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Lucia Alberti
Forever Fifteen
Lucy Albert is not your ordinary maladjusted suburban adolescent. Born into the era of the Black Plague in medieval Italy, Lucy is chosen as a mate by the sinister vampire Sebastianus against her will. Struggling to survive in a modern world she cannot identify with, Lucy isn't looking for attention.
Welcome to Forever Fifteen, where a lonely girl seeks refuge in a world awash in everyday brutality, a world where only blood and death can sate her hunger. Journey into Lucy's past as you experience the terror of the Black Death and the harsh reality of womanhood in the Middle Ages. Enter Forever Fifteen, the fast-paced thrill ride that is redefining vampire horror.
Welcome to Forever Fifteen, where a lonely girl seeks refuge in a world awash in everyday brutality, a world where only blood and death can sate her hunger. Journey into Lucy's past as you experience the terror of the Black Death and the harsh reality of womanhood in the Middle Ages. Enter Forever Fifteen, the fast-paced thrill ride that is redefining vampire horror.
291 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
51 people are currently reading
513 people want to read
About the author
Kimberly Steele
12 books71 followersKimberly Steele is the proudly indie author of Forever Fifteen (Lucia Alberti) Trilogy. Forever Fifteen was the first vampire audiobook to be released for free in podcast form on the internet.
Kimberly's other projects include composing music and writing a blog.
Kimberly's other projects include composing music and writing a blog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
July 16, 2008
After seeing someone on the Nest say they were reading this book, I discovered that this book is a free podcast on Itunes! So I downloaded it and I'm now listening to it on my nightly walk with the dog!
I really tried to like this book but I just didn't like it. My first problem is the narrating. Now this is a podiobook so I tried not to compare the narration too much to a normal audiobook but I couldn't help it! The narration was just not good in my opinion. The narrators voices for other characters were just awful and even with the main character the narrating was broken up and weird words were emphasized. You know how in old black and white horror movie previews the voice will go, "It (pause) is (pause) the green monster (or whatever)." And the words are all drawn out and emphasized to show how scary the monster is. The narrator did this when she said, "and Lucy's favorite (pause) modern invention (pause) is the (really long pause) microwave (said incredibly dramatically)." Eww. Just awful.
Next, I had a hard time not comparing this to the Twilight series and the main character in this was just not very likeable or bright compared to the Twilight books. So Lucy turns to a vampire at 15 in the year 1340. In modern times she bounces around in foster homes all while complaining how awful most of them are. I couldn't figure out for the life of my why she didn't just pretend to be 18 and then she wouldn't have to live in foster homes. It just didn't make sense to me. I mean sure, she will never look like she is 35 but that doesn't mean she has to pretend to be 15 forever. Also you would think after being 700 years old that she would have learned to blend in better. Yet in Lucy constantly talks like someone 90 years old. I kept wanting to yell at her, "You are 15 call it a bra not a brassiere for god sakes!
Also, there were several very graphic sex scenes in the book that were just honestly gross. The book jumped around a lot and I had a hard time figuring what time Lucy was supposed to be in. Finally, the ending was just not good.
I really tried to like this book but I just didn't like it. My first problem is the narrating. Now this is a podiobook so I tried not to compare the narration too much to a normal audiobook but I couldn't help it! The narration was just not good in my opinion. The narrators voices for other characters were just awful and even with the main character the narrating was broken up and weird words were emphasized. You know how in old black and white horror movie previews the voice will go, "It (pause) is (pause) the green monster (or whatever)." And the words are all drawn out and emphasized to show how scary the monster is. The narrator did this when she said, "and Lucy's favorite (pause) modern invention (pause) is the (really long pause) microwave (said incredibly dramatically)." Eww. Just awful.
Next, I had a hard time not comparing this to the Twilight series and the main character in this was just not very likeable or bright compared to the Twilight books. So Lucy turns to a vampire at 15 in the year 1340. In modern times she bounces around in foster homes all while complaining how awful most of them are. I couldn't figure out for the life of my why she didn't just pretend to be 18 and then she wouldn't have to live in foster homes. It just didn't make sense to me. I mean sure, she will never look like she is 35 but that doesn't mean she has to pretend to be 15 forever. Also you would think after being 700 years old that she would have learned to blend in better. Yet in Lucy constantly talks like someone 90 years old. I kept wanting to yell at her, "You are 15 call it a bra not a brassiere for god sakes!
Also, there were several very graphic sex scenes in the book that were just honestly gross. The book jumped around a lot and I had a hard time figuring what time Lucy was supposed to be in. Finally, the ending was just not good.
August 1, 2008
This book is available as a free audio download on iTunes.
When I got my first iPod, I was sort of surfing around iTunes trying to figure out just what was available to me. I was subscribing to podcasts, checking out music, and then I stumbled upon a page that was full of free content.
When I read the blurb for Forever Fifteen, I thought it sounded interesting. That turned out to be a huge understatement.
As I recall, Kimberly Steele did not have a publisher yet, so she was reading and posting this book a chapter at a time. So, for me the experience of listening to this story ended up being like a comic book or TV series. "I can't believe I have to wait another week to find out what happens next!"
This is GOOD STUFF.
