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Overview
Vampire romance takes a snarky turn in this humorous novel from Sarah Beth Durst.
Pearl is a sixteen-year-old vampire…fond of blood, allergic to sunlight, and mostly evil…until the night a sparkly unicorn stabs her through the heart with his horn. Oops.
Her family thinks she was attacked by a vampire hunter (because, obviously, unicorns don’t exist), and they’re shocked she survived. They’re even more shocked when Pearl discovers she can now withstand the sun. But they quickly find a way to make use of her new talent. The Vampire King of New England has chosen Pearl’s family to host his feast. If Pearl enrolls in high school, she can make lots of human friends and lure them to the King’s feast—as the entrées.
The only problem? Pearl’s starting to feel the twinges of a conscience. How can she serve up her new friends—especially the cute guy who makes her fangs ache—to be slaughtered? Then again, she’s definitely dead if she lets down her family. What’s a sunlight-loving vamp to do?
Synopsis
Vampire romance takes a snarky turn in this humorous novel, coming soon to TV screens as a Lifetime Original Movie!Pearl is a sixteen-year-old vampire…fond of blood, allergic to sunlight, and mostly evil…until the night a sparkly unicorn stabs her through the heart with his horn. Oops.
Her family thinks she was attacked by a vampire hunter (because, obviously, unicorns don’t exist), and they’re shocked she survived. They’re even more shocked when Pearl discovers she can now withstand the sun. But they quickly find a way to make use of her new talent. The Vampire King of New England has chosen Pearl’s family to host his feast. If Pearl enrolls in high school, she can make lots of human friends and lure them to the King’s feast—as the entrées.
The only problem? Pearl’s starting to feel the twinges of a conscience. How can she serve up her new friends—especially the cute guy who makes her fangs ache—to be slaughtered? Then again, she’s definitely dead if she lets down her family. What’s a sunlight-loving vamp to do?
Editorials
Publishers Weekly
Having her way with the conventions of the genre, Durst (Enchanted Ivy) crafts a fresh, modern, and humorous twist on the vampire novel. At 16, Pearl adores life as a vampire; everything humans have to offer, from their cars to their blood, is hers for the taking. Out prowling one night, Pearl is staked by a unicorn, discovering soon after that she has a reflection and can bask in the sunlight. Sensing opportunity, Pearl’s family sends her to high school so she can line up students as the main course for an important party, but Pearl develops a conscience and—caught between her friends, family, and that pesky, sparkly unicorn—tries to find the least bloody way out. Durst’s snappy dialogue and vivid prose are entertaining (in the cafeteria, “The noise was nearly deafening, as if several flocks of seagulls were fighting over a whale carcass. It also smelled not unlike a whale carcass”), and the straightforward plot moves at a good clip, scattering enough clues to heighten anticipation without spoiling the fun. Lively characters and a sweet romance are icing on the cake. Ages 14–up. (Sept.)Children's Literature -
Sixteen-year-old Pearl is a typical teenage vampire, spending her nights preying on unsuspecting victims and making out with her gorgeous boyfriend Jadrien. Pearl's extensive family is eager to learn that they will be hosting the Connecticut Fealty Ceremony where the King of New England will welcome all of the young vampires into adulthood. Excited about the celebratation, Pearl seeks out one of her favorite victims to snack on when a unicorn stakes her. Curiously, one of the side effects of her staking is the ability to walk in the sun. Using this to their advantage, Pearl's family encourages her to begin attending high school to gain the trust of humans. They will need fresh blood for the King and his guests. As Pearl attends school each day, however, and makes new friends she begins to question her family's attitude towards humans simply as food. Durst's latest turn at the paranormal romance is as clever as her title's play on words. Pearl's sarcasm and her ability to see the ridiculousness in everything make her relatable and all the more easier to love. She is an unlikely and reluctant heroine who will have readers rooting for her from start to finish. Reviewer: Kirsten ShawVOYA -
Pearl is a typical teen vampire, avoiding sunlight and preparing to become a full-fledged vampire following a ceremonial feast with the vampire king. One night, after enjoying her regular snack of an ice cream shop clerk's blood, something downright...magical occurs. A unicorn appears from behind a Dumpster, piercing her with his horn. Pearl recovers from her injuries, but oddly, she can now endure the effects of sunlight. Her family seizes this opportunity to enroll her in the local high school to lure her new classmates to the vampire king's feast as snacks. As Pearl acclimates to high school life, she becomes less bloodthirsty and more concerned about her new human friends. She joins forces with several erstwhile vampire hunters and a were-unicorn, and finds herself at a defining crossroads as the feast of the vampire king approaches. Offering a nicely skewed twist on the teen vampire genre, this book features a young bloodsucker enduring a crisis of conscience that causes her to be torn between the traditional vampire way of life and that of a normal high schooler. Pearl is an engagingly written, deeply flawed character, and readers will enjoy her sarcasm-fueled search for the unicorn that altered her life. There is a bit of romance and the requisite love triangle of supernatural beasts, but Pearl is a strong female character who does not lose herself to her suitors. This book will likely appeal to young horror fans who enjoy a snarkier, smarter, distinctly less sparkly brand of vampires. Reviewer: Sherrie WilliamsKirkus Reviews
A unicorn gives new life to the now-tired teen supernatural romance—kind of literally.
Being a teenager really sucks. But life is carefree for Pearl, 16 years old, beautiful, a born vampire with a hot boyfriend and tasty pickings at the all-night ice-cream stand. At least it seems carefree...until she's stabbed by a unicorn. Suddenly, she can walk in the sun without burning up. She can attend school, make friends with kids who used to be prey and maybe even have a life away from her very scary mother. Her vampire kin can't understand it—but they can hardly wait to take advantage of it. With the King of New England coming to initiate new members of the local clans into vampire aristocracy, Pearl's family has been chosen to provide the feast.And what makes a better feast than the junior class? If only Pearl weren't beginning to develop a conscience. What to do...stay loyal to family or preserve the life of her new BFF? Decisions, decisions. Combining a sense of humor with dark appeal of supernatural romance, this book is funny, scary and thought provoking all at once. Pearl is a feisty heroine who meets her match in the unicorn, who refuses to give up on her.
Even jaded fans of the supernatural will find fun in this one.(Paranormal. 14 & up)
From the Publisher
"Combining a sense of humor with dark appeal of supernatural romance, this book is funny, scary and thought provoking all at once. . . . Even jaded fans of the supernatural will find fun in this one."
- Kirkus Reviews July 1, 2011
"A fresh, modern, and humorous twist on the vampire novel. . . . Lively characters and a sweet romance are icing on the cake."--Publishers Weekly
"How refreshing to find a stand-alone vampire book with a real twist. . . . The story transitions easily between the vampire and human world, creating characters, settings, and situations that are quite believable and often funny while still maintaining a respectable level of darkness. Fans of vampire fiction will be pleased to find this one on the shelf."--SLJ
"There is a bit of romance and the requisite love triangle of supernatural beasts, but Pearl is a strong female character who does not lose herself to her suitors. This book will likely appeal to young horror fans who enjoy a snarkier, smarter, distinctly less sparkly brand of vampires."--VOYA
"Pearl is, if not exactly likable, refreshingly self-aware and possessed of a sort of mad charm, and readers both vamp-crazy and not will enjoy her dry, unapologetic take on the genre that is at once pointed send-up and twisted celebration."--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Fierce, smart, and sarcastic, Pearl is a lively antihero who is forced to choose sides in the ultimate showdown, revealing her true loyalties. A sweet yet unusual romance completes the book’s appeal."--The Horn Book