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Review in Publishers Weekly (Jan 2007 )http://reviews.publishersweekly.com Lulu lives with her cultured mother on New York's Central Park West, but she feels "most definitely more downtown than uptown," like her gambler father, with whom she spends some weekends in Hell's Kitchen.
The characters could have been flushed out further (her parents, for example, never become more than their uptown/downtown molds) but the author escalates the tension well. In the end, Lulu learns to trust the mayor and realizes she is a "blend of both worlds." Her story is lively and straightforward enough to keep readers at the
table. Lulu's obvious passion for poker enhances the fun: she begins
each chapter with a piece of poker advice (Rule #1, "When playing
strip poker, wear a sexy bra"), narrates a glossary of "common
poker slang" and explains the rules different games. She even suggests
what to do about gambling addiction. Ages 12-up.(Jan.) |
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Review from lhttp://www.eternalnight.co.uk Reviewer, Lesley ( January 2006 ) Lucy is a High School student and thinks that school life is difficult enough so when her father suddenly announces, on her sixteenth birthday, that she is directly descended from the Lucy in Bram Stoker's Dracula she finds it hard to believe. So when he then adds the fact that her mother was a vampire killer and that this role has been passed on to her daughter she definitely struggles to come to terms with things. As she learns more about her unique heritage she discovers that not only is she descended from one of Bram Stoker's characters so is her boyfriend - Vic. The problem is he comes from the opposite side of the story and can list one Count Dracula (also known as Henry Irving). As they grow older Vic and his family try to exert control over Lucy and her friends but they soon find out that she is no defenseless little girl. Coming from a family of Vampire killers means that they are used to coming up with innovative solutions to the blood-sucking problem - even to the extent of developing a garlic-based perfume. This book is fun. Based loosely on the book Dracula it is rather reminiscent (inevitably) of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The difference is, where Buffy has supernatural abilities, Lucy is a relatively normal teenager (well, as normal as they ever are) who just wants a normal life and a good dress for Prom night! As a long-time fan of all things vampiric I was a little unsure when I realised that Liza Conrad was re-writing a reasonable proportion of Bram Stoker's original story but having read it I am impressed by the innovative way the new version of the myth was structured. The idea that Bram Stoker based the story on his own undead employer is definitely original and Liza handled it excellently. I loved this story. It was refreshing, original and incredibly easy
to read. Perfect to read if you want to relax with something entertaining
and amusing. |
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http://www.teens read too.com "Jennifer Wardrip" At seventeen, Livy James realized long ago that her childhood was anything but normal. The only child of Paul James, lead singer of the band the Babydolls, and Anna James, one of the band's former backup singers, Livy spent most of her younger years surrounded by music, drugs, and alcohol. Now she's working for the magazine Rock On, following the Babydolls around the country and writing pieces for all the world to read. The Babydolls are all older, but thanks to one of their songs being played in a hit movie, they're now on an International Tour along with The Wolves, their opening act. Everyone's there--dad Paul, who is currently drug-free and sober; her father's bodyguard/driver Toby Quinn, who has always been more of a father to Livy than Paul; lead guitar player Greg Essex, who still downs Jack Daniel's like it was water and who also happens to be her mother's ex-boyfriend; womanizer Steve Zane; and the band's drummer, Charlie, who is still in love with ex-wife number three. Livy's mother is along for the ride, too, of course, along with Livy's own best friend, Cammie. As Cammie sets out to bed Steve Zane to complete Operation V, things become a little more complicated when the girls meet Nick and Kai, the lead members of The Wolves. Livy has always sworn to herself that she would never get involved with a musician of any type, but Nick is proving a worthy adversary to her self-made rule. Add to the mix the infamous "Night In Paris", a night several years ago when the band disintegrated after Greg pulled a gun on Paul, and the tour becomes a veritable circus. As Livy seeks to uncover the truth about what happened all those years ago, she learns a few things about herself along the way--namely, that love has no boundaries, that parents are tricky creatures with their own hurts, wants, and needs, and that truth is subjective. I loved ROCK MY WORLD! At times funny, poignant, and downright sad, it's the story of learning to be your own person, that truth isn't black or white, and that love comes at the most unexpected times. |
