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The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod #5
Twelfth Grade Kills
It all comes down to this.
Vlad’s running out of time. The Elysian Council has given him weeks to live, and that’s if the Slayer Society doesn’t kill him – along with all the citizens of Bathory – first. Then there’s the issue of Vlad’s father, who may or may not still be alive after all these years, and oh yeah, that tiny little detail in the Pravus prophecy about Vlad enslaving Vampirekind and the human race. So much for college applications.
In this epic finale to Heather Brewer’s heart-stopping Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, dark secrets will be revealed, old friends will become enemies, and warm blood will run cold. Just be careful it isn’t yours.
Vlad’s running out of time. The Elysian Council has given him weeks to live, and that’s if the Slayer Society doesn’t kill him – along with all the citizens of Bathory – first. Then there’s the issue of Vlad’s father, who may or may not still be alive after all these years, and oh yeah, that tiny little detail in the Pravus prophecy about Vlad enslaving Vampirekind and the human race. So much for college applications.
In this epic finale to Heather Brewer’s heart-stopping Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, dark secrets will be revealed, old friends will become enemies, and warm blood will run cold. Just be careful it isn’t yours.
325 pages, Hardcover
First published September 21, 2010
About the author
Heather Brewer
47 books2,836 followersHeather Brewer is the pseudonym of Zac Brewer…but you can call him Z.
Zac is the NYT bestselling author of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series, as well as The Slayer Chronicles series, Soulbound, The Cemetery Boys, The Blood Between Us, and more short stories than he can recall.
He grew up on a diet of Twilight Zone and books by Stephen King. He chased them down with every drop of horror he could find—in books, movie theaters, on television. The most delicious parts of his banquet, however, he found lurking in the shadowed corners of his dark imagination. When he’s not writing books, he’s skittering down your wall and lurking underneath your bed. Zac doesn’t believe in happy endings…unless they involve blood.
He lives in Missouri with his husband, two children, and four furry overlords that some people refer to as “cats”.
Zac is the NYT bestselling author of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series, as well as The Slayer Chronicles series, Soulbound, The Cemetery Boys, The Blood Between Us, and more short stories than he can recall.
He grew up on a diet of Twilight Zone and books by Stephen King. He chased them down with every drop of horror he could find—in books, movie theaters, on television. The most delicious parts of his banquet, however, he found lurking in the shadowed corners of his dark imagination. When he’s not writing books, he’s skittering down your wall and lurking underneath your bed. Zac doesn’t believe in happy endings…unless they involve blood.
He lives in Missouri with his husband, two children, and four furry overlords that some people refer to as “cats”.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 755 reviews
March 9, 2014
Why can’t I spell twelfth right ever on the first try? Seriously. It’s a problem, my whole life it’s been an issue. I think it’s the lispy L F T H combination. It feels awkward. Truly.
Alright. End rant. Begin gush.
I’ve been a fan of Heather Brewer’s The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod books since the very first one released three years ago. The final book, Twelfth Grade Kills (yes, I screwed up the spelling again), is now out for all to read. I just finished it. It was fabulous. It was exactly what I wanted.
For those who have not read it, a warning. These books are light, especially at the start. Vlad begins the series in eighth grade, which each successive book upping to the next grade level. This means we start with Vlad as a naive young boy. He’s obsessed with video games and the pretty girl in class. He eats a ton and is a little immature. Fast forward four books and nothing has changed! No, joke joke. I kid people. Very much has changed, and with every change Vlad’s level of responsibility goes up a notch, as all good children born of prophecies do. He’s grown into a very fine young man by this book.
Several of my favourite characters make an appearance – Henry, Nelly, Otis, Joss, Snow, Kristoff… even weasley little Eddie Poe. It’s great to be reintroduced to these characters once again. I’m happy to see that Vlad has finally found his Ginny after he’s been chasing Cho Chang for so long. That may be a spoiler, but I couldn’t resist the comparison.
I’m very pleased with the conclusion to this series. It feels good to say goodbye to these characters. 5 out of 5 stars. Thanks very much, Ms. Brewer, for entertaining me most heartily. I look forward to seeing what you pull out of your bag of tricks next.
