Official Review: Crimson and Clover by Crystal Schultz

[Prisallen]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Crimson and Clover" by Crystal Schultz.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Crimson and Clover is a fantasy novel written by Crystal Schultz about a vampire by the name of Cordelia Slade. Cordelia just moved to West Virginia from New York to get away from some trouble she had gotten into there. She lived in West Virginia as a child until she and her sister were transformed into vampires when she was seventeen, and her parents were murdered. She and her sister then fled to New York, where they were adopted by an elderly vampire couple. This couple had adopted others as well, so they have an instant family of siblings and cousins. Because of danger to her in New York, she decided to go back home. Back in West Virginia, she meets quiet, brooding, and artistic Paul and outgoing, popular, and athletic Chad, who are twins at her school. She feels a strange connection to Paul, and she begins to fall for him. As she begins to enjoy her new life, her cousin Errol shows up and informs her that the vampires she is running from have found her and are coming for her.

This book is written in first person in the form of a diary that begins on September 28, 2010, and goes until December 24, 2010. Because it is written by Cordelia, we are able to understand how she thinks and feels, and we get to know her. Her character is very well-developed, as are Paul’s and Errol’s characters. They are relatable and likable and are my favorite part of the book. Cordelia is in her seventies, in the body of a seventeen-year-old, when the book takes place, but she still acts like a teenager at times. She rolls her eyes and gets cranky too easily, but this makes her seem relatable. She is very brave and protective, which is why she is in danger. Cordelia fought off two vampires, injuring them when they attacked a child in New York, and they now want revenge. Errol is very handsome and knows it, so he is constantly flirting much to Cordelia’s chagrin. He likes to tease her, but he loves her and tries to protect her. Paul was wounded when his mother was killed by a vampire when he was ten, and he has had problems with overcoming the grief and terror from that incident. With Cordelia’s help, he is slowly getting stronger and is overcoming his grief. His character changes more than anyone’s during the story.

The romance between Cordelia and Paul is a big part of this story. There is a magnetism between them from the start that is hard to overcome. Cordelia is torn between following her heart and staying away from Paul, as she knows the complications of having a relationship with a human. Other than kissing, there is no sex, which keeps it appropriate for the teenagers it is intended for.

I liked the fact that religion was woven into this book, as you don’t usually see that in vampire novels. Cordelia always assumed that she was going to go to hell, as vampires were thought to be evil. After being convinced to go to church, she started thinking that maybe redemption was possible. She began to pray when she or a loved one was in trouble.

The plot was suspenseful, but it could have been more so if the book was condensed. It is over 600 pages long, and some daily commentaries could have been left out as they were superfluous. This would have made the story more exciting, as it tended to drag at times. This would probably attract more readers as well. As a word of warning, there are issues in the book that were not resolved by the ending, but it did not end on a cliffhanger. I suspect the author is planning a sequel.

There were a lot of errors in this book in the form of misspelled words, wrong tenses of verbs, wrong use of punctuation, etc. It could use professional editing. It did interfere with the flow of the story and was my least favorite aspect of the novel.

Because of too many errors and the long story that could have been shortened, I would like to give this book 2.5 stars, but, since I can’t do that, I give it a rating of 3 out of 4 stars, as I think it should be given a higher rating than a 2. I think it would be enjoyed by teenagers and young adults who like fantasies about vampires and romance. It wouldn’t be suitable for young children because of some violence and gore, although the author did try to keep it to a minimum.

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Crimson and Clover
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[kandscreeley]

Honestly, this sounds like a pretty typical vampire story. I am occasionally in the mood for something like that, but the fact that it drags on a bit too long means I probably won't pick this up. The title makes me think of that old song (in fact, I now have it in my head - thanks for that). Thanks for the review.

[Prisallen]

Honestly, this sounds like a pretty typical vampire story. I am occasionally in the mood for something like that, but the fact that it drags on a bit too long means I probably won't pick this up. The title makes me think of that old song (in fact, I now have it in my head - thanks for that). Thanks for the review.

I used to love that song. Thanks for stopping by and for the comments!

[Bluebird03]

Blending Christianity and vampires certainly sounds original. I'm glad the characters were well thought out and developed. Thank you for such a great review!

[Prisallen]

Blending Christianity and vampires certainly sounds original. I'm glad the characters were well thought out and developed. Thank you for such a great review!

It was an unusual combination. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

[Connie Otwani]

Over 600 pages for a 3-month period? I'm not surprised some superflous must have crept in. A pity about the errors. I hope the author rectifies them cos this here is an exciting plot. Great review!

[Prisallen]

Over 600 pages for a 3-month period? I'm not surprised some superflous must have crept in. A pity about the errors. I hope the author rectifies them cos this here is an exciting plot. Great review!

It was a bit long. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

[ElizaBeth Adams]

I appreciate the author's unique way of telling this story. I've read a lot of historical fiction books told using diary entries. It's a great fit for that genre. I wouldn't have thought of using it in a vampire story, but with the main character being a teenage girl of sorts, I could see where it could work. I appreciate the author's technique. This one's not for me though. Thanks for a great review.

[sri varshini303041]

This book reminds me of Vampire Diaries. The plotline is somewhat similar. I can see how the book might get superfluous. Its a backdrop of first-person pov. It gets boring and unnecessary, pretty easily. Also, I think the plot lacks depth. Even though I used to enjoy these kinds of books, I have grown out of it. Thanks for the detailed review. keep up the good work.

[Bianka Walter]

This sounds like Twilight meets Vampire Diaries.
And, as much as I kinda went 'ugh' to them both... they were still fun to read/watch.
I think I would have the same thought with this one
This is a great review, thanks!

[Prisallen]

I appreciate the author's unique way of telling this story. I've read a lot of historical fiction books told using diary entries. It's a great fit for that genre. I wouldn't have thought of using it in a vampire story, but with the main character being a teenage girl of sorts, I could see where it could work. I appreciate the author's technique. This one's not for me though. Thanks for a great review.

I did like it being written that way, but I just would have liked for it to have been slimmed down a little. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

[Prisallen]

This book reminds me of Vampire Diaries. The plotline is somewhat similar. I can see how the book might get superfluous. Its a backdrop of first-person pov. It gets boring and unnecessary, pretty easily. Also, I think the plot lacks depth. Even though I used to enjoy these kinds of books, I have grown out of it. Thanks for the detailed review. keep up the good work.

Thank you for the kind comments and for stopping by!

[Prisallen]

This sounds like Twilight meets Vampire Diaries.
And, as much as I kinda went 'ugh' to them both... they were still fun to read/watch.
I think I would have the same thought with this one
This is a great review, thanks!

I agree with you - would not be my first choice, but still fun to read. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

[danielleamy]

Vampire novels are my guilty pleasure. But 600 pages sounds a little long, especially if there are drawn out commentaries and errors. Maybe if this gets another round of editing I'll try it out. Well done on a thorough review

[Prisallen]

Vampire novels are my guilty pleasure. But 600 pages sounds a little long, especially if there are drawn out commentaries and errors. Maybe if this gets another round of editing I'll try it out. Well done on a thorough review

It definitely needs some editing. Thanks for coming by and commenting!