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The Last Hope in Hopetown
A debut novel about one girl’s dilemma over the decision to save her vampire parents or do what’s right for the greater good.
Twelve-year-old human Sophie Dawes lives a good life in Hopetown. There, vampires and humans live in harmony and Sophie and her adoptive vampire moms are living (or unliving) proof. There are a lot of rules that vampires must follow to keep the humans they live around feeling safe, but if regular visits from child protective services and abiding by a nightly curfew keeps their family together, Sophie will do anything to stay with her loving vampire parents. But then, normal, law-abiding vampires begin to go rogue.
After Sophie’s own mother— the sweetest person she knows— goes rogue, Sophie decides it’s up to her to find a cure. But taking matters into her own hands might be way more than she bargained for if it means braving a secret council of vampires, executing epic heists, and facing the true bad guys head on. With her best friend by her side, Sophie will fight for hope, freedom and a family bonded by a love that’s thicker than blood.
Twelve-year-old human Sophie Dawes lives a good life in Hopetown. There, vampires and humans live in harmony and Sophie and her adoptive vampire moms are living (or unliving) proof. There are a lot of rules that vampires must follow to keep the humans they live around feeling safe, but if regular visits from child protective services and abiding by a nightly curfew keeps their family together, Sophie will do anything to stay with her loving vampire parents. But then, normal, law-abiding vampires begin to go rogue.
After Sophie’s own mother— the sweetest person she knows— goes rogue, Sophie decides it’s up to her to find a cure. But taking matters into her own hands might be way more than she bargained for if it means braving a secret council of vampires, executing epic heists, and facing the true bad guys head on. With her best friend by her side, Sophie will fight for hope, freedom and a family bonded by a love that’s thicker than blood.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published October 4, 2022
16 people are currently reading
4343 people want to read
About the author
Maria Tureaud
2 books190 followersMaria Tureaud hails from the Wild Atlantic Way on the west coast of Ireland. A Developmental Editor of fourteen years, and acclaimed author of children's and adult fiction, you can find her drinking tea in New Jersey as she dreams of moving home to her beloved County Clare, Ireland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
September 30, 2022
Sophie is a human girl who has two moms, both of whom are vampires. They live in Hopetown, a place where vampires and humans live together in peace. It wasn’t always this way, and there are rules and regulations that must be followed, including curfews and visits from child protective services to ensure that humans are safe. There are rumors of vampires beginning to go rogue and harm those around them, and when Sophie sees it happen firsthand, she knows she must do something to solve this mystery and keep the peace between vampires and humans.
This was such a fun read! The concept was interesting, and I liked the author’s writing style. It was enjoyable to see the vampire story play out in modern times, but with some of the classic tropes and ideas surrounding vampires incorporated. While I found the plot to be quite predictable, I still enjoyed the story and didn’t find it problematic as the target audience is younger readers. There were also a few contradictions in the work (e.g., Delphine hated technology and didn’t like using it, but also was obsessed with a conspiracy theory message board – she had to be to forward the plot). These detracted some for me, but again, for a younger audience it might not matter.
Sophie was a great protagonist. She was relatable and well written, as were all the secondary characters. I really enjoyed Sophie’s and Delphine’s friendship and the depth it added to the characters and the story. Similarly, Sophie’s moms were absolutely delightful, and their personalities leaped off the pages. This book contained several good messages without it feeling like it had an agenda, and I especially enjoyed the themes of found family, acceptance, and finding strength to do difficult and scary things.
I listened to the audiobook version of this work and felt that the narrator did an amazing job bringing the characters to life. I highly recommend this read to everyone, but especially younger readers (it was quite wholesome and never got too dark, despite some of the situations being a little tense). My thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to read and review this work, which will be published on October 4th, 2022.
This was such a fun read! The concept was interesting, and I liked the author’s writing style. It was enjoyable to see the vampire story play out in modern times, but with some of the classic tropes and ideas surrounding vampires incorporated. While I found the plot to be quite predictable, I still enjoyed the story and didn’t find it problematic as the target audience is younger readers. There were also a few contradictions in the work (e.g., Delphine hated technology and didn’t like using it, but also was obsessed with a conspiracy theory message board – she had to be to forward the plot). These detracted some for me, but again, for a younger audience it might not matter.
Sophie was a great protagonist. She was relatable and well written, as were all the secondary characters. I really enjoyed Sophie’s and Delphine’s friendship and the depth it added to the characters and the story. Similarly, Sophie’s moms were absolutely delightful, and their personalities leaped off the pages. This book contained several good messages without it feeling like it had an agenda, and I especially enjoyed the themes of found family, acceptance, and finding strength to do difficult and scary things.
I listened to the audiobook version of this work and felt that the narrator did an amazing job bringing the characters to life. I highly recommend this read to everyone, but especially younger readers (it was quite wholesome and never got too dark, despite some of the situations being a little tense). My thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to read and review this work, which will be published on October 4th, 2022.
October 6, 2022
Happy release week to this darling of a book!
Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for deigning to grant me an audiobook copy (please work on your haughty‐toned You Got an ARC emails) to review of this riveting middle grade adventure and stellar audiobook performance.
The Last Hope in Hopetown was everything I hoped (pun intended) for when I saw "Stranger Things" and "vampires" in the summary, with an almost entirely female cast of lovable characters. Down to the bike-peddling getaways in the dark, strange government facilities, and red-eyed vampires, the 80s influences were enjoyably visible. It was a delightful listen.
The bonds of Found Family are very much the heart of the book, woven in tastefully alongside the mystery and adventure. I enjoyed the warm portrayal of Sophie and her adoptive moms, her moms to each other, and Delphine and Sophies' best friendship. Delphine and Sophie are a complementary pair, and despite the discomfort I felt at a child vampire (we all know how that can go), Delphine was a colorful character within the containment of this plot, often gracefully blasé to counter Sophie's relatable anxiety.
And the queer relationships were so tastefully portrayed - I love how seamlessly Sophie's mothers are introduced without it ever being "a thing" (I also loved how The Duke's past was fleshed out). And what I further enjoyed about this book was that it showed this affection and these bonds, rather than told, as seen in Marie's attempts at cooking for Sophie, Sophie refusing to abandon Delphine when things got hairy, etc.
