Alex Duval

Reviewed by K. Osborn Sullivan for TeensReadToo.com

In the second installment of the VAMPIRE BEACH series, Jason Freeman is still coming to grips with the fact that the popular kids at his new Malibu high school are all vampires. And why shouldn't the vamps be popular? They're beautiful and rich, and they throw the best parties. But Jason knows those parties are simply an excuse to drink blood from unwitting human guests. It's true that the humans aren't hurt, the vampires need blood to show more survive, and many of those vampires are Jason's friends, but still... Let's just say that Jason is feeling conflicted. Then when his best friend from the old neighborhood turns up unexpectedly and under mysterious circumstances, Jason's problems multiply.

As with the first VAMPIRE BEACH book, I love the premise. When I was in high school, I often wondered what it was that made the popular crowd so special. I could wear the same clothes they wore and sport the same hairstyle, but still something was missing. Maybe they were all secretly blood-sucking monsters. That would explain a lot.

But, again, just like the first book in this series, the execution of the great premise left me cold. For one thing, this book is too short. I wanted it to delve more deeply into the characters and their lives. So much could have been going on in this vampire-run town, and I was constantly disappointed that the author wasn't exploring those things. I was also bothered by the fact that there were some pretty improbable actions being taken by people in this story. For example, if you're hiding in a roomful of vampires and your cell phone goes off, wouldn't it be odd if the vamps still didn't notice you were there? The reactions and explanations sometimes felt contrived and highly unlikely, which detracted from the story.

In the plus column, this book seemed to have toned down the first book's uncomfortable attempts to use current teenage language. Or if it didn't tone them down, then I must have gotten used to them. Either way, it didn't grate on me the way it had in VAMPIRE BEACH: BLOODLUST. Also, this story was interesting and it had a few twists and turns that kept me turning the pages eagerly.

Overall, this is an intriguing book. I like the premise, the characters, and the story itself. Be warned, though, that this one is for older readers. Like BLOODLUST, it contains references to alcohol and drug use, as well as some sexual activity and a little swearing. As for this book's problems, my chief complaint is that it left me wanting much more. show less

Reviewed by K. Osborn Sullivan for TeensReadToo.com

I like vampire stories. If you've read any of my other reviews, you might already know that. Because of my prejudice, I dove into the first in the series of VAMPIRE BEACH books with high expectations. And I did enjoy it. Yes, it has some problems in execution, but more about that later. First the good stuff.

As BLOODLUST begins, high school senior, Jason Freeman, has just moved into an exclusive Malibu subdivision with his sister and their show more nouveau rich parents. He experiences the typical teenage angst: the girl he likes is taken, he can't have a good time at parties because he's always watching out for his younger sister, one of his new friends isn't exactly riding the top rung of the social ladder, etc. The usual stuff. But something seems a little odd in Malibu. Then a girl turns up dead, and Jason discovers that the popular crowd at his high school is made up of vampires.

This book put a fun spin on both the traditional vampire story and the "high school popular crowd" story. I stayed up late, turning pages to see what would happen. That's a good sign. When I was done with BLOODLUST, I was grateful that there was another VAMPIRE BEACH book on hand and I tore right into it.

Unfortunately, BLOODLUST did have some problems that detracted from my enjoyment. First, it was too short. There was clearly a lot of stuff going on in Jason's high school, but relatively little of it was explored. When he discovered the vampires and began learning about them, I ended up with more questions than answers. And by the time the real mystery began, the author seemed in a hurry to resolve it. Seemingly, no sooner did Jason realize there was a problem than it was solved. That was a letdown. I wanted more investigation, more conflict, more story.

Another thing that bothered me was the use of slang. The author was eager to portray authentic-sounding teen dialogue, but it seemed forced and, at times, outdated. That is often the problem with trying to write the way modern teens speak. By the time the book is published, the dialogue already sounds like it was written about two centuries ago. And be warned that this one is for older readers. It contains frequent references to alcohol use and some sexual activity.

I found VAMPIRE BEACH: BLOODLUST to be an enjoyable, light read. No deep human truths will be revealed, but there is plenty of good, old-fashioned, escapist fantasy. This slender volume is the perfect companion for your next plane trip. It should keep you entertained all the way from check-in to baggage claim. show less

Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com

Jason Freeman is not what you would call an average teenager who lives in California. Unless, to you, battling the evil vampires, only to win and be secretly honored, befriending the good ones, trying to save his friend from the world of vampires, falling in love with his best vampire friend's girlfriend, and trying to keep this all a secret, is normal.

Fortunately for Jason, this all proved to not be a challenge since not show more only was he able to survive the vampires, he was able to survive the social ladder of the high school world, all in one shot.

Now, with Brad's approval, Jason is finally able to date Sienna, the first and only girl he had a crush on since he moved to DeVere Heights. Their relationship couldn't get any better; that is, until Sienna's parents discover who she is dating in place of Brad. Their main problem with Jason is how he isn't a vampire, since it is wrong to date outside of their clan.

Of course, Jason doesn't take this lightly, but his aunt believes she has the perfect solution. Aunt Bianca, a vampire herself due to her late husband, hasn't been able to have children and wants to pass on the blood and the inheritance to Jason and his sister, Danielle.

At first this seems like a plausible solution. But when Jason takes it into consideration he isn't sure if he should change his whole life just for Sienna, or stay the way he is and live a normal life with his parents, away from all of the dangers that come with being a vampire.

The thrilling conclusion to the VAMPIRE BEACH series, LEGACY will put chills down your spine, only to leave you hungering for more. show less

The third and fourth books in the Vampire Beach series, the target audience is Young Adults and you can tell, while it was enjoyable, I was able to figure out some major plot points before they ever happened. I guess I should be more concerned if I couldn't have done that since I"m probably twice the age of their target market.