Vladimir Tod hat Blut geleckt (Band 1)

Von Heather Brewer

Bissfeste Unterhaltung der etwas anderen Art! In dieser Fantasy-Reihe hat Vladimir Tod mit ganz normalen Teenager-Problemen wie Schule und erster Liebe zu kämpfen – und ganz nebenbei muss er vor seinen Mitschülern verbergen, dass er in Wirklichkeit ein Halbvampir ist.

Vlad hat das bissige Etwas!

Wenn er sich aufregt, fährt er die Zähne aus.
Wenn er nicht schlafen kann, macht er sich einen Becher Blut warm.
Wenn er nicht zur Schule kommt, dann weil ihm Untote an die Gurgel wollen ...

Klingt schräg?
Willkommen im Leben von Vladimir Tod, Halbvampir!

"Vladimir Tod hat Blut geleckt" ist der erste Band der Vladimir Tod-Pentalogie.

• Sprache: Deutsch
• Herausgeber: Loewe Verlag
• Erscheinungsdatum: 17. Apr. 2017
• ISBN: 9783732010035

Buchvorschau

Titelseite

Für meinen Ehemann, Paul –

Stephen King weiß, warum.

Und für jedes unbeliebte Kind

in den Kleinstädten Amerikas.

WO IST DER JUNGE?

Ein Zweig schlug John Craig ins Gesicht und riss ihm die Haut auf, doch er lief weiter. Auch die spitzen Kiefernnadeln unter seinen nackten Füßen beachtete er nicht. Hinter sich hörte er die Schritte des Mannes wie ein Echo seiner eigenen.

Er kam näher.

Ein am Boden liegender Ast brachte John zum Stolpern und er fiel vornüber. Wie in Zeitlupe näherte sich sein Gesicht dem laubbedeckten Boden. Kalte Luft peitschte über seine Haut. Sein Herzschlag wummerte ihm in den Ohren. Die Schritte des Mannes wurden schneller und im selben Moment, als Johns Wange auf der Erde aufschlug, griff der Fremde ihm ins Haar und zog seinen Kopf mit einem Ruck zurück. John schrie: »Was wollen Sie von mir?« Doch sein Angreifer antwortete nicht.

John schlug verzweifelt um sich, aber seine Hände wurden mühelos abgefangen und hinter seinem Rücken gefesselt. Eine Hand, die in einem glänzend schwarzen Lederhandschuh steckte, tauchte in seinem Sichtfeld auf und hielt ihm eine Seite aus der Bathory Gazette vor die Nase. Wieder riss der Fremde an seinen Haaren. »Wo ist er?«

Auf dem Zeitungsfetzen war ein unscharfes Foto zu sehen, das John sofort erkannte. Der Mann deutete auf einen etwa dreizehnjährigen Jungen in der Mitte des Bildes, der irgendwie nervös wirkte, so als fühle er sich nicht wohl. Um den Jungen herum standen ein paar seiner Klassenkameraden und John selbst. Die Bildunterschrift unter dem Foto lautete: Von links nach rechts: Kelly Anbrock, Carrie Anderson, Henry McMillan, Lehrer John Craig, Vladimir Tod, Edgar Poe, Mike Brennan.

Darüber prangte die dicke Schlagzeile: Debattierclub startet siegessicher in die Regionalmeisterschaften.

Tränen liefen John über die Wangen, doch anstatt auf die Frage zu antworten, schüttelte er nur den Kopf.

Etwas Warmes, Glitschiges rann ihm die Stirn hinunter. Der Wald rings um ihn färbte sich rot, als es seine Brillengläser erreichte. Er schrie um Hilfe, bis seine Lunge brannte, doch niemand hörte ihn.

»Wo ist der Junge? Wo ist Vlad?«

John wand sich im Griff des Fremden. Das Gesicht des Mannes war seinem jetzt ganz nah. Kalter Atem streifte seinen Nacken und irgendetwas Scharfes ritzte seine Haut.

»Sag es mir oder du stirbst.«

John öffnete den Mund, aber es war zu spät, um jetzt noch zu lügen. Der Mann biss zu. Spitze Zähne durchstießen Johns Haut und bohrten sich tief in seinen Hals.

HALLOWEEN

Vlad drehte den Kopf zur Seite und betrachtete mit einem zufriedenen Schmunzeln sein Spiegelbild. Henry würde sich nicht mehr einkriegen, wenn er Vlads Kostüm sah. Schon als er am letzten Wochenende den albernen Nylonumhang und das Plastikgebiss bei Stop&Shop gekauft hatte, wusste er, dass Henry und er sich den ganzen Abend über sein Kostüm schlapplachen würden. Er strich sich das schwarze Haar aus den Augen und steckte die Plastikzähne in den Mund. Sie passten perfekt über seine eigenen Eckzähne, die trotz des üppigen Abendessens leicht über die übrigen hinausragten.

Vor nicht mal einer Stunde hatte Tante Nelly ihm noch zwei riesige Steaks warm gemacht, bis das Blut nur so aus dem rohen Fleisch triefte. Er hatte sich ganz schön zusammenreißen müssen, um die Steaks nicht einfach in die Hand zu nehmen und seine Zähne reinzuhauen. Aber Tante Nelly legte nun mal Wert auf gute Tischmanieren. Also hatte er, so schwer es ihm auch fiel, die Steaks artig in mittelgroße Bissen geschnitten und gierig den Saft herausgesogen, um anschließend das labbrige, fade Fleisch wieder auf den Teller fallen zu lassen.

