ashreads10k's review against another edition
5.0
Author: Kimberly Pauley
Pages: 293
Source: Purchased from Barnes and Noble
Series or Standalone?: 1st of two
Mina Hamilton's parents want her dead. (Or undead to be precise.) They're vampires, and like it or not, Mina must decide whether to become a vampire herself. But Mina's more interested in hanging out with best friend Serena and trying to catch the eye of the too-hot-for-high-school Nathan Able than in the vampire training classes she's being forced to take. How's a girl supposed to find the perfect prom date and pass third-year French when her mom and dad are breathing down her neck--literally?
* * *
In today’s YA fiction, vampires are the current genre royalty. Ever since the dawn of a series which will remain nameless *cough*Twilight*cough*, vampires have become this overtly and most times clichéd and smoke and glam act. But not in Pauley’s novel. Nope, these vampires are as normal as one can get for being the blood sucking dead. Hell, Mina’s dad is an accountant. Does that scream sparkling, seductive creature of the night?
But this aspect is what makes this novel so enjoyable. Instead of focusing so much on the OMGOBLINS IT’S A VAMPIRE part of the novel, it’s more focused on Mina trying to find who she really is. Vampires are really second row in this book. I actually really appreciated that.
That being said, this book is hilarious. Funny enough to make me snort out loud in the middle of a dead silent math class. There are just so many pieces of teenage humor, that it’s kind of hard to believe Pauley isn’t a teenager.
Really interesting and entertaining was that each chapter started out with a little tidbit on vampires, either debunking an old myth, or proving one true, or something cute like that. Also, the little bat drawing were totally adorable.
I liked Mina. She was just trying to be a normal teenage girl, with normal teenage crushes, and normal teenage problems…. Except she had to make the choice to become a vampire. But I think she really made her decisions well.
Pauley wrote fantastically and kept the pace going well. I finished this book in just under a day.
I enjoyed this novel very much, and I definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a fun read.
Other books in this series:
Still Sucks to Be Me (Sequel)
Pages: 293
Source: Purchased from Barnes and Noble
Series or Standalone?: 1st of two
Mina Hamilton's parents want her dead. (Or undead to be precise.) They're vampires, and like it or not, Mina must decide whether to become a vampire herself. But Mina's more interested in hanging out with best friend Serena and trying to catch the eye of the too-hot-for-high-school Nathan Able than in the vampire training classes she's being forced to take. How's a girl supposed to find the perfect prom date and pass third-year French when her mom and dad are breathing down her neck--literally?
* * *
In today’s YA fiction, vampires are the current genre royalty. Ever since the dawn of a series which will remain nameless *cough*Twilight*cough*, vampires have become this overtly and most times clichéd and smoke and glam act. But not in Pauley’s novel. Nope, these vampires are as normal as one can get for being the blood sucking dead. Hell, Mina’s dad is an accountant. Does that scream sparkling, seductive creature of the night?
But this aspect is what makes this novel so enjoyable. Instead of focusing so much on the OMGOBLINS IT’S A VAMPIRE part of the novel, it’s more focused on Mina trying to find who she really is. Vampires are really second row in this book. I actually really appreciated that.
That being said, this book is hilarious. Funny enough to make me snort out loud in the middle of a dead silent math class. There are just so many pieces of teenage humor, that it’s kind of hard to believe Pauley isn’t a teenager.
Really interesting and entertaining was that each chapter started out with a little tidbit on vampires, either debunking an old myth, or proving one true, or something cute like that. Also, the little bat drawing were totally adorable.
I liked Mina. She was just trying to be a normal teenage girl, with normal teenage crushes, and normal teenage problems…. Except she had to make the choice to become a vampire. But I think she really made her decisions well.
Pauley wrote fantastically and kept the pace going well. I finished this book in just under a day.
I enjoyed this novel very much, and I definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a fun read.
Other books in this series:
Still Sucks to Be Me (Sequel)
wombat_88's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
akbeffa's review against another edition
5.0
really good!
(Side note: do not read if your parents haven't given you "the talk")
(Side note #2: if you do not know what "the talk" is then definitely don't read)
(Side note: do not read if your parents haven't given you "the talk")
(Side note #2: if you do not know what "the talk" is then definitely don't read)
abenajanet's review against another edition
4.0
love love loved this book j'aime it. so original unlike that twilight crap. any book that disses it is going to be good that's for sure.hahA
akookieforyou's review against another edition
4.0
I thought this was a pretty interesting and different take on the popular vampire story. The characters were likable and unique, and the plot was pretty engaging.
missprint_'s review against another edition
2.0
After finishing Kimberly Pauley's debut novel Sucks to Be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire (Maybe) (2009) I found myself of two minds as to whether or not I liked it.For that reason, this is sort of an anti-Chick Lit Wednesday review
Pauley--previously known for her own book review site--has created a very interesting premise here: Mina Hamilton is having a hard enough time with high school and being seventeen in general when things get even more complicated. Mina already knew her parents were vampires. She has, in fact, known that for all of her life. What she didn't know until recently was that she would have to decide if she wanted to join her parents among the undead or not. Mina also has to attend a series of vampire classes to help in her decision-making process. The entire idea is fascinating. Even the chatty, notebook style blurb for the book helps to draw readers in to this funny story. Mina is also, in many ways, a very real character--aside from the whole vampiric parents side of things, of course.