- review courtesy of www.bibliopunkkreads.com
November 10, 2010
What a disappointing way to end the series. Once again, 12th grade suffers from the same problems that Heather has refused to address in her writing throughout the entirety of the series, either from sheer laziness or stubbornness I can't say which, and in no other book was it so apparent as here - namely shoddy pacing and childish rendering of motivations and feelings. I wish I could remind her first hand that the best way for any author to relate what their character is feeling on the page is to SHOW us, not to TELL us. Someone in your life has just died? Your world has been turned upside down? The apocalypse seems to be around the corner? I don't need to be told that you're feeling upset and anxious. I can figure that out for myself. The next major problem is the complete and utter lack of pacing in this book. Throughout the series Heather has set up several major problems that seemed to be building up to a huge climax and yet instead of giving each one the page time it's due she deals with them one after the other in lightening quick secession. Each of these major topics is given only ONE chapter in which to resolve it's self and not one of those chapters comes in at over 5 pages long. That to me reeks of lazy writing - instead of rushing out this book she should have taken the time to craft each event carefully. There's a reason writers like King and Gaiman put manuscripts down for months at a time and then come back to them and this is exactly what those actions are designed to avoid.
You'd think that other than that I'd have something positive to say about this book since up until now the other books possessed some sort of charm which kept me from thinking them a total waste of time and yet there's nothing. Tensions between characters are pale shadows of what they should be. When the major deaths in this book happened they seemed glossed over at best considering how disproportionate Vlad's grieving was over a pair of deaths that happened years earlier in comparison to ones that occur right before his eyes. And the plot holes! Dear god the plot holes are so big I could drive an army of semi-trucks through them and still have enough room left over to have the Enterprise lead the calvary. And while this is a personal gripe I do wish Mrs Brewer would take a page from King's On Writing and stop describing her character's wardrobes. They're painfully bad and immature - "come to the dark side we have cookies"? Since when was that t-shirt popular with anyone over the age of 13?
She also manages to hit every cliche in the book here including the ever popular "let's play up the death of a character who we know is not really dead just because it conveniently gives us an opportunity for the main character to Power Up" and the always laughable "evil ___ family member." Gee whiz, who didn't see that one coming?
Oh well, when all is said and done I keep asking myself what did I really expect? I read the series voluntarily and got pretty much all that I asked for - mindless brain munch good for in between midterms, plus let us not forget that as a female adult college student I'm not exactly the target audience here. I just can't help from feeling disappointed though, despite everything I was looking foreword to seeing how the series would end and instead I got a hot mess that couldn't even keep it's own mythology straight much less tell a believable and convincing story.
As for this being the last of the Vlad books I don't buy it. There's so much left unsaid here that at times it literally seemed to be screaming "save stuff for the sequel!" - but if she continues to write like this I wonder if any publisher would be interested in one?
You'd think that other than that I'd have something positive to say about this book since up until now the other books possessed some sort of charm which kept me from thinking them a total waste of time and yet there's nothing. Tensions between characters are pale shadows of what they should be. When the major deaths in this book happened they seemed glossed over at best considering how disproportionate Vlad's grieving was over a pair of deaths that happened years earlier in comparison to ones that occur right before his eyes. And the plot holes! Dear god the plot holes are so big I could drive an army of semi-trucks through them and still have enough room left over to have the Enterprise lead the calvary. And while this is a personal gripe I do wish Mrs Brewer would take a page from King's On Writing and stop describing her character's wardrobes. They're painfully bad and immature - "come to the dark side we have cookies"? Since when was that t-shirt popular with anyone over the age of 13?
She also manages to hit every cliche in the book here including the ever popular "let's play up the death of a character who we know is not really dead just because it conveniently gives us an opportunity for the main character to Power Up" and the always laughable "evil ___ family member." Gee whiz, who didn't see that one coming?
Oh well, when all is said and done I keep asking myself what did I really expect? I read the series voluntarily and got pretty much all that I asked for - mindless brain munch good for in between midterms, plus let us not forget that as a female adult college student I'm not exactly the target audience here. I just can't help from feeling disappointed though, despite everything I was looking foreword to seeing how the series would end and instead I got a hot mess that couldn't even keep it's own mythology straight much less tell a believable and convincing story.