Jetzt nahm er das falsche Gebiss aus dem Mund und betastete die scharfen Spitzen seiner Eckzähne. »Tante Nelly, du solltest mir wohl besser ein Fresspaket fertig machen.«

»Du hast doch gerade gegessen«, antwortete eine fröhliche Stimme vom Fuß der Treppe. »Aber na ja, Vorsicht ist besser als Nachsicht. Um wie viel Uhr wollte Henry denn kommen?«

»Dürfte jeden Moment hier sein.« Nach einem letzten zufriedenen Blick auf sein Kostüm wandte Vlad sich vom Spiegel ab. Die alten Bodendielen knarrten unter seinen Sneakers. Er küsste seine Fingerspitzen und drückte sie auf das gerahmte Bild auf seiner Kommode. Auf dem Foto saß seine Mutter elegant auf der Ecke eines alten viktorianischen Sofas und hinter ihr stand sein Vater, die blassen Hände auf ihre Schultern gelegt. Beide lächelten in die Kamera und Vlad lächelte unwillkürlich zurück. Er zog die oberste Schublade auf und stopfte sich zehn Dollar aus seiner Geheimkiste in die Hosentasche. Die Partys, auf denen er mit Henry bisher gewesen war, hatten ihn vor allem eins gelehrt: Sei auf alles vorbereitet!

Vlad ging aus seinem Zimmer und die Treppe hinunter. Unten stand Tante Nelly und hielt ihm eine mit Frischhaltefolie bedeckte Suppentasse hin. Er sah den dickflüssigen, dunkelroten Inhalt durch die Folie und leckte sich die Lippen. »Hast du es kurz in die Mikrowelle gestellt? Warm schmeckt’s noch besser.«

»Wird schon warm genug sein.« Sie reichte ihm die Tasse und ihre Augen weiteten sich entsetzt, als Vlad einfach seine Zähne in die Folie schlug und anfing zu schlürfen.

»Nimm doch einen Löffel! Du kleckerst noch den ganzen Teppich voll und ich hab ihn gerade erst reinigen lassen. Bei dem Teppich und deinen ganzen T-Shirts muss der Mann in der Reinigung langsam denken, dass wir entweder außergewöhnlich unfallanfällig oder Axtmörder sind! Und sei ein bisschen sparsam mit dem Fresspaket für heute Abend, Mr Mitternachtssnack, ja? Es sind nur noch zwei übrig. Ich sollte morgen wohl besser noch ein paar Blutkonserven aus dem Krankenhaus besorgen, damit es für den Rest der Woche reicht.«

»Kannst du dann diesmal Null positiv mitbringen? Das mag ich am liebsten.« Sie nickte und Vlad grinste, bevor er an ihr vorbei in die Küche fegte. Dort löffelte er sich gerade den letzten dicken Klumpen halbgefrorenes Blut in den Mund, als es an der Tür klingelte. Er schluckte hastig, stellte die Tasse ab und warf die Frischhaltefolie in den Sondermülleimer unter der Spüle. Dann schob er sich das Plastikgebiss über die schrumpfenden Eckzähne. Ganz leise schlich er sich an der Wand entlang und spähte um die Ecke zur Haustür, wo seine Tante gerade Henry zur Begrüßung umarmte.

Mit gespreizten Armen und flatterndem Umgang sprang Vlad aus seinem Versteck hervor. »Ichh wärrrdä dirrr das Bluuuut aussaugään!«

Henry krümmte sich vor Lachen. Als er sich wieder so weit beruhigt hatte, dass er sich aufrichten konnte, schlug er Vlad begeistert auf die Schulter. »Super Kostüm, Mann! Und jetzt guck dir mal meins an. Ich sag dir, du kippst aus den Latschen.« Henry stemmte in einer Art Supermann-Pose die Hände in die Hüften und drehte dann den Kopf zur Seite. Vlad klappte die Kinnlade runter, als er zwei kleine Löcher in Henrys Hals sah.

»Is’ nicht dein Ernst!« Er trat einen Schritt näher, um Henrys Bissspuren zu begutachten. Perfekt. Vlad hatte erst ein einziges Mal einen echten Vampirbiss bei einem Menschen gesehen und Henrys Werk kam dem Original ziemlich nahe. »Wie hast du das denn hingekriegt?«

»Mit rosa Knete und Himbeermarmelade.«

»Kernlos?«

»Was denkst du denn? Ich will doch keine Kerne in meiner Wunde, bah. Nachher entzündet sich das noch.«

Tante Nelly warf Vlad einen besorgten Blick über den Brillenrand zu. »Hast du auch genug gegessen?«

Vlad nickte, stopfte sich eine Tube Sunblocker in die Hosentasche und wandte sich zur Tür. »Die Party geht bis Mitternacht.«

Nelly streckte die Hand aus. »Den brauchst du ja wohl nicht. Und außerdem will ich, dass ihr um elf wieder hier seid.«

»Elf?« Manchmal konnte Nelly echt verdammt überfürsorglich sein. Vlad verdrehte die Augen, kramte die Tube wieder aus der Tasche und klatschte sie Nelly in die Hand. »Aber so früh muss noch keiner nach Hause und außerdem soll es um Mitternacht irgendeine ganz tolle Überraschung geben.«

