Youngblood

 

Youngblood
By Sasha Laurens
Razorbill, 2022. 304 pages. Young Adult Fantasy 

Kat Finn and her mother can barely make ends meet living among humans. Like all vampires, they must drink Hema, an expensive synthetic blood substitute, to survive, as nearly all of humanity has been infected by a virus that's fatal to vampires. Kat isn't looking forward to an immortal life of barely scraping by, but when she learns she's been accepted to the Harcote School, a prestigious prep school that's secretly vampires-only, she knows her fortune is about to change. Taylor Sanger has grown up in the wealthy vampire world, but she's tired of its backward, conservative values--especially when it comes to sexuality, since she's an out-and-proud lesbian. She only has to suffer through a two more years of Harcote before she's free. But when she discovers her new roommate is Kat Finn, she's horrified. Because she and Kat used to be best friends, a long time ago, and it didn't end well.

When Taylor stumbles upon the dead body of a vampire, and Kat makes a shocking discovery in the school's archives, the two realize that there are deep secrets at Harcote--secrets that link them to the most powerful figures in Vampirdom and to the synthetic blood they all rely on.

This book is a classic boarding school mystery, just make it vampiric and sapphic. The queer representation is varied and stunning, with Taylor exploring her gender expression and Kat just now discovering she might not be straight. I also loved the way they addressed issues of classism and discrimination within the framework of a completely new society. The mystery is interesting without being overly dark and stressful, which made it perfect for someone like me who wanted a cozy read but dislikes contemporary fiction as a general rule. I would suggest this book for anyone who enjoys mystery with good banter and a happy ending.

 

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