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Four Great Vampire Reads For Young Adults
Help! I Need Vampire Fiction!
It's true, with the trend of Twilight, we have found ourselves swimming in vampire novels. But how can you know which ones are good reads, and which ones need to take a stake to the heart? It can seem overwhelming, but have no fear! As an avid reader of vampire fiction from middle school forward, I have selected only the best for you to sink your fangs into.
The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod by Heather Brewer
If you're looking for a series from a male's perspective, the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod is all you need. A series of five books, the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod tells the story of a teen boy battling with being half human/half vampire. He has all of the struggles of your average boy: crushes, friends and school. Add on being hunted by a vampire slayer, and he has a full plate. But as he grows older, his secret is harder to hide. Not only does his thirst for human blood get stronger, but his power and strength, all leading to one question...is he the chosen one, the Pravus? This book is a good read for both young adults and middle school-age children. It puts a spin on a classic vampire; featuring a half-species! Not to mention, it looks into vampires not as a romantic species, but one that struggles greatly to live an average lifestyle.
Sweetblood by Pete Hautman
Sweetblood follows a young woman named Lucy, a type one diabetic. She looks at diabetics as the first vampires. With a huge interest in vampires, she joins a chat room called Transylvania, where she eventually gets too involved and falls into the wrong crowd; a crowd who thinks they are real vampires. It is a great read as it looks at vampires from a whole different perspective; providing a new theory on the species. This is also a more realistic type of story, as it focuses on people who believe they are vampires; not real ones.
Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber
This series follows the life of your typical teenage girl, Raven Madison, dealing with typical young adult problems. School sucks, she's bullied for her goth attire and everyone thinks she's a freak! Suddenly everything changes when a mysterious family moves into an abandoned mansion in her town, Dullsville. After some exploring, it just might be possible that Raven will meet the vampire of her dreams. The series includes nine books total and was completed in 2012. Schreiber displays a personal knowledge for the Goth lifestyle and provides a great read for the vampire at heart. Not to mention, it is easily relatable for any teenage girl, whether they are part of the Gothic lifestyle or not. Romantic situations, fashion struggles and friend issues all reflect a true teenage girl's life.
Cirque Du Freak #2: The Vampire's Assistant
This particular book is considered suitable for children as well. Darren Shan lives an ordinary life. Until one day, he finds himself drawn to the Cirque du Freak, a local freak show. Already unwillingly a vampire himself, he becomes a vampire assistant. Like most of the books featured here, author Darren Shan questions the conventional vampire. He eliminates ideas such as vampires having the ability to fly...or to not eat garlic. He also uses an interesting approach in giving readers the idea that this story could be the adventures of his real youth by giving the protagonist of the book his name. It is nonstop interesting!
Are These Not For You?
Not everyone is the vampire novel type! Maybe you prefer zombies? Or...gasp....werewolves? Maybe it's just that nonfiction is more of your forte. Not to fear! There are thousands of books out there; whether they are about creatures of the night or not. These are simply my suggestions based on personal experience. Being a goth girl growing up in a society that did not agree with my style, I often had to relate to books and live my life through them. Vampires just happened to be my outlet. Hit up your local library! You are sure to find these, and piles of other wonderful literary works at your fingertips.