Book Review: After Midnight by Lynn Viehl

After Midnight
The Youngbloods #1
Author: Lynn Viehl
Pages: 336 paperback
Reading Level: YA
Published: May 1st 2011
Review Source: Flux
Available: Amazon / Barnes & Noble  / Indiebound

Summary: (from goodreads) A Suspenseful New Series Featuring Vampires and Forbidden Love

Sophomore Catlyn Youngblood is used to the nomadic existence she and her two older brothers have shared since the death of their parents. When they settle down for good in the sleepy backwoods town of Lost Lake, Florida, Cat thinks they might finally fit in. Instead, they're shunned by the locals.

While riding her horse late one night, Cat meets an enigmatic and handsome boy named Jesse Raven. Even more strange than her overpowering attraction to him is Jesse's apparent aversion to the sun. As their attraction intensifies, long-kept secrets come to light. Cat learns that the Ravens are a centuries-old vampire clan . . . and worse still, that she and her brothers are descendants of Abraham Van Helsing, the world-famous vampire hunter. Mortal enemies by blood, the two families do all they can to keep them apart. But Cat and Jesse will risk everything to be together—including death.

Every book I read, I hope is a great and enjoyable book and one that I will read over and over again. Once in a while though I will read a book that I think doesn’t reach its full potential. Sadly this is one of those books. I thought that the author did a good job of making the story flow together with transitions, however the characters just did not feel real to me. I also felt that the plot could have been a little more original and have more depth to it.

The story begins with Catlyn who is a teenage girl who has moved around her whole life. Living with her two brothers, they finally find a place where they can settle down. In a middle of nowhere town called Lost Lake, Florida Catlyn begins high school where instantly she feels like an outsider. Suddenly her life changes for the better when she meets a strange boy in the woods near her house. Instantly she begins to harbor strong feelings for him, but finds out a shocking truth that is indeed a vampire and that she sorrowfully is vampire hunter. This sends them on a seemingly doomed relationship.

I was truly disappointed with this story. That just might be because I’m a guy and I wanted to see a deeper world in this book. But look this is simply my opinion; you might like it. I would not rush out to buy it though. Whenever you just want something to read that’s when I would get it.