Book Review: Vampire Kisses (Vampire Kisses #1) by Ellen Schreiber

Summary: 
In her small town, dubbed "Dullsville," sixteen-year-old Raven -- a vampire-crazed goth-girl
-- is an outcast. But not for long...

The intriguing and rumored-to-be haunted mansion on top of Benson Hill has stood vacant
and boarded-up for years. That is, until its mysteriously strange new occupants move in.
Who are these creepy people -- especially the handsome, dark, and elusive Alexander
Sterling? Or rather, what are they? Could the town prattle actually ring true? Are they
vampires? Raven, who secretly covets a vampire kiss, both at the risk of her own mortality
and Alexander's loving trust, is dying to uncover the truth.

Ellen Schreiber's spooky and stirring romance tells the story of two outsiders who fall in love
in a town where conformity reigns, and ends with a shocking surprise.

Review: 
This was a sweet, quirky book told by a rather perky goth girl.  Vampire Kisses reminds me of
cotton candy:  light and sweet but insubstantial.  The book is YA but read like middle grade to
me.  I confess that I was waiting for the entire book for the story to take off, but it never
really did for me.  It could be that I never adjusted to Schreiber's writing style, which is very
light and fluffy.  I have read other reviews calling the writing ditzy. I wouldn't go that far, but
the writing style is what made this book feel middle grade to me. 

I really had no idea a goth girl could be so perky, but Raven was.  She is obsessed with
vampires and becomes convinced that the new family living in the haunted mansion in town
are vampires.  Raven's dream in life is to become a vampire, so she sets out to find out the
truth.  

One thing I really liked was Raven's sense of self-awareness and self-esteem.  She could very
easily have gotten played by the most popular boy in school who was trying to make a fool out
of her, but instead she turns the situation around and makes him out to be a laughingstock. 
She keeps the same can-do attitude and refuses to let people get the best of her throughout
the entire book.  I think that was my favorite thing about this story.  

I would recommend Vampire Kisses to fans of YA vampire novels only.