The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

I have to admit, that I put off reading this book because of the title.  It just didn't intrigue me.  However, after seeing so many people talking about this book, I decided to pick it up.  Plus, I'm going to a library conference in the spring and Holly Black will be there.  I wanted to have read something by her before I go.  I am so glad that I read this book!  It was excellent and kept me turning the pages.  Yes, it's a vampire book, and yes, they seem to be overdone these days.  However, Black takes a different approach to vampires.  For one thing, these vampires are dangerous, brutal and blood thirsty.

Our main character wakes up the morning after a party to find that everyone in the house, except for her and her ex-boyfriend Aidan, have been drained by vampires.  She finds Aidan tied to a bed, but he has already been infected.  She also finds a vampire chained up in the same room.  She helps Aidan and the vampire Gavriel escape their captives, but since Aidan is infected, she has to take him to Coldtown.  Apparently, vampires have always been among us, but they kept themselves a secret.  However, in recent times, a mistake was created who traveled and infected as many people as he could.  Now the world is overrun by newly made vampires.  Once a person is bitten, they turn cold.  If they can be locked up for 88 days without drinking vampire blood, then the infection runs its course and they are fine.  If not, and they drink human blood, then they die and come back as a vampire.  America's solution for this problem was to quarantine all infected people and as many vampires as they could capture in walled cities called Coldtowns.  Once a person is within the walls of a Coldtown, it is almost impossible to leave.  

I am really hoping that this is not a stand alone novel and the Holly Black intends to make it a series.  The book leaves us with a satisfying conclusion, but there are a lot of unanswered questions too.  Yes, Tanna does end up with a vampire love interest, but I want to point out that the romance is a very minor part of a much bigger story.  Tanna is not a lovestruck damsel in distress.  She can take care of herself and often relies on her own strength and intelligence to do so.  I definitely recommend this book!