As for this being the last of the Vlad books I don't buy it. There's so much left unsaid here that at times it literally seemed to be screaming "save stuff for the sequel!" - but if she continues to write like this I wonder if any publisher would be interested in one?
July 14, 2016
The wait for this book was absolutely nerve racking and it was even worse since I desperately wanted to know what happened next after the last book ended in the worst ever cliff hanger. But with this final book- and the way it ended I honestly don't see how it can be the final book- was worth the wait. I absolutely loved it. And seeing that I've only read it in two days I'm extremely exhausted but extremely happy I didn't wait to borrow it from the library or allow myself sleep this past couple days.
This time around Vlad is down to the wire in this life; He's missing Snow whom he actually loves, he doesn't want to die by the Vampire Council evil hands or by his friend -dispite all the odds- Joss, he doesn't want to believe that he's insane from drinking a vampires blood (not to mention you feel insane just reading it) and in all this he still has to remember school every day. So much happened in this book that I'm suprised that it wasn't longer, but I still feel very content with the flow and how it ended.
Auntie Brewer really delievered with kick ass action, jokes, and plenty of blood that would make Sweeney Tod look like a Disney, well something along those lines. But I still can't except -though I'm sure in time I will- that this is the final book.
I love Vladimir, he's probably the most relateable character I've read all year and I'm glad that we got the chance to meet. This is how you do real vampires. 'Cause real vampires don't sparkle.'
This time around Vlad is down to the wire in this life; He's missing Snow whom he actually loves, he doesn't want to die by the Vampire Council evil hands or by his friend -dispite all the odds- Joss, he doesn't want to believe that he's insane from drinking a vampires blood (not to mention you feel insane just reading it) and in all this he still has to remember school every day. So much happened in this book that I'm suprised that it wasn't longer, but I still feel very content with the flow and how it ended.
Auntie Brewer really delievered with kick ass action, jokes, and plenty of blood that would make Sweeney Tod look like a Disney, well something along those lines. But I still can't except -though I'm sure in time I will- that this is the final book.
I love Vladimir, he's probably the most relateable character I've read all year and I'm glad that we got the chance to meet. This is how you do real vampires. 'Cause real vampires don't sparkle.'
August 27, 2011
I didn't warm to this series fully until the fourth book, when I could overlook Brewer's sometimes-clunky writing and flat portrayal of teen angst in favor of a strong arc involving Vlad's father and Vlad's place in the vampire realm. Then this book ruined everything. After leaving readers to dangle at book four's end with a great (though not unexpected) twist, Brewer picks up in this final book and tosses in another twist so rotten, I felt like she played a dirty trick for the sake of making the story more exciting. I finished reading this book feeling like I'd been totally played. Brewer seemed to prioritize plot over her character, destroying much of the good she had built with the sophistication of a six-year-old destroying her own carefully constructed block tower.
I've read other, better books in which some heartbreaking deaths and betrayals were also necessary, and were rendered so that readers could see and understand the necessity. Brewer comes across as simply not skilled enough to pull it off. Of all the ways she could have resolved this series, she went with something really unsatisfying.
This series finale disappointed me like few others ever have. Knowing what I know now, I wish I'd never read any of the books, and especially not this one.
I've read other, better books in which some heartbreaking deaths and betrayals were also necessary, and were rendered so that readers could see and understand the necessity. Brewer comes across as simply not skilled enough to pull it off. Of all the ways she could have resolved this series, she went with something really unsatisfying.
This series finale disappointed me like few others ever have. Knowing what I know now, I wish I'd never read any of the books, and especially not this one.
November 17, 2010
I haven't finished reading the book, but I have decided how I feel about it. And I already know the basic ending. (Spoilers don't actually spoil the ending for me; they only encourage me to discover them for myself.)
As a teenager, I could relate to Vladimir; but, I don't know if I'm the only one who feels this way, I have trouble imagining Vlad as a twelfth grader, 17 or 18 years old. The narrative provided portrays him as the young boy he was when he started in the series. I honestly see no growth or maturity in his character. He sounds like a wimp.
