Thoughts & Things

YA Vampire Love Stories From My Youth That Aren't Twilight

I grew up firmly within those few years where the young adult novel market was over-saturated with vampire love stories. Twilight was brand new, and books that were similar to Twilight covered the shelves. I was in the prime age group to read many of these books when they were new, so I did read more than my share of them. A lot of them had a goth-y vibe that I was into at that age, and I've always been (and still am) a fan of a love story with a twist. I even read some more adult romance novels with vampire characters, some of which I am still fond of.

Although I read dozens of vampire books in my early to mid teens, most of the ones that I liked at the time have been long since forgotten. Books that I enjoyed in the moment didn't always have staying power. These three books are some of the few YA vampire love stories that have stayed with my brain despite the decade that has passed. It isn't necessarily a statement of the quality of these books, just how I felt about them at the time.

Braced 2 Bite
Braced 2 Bite by Serena Robar was the first of a trilogy that I quite loved back in the day. This one took an often comedic tone with the vampire myths it went with. The character was a cheerleader who was attacked on her way home, and subsequently turned into a vampire. Unfortunately, her incisors had been removed when she had braces put in years before, so she had no fangs. Her father, an orthodontist, had to make her a specialty set of vampire fang falsies that caused her to talk with a lisp when she went out sucking blood. Of course, other vampires begin to come after her, and their government is threatening her life. Of course she falls for one of the cute vampire government guys. I still have a lot of fondness for this trilogy due to its fabulous sense of humour.

Vampire Kisses
Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber went on as a series probably longer than entirely necessary (nine books over as many years), and I admit I grew out of it before finishing the series. That said, it's still a fun little read. The protagonist lives in a boring town as the local goth outcast, and then a vampire moves into the neighbourhood. I enjoy how much it plays off of traditional vampire tropes while also possessing a message of non-conformity and staying true to yourself. It flips between teen drama, sweet romance, and spooky atmosphere with an ease that makes it a comfortable read.

Boys That Bite
Boys That Bite by Mari Mancusi was the first in what I thought was a trilogy and I am just now seeing actually is a series of eight. The last time I read this one it was a trilogy! I can only speak for the early books, but the story kicks off with a focus on twins Sunny and Rayne. Their names absolutely reflect their personalities, and Rayne wants to become a vampire. Unfortunately, the wrong twin gets turned. Sunny, the sunnier twin, struggles to adjust to vampiric life, and falls for a vampire along the way. As the series progresses, it turns out that Rayne is destined to be a slayer instead. The series plays on tropes without becoming too typical, and presents an enjoyable ride along the way.


(I have committed to blogging daily with Give It 100. This is Day Forty-Nine. Six days of leave taken total.)