The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black is a paranormal teen novel about a young girl who learns to deal with the demons in her life — both literal and figurative.

The book begins with Tana, the heroine, waking up after a wild night at a party, surrounded by a massacre of her classmates. Only one person is alive — her ex-boyfriend Aidan — but he has gone “cold”,meaning he has been bitten by a vampire and is one step away from becoming one if he can bite someone else. And, oh yeah, there’s also Gavriel, a vampire wrapped in chains in the corner.

Though Aidan first tries attacking Tana, she is able to tame him enough to go on a journey with him and Gavriel to make it to Coldtown, a place where vampires live and thrive and everyone will be safe.

Using flashback, the book delves into Tana’s past, which involves her deceased mother who also had connections to the vampire world. Tana’s younger sister, Pearl, also becomes a key character. The book is told from different characters’ points of view, each chapter switching between Tana, Pearl and Gavriel.

Tana becomes more confident and decisive through her experiences. In classic Gothic fashion, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a novel that teaches people to tame and learn from the demons in their life rather than fear them.