I appreciate that the book addresses bigger issues within its premise, despite being middle grade. Tureaud's vampires serve as a proxy for minorities in our society now, subject to rigorous civil surveillance, mistreatment by the government and many of the populace, and forcible confinement when anything goes wrong.
Lastly, Mary Cross' narration really made it, elevating the material as it should. Delphine's southern accent was a bit much, but you always knew when she was speaking, and I absolutely loved the smooth tones of The Duke's voice.
Long may vampire stories live; I adored this modern spin. Five full stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for deigning to grant me an audiobook copy (please work on your haughty‐toned You Got an ARC emails) to review of this riveting middle grade adventure and stellar audiobook performance.
The Last Hope in Hopetown was everything I hoped (pun intended) for when I saw "Stranger Things" and "vampires" in the summary, with an almost entirely female cast of lovable characters. Down to the bike-peddling getaways in the dark, strange government facilities, and red-eyed vampires, the 80s influences were enjoyably visible. It was a delightful listen.
The bonds of Found Family are very much the heart of the book, woven in tastefully alongside the mystery and adventure. I enjoyed the warm portrayal of Sophie and her adoptive moms, her moms to each other, and Delphine and Sophies' best friendship. Delphine and Sophie are a complementary pair, and despite the discomfort I felt at a child vampire (we all know how that can go), Delphine was a colorful character within the containment of this plot, often gracefully blasé to counter Sophie's relatable anxiety.
And the queer relationships were so tastefully portrayed - I love how seamlessly Sophie's mothers are introduced without it ever being "a thing" (I also loved how The Duke's past was fleshed out). And what I further enjoyed about this book was that it showed this affection and these bonds, rather than told, as seen in Marie's attempts at cooking for Sophie, Sophie refusing to abandon Delphine when things got hairy, etc.
I appreciate that the book addresses bigger issues within its premise, despite being middle grade. Tureaud's vampires serve as a proxy for minorities in our society now, subject to rigorous civil surveillance, mistreatment by the government and many of the populace, and forcible confinement when anything goes wrong.
Lastly, Mary Cross' narration really made it, elevating the material as it should. Delphine's southern accent was a bit much, but you always knew when she was speaking, and I absolutely loved the smooth tones of The Duke's voice.
Long may vampire stories live; I adored this modern spin. Five full stars.
September 29, 2022
This was one of the cutest and most interesting middlegrade reads I've read in ages!
Vampires and humans living together in harmony, a super fun sidekick friend, and a mystery to unfold? Delightful!
Adventurous, funny and totally adorable!
Delphine is probably my favourite part, she was superb.
Much love to NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for my audio DRC.
Vampires and humans living together in harmony, a super fun sidekick friend, and a mystery to unfold? Delightful!
Adventurous, funny and totally adorable!
Delphine is probably my favourite part, she was superb.
Much love to NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for my audio DRC.
August 23, 2022
I have read The Last Hope in Hopetown and I have thoughts.
Entirely white cast, white concepts on what oppression looks like, and it even ends with a ‘despite the villain being the most politically powerful member of this marginalized group, no one will bother anyone else in the marginalized group anymore because everyone ~knows~ that there’s bad and good in every group, so only bad people get consequences!’
The book centers around Sophie, a human, who is adopted by two vampire moms. And vampires have been going ‘rogue’ for three years. No one knows what is causing it (but certainly no government agency would possibly think that the human kid living with vampire parents would not need be removed because again white writer). Instead, the government tasks CPS to investigate families of mixed human/vampires to make sure the humans are okay and that the vampire isn’t going rogue.
Even though the vampires going rogue thang is alarming, the central form of ‘conflict’ in the opening chapter is that one of the vampire moms is horrible at cooking. I thought this was just a silly personality quirk, but later, the author explains that all vampires are bad at cooking. This is because they cannot taste the food they cook. Odd, because I don’t taste the food I cook until I’m done cooking it, and as long as I follow a recipe, it comes out edible. But nopity nope nope, all vampires are horrible cooks and make completely intolerable food which, seeing that the social worker knows this, might be a good reason to take a child out of a home.
I would love for any marginalized reader to let me know what they think would happen if a Black family said they couldn’t produce edible food for their kids? *the answer is their children would be taken away, but even though the conflict is heavy on the ‘I might be separated from my family’, the author doesn’t think these real life actual reasons children get stolen from their families ain’t any of them*
Not once in the opening chapter did CPS ask “your vampire parents haven’t made you give them your blood /cut you?” You would think that would be the top question a CPS agent who works with a human child who has vampire adopted parents would ask. Or “aren’t you starving since your parents cannot cook for you?”
And this is all in the first chapter. This leads to the second glaring problem this book has : an entirely white cast. In fact, the only time a person of color is mentioned, we have a “pharaoh” vampire who is described as wearing ‘black-and-gold makeup’ (because of course Egyptians are only described by their eye kohl) but also later, when the white woman gets karen-y, we have this exchange:
“As quickly as he took my face in his hands, he let go, and turned his attention to the Duke. She was taller than him, and he looked so weak next to her.”
Speaking of weakness - the author takes great cares to make sure the reader doesn’t like the only effeminate male in the cast, calling attention to him wearing make-up three different times (even though he isn’t even in the book for ten pages), and making it seem gross by mentioning how it creases as he smiles.
Cheer for positive LGBT rep!
The only other reference to a person of color is when Sophie is supposed to read “Brown Girl Rising” for homework, and quite pointedly mentions that reading it “was pointless”. That’s. . . an interesting choice.
Instead of diversity, we get Delphine, a walking antebellum stereotype who uses Southern euphemisms for the first two chapters she’s in and then rarely ever again until we get to the last few chapters.
