Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review. The following opinions are my own.

The writing in this book is good and I liked Shelby as a character but I must admit it didn't have a lot of substance as a story. As far as plot goes there wasn't a ton and little to no character development. On another note though I liked the different take on vampires.

2.5 stars

This is a really creative short book told in poetry about a teen who comes from a tragic life and ends up falling for a bad boy who makes her a vampire. It’s all quite obviously metaphorical for drug addiction like what killed her mother but it’s well done. The vampire rules aren’t the same as usual but I didn’t mind that, especially since first of all they’re fictional anyway and second of all they work for the addiction metaphor. It’s easily read in one sitting and can make for some good discussion.

I read a temporary digital review copy of this book via NetGalley.

Thank you to the publisher for this E-ARC of “The art of being a vampire” by Kate Karyus Quinn
This book was not what I expected, but it was a fun short read for someone who is after a quick and easy vampire fix! :)

“Taking photos was my escape from my real life.
I wanted to take pictures that were beautiful-
<<<because>>>
my life wasn't.”

16 year old Shelby has been dealt a shitty hand with her deadbeat father and addict mother. She turns to photography to give her a sense of purpose. Her teacher tells her her photos aren’t deep enough, but really, she just wants to capture the beautiful things in her world when her real life is far from it.

One day, she comes home from school to find her mother dead. When no one else wants to take her in, she moves in with her estranged Aunt Clara. That’s not all it cracks up to be either. Even though Clara is trying, Shelby wants no part of it and begins to act out in her new private school.

Enter bad boy Brandt. He’s brooding and interesting and Shelby can’t stay away even when he gets her in trouble or ditched her completely. He must have finally decided he wanted her around forever because he turns her into something she never thought possible.

Now, Shelby is thrust into the life of a vampire and must navigate it to the best of her ability. To help her cope, she made an Insta with photos of her new vamp life and calls it, “the art of being a vampire”.

This was cute, fast paced and well written, however I didn’t feel that it had much substance. There wasn’t much character development or a plot really. The thing about vampires are that they’re imaginary so you don’t have to stick to the rules. This definitely didn’t and that threw me off a bit. However, I’m always up for a different take on the vampire genre and this fit the bill.

I received a free digital preview copy from the author.

"The Art of Being a Vampire" by Kate Karyus Quinn is a unique and compelling novel that explores the life of a teenage girl named Shelby who discovers that her classmate, Brandt, is a vampire. Quinn's writing style and format of the book are refreshing and innovative.

The story is centered around Shelby's struggles with her addict mother, her deadbeat father, and her own search for identity and meaning in life. When her mother dies of an overdose, Shelby is taken in by her aunt, but she rebels in school and turns away from everyone, except Brandt. Little does she know that Brandt is a vampire, and she soon finds herself overwhelmed by new cravings for blood.

The character development in this novel is excellent, especially when it comes to Shelby's transformation into a vampire. Quinn's portrayal of Shelby's struggle to reconcile her newfound cravings with her moral values is both captivating and thought-provoking. The relationships between the characters are also well-developed and add depth to the story.

The writing style and format of the book are what make it stand out from other vampire novels. Quinn uses different fonts and styles of text to represent different characters and their perspectives. This unique formatting adds to the storytelling and creates a more immersive reading experience.

Overall, "The Art of Being a Vampire" is a well-written and engaging novel that will captivate readers who enjoy stories about vampires, coming-of-age, and self-discovery. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for something fresh and different in the vampire genre.