Shemp
PS. I just did a little research. Although you can't get it any longer at Amazon.com it was published via Lulu.com so you can find it there. I also learned that Steele is in talks about developing this story into a film.
http://foreverfifteen.com/
When I got my first iPod, I was sort of surfing around iTunes trying to figure out just what was available to me. I was subscribing to podcasts, checking out music, and then I stumbled upon a page that was full of free content.
When I read the blurb for Forever Fifteen, I thought it sounded interesting. That turned out to be a huge understatement.
As I recall, Kimberly Steele did not have a publisher yet, so she was reading and posting this book a chapter at a time. So, for me the experience of listening to this story ended up being like a comic book or TV series. "I can't believe I have to wait another week to find out what happens next!"
This is GOOD STUFF.
Shemp
PS. I just did a little research. Although you can't get it any longer at Amazon.com it was published via Lulu.com so you can find it there. I also learned that Steele is in talks about developing this story into a film.
http://foreverfifteen.com/
April 12, 2008
I am "reading" the podiobook on my way to and from school (an hour drive each way). I just finished it today and I have to say I was pleasently surprised at the ending. I really enjoyed the book. I felt that there was some gratuitous sex scenes. However, I felt really invested in Lucy (Lucia) and even thoughshe was the "bad" girl (but not really) I still felt for her plight.
December 30, 2009
I downloaded this as a free audiobook in Itunes. I loved this book. Vampire, Horror, Gore and Romance, it was just brilliant. I never picked the ending! I always usually pick the ending of books, they are usually so predictable, this one however was not. Just fantastic.
November 9, 2009
Loved the book. Very dark. Very very dark, and that's in a good way. I love this novel.
July 26, 2015
The story had a lot of grammar/punctuation problems. I mean a lot! I don't get how a writer and then the editing team could have missed all these. The story itself was pretty good though, overall. I liked how the author went from past in one chapter to the present in the next. How anyone could compare this to Twilight, is beyond me. I had noticed a few people had mentioned that in their reviews. There is really no similarity between the two. Oh wait, yes there is!! I almost forgot. The author for Forever Fifteen did mention the word 'twilight' somewhere in the story. So I was wrong ;) FYI I thought Twilight was a stupid movie and never will understand how the movie/book ever did as well as it has. My thought is that as the years go by there seem to be more and more stupider people, hence it's easier to please them.
Needless to say I did have a few (just a couple) questions:
What is with Lucy's talking? Sometimes it regular/current day speak but most of the time it's all old fashioned. Everyone has the robotic talk going on to which I'm not a fan of.
Is it possible to unlock a house door with a slim jim? I don't think so.
Okay so Lucy has to kill to feed. No prob. BUT why in god's name does she choose to use a piano wire? I mean she's a vampire and extra strong. Why not just break their neck. She says she's worried about being caught. Um, wouldn't a long line of bodies having been killed with a piano wire be more obvious than say with ones hands?
I would like to know what made the author place this story in the 80's?
Lucy is over 600+ years old. How is she still self conscious of her body? I did not get that. Not to mention the fact that she is that old and still passes off as a teenager? Never heard that one before. Usually with the old vampires they've learned how to make money and end up being rich, regardless of their age. And how would she forget how to kiss? Isn't it like riding a bike?
She had a 'spray of blackheads'....she had 'acne sprayed'... What's with the spraying of skin blemishes?
Lucy had 'overly curly pubic hair that was trying to protrude from the sides of her underwear.' Really? haha All throughout the book we're told how beautiful Lucy is and then this comment comes along. Wow! All I have to say is that when she finally had sex with John I prayed that she'd cleaned up the yard some. Don't want to scare him now. haha Again with being self conscious, she has no problem sticking John's fingers into her vagina to show him that she can't have kids? Right..
When I hear that Lucy is eating humans/flesh eating and drinking blood (which is what she does) those are two different things. For whatever reason the author kept saying it as if she were actually eating people.
At one point we're told, through Lucy's inner dialogue, that Sebastian is frozen at the age of 33, then the next page, he's frozen at the age of 42. Now which is it?
After Lucy finally starts to come around when it comes to Sebastian, the first place she goes for is his cock? Then strips for him and does oral? Really? She never gave off the vibe as experienced in the sexual area.
So when Lucy is planning on eating at John's house for the first time, his mother thinks it's best to serve duck? Was that a popular/common thing to eat in the 80's? Gross!
When a cop shows up seeming to know that Lucy is not home and waits for her to come home. He tells her foster parents what's going on and neither go with her to the police station? Even after her foster mom refers to Lucy as 'her child'? And when Lucy decides to leave she goes from packing a duffle bag to later it transforming into a suitcase. Some mind think the two are the same but they are not. Why does she want to leave anyways? So the cops came by. But it's not they'll think she had anything to do with the disappearances of the foster parents considering everyone thinks she's just 15 and the disappearances took place earlier than that.
How did Lucy consider her vagina an evil place? She'd already had sex and given birth. The sex might not have been the best and the birth was a bad experience but still.
Okay so one of Lucy's assy foster moms finds rings of old blood on the elbows of a shirt. And considering she's a nurse she automatically knows that it means Lucy is a whore and killer? Really? That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
Michelle tells Lucy a story when she was a kid and broke her arm at school and had to wait 6 hours for her parents to come get her. Um, I can't imagine in any day and age a school just leaving the kid to be in pain with a broken limb.
After Lucy and John have sex, she tells him he should 'get all that stuff off of yourself.' What in the world was all over him? I mean he came inside her.