And speaking of those next two chapters, this is when we as the readers enter Exposition Land. We get three straight chapters of characters walking and talking (nothing happens in the plot except for literal walking through town and talking) but they talk at length about what’s going on. What’s going on is that Delphine, who apparently does not use technology because vampires in Hopetown are described like ghosts – apparently ‘stuck’ in the time period they were bit in – so Delphine wears antebellum style clothes and doesn’t have a cell phone but DOES use the internet because it furthers the plot. (that’s another annoying factor in this book, is that it has zero consistency. The character that says “I can’t abide by all this technology” is the same character who also follows conspiracy theory message boards online (because I guess the plot needs her to have an answer later?) but how does she even know how to find them? The deus ex machina in this book is wild, y’all.
But twelve year old Delphine is also the speaker for such lines as “That screen is far too small, and squinting causes wrinkles, Sophie. Ladies should never wrinkle before thirty.”
The characters walk and talk about all the background information the audience needs to know, specifically that there is an “Anon715” (can we maybe NOT use ‘anon’ when QANON is a mouthpiece for a real world conspiracy theory group that is terrorizing marginalized peoples and spreading white supremacy?) who claims there’s a cure to treat rogue vampires but the secret government facility won’t share it.
Just like True Blood, there is synthetic blood for the vampires to drink, and a ‘new formula’ is just introduced. But Sophie and her two moms are ‘organic’ vampires (I gave an audible sigh at this description) and reluctantly take the synthetic. One of the only male characters in the book makes an appearance just so we know who the ‘rogue’ vampire later is. Which is so odd because after he’s killed someone (off camera) they don’t even mention the victim, as if it doesn’t matter. The town doesn’t grieve. Nothing happens but Sophie, the human “feels like everyone distrusts her” in school because her parents are vampires or something. But forget the actual victim.
Oh, and then they go to school. If you thought Twilight was ridiculous at the idea of a 108 year old man attending high school, buckle up buckaroos because Hopetown has a 300 year old girl who is forced to attend middle school forever because *check notes* she needs friends ‘her same age.’
Okay.
The constantly-antebellum-because-vampires-are-frozen-in-the-time-period-they-are-bitten-in looks-to-be-twelve-but-is-actually-three-hundred-years-old (can I say again that having an exclusively white cast and one is a straight up caricature of an antebellum Southern Belle is a Choice) has to go to school forever because they just happen to look young. Anyways. Eat your heart out, Stephine Meyer.
Why does a human couple adopt a permanently-12-year-old-300-year-old? How long are they planning on keeping her? Is this like a fad puppy they are going to give up? What are they going to do when they are like, 80 and in a retirement home. At one point do they just dissolve the adoption and another couple adopts her? It’s an out-there idea, but why doesn’t the *vampire* parents adopt the *vampire* child. Why does a three hundred year old person need to be adopted? Why does a 300 year old have to go to middle school!? How often is she forced to repeat the 7th grade? Why is she not raging against a system that forces her to repeat the same grade!?
The book has no answers to these questions.
Beyond the offensive characters, there’s also numerous times during intense scenes, the narration would just give even more unnecessary exposition. Here is an example:
Mrs. Abernathy’s smile was brighter than the “diamond” necklace I’d bought Mama for Mother’s Day last year. (Reviewer interjection here that this is a perfectly summed up analogy with a tie to the characters, but no, the author goes on). I’d saved up all my chore money and gone to the Allentown Mall with the Duke to one of those departments stores to spend every last cent. And Mama had cried when she’d opened it. Red hot tears of blood for that tiny pendant.
Why did we need to know any of that? (also, why do vampires in this world cry tears of blood? Does the author really like Catholic stigmata imagery?) (and why does the daughter call one of her parents ‘the Duke’ which is the petname her wife gives her?)
Vampires also do not have fingerprints for some reason and they can put security cameras to sleep. (No. Seriously)
If you’ve made it this far, then you’re in for the most glaring example of why white people simply do not have the range to write about persecution – *spoilers* The reason vampires are going rogue is because a flipping advisor to the US president, who is a vampire, has put his blood into the new ‘synthetic blood’ so that he can mind control them all because (like every single vampire story) he’s trying to create his own personal army to take over the world.
It's more than an underwhelming villain motivation.
It’s disappointing af reading a book where the bad guy is bad *because* they are marginalized (no really, the bad guy is bad because he’s been oppressed by the humans... so the lesson being told here by a white author about the ‘pain of persecution’ turns out being ‘yes, distrust marginalized people because they will hurt you if they get the chance’ which is 100% whiteness on display here y’all)
But wait, there’s more! – the author imagines that if a member of the oppressed group is caught trying to harm the majority, then there are NO repercussions for everyone else in the marginalized group because “only that one individual was bad and the people in power are so good that they’ll only punish that one guy who was bad.”
The one vampire that is in the government is caught in a plan to create a vampire *army* to control the earth, and all the rest of the vampires suffer zero consequences.
Sure, Jan.
The author truly believes the majority is so benevolent that it cannot do a racism, that the majority is so well-meaning that it knows to only punish the ‘bad’ people in a group. Sophie even proudly marches into the sunrise, thinking “oh, good, we caught the bad guy! Everything’s going to be okay.” No repercussions for Mama who went rogue. No need to worry about Daphne. Everything’s going to be fine when the most powerful vampire in the country was found trying to coercively objectify all humans in the world. Whitewashing reality (because if that’s what readers are being told, then, Black folk just get shot by police because they weren’t following orders, right? Black folk get harassed because they did something to deserve it? Hmmm? If only bad people get consequences...)
For a white child reading this book, it’ll make sense and it’ll feel good, but what a difference it would make for a brown child. I was reading this thinking “they’re going to rush home and lock the doors and stay inside and be afraid, right?” No they are not.
I don’t think the author had bad intentions, just that her attempt was a miss. She wanted to play around with the idea of persecution, but she doesn’t have the range to see how persecution affects actual persecuted peoples. It plays it safe and ends with everyone being okay, and that’s simply not how the real world is. If the idea of someone getting persecuted is a sandbox you get to step out of once you are done writing the book, maybe you should really contemplate on that choice of theming. White readers will probably enjoy its safety though.
