Title: The Reformed Vampire Support Group
Author: Catherine Jinks
Summary: Instead of the dark, sexy, and powerful image of vampires present in protagonist Nina Harrison's Zadia Bloodstone novels, vampirism is a disease. Affecting dead people, this disease causes light sensitivity, brittle skin, and digestive problems. Nina is forever 15 and stuck living with her mother, and participating in the Reformed Vampire Support Group (to help vampires adjust and to promote an alternate diet), when a member is staked and shot with a mysterious silver bullet. So in an effort to prove vampires aren't weak, Nina embarks to solve the mystery with fellow Support Group members, former-punk-rocker-turned-vamp Dave, and a human, sympathiser Father Ramone. In the process they also encounter the underground werewolf trade, giving her her first trial at resisting the scent of human blood and fanging hamsters to deal with the alternate nutrition.
Thoughts: I really enjoyed the alternate to the forever young, sparkly love tales that dominate vampire fiction. These tales are also inject the all superhuman vamp into the story in the form of Nina's Zadia Bloodstone novels. The disease-like form of vampirism was also let us see the characters as real people rather than super-beings with no repercussions. Nina is a witty realist and made the book incredibly funny. Calm, regular Dave was also a good balance to the unusual mix of the group. The suspense and action was well balanced and the novel in general was well paced. The dynamics between the group member were excellent. The dialogue between the lot is hilarious. I enjoyed Nina's realisation that vampires don't need to be Zadia to get what they want from life, and that along with the ending was immensely satisfying. Readers who want to be subverted from the usual vampires will enjoy this dark, witty, mystery.
Cover: I like the cover, its cute but I wish all the members of the support group were shown rather than the skeletal group. The alternate cover is black and white but also quite nice.
Rating: 5 Stars
PS: Hope everyone is having a lovely summer.
I bought this book I haven't read it yet but I cant wait to now =) Great review!
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy it ^_^
ReplyDeleteI read this got it for review) and I loved it too! (Especially since it's set in Australia)
ReplyDeleteOh this one is my my Wish list!
ReplyDeletewww.bloodybookaholic.blogspot.com
PS; Contest for Meridian at my blog ^^
Steph: Yay for Nina love!
ReplyDeleteTasch: Hope you love it!
PS; thanks ^_^
It's a fun book to counter there-are-too-many-perfect-vampires-in-teen-lit-itis! Alas for the poor guinea pigs :)
ReplyDeleteSounds fun! I am not a fan of vampire romances, but vampire comedy could be the ticket. After all, I did like Christopher Moore's Blood Sucking Fiends.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good vampire book. I'll check this one out.
ReplyDeleteH: Felt a bit bad for them ^_^ Did not feel bad for the werewolf crew.
ReplyDeleteLenore: Vampire comedy pwns!
Bookworm: Hope you enjoy it ^_^
Sounds interesting... great review!
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you liked this one. It is a great novel!
ReplyDeletePriya: It was! Thanks ^_^
ReplyDeleteChristina: Yeah ^_^
I've only read one other review of this book. It wasn't so kind. I wanted to read this book because it seemed different from most vampire book. I thought this concept was fun and that it may be funny.
ReplyDeleteIm surprised! I saw a negative one two but the book was so funny ^_^ I guess some people prefer their vampires sparkly!
ReplyDeleteIve seen this one around.I'll have to pick it up!
ReplyDeleteohhhh... This looks unique! I keep telling myself I'm going to stop reading vamp books, but I never do...;)
ReplyDeleteSounds like it has a great cast of characters!
-amy
Sounds like this one might be one to take a look at--different with characters to relate to. Thanks.
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