Nelly sah prüfend zu Henry hinüber, der eilig nickte. »Das dürfen wir nicht verpassen.«

»Na ja …« Nachdenklich biss sie sich auf die Lippe und seufzte nach einer gefühlten Ewigkeit schließlich. »In Ordnung, aber bleibt zusammen, und wenn du Hunger bekommst, Vlad, ruf mich auf meinem Handy an. Ich bin heute Abend bei Deb.«

Henry stieß Vlad den Ellbogen in die Seite. »Ich hab vorhin noch mit Matthew telefoniert. Der sagt, Meredith kommt auch.«

Vlad warf seinem Freund einen Blick zu, der förmlich »Halt die Klappe!« schrie. Dann zogen sie los, der Vampir und sein Opfer. Nelly gab ihnen noch ein hinterhergerufenes »Seid vorsichtig, ihr zwei!« mit auf den Weg.

Abgesehen von der künstlichen Bisswunde war Henry angezogen wie immer, schäbige Sneakers inklusive. Er grinste Vlad verschwörerisch an. »Ganz große Sache um Mitternacht, hm?«

Vlad zuckte mit den Schultern und zog seinen Umhang zurecht. »Mann, ich bin schließlich eine Kreatur der Finsternis. Und da will sie, dass ich um elf zu Hause bin? Also echt. Warum bringt sie mich nicht gleich persönlich zu der Party und gibt mir noch einen Abschiedskuss?«

»Ach komm, stell dich nicht so an. Immerhin eine, die dich küsst.«

Vlad wurde langsamer. »Musst du gerade sagen.«

Henry zuckte mit den Schultern. »Ich hab schon ’nen ganzen Haufen Mädels geküsst.«

»Deine Mom zählt nicht, du Depp.« Sie bogen in die Elm Street ein und am Ende der Straße konnte Vlad schon die vielen Autos sehen, die vor Matthews Haus hielten. Eine ganze Schar von Leuten pilgerte auf das Haus zu und Vlad spürte, wie ihm eine nervöse Anspannung in die Muskeln kroch. Die Scheinwerfer eines der Autos streiften sie und Vlad war vorübergehend blind.

Henry hatte die Hände in die Hosentaschen geschoben und schien beim Gehen interessiert den Bürgersteig zu betrachten. »Schon klar. Ich rede hier von Carrie Anderson zum Beispiel, oder Stephanie Brawn.«

»Stephanie knutscht ja auch mit jedem.«

»Weiß ich.« Henry grinste wieder. »Aber ihre Schwester ist echt süß.«

Vlad hob eine Augenbraue und unterdrückte ein Kichern. »Alter, das ist ja widerlich. Die ist doch gerade erst zwölf geworden!«

»Na und?« Henry grinste noch immer.

»Und du wirst in zwei Monaten vierzehn. Das ist widerlich. Fertig.« Vlad schüttelte den Kopf und sah auf seinen rechten Schuh hinunter, wo einer seiner Zehen durch einen Riss lugte.

Auch wenn man es nicht für möglich gehalten hätte, wurde Henrys Grinsen noch breiter. »Aber sie ist nett.«

»Ob dich ein Mädchen küsst oder nicht, hat nichts damit zu tun, wie nett sie ist.« Weiter vorn konnte Vlad ein zartblaues Oberteil und ein Paar Engelsflügel in Matthews Haustür verschwinden sehen. Meredith. Er hatte gehört, wie sie gestern in der dritten Stunde erzählt hatte, was sie anziehen wollte. Das war der Moment gewesen, in dem er beschlossen hatte, die Einladung doch anzunehmen – besser spät als nie.

»Womit denn dann, Einstein?«

Vlad blieb abrupt stehen. Henry ging auch nicht weiter und legte den Kopf schräg, ein neugieriges Funkeln in den Augen. Vlad verkündete: »Mädchen, die hinter den Fahrradständern mit einem rummachen, sind nicht nett.«

»Wann hab ich dir denn erzählt, dass das hinter den Fahrradständern war?« Henry runzelte die Stirn, griff Vlad bei der Schulter und senkte die Stimme, damit keiner sie hörte. »Mann, du sollst meine Gedanken nicht lesen, verdammt! Ich hasse es, wenn du das machst.«

Vlad zuckte mit den Schultern und ging weiter.

Plötzlich stieß Henry ihm den Ellbogen in die Seite und deutete mit dem Kinn auf eine Gruppe verkleideter Kinder ein Stück weiter die Straße rauf, die beim Süßigkeitensammeln fette Beute gemacht zu haben schienen. »Lust auf was zu naschen?«

»Besser nicht. Nelly ist immer noch stinksauer wegen letztem Jahr.« Vlad schob die Hände in die Taschen und blickte zwischen seinem besten Freund und den Kindern auf dem Bürgersteig hin und her. »Du weißt schon, diese kleinen Heulsusen, die gleich zu ihren Eltern gerannt sind und gepetzt haben, sie wären von einem Vampir angegriffen worden. Und dieser bescheuerte Officer Thompson hat meine Tante mit tausend Fragen gelöchert. Wenn irgendwer die Wahrheit rausfindet … was ich bin …«

»Ach, komm schon.« Henry hatte sich vor ihn gestellt und versperrte Vlad die Sicht auf die Viertklässler, die sich langsam entfernten. Zwei von ihnen gingen als irgendwelche Superhelden. Der dritte trug den gleichen Umhang wie Vlad. »Das wird bestimmt witzig. Und überhaupt, wenn du nicht mitmachst … sag ich Meredith, dass du in sie verknallt bist.« Henry drehte ihm den Rücken zu, schlang die Arme um sich selbst und fing an, Kussgeräusche zu machen.

