The Society of S by Susan Hubbard

This is Ariella's coming-of-age story. She has been raised by her overprotective father, who homeschools her, keeps her on a vegetarian diet, and engages her in long conversations about philosophy. What they don't talk about is her mother, who left just after Ariella was born. At the cusp of teendom, Ariella begins making friends and pushing at the boundaries her father has set. As she learns more about the world outside her home she also discovers a deep desire to learn more about her mother. S...moreThis is Ariella's coming-of-age story. She has been raised by her overprotective father, who homeschools her, keeps her on a vegetarian diet, and engages her in long conversations about philosophy. What they don't talk about is her mother, who left just after Ariella was born. At the cusp of teendom, Ariella begins making friends and pushing at the boundaries her father has set. As she learns more about the world outside her home she also discovers a deep desire to learn more about her mother. So much so that Ariella leaves home at age 13 to search for her. As Ariella disconnects from the sheltered life she's always known, she begins to become the person her father always feared she would be. For Ariella's father is a vampire, and her mother was human.

This is a very atypical vampire story. In fact, the vampirism seems to be secondary and not very important to the plot. The story really revolves around Ariella's growth and development as a person. I recommend this one to fans of Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees.

Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs by Molly Harper

As a vampire fan and former Children's Librarian (now Teen Librarian) I could not resist this book. Jane Jameson is the Children's Librarian in her hometown of Half Moon Hollow (and yes, it's as small and redneck as it sounds). The library director, a mean and spiteful woman, seizes upon budget cuts as a way to get rid of Jane and fires her. As severance, Jane is given a $25 gift certificate to Shenanigan's and a coupon for their free potato skins appetizer. Jane proceeds to Shenanigan's and spends her severance on alcoholic beverages, then starts a tab.

On her way home that evening, after sobering up with generous lashings of black coffee, Jane's dilapidated station wagon dies. Jane starts the long walk home, stumbling and falling in the mud. A drunken hunter, also on his way home, sees Jane and mistakes her for a deer - and shoots her. Luckily for Jane, the charming, witty, handsome man who flirted with her at Shenanigan's has also followed her home. And extra luckily, he's a vampire willing to turn her.

What follows is a hilarious story about Jane and her new unlife. Though similar to the Sookie Stackhouse novels in premise (vamps are out and drinking synthetic blood, werewolves are not, etc.) this book is far more comedic. Don't look for drama in this book, but do be prepared to laugh-out-loud.

Tasty Reads Book Group Meets Tues. Feb 10th

We are reading Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Tues. Feb 10th

In the Lucretia M. Somers Boardroom 

from 6:30 - 8 pm

We enjoy refreshments described in or related to the foods in the books we discuss! Y-E-S-!!!

Call 205-332-6620 for more information. You're welcome to join us!

Vamps by Nancy A. Collins

Lilith Todd is the "It" girl of the supernatural world. Her rich and powerful Old Blood father gives her whatever she wants, her promised, Jules, will make her a Countess when they are bound, and she already rules the world of fashion and popularity. One night while out slumming she runs into Cally, a New Blood who challenges Lilith in a fight over a potential victim. The Newbie turns out to be a Stormgatherer, but Lilith would still have beaten her if not for the sudden appearance of Van Helsings. The VH's stake Lilith's friend, but the rest of the vampires manage to get away. Lilith blames the Newbie and vows to kill her if she ever sees her again. It might be easier than she expected. When Monday rolls around Lilith finds that Cally has transferred to Lilith's prestigious school, Bathory Academy. Though the Academy is a vendetta-free zone, Lilith's won't let a little thing like the rules stand in her way.

This book started out as Gossip Girls meets vampires, with constant brand name dropping, underage partying and references to amorous adventures. But the tone quickly changed when Cally appeared, and the plot's pacing picked up. The story that unfolded was interesting and different from most of the vampire fiction on the shelves. I can't wait to see what happens in book two!

The Otherworldlies by Jennifer Anne Kogler

12-year-old Fern McAllister is a little different. Her classmates call her Freaky Fern, but her family has learned to live with her eccentricities. She talks to the family dog (and he talks back), she has to keep a pot of dirt under her bed or she can’t sleep, she blisters if she stays in the sun too long, and she has to wear sunglasses constantly because her eyes are so sensitive. But her strange habits are the least of her worries these days. Lately she’s been accidentally…teleporting. One minute she’s daydreaming in class, the next she’s on a local beach. This new and frightening ability attracts the attention of Lindsey Lin, Fern’s popular classmate. Lindsey tells Fern that her powers mark her as an Otherworldly, or vampire, just like Lindsey and her family. And Fern’s not just any ordinary Otherworldly, but one of the Unusual Eleven, a child destined to have great powers. Also, Otherworldly children are only born to Otherworldly parents, which means Fern is adopted. These revelations shock Fern to the core. As does the news that now that her secret identity is known, other Otherworldlies, both good and evil, will be trying to find her and convince her to join their side in a supernatural battle for supremacy.

