The Gravewood

Gravewood #1

by Kelly Andrew

IS IT LOVE . . . OR IS IT BLOODLUST?

Shea Parker has lived her entire life in the shadow of the Gravewood – a deadly forest that’s cut her town off from the world. With resources dwindling, she’s forced to ration her hearing aid batteries. When her stash runs out, she’ll be left in silence.

Her only hope is Oliver Lysander, the volatile leader of the vampires who rule the Gravewood. Their deal is simple: she gives him her blood, he brings her batteries. No lines crossed. Nothing personal.

Until Shea’s best friend is lured into the Gravewood, and her brother Asher Thorley returns from the frontlines, willing to expose Shea’s darkest secrets to get his sister back.

Ever the opportunist, Lysander offers a new bargain: if Asher kills his vampire rival, he’ll help find the missing girl. And if Shea agrees to Turn, he’ll cure her ailing mother.

But every deal pulls her closer to Lysander – and to becoming a monster herself.

Genres: Fantasy, Vampires, Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Dystopia, Young Adult Fantasy

348 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 7, 2026

Reviews

[Fernanda (ivyfer_isreading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't become this excited for a series since probably legendborn. I'm obsessed, this is perfect. If you liked the chemistry between the main characters of legendborn this book is perfect for you, run to get it the second it's available I'm dead serious.
I have a soft spot for vampire stories(must be the obsession with twilight when I was 13), particularly the dark ones, and let me tell you this delivered.
In this world vampires are treated more like zombies, it's an infection and they are killed because of that. Our main character, Shea, makes a deal with a powerful vampire exchanging blood for batteries for her hearing aids. One of her childhood friends, back from a time in the hunting force, is looking for his sister who disappeared and he blames Lys, said powerful vampire. We go from there, I don't want to say too much.
This book has the only type of love triangle that I believe in, when the two male leads also have some tension between them. Lys calls Asher “sunshine” like CMON THEY'RE FLIRTING. I was living for the dynamic between the three of them and every interaction had me giggling. But don't be fooled, this is dark and sometimes a little gruesome, in other words: a perfect vampire story.
I don't know how I'm supposed to wait for book two now, I need it NOW.

Thank you Netgalley and Scholastic for this ARC!

[Kelly Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, friends—here we are again. Another book of mine is slowly finding its way into the hands of early readers. Over the course of my last three books we've explored the dark side of campus, the dark side of childhood, and the dark side of girlhood.

In The Gravewood, we're going to be venturing into the dark side of the forest.

Some moments inside the Gravewood are heavy. As such, I wanted to share potential trigger warnings for those of you who may be looking.

I know there are some readers who view content warnings as spoilers, and so if that's you I encourage you to scroll no further.

Otherwise, please read on:




-Child abuse
-Abandonment
-Fictionalized substance addiction
-Domestic abuse
-Allusions to self-harm
-Ableism
-Bullying
-Paranormal horror elements
-Blood and gore depiction
-Pandemic / plague / contagion depiction

[Mai ༊*·˚]

I feel like I'm reconnecting with my teen roots by reading a YA Vampire book 🙂‍↔️


_______________

Thank you to Scholastic Press for the ARC.

[Kamilah Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh my fucking god OH my FUCKING god oh god oh my god

[thevampireslibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

it's giving "2026s Twilight"

SHUTUP THIS WAS DELICIOUS OMG

What am I meant to do with my life now? I finished The Gravewood (or more like it finished me 😭 ) and it's honestly top tier love triangle story of my dreams, this generations Twilight, I am utterly obsessed with it, in my top books of *all time* the worldbuilding was vivid with a refreshing spin on vampire lore with some good ol dystopian thrown in, we LOVE dual pov 😌 the tension and yearning was *aggresive chefs kiss* I cannot wait for more in this series

[Kaylee Pereyra · Rating 5 out of 5]

YEP!!!! YEP!!!!!! THIS ONE IS *IT*!!!!!!!!!! That man YEARNS
--
GRAVEWOOD BRAINROT (ha) INCOMING. WELCOME TO MY NEW OBSESSION.

