Blog Tour: Until Summer Comes Around by Glenn Rolfe

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

"Rolfe is the real deal, folks, and anything he writes is well worth checking out." - Gord Rollo, author of The Jigsaw Man and The Crucifixion Experiments
When fifteen year old Rocky Zukas meets a mysterious dark-haired girl named November, his world is forever changed. The young couple falls under the spell of summer love, but not everyone approves. November's brother, Gabriel, is the keeper of the family's secret, and big brother is always watching, growing more sinister as his bloodlust gets the best of him. Directing his attention to Rocky's family, Gabriel aims to make sure little sister knows who is in charge.
FLAME TREE PRESSis the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.

Don’t you just love a sweet and innocent coming of age story?  Yeah, neither do I.  If you love your coming of age stories to be full of blood, guts, and a creeping dread, then absolutely pick up Until Summer Comes Round.  It blasts you with those feel good eighties summer vibes – the feeling that summer would never end.  It just has that bonus of vampires and the spilling of blood.  There is so much packed into this novel written by the immensely talented Glenn Rolfe.  Every word has been deliberately chosen and they come to life with such a sinister prevalence that you feel the need to look over your own shoulder. 

I knew that this book was going to be a hypnotising work of art.  I picked up my kindle, took a deep breath and lay my trust in Rolfe, although he might just scare the brown stuff clean out of you, he will give the experience of a lifetime.  He won’t let you down.  Until Summer Comes Round is like being reintroduced to an old friend – if Michael Myers was the benchmark for friendship.  The plot promises to reel you in, hook, line, and sinker with his narrative of an addictive plotline which is tainted with evil, blood and a resounding feeling of fate. 

This superb vampire tale is set in 1986 in Old Orchard Beach, Maine.  Rocky, our protagonist has previously enjoyed spending his summer days hanging around the arcade and blowing money on junk food with his cousin Axel.  Nothing exciting ever takes place in their quiet town.  Just once he wishes something would liven the place up, well you should be careful what you wish for. 

Fast forward to a serious case of sun stroke and a mysterious girl named November.  There a mutual attraction and they seem to have a lot in common.  The same music tastes and a penchant for all things geeky.  They spend a lot of time together, swimming, larking around and eating junk food, its too good to be true.  Not only are they only in his beach town for the summer but November, her brother, Gabriel, and their mother are harbouring a horrific secret – They are vampires. 

Glenn Rolfe captured so accurately the feelings and emotions of what it is like being that age.  We see elements of denial, love, anger, and change.  We can’t fight against the raging storm these emotions pull at and the author doesn’t try to.  The human side of his characters bring the reader inexorably closer to the story – the words reach out to us, looking for a connection. 

Until Summer Comes Around is extremely character driven, and its raw compulsive nature is visceral.  The author has nailed the complicated nature of human beings and the evil of supernatural beings.  Two stories interweaved that ramp up the adrenaline.  Gripping from the very start and I was more than happy to open the door into this sinister world and experience everything it had to offer. 

Thanks to Anne Cater @Random Things Tours for my spot on the blog tour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“A vital part of this generation.” – Brian Keene, author of THE COMPLEX and THE RISING

Glenn Rolfe is an author from the haunted woods of New England. He has studied Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University and continues his education in the world of horror by devouring the novels of Stephen King, Richard Laymon, Brian Keene, Jack Ketchum, and many others. He and his wife, Meghan, have three children, Ruby, Ramona, and Axl. He is grateful to be loved despite his weirdness.

He is a Splatterpunk Award nominee and the author of The Window, Becoming, Blood and Rain, The Haunted Halls, Chasing Ghosts, Abram’s Bridge, Things We Fear, Boom Town, and the collections, Slush and Land of Bones.
Look for his next novel, Until Summer Comes Around, coming from Flame Tree Press in 2020.

He is hard at work on many more. Stay tuned!

Twitter: @grolfehorror
www.Patreon/GetRolfed

Glenn Rolfe