Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Jocelyn

Everybody who is there now or has ever been there knows that high school sucks. Anyone who says he or she enjoyed high school is either insane, blocking out all but two days of it, or lying. But for Lucy, there's more to it than her chia-pet hair, evil math teacher, or getting a driver's license. For her, high school really bites. When she turns sixteen, her father, who hasn't left the house in years (she has to carry an entire keyring to unlock the front door, with locks and keys color-coded in nail polish) gives her an unusual gift. What she gets is an old leather-bound book. It's the diary of her mother, her grandmother, her great-grandmother, and even her great-great-grandmother. All named Lucy. The original Lucy was, apparently, a friend of Bram Stoker's. And, says Lucy's father, Bram Stoker's Dracula was a true story. Complete with Henry Irving the vampire being a real (but not exactly live) person. As well as Lucy and Mina.

That's the explanation for the weird coincidences in Lucy's life. She has a best friend named Mina. Lucy's also been having weird dreams that are the same as those described in the diary by the women who came before her. Her English teacher has just started a unit on Dracula. Oh, and her boyfriend? Vic Irving. Yeah, of the same Irving family. Can she, her friends, and her father destroy Dracula once and for all with the help of crucifixes, holy water, and garlic perfume?

High School Bites is a great, fast-paced and well-told story. There have been a ton of vampire books for young adults released recently, most of them good, and this one is no exception. If you're a fan of vampire books, this great read is definitely one to add to your collection. The characters are interesting and well-written, as well as being more than what's on the surface. There's more to it than meets the eye here, which always makes a story more interesting. Liza Conrad's writing flows nicely, and I'm definitely looking forward to her next book, The Poker Diaries, due out next March. I am also hoping for more to read in The Lucy Chronicles, and I'm sure other readers will feel the same after reading this novel!