All in all, I found this book to be boring, tired, introducing nothing new to vampire mythology and when it tries, it completely fails the logic test. We have lesbian moms but that’s about it for diversity and writing a book in 2022 that themes heavily on persecution with an all-white casting should be a huge red flag.
Entirely white cast, white concepts on what oppression looks like, and it even ends with a ‘despite the villain being the most politically powerful member of this marginalized group, no one will bother anyone else in the marginalized group anymore because everyone ~knows~ that there’s bad and good in every group, so only bad people get consequences!’
The book centers around Sophie, a human, who is adopted by two vampire moms. And vampires have been going ‘rogue’ for three years. No one knows what is causing it (but certainly no government agency would possibly think that the human kid living with vampire parents would not need be removed because again white writer). Instead, the government tasks CPS to investigate families of mixed human/vampires to make sure the humans are okay and that the vampire isn’t going rogue.
Even though the vampires going rogue thang is alarming, the central form of ‘conflict’ in the opening chapter is that one of the vampire moms is horrible at cooking. I thought this was just a silly personality quirk, but later, the author explains that all vampires are bad at cooking. This is because they cannot taste the food they cook. Odd, because I don’t taste the food I cook until I’m done cooking it, and as long as I follow a recipe, it comes out edible. But nopity nope nope, all vampires are horrible cooks and make completely intolerable food which, seeing that the social worker knows this, might be a good reason to take a child out of a home.
I would love for any marginalized reader to let me know what they think would happen if a Black family said they couldn’t produce edible food for their kids? *the answer is their children would be taken away, but even though the conflict is heavy on the ‘I might be separated from my family’, the author doesn’t think these real life actual reasons children get stolen from their families ain’t any of them*
Not once in the opening chapter did CPS ask “your vampire parents haven’t made you give them your blood /cut you?” You would think that would be the top question a CPS agent who works with a human child who has vampire adopted parents would ask. Or “aren’t you starving since your parents cannot cook for you?”
And this is all in the first chapter. This leads to the second glaring problem this book has : an entirely white cast. In fact, the only time a person of color is mentioned, we have a “pharaoh” vampire who is described as wearing ‘black-and-gold makeup’ (because of course Egyptians are only described by their eye kohl) but also later, when the white woman gets karen-y, we have this exchange:
“As quickly as he took my face in his hands, he let go, and turned his attention to the Duke. She was taller than him, and he looked so weak next to her.”
Speaking of weakness - the author takes great cares to make sure the reader doesn’t like the only effeminate male in the cast, calling attention to him wearing make-up three different times (even though he isn’t even in the book for ten pages), and making it seem gross by mentioning how it creases as he smiles.
Cheer for positive LGBT rep!
The only other reference to a person of color is when Sophie is supposed to read “Brown Girl Rising” for homework, and quite pointedly mentions that reading it “was pointless”. That’s. . . an interesting choice.
Instead of diversity, we get Delphine, a walking antebellum stereotype who uses Southern euphemisms for the first two chapters she’s in and then rarely ever again until we get to the last few chapters.
And speaking of those next two chapters, this is when we as the readers enter Exposition Land. We get three straight chapters of characters walking and talking (nothing happens in the plot except for literal walking through town and talking) but they talk at length about what’s going on. What’s going on is that Delphine, who apparently does not use technology because vampires in Hopetown are described like ghosts – apparently ‘stuck’ in the time period they were bit in – so Delphine wears antebellum style clothes and doesn’t have a cell phone but DOES use the internet because it furthers the plot. (that’s another annoying factor in this book, is that it has zero consistency. The character that says “I can’t abide by all this technology” is the same character who also follows conspiracy theory message boards online (because I guess the plot needs her to have an answer later?) but how does she even know how to find them? The deus ex machina in this book is wild, y’all.
But twelve year old Delphine is also the speaker for such lines as “That screen is far too small, and squinting causes wrinkles, Sophie. Ladies should never wrinkle before thirty.”
The characters walk and talk about all the background information the audience needs to know, specifically that there is an “Anon715” (can we maybe NOT use ‘anon’ when QANON is a mouthpiece for a real world conspiracy theory group that is terrorizing marginalized peoples and spreading white supremacy?) who claims there’s a cure to treat rogue vampires but the secret government facility won’t share it.
Just like True Blood, there is synthetic blood for the vampires to drink, and a ‘new formula’ is just introduced. But Sophie and her two moms are ‘organic’ vampires (I gave an audible sigh at this description) and reluctantly take the synthetic. One of the only male characters in the book makes an appearance just so we know who the ‘rogue’ vampire later is. Which is so odd because after he’s killed someone (off camera) they don’t even mention the victim, as if it doesn’t matter. The town doesn’t grieve. Nothing happens but Sophie, the human “feels like everyone distrusts her” in school because her parents are vampires or something. But forget the actual victim.
Oh, and then they go to school. If you thought Twilight was ridiculous at the idea of a 108 year old man attending high school, buckle up buckaroos because Hopetown has a 300 year old girl who is forced to attend middle school forever because *check notes* she needs friends ‘her same age.’
Okay.
The constantly-antebellum-because-vampires-are-frozen-in-the-time-period-they-are-bitten-in looks-to-be-twelve-but-is-actually-three-hundred-years-old (can I say again that having an exclusively white cast and one is a straight up caricature of an antebellum Southern Belle is a Choice) has to go to school forever because they just happen to look young. Anyways. Eat your heart out, Stephine Meyer.
Why does a human couple adopt a permanently-12-year-old-300-year-old? How long are they planning on keeping her? Is this like a fad puppy they are going to give up? What are they going to do when they are like, 80 and in a retirement home. At one point do they just dissolve the adoption and another couple adopts her? It’s an out-there idea, but why doesn’t the *vampire* parents adopt the *vampire* child. Why does a three hundred year old person need to be adopted? Why does a 300 year old have to go to middle school!? How often is she forced to repeat the 7th grade? Why is she not raging against a system that forces her to repeat the same grade!?
The book has no answers to these questions.
