Publishers Weekly
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In this immersive debut, Banks sets a familiar premise—a vampire terrorizing unsuspecting teens after dark—against a quaint Parisian backdrop. Arriving from Oregon ahead of her easygoing and devoted father, 17-year-old Tosh Reeves settles into the father-daughter duo’s Paris apartment alone. Upon befriending—and immediately crushing on—fellow American Nick Wallace, Tosh is absorbed into his friend group, which includes incisive street artist Noor Sidi, cigarette-smoking Martine Sardou and her boyfriend Youssef Rachedi, and artist Le Bec, a self-important graffiti painter of pigeons. Though reports of a vampire attacking women circulate the city, the menace remains mostly in the background for Tosh as she busies herself integrating into Parisian life. A group trip to the catacombs—during which Tosh and Noor come into conflict with Le Bec after standing up to his previous bullying—disrupts this idyll, setting off events that threaten to change Tosh forever. As more is revealed about Paris’s unknown assailant, Banks utilizes the novel’s supernatural elements surrounding immortality and vampiric power to deliver an insightful cautionary tale that emphasizes the importance of consent and respecting others’ boundaries. A leisurely start centers Tosh’s developing friendships, with the vampiric components supplying an ominous undercurrent throughout this tidy read for Francophiles who enjoy a paranormal bent to realistic contemporary tales. The cast is racially diverse. Ages 12–up. (Dec.)

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A vampire is loose in Paris, and recent arrival Tosh finds herself in his sights. After moving from Portland, Oregon, to France for her father’s job, Tosh grows increasingly fond of Paris, even if her language skills need some work. Her sweet American neighbor Nick takes her on fabulous, quirky tours and introduces her to new friends who share her curiosity about the world; former debate team member Tosh loves doing research. They also inspire her with their interests, in particular street artist Noor, who uses her paintings to empower women. This message is more important than ever now that someone is attacking and biting women throughout the city, stirring memories in Tosh of a bad experience with Cole, a boy whose sexual aggression led her to quit debate. As the danger creeps closer, and mentions of vampires crop up everywhere, Tosh will have to confront a literal and metaphorical predator in order to keep the new life she loves. The story begins as a Parisian summer romp before shifting to become a creepy vampire horror story that creates a disturbingly apt parallel between vampirism and misogyny while critiquing very real sexism in our world. Banks balances Tosh’s struggles with gender bias with the affection and support of her new friend group to land a genuine and sympathetic tone throughout. Tosh and Nick are coded white, and Noor is cued Muslim. Frightful, fun, and feminist. (resources)(Paranormal. 14-18) Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Though her dad’s absentee parenting style isn’t wonderful, Tosh is thrilled to be moving to Paris from Portland, Oregon, with him, especially after the awful thing that her former debate partner did to her. As soon as she arrives, her cute new neighbor, Nick (who is also American), introduces her to the city and his very artistic friend group, who quickly take smart, spirited Tosh in as one of their own. Amidst cafe visits and catacombs explorations, though, there is something dangerous stalking the streets of the city, and despite her housekeeper and erstwhile guardian Madame Dupuy’s best attempts to keep Tosh safe, the vampire attacks happening across the city are about to get very close to home. Descriptions of the city and its art, food, and culture are immersive; the strong sense of place fits with authentically French secondary characters for an atmospheric read. A darkly emotional, feminist tale full of honesty in the face of a sharp-edged and untrustworthy world.