Kogler’s novel is more complex and unusual than your run-of-the mill vampire tale. The plot mixes the superstitions associated with vampires and the mythology of the ancient Greeks to create a totally unique story. It also deals with issues such as family belonging, adoption and the problems of being different. Hopefully, Kogler will write a sequel to this wonderful story.

Homewood's Discussion of Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer

PODCAST
Heather, Teen Librarian, along with patrons Melissa and Amber talk about why they like the Twilight series including the books Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse. They discuss which camp they're in, ie., Jacob vs. Edward, should Bella wait to become a vampire, will Bella and Jacob still be friends, and what about Bella's behavior? Warning, possible spoilers!

Night Road by A.M. Jenkins

Gordon was a mistake. Now it's up to Cole and Sandor, Gordon's maker, to give the eighteen-year-old hemovore lessons in his new life. How to feed, how to survive, how to go unnoticed by the omni's. If Gordon doesn't learn his lessons well, he'll end up one of the heme that gets buried alive, conscious and aware but unable to leave the coffin. And if he refuses to learn, it may be Cole who puts him there.

This is not a typical vampire tale. There's no glamour or fantasy to this gritty story. Instead, it's a story of life on the road, trying to survive against the odds and against your will. It's also Cole's story as much as it is Gordon's, and is told from Cole's point of view. Fans of Twilight won't find much similarity, but will enjoy it anyway.

Boys That Bite, Stake That!, and Girls That Growl by Mari Mancusi

Sunshine and Rayne are twins but could not be more different. Sunny prefers flips, tanks and jeans while Rayne uses white makeup, black fingernail polish and owns only one non-black item of clothing (a pink tee sporting the slogan "Bite Me"). Rayne is moody and a social outcast. Sunny is popular and, well, sunny. So when Rayne asks Sunny to go to a Goth club, it's Sunny's idea of the worst possible evening. But she loves her sister, so she puts on the Bite Me t-shirt and prepares for a boring night. Then Magnus comes along, sweeps her off her feet, and bites her...by accident. It's a case of mistaken identity - Magnus mistook Sunny for her darker twin. Now Sunny is the one turning into a vampire and Rayne will have to go back on the waiting list to find a new sponsor. Unless...could they can find a cure in time to prevent the transformation?

In book two, Stake That!, Rayne's plans to vamp out again take a turn for the worst as she's taken aside by the drama teacher and told that she's "the chosen one," the new Slayer (seems the current slayer, Bertha, is having a cholesterol and high blood pressure problem and must retire). There's something funny going on at a vamp club downtown and Rayne must investigate. Fortunately, thanks to Sunny, Rayne has some friends on the inside to help out. One, Jareth, is Rayne's idea of perfection: dark, moody, emo, built, etc. Too bad he hates her...

In book three, Girls That Growl, Rayne must go undercover...as a cheerleader! The squad has been heard growling lately, and there's a football player missing...

These three books are fun and light, perfect for pool or seaside (or hotel room, if sunlight isn't your thing).

Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber

Outcast Goth girl Raven is bored, bored, bored with living in Dullsville. She spends her time exploring the local cemetary, painting her nails black and dreaming of her ideal Prince Charming (a vampire, natch). Her favorite house in town is the old Sterling mansion, which has been abandoned for years and is rumored to be haunted. But one day a new family moves in, and Raven is in Goth heaven. She immediately takes steps to try and find out if the family is a vampire coven. When she finally meets the son, Alexander, she drops hints to try and get him to confide his undead status. Finally, she figures the best way to find out...is to get bitten!

Raven is a fun character. Attired in black with black combat boots, lipstick and nail polish, she totally does not fit in with the Abercrombie & Fitch teens who populate Dullsville. When she meets Alexander, she thinks she's finally found her soulmate - someone with whom she can explore cemetaries and watch old horror movies. But what if Alexander really is a vampire? Is Raven really ready to join the ranks of the undead?

30 Days of Night by Steve Niles

We've all heard that "the book is better than the movie." But what if the movie is based on a graphic novel? 30 Days of Night, by Steve Niles, is an 80+ page graphic novel originally published in 2003. The movie came out just last month.

The graphic novel is by illustrated by Ben Templesmith in a shaky and low detail style. The bulk of the illustrations are in black, white, brown and shades of the three, giving the work a murky, dark feeling. When other colors are used, they are also darker, muddier tones...except for reds, yellows and oranges. Fire and blood are illustrated with vibrant tones, making them pop from the pages for maximum impact (and there is a lot of blood). The story itself is a simple one, though creative and well-written. It recounts the town of Barrow, Alaska's horrifying fight to survive when the sun went down for an entire month, and vampires came to party. There is a lot of tension in the story, as a small group of humans struggle to keep their lives, and their sanity; hiding, and waiting for the sun to come up once again.

The movie retains the basic storyline of the graphic novel. The differences are in the character relationships, added characters and situations and location changes. It's understandable that the filmmakers would need to pad the story in order to make a feature length film from an 80 page book. Their changes don't detract from the plot, and their more fully developed characters help the viewer become more engaged, and therefore more horrified, by the events that transpire.

The graphic novel and the book contain enough differences that one will not detract from the pleasure of the other.