I know, I know, The Vampire Stalker? I wasn't really vibing on the title either (though it is a little funny/ironic considering all the love paranormally/supernaturally things are getting), but the hook was what drew me.
Amy's in love with Alexander Banks, the brooding heartthrob vampire hunter from the books she loves so well. He's brave, bad-ass and completely fictional--until the night he saves her life. When Alexander slips through the pages into the real world (along with his evil-doer counterpart Vigo, a majorly nasty vamp who Alexander has been chasing since forever), Amy's crush is no longer an impossible fantasy. With Vigo on the loose, there's not much time for romance. He's out for blood, and Alexander enlists Amy's help to bring him down, dead or alive (preferably dead). As they work together, Amy discovers that the real Alexander isn't exactly the guy she fell in love with--he's better.
What really made me look at the book in the first place was the idea of a fictional character come to life. Fess up people. Who here hasn't ever considered it, your favorite MCs come to life? Especially your literary crushes? I know many a woman who'd want to spend a day or two with Mr. Darcy/Captain Wentworth/Eric/Bill/Adam/Samuel/Stephan/Conall/Edward/Jacob/Morelli/Ranger/Any and all of the Brothers from BDB J
It's a great idea, and on Allison Van Diepen's site, she said she came up with it after watching the video "Take on Me," by Aha. Being completely in love with that timeless 80s classic, my curiosity was instantly peaked. I love the way Van Diepen described the two best friends in this book, especially Katie. I love that she played hockey and was woman enough to defend Amy and take on a vamp with a stick. Very cool chick. The book's written in first POV, from Amy's perspective, so I really liked her, too. My problem was Alexander's development. If you're going to do this kind of story, I think it's important to make the fictional crush as irresistible to the reader as he is to your MC. Can't say that really happened, but I still enjoyed the book. There was quite a bit you had to take at face value, some implausibility in how fast the cops believed Amy, but overall it was a good, quick, enjoyable read.
I'd recommend it to younger YA readers. There are hints of romance, but not too much of the mushy stuff. If you like the concept and want something with a little more edge, I'd tell you to go check out Demon in My View by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. It's also a quick read, but it's got more grit (and I loved Jess and AubreyJ). And because it really is timeless…
Question: What literary crush would you want to spend the day with?
Have a great week everyone,
Ninja Girl
