About the Author

Ellen Schreiber was an actress and a stand-up comedienne before becoming a writer. She is the author of the first two books about Celeste and Brandon, Once in a Full Moon and Magic of the Moonlight, as well as Teenage Mermaid, Comedy Girl, Vampire Kisses, Vampire Kisses 2: Kissing Coffins, Vampire Kisses 3: Vampireville, Vampire Kisses 4: Dance with a Vampire, Vampire Kisses 5: The Coffin Club, Vampire Kisses 6: Royal Blood, Vampire Kisses 7: Love Bites, Vampire Kisses 8: Cryptic Cravings, and Vampire Kisses 9: Immortal Hearts. She is also the author of the fully illustrated manga series about Raven and Alexander, Vampire Kisses: Blood Relatives and Vampire Kisses: Graveyard Games.

Reviews

"Readers don't have to share goth girl Raven's passion for vampire lore to appreciate her misadventures in Dullsville," according to PW. "The girl's ill-fated flirtation will bring more laughs than heartache." Ages 12-up. (Aug.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

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.