Review: Vampire in Denial by Dale Mayer

Vampire in Denial

Family Blood Ties Series #1

Dale Mayer

Published: August 1st, 2011 by Valley Publishing

Like being a sixteen-year-old vampire isn't hard enough, Tessa's throwback human genes make her an outcast among her relatives. But try as she might, she can't get a handle on the vampire lifestyle and all the...blood.

Turning her back on the vamp world, she embraces the human teenage lifestyle--high school, peer pressure and finding a boyfriend. Jared manages to stir something in her blood. He's smart and fun and oh, so cute. But Tessa's dream of having the perfect boyfriend turns into a nightmare when vampires attack the movie theatre and kidnap her date.

Once again, Tessa finds herself torn between the human world and the vampire one. Will blood own out? Can she make peace with who she is as well as what?

I got the chance to read Vampire in Denial at the same time of In Cassie's Corner (review here). As I had read ICC first and never really got into it, I hadn't entered this book with the highest of expectations. 

However. While this story did remind me a little of other vampire books I've read, I was pleasantly surprised to find I actually kind of enjoyed this book. There was a twist or two I hadn't seen coming, and I like Tessa much more than Cassie.

Though, I do think Mayer could've made this longer and more complex very easily. It is only about 215 pages, and I think it could've been drawn to at least 325, if not more. It is a little too fast-paced to be considered realistic (even if it is vampires-- make me believe it), but all in all, I think it was a pretty good book. I will definitely be giving book 2 in the series a go. :)

My Rating:

3.5

Freelance writer Dale Mayer lives in the beautiful Okanagan valley in British Columbia, Canada. She's multi-pubbed in nonfiction and is currently writing The Essential Series including The Career Essential Series(The Resume, The Cover Letter, The Interview), Lifestyle Essentials (Ergonomics for today's world, Raising the dyslexic child, etc.), and the Gardening Essential Series, (Beginning with Bulbs, Urban Farming, Gardening for Seeds, etc.).

Stay tuned as she adds to these and several other proposed series. For the last decade, she's written on all of these topics either under her own name or as a ghostwriter. As a researcher and technical writer, Dale has a wealth of knowledge she can't wait to share!

However, fiction is her passion. Here, she writes taut psychological suspense with romance and paranormal elements. She has recently branched out into writing both mystery and urban fantasy books for young adult with the occasional vampire book thrown in just for fun.