Dracula by Bram Stoker. Although Stoker is actually an IRISH writer, his writings find themselves listed in British Literature due to the whole "British Isles" and "United Kingdom" historical stuff. Suffice to say, Dracula is an amazing piece of work and has been the inspiration for numerous movies as well as various vampire based novels.
MOST of these novels have a romantic turn ... you know, girl meets boy. Girl falls for boy. Girl learns boy is a vampire. Boy is a vampire with a conscious. Girl freaks out. Boy wins girl back. Girl loves vampire. Well, that's all good and great for someone who want to read a romance, but what about those of us who just want a good old fashion vampire story?
Never fear, there are two series that put the love connection on the back burner: Cirque du Freak: The Saga of Darren Shan and The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod.
We will first begin with Cirque du Freak ...
Meet Darren Shan. A typical teenage boy, in fact, he's probably much like many of the students that attend Skinner Middle School. Enter a creepy, fascinating show ... the Cirque du Freak! A circus of sorts that showcases the weird, the amazing, the creepy ... the freaks of the world! Add in a best friend's life threatening crisis and a mysterious vampire and you have the beginnings of a daring, fantastical ride!
There is so much I'd love to tell you about this series, but that would be totally giving away the plot! AHHHH!!! Can't do that! So what I WILL tell you is by book two I absolutely knew with pure certainty where the book was headed. And it went just like I expected ... but what I knew was going to happen happened in, like, book 7 or 8!! And there was still a bunch of books in the series left to read! So, I began the next book. And, uh-huh .. now I see what's going on. And, like I thought, it happened. But it happened in BOOK 11!!! AND THERE WAS STILL ONE MORE BOOK IN THE SERIES! WHAT?!!?!?!?!?!? What on earth was going to happen next? Let's just say I was shocked. Didn't see "that" coming at all! What a way to end Darren Shan's saga!
Overall, the Cirque du Freak series was a fun read. Lots of adventure, tension, and suspense mixed in with intriguing characters and a roller-coaster of a plot line. Truly a must read for vampire lovers!
Next is The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod by Heather Brewer. As you are most likely aware, school can be a real pain in the ... well, let's just say some days aren't always as good as others. With having to deal with homework and
Vladimir (can I just stop and say WHAT A COOL NAME!!!!! Almost as cool as Alucard which is Dracula spelled backward - and, yes, I really have met someone named Alucard) is just trying to get through 8th grade as any typical teenager does, albeit with the need to keep his love of "blood sandwiches" a secret, when lo and behold he gets a note that states someone knows said secret!! Get out! He's gone thirteen years keeping his vampirism hidden from everyone but his caretaker and best friend and then suddenly one day a third party is in on the game? That, my friends, is called CONFLICT in the world of writing and leads the reader into the thick of the plot and, if one is lucky to have a proficient writer, a variety of sub-plots. Thankfully, Heather Brewer IS a proficient writer and her five book series does a superb job of mixing various conflicts (from the "yeah-yeah-even-I-have-had-to-deal-with-something-like-that-and-it-wasn't-the-end-of-the-world" to the "OH-MY-WORD-I-CANNOT-BELIEVE-THAT-JUST-HAPPENED-WHAT-ON-EARTH-CAN-VLAD-DO-TO-SURVIVE"), world-life threatening drama, and standard teen issues all together.
Each book in her series takes the reader through one school year of Vladimir's life, from 8th grade all the way through his senior year. Many surprises pop up through the story: some more touching than others, some more intimidating, and some more jaw-dropping. The most surprising surprise of all is when jjdlkjlkdjflkadjfkladsjflksadjfksadljflkadsjfskladjflaksdjflakj . Believe me, I totally freaked out during that scene.
The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod is a story of growing up, deciding whom to trust during that process, learning from the mistakes of ourselves and others, and figuring out what we really want in life. Oh, let's not forget trying to save the world while keeping your vampire secret an actual secret.
Both series can be found on the shelves of our library. Be sure to check them out the next time you stop by!
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