Beyond the offensive characters, there’s also numerous times during intense scenes, the narration would just give even more unnecessary exposition. Here is an example:
Mrs. Abernathy’s smile was brighter than the “diamond” necklace I’d bought Mama for Mother’s Day last year. (Reviewer interjection here that this is a perfectly summed up analogy with a tie to the characters, but no, the author goes on). I’d saved up all my chore money and gone to the Allentown Mall with the Duke to one of those departments stores to spend every last cent. And Mama had cried when she’d opened it. Red hot tears of blood for that tiny pendant.
Why did we need to know any of that? (also, why do vampires in this world cry tears of blood? Does the author really like Catholic stigmata imagery?) (and why does the daughter call one of her parents ‘the Duke’ which is the petname her wife gives her?)
Vampires also do not have fingerprints for some reason and they can put security cameras to sleep. (No. Seriously)
If you’ve made it this far, then you’re in for the most glaring example of why white people simply do not have the range to write about persecution – *spoilers* The reason vampires are going rogue is because a flipping advisor to the US president, who is a vampire, has put his blood into the new ‘synthetic blood’ so that he can mind control them all because (like every single vampire story) he’s trying to create his own personal army to take over the world.
It's more than an underwhelming villain motivation.
It’s disappointing af reading a book where the bad guy is bad *because* they are marginalized (no really, the bad guy is bad because he’s been oppressed by the humans... so the lesson being told here by a white author about the ‘pain of persecution’ turns out being ‘yes, distrust marginalized people because they will hurt you if they get the chance’ which is 100% whiteness on display here y’all)
But wait, there’s more! – the author imagines that if a member of the oppressed group is caught trying to harm the majority, then there are NO repercussions for everyone else in the marginalized group because “only that one individual was bad and the people in power are so good that they’ll only punish that one guy who was bad.”
The one vampire that is in the government is caught in a plan to create a vampire *army* to control the earth, and all the rest of the vampires suffer zero consequences.
Sure, Jan.
The author truly believes the majority is so benevolent that it cannot do a racism, that the majority is so well-meaning that it knows to only punish the ‘bad’ people in a group. Sophie even proudly marches into the sunrise, thinking “oh, good, we caught the bad guy! Everything’s going to be okay.” No repercussions for Mama who went rogue. No need to worry about Daphne. Everything’s going to be fine when the most powerful vampire in the country was found trying to coercively objectify all humans in the world. Whitewashing reality (because if that’s what readers are being told, then, Black folk just get shot by police because they weren’t following orders, right? Black folk get harassed because they did something to deserve it? Hmmm? If only bad people get consequences...)
For a white child reading this book, it’ll make sense and it’ll feel good, but what a difference it would make for a brown child. I was reading this thinking “they’re going to rush home and lock the doors and stay inside and be afraid, right?” No they are not.
I don’t think the author had bad intentions, just that her attempt was a miss. She wanted to play around with the idea of persecution, but she doesn’t have the range to see how persecution affects actual persecuted peoples. It plays it safe and ends with everyone being okay, and that’s simply not how the real world is. If the idea of someone getting persecuted is a sandbox you get to step out of once you are done writing the book, maybe you should really contemplate on that choice of theming. White readers will probably enjoy its safety though.
All in all, I found this book to be boring, tired, introducing nothing new to vampire mythology and when it tries, it completely fails the logic test. We have lesbian moms but that’s about it for diversity and writing a book in 2022 that themes heavily on persecution with an all-white casting should be a huge red flag.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2021
I got to read an early draft of this novel, and it’s everything you could want in an MG story. The characters are charming, there’s humor and heart galore, and above all, there’s love and family and hope. Maria is a master at cliffhanger chapter endings and pacing, so be forewarned that your child will not want to put this book down. There are twists and turns to keep them guessing, and they’ll want to reread it right away to look for the clues they missed. Perfect for Halloween or any time your kid needs a seratonin boost!
June 2, 2022
The Last Hope in Hopetown is my favorite book in a while. My favorite parts are definitely the setting and the characters. It takes place in a world where vampires have integrated into human society, so it's cool to see the differences compared to our world. The characters are also all really colorful and memorable. The mashup of young and really old characters is interesting to see, too. As a whole, this book is really fun to read and I'm excited to read it again.
October 7, 2021
I got so lucky to get to review an early draft of this book, and it was delightful. With loveable characters and an enticing mystery, Maria's debut novel is a fun adventure. My twelve year old son loved it and so did I. Even the adults are charming, and that's saying a lot in a MG novel. You're gonna love this.
September 19, 2022
This was a really solid book for young readers and perfect for spooky season! It’s made up of an entirely female cast (love to see it) and humans and vampires co-exist. The main character, Sophie is a human who has been adopted by two vampire moms.
The narrative effortlessly explores some very real, quite serious themes packed into this fun paranormal story. It explores the foster care system and how kids feel both towards their adoptive and birth parents as well as just some of the struggles faced by minorities.
In the book vampires suddenly start going “rogue” (bad) and then one of Sophie’s moms go rogue and Sophie with the help of her best friend, Delphine (a 300 year old vampire in the body of a 12 year old) embark on a journey to find out what’s really going on and to work together to help stop it!
A truly lovey piece of fiction with great found family and friendship that’s sure to delight any young reader!
The audio narrator was just lovely, the perfect choice for this book.
5 stars!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape media for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The narrative effortlessly explores some very real, quite serious themes packed into this fun paranormal story. It explores the foster care system and how kids feel both towards their adoptive and birth parents as well as just some of the struggles faced by minorities.
In the book vampires suddenly start going “rogue” (bad) and then one of Sophie’s moms go rogue and Sophie with the help of her best friend, Delphine (a 300 year old vampire in the body of a 12 year old) embark on a journey to find out what’s really going on and to work together to help stop it!
A truly lovey piece of fiction with great found family and friendship that’s sure to delight any young reader!
The audio narrator was just lovely, the perfect choice for this book.
5 stars!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape media for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 23, 2022
I wish I could've went back in time and read this book in my early teens! I loved it and I'm sure I would've loved it even more then.