HANDS DOWN my absolute favorite Kelly Andrew book! The premise for this is sooo delicious, and boy, did it deliver. Dystopian vampires--say less. Tortured emo vamp boy HORRENDOUSLY down bad for the girl--SAY LESS. SLOW BURN YEARN-FEST--I SAID SAY LESS! (I apologize for the amount of caps lock this review is about to unlock in me)

First of all, I loved the worldbuilding of this! A really refreshing blend of vamp-contagion with some extra monstrous-ness that made me devour 80% in one sitting. PLUS DUAL POV THIS IS WHAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF. Shea Parker, I ADORE YOU. I loved her strength, her fear, her longing. Her realism in this dark world while still seeing shards of hope; it's so easy to root for her even when she's being stubborn and getting herself nearly killed 24/7. Oliver Lysander, you absolute yearner. YOU SMITTEN FOOL. I love him soooooo much. His chapters kinda carved a hole in my chest, they were so thrilling and GOD, I cannot stress enough how GONE he is for Shea. AND IT'S GLORIOUS. This might be the most I've ever highlighted on my Kindle because I would constantly highlight a whole page and take a moment to be like, christ I hope the ending of this book doesn't break me because this is SO GOOD. And if you're looking for a slowwwww burn, you've got it here. I'm in shambles over these two.

Aside from the impeccable romance, this book HITS on other relationships as well. Shea/her parents, Shea/Asher, Shea/Poppy (I LOVE POPPY), Lys/Asher, Shea/Camellia, Poppy/Camellia, Lys/Paris ... I could truly go on about nearly every character interaction because they all are so fascinating and complex. I incorrectly thought this was a standalone going in, but MAN am I excited to see more of these characters and this world. I'm writing this review the morning after (I was up til 2AM buzzing around my room) and I'm honestly STILL buzzing.

This is IT. The vampire book of 2026, calling it now.

[Brittany Kilinsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m supposed to have WORDS to describe how amazing this was?! Impossible😩

[Clara (bookish_clara) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐

I absolutely loved every single thing about this book, I couldn't put it down once I started. The Gravewood was dark and gritty with its dystopian vibes and it was so atmospheric. I could visualise every single detail within the world and especially the haunted forest that Kelly had created where the vampires are treated more like zombies, an infection and they are killed because of it.

I got the same type of feelings reading this book as I did when I read Legendborn and the chemistry between the main characters from that series, the dynamic between all three characters in The Gravewood is amazing and I loved the banter between them but especially between Lysander our vampire MMC and Asher the childhood friend who reappears in Shae the FMCs life after his sister goes missing. The way there is this tension between Lys and Asher is written so exceptionally well, I mean he calls Asher ''Sunshine''

This is also one of those books where the love triangle kind of works as not only does Lys and Asher have this tension and angst but it's also there between Shae and both Asher and Lys. For me though it's the yearning between Shae and Lys and it is utter perfection, what starts as a mutual bargain turns into the type of yearning love that haunts you. Especially from Lys side reading his POV and the way he feels about Shae got me so much.

This book is sometimes gruesome and dark but for me it was the perfect vampire story, I cannot wait for book two!

Thank you so much to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review an early copy ahead of publication. All opinions are my own.

[BONNIE SMITH · Rating 5 out of 5]

My obsession with vampires and romance started many moons ago with the tension between Louis and Lestat and had me buying up every vampire book I could get my hands on as a youth. Now well into middle age, I admit, vampires are still my favorite fantasy storyline.

So, when The Gravewood became available on NetGalley for review, my fingers buzzed over to the request button quickly. Being actually chosen to review, had me giddy!

I went in almost completely blind and came out with this book on my top 5 reads of the year.
It has it all:
Post apocalyptical setting with dystopian vibes
Haunted forrest
Vampires AND Vampire Hunters
Yearning between two characters that will make you feel like your dying- but in the best way.

I seriously cannot thank NetGalley and Scholastic Press enough for the chance to read this, due out April of 2026. With that much time between now and the release, theres almost NO WAY I not do a re-read. And I wish and pray this gets some sort of excellent deluxe release with sprayed edges. Fingers crossed!

[jenny reads a lot]

if there is a quest, of any variety, I'm gonna have a good time!

[Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way Kelly Andrew writes was so unexpected, it blew my mind. I could feel the cold from the forest in the book seeping through my bones.

This is a post apocalyptic YA novel that follows Shea, a 17 year old girl trying to navigate her life while surviving in a small town next to the Gravewood forest, home of the famous Gravewood devil. Except, she’s well acquainted with said devil.

Lys, the devil in question, formed his own little kingdom in the cursed forest that’s affected by rot. Did I mention the trees have teeth? That’s because of the Rot which infects both nature and humans - some turn into vampires, other turn into a hybrid more similar to zombies. I really enjoyed this particular take on the concept of those creatures.

