As many of you may know, we’re super excited about the release of Kimberly Pauley’s Still Sucks to Be Me on May 11 (it’s our May Book of the Month), but we didn’t want to skip over the book’s predecessor, Sucks to Be Me.
Here’s a synopsis:
Mina Hamilton’s parents want her dead. (Or undead to be precise.) They’re vampires, and like it or not, Mina must decide whether to become a vampire herself. But Mina’s more interested in hanging out with best friend Serena and trying to catch the eye of the too-hot-for-high-school Nathan Able than in the vampire training classes she’s being forced to take. How’s a girl supposed to find the perfect prom date and pass third-year French when her mom and dad are breathing down her neck–literally?
Review:
There are those who say pop culture is so saturated with vampires right now, that the last thing the world needs is another vampire book (the phrase, “beating a dead horse” comes to mind).
But then along comes Kimberly Pauley, who puts a unique twist on the teen-vampire-angst thing, creating fun, strong, hilariously sarcastic characters, especially Mina, whose parents are not only present and involved, but central to the book. (The tiny digs at Stephenie Meyer are pretty entertaining, too!)
Mina is a likable character in every way, and it’s refreshing that her real troubles are those that teens actually face today. Uhm, except for the whole do-you-or-don’t-you want to be a vampire thing. Pauley keeps it fresh and believable, too, by having Mina create lists of why it sucks to be her. It’s like getting a peek into the character’s diary, while helping readers digest the main events of the chapter. Clever.
Add in a loyal best friend, a Goth Girl antagonist, a few hot guys to choose from and voila! You get a light-hearted take on the teen vampire story. Bring on the sequel!
Novel Novice 