So apparently Sebastian met the Greek Gods? Um.....
The vampires in this story are just great: they're strong, have fangs, go out in the sun but have to kill to get food, and can't regrow their own limbs but can somehow reattached other people's limbs to their body?
At one point after the orchestra concert, Lucy comments about how her foster parents are working late and Mike and Shari 'had begun jobs themselves.' Hadn't they already been working though?
Lucy and John are talking and he asks if she thinks Sebastian will come back for her. She replies by saying how she last saw him in 1582 and that it's been 300 years. Um? Wouldn't it be more like 400 years?
Why did Lucy confirm that she was a vampire to Michelle BEFORE knowing the facts? That made absolutely no sense at all.
After Lucy kills Michelle, she takes the parents to where Michelle's and 'the young man's' bodies are. Who is the young man???
Lastly, how hard does a regular Joe have to bite before they get blood 'spurting' into their mouth?
Well this was a long review. I just can't help by not notice inconsistencies when I'm reading and have to comment.
Needless to say I did have a few (just a couple) questions:
What is with Lucy's talking? Sometimes it regular/current day speak but most of the time it's all old fashioned. Everyone has the robotic talk going on to which I'm not a fan of.
Is it possible to unlock a house door with a slim jim? I don't think so.
Okay so Lucy has to kill to feed. No prob. BUT why in god's name does she choose to use a piano wire? I mean she's a vampire and extra strong. Why not just break their neck. She says she's worried about being caught. Um, wouldn't a long line of bodies having been killed with a piano wire be more obvious than say with ones hands?
I would like to know what made the author place this story in the 80's?
Lucy is over 600+ years old. How is she still self conscious of her body? I did not get that. Not to mention the fact that she is that old and still passes off as a teenager? Never heard that one before. Usually with the old vampires they've learned how to make money and end up being rich, regardless of their age. And how would she forget how to kiss? Isn't it like riding a bike?
She had a 'spray of blackheads'....she had 'acne sprayed'... What's with the spraying of skin blemishes?
Lucy had 'overly curly pubic hair that was trying to protrude from the sides of her underwear.' Really? haha All throughout the book we're told how beautiful Lucy is and then this comment comes along. Wow! All I have to say is that when she finally had sex with John I prayed that she'd cleaned up the yard some. Don't want to scare him now. haha Again with being self conscious, she has no problem sticking John's fingers into her vagina to show him that she can't have kids? Right..
When I hear that Lucy is eating humans/flesh eating and drinking blood (which is what she does) those are two different things. For whatever reason the author kept saying it as if she were actually eating people.
At one point we're told, through Lucy's inner dialogue, that Sebastian is frozen at the age of 33, then the next page, he's frozen at the age of 42. Now which is it?
After Lucy finally starts to come around when it comes to Sebastian, the first place she goes for is his cock? Then strips for him and does oral? Really? She never gave off the vibe as experienced in the sexual area.
So when Lucy is planning on eating at John's house for the first time, his mother thinks it's best to serve duck? Was that a popular/common thing to eat in the 80's? Gross!
When a cop shows up seeming to know that Lucy is not home and waits for her to come home. He tells her foster parents what's going on and neither go with her to the police station? Even after her foster mom refers to Lucy as 'her child'? And when Lucy decides to leave she goes from packing a duffle bag to later it transforming into a suitcase. Some mind think the two are the same but they are not. Why does she want to leave anyways? So the cops came by. But it's not they'll think she had anything to do with the disappearances of the foster parents considering everyone thinks she's just 15 and the disappearances took place earlier than that.
How did Lucy consider her vagina an evil place? She'd already had sex and given birth. The sex might not have been the best and the birth was a bad experience but still.
Okay so one of Lucy's assy foster moms finds rings of old blood on the elbows of a shirt. And considering she's a nurse she automatically knows that it means Lucy is a whore and killer? Really? That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
Michelle tells Lucy a story when she was a kid and broke her arm at school and had to wait 6 hours for her parents to come get her. Um, I can't imagine in any day and age a school just leaving the kid to be in pain with a broken limb.
After Lucy and John have sex, she tells him he should 'get all that stuff off of yourself.' What in the world was all over him? I mean he came inside her.
So apparently Sebastian met the Greek Gods? Um.....
The vampires in this story are just great: they're strong, have fangs, go out in the sun but have to kill to get food, and can't regrow their own limbs but can somehow reattached other people's limbs to their body?
At one point after the orchestra concert, Lucy comments about how her foster parents are working late and Mike and Shari 'had begun jobs themselves.' Hadn't they already been working though?
Lucy and John are talking and he asks if she thinks Sebastian will come back for her. She replies by saying how she last saw him in 1582 and that it's been 300 years. Um? Wouldn't it be more like 400 years?
Why did Lucy confirm that she was a vampire to Michelle BEFORE knowing the facts? That made absolutely no sense at all.
After Lucy kills Michelle, she takes the parents to where Michelle's and 'the young man's' bodies are. Who is the young man???
Lastly, how hard does a regular Joe have to bite before they get blood 'spurting' into their mouth?
Well this was a long review. I just can't help by not notice inconsistencies when I'm reading and have to comment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2014
I picked up this book because it had an intriguing plot. But the plot itself is not enough to save this book from the lack of character dimension or the jumpiness of the writing itself.
