I’m not the biggest fan of paranormal romance, especially with the release of books such as The Vampire Diaries and the Twilight series (which I do not consider horror). However I was intrigued by a YA novella trilogy by A.P. Fuchs who is perhaps best known for writing about zombies.
Blood of My World consists of three novellas—Discovery of Death, Memories of Death, andLife of Death—that tell the story of high school sweethearts Zach and Rose. Zach has unexpectedly disappeared, leaving Rose in a state of confusion and worry. Zach has become a vampire, without any memories of his former life, including Rose. One fateful night Zach is taken out to feed by his vampire mother, Mira, and kills Rose’s mother. Experiencing his victim’s memories, Zach is confused by the people he sees and what his connection to them may be. In the meantime, in the wake of her mother’s death, Rose discovers that she comes from a long line of vampire slayers.
While dealing with the funeral and her training, Rose sees Zach and knows what he has become. Rose’s father Marcus also knows what Zach has become, and instructs his daughter to stay away from the cemetery. Marcus explains that vampires have no feelings or emotions for anyone in their former lives, which is what makes them such effective killers. Zach tries to understand what is happening to him, and what Rose meant to him. Zach’s vampire family seems ready to accept Rose, even though she’s a human. Ultimately, Zach will be forced to choose between his vampire family and Rose, and truths will come out that help Zach determine where his loyalties lie.
Fuchs has written a very good story in Blood of My World. The characters are well-developed and his vampires’ characteristics are quite interesting. I enjoyed the Shakespearean story of the young lovers from different and clashing worlds—vampire and slayer. What I also liked about this trilogy is that it doesn’t have the creepiness that most other vampire romances targeting young girls have. Zach is only a vampire for a few weeks when he and Rose meet again. He’s not a hundred-plus year old vampire “in love” with a teen girl. In other words, Zach isn’t a dirty old man, he’s still just a kid. The horror elements are really good, too. The vampires have ulterior motives that ultimately drive the story—they aren’t an afterthought. The romance aspect is a bit intense at times, so if paranormal romance isn’t your thing, then this is not the trilogy for you, but overall, Blood of My World is a really good read for its target audience. Recommended.
Contains: nothing objectionable for YA readers
Reviewed by: Colleen Wanglund