Vlad kochte vor Wut. »Lass den Mist, Mann.«

Henrys Grinsen ließ vermuten, dass er sich nicht so ohne Weiteres um den Spaß bringen lassen würde. Vlad schüttelte den Kopf und gab schließlich nach. »Aber wenn wir erwischt werden, bist du mir echt was schuldig.«

Henry strahlte. »Wow, und das ganz ohne die Superkräfte, mit denen die besten Freunde der Untoten normalerweise ausgestattet sind.«

Henry trat zur Seite und Vlad lief an ihm vorbei, dann duckte er sich hinter die hohen Büsche am Straßenrand. So leise er konnte, rannte er ein Stück, bis er seinen kostümierten Opfern einen halben Häuserblock voraus war. Dann kletterte er den rauen Stamm einer alten Eiche hinauf und schob sich vorsichtig auf einem langen, dicken Ast nach außen. Dort wartete er auf die Viertklässler, während Henry sich im Gebüsch versteckt hielt. Er konnte Henrys zufriedenen Blick auf sich spüren und unterdrückte ein Kichern.

Als die Superhelden und ihr Vampirkumpel, von denen jeder einen dick ausgebeulten Kissenbezug voller Süßigkeiten in der Hand hatte, sich dem Baum näherten, spuckte Vlad sein Plastikgebiss aus und stopfte es in die Hosentasche. Er ließ seiner Fantasie ein wenig freien Lauf und dachte an ganze Flüsse voller Blut und an Hunger, der danach schrie, gestillt zu werden. Er fuhr mit der Zungenspitze über seine Eckzähne, die jetzt wieder hervortraten, und beugte sich nach vorn, bis seine Füße den Ast nicht mehr berührten. Der Wind wehte ihm die Haare aus dem Gesicht, als er sich tiefer sinken ließ. Er konzentrierte sich vollkommen auf seinen Körper und brachte ihn nur durch Willenskraft dazu, sich langsam vorwärtszubewegen. Mit ausgebreiteten Armen und gebleckten Zähnen stieß er ein leises, kehliges Knurren aus, während er auf die Jungen zuschwebte, bis er genau über ihren Köpfen in der Luft hing. Dann brüllte er los.

Die Superhelden ließen vor Schreck ihre Kissenbezüge fallen und stoben

Rezensionen für Vladimir Tod hat Blut geleckt (Band 1)

[kendrafitz · Bewertung: 3 von 5 Sternen]

i'm only going to do a review on this first book, i liked the series, and surprisingly i enjoyed reading a whole book from a guys POV but it got weird in places and whenever i..."lose my place" in a book i instantly feel thrown off balance, its like when I read it i got to some places where it seemed like a part of the story had been left out and i had to hurriedly fill in holes for what should have happened to give me the info i need... BUT i liked the storyline as a whole, probably won't read it over and over again like i do some books though haha

[tiffy_reads · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

The first book of a series that you can really sink your teeth into ;) and read quickly. I'm looking forward to learning more about the first ever born vampire Vlad.

[virago77 · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

This was quite adorable, and I don't mean that in a condescending way. It was the story of a boy, who lost his parents and is trying to find his way in the world. On top of that he's trying to live the normal life of a teenage middle school kid. He's got a best friend, he's too scared to talk to the girl he likes, and he has bullies. Typical teenager, except Vlad is also a vampire.

With his teacher missing and a new, suspicious substitute in town, strange things are definitely afoot. Soon Vlad learns more about his parents, who he is, and his heritage than he ever thought possible.

This was a sweet and angsty coming of age story with the added bonus of vampires. I really enjoyed it and look forward to getting to the rest of the series.

[chiththarthan-1 · Bewertung: 3 von 5 Sternen]

Struggle, bewilderment, whimsical.Vampire 'teen' issues.

[t1bnotown · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

So every vampire series has to have a premise. This one has a vampire with a vampire father and human mother, a secret vampire society, and a mystery about the main character. I read the first book a while ago, and then I found the whole series while thrifting and binge read them (the way books are meant to be read!). The first book talks about Vlad's life up to that point, but also comes at a point when someone new enters it (plus the poor kid's got to make it through middle school).

[roses7184_1 · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

Narrator Review:
I find it's important to share how well the narrator of an audio book tells the story! After all, my enjoyment of the book I'm listening to lands heavily on their shoulders.

That being said, Kevin Pariseau is a superb narrator! He reads at a steady, but not too slow, pace and makes sure to pause for dramatic effect when it is called for. His voice while reading the overall story is very pleasant to listen to. Most of all I loved that he had a slight difference in his voice for each character in the story. It made following Vlad and his story much easier and more fun. After all, there are quite a few important characters in this story. If I had to choose a favorite voice, I'd definitely pick Mr. Otis. Kevin Pariseau's accent for him was fantastic!