Let's focus on the positive first:
As I said before, the plot was unique. The main girl was married off to a rich and well respected man, and then the Bubonic Plague struck. During the Plague, she meets her first 'love' and ends up being turned by him, which sets off the vampire plot. In the book this story is told in parallel in the 1980's, where the main girl is currently living her life. The parallelism was pretty cool, and allowed for unique story telling. While you were experiencing her modern self, you were also experiencing her younger more naive self. That sets the mood rather well for the book.
Then there are the negatives:
Lucy never really expresses her personality. She progressed as far as not being as naive as she was during the Plague days, but that's about it. All of her interaction with other people (namely John and Michelle) is flat, and she says nothing unique (other than her old timey speak, of course). You would think that after centuries of living that she would develop an actual personality, but she seems to be stuck in la-la land and falling in love after a single date with a guy. John himself has some unique aspects that are never really explored (I want to know about his inventions!). Michelle goes from being wonderfully supportive to freaking out for no true reason. Perhaps if these characters were explored further it would have been better.
One last thing that bothered me is the writing style. When the characters are speaking, the narrators switch off and the point of view becomes different randomly. The talking scenes themselves were poor because it was mostly one or two sentence narrations.
There's more that made me dislike this book, but I'll stop here. It would be a decent book if it were free, but I am not going to continue the trilogy.
Let's focus on the positive first:
As I said before, the plot was unique. The main girl was married off to a rich and well respected man, and then the Bubonic Plague struck. During the Plague, she meets her first 'love' and ends up being turned by him, which sets off the vampire plot. In the book this story is told in parallel in the 1980's, where the main girl is currently living her life. The parallelism was pretty cool, and allowed for unique story telling. While you were experiencing her modern self, you were also experiencing her younger more naive self. That sets the mood rather well for the book.
Then there are the negatives:
Lucy never really expresses her personality. She progressed as far as not being as naive as she was during the Plague days, but that's about it. All of her interaction with other people (namely John and Michelle) is flat, and she says nothing unique (other than her old timey speak, of course). You would think that after centuries of living that she would develop an actual personality, but she seems to be stuck in la-la land and falling in love after a single date with a guy. John himself has some unique aspects that are never really explored (I want to know about his inventions!). Michelle goes from being wonderfully supportive to freaking out for no true reason. Perhaps if these characters were explored further it would have been better.
One last thing that bothered me is the writing style. When the characters are speaking, the narrators switch off and the point of view becomes different randomly. The talking scenes themselves were poor because it was mostly one or two sentence narrations.
There's more that made me dislike this book, but I'll stop here. It would be a decent book if it were free, but I am not going to continue the trilogy.
July 30, 2012
Forever Fifteen is an emotional thrill ride through the dark annals of Lucy Alberti's long and interesting life. She is a vampire that forever looks fifteen. The premise, reminiscent of such characters as Anne Rice's Claudia, was enough to draw me in from the start. Glimpses of Lucy's past in a grim, plague-ridden Italy provide stark backdrop to this modern day high school drama. Our heroine's struggles as her past begins to catch up with her will put you on the edge of your seat, waiting for more. Pick it up today!
Book featured on The Tea Rag Recommended Reads.
Book featured on The Tea Rag Recommended Reads.
August 13, 2008
A very excellent vampire book it doesn't follow the usual form and It kept me up reading it. This book is a must-read for anyone who loves vampire books.
January 5, 2012
this was amazing and addictive. I had to carry my headphones to work so I get lost with Lucy. waiting with anticipation for the sequel.
May 3, 2010
I LEARNT THAT THIS BOOK IS FUN.
November 15, 2024
Sometimes I read a book and it just seems clear that the story is very meaningful to the author and they spent a lot of time thinking about the characters and plot but the execution to make it vivid for the reader just isn't there. This is one of those books.
Lucy is a vampire who was turned hundreds of years ago around age fifteen. She's studied multiple languages, is a talented violin player, and we're supposed to believe she has above average intelligence. However, she's spent the past few decades in the foster care system, bouncing from abusive home to abusive home. Why she'd rather go to high school and fight off abusive foster parents than just use her powers and intelligence to live on her own is completely unclear and, for me, made the entire book feel pointless.
This period in her life -- in the early 1980s -- is intercut with scenes from her past - her childhood, brief marriage, and how she came to live with a powerful vampire who turns her. The author apparently has tried to create a balance between Lucy's inherent "teenage" nature and her actual age of hundreds of years and it doesn't really work. What we have instead is someone who comes across like she just time travelled from the year 1920. Her friends are always reminding her how out of place she sounds, which undercuts the author's repeated claims of Lucy's intelligence.
Here's an example of a typical monologue from her.
"Please, Michelle, let's not fight.” Lucy said, already exhausted by her friend. “You can date whomever you wish. I just thought perhaps a different boy was in store for you. A boy like John's dashing friend David Mitchell, someone who shares your love of academics. As for my past, Michelle, and Michael's, it is a book of woeful chapters better left unread."
