The Last Hope in Hopetown - by Maria Tureaud (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Stranger Things meets Fake Blood in this deliciously charming and spooky novel about one girl's choice 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.

Review Quotes

Praise for The Last Hope in Hopetown:

A 2022 SLJ Best Book


*"Equal parts horror and mystery, this contemporary tale is sure to delight readers who enjoy a bit of a spooky vibe with their conspiracy theories and whodunit adventures."--School Library Journal, starred review

"The Last Hope in Hopetown boasts relatable vampiric world building and fast-paced intrigue wrapped in a warm blanket of belonging, acceptance, and the triumph of empathetic family bonds! Young fantasy readers will enjoy Tureaud's suspenseful story full of fierce love that saturates every page."--Ash Van Otterloo, author of Cattywampus, and A Touch of Ruckus

"Fans finishing up the latest season of Stranger Things will be sucked into this suspenseful and complex debut novel."--BCCB

"This energetic, action-filled story is rounded out with an exploration of what makes a family and Sophie's realistic emotions about being adopted...A suspenseful supernatural story about belonging and inclusion."--Kirkus

"Tureaud's action-packed page-turner keeps family and community at the heart of the story, ultimately revealing what makes a true monster."--Booklist

"Tureaud's high-concept debut offers an extended metaphor exploring how the past informs the present, touching on corporate protections, government surveillance, model minority dynamics, and personal rights via vibrantly rendered characters."--Publisher's Weekly

About the Author

Maria Tureaud hails from the Wild Atlantic Way on the west coast of Ireland. A developmental editor of fifteen years, Maria is the author of the middle grade book The Last Hope in Hopetown (an SLJ Best Book pick for 2022) and an upcoming adult release This House Will Feed. When she's not writing books, or sprinkling magic onto client manuscripts, you can find Maria drinking tea in New Jersey with her husband and their son, as she dreams of moving home to her beloved County Clare, and the place she feels most in tune with her ancestors -- the Burren.