Audio Book Rating: 5/5 - I'd definitely recommend listening to this audio book!

**********

Book Review:
Oh Vladimir. As if eighth grade wasn't already hard enough, what with navigating popularity, bullies and the like, Vladimir has it even tougher. See he's a vampire. After his parents died in a mysterious flash fire, Vlad was taken in by Nelly, his mother's best friend. Now he is trying to do his best just to blend in. Oh, and he's pretty sure he's the only vampire in the world. Pretty sure.

I really enjoyed every minute of Vlad's story! His character is witty and fantastically sarcastic. He is adorably awkward when it comes to girls, and such a guy when it comes to hanging with his friend Henry. In fact, Vlad's personality is just like any eighth grader out there. What really makes him interesting is his vampiric nature. I loved how Heather Brewer seamlessly wove together Vlad's difficult transition into the teenage years, with his even more difficult transition into understanding his vampiric roots. He's so sweet and awkward! I really fell in love with him.

Full of twists and turns, Eighth Grade Bites moves at a nice pace that will keep you reading. I'll admit that sometimes I was slightly thrown off by jumps in time, but keep in mind that this whole book is set in the course of a year. Would you really want to hear about Vlad taking a shower, putting his shoes on, and so on? I think not. Brewer does a great job of skipping over the more mundane parts of Vlad's existence to get things moving towards the exciting parts! I did really appreciate that there are pauses to appreciate the oddness of his life though. For instance there is a scene where he is sitting and eating a chocolate chip cookie that is dipped in "tea" or a mug of hot blood. Definitely different! Definitely interesting.

When Mr. Otis comes on the scene is when things really get moving, and that's where I'll end. I wouldn't want to give away any of the overall story line because that's half the fun of this book! Vlad's brand of humor sets him up nicely to become a protagonist that I'll be sure to follow. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next audio book, especially if it has the same narrator!

Whether you read this or listen to it, I absolutely recommend that you give it a shot! I think you'll find a lot to love in Vladimir and his story.

[rosa.mill · Bewertung: 3 von 5 Sternen]

Vlad lives with his aunt and only she and his best friend know his secret, that he's half vampire, until he gets a substitute english teacher that somehow knows his secret. Unfortunately that isn't the worst of Vlad's problems. There also seems to be a vampire hunter and a huge secret.
A fun read that's sad, happy, and full of adventure.

[engpunk77 · Bewertung: 2 von 5 Sternen]

It's unfortunate that this enticing book cover and concept (an 8th grade vampire) were wasted in this way. I didn't think I'd make it through, and only did so out of sheer determination, but the ending turned out to be suspenseful and exciting, causing me to bump my 1 star to a two. The first 120 pages, however, were like having to read an 8th grade student's first draft of a "book".

Not only did the writing fail to engage, but it actually grossed me out. Imagine an 8th grade vampire who eats french fries dipped in thick blood from his special Heinz 51 bottle. Imagine an 8th grade boy inserting capsuls full of blood into his peanut butter sandwich and eating this in the lunchroom, or sipping "tea" at night which is really just nuked blood in a mug. Yuck.

We have an adolescent boy who has the power to read minds and hover, and he rarely does either of these things! Maybe boys are different from girls, but I would've been making use of those skills 24-7 when I was in Jr. High--forget sleeping. He's just the world's most BORING 14-year-old character I've ever encountered, which is just ridiculous because he's a freaking VAMPIRE! I'd hate to see what Brewer would do with a normal teen in a realistic fiction novel...

The plot inconsistencies and holes are too juvenile to even address. Really, it's like when a 7th grader hands you 50 hand-written pages and says "Will you read my book?" I'm not going to pick it apart.

I'm glad that my students are drawn in by the cover, but I'll wager 10 beans that none of them will make it through to the end. It's sloppy, boring (until the very end), crass, and unrealistic, leaving teens with little to relate to. If Brewer had spent some time revising, this could have been a good book.

In sum, the book bites even more than 8th grade. Disappointing.

[stembie3 · Bewertung: 3 von 5 Sternen]

My 14-year-old son loves this book so much that I actually agreed to buy the second book in hardback (I rarely buy books and even more rarely buy hardback -- not enough finances). My son identifies with the protaganist and finds the books to be hilarious. I thought the book was okay, but if my son loves them, I'll keep buying them for him to keep him reading.

[kissedbyink · Bewertung: 5 von 5 Sternen]

Vlad is the sweetest vampire ever, and that's saying a lot for a bloodsucker. In the series, Heather Brewer created characters that mimic real-life teens. Best vampire series I've ever read.

[sparkleponies · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The writing is good, the story interesting, the characters well done. I will happily recommend this book to tweens and teens.

[eomalley_2 · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

In Heather Brewer’s series, “The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod”, we meet a teenage vampire who is working very hard every day to just be a normal kid. He has all the regular hassles of junior high (bullies and girl troubles), but has to struggle with some not so normal problems as well, such as what does a vampire pack for school lunch?

Eighth Grade Bites is a promising start to this series. When the story opens, a teacher is running for his life. He is caught and then shown a picture of the debate team he coaches before being asked, “Where’s the boy? Where’s Vlad?” We then fade to black just as fangs are sunk into his neck. Ok, it looks like we’ll be getting some action and horror in this series, but then it turns out to be a whole lot more.