On top of all this, the writing doesn't flow well. It's stilted, dialogue is awkward, and the author is still in the phrase where she would rather show off her vocabulary than write for clarity and reader enjoyment. Here's an example from the introduction:
Forever Fifteen's characters can be seen proliferating in any affluent suburb near you: the middle class family struggling to survive in a uber-posh neighborhood while supporting three kids, the listless sixteen year old gifted student who decides Nazi fashion is “cool” for a week, the over-involved Ivy League bound kid next door, and the remodeling-obsessed ice queen sadly more interested in keeping up
For any romance fans, know that the author holds the genre in contempt and is setting out to do the opposite (I love romance, so I guess she did succeed on those grounds):
To recreate the era, I deliberately tried to avoid creating a thinly disguised bodice ripper where an “empowered” woman mouthed off to prospective suitors in jerkins and tights, in other words, a typical romance novel.
Why she felt anyone would mistake her historical scenes, which include organs rotting out of bodies, piles of plague-dead, a horrific encounter with a mostly decomposed vampire, and the murders of children, for a typical romance novel is left unexplained. The entire book also is rife with misogyny and there is at least one completely unnecessary racial slur.
This is obviously set up as some kind of serial story, but the issues with the worldbuilding, Lucy's constantly flip-flopping intelligence/maturity, and the content (spice scenes between Lucy and boys under 18) make me uninterested in continuing.
Lucy is a vampire who was turned hundreds of years ago around age fifteen. She's studied multiple languages, is a talented violin player, and we're supposed to believe she has above average intelligence. However, she's spent the past few decades in the foster care system, bouncing from abusive home to abusive home. Why she'd rather go to high school and fight off abusive foster parents than just use her powers and intelligence to live on her own is completely unclear and, for me, made the entire book feel pointless.
This period in her life -- in the early 1980s -- is intercut with scenes from her past - her childhood, brief marriage, and how she came to live with a powerful vampire who turns her. The author apparently has tried to create a balance between Lucy's inherent "teenage" nature and her actual age of hundreds of years and it doesn't really work. What we have instead is someone who comes across like she just time travelled from the year 1920. Her friends are always reminding her how out of place she sounds, which undercuts the author's repeated claims of Lucy's intelligence.
Here's an example of a typical monologue from her.
"Please, Michelle, let's not fight.” Lucy said, already exhausted by her friend. “You can date whomever you wish. I just thought perhaps a different boy was in store for you. A boy like John's dashing friend David Mitchell, someone who shares your love of academics. As for my past, Michelle, and Michael's, it is a book of woeful chapters better left unread."
On top of all this, the writing doesn't flow well. It's stilted, dialogue is awkward, and the author is still in the phrase where she would rather show off her vocabulary than write for clarity and reader enjoyment. Here's an example from the introduction:
Forever Fifteen's characters can be seen proliferating in any affluent suburb near you: the middle class family struggling to survive in a uber-posh neighborhood while supporting three kids, the listless sixteen year old gifted student who decides Nazi fashion is “cool” for a week, the over-involved Ivy League bound kid next door, and the remodeling-obsessed ice queen sadly more interested in keeping up
For any romance fans, know that the author holds the genre in contempt and is setting out to do the opposite (I love romance, so I guess she did succeed on those grounds):
To recreate the era, I deliberately tried to avoid creating a thinly disguised bodice ripper where an “empowered” woman mouthed off to prospective suitors in jerkins and tights, in other words, a typical romance novel.
Why she felt anyone would mistake her historical scenes, which include organs rotting out of bodies, piles of plague-dead, a horrific encounter with a mostly decomposed vampire, and the murders of children, for a typical romance novel is left unexplained. The entire book also is rife with misogyny and there is at least one completely unnecessary racial slur.
This is obviously set up as some kind of serial story, but the issues with the worldbuilding, Lucy's constantly flip-flopping intelligence/maturity, and the content (spice scenes between Lucy and boys under 18) make me uninterested in continuing.
February 24, 2018
I listened to this book while I worked three hours, three days a week. I don't usually listen to vampire books, nor read them, but I've been having a hard time finding a decent book. So, I thought, why not? Kimberly's book was silly and off in so many ways and the ending wasn't good. However, oddly to say, the story kept my attention through the entire book. At times, I couldn't wait to get back to it and a couple of times I listened to it while I was home. (Which I never do and is the reason I gave it a four star.)
I liked the narration a lot. I got the personality of each character. I still don't like vampire books but I would read another one of Kimberly's.
I liked the narration a lot. I got the personality of each character. I still don't like vampire books but I would read another one of Kimberly's.
June 9, 2018
I only gave this one star because I started to listen to this as an audiobook. I couldn't even get through the first chapter, it was so badly narrated. The way the narrator's tone dropped in and out as well as speaking through her nose grated on my nerves. If an author doesn't make sure that the audio version of their book is as good as the written version, it shouldn't even be out.
December 4, 2018
Bite anyone!
It was a good read I wasn't expecting much but it was really good read I couldn't wait to read more. It was a little predictable in some parts but for the most part I truly enjoyed getting lost in it.
It was a good read I wasn't expecting much but it was really good read I couldn't wait to read more. It was a little predictable in some parts but for the most part I truly enjoyed getting lost in it.
January 7, 2017
s
the book was a excellent read i can't wait to read the second book.it had a very interesting story line
the book was a excellent read i can't wait to read the second book.it had a very interesting story line
November 14, 2017
Really long book felt like it took forever to get to the point! Just felt really drawn out.
April 10, 2018
it was swit buh l cant shake the fake of an old lady stuck in 15 year old dats gonna be a tricky relationship
August 13, 2019
Interesting read.
