Braced 2 Bite

Colby Blanched is the typical sixteen year old, interested in boys, clothing and staying head cheerleader. Her normal life comes to a screeching halt when she is attacked by a man and left in a ravine. When she wakes up, she returns home to learn she has been missing for forty-eight hours. When she smells blood on her mother's hand, she starts drinking it until she is full. Tests by her aunt prove she is a vampire as she has no pulse or heartbeat. The Vampire Tribunal comes over to serve her with a summons because she is not a vampire but a half-breed Undead because she is too many generations removed to be a full Vampire. Undead have different abilities then vampires and the tribunal looks at them as abominations that must be destroyed. She has to appear before them and make a case that she should not be destroyed but she doesn't have a clue how she is going to manage it. Aimed at the young adult market BRACED 2 BITE will also be thoroughly enjoyed by adults who like chick lit serio-comic vampire novels. Since her incisors were removed when Colby wore braces her father makes her a mechanical contraption to take their place and some of the funniest bites in the book take place around them. The heroine is strong willed and willing to fight against the injustice of the Vampire Council in their deadly dealings with the undead. Readers will be happy to know that this is just the beginning of a charming, beguiling and totally entertaining new series. Harriet Klausner

Never having read a Young Adult novel before, I was more than pleasantly surprised to find myself immediately drawn in to Braced2Bite. Not once did I stop and remember this was technically Teen Fiction, as it definitely entertains young adults and...ahem, slightly older adults...from the first page to the end. Robar's snarky sense of humor, touch of suspense and genuine, fresh voice left me wanting more. Good thing the second in this series is only a matter of months away! I highly recommend this book, and the rest in the series to come, to all readers looking for a terrific story and a great adventure!

This is the first book by Serena Robar about a teen cheerleader turned vampire. I thought it was a little weird at first with her mom and great aunt being so comfortable with her transformation, but I got used to it an grew to love the characters in the book. It's a must read for any fan of vampire teen lit. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel! Recommendations: * Boys That Bite by Mari Mancusi * Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz * Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Serena Robar has now joined my auto-buy list as a fabulous up-and-coming author. Her debut novel, Braced2Bite takes a humerous and adventurous look at what it means to be undead without a license. While much of standard vampire lore is included, Ms. Robar adds her own twist to the wonderfully quirky character of Colby Blanchard. The ending leaves the reader with just enough hook to have you begging for more. I look forward to November when book #2 in the series: Fangs4Freaks arrives.

Sixteen-year-old Colby Blanchard lives in Seattle, is the head cheerleader, and keeps a 4.0 grade average. She knows what she wants in life and has a plan to obtain it. But it all falls apart when she is bitten and becomes Undead. Colby's family is very supportive. Great-Aunt Chloe has dealt with vampires as a nurse during the wars and is the first family member to start helping out. Colby's mom starts digging up everything she can find on the internet to help Colby's transmission. And her orthodontist dad, who had her canine teeth removed when she was twelve, made her a "fang headgear set" to help her feed. Colby is upset to be Undead, but even more embarrassed that she has to have fang braces to survive. But those are not her biggest worries. Thomas and Carl are with The Tribunal Group. They break the news to Colby that she is not a full-blooded vampire. She is a half-blood. Since one must have a license (which is a signet ring) to be accepted as Undead, Colby must appear before the three princes in a vampire court. If Colby is not accepted, she will be executed. Thomas wants to help her prepare, but if she is not accepted he is also the one who must eliminate her. That is definitely not what Colby wants to think about since she is crushing on Thomas. Yet there is more to Colby's intelligence and maturity than anyone else could possibly have guessed, including Colby! Oh, and one other bad piece of news, her creator keeps showing up. ***** An interesting new series for young adults revolving around vampire and human society. I was hooked almost immediately and could not stop reading until the last page had been turned! When the story ended I was so bummed. I wanted to know what happened later in life. Therefore, I was thrilled to learn that there will be a second novel titled "Fangs 4 Freaks" due for release in November 2006. YES! Author Serena Robar has created a fascinating world which blends high school and normal teen life with a darker world that hides in plain sight. I foresee awards in this author's future. Highly recommended! ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.