In The Last Hope in Hopetown, Sophie is a 12 year old adopted human child of two vampires. Her mothers are both quite interesting characters, but the Duke (Freya was my favorite, of course). Over the course of the book Sophie's family is affected by a nefarious plot (Yes, Sophie, that is bad lol) that she and her 300 year old vampire stuck in a 12 year old's mind and body forever must solve.
This book had a surprise amount of action and twists in it for a middle grade book but I'm all on board for that. Sophie accomplished things she never thought was possible and this was a real story of found family (which I've always been a sucker for) and of overthrowing a corrupt government entity. The story has vivid scenery and incredible characters that I really rooted for.
As this is middle grade fiction, I did guess a lot of things way before they happened but it's meant for a young audience and in this case is forgivable.
I really hope this author writes another book!
Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an arc.
In The Last Hope in Hopetown, Sophie is a 12 year old adopted human child of two vampires. Her mothers are both quite interesting characters, but the Duke (Freya was my favorite, of course). Over the course of the book Sophie's family is affected by a nefarious plot (Yes, Sophie, that is bad lol) that she and her 300 year old vampire stuck in a 12 year old's mind and body forever must solve.
This book had a surprise amount of action and twists in it for a middle grade book but I'm all on board for that. Sophie accomplished things she never thought was possible and this was a real story of found family (which I've always been a sucker for) and of overthrowing a corrupt government entity. The story has vivid scenery and incredible characters that I really rooted for.
As this is middle grade fiction, I did guess a lot of things way before they happened but it's meant for a young audience and in this case is forgivable.
I really hope this author writes another book!
Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an arc.
March 23, 2023
i loved everything about this book
June 23, 2022
I received an early release copy of The Last Hope in Hopetown via Netgalley for review. Some spoilers below.
The Last Hope in Hopetown is about Sophie Dawes, a twelve-year-old with a bigger heart than she realizes. Hopetown, PA is a place where humans and vampires live alongside one another. Heck, Sophie’s adoptive moms (Mama and the Duke) are vamps! Same goes for her best friend, Delphine—she’s a 300-year-old vampire trapped in a twelve-year-old’s body. Vampires have been living in the light beside humans for years, and it’s seemingly gone okay until vampires start going “rogue” and attacking people. When one of the vampires Sophie loves dearly goes rogue, she’s determined to do absolutely anything she can to save them and find a way to stop any other vampire from going rogue again.
The heart of Sophie’s story is about family—found family—and friendship with a vampire twist. Very lovable, huggable twist. As a part of family, The Last Hope in Hopetown explores the complexities of foster care and adoption and the uncertain feelings kids can have toward birth parents. This book also shines light on the challenges faced by a minority group who in order to fit in must be perfect in all that they do or risk making a bad name not only for themselves but all of their group. It delves into all of these challenges in ways that are easy for kids to connect.
This was an absolutely lovely book and I cannot wait for the hardcopy I purchased ages ago to arrive so I can get that delightful book smell while I reread it.
The Last Hope in Hopetown is about Sophie Dawes, a twelve-year-old with a bigger heart than she realizes. Hopetown, PA is a place where humans and vampires live alongside one another. Heck, Sophie’s adoptive moms (Mama and the Duke) are vamps! Same goes for her best friend, Delphine—she’s a 300-year-old vampire trapped in a twelve-year-old’s body. Vampires have been living in the light beside humans for years, and it’s seemingly gone okay until vampires start going “rogue” and attacking people. When one of the vampires Sophie loves dearly goes rogue, she’s determined to do absolutely anything she can to save them and find a way to stop any other vampire from going rogue again.
The heart of Sophie’s story is about family—found family—and friendship with a vampire twist. Very lovable, huggable twist. As a part of family, The Last Hope in Hopetown explores the complexities of foster care and adoption and the uncertain feelings kids can have toward birth parents. This book also shines light on the challenges faced by a minority group who in order to fit in must be perfect in all that they do or risk making a bad name not only for themselves but all of their group. It delves into all of these challenges in ways that are easy for kids to connect.
This was an absolutely lovely book and I cannot wait for the hardcopy I purchased ages ago to arrive so I can get that delightful book smell while I reread it.
June 23, 2022
As luck would have it, I got to read a beta version of Hopetown way back in its early stages. And now, thanks to an advanced reader copy provided by Netgalley, I finally have the honor of writing this review—exactly two years later, to the day! By no surprise, I fell in love with this book all over again, just as I did that very first time, only Hopetown has evolved into an even better novel than I remembered.
In a richly drawn world where vampires have integrated into human society, things seem to have settled into a peaceful rhythm. That is, until vampires mysteriously started going rogue. When an outbreak hits close to home, it exposes cracks in the thin layer of trust between humans and vampires, threatening the lives Sophie and her 300-year-old best friend Delphine have so lovingly built with their mixed human/vampire families. Something nefarious is at work to tear down their progressive society. Now it’s up to Sophie and Delphine to find the cause and stop the madness before it’s too late.
Driven fiercely by heart and threaded with action, Hopetown is a resonating tale about acceptance, making hard choices, and the lengths we’d go to save the ones we love. This thrilling page turner with its unique premise and strong found family themes is exactly the kind of book middle-grade me would’ve devoured again and again, just as middle-aged me did.
In a richly drawn world where vampires have integrated into human society, things seem to have settled into a peaceful rhythm. That is, until vampires mysteriously started going rogue. When an outbreak hits close to home, it exposes cracks in the thin layer of trust between humans and vampires, threatening the lives Sophie and her 300-year-old best friend Delphine have so lovingly built with their mixed human/vampire families. Something nefarious is at work to tear down their progressive society. Now it’s up to Sophie and Delphine to find the cause and stop the madness before it’s too late.
Driven fiercely by heart and threaded with action, Hopetown is a resonating tale about acceptance, making hard choices, and the lengths we’d go to save the ones we love. This thrilling page turner with its unique premise and strong found family themes is exactly the kind of book middle-grade me would’ve devoured again and again, just as middle-aged me did.
July 27, 2022
In Hopetown, vampires are out in the open and part of society, working and living in harmony alongside humans just like our young heroine, Sophie Dawes.