This story brings out a full range of emotions from sadness to joy. It left many questions to be answered in the next one.
This story brings out a full range of emotions from sadness to joy. It left many questions to be answered in the next one.
October 25, 2019
This was an original vampire story with a unique backstory and it was an amazing story. I loved this book, there were moments of sadness and joy, and a wonderful ending.
lost-interest-stopped-reading
December 18, 2019I thought this would be promising but c'mon... One may have the body of a 15yo but that doesn't mean your thought processes would still be that of a teen.
April 4, 2013
I got this book free from Kindle. Therefore I READ it, not listened to it.
Good thing this was a short read. If it were longer, I wouldn't have finished it.
I didn't expect to much from it. I just needed a mini getaway.
So here's the gist. . .
It had good aspects and bad aspects.
The good. It's an original take on vampires far from the Twilight trend, however, they aren't mindless monsters trying to satisfy their thirst for blood at every waking moment. I like the take on the main characters past and how she copes and navigates through the different eras of time. As a vampire, the way she lived in her past sounded much more plausible, which added to the mystery of her upbringing. It was the flashbacks and her history that I preferred.
The bad. I didn't like how she took on the modern world. She's 600 years old, but still acted like a naive teen. (unless you want to argue the principle that "Forever [Mentally Aged] Fifteen." Then yes, I'd understand and agree). Being stuck at 15, SUCKS! An age where you are powerless and still trying to understand the ropes transitioning out of adolescents. But at the time before she was turned into a vampire, 15 was considered "adult". She was already taking in mature roles of the house, the land, very intelligent in the aspects of language, and was very ready for the paternal role as well. Heck, when she was a vampire, she did not use her vampire instincts to aid her, she knew how to shoot a gun [or canon] and protect herself. Thus said, she would have known how to survive the economics, protect herself from the outside world when needed, known how to blend in better, take care of herself WITHOUT calling attention to herself, understand trends and styles (she may look 15, but in our modern world, the work of make up can make one jump from 15 to 18, or a possible working 19 year old.). She would have gotten away from foster care, and blended in college.
There were many holes on the take of surviving modern society.
That's just my take. . .
But as mentioned, I enjoyed the concept of her past. That part was well written. There was actual historical content that made her "vampire" upbringing more plausible.
So why the two stars? (Because I can't put 1.5) . . . For the little good that I did find in the book.
I've read mature books, but this was more smutty and gross. Way too graphic for my taste.
Good thing it was a short read.
Good thing this was a short read. If it were longer, I wouldn't have finished it.
I didn't expect to much from it. I just needed a mini getaway.
So here's the gist. . .
It had good aspects and bad aspects.
The good. It's an original take on vampires far from the Twilight trend, however, they aren't mindless monsters trying to satisfy their thirst for blood at every waking moment. I like the take on the main characters past and how she copes and navigates through the different eras of time. As a vampire, the way she lived in her past sounded much more plausible, which added to the mystery of her upbringing. It was the flashbacks and her history that I preferred.
The bad. I didn't like how she took on the modern world. She's 600 years old, but still acted like a naive teen. (unless you want to argue the principle that "Forever [Mentally Aged] Fifteen." Then yes, I'd understand and agree). Being stuck at 15, SUCKS! An age where you are powerless and still trying to understand the ropes transitioning out of adolescents. But at the time before she was turned into a vampire, 15 was considered "adult". She was already taking in mature roles of the house, the land, very intelligent in the aspects of language, and was very ready for the paternal role as well. Heck, when she was a vampire, she did not use her vampire instincts to aid her, she knew how to shoot a gun [or canon] and protect herself. Thus said, she would have known how to survive the economics, protect herself from the outside world when needed, known how to blend in better, take care of herself WITHOUT calling attention to herself, understand trends and styles (she may look 15, but in our modern world, the work of make up can make one jump from 15 to 18, or a possible working 19 year old.). She would have gotten away from foster care, and blended in college.
There were many holes on the take of surviving modern society.
That's just my take. . .
But as mentioned, I enjoyed the concept of her past. That part was well written. There was actual historical content that made her "vampire" upbringing more plausible.
So why the two stars? (Because I can't put 1.5) . . . For the little good that I did find in the book.
I've read mature books, but this was more smutty and gross. Way too graphic for my taste.
Good thing it was a short read.
July 25, 2009
Forever Fifteen is the novel with which I attribute my new found joy of reading. It is also the only novel I have so far read which I have wanted to read a second time.
The book is about a 600+ year old vampire called Lucy (Lucia to be precise) who was abducted and turned during the 14th century, at the age of 15. Forever frozen with the face & body of a fifteen year old, Forever Fifteen. The book is primarily set during the 1980's, but has frequent flash backs into Lucy's past as a human and then a new vampire.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this, besides Kimberly Steele's writing style, is the attention to detail of how a vampire would actually survive in the modern world. This was the first book I came across where vampires can go out in daylight, thus removing the biggest difficulty.
There is of course a love story here too, two in fact. In the flash backs, we see the tempestuous and eventually abusive relationship between Lucy and Sebaastianus, the vampire who turned her. In the 1980's era, we find Lucy finding possibly the love of her life with school boy John.
