The Uninvited

By: Nancy Banks

Narrated by: Carlotta Brentan

A YA paranormal fantasy about vampires in the Paris underground, where a young woman's bohemian dream turns into a chilling nightmare. Now her survival hinges on bringing to light the city's darkest and deepest secrets.

When 17-year-old Tosh Reeves moves from Portland, Oregon to Paris, it’s a dream come to life. The city embraces her with its street-life, iconic architecture, and infinite gustatory delights. There’s even a charming expat boy, Nick, who introduces her to sights tourists never see.

From medieval catacombs to the viciously competitive street art scene, Tosh’s immersion in Paris makes her feel wholly alive in a way she’s never before experienced. She belongs.

But when a series of brutal vampiric attacks creeps closer to her new circle of bohemian friends, Tosh will confront the darker side of her beloved Paris, and learn how deeply monsters can strike at a young woman’s power and heart.

Critic reviews

Praise for The Uninvited:

"A darkly emotional, feminist tale full of honesty in the face of a sharp-edged and untrustworthy world."—Booklist

"The story begins as a Parisian summer romp before shifting to become a creepy vampire horror story that creates a disturbingly apt parallel between vampirism and misogyny. Frightful, fun, and feminist."—Kirkus Reviews

"[An] immersive debut."—Publishers Weekly

“A visceral tour through the streets of Paris, with supernatural danger lurking around every corner and past traumas that cannot be suppressed. The Uninvited stands as a reminder; when the world tells us to shrink back and remain afraid, we don’t have to listen.”—Angela Montoya, author of A Cruel Thirst

“An exciting Paris adventure dripping with atmosphere, this story is a timely punch back at the cruelty of monsters and a love letter to the fierce, incomparable strength of teenage girls.”— Sonia Hartl, author of The Lost Girls

A romp through Paris and a cure to vampirism

This book is such a romp! I had actually read it before listening to it, and if anything I liked it better as a listen. I think because it's such a page turner, I missed some of the details when I read the book that I really enjoyed while listening.

So, why do I like it? I really like how the "bad guy," the vampire, is actually quite talented. So often, creeps are charismatic or talented or otherwise admirable. People have so many dimensions, and this book delves into that. How do you like someone's art but find that person abhorrent? Can you learn from someone who is fundamentally evil? It's a good question to ponder, and Banks sets that up so well. How do people who aren't threatened relate to a predator like a vampire and minimize the harm it does (or do they?). There are lots of other though provoking parts of the book, too. I love the friendship that develops between the two main young women fighting the vampire. Great duo. Plus they manage to cure themselves of vampirism!

But in addition to that, there's some sweet romance, and it's just such a fun meander through Paris and French culture. The reader's French is beautiful when French words come up, and she does the different voices so well.