Sophie loves her life. She has a wisecracking 300-year-old best friend named Delphine and two vampire moms who’ve created a safe and loving home for Sophie after an early childhood spent in foster care. But when one of Sophie’s moms goes rogue after ingesting tainted, synthetic blood, Sophie and Delphine are in a race against time to save Mama and get to the bottom of what is infecting the vampires and causing them to turn rogue, or Sophie might lose the only real home she’s ever known. Because CPS is watching.
THE LAST HOPE IN HOPETOWN is a high stakes middle grade rollercoaster, packed with pulse-pounding moments that will have young readers on the edge of their seats, while the overarching themes of friendship, family, and what it means to belong will ensure that this heartwarming tale lingers in the reader’s memory long after they turn the final pages. A brilliant debut by author Maria Tureaud!
Thanks to NetGalley, Little, Brown For Young Readers, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sophie loves her life. She has a wisecracking 300-year-old best friend named Delphine and two vampire moms who’ve created a safe and loving home for Sophie after an early childhood spent in foster care. But when one of Sophie’s moms goes rogue after ingesting tainted, synthetic blood, Sophie and Delphine are in a race against time to save Mama and get to the bottom of what is infecting the vampires and causing them to turn rogue, or Sophie might lose the only real home she’s ever known. Because CPS is watching.
THE LAST HOPE IN HOPETOWN is a high stakes middle grade rollercoaster, packed with pulse-pounding moments that will have young readers on the edge of their seats, while the overarching themes of friendship, family, and what it means to belong will ensure that this heartwarming tale lingers in the reader’s memory long after they turn the final pages. A brilliant debut by author Maria Tureaud!
Thanks to NetGalley, Little, Brown For Young Readers, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 18, 2022
I wasn't into this one. It started interesting enough, but once it took the Zootopia route, I thought, "I just read Hollowpox earlier this year and it was kind of the same thing." It's no one's fault - tropes are recycled all the time - I just think this particular book didn't do it for me with this particular trope.
I ended zoning out for a bit and when I'd check back in, I knew exactly what was happening since I'd read it before. Meh.
I ended zoning out for a bit and when I'd check back in, I knew exactly what was happening since I'd read it before. Meh.
January 5, 2022
Guys, it's so so good. So good.
June 27, 2022
This book is everything I was looking for--it's funny, filled with heart, fast-paced, and a page-turner!
December 17, 2022
I really enjoyed this! Bonus points for the two vampire mums 💖
November 28, 2023
I love vampires and this was FUN. That's all I need out of this.
July 23, 2024
Good 👍
The ending snuck up on me though, I was reading and then I was like "hmm wonder how long is left" and then there was like 10 pages?? Nice book, liked the story and the concept 🫶
The ending snuck up on me though, I was reading and then I was like "hmm wonder how long is left" and then there was like 10 pages?? Nice book, liked the story and the concept 🫶
October 14, 2022
Cute! Ngl, a pretty dark theme for a middle grade novel.
June 30, 2024
(Middle Grade Fiction)
Huh? One of the weirdest books I ever read. Honestly not much to like about it. The author tried to do way too much with a vampire story.
Huh? One of the weirdest books I ever read. Honestly not much to like about it. The author tried to do way too much with a vampire story.
October 31, 2022
This middle grade debut is so much fun and it’s perfect for the entire family. In this society vampires exist and walk among humans. They have families, they get married, they have most of the same rights humans do. This includes the right to adopt. Sophie was adopted at a young age by her Mama and the Duke. She remembers life going from foster care to foster care and she loves her permanent home and her mothers. However, her family gets lots of visits from CPS (child protective services) after all the government needs to make sure that the vampires aren’t snacking on their child. However, there’s something affecting some vampires and it’s making them go: “rogue”. This is an almost a feral state, and unfortunately this happens to Mama. And it’s up to the Duke and Sophie to not only save Mama but find a cure for all the vampires. Adding to the fun of this book, even children are vampires. Unlike other vampire lore, if you’re a 12-year-old vampire you are 12 years old for life; both physically, mentally, and psychologically. That means one has to have parents and Sophie‘s best friend just happens to be a vampire who was adopted to human family. These two get into some of the best trouble together. They both know that they have to save not only Sophie‘s family but her best friends lifeline. They must save their families and their way of life because love is love even if one of you is a vampire.
October 2, 2022
Oh this was fantastic!! I didn’t want it to end. As an audio the narrator was so on point with the different voices. I could not only hear the change of character but I could feel them to. That’s huge for an audiobook.
The book was fast passed and fun! The characters were developed and relatable. I seriously had a great time reading this. I love the idea of vampires adopting human kids. It was a nice new spin on vampires. I was on the edge of my seat when the story picked up. Making it hard to stop listening. The authors way of writing just made this story easy to devour.
What would you do if your vampire mom tried to eat you ? Run or stay and fight?
In short :
Did I like it? Yes very much!
Would I recommend it? Yes !
Would I read more by this author? Absolutely.
The book was fast passed and fun! The characters were developed and relatable. I seriously had a great time reading this. I love the idea of vampires adopting human kids. It was a nice new spin on vampires. I was on the edge of my seat when the story picked up. Making it hard to stop listening. The authors way of writing just made this story easy to devour.
What would you do if your vampire mom tried to eat you ? Run or stay and fight?
In short :
Did I like it? Yes very much!
Would I recommend it? Yes !
Would I read more by this author? Absolutely.
June 29, 2022
I loved THE LAST HOPE IN HOPETOWN so much I wanted to read it again as soon as I'd finished! A delightful new take on vampire-human relations where they live together peacefully side by side - until a tragic turn disrupts the balance. In this tale of diversity, acceptance and family, 12 yr-old Sophie Dawes and her best friend, who happens to be a 12 -yr old vampire, join forces to get to the truth and save Sophie's parents from nefarious forces in this perfectly paced, nail biting, and fun adventure. The perfect Fall read for anyone looking for a thrilling read with a ton of heart, and a light smattering of blood!
December 6, 2022
I first came across this when trying to find a comp title for my current book I'm writing, and gave this a try. I'm so glad I did - it's both adorable and a blast.