There will be inevitable comparisons of this book with the the Twilight books, given the latter's mainstream success. If I were to draw any comparison between the two, it would be that while the Twilight series is clearly aimed at teenage girls, Forever Fifteen is by no means a book for adolescents. I said above that this book concerns itself with the practicalities a vampire would face, this has to include sex and death, which Forever Fifteen tackles, while Twilight self-censors itself around those topics.
The book does have a satisfying ending, but it is an incomplete story as there are two more books planned. They are as of yet unfinished.
I not only recommend this to fans of the vampire genre, but I would also (and frequently do), recommend this as a first vampire book for anyone interested in the genre.
The book is about a 600+ year old vampire called Lucy (Lucia to be precise) who was abducted and turned during the 14th century, at the age of 15. Forever frozen with the face & body of a fifteen year old, Forever Fifteen. The book is primarily set during the 1980's, but has frequent flash backs into Lucy's past as a human and then a new vampire.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this, besides Kimberly Steele's writing style, is the attention to detail of how a vampire would actually survive in the modern world. This was the first book I came across where vampires can go out in daylight, thus removing the biggest difficulty.
There is of course a love story here too, two in fact. In the flash backs, we see the tempestuous and eventually abusive relationship between Lucy and Sebaastianus, the vampire who turned her. In the 1980's era, we find Lucy finding possibly the love of her life with school boy John.
There will be inevitable comparisons of this book with the the Twilight books, given the latter's mainstream success. If I were to draw any comparison between the two, it would be that while the Twilight series is clearly aimed at teenage girls, Forever Fifteen is by no means a book for adolescents. I said above that this book concerns itself with the practicalities a vampire would face, this has to include sex and death, which Forever Fifteen tackles, while Twilight self-censors itself around those topics.
The book does have a satisfying ending, but it is an incomplete story as there are two more books planned. They are as of yet unfinished.
I not only recommend this to fans of the vampire genre, but I would also (and frequently do), recommend this as a first vampire book for anyone interested in the genre.
August 18, 2009
I loved this book, personally. It renewed my faith in Vampire books after Twilight. ^^ I think its much different from Twilight in the way that there was more depth to the characters history. I loved how it went back and forth between the past and present.
The ending surprised me so much though, and reminded me a bit of Blood and Chocolate, as Sebastian seemed a lot like Gabriel. It was surprising that Lucy didn't put up much resistance to him after how terrible he was.
The sex scenes were surprising, but she does warn that its an adult book. I think that it was to accentuate the fact that in the medieval times, that was acceptable, and now everyone's making a big deal about how people are having sex too early - In a way, it just seems like old trends are coming back.
I love how in this, the vampires actually have to MURDER people. They're actual vampires. This then brings up questions of morality, and how their actions are no different from our own when we eat animals, its just the food chain.
I'm also amazed that Kimberly Steele is Queenie and sings the music on the audiobook.
Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who liked Blood and Chocolate, or just vampire novels in general, ones different from the usual teen literature like Twilight, HoN, etc.
The ending surprised me so much though, and reminded me a bit of Blood and Chocolate, as Sebastian seemed a lot like Gabriel. It was surprising that Lucy didn't put up much resistance to him after how terrible he was.
The sex scenes were surprising, but she does warn that its an adult book. I think that it was to accentuate the fact that in the medieval times, that was acceptable, and now everyone's making a big deal about how people are having sex too early - In a way, it just seems like old trends are coming back.
I love how in this, the vampires actually have to MURDER people. They're actual vampires. This then brings up questions of morality, and how their actions are no different from our own when we eat animals, its just the food chain.
I'm also amazed that Kimberly Steele is Queenie and sings the music on the audiobook.
Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who liked Blood and Chocolate, or just vampire novels in general, ones different from the usual teen literature like Twilight, HoN, etc.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2010
I read (if you can call it that) Forever Fifteen as an audiobook over a year ago. I couldn't stop listening to it since! Whenever I want to hear about a wonderfully mature, yet confused girl (well, actually, vampire) I just turn to Lucy and work with her through her life.
There are a few scenes were I think it could have been written better. And a few characters are definitely lacking depth, but its all acceptable, seeing as how this wasn't supposed to be a novel of epic proportions.
This is a very wonderful read, definitely if you hated or loved Twilight. Compared to Bella, Lucy is a very likeable and understandable character (and hey! you actually know what she looks like, unlike Bella) who also has a few major flaws. It is definitely her flaws that make her so interesting as a character, especially since they aren't the normal "the world hates me and I wish I would die" teenage angst ones. Lucy is a survivor in her culture and world. Her life was all very well portrayed. (And the borderline statutory rape at the end makes it all that tiny bit more tantalizing). [As clarification: she remains 15 forever, so it really isn't statutory, just seems that way for any outsiders.]
There are a few scenes were I think it could have been written better. And a few characters are definitely lacking depth, but its all acceptable, seeing as how this wasn't supposed to be a novel of epic proportions.
This is a very wonderful read, definitely if you hated or loved Twilight. Compared to Bella, Lucy is a very likeable and understandable character (and hey! you actually know what she looks like, unlike Bella) who also has a few major flaws. It is definitely her flaws that make her so interesting as a character, especially since they aren't the normal "the world hates me and I wish I would die" teenage angst ones. Lucy is a survivor in her culture and world. Her life was all very well portrayed. (And the borderline statutory rape at the end makes it all that tiny bit more tantalizing). [As clarification: she remains 15 forever, so it really isn't statutory, just seems that way for any outsiders.]
