Becoming Darkness

In this ambitious but muddled trilogy opener, first-time author Brambles postulates a world in which WWII ended when the Nazis unleashed a virus that wiped out much of humanity, transforming the survivors into vampires, except for those who now live on the tiny island nation of Haven, refuge of the Immune. Nearly 60 years later, 17-year-old Sophie Harkness is a Haven native who gets swept up in a deadly conspiracy when her best friend is murdered. In her obsessive quest for the truth about Camille’s death, Sophie uncovers devastating secrets behind her family’s complicated legacy and the delicate peace that exists between Haven and the vampires. The idea of Nazi vampires in a crumbling post-apocalyptic setting, combined with the illicit paranormal romance between Sophie and her vampire beloved (who previously courted her grandmother and mother, no less), sounds great on paper, but fails to reach its true potential. The plot takes a long time to reach obvious conclusions, and Sophie, while resourceful, is more of a lightning rod for disaster than a full-fledged protagonist. Ages 14–up. Agent: Kelly Sonnack, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (Oct.)