Review: Nightfall by Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski

Nightfall by Jake Halpern, Peter Kujawinski
Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers on September 22, 2015
Genres: Horror, YA
Pages: 368
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher

Things are a bit different on Bliss island.  The sun doesn't rise every 24 hours, it rises every 28 years.

Nightfall is just around the corner.  The citizens hurry to prepare their homes for Nightfall. This includes removing all the locks, removing all traces of their scent, before the climb aboard the ships that will take them south to ride out the Night.  Not the typical way to prepare a home for long-abandonment but it's what has been done for as long as they can remember.

Marin and her twin brother rush to help their parents prepare.  This is their first Night, so they question the strange rituals they must perform.  Why must they set the table and rearrange the furniture? Their concerns intensify when their friend Line goes missing.  Only they know where to find him and they don't have much time. The ships will sail soon.  If they don't hurry, they will be left behind.

The moment I received this book I knew I would adore it.  Let’s start with the marketing:

Before I even started to read the book, I had the chills.

And then I actually began reading it. The tone of the overall book isn’t chilling to start with, instead building slowly to a truly monumental climax. As you read, there are definitely hints of something dark and spooky happening on the island.   The fact that the adults proceed with these strange rituals without question is quite terrifying.   The rituals have an ancient feel to them, the adults constantly repeating phrases/instructions  they’ve been using for decades.

Though the book does a good job of explaining Nightfall, I would have loved a little more backstory or history to the island.  When/how did it begin?  Perhaps this is a great opportunity for a prequel. Heck, I want a sequel.  So much is left to the readers imagination!

I know it sounds cliche, but I honestly haven’t read anything like this.  The premise is completely unique, the characters are genuine and true to their age.  I mean, who else to question tradition but a teenager?  I genuinely hope that Halpern and Kujawinski have more up their sleeves. My interested and curiosity is piqued!

This is the perfect read for the Halloween season.  I’d classify it as spooky, but not too spooky, perfectly for the age group it is geared toward (young adults) but “more seasoned” readers as well. Highly recommended.