Title: VAMPIRE KISSES 2: KISSING COFFINS
Author: Ellen Schreiber
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Copyright: May 2007
ISBN: 0060776226
Pages: 176 pages
Rating: 10
Synopsis:
Kissing Coffins by Ellen Schreiber is the second in her series Vampire Kisses. As the name may imply, this young adult novel involves spooky castles, cemeteries, a Goth club, and predictably, Vampires.
Our heroine Raven is a teenage Goth girl with a dilemma: she’s in love with a Vampire. The story begins with the disappearance of said Vampire boyfriend, Alexander Sterling. Raven is determined to find Alexander, and she is quite crafty in her ambition. The story takes her from her hometown “Dullsville” to “Hipsterville” where her hippy actress aunt lives. When she gets close to finding her love, she must contemplate a life undead in order to save herself from the mysterious villain Jagger.
Kissing Coffins is a mystery novel that has won several young adult book awards. Author Ellen Schreiber was an actress and a stand-up comedienne before she began her writing career. She writes a very involved story with many twists and turns. Kissing Coffins has an interesting plot with a smart and independent heroine. Raven is exactly the kind of girl a Goth can look up to.
The story contains many references to Goth culture. Some are stereotypical while others are just downright silly, like the mention of the mall store “Hot Gothics”. If you are over 18, this book may not be for you. But if you love a fast read give this Vampire book a look.
Review:
Goth girl Raven is back in this funny sequel to VAMPIRE KISSES. She is still trying to connect with her mysterious true love Alexander Sterling, who has disappeared from his mansion in Raven's small town, which she calls "Dullsville." Raven would like to know, among other things, if he wants to make her a vampire so she can be with him.
She learns that Jameson, Alexander's butler, placed an order for flowers from a nearby town that Raven labels "Hipsterville." Luckily her aunt lives there and she heads over for a visit during her spring break. Hipsterville offers stores specializing in Goth clothes, a Coffin Club night hotspot, and a historical society with clues about local mansions. As Raven tracks down her elusive boyfriend, she draws the attention of another vampire, one who also wants to find Alexander, but for dark reasons of his own. While she is enjoying fitting in with the Goth folks in Hipsterville, Raven does not want to draw Alexander into danger. But danger does follow her back to Dullsville...
In addition to piecing the mystery together, Raven tries to figure out what the future will hold for her and Alexander. She loves him but doesn't know if she wants to become a vampire like him. She knows she will always stand out from her family and her town, but will fitting in with him and his kind be the answer for her? The end of KISSING COFFINS leaves the plot wide open for a third book, which will be welcome for readers of this funny and suspenseful series.
