Audrey's comments (member since Oct 19, 2008)

Audrey's comments from the Vampire Lovers group.

Cary, have you read Let the Right One In? You might like it, and it is a stand-alone, adult novel.

I just finished reading Let the Right One In, which is a single-book vampire story. It was originally written in Swedish, but an English translation came out, which is what I read. It was also made into a film, which I have not seen.

The book focuses on bullied 12-year-old Oskar, and his relationship with a strange girl who has moved in next door, and who only comes out at night. While there are definitely vampires in this book, the real monsters are the normal people and the terrible things that humans do to each other. There are strong themes of friendship and revenge. Let the Right One In is scary, thoughtful, and completely engrossing.

The Blue Bloods series has gotten progressively convoluted. The plot makes absolutely no sense after a point. I had mixed feelings about the House of Night series. It felt like Twilight mixed with Harry Potter, except not done quite as well as either of those series. I loved the Southern Mystery novels because they don't try to be more than what they are. The main character, Sookie, is extremely likable, and the books are fast-paced and fun. They're also aimed at adults, while the other two series are aimed at the teen audience. I'd definitely read the Sookie Stackhouse books.

I just finished reading The Strain. It has elements of Dracula, Salem's Lot, and I Am Legend. It's written like a movie, so there are a lot of short sections full of action. The vamps are scary, zombie-like monsters. It's the first in what will be a three book series.

Cary, have you read The Historian? This book actually features Dracula and mixes historical facts of Vlad Tepes' life with the Dracula legend. I loved this book, but it can be a bit long for some people. You might like it, though!

Have any of your read I Am Legend? I didn't see the Will Smith movie, but I read the book a few years ago and still have nightmares to this day...it was that good! The vampires in it are a bit like zombies in that they aren't very intelligent and they only have one thing on their mind: to get the last bit of human blood on the planet.

I love vampires because they're monsters, but they're also intelligent and can be attractive. I also like the idea of living a supernaturally long life and having power.

I loved The Mummy and the first of the Mayfair Witches series.

One book I didn't see mentioned is Vampire Loves by Joann Sfar. It's a graphic novel that was originally written in French, but there's an English translation. It's totally quirky and awesome. The vampire, Ferdinand, only bites people with one fang so they'll think it's a mosquito bite, and he flies around with his cat in a satchel.

I loved this book, especially the emphasis on rare books and historical archives.