The plot is fast paced and engaging, but my absolute favorite thing is the atmospheric writing that’s so haunting. It was an absolute pleasure just going through this book and its characters. I was convinced this was a standalone and I’m both gland and upset it isn’t. Glad because I am nowhere near ready to move away from either the plot or the characters, sad because I have to wait for the next release.

Arc provided by NetGalley, thank you so much to both them and the publishers!

[Amanda Blanche · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Read - Releases April 2026

In a futuristic, apocalyptic world, not too far off from our present, the world has been poisoned and is slowly wasting away from the Rot. It started by contaminating the water and soil, and then poisoning the people who ingested it. Turning them into vampiric monsters or hollows. Morphing nature as well, thus the evil gravewoods with trees that whisper your greatest desires and then never let you leave. At the heart of these woods - lies a manor with the so called devil of the gravewoods. Lysander, is a being powerful and monstrous. He is the leader of the mercy boys, a group of other vampires. People who come to him, either come to turn, or to die. Except for one. Shea comes wanting to bargain with the devil. Shea has nothing to lose, the outcast of her town due to her family history and her impaired hearing, all those she loves have left her. So she agrees to let Lys use her, and in return gets favors and necessities. Quickly their arrangement turns to obsession. But when a past crush of Sheas comes back to town, and he is on a mission to find his missing sister, they go to the gravewoods together to ask Lys for his help. He agrees on the terms that Shea accompanies him to a gathering, and that soldier Asher kills the head of the vampires. In somewhat agreement they venture the dark woods and all its dangers.

It’s a story of obsession, betrayal, humanity and connection.

[Casey Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

My new favorite of Kelly Andrews! First, I love the dystopian world we are presented with. There is something called “the rot” and it’s ruining the land and food and its inhabitants. If people ingest the rot, they either take to it and get turned into vampires, or they don’t take to it and they turn into mindless zombie-like creatures. It’s a bleak world, but people are surviving the best they can and continuing on with “normal” life. They stay away from the rot and woods. It also presents a unique opportunity for people to potentially choose to join the vampires, instead of whatever bleak human future they have on the horizon. Shea is deaf and getting batteries for her hearing aids in this climate is a challenge. She decides to brave the woods to make a deal with “the devil”. Lys is the leader of the vampires in the Gravewood. She agrees to let him feed off of her, if he provides the batteries she needs. When a childhood friend, Asher, comes home from military training, things get complicated.

The entire vibe of the book is so great. The bleak world, the eery woods, the vampires. I loved the reality that people could choose to ingest the rot, if they wanted. That thought sent me on a mental spiral. There’s a sexy undertone as Shea can’t tell if she’s really attracted to Lys or if it’s just their connection as his bloodletter. The dynamic between Shea, Lys and Asher is incredible! I love the witty banter and the fun poking and prodding. And then there’s this overarching story and mystery of what happened to Asher’s sister, who is Shea’s best friend, and the vampire leader calling them to join in on a revel. I’m just telling you, I really loved this story and this world. There are some twists and turns! And I appreciated the deaf representation and being in Shea’s head for her perspective on that.

Thank you to Kelly Andrew herself for the physical ARC! Book releases 4/7/26.

[nikki | ཐི༏ཋྀ​​݁ ₊ ݁ .]

kelly andrew vampire book???? say less!

[Salima || salimateez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me? Loving a book Kelly writes? TYPICALLLLLL (in Schmidt’s voice),,

RTC, this one needs to ferment in my mind,, so many thoughts, so many things, parallels and such things,, as it stands, TWD, Until December, YBMB, Gravewood/The Hare & the Hound/ IAMOD, i think that’s where we’re at….

[Ramsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 // If you know me you know I’ve loved Kelly since she published the first book, the whispering dark, which is my fav of hers. I’ve loved everything she’s written so far, but her new book the gravewood has quickly taken my second favorite spot.

This book is perfect for spooky season because we have vampires, vampire hunters, a haunted forest, and also some dystopian vibes. We follow Shea who makes a deal with the gravewood devil to give him her blood in exchange for batteries for her hearing aids. But things get complicated when her best friend goes missing and her best friends brother shows up to find her. Together the three of them embark on a dark journey through the treacherous Gravewood. The relationship between these three characters is so tension filled and interesting. The yearning and angst is crazyyy. And I love Lys so much, he’s so tortured and brooding. His need to portray himself as a villain to prevent people from getting close to him and the way Shea sees through him 😭 And as always Kelly’s writing is so atmospheric and immersive.