Aimed squarely at the middle school set, Vlad is a teenager you can relate to. He is smart, fun, likes to hang out with his best friend Henry, and pines for the prettiest girl in school, Meredith. Oh, yeah, and he also craves blood. Vlad is living with his Aunt Nelly after the death of his parents in a house fire. He still mourns them deeply, but he is also trying to get on with his life. Unfortunately, it looks like someone is out to end it prematurely. When a strange new substitute teacher named Mr. Otis appears, he seems to be a bit too interested in mythological creatures for Vlad’s piece of mind – and a little too focused on Vlad. What is Mr. Otis really up to? And what happened to the regular teacher, Mr. Craig? Vlad is going to find out.

I really liked Brewer’s twist on the vampire genre. Vlad was actually born a vampire and is being raised by a human. Thankfully, Aunt Nelly is a nurse and has access to blood for Vlad, which they disguise mostly as ketchup and in blood capsules stuffed in lunch items (such as Twinkies). He is allergic to garlic, which the school has properly recorded in his files in the office. One of the most normal vampires you will ever know. I thought the way blood was hidden in his food was well thought out. His best friend, Henry, is the only one besides his aunt who knows what Vlad really is, and he’s cool with it (although he is a little disgusted by Vlad’s diet). Henry is an outgoing young man who relates easily to others and can actually talk with girls, which Vlad would love to be able to do – especially with Meredith.

The mystery in this book does not end with Mr. Otis. Vlad also comes across a diary of his father’s which details some of his life as a vampire, and gives some indication that the fire that killed Vlad’s parents was not an accident. It also points the way to a whole world outside of ours where vampires live and in which his father, Tomas, was a wanted man. An extremely dangerous vampire named D’Ablo is hunting for Tomas and thinks Vlad will lead him to him. Turns out all of Vlad’s training in surviving school bullies is about to be put to good use.

For such a short book there is actually quite a lot going on, so it is no surprise that I breezed through it. It is also intriguing enough that I will check out the rest of the series. Eighth Grade Bites has relatable characters, a bit of mystery, a hint of romance, and a dastardly villain – everything I like in a book. Brewer’s style is breezy and natural, so the book is a quick and easy read (it doesn’t hurt that the paperback is under 200 pages either). I know it’s shallow, but I also think the title of each book in the series is a fun play on the vampire genre, and the vampire smiley faces on each cover are cute. I definitely want to know what happens to Vlad next, so I’ll report back when I finish the second book in the series, Ninth Grade Slays.

[irenereads · Bewertung: 5 von 5 Sternen]

Library Summary: “For thirteen years, Vlad, aided by his aunt and best friend, has kept secret that he is half-vampire, but when his missing teacher is replaced by a sinister substitute, he learns that there is more to being a vampire, and to his parents’ deaths, than he could have guessed.”I got this book out from the library because I had heard that it was a good read, and it was! The plot was original, the graphics were amazing, the writing was really good, etc.I really liked the story. How often do you see a book about a boy who’s half-vampire? Oh that’s right! NEVER! So this was something new for me. Which is good because I was getting kind of tired of the whole Vampire/Werewolf falling in love with a human plot. We need something like this book once in a while.So all in all, this was a really good book and I recommend it to all of you out there who like vampires.

[diamonddog_1 · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

If you are looking for a funny, light teen vampire novel that has a bit of suspense, then you might want to check out The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade bites.

Normally shelved in the young adult section, you will find that the writing is better suited for young teens and tweens, and that the plot is pretty standard and easy to follow. Perfect for a young ones just becoming interested in vampire fiction. With that said, the book is highly enjoyable for people of all ages and once you finish it, you’ll be eager to check out the rest in the series (Ninth Grade Slays, Tenth Grade Bleeds, and Eleventh Grade Burns).

The first part of the story deals mostly with usual teen angst, yet it ushers you smoothly into Vlad’s unusual world. What can be worse that being in Junior High and having a crush on a girl who has a crush on your best friend? Being a half vampire in Junior High and trying to drink blood while looking normal. You soon learn that Vlad’s parents (a father who was a vampire and a mother who was human) were killed while he was still young and a friend of his mother’s took over raising him as they wished: like a human. Now that Vlad is getting older though, his vampire side begins to show its fangs and he has more questions than answers about his life and who he is.

In addition to an entertaining read, author Heather Brewer has created a great supporting web page where you can find all things Vlad; even free Minion Bling!

[whitewavedarling · Bewertung: 5 von 5 Sternen]

This is a quick and fun read, well-written and smart enough to entertain adults as well as teenagers (or even middle-schoolers); some of my middle-school creative writing students recommended the series, and I'm so glad they did.. In terms of young adult literature, it stands out as a short novel with just the right mix of humor and drama, mixed with a bit of horror, and rings with originality and smart insight into human behavior and thought. Absolutely recommended. I'll be picking this up for a couple of the young readers I know, and likely picking up the next installment of the series for myself.

[benuathanasia · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

A decent flip on the Zeitgeist of vampiric fiction. Closer in nature to TV's Teen Wolf, than other contemporary YA vampire novels.

