The Afterlife of the Party (Afterlife, #1)

It all started when Tansy's BFF Skyler insisted she go to a party to meet her new boyfriend. At first Tansy doesn't want to go, but in the end does. Her friend Vaughn comes along with them. Tansy's been crushing on him and finds out he's now single. But no sooner does Tansy let that news settle in, then they arrive at the party. Right off the bat, she senses something isn't right. Girls are dressed in white and there's a band that sounds terrible. Yet girls are mesmerized by Travis, the lead singer of the band The Drainers. When Tansy's separated from Skyler, she searches for her and finds herself in a dangerous situation. Seems vampires are real after all and nothing like Twilight's Edward.

What worked: This is a sassy, engaging twist on the usual hot vamps stories. Yay! There's nothing sparkly about these vampires.

Another huge plus with this story is the message of consent and how it's beyond wrong to force a girl to do something she doesn't want to do. No means just that. No. The band members take away the right of these girls to choose and force them to be nothing more than a food source.

Tansy also happens to be a witch. Her librarian grandmother and her book club help her with how to deal with these vampires, especially after Skylar runs off with Travis.

There's humorous dialogue with snarky comebacks from Tansy throughout. Plus, the bubbling romance between Tansy and Vanghn grows as they go after Travis and his blood-sucking band in hopes to rescue Skylar before it's too late. Tansy in the meantime has her own encounter with Travis that has her changing too. I really liked how readers see her loyalty to Skylar, even when her friend pushes her away.

Fast-paced paranormal where loyalty is put to the ultimate test. Add a cute non-vamp boy, kick-butt heroine, and a new paranormal world readers will love to come to. This is the first book in a three-book series. Can't wait to read the next book!

THE AFTERLIFE OF THE PARTY is a YA vampire book for anyone who doesn't want to make out with the undead (finally!). This charming book is full of comedy, action, and plenty of mystery. Tansy is a witch, taught mainly by her grandmother. When her BFF asks her to come to a party to meet her rebound boyfriend, Tansy can't help but agree. However, her friend, Skyler, has been acting strangely lately, and when they get to the party, Tansy is shocked by how the horrible music she heard in the car suddenly sounds incredible live.

Skyler is dating the lead singer of this paradoxical band, and while she is hanging off his every word, he is hitting on Tansy. Tansy immediately dislikes him and even more so when she realizes he is a vampire who has been draining her BFF- and who bites her to boot. When he absconds with Skylar, Tansy absolutely will not abide. With the advice from her grandmother witch and her bookclub coven and accompanied by her other-best-friend-and-long-time-crush, Vaughn, Tansy sets out to save Skyler and stop these terrible musicians/vampires on their quest to destroy as many lives as possible.

What I loved: This is an absolutely delightful anti-vampire YA fantasy read. I loved Tansy, Vaughn, and her awesome grandmother. The book has a lot of fun humor sprinkled throughout all the (light) horror/action, making it a delightful dark comedy. For anyone who dislikes Twilight, this is a vampire read they can really get behind.

The romance was really cute, and I loved all the fun revelations they have along the way. It builds with a great pace and they are a couple the reader can easily cheer for. I love how passionate Tansy is about helping others, starting with her BFF, but unable to leave anyone who needs help behind. Although there are some stumbles along the way, she is a really courageous and clever heroine. Add that to the swoony scenes with Vaughn (the hotel only has 1 bed!) and vampire hunting, and this is a really fun read. There are some other side characters we meet along the way that I totally enjoyed and would love to read their stories too (such as those from the council).

Final verdict: Funny, charming, and clever, THE AFTERLIFE OF THE PARTY is a great YA fantasy for anyone who would rather not kiss the undead. This dark comedy is a delightful read, and I would definitely love to see more of Tansy and this world in the future.