Any yet . . .
She is also possibly one of the most shallow characters I have ever encountered. At the beginning of the novel Mina is so busy lusting after her cute classmate Nathan as to be entirely oblivious to the true object of his affection. Matters only worsen when Mina starts her vampire classes and meets the even better looking Aubrey. At this point in the plot Mina has so many stars in her eyes that she once again misses the completely, painfully obvious fact that Aubrey's interest in her comes from motivations that are anything but romantic.
Sucks to Be Me features a popular vampire myth (and the vampire reality care of Mina) at the beginning of each chapter. Pauley had the potential here to create an entirely new set of vampire lore here. Instead the writing about the ins and outs of vampirism was remiss. Most of the new vampire facts (they can go out in the sun, they can eat food) are left unexplained either because Mina does not know the answer or because she tuned out while someone else was explaining it. While world building is more traditionally associated with sci-fi novels, it feels negligent to base a novel on so many facts while explaining none of them.
Pauley's inclusion of instant messages written in chatspeak was equally frustrating. I don't text message and I write instant messages in full sentences. I know that is not true for most people. But I feel certain that having lines like "& he jetted prtty fast outta there. didn't evn drnk the coffee" does little to add to the novel's authenticity or tone.
This book reminded me a lot of Ghostgirl, another book with a promising plot whose writing fell short of expectations. It will also likely appeal to Twilight fans looking for a funny vampire story. For my part, I was excited about Sucks to Be Me when I first saw it, but by the end my enthusiasm was lukewarm at best.
Pauley--previously known for her own book review site--has created a very interesting premise here: Mina Hamilton is having a hard enough time with high school and being seventeen in general when things get even more complicated. Mina already knew her parents were vampires. She has, in fact, known that for all of her life. What she didn't know until recently was that she would have to decide if she wanted to join her parents among the undead or not. Mina also has to attend a series of vampire classes to help in her decision-making process. The entire idea is fascinating. Even the chatty, notebook style blurb for the book helps to draw readers in to this funny story. Mina is also, in many ways, a very real character--aside from the whole vampiric parents side of things, of course.
Any yet . . .
She is also possibly one of the most shallow characters I have ever encountered. At the beginning of the novel Mina is so busy lusting after her cute classmate Nathan as to be entirely oblivious to the true object of his affection. Matters only worsen when Mina starts her vampire classes and meets the even better looking Aubrey. At this point in the plot Mina has so many stars in her eyes that she once again misses the completely, painfully obvious fact that Aubrey's interest in her comes from motivations that are anything but romantic.
Sucks to Be Me features a popular vampire myth (and the vampire reality care of Mina) at the beginning of each chapter. Pauley had the potential here to create an entirely new set of vampire lore here. Instead the writing about the ins and outs of vampirism was remiss. Most of the new vampire facts (they can go out in the sun, they can eat food) are left unexplained either because Mina does not know the answer or because she tuned out while someone else was explaining it. While world building is more traditionally associated with sci-fi novels, it feels negligent to base a novel on so many facts while explaining none of them.
Pauley's inclusion of instant messages written in chatspeak was equally frustrating. I don't text message and I write instant messages in full sentences. I know that is not true for most people. But I feel certain that having lines like "& he jetted prtty fast outta there. didn't evn drnk the coffee" does little to add to the novel's authenticity or tone.
This book reminded me a lot of Ghostgirl, another book with a promising plot whose writing fell short of expectations. It will also likely appeal to Twilight fans looking for a funny vampire story. For my part, I was excited about Sucks to Be Me when I first saw it, but by the end my enthusiasm was lukewarm at best.
mrsjkamp's review against another edition
3.0
This one was alright. It was first person and present tense, both being my favorites, so that was good. The story was okay. It progressed like a diary of sorts, and that was different. The plot was different as well. She has the knowledge and now must make a choice one way or another, and it will change her life completely no matter which way she goes. I didn't think we'd find out in the end since I knew there was a second book, but I'll tell you that you do. She seems oblivious to the fact that people don't feel the way she thinks they do about her. It's weird. But it all works out.
aldersons's review against another edition
3.0
Mina Hamilton, a Junior in High School, has a very big decision to make: whether to become a vampire like her parents, or stay human. To help her make her decision, she has to receive help from her weird Uncle Mortie, and take vampire classes. And like most teenagers, Mina also has boy trouble on top of all of that.
Overall, this book was enjoyable. I felt myself changing my mind along with Mina over if she should become a vampire or not. I also felt that while the book is one of many vampire novels out there, it's unique in it's own way.
Overall, this book was enjoyable. I felt myself changing my mind along with Mina over if she should become a vampire or not. I also felt that while the book is one of many vampire novels out there, it's unique in it's own way.
ilovereading_tn's review against another edition
4.0
I found this quite funny at times:) Mina has to decide if she wants to turn and become a vampire like her parents or stay a human. She takes Vampire lessons and meets quite a few interesting characters along the way including George, Aubrey and Raven but she only has one reason to stay human and that is her BFF, Serena. So she has to decide on what is the right choice for her: turn and live forever or stay human.