About This Book
A parent might reach for this book when their teenager is struggling to move forward after a significant loss or is feeling guilty about the prospect of new romantic interests. While wrapped in the campy, supernatural trappings of 1990s horror, the story explores the very real psychological weight of grief and the way mourning can make a young person feel 'drawn toward death' or stuck in the past. This book serves as a safe, genre-based vehicle to discuss the transition from high school to college and the complexity of moving on from a first love who has passed away. The plot follows a Salem University student who believes her deceased boyfriend, Lucas, might have returned as a vampire. It deals with themes of trust and letting go within the context of a campus mystery. Though it contains typical horror elements like suspense and mild peril, its primary value lies in normalizing the confusing, often frightening emotions that follow a tragedy. It is a helpful choice for a teen who prefers page-turning thrillers but needs to process feelings of sadness and the fear of 'betraying' a memory by living a full life.