This book comes out April 7th!! Thank you to Scholastic Press and NetGalley for the eARC!!

[Rainelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read numerous books, mainly fantasy and young adult were the plots all have the same objective. Vampire seeks a human being with the blood that here needs. He desires. I didn’t find the plot to be too original. The did a good job of improving further in the book. The characters and the plot objectives appear to work hand in hand. I thought that it did seem to help the story seem more sensible in certain ways. The dialogue between the characters was appropriate for the age range of the characters. I found it to collaborate well with the modern time and genre. The characters each have the personality that’s wonderfully detailed in the book. I thought this helps the readers to become more acquainted with the characters. The characters motivations are sensible and exceptionally written. The motivations draws on the interest of the main characters and the plot. It offers up that intriguing plot that gives the readers that anticipated exciting story. The ending was good. I enjoyed the book very much. Until next time my fellow readers. Read on!

[Fearn Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how this has reminded me how much I love a vampire story. This was gloriously addictive.

Set in a post apocalyptic world where vampires are not your usual tick box classic Dracula vampire. No in this world, it's giving zombie contagion vibes. Already I'm sold on this concept and throwing the cliche garlic out of the window.

The characters are so well written. The dialogue felt so natural and the witty back and forth between our main travelling foursome was a pure delight. The tension between our two main characters Lys and Shea was exactly the type of forbidden romance/slow burn I crave whilst having a little sprinkling of a love triangle that didn't annoy the hell out of me and had me rooting for everyone.

This was far from predictable and exactly what I needed. I literally could not put this down and now I'm not sure what I'm going to do as that ending has left me begging for more. I need the next book now.

Thank you so much to Wayward for an early copy of this addictive and amazing world.

[dani · Rating 2 out of 5]

dnf 60%

it so very hurts me to not only rate this so low but to also dnf it. i was so so excited for this when it was announced, especially because i loved kelly’s last two releases and this one sounded incredible.

but unfortunately it lacked alot. i understand that its a duology and wont be as fast paced as a standalone, but this was just boring chapter to chapter. the beginning had me enticed don’t get me wrong, but after that i kept waiting and waiting for something to happen and nothing ever did. because of that, i couldn’t connect at all to the characters and found that they lacked personality completely.

the “romance” wasnt good either, which surprised me considering the relationships in both her previous books had me either giggling or crying but with these three it was blander than a piece of cracker. no chemistry whatsoever, especially between shea and lys (clearly the main) and their dynamic didn’t feel natural and almost like we were thrown into the middle of it rather than watching it bloom from nothing to something.

im super sad about this because again, kelly became an auto buy author for me so it truly did pain me to dislike this. i tried my best to push through hoping it would get better (and maybe the ending is super incredible and i missed out, who knows!) but my motto is that if a book is still boring or not interesting enough by the halfway mark, then its not a good book even if the ending is a 10/10.

thank you scholastic for the finished copy!

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was unique take on Vampires. It's like vampires and zombies had a baby and it was this book. I couldn't really tell you what the main plot of this book was, but here they were, these teens in a dystopian world and have to figure out how to heal the main characters mom and get her friend back. It's incredible and left on a couple of cliffhangers. Aside from being dystopian, there wasn't much world building nor really explaining anything, but it felt eerie. which I think is a really cool feat. Andrew really set up the book at the end for the series to continue. I'm curious to see where she goes with it because boy oh boy are there breadcrumbs.

[Marcella · Rating 5 out of 5]

All my love! Kelly did it again! Think... Peter Pan, but make it vampire .
I love all the emotional rollercoaster and angst ugh the love triangle was no joke. I enjoyed the torture tho! I love how brazen Shea is, how adorable Poppy is (the mvp tbh), Asher is a lil sus but he is okayyyy... Lys tho? I'm annoyed and intrigued by him in equal measures. The setting and writing? Immaculate.
I really enjoyed it and aaaaa can't wait for the next book!

[h i n d · Rating 4 out of 5]

WILD. review to come

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an arc via Edelweiss+. All opinions are my own.

[Starr ❇✌❇ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8
*Review to come*

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

NOW WTF KELLY

got the arc from netgalley 😈

[Ashley Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Im very thankful for the opportunity from Wayward to read this e-arc book. I was excited to read this one, however it just didn’t really deliver for me.

It felt like half the story was missing and I was jumping in to a sequel rather than the first book of a duology. There was no set up, no background, very limited world building. There was no explanation of the different areas, about the rot, what are mercy boys, what is the wood watch, how this actually all came about.