[horomnizon · Bewertung: 3 von 5 Sternen]

With the series' popularity, I had high hopes for Brewer's first book. Now I'm kind of wondering how this even came to be a series. The writing style seems younger than the target age and I often felt it was fairly childish. The topic is YA, but the style is more like a juvenile chapter book. Vlad is dealing with the death of his parents three years prior as well as being the only vampire he knows. Then he becomes suspicious that there might be other vampires around after all. I felt elements of both Harry Potter and Twilight sneaking in. The story wasn't too bad - I just couldn't get past the simplistic writing. I bought a set of the first four books, so I'll probably give the next one a try - it is a quick read, after all, with such easy language.

[jpolka_2 · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

Vladimir Tod’s eighth grade year isn’t going so well, but not because of tests or excessive homework. Vladimir is the son of a vampire. Keeping his secret gets a whole lot harder when he learns of his father’s mysterious past.My friends recommended this book to me in eighth grade. At first, I thought I wouldn’t like it, but after the first few chapters, I really connected with Vlad’s character. Like Vlad, I, myself, do not talk very much, and people think I am a little strange. I think because I am a lot like him, I enjoyed the book a little more.I thought Heather Brewer did an excellent job with describing Vlad’s emotion. His emotion was conveyed so well that I smiled every time he felt happy, teared up when he felt sad, and got fired up when Vlad got angry. This made me get attached to the book. However, I also felt that the other characters were underdeveloped. You never got to know or click with them. I know the story is centered around Vlad, but we could have found out a little more about the secondary characters like Nelly or Henry. I would recommend this to anyone. It’s a short, easy to read book, and I believe anyone can get sunk into the story.

[eussery_2 · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

Heather Brewer’s writing style could be considered fantasy or horror. However, her unique sense of humor tends to lighten up the mood. Heather’s first book was Eighth Grade Bites part of the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series. This was an ALA 2008 quick pick for reluctant young adult readers. Vlad is the main character in the series that goes through experiences of your typical high school student including constant bullying, crushes, and frustrating adults. Vlad is a half human/half vamire entering 8th grade with a secret only a few people including his best friend Henry are aware of. Vlad discovers secrets involving the death of his parents and is determined to find out the truth. Mr. Otis a fellow vampire arrives as substitute for the missing teacher which makes for exciting twists that lead to a surprising ending that will motivate readers to continue reading the series. The gore, fast moving pace, and sequels will entice young reluctant readers. Grade 6 and up.

[katielder · Bewertung: 3 von 5 Sternen]

This book is perfect for its target audience: middle schoolers, mostly boys. The main character is half-vampire, he eats blood-packed twinkles for lunch, he crushes on a girl who hardly notices him, his principal won't leave him alone, and het gets a tattoo.I'm glad there is a vampire series for boys that focuses on the gory, gross parts and leaves out the schmoozy romantic bits.Having said that, however, and being neither a middle schooler nor a boy, I had to work hard to finish this book. And reading the next four books in the series is entirely out of the question! From a literary perspective, the characters are flat and uninteresting--even the main character, whose name is Vlad (yuck--cliche!). His best friend Henry is just a ghost of a character, and readers learn nothing of Meredith, the girl Vlad is crazy about. It does ring true that he doesn't want to ask Meredith to the school dance because he fears rejection--who hasn't been there?--but beyond that, very little is learned about how Vlad feels about anything. Even when he is looking at long-lost photographs of his dead parents, he seems unmoved. Strange.The plot is also pretty thin. A teacher goes missing, a substitute comes in his place and makes Vlad write a paper and do an oral presentation on vampires, and Vlad gets chased around by a vampire hunter.Harsh, I know, but I think there is much better fiction being written for young adults than this. However, I know plenty of younger high school boys who love these books and are waiting for each installment I can eke out of the budget. Developing readers and reluctant readers alike will appreciate the brevity of the books (this one is 182 pages) and the widespread typeset--very low intimidation factor as far as novels go. And honestly, there might be just enough characterization and plot here for young teens and students who struggle with keeping all the moving pieces of a book together.So although this series is definitely not for me, it seems well-suited to its target audience.

[bplteen · Bewertung: 5 von 5 Sternen]

Review by: Gwin this book is awsome! a little freaky really funny! Don't read if you don't like vampires. Mystery and teenage angst! It's pretty awsome and pretty easy to read, a couple of people die (not saying who) there is also a sequel vladimir tod ninth grade slays! peace out to wizard rock and have a good life!

[alexis1goodro · Bewertung: 5 von 5 Sternen]

Eight Grade Bites, is about a boy named Valid and he is a vampire. He has been trying to be normal his whole life. But when his teacher goes missing and a sub comes, he starts to get worried. His sub has been acting worried to his appearance, Valid thinks he knows his secret of being a vampire. Not only missing his dead parents and his weird teacher he has been hearing about people missing. He ended snupy, and thinks his sub is the one who killed his parents and the missing people. He looks into this, and as he does his sub finds out his secert, and clames himself to be his uncle. Vaild soon belives him and went to save his aunt. When Vaild was tricked and was about to be killed by his sub, the sub clams it as a trick and he got his aunt safe and he will save Vaild. Vaild follows but the bad Vamps find him and he is on his own to stop this vampire. So he pulls out this round thing that he found in hit attic and it kills the vampire. After that he and his uncle(the sub) become close and his uncle will teach him to be a vampire. I liked this book because it was in a eighth graders view. I could understand what he ment. Also how the boy felt. It also twists into the idea of the teacher being Vailds uncle. It was also very relistich. I like it also because it shows the problems of a vampire, and a human view. Now I see why this is a popular book.

