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So, you think your life sucks? Try being Mina Hamilton. Her parents are vampires, which would sound cool if they weren’t so bo-ring and parent-like. And now Mina has to decide whether or not she wants to be one too…in a month. As if high school wasn’t bad enough, now she’s got to go to vampire classes with a bunch of freaks who actually want to drink blood (Gross! As if sushi wasn’t bad enough.).
And she can’t even tell her best friend about any of it, not with a bunch of red-tape-loving vampire bureaucrats breathing down her neck. How’s a girl supposed to find a prom date and get through school with all this blood-sucking drama going on?
#5 on the Fall 2008 Kid’s Indie Next List — “Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers” (I’m on a list with Neil Gaiman!! Woot!)
2009 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers List
From Locus:
“The adolescent vampire novel gets a pleasantly light, bizarrely heartwarming treatment in this novel . . . It’s an unusual mix, a welcome change from all the darker, angsty teen vampire novels around these days, and a very promising first novel.”
From the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books:
“The lively pace, amusing tone, and accessibly non-gory vampire plot make this an ideal summer beach read, particularly for horror fans who may appreciate a lighter look at the path toward immortal bloodsucker.”
From Booklist:
Most high-school juniors face big questions about their futures, but few ask the question posed to 16-year-old Mina: should she stay human or should she become a vampire, like her parents? In this breezy, often uproarious debut novel, Pauley follows Mina through her decision-making process, which includes classes about vampire history and culture and field trips with her eccentric uncle Mortie, the first vampire in the family. The juxtaposition between Mina’s normal, human high-school existence and “vampire camp” creates hilarious contrasts, all narrated in Mina’s wisecracking, authentic teen voice. Mina’s frequent lists, such as “Why It Sucks to Have Parents Who Are Vampires” and IM exchanges between Mina and her best friend, add to the pitch-perfect humor. A chirpy cheerleader considering the vampire life and a cast of handsome romantic prospects round out the appealing supporting cast. Readers will race through this lighthearted debut, filled with vampire lore, to discover Mina’s final decision, and they might recognize Mina’s larger struggle to move between very different cultural worlds. Grades 7-10. –Gillian Engberg
From VOYA:
In this light-hearted romance, sixteen-year-old Mina struggles with the unusual choice of whether she should “turn” and become a vampire like her parents. Mina’s parents are pretty normal and boring, so she has never really given the whole vampire world much thought. Mina’s happy complacency abruptly ends when her existence is discovered by the Vampire Council. She realizes that her parents have been hiding her from the Council because it is against the rules for vampires to live with human relatives. Now that the Council is aware of Mina, she is forced to go to weekly vampire classes so that she can make an informed decision by her seventeenth birthday. Although having vampire parents may suck, Mina is having unusually good luck in her love life. Surprisingly Mina meets two promising boys in vampire school, and finally starts a friendship with popular Nathan, on whom she has had a crush for as long as she can remember. Luckily Mina has her best friend, Serena, to help her deal, although she cannot tell Serena the truth about her vampire problem. Mina is an appealing character with a humorous voice, and this story focuses on friendship and romance rather than vampires. The most unbelievable element is not the existence of vampires but how wonderful and kind Mina’s family and friends are. This breezy book will be more satisfying to chick-lit fans looking for a quick, fun read than to teens looking for a rich and atmospheric vampire story. Reviewer: Amy Luedtke
Quotes & Blurbs from Authors:
“Though I don’t normally read vampire books, I was sucked right in by the hilarious yet sweet voice of Mina in Sucks to Be Me. And Sucks to Be Me is about a lot more than vampires: best friends, the prom, hot guys, and coming of age. This book sunk its fangs into me and never let go. I actually found myself rooting for nice teenager Mina to become a bloodthirsty vampire, and even wished I could become one myself—especially if it meant hanging out with Mina and her totally fun cohorts. The only thing that sucks about this book is that it had to end. A great read!”
—Debra Garfinkle, author of Storky
“Sucks To Be Me puts a sweet, funny twist on the usual teen vampire story. The concept is inventive and the characters are a lot of fun. I hope it’s a great success. Congratulations to Kimberly. I hope this is the first of many.”
—Susan Juby, author of Alice, I Think
“Great concept, great character, great fun!”
—Sarah Mlynowski, author of Bras and Broomsticks
“It’s rare for a writer to come up with a new and original twist on vampirism, but in Sucks to Be Me Kimberly Pauley has done just that. The novel’s biting wit and keen portrayal of teen-age angst will make it a sure hit among the high school set. It’s a book you can really sink your fangs into.”
—E. Rose Sabin, author of A School for Sorcery
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