The beginning of the book we are introduced to Lys and Shea meeting for the first time - don’t know how and don’t know anything further than that. It jumps to 6 months later and she’s meeting him sporadically to let him feed on her in exchange for hearing aid batteries. Again, no background to their meeting, the deal, the build up of their “relationship”.

My other issue was the pacing and lack of anything happening. Spent the majority of the book with them just travelling about. And nothing happens. Little bits of conversation here and there. Felt like it was always just skimming the surface. There was no depth.

Unfortunately because there was no depth to the story there was also no depth to the characters. And because we had no build up to whatever is going on between Lys and Shea I just didn’t feel any connection there. There’s also a bit of a love triangle going on - I’m sure that will be explored more in book 2.

The story did pick up in the last 15% so a slight redemption. Sadly The Gravewood just wasn’t for me but I was determined to get to the end to see what happened.

Thank you again for the opportunity to read this arc!

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I love a vampire story, and this one was a unique and compelling genre-mash up with dystopian. With that, it didn't feel like a cookie-cutter premise - from the Rot to the Gravewood to everything else, there was something fresh here that can be hard to find with vamps!

The beginning and ending of the book are its strongest points! I was utterly gripped by the first few chapters and flipping pages of the last. I think the beginning does a great job of drawing you in with tension, danger, and enough questions to leave you wanting answers. The end packs a punch with action, twists, and a satisfying closure for this book's arc while offering a cliffhanger that makes you want to BEG for the next book.

I did struggle with most of the story being slow paced, but I really enjoyed the danger and action that we did get in in the story, particularly at the end. The twists and increased pacing drew me back in with the same intensity that the beginning hooked me with. I was able to guess one of the reveals, but the others I didn't! I think the worldbuilding is also done really well throughout the story. We get a good amount of detail in the beginning, but it is delivered strategically in a way that doesn't feel like an 'info dump.' Kelly Andrew was able to weave it into the storytelling and marry it to the building tension and eerie feeling that made it feel like learning the creepy lore of the 'world.'

I really enjoyed the spin on vampires in here with the Rot and how that also played into the dystopian lean. I thought it was super intriguing how the Rot affects people differently and how 'Turning' into a vampire was connected to that sort of nature-based poison rather than a bite (as it usually is). I think this first installment does a great job of setting up the world for more expansion in the next one, both in terms of the history and future (as is alluded to in the story).

While I didn't feel entirely connected to the story because of the slower pace and not a ton of action (it was a bit repetitive on their travels), I did find myself really caring about the characters! The FMC, Shea, made my heart break. I ached for her wanting to feel like she belonged, wanting to be loved, wanting to feel like she had a purpose, and wanting people to stop leaving her. It was so interesting to follow her battle this while at the same time seeing how many people around her DO care for her. Asher, oh Asher. I absolutely adored him. His subtle yearning compared to Lys, his compassion and protectiveness. I ached for him, too, caught in the web/love triangle with Shea and Lys. His heart was on his sleeve, and the author made me want to root for him the whole way. Lys has a very compelling and enigmatic history that always made me want more details! Poppy is at once a breath of levity and just a great side character!

I will say that one downfall for me was that a lot of the story focuses on the push and pull of Lys and Shea. While the tension and yearning is on point, I just felt that I couldn't buy into their feelings in the way I could for Shea and Asher's relationship. I think that perhaps if we had been able to hear/read about genuine feelings growing over the six month time skip in the beginning I would have been more connected to them. While I appreciate that even the characters express that their connection is at least partly 'synthetic,' their adamance that they DO love each other beyond that wasn't supported.

I was really intrigued by the initial setup of Shea's friend/Asher's sister, Camellia, having gone missing, along with the early establishment of a 'villain' (Keeling) coming after Lys. I found myself wanting more action and development throughout the whole story for that, but it only really came into play at the beginning and end, which I think is why I enjoyed those portions the most!

Overall, it was a fresh vampire story with a strong beginning and end, along with twists! I struggled getting immersed in the story because of the slower pace (for the majority) and not being able to connect to the main romance, but I think the action at the end and the strong development of both the world and individual characters are highlights!

*Thanks to NetGalley and Scholastic for the early copy to read and review!

