Half-vampire Vlad has a lot on his plate: he's hungry all the time (and not for food), he feels unworthy of his new girlfriend, his uncle (who's also his advisor and protector) is leaving, and a baddie vampire is coming to town. Though some of the humor falls flat, overall there's a witty balance between high school mundanities and paranormal action.

Gr 6-10 Vladimir Tod just wants to be a normal teen. Unfortunately that is impossible for a vampire who is the only one "living" in the small town of Bathory. Now starting 10th grade, he faces some typical teen problems. His friend Henry seems to be dumping him to hang out with the popular crowd. Pesky Eddie is determined to expose him, thinking this will bring him the popularity and fame he desires. Meredith has agreed to be his girlfriend, and he can't believe someone so perfect would want to be with him. He is troubled by terrible nightmares, and the need for human blood is growing extremely difficult to resist, putting Aunt Nelly, Henry, and Meredith at risk. The wicked vampire D'Ablo is determined to get rid of him and steal his powers for himself. Vlad needs to act fast if he is going to save himself and everything he holds dear. The plot is full of twists and turns, but the tone is darker and more intense than in the earlier books as Vlad struggles to overcome the obstacles thrown in his path and come to grips with who and what he really is. The stakes are high and the ending leaves readers dying for more. Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY

The third book in The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod finds the teen vampire honing his skills with his mentor as summer ends. With the dawning of sophomore year, Vlad carries the weight of the vampire world on his shoulders. He has recently discovered that he may be the Pravus, prophesized to rule over all vampires and enslave humans. DÆAblo, a vampire leader, seeks a ritual that will allow him to steal VladÆs status as the Pravus, while another bloodthirsty vampire seeks to hurt Vlad immensely. In addition to the supernatural challenges in VladÆs life, he also has to navigate the social jungle of tenth grade as his best friend seems to be drifting away and he begins questioning his girlfriendÆs motives. This midpoint in the series is the darkest yet; VladÆs future as the probable Pravus is in direct opposition to his own plans for his life. Fans will eat up this installment, but new readers will find sufficient back story to enjoy the book on its own. The relationships and characters that readers have come to know in the first two books are more fully explored here, exposing new flaws and challenges that allow for more realism in their interactions. Vlad reveals some significant weakening in his pledge not to feed on humans, opening the door for more vampiric action in the final two books of the series. This book will be highly anticipated by fans of the teen vampire genre.ùSherrie Williams.