“There was something she was missing. She felt it the way you can feel a word on the tip of your tongue.”
Holly Black’s The Coldest Girl in Coldtown sat on my bookshelf for at least six months before I started it. As luck would have it, I was sitting on the metro with nothing to read, and I had just bought the kindle version of this book earlier in the day (it was drastically on sale) so I decided to start it while I waited for my train.
Within the first few action-packed pages, I was hooked. I got home and dug it out of my bedside TBR (to be read) stack, and then I proceeded to devour it over the next day. I don’t know why I hadn’t started it before (it’s hard to predict when you should read something or how much you’ll like one book over another before you actually start reading), but I know that I shouldn’t have been surprised by how lovely the prose was, or how quickly the plot progressed as it was poured out over the pages. Holly Black is a BA, and she’s known for her page-turning novels that keep you wanting more.
Coldtowns are cities that are roped off and quarantined – set apart from the rest of the world – for vampires and those who have gone “cold” because they’re infected with vampirism. If you’re cold, there are only two possible fates. One, drink the blood of another human and turn. Two, wait out the infection for eighty-eight full days, as in don’t drink even a drop of blood, and make a full recovery. For some, the choice is an easy one, because as soon as you’re cold the blood cravings become unbearable. Restraint is nearly impossible. For others, the wait is a long and agonizing torture as they’re locked away in basements, hidden behind chained doors and hundreds of locks, craving the blood of their friends and family. But for Tana, there is no turning – she’s determined to stay human, even if it means heading into the heart of the country’s oldest and most dangerous Coldtown.
Thrilling, fun, and at times incredibly chilling – this is the kind of story that reminds me of why vampires became so popular in the first place, as well as how awesome good vamp lit can be. Holly Black certainly proves that she has a knack (and a passion) for it here. If you like a book with plenty of twists and turns, some romance, and a little mystery, this book is for you. If you like vampires, this book is for you. If you loved The Twilight Saga… honestly, I have no idea what’s going on in your head so I couldn’t say that this book is for you, ya weirdo.
But seriously, this is a quick read, and it’s addicting until the end. I would love to see more of the Coldtown Universe from Holly Black.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Overall Reaction: “Why didn’t I read this immediately?!