Vampire Kisses ANNOTATION
Sixteen-year-old Raven, an outcast who always wears black and hopes to become a vampire some day, falls in love with the mysterious new boy in town, eager to find out if he can make her dreams come true.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
In her small town, dubbed "Dullsville," sixteen-year-old Raven — a vampire-crazed goth-girl — is an outcast. But not for long...
The intriguing and rumored-to-be haunted mansion on top of Benson Hill has stood vacant and boarded-up for years. That is, until its mysteriously strange new occupants move in. Who are these creepy people — especially the handsome, dark, and elusive Alexander Sterling? Or rather, what are they? Could the town prattle actually ring true? Are they vampires? Raven, who secretly covets a vampire kiss, both at the risk of her own mortality and Alexander's loving trust, is dying to uncover the truth.
Ellen Schreiber's spooky and stirring romance tells the story of two outsiders who fall in love in a town where conformity reigns, and ends with a shocking surprise.
About the Author
Ellen Schreiber was an actress and a stand-up comedienne before becoming an author. She studied Shakespearean theater at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, and comedy at the Second City of Chicago. She has had several novels published in Europe.
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
Readers don't have to share goth girl Raven's passion for vampire lore to appreciate her misadventures in Dullsville, a town "bigger than a cave, but small enough to feel claustrophobic." Growing up with her brother, Nerd Boy, and ex-hippie parents now bent on climbing the corporate ladder, 16-year-old Raven has always been a misfit. Alternately tormented and chased by popular soccer player Trevor Mitchell, Raven fears she will never meet a true soul mate. Then some ghostly pale Romanians move into a nearby abandoned mansion. While rumors regarding the new family's vampire tendencies fly around town, Raven becomes enamored with the hauntingly handsome son, Alexander Sterling, who rarely ventures from his attic bedroom. Some second-rate sleuthing around the mansion gets Raven in trouble but also wins her a date with the youth she rapturously calls "Gothic Guy, Gothic Mate, Gothic Prince." As in her Teenage Mermaid, Schreiber adds some refreshing twists to genre archetypes and modern-day stereotypes. Raven's ill-fated flirtation will bring more laughs than heartache, and if the ending is a bit rushed, elsewhere the comic timing is dead-on. Ages 12-up. (Aug.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Children's Literature - Janet L. Rose
Raven, a high school outcast, definitely dances to her own music. She wears black clothes, black boots, black lipstick and black nail polish; she loves Halloween and craves a vampire kiss. She calls her brother Nerd Boy, the town Dullsville and herself Gothic Girl. Then the Sterlings move into the haunted mansion on the hill and Raven's life turns even more macabre. Alexander Sterling is Raven's age and she is smitten with love, hoping he is a true vampire. The book is full of double entendres so we are never sure what is real. The Sterlings are from Romania where Dracula originated and the butler says, "It's been centuries since I've seen [my village in Europe]" and uses blood and bloody in every other sentence. Raven is constantly tormented by the class bully, Trevor. She smashes his hand with her father's tennis racket as he tries to spray paint the mansion Halloween night. For her 16th birthday, she is invited to Matt's party where Trevor tries to rape her. Instead she tricks him into derobing and races off with his clothes, leaving him cold and naked in the woods. Alexander and Raven start dating, but he leaves when he learns Raven wanted him to be a true vampire. In the end we never know for sure about Alexander, but we do know that Trevor is the real monster. This is a great story for teenagers who do not fit into the norm or those who try to mold themselves to be part of the in-crowd. 2003, Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins, Ages 15 to 18.
VOYA - DotsyHarland
There is not much to do in rural "Dullsville" for a feisty self-proclaimed Goth teenager named Raven. She has always been fascinated by the abandoned mansion on Benson Hill, originally built by a Romanian baroness and said to be haunted. On Raven's sixteenth birthday, Alexander, a teenaged descendant of the baroness, and his eerie butler, Jameson, move into the mansion. Raven believes that she has met her true love in Alexander. He is different from her schoolmates, having traveled all over the world and been tutored at home. He is handsome, artistic, gentlemanly, very cultured, and a Goth like Raven. A rumor begins circulating that Alexander belongs to a family of vampires. At first Raven is thrilled by the idea, but she later becomes ashamed of herself and defends Alexander against the vicious gossip. In a rather odd twist, after the "Dullsvillians" have accepted him, Alexander reveals to Raven that he is a vampire after all. Schreiber, a former comedienne, writes a witty and enjoyable book. Raven's obsession with the "dark side" is a little over the top at times, and the other characters in the novel tend to be poorly formed. Nevertheless, Schreiber portrays the sexual tension between Raven and town bully Trevor realistically, and she captures Raven's bittersweet infatuation with Alexander in a tender way while keeping it innocent. This novel is more romantic than suspenseful, and will be especially enjoyed by female readers. VOYA CODES: 2Q 3P J S (Better editing or work by the author might have warranted a 3Q; Will appeal with pushing; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2003, HarperCollins, 208p., and PLB Ages 12 to 18.
KLIATT - Claire Rosser
Schreiber was a stand-up comedienne before becoming a writer; and her talent with humor is apparent in this story. The main character is Raven, who lives in a boring town where she stands out as a "goth," wearing strange make-up and dreaming of becoming a vampire�or at least meeting one. Much of the narrative reads like a comic monologue, with good timing for jokes. Her parents (once hippies but no longer so), her little brother, her classmates and school life all are topics to comment upon. There is a spooky mansion in town�fascinating to Raven, of course�and people come to live in it, including a young man who becomes the love of Raven's life. Raven of course wants him to be a vampire�there are many hints that perhaps he truly is�and the ending is perfectly inventive. A large part of the story consists of the wonderful ways that Raven deals with bullies at school who can't leave her alone�just because she is unusual, perhaps, and also because she is very attractive and smart. Raven is capable of every kind of ingenious revenge, which is highly gratifying to all readers. This lighthearted novel will be fun to read for many YAs. KLIATT Codes: JS�Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2003, HarperCollins, 197p.,
School Library Journal
Gr 7 Up-Raven, 16, doesn't fit in at school or home. This goth-girl is obsessed with vampires and when a new family moves into the old town mansion, she is convinced that the son, Alexander, is a vampire. The story swirls around and through sibling rivalry, peer relationships, friendships, and love. Raven is a feisty protagonist with a quick wit and a real sense of self. She defends herself and her friends, often besting her peers with humor and a quick tongue. As her connection with Alexander deepens, she comes to understand her family better. It is through his shadowy character that readers are kept off balance. Schreiber weaves a tale that is more about acceptance and friendship than about vampire behavior and culture, and sustains a tone that draws readers to the characters rather than to horrific plot developments that would keep them reading. There is far less intensity than in Annette Curtis Klause's Silver Kiss (Laurel-Leaf, 1992) and less moodiness than that found in Amelia Atwater-Rhodes's Midnight Predator (2002) and Shattered Mirror (2001, both Delacorte). While the ending isn't tied up in a neat and pretty bow, it fits the style and tone. All in all, a good read for those who want a vampire love story without the gore.-Molly S. Kinney, Peach Public Libraries, Fort Valley, GA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
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