[uyuyuyu_1 · Bewertung: 5 von 5 Sternen]

This is one of the best books I have ever read. Vlad Tod strugles through school as any normal kid. exept he has a seecret. His mom was human but his dad was a runaway vampire. He ran from the law of the secret vampire sociaty. Now Vlad is orphaned and must strugle through life trying to control the erge to bite people. And worst of all Mr.Otis his new teacher might be a mental vampire craving for his deth

[cathy_keaton · Bewertung: 3 von 5 Sternen]

For some reason, I had high expectations about this book and I assumed I'd love it. But, that really wasn't the case after reading it. (I need to stop having high expectations!) It is a well-written story, and I think perfectly targeted for its intended Middle Grade audience. It's plenty safe reading material for children, but, isn't particularly original.I figured I'd love a story about an adolescent teen vampire who has to learn to hide his true identity from most everyone in his small hometown, but I suppose I just didn't find Vladimir as endearing as I had hoped I would. Not that there's anything bothersome about him, but there isn't much making him stand out above the crowd of male teen vamps that has him shouting, “Hey! Check ME out! I'm totally different from those other emo boys.”For the record, Vladimir isn't “emo.” Just a very normal thirteen-year-old boy, excluding the fangs, of course. He has to deal with bullies in school and has some triumphant moments over them, using his unique vampire abilities. He has a crush on a certain girl at school, but suffers from the typical shyness and insecurities found in most human teen boys. But, he has to hide the capsules of blood in his lunch that his aunt packs for him everyday.This is a good story—just nothing new. Vampires live amongst the unknowing humans in their world, the humans only knowing of them via cultural superstition. The vamps have their own secret organization which is something akin to a cult, and they seek to punish members of their own organization who break the rules by execution. It's intriguing stuff and a young audience unfamiliar with this trope may suck it up like a vampire dying from his thirst for blood. If that's you or some youngster you know, then you should give this series a try. It's fun for kids.

[karenball_1 · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

Vlad is a 13 year-old vampire, orphaned when his parents died in a house fire three years ago. He survives with two people knowing the truth about him: his guardian Nelly and his best friend Henry. Nelly is a registered nurse who brings home nearly outdated blood from the hospital for him to consume, and who takes care of him as her own. Henry seems to be going after the girl Vlad likes, the new substitute teacher seems to be far too interested in him, the principal is always trying to catch him doing something wrong, there's a vampire killer on his trail, and he's found his father's journal and a weird book written in a language he can't read -- with notes in the margins from his dad. A lot of fun in a short book! New sequel is Ninth Grade Slays.

[abbylibrarian_1 · Bewertung: 3 von 5 Sternen]

This one's very popular with the kids at my library. I liked it okay. It starts with action and the mystery kept me turning the pages. Recommended for fans of Darren Shan's Cirque du Freak series and tween vampire fans.

[rigfield_1 · Bewertung: 3 von 5 Sternen]

A great vampire serial for tweens, and appealing enough for reluctant readers.Vladmir Tod is half-vampire/half-human, and since his parents died when he was younger, he thinks he's the only one of his kind. As the story unfolds he finds out this is not the case, instead he is actually being hunted by other vampires! Entertaining for younger readers, and a fun introduction to "modern day" vampire teen novels, especially if the readers have yet to discover or are too young for the more mature serials, such as Vampire Academy or Twilight. As this series progress, so does the reading level, allowing the readers to "grow" with Vlad.

[kikotomo · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

Quick read - nothing super spectacular, but entertaining. I am interested to know what is going to happen to Vlad as the rest of the series unfolds. I could see how middle school readers would find this book and series appealing.

[thebookwormsorg · Bewertung: 3 von 5 Sternen]

The first installment of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series was surprising for me! For some odd reason, I wasn’t very excited to read it, but I’m glad I finally did! I quite enjoyed it, but it was a bit harder for me to relate to as Vlad is only in eighth grade. I definitely can’t wait to read the next 4 books, because I’m sure they will just keep getting better.Vladimir Tod strikes me as a shy, quiet vampire. I love that, because usually we get the trouble maker vampires. Vlad’s personality made him that much more unique to me and I enjoyed getting to know him through his story. Vlad was born a vampire, something that is very unusual. His father was a vampire and mother a human, also very unusual and not to mention a crime in the vampire world.He lost his parents 3 years before and he is still not over it. Vlad finds a few hidden things that belonged to his father in the attic, one of them being a journal. When Vlad starts reading the entries he feels like he’s found a whole new dangerous vampire world that he was protected from.I’m always a fan of books when they have old journal entries, because it adds mystery to the storyline, like a puzzle. I was always trying to piece it together and figure out what was really going on. I was still guessing by the end of the book!Unfortunately, even though I tried to be open, I couldn’t relate to the characters. This has to do with them being so young (I’m a oldie ;) haha). I definitely think that the middle graders will REALLY enjoy this books. So, if you are a parent looking for a fun book your child can read, this is a great one!Overall, I loved the setting and the story, but couldn’t connect. I will be reading the follow-up books in this series and I’m sure it can only get better. Definitely a good read!

[mrsdayclass · Bewertung: 5 von 5 Sternen]

It's not Twilight and it's a good story.