sister-duo are dragged unwillingly to their divorced dad's hometown, they have no idea what make the quaint seaside hamlet so appealing and yet spooky. After falling in with strangers their sassy grandma, Nonna, warns them about, Theo and her brother Marco struggle to fight the alluring "cool girls" led by Minnow. The story unfolds at a great, slow-burn pace that has the reader even questioning if Theo's mind is playing tricks on her. I highly recommend this to teens who are sick of the angsty teenage vampire faire and want some slick vamps who they might be dying to join.

This was great. I loved the idea of a reverse [redacted.]. I don't want to spoil because I went in totally unspoiled and it was a great reveal. I loved how Young did the mini-twists and the ending. The two siblings (Theo and her brother Marco) had a great relationship and I found myself very invested in Theo figuring out what was going on in Nightfall and everyone getting out alive. Only reason I didn't give it a full 5 stars is the book drags here and there.

Theo and Marco get in trouble after Marco does a huge summer party at their father's house. As punishment, their father has them all go to Oregon for the summer to visit their maternal grandmother they have never met. What follows is the two teens dealing with the mysterious town of Nightfall...where the residents don't stay out after dark.

I thought Young did a great job with developing Theo and Marco. I got that they were two siblings struggling with their parent's divorce, and their mom moving on without them. I also loved the other characters we get to meet and Theo's mysterious grandmother.

The writing was good, though the flow dragged towards the end. One reason why I gave this four stars was that by the time Theo figures things out, there's still like 40 percent of the book to go. I just thought it could have been cut down a bit more here and there.

I loved the setting of Nightfall. I had so many questions based on the reveal of the town and how it was founded.

The ending was great and I loved how Young did a call back to old [redacted] movies.

This retelling of The Lost Boys was a lot of fun! It brought back so much nostalgia. I absolutely loved sitting down with this book over the weekend. The mystery to the town of Nightfall was done perfectly. I only wish we could have gotten more details and development. Parts of the mystery and lore never went answered, and this is the type of stuff I sink my teeth into. I wanted more lore, more history and more vampires. A perfect retelling. I honestly wish we were going to get a sequel!

What happens when your summer vacation to visit the Grandmother you have never met takes a dark turn? Well this book answers that question. When two siblings are exiled to Nightfall, Oregon with their father, they think it's just another small, isolated, town. Not much to do, but maybe some new people to meet and pass the time with. Except some of those people are definitely not what they appear and neither is the town. The siblings will be finding that out the hard way.
This was a good mystery, horror, thriller. It managed to feel very fresh while still embodying a lot of classical horror tropes. All of the characters were interesting and compelling. It managed the quaint town with quirky residents well. I especially enjoyed the North Western beach side town setting. But, most importantly it managed to feel scary. Will be recommending to my students who enjoy classic horror with a bit of fun.

I got this book in exchange for an honest review and honestly this book was so boring. I gave it two stars for the sheer fact that I didn’t dnf it. I don’t feel like the story was anything special or surprising. Theo was so annoying and unlikeable. The whole concept is pretty played out and it was just soooo boring until like 65% and even then I felt like I was reading it just to finish, not because I liked it. Very disappointing considering how much I like Suzanne Young’s other books.

This was a covid read for me, so being stuck at home may have helped in how much I loved this book, but this is the exact kind of pulpy, doesn't take itself too seriously, thrilling YA novel I love to read. Beautiful teens are actually evil trope? Love it. Ancestral home is filled with terrible secrets? Amazing. Vampires??? YES. Always.

I found this book highly readable and very atmospheric.

Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

A gender-reversed Lost Boys meets Buffy? Yes, please! This book was a lot of fun. Even if you have seen Lost Boys, there is enough deviation to keep it interesting (although the twists/mystery may seem more unexpected if you're not old enough to remember the Coreys). I loved Theo and relationship with her brother; some of their sibling-insult slinging made me laugh out loud. The podcasters spin on the Frog Brothers (from LB) was also one of my favorite parts of the story. I actually loved these characters enough that I would totally read a spin-off with Theo and the podcasters investigating other supernatural legends together (hook us up, Suzanne Young!). Highly recommend if you're looking for a fun, vampy read.