April 7, 2011
Forever Fifteen is the story of a vampire named Lucy who is living with a foster family. She meets a boy that for the first time in a very long time that she thinks she loves. Lucy is willing to pursue a relationship with him even though she doesn't know if she will be able to keep her relationship with him. Lucy has to deal with bullying and problems with people in her school while trying to hide her true self.
I think the message of this story is that the ones you love will be there for you always even if you are having a hardship. You shouldn't be afraid to tell them the truth about you and if you don't there could be some hardships in the relationship.
I really like this book and thought it was a great book. I enjoyed it a lot and I think anyone who enjoys vampire books should read this book. I found it different from other vampire books that I've read because usually the vampire is the male and the human is the female. But, in this book it is switched around. So it was great viewing a different point of view than usual.
I think the message of this story is that the ones you love will be there for you always even if you are having a hardship. You shouldn't be afraid to tell them the truth about you and if you don't there could be some hardships in the relationship.
I really like this book and thought it was a great book. I enjoyed it a lot and I think anyone who enjoys vampire books should read this book. I found it different from other vampire books that I've read because usually the vampire is the male and the human is the female. But, in this book it is switched around. So it was great viewing a different point of view than usual.
June 2, 2016
I read this book perhaps ten years ago as a podcast. The details have faded from my mind, but I still remember the awesome premise, and enjoying the heck out of it. It subverts the YA vampire trope. All too often, we see powerful, ancient, super-hot, sparkly vampire males falling in love with emo high school girls. No one ever talks about the creepy old man factor. No one questions why a powerful immortal would fall hopelessly in love with a teenager whose life experience is limited to high school.
This book brings up those questions in a clever way, and turns them around. This is about a powerful, ancient, super-hot vampire female falling in love with a dorky high school boy. The creepy cougar factor is apparent. The question of why a powerful immortal would fall hopelessly in love with a teenage boy who goes to band camp is glaringly obvious. And the vampire has an ex-husband, which makes sense, if we're talking about a woman with centuries of life experience.
This book challenges all the cliches about YA vampires. I love it.
This book brings up those questions in a clever way, and turns them around. This is about a powerful, ancient, super-hot vampire female falling in love with a dorky high school boy. The creepy cougar factor is apparent. The question of why a powerful immortal would fall hopelessly in love with a teenage boy who goes to band camp is glaringly obvious. And the vampire has an ex-husband, which makes sense, if we're talking about a woman with centuries of life experience.
This book challenges all the cliches about YA vampires. I love it.
January 30, 2013
This one is more like 2.5. I really wanted to like it, because the story itself was good. The writing, however, felt so stiff and formal. The way Lucy spoke was just outrageous, she'd been blending in with teenagers since at least the 60's, she should have known the phrases they used, how to blend in better. To me, she stuck out and called attention to herself that a vampire probably wouldn't have wanted.
On that same thought, I'm having a problem with the trend to send teenaged immortals, who are actually in their seventies or much, much older (600 years in Lucy's case) to high school. Unless they're like doing some kind of narc thing, I can't understand why they'd want to be there. Especially multiple times. Lucy had been on her own long enough to have amassed wealth from somewhere, and been able to live comfortably, away from high school antics.
If the language were "loosened up" I think the book would have been an easier read, and I would have enjoyed it more.
On that same thought, I'm having a problem with the trend to send teenaged immortals, who are actually in their seventies or much, much older (600 years in Lucy's case) to high school. Unless they're like doing some kind of narc thing, I can't understand why they'd want to be there. Especially multiple times. Lucy had been on her own long enough to have amassed wealth from somewhere, and been able to live comfortably, away from high school antics.
If the language were "loosened up" I think the book would have been an easier read, and I would have enjoyed it more.
September 28, 2013
Not very well written, at all. It took me forever to finish it, because I kept getting bored. The author, as so many new authors do, tried to use WAY too many "big" words, or words inappropriate to the topic to make the book seem more polished. All it did was frustrate me and make me want to know why a supposed 15 year old used such flowery/old-fashioned phrasing. I realize the main character was very old, but she would have picked up the nuances of any language after a while. Not only that, but the other characters often said unusual things. I wish new writers would understand that you don't always need a thesaurus to explain something simple. Just use the first, most appropriate word that comes to mind.
Another thing that bugged me was the inconsistency of the story line and some major plot holes. There is a scene near the end of the book that just makes no sense at all, and just made me scratch my head and wonder why the author jumped the shark all of a sudden.
Another thing that bugged me was the inconsistency of the story line and some major plot holes. There is a scene near the end of the book that just makes no sense at all, and just made me scratch my head and wonder why the author jumped the shark all of a sudden.
April 20, 2013
I liked this book very much! The characters were very well defined! The story was lovely and sad, heartwarming and yet with that touch of mystery or thrill. I liked it because even though she is young (body wise) she is not a regular teenager just fighting with her friends and trying to be popular or fit in or whatever. She still remains true to herself. Knowing there is more to come I cannot wait to read the next book. It is sad, she did not mature to 25 as is with some other legends read. I guess that is what makes this more interesting! A mind and knowledge of a woman, but the body of a young adult. Trapped forever that way. I cannot wait as I said to see what she does next. This author really spent the time to put these characters on page, there is a good history and enough information given to understand their personalities. Very well done.
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