Sucks to Be Me by Kimberly Pauley

While examining different lists of paranormal books I stumbled across Sucks to Be Me by Kimberly Pauley. I was looking for something lighthearted and comical and Pauley delivers both in her first novel of the series.

Sucks to Be Me is an enthusiastic upbeat read. Mina, the main character, is the daughter of two vampires. Her Uncle Mortie turns her dad just before her birth and then her mother is turned after she is born. Mina is forced in the book to make a decision on whether or not she will join her parents as vampires. Mina makes new friends and discovers a lot about herself while on her journey to discovering her choice.

The main character Mina narrates the story with plenty of wit and humor. She is a strong female character that doesn’t tolerate the typical teen drama. She sticks up for herself and her friends with a ferocity that is surprising from a teenage narrator. The tone of her narration is very similar to The Confessions of Georgina Nicholson series. The lists at the beginning of each chapter personalize the story and make it seem as though you are reading someone’s diary.

The vampire aspect of this story gets lost in the human interaction. The typical vampire myths don’t seem to apply, outside of needing blood. Thus, the reader is drawn more to the typical human relationships and their evolution than focusing on the supernatural.

Overall, this was an extremely good read. It never gets boring or seems to be too slow. The quips and one-liners keep the reader interesting in even the most typical and cliché teen interactions. Pauley does an excellent job writing with a teen voice and keeping the reader enthralled in the book. The sequel is set to be released in May 2010 and is sure to rise to the expectations set by the first book.