Also, this cover is drool-worthy.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the E-Arc!
As a huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, I can safely say that you will love this book. It has a lot of similar vibes to the original Buffy show and made me feel pretty nostalgic for the original series. Low-key started re-watching Buffy after this. While mystery isn't my usual genre, I think this one was extremely well done and kept me interested throughout the story. I thought it was entertaining and had enough plot to still stand apart from the mystery plotline. The author does a great job of bringing in lore and backstory to make the town and the mystery. Overall highly recommend for a spooky and thrilling read.

A fun, campy mystery comped as The Lost Boys meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I love good gender bent story and this didn't disappoint. The perfect quick, spooky read.

Both Nostalgic and modern, In Nightfall is a delicious YA book with major Lost Boys vibes, except this time, girls are running things. The book kind of misleads you into believing that they're sirens or mermaids before setting to vampires at the very last minute. A fun read for sure!

Suzanne Young has put the horror back into creatures of the night in the Pacific Northwest. When Theo and Marco Maggione find themselves banished to Nightfall, Oregon, they bristle under their grandmother's strict house rules, but they quickly realize that being home before dark is an excellent idea and that their charismatic new friends aren't quite what they seem. As the siblings struggle to reconcile Nonna's rules with their desire to fit in and have fun, they learn about Nightfall's horrific history and their own connections to it. With subtle nods to the 80s "The Lost Boys," Young accurately depicts all aspects of a sibling relationship and focuses on the unconditional support underlying the inevitable rivalry. The plot is well-paced, and twists will keep readers guessing and questioning their assumptions. This novel is highly recommended for all fans of a good story and especially horror readers.

Actual Rating: 4.25 stars

I enjoyed this book so much and it had me hooked as soon as we stepped into the town of Nightfall! A small town in the Pacific Northwest is the perfect setting for the mysterious monsters lurking in the town. This book just has such a creepy and eerie feel to it and kept you in Nightfall. Young does a good job of unraveling the strange circumstances that Theo and Marco find themselves in with the locals that made me rethink what I thought was going on or was going to happen. It was such a well written mystery and thriller and kept me on my toes. I also loved the relationship between Theo and Marco! Theo was also a great main character in general and felt relatable, in the sense that I would do and act how she did in this situation, which made me like her more.

Overall, this was a great book and do recommend that you read it when it comes out!

Read if you like…
•the supernatural
•small town setting
•Twilight
•strong sibling relationship
•monster slaying

In Nightfall is a great YA horror/thriller, filled with laughs, love and blood.
Thank you Delacorte for the digital review copy.

Netgalley ARC Educator 550974

What a ride! This follows the family of a recently divorced man, returning home with his two teens. The local teen girls latch on to the two teens in different ways and mayhem ensues. I can see this becoming a cult classic.

I really wanted to like this one. I mean, Buffy is an all-time favorite character/plot-line for me, so when this was pitched as having similar qualities, I was in. But the pacing and the writing really fell flat for me no matter how much I wanted to get into this. I'm not sure how much teens will resonate with this book and it sort of feels like YA written with adults more in mind than teens.

There are times when I see a book and read the blurb and just know it is going to be good and In Nightfall is the perfect example of that!

An atmospheric coal small town, a visiting family, strange happenings, jumpy moments, a town mystery, a seemingly unreliable grandparent figure… yeah… this book is where it is at!

Other reviews have labeled this a gender filled The Lost Boys with a hint of Buffy and Salem’s Lot and I have to say those analogies are right on. I found myself addicted to the character, the story, the atmosphere from the very first page; and the fact that it is set in a small Oregon town (my state), well that is just perfection for me.

This story reads just like a classic vampire movie with quality writing, wonderful characters, interesting lore, spooky moments, perfectly placed humor and a lot of fantastic dialogue. I devoured this story and want to read it again and again. I highly recommend this story for anyone who loves a strong female leads, vampires, spooky stories and small-town horror.

I received an ARC via NetGalley and Delacorte Press and I am leaving an honest review. I also pre-ordered myself a hardcopy because I NEED this on my shelf! Happy reading.