Product Description

The mansion on top of Benson Hill has been empty and boarded up for years. But a new family has moved in. A family that never ventures out during the day. Who are these creepy people ?? especially the handsome, dark, and elusive Alexander Sterling? Or rather, what are they? Could the town gossip actually be 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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4852 in eBooks
• Published on: 2008-08-05
• Released on: 2008-08-05
• Format: Kindle Book
• Number of items: 1

From School Library Journal
Grade 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, Inc.

From Booklist
Gr. 7-10. Sixteen-year-old Raven is a Goth surrounded by "lesser" folks: her parents have transformed themselves from hippie to corporate, and her only friend at school is an outsider everyone picks on. In Raven's rich imaginary life, she is bold and special and in love with the idea of meeting a vampire. Schreiber uses a careful balance of humor, irony, pathos, and romance as she develops a plot that introduces the possibility of a real vampire--in the form of an extra-handsome boy, of course-- while exploring how a girl like Raven finds ways to cope with a bully who is both class- and gender-conscious of his supposed superiority. Raven's voice is immediately charming, in spite of her alleged bravado and coldheartedness. Her hometown could be any Small Town, USA, and its possibly haunted mansion just lightens the scene rather than making the story silly. This tale slides down easily and will be welcomed by Goths willing to look on the lighter side of their own culture as well as by readers who have an openminded appreciation for the vagaries of their peers and, perhaps, of themselves. Francisca Goldsmith
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Ellen Schreiber was an actress and a stand-up comedienne before becoming a writer and moving to her own Dullsville. She is the author of Teenage Mermaid, Comedy Girl, and all of the books in the Vampire Kisses series. Vampire Kisses is an ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, and an IRA/CBC Young Adults' Choice.

Customer Reviews

The most UNcreative drivel you will ever have the misery of reading
As someone who actually has an understanding of the ORIGINAL gothic subculture (1979, Britain, Bat Cave, Bauhaus...), this has to be the worst drivel one has ever read.

The main character's name is Raven (very original name - taste the sarcasm?). Of course she's an outcast. Of course she doesn't get along with her family. Of course she thinks nobody understands you, and the popular kids pick on her. Of COURSE she's obsessed with vampires! Raven's so goth, Ellen Schreiber goes out of her way in every detail to show just how GOTHIC Raven is. Distracting phrases include "my lacy black rayon shirt against his naked torso" and the like... I'm sorry, I was too busy imagining what kind of attire Raven was wearing to remember what was going on in this scene.

The characters are flat, stereotypical and obviously have no imagination put into them. And of course, considering how the apparent cornerstone of the story is just how GOTH the main character is, it's pretty sad that the author apparently did no research whatsoever into what the gothic subculture really is, considering all she had to do at the very least was look on Wikipedia's (actually decent) article about it.

Please don't bother trying to strain your way from this lifeless, boring excuse for a book. If you want a GOOD vampire story, revert to the classics... Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Shocking
I read this book about a month ago and I'm still in shock at how terrible it was. I normally don't critique people's writing styles but come on, this was so horribly written that I could barely finish it. I can't believe it was actually published...and even more that some people like it. Also, I think the author is a little out of touch with the younger generation-what kind of high school party plays Celine Dion music? Really. I actually don't ever write reviews on books either but this was so terrible I felt compelled to save someone from wasting their money.

Not Twilight !!!!
This is like my fourth vampire series I'm reading and it just doesn't live up to THE TWILIGHT SERIES ! I'm trying really hard but these vampire romance series just doesn't have any depth to the characters !
I'm recommending the Twilight series which is my favorite series/books by far of anything I've read !