Common Sense Media Review
By Kate Pavao
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based on child development research. How do we rate?
Vampire series debut pales in Twilight's shadow.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Gina is not like other vampires you know. This is a girl who likes mall shopping -- and after clawing her way out of her coffin her first thoughts are about finding her stylist. But she has inner strength to match her mega-attitude, and when she finds out that an evil vampiress is recruiting unsuspecting high school kids into her own blood-sucking army, she decides to take charge. Between dodging stakes, motivating her troops, and making psychic connections with her vampire boyfriend, she's living a very busy (eternal) life.
Is It Any Good?
Teens will appreciate Gina's unique stake, or uh, take on vampirism -- she worries how she will survive eternity without being able to check herself out in the mirror, for example. In the end, though, the campy vamp protagonist is really all this book has going for it. The plot is slow to unfold, and readers will likely have lost interest long before the heated battles for vampire dominance begin.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about vampire books. Can you think of anything that this book has in common with the popular Twilight series (like being pretty heavy on romance, for example)? Why are vampires so popular right now?
Do you think Twilight's success makes publishers more willing to take a chance on vampire books for teens right now? What might this mean for the quality of these books?
Book Details
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