The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks

Rating: 2.5/5
Age R: 12+
Release Date: April 20, 2009
Thoughts:
This is the story of a group of vampires who are reformed. They don't go around fanging people because that is not nice. Instead they get their blood supply from Guinea pigs. The group consists of Dave, Sanford, Gladys, Father Ramon (not a vamp), Horace, George (vamp who breeds Guinea pigs), and Nina our narrator. Everything in these vampires' lives are going pretty good, well as good as it can get when you're a vampire which means you can't go out in the daytime or basically have a life and there's that whole being sick practically all the time, until suddently one of the vampires in their group is murdered. Gasp! haha Know the group has to figure out who killed this not nice vampire before this evil slayer can get to them. They better hurry too because this evil guy might just know exactly where they all live. That's not their only problem though, they may have a run in with some really crazy people. Are they in over their heads?
I rate this in between it was okay and I liked it. Let me tell you why. Things started to get interesting until half way through the book. Then after that, it started to get boring again. I really liked the originality and the fact that vampires aren't your usual vamps. They're just basically infected with a disease which makes them weak and constantly sick. But even that didn't make the story flow any better. It was anything but fast paced. I had to keep taking breaks in between every few chapters.
I wasn't a fan of the fact that in the back cover of the book they tell you Dave is in love with Nina, yet there is absolutely NO mention or really any hints leading to that conclusion not until the very end anyway which just makes the "romance" flat, lame and just out of no where. I honesly don't think it was necessary and if it was then there should have been more details about that not just "Oh I like you, lets kiss." I'm not saying I didn't like that kiss scene though because, admittedly, it was cute. :)
Another thing I didn't like was that basically throughout the whole story there's this group of people running from one place to another but at the same time, nothing interesting really happens. Not to me anyway. I just honestly did not find the story very intriguing.
That doesn't mean I completely hated the book. I did like most of the characters like Dave, Nina, and Reuben. They were fun and funny. I will miss them..not so much that I'll read the book again but they were pretty much the only reason I liked this book.
The RVSG is full of vampires just trying to get by, werewolves, evil gun wielding werewolf traffickers, some unrequited love, and quite a bit of running for your lives. It's kinda like Scooby Doo with vampires. :) After learning all this if you think you're interested then I suggest you pick up the book.

A Look Inside:

Casimir had been a typical vampire-the quintessential vampire, in fact. And look what had happened to him! Whereas I...I was different. I was active and empathic and dependable and involved. I wasn't anything like Casimir.
It's funny what lies you tell yourself when you're scared to death.

'That slayer doesn't know where we live,' he insisted, with the kind of arrogant assurance that makes other people want to kick him in the crotch.

One of the characters talking about vampires:
'They have these rules they have to follow, and medicines they have to take, and therapy they have to do. It's like they've got AIDS or something. You just have to take a few precautions.'

YOU WILL ENJOY READING THIS BOOK IF YOU LIKE/ARE INTERESTED IN:
-vampires
-a unique take on vampires
-a bit of humor
-adventure
-support groups
-Australia and Australian authors
-Catherine Jinks also author of Evil Genius, Genius Squad, and the upcoming Genius Wars.
-Scooby Doo