The emotional side of things is super well done - the mixed feelings of her birth mom reaching out, the Duke's, Delphine's, and Sophie's sinilar-but-different experiences with abandonment/found families, and how Sophie's so worried about protecting her parents' feelings.
The plot was somewhat predictable for an adult reader, but still entertaining. I really hope lots of people read this - it deserves some love!
The only downside is the characters look late teens on cover.
The emotional side of things is super well done - the mixed feelings of her birth mom reaching out, the Duke's, Delphine's, and Sophie's sinilar-but-different experiences with abandonment/found families, and how Sophie's so worried about protecting her parents' feelings.
The plot was somewhat predictable for an adult reader, but still entertaining. I really hope lots of people read this - it deserves some love!
The only downside is the characters look late teens on cover.
October 26, 2022
This was not what I expected. I enjoyed the dynamics and the close friendship between the girls. You can tell they really care about each other. I feel like it was a little fast and could’ve had a little more information and story filled in. Even for a middle grade book it could have a little more. Other than that I still think it was a good story.
June 11, 2022
I was so lucky to receive an advanced copy, and ooof it did not disappoint! I loved it, and I can’t wait to share it with the kids in my life! Absolutely love this world Maria has created.
August 7, 2022
Twelve-year-old Sophie Dawes loves her adopted moms for their unique and intense personalities and the fact that they—vampires—chose to adopt her—a human. It was not easy for vampires to first come into the light to live among humans, but those who did were able to do so thanks to the open mindedness of their global communities. However, vampires have lately been going rogue unexpectedly, becoming feral versions of themselves who must be removed to a local facility…from which they never return. When rogue behavior finds its way to Sophie’s beloved town of Hopeville, she must put the puzzle pieces together to save those she loves before it is too late.
From the very first moments, this book captivates readers’ attention through excellent writing and characters who are both tangible and memorable. Though the concept of vampires walking among, and even blending in with, humans is within the realm of fantasy, the details of such an occurrence are so thoughtfully executed that this story feels as though it could be real. Sophie recounts the story in the first person, explaining details to the reader as unusual events occur around her, and her voice is dynamic and engaging throughout the book. Readers will easily connect with Sophie as she works to save her adopted family while attempting to decide whether she wants to reconnect with shadows from her past.
This story, while fantastic on its face, settles into very real emotions with each conflict and situation in which its characters find themselves. From the discomfort that stems from being different from others in her community to the fear of being unexpectedly torn from her life due to circumstances beyond her control, Sophie’s plight is familiar within the context of a fictional novel. Readers who enjoyed Zootopia will find similar threads in this story, especially as readers work to solve the mystery alongside Sophie and her best friend Delphine. Thanks to high-quality writing and a compelling premise, this book is one readers will not be able to put down. It is an excellent addition to library collections for middle grade readers.
From the very first moments, this book captivates readers’ attention through excellent writing and characters who are both tangible and memorable. Though the concept of vampires walking among, and even blending in with, humans is within the realm of fantasy, the details of such an occurrence are so thoughtfully executed that this story feels as though it could be real. Sophie recounts the story in the first person, explaining details to the reader as unusual events occur around her, and her voice is dynamic and engaging throughout the book. Readers will easily connect with Sophie as she works to save her adopted family while attempting to decide whether she wants to reconnect with shadows from her past.
This story, while fantastic on its face, settles into very real emotions with each conflict and situation in which its characters find themselves. From the discomfort that stems from being different from others in her community to the fear of being unexpectedly torn from her life due to circumstances beyond her control, Sophie’s plight is familiar within the context of a fictional novel. Readers who enjoyed Zootopia will find similar threads in this story, especially as readers work to solve the mystery alongside Sophie and her best friend Delphine. Thanks to high-quality writing and a compelling premise, this book is one readers will not be able to put down. It is an excellent addition to library collections for middle grade readers.
September 19, 2022
*ALC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Alright, TOTALLY didn't realize this was a middle grade novel when I requested. That being said, the narration was great. I think tweens would enjoy the pace and tone.
This story is about Sophie's mother going "rogue" (basically crazy/bloodthirsty/feral). Sophie and Delphine go on an adventure to find the cure before her mom (and she and the Duke) are taken away by the FBVA (? I can't remember if that's the acronym but it's essentially a task force specifically for controlling vampires).
There were times I did forget this was a middle grade story. I didn't think Sophie sounded 12 at certain times - it felt more older teen/YA. I absolutely LOVED Delphine, she was my favorite character by far. I also really enjoyed the Duke. She would have been the COOLEST mom. It was a very quick listen and while this isn't my typical read, I did enjoy it.
Alright, TOTALLY didn't realize this was a middle grade novel when I requested. That being said, the narration was great. I think tweens would enjoy the pace and tone.
This story is about Sophie's mother going "rogue" (basically crazy/bloodthirsty/feral). Sophie and Delphine go on an adventure to find the cure before her mom (and she and the Duke) are taken away by the FBVA (? I can't remember if that's the acronym but it's essentially a task force specifically for controlling vampires).
There were times I did forget this was a middle grade story. I didn't think Sophie sounded 12 at certain times - it felt more older teen/YA. I absolutely LOVED Delphine, she was my favorite character by far. I also really enjoyed the Duke. She would have been the COOLEST mom. It was a very quick listen and while this isn't my typical read, I did enjoy it.
June 8, 2023
3.5
this was a lot of fun. i don't typically read middle grade but going into this story knowing this is for a younger audience i grew to appreciate it. if you're able to listen to the audiobook i highly suggest that form due to the amazing sound effects that added to the tension. i thought these characters were well done and i was able to relate to different parts and overall just had fun.
thank you netgalley for the audiobook arc even though it took me forever to pick this up <3
this was a lot of fun. i don't typically read middle grade but going into this story knowing this is for a younger audience i grew to appreciate it. if you're able to listen to the audiobook i highly suggest that form due to the amazing sound effects that added to the tension. i thought these characters were well done and i was able to relate to different parts and overall just had fun.
thank you netgalley for the audiobook arc even though it took me forever to pick this up <3
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