Still Sucks to Be Me: The All-true Confessions of Mina Smith, Teen Vampire

by Kimberly Pauley

Overview

With vampire boyfriend George and best friend Serena by her side, Mina thought she had her whole life—or rather afterlife—ahead of her. But then Mina’s parents drop a bomb. They’re moving. To Louisiana. And not somewhere cool like New Orleans, but some teeny, tiny town where cheerleaders and jocks rule the school. Mina has to fake her death, change her name, and leave everything behind, including George and Serena. Not even the Vampire Council’s shape-shifting classes can cheer her up. Then Serena shows up on Mina’s doorstep with some news that sends Mina reeling. Mina may look a lot better with fangs, but her afterlife isn’t any less complicated!
 
In this eagerly awaited sequel to the popular Sucks to Be Me, Kimberly Pauley addresses many of her fans’ most pressing questions (Will Serena become a vampire? What happened to Raven? What’s next for Mina and George?) with signature humor and breezy bloodsucking style.


From the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786957538
Publisher:	Wizards of the Coast
Publication date:	06/01/2010
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
File size:	6 MB
Age Range:	12 - 16 Years

About the Author

Kimberly Pauley would like to state for the record that she is not really a vampire.
(Or perhaps the Vampire Relocation Agency is just forcing her to say that?) As her alter-ego, the Young Adult Books Goddess of yabookscentral.com, she has been reviewing books for teens since 1998. She lives in Illinois with her son Max and her husband Tony, who is also not a vampire (maybe).


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Sucks to Be Me and Still Sucks to Be Me:
 
“Of all the Vampire novels I have read, Sucks to Be Me was my absolute favorite.  It was smart, original, with a lovely, honest heroine, and it was laugh-out-loud funny. I almost fell out of bed laughing at one point. I couldn't wait to get a hold of the sequel, Still Sucks to Be Me. When it came out, I devoured every page. For those who love the genre, yet are tired of tragic, Byronic lugubrious vampires, this is truly a unique and hilarious read.”—Margot Adler, NPR correspondent and author of Drawing Down the Moon.
 
Praise for Sucks to Be Me
“Pure wish fulfillment”—Kirkus
 
“The adolescent vampire novel gets a pleasantly light, bizarrely heartwarming treatment in this novel . . . It’s an unusual mix, a welcome change from all the darker, angsty teen vampire novels around these days, and a very promising first novel.”—Locus
 
“The lively pace, amusing tone, and accessibly non-gory vampire plot make this an ideal summer beach read, particularly for horror fans who may appreciate a lighter look at the path toward immortal bloodsucker.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

From the Publisher

Being a teenager is difficult! Parents don't appreciate you. Friends flip out on you for no reason. Your boyfriend is in Brazil, and there is a cute guy in town who is more like you than anyone else. To top it all off, you are moving to LA . . . that's Louisiana! Mina "Smith" is a teenager and is now a newly turned vampire. Being a vampire was supposed to make things easier, but unfortunately, Mina finds out that being all-powerful and all-knowing doesn't stop her from still being a teenager. She must use both her vampire powers and her teenage qualities to fix the train wreck that is her life. This hilarious sequel is wonderfully written and a refreshing novel within the vast vampire genre. Being a teenager still sucks, but the vampire thing is something worth getting used to. Reviewer: Kim Coyle

Kim Coyle

Mina is back in the sequel to Sucks to Be Me (Mirrorstone, 2008/VOYA October 2008) and still full of teenage angst. After her decision to become a vampire, she now deals with the negatives (and a few positives) of her undead life. Her family is relocated to Louisiana by the Vampire Relocation Agency, and she has to leave almost everything of her old life behind. Serena, her best friend, knows all, but they must keep their human—vampire friendship a secret. But in Cartville, Louisiana, the Carter vampire clan is stirring up trouble, and Mina's family becomes intertwined in the drama. Is Mina's new vampire friend, Cameron Carter, part of the evil Black Talon clan? And Raven, the trouble-making human from the first book, is back and trying to hurt Mina, too. Mina's story rings true to the first book of the series, so Pauley fans won't be disappointed. Each chapter begins with a vampire myth, and Mina's texts, emails, and handwritten lists are interspersed throughout the book. Mina's battle with being vampire-perfect is entertaining and a dream-come-true for most teenage girls. Cameron Carter is an Edward Cullen-ish vampire that Mina can't help but be attracted to. The humor is light and fluffy, yet needed in a plethora of dark and gloomy vampire titles in young adult literature. Reviewer: Sarah Hill

VOYA - Sarah Hill

Everything has changed for Mina: her last name, her home, her family (her dad is now her "brother," making her mom her "sister-in-law"), and her status (from alive to dead . . . or rather, undead.) Since last seen in Sucks to Be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire (Mirrorstone, 2009/VOYA October 2008), Mina has been busy dealing with the Vampire Relocation Agency, which has declared that her family must stage their own deaths and move to a very rural town in the South. Once there, she has to blend in with the living, make new friends, not blow her family's cover, and try to not get sucked up into an ancient feud between clans of much older vampires. Mina also has to balance learning how to shapeshift against getting her homework done and juggling the interests of her boyfriend, a schoolmate who insists on taking her to homecoming, and the mysterious Cameron, who also happens to be a vampire. As if that weren't enough, Mina must also figure out how to keep her BFF Serena safe from the off-balanced Raven, who is most likely stalking her. Pauley's breezy writing makes this book a real page turner, rife with action and wit. The author strikes just the right note of teen angst without sounding whiny. The action is exciting, with lots of plot twists, but the gore and feedings are kept to a minimum, making this book a good choice for those who want to get in on the vampire craze without having to deal with a lot of dead bodies. The adorable sketches and delightful quips at the beginning of each chapter also make this one well worth handing over to more upbeat teens (or goths who secretly smile!). Reviewer: Spring Lea Henry

VOYA - Spring Lea Henry

A light mystery, plenty of teenspeak and lists delineating the frustrations of protagonist 17-year-old Mina are on offer in this supernatural comedy that features some bright points but is mostly forgettable. A sequel to Sucks to Be Me (2009), this opens as Mina and her bloodsucking family is being moved to rural Louisiana by the Vampire Relocation Agency, much to Mina's chagrin. She quickly becomes entangled with Cameron, a gorgeous but secretive fellow vampire she fears may be part of a dark society that preys on humans. Mina's dry wit will make many a reader smirk, but in some instances it doesn't ring true, such as when she uses the tired, dated exclamation, "Not" to sarcastically negate a statement. The pacing, particularly in the middle section, is quite slow, serving to soften rather than sharpen the suspense in a plot that is already somewhat predictable. For a fresher, unique vampire comedy, teens might try Catherine Jinks's The Reformed Vampire Support Group (2009), but the light romance on offer here will undoubtedly have its fans. (Supernatural comedy. 12 & up)

Kirkus Reviews