[Lynette (Storyhooked) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may never recover from this 💀

Vampire gang leader or vampire hunter childhood best friend brother AGHHHHHHH 🤩

“Is this transactional or do we love each other” AGHHHHHHHHHHHH 🔥

Perfection. Somebody sedate me until Kelly’s next book 🫠

[Kalyani · Rating 4 out of 5]

dream road trip and it’s you, the vampire that’s obsessed with you, your childhood best friends’s brother, a girl who knits poorly, and a opossum

(kelly andrew continues to deliver romantic angst and gorgeous writing. this is her first duology and I think there’s some pacing unevenness compared to her standalones because there’s set uo for book 2. I think this also feels the most “YA” of her books so far but the characters and their messy dynamics remain entertaining!!!)

(I also haven’t seen Buffy but what I do know this books feels very much like an homage to me)

(also lys is down so bad it’s hilarious. Definition of “my girl is mad at me I hope I die)

[Izzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I am so grateful to have received an eARC of this book from the publisher on Net Galley.

I absolutely loved this book! The main character, Shea Parker, lost her hearing when she was young and relies on her hearing aids to navigate daily life. In this post apocalyptic setting, batteries are near impossible to obtain, which is how Shea ends up making a deal with Oliver Lysander - blood in exchange for batteries. Shea’s hearing loss added so much to the story - it didn’t feel like a tick box but actually helped me to understand how someone with hearing loss navigates the world - where she struggles to cope but also how it becomes a superpower. Shea is bold and fearless, and never lets her hearing hold her back, which was fantastic to see.

The main characters were very well written. We get to meet Lys and Shea, as well as Poppy (Shea’s friend) and Asher (the brother of Ellie, Shea’s missing friend). Each character had their own strengths and weaknesses, and they all brought something different to the story. Poppy was easily my favourite character. Her matter-of-fact way of speaking, coupled with her deep love for her friends, often seemed to anchor Shea and help her navigate the terrible situation they were in. She brought some much-needed positivity to the group!

Shea, Lys and Asher are set up in a love triangle of sorts. Asher is Shea’s longtime childhood crush, and Asher represents what she’s always wanted - stability and a place to call home. Meanwhile, Lys is dark, dangerous (and also a vampire). While they are inevitably drawn to each other, there is something toxic about their relationship and at times, it’s hard to separate love from obsession.

I’m a sucker for a dual POV and I loved seeing Lys’ and Shea’s perspectives throughout the book. It made their story feel all the more tragic in some ways.

The world building was very strong. There was such rich detail in the descriptions, particularly plant species and birds. While I did have to look up many of these, it painted such a vivid picture of this post apocalyptic setting, and I could easily imagine the characters as they went on their journey.

The only things I would personally change are reducing the Greek mythology references, as they sometimes pulled me out of the story and potentially extending the final few chapters of the book, as it felt it was all ‘over’ rather quickly.

In summary, I devoured this book and am eagerly awaiting book 2 as I can’t wait to see how the story continues. I truly have no idea what’s going to happen next!

[cari♡ · Rating 1 out of 5]

thank you to Scholastic and NetGalley for the arc.

this is like a bad crossover of twilight meets the forest of hands and teeth. the world itself makes very little sense, with way too much going on and very little explanation for any of it. the characters are painfully cliche YA fare: a tough talking golden boy and a brooding bad boy (complete with motorcycle). the angst positively oozes out of every single oliver lysander chapter. my guy, it's okay to be emo from time to time, but you're doing way too much. we get it, darkness is your old friend and it's not your everyday darkness. it's... advanced darkness.

naturally to round it all out, we have the female lead, a Sad Girl who is pined after fiercely by Thing One and Thing Two, for no discernible reason other than Meyer's Law, which states that two blandly generic "hot guys" must both want an equally bland girl; especially if one of them is a vampire.

so much of this felt repetitive. a lot of arguing among characters about the same things over and over. lots of lys biting shea and thinking about biting shea. and there are entirely too many instances of someone noting that lys isn't like the other boys, he's like a god. he's a myth. he's a devil. did i mention he's a god? well if i didn't don't worry, in the next chapter lys will also remind you that he's like a god. he'll also chronically compare himself to other mythical figures like midas and perseus. he's emo and pretentious as fuck, what a catch.

aside from all of that, this book was just really boring. it's basically lys being his "i only shop at hot topic" self, obsessing over shea, shea jonesing for another vampire bite because she's basically an addict at this point, and then a meandering road trip to a big vampire party to face down lys's arch nemesis. this doesn't feel like something that needed to be broken up into a duology given that little of interest happens in this first book, so i think i'll be passing on the sequel.