Also, what's up with this Pravus stuff? It's stupid enough to have Vlad be a Gary-Sue (or whatever they're called), but then to have his girlfriend (who-so-stereotypically-died-and-then-became-a-vampire-thanks-to-the-hands-of-a-stupid-boy) be hinted at to be the Pravus too? I hate such cliffhangers, especially at the end of a series; end it on a definite note, like The Last Olympian or Ghost Hunter. It's funny how he couldn't tell the future after that last part in the novel. And it's even funnier that Snow may very well be what Heather Brewer wanted to be when she was a teen: beautiful but still different - and a vampire. I think Snow is just a better version of Brewer; I mean no offense when I say this, but I can see it.
Like others have said, the novel is cliche. But, the good thing about Heather Brewer is that, despite the annoying cliffhangers & foreshadowing, she can draw her readers further into the novel and keep them thinking about it after putting it down.
Maybe she should lay off trying to relate Vlad to a normal teenager, with all that romance & video game idiocy. She illustrates him as some all-powerful monster, yet she still wants to say he's like any other teen? Hardly.
And I love how she said, "Vampires, after all, didn't sparkle." SUCK IT TWILIGHT!
Although there are some things that should be different, I am otherwise very happy with the novel. Maybe I'll read the book on Joss, but he's really just too full of crap to me.
As a teenager, I could relate to Vladimir; but, I don't know if I'm the only one who feels this way, I have trouble imagining Vlad as a twelfth grader, 17 or 18 years old. The narrative provided portrays him as the young boy he was when he started in the series. I honestly see no growth or maturity in his character. He sounds like a wimp.
Also, what's up with this Pravus stuff? It's stupid enough to have Vlad be a Gary-Sue (or whatever they're called), but then to have his girlfriend (who-so-stereotypically-died-and-then-became-a-vampire-thanks-to-the-hands-of-a-stupid-boy) be hinted at to be the Pravus too? I hate such cliffhangers, especially at the end of a series; end it on a definite note, like The Last Olympian or Ghost Hunter. It's funny how he couldn't tell the future after that last part in the novel. And it's even funnier that Snow may very well be what Heather Brewer wanted to be when she was a teen: beautiful but still different - and a vampire. I think Snow is just a better version of Brewer; I mean no offense when I say this, but I can see it.
Like others have said, the novel is cliche. But, the good thing about Heather Brewer is that, despite the annoying cliffhangers & foreshadowing, she can draw her readers further into the novel and keep them thinking about it after putting it down.
Maybe she should lay off trying to relate Vlad to a normal teenager, with all that romance & video game idiocy. She illustrates him as some all-powerful monster, yet she still wants to say he's like any other teen? Hardly.
And I love how she said, "Vampires, after all, didn't sparkle." SUCK IT TWILIGHT!
Although there are some things that should be different, I am otherwise very happy with the novel. Maybe I'll read the book on Joss, but he's really just too full of crap to me.
October 21, 2010
Hrm. Not the best ending this series could have gotten.
Actually, the ending kind of stank entirely. :( Vlad totally overreacted when Snow "died." Some of the death scenes at the end of the novel were incredibly rushed and smacked the reader across the face, leaving us with a breathless, "Wait, what just happened?" sort of feeling.
There was really no time to mourn any of those who passed. And Nelly's funeral only got one and a half pages, which was pathetically short for someone so very central to the storyline since book one.
Not only that, but I can't say I was shocked to find out the truth about Vlad's father. His reemergence into the series for just the last book, all willy-nilly, was simply far too fishy to just roll with.
The last few lines in the book still have me wanting more. Somehow, I get the inkling that Vlad's going to get a sequel, perhaps taking place in Stokerton University?
Only time will tell....
Actually, the ending kind of stank entirely. :( Vlad totally overreacted when Snow "died." Some of the death scenes at the end of the novel were incredibly rushed and smacked the reader across the face, leaving us with a breathless, "Wait, what just happened?" sort of feeling.
There was really no time to mourn any of those who passed. And Nelly's funeral only got one and a half pages, which was pathetically short for someone so very central to the storyline since book one.
Not only that, but I can't say I was shocked to find out the truth about Vlad's father. His reemergence into the series for just the last book, all willy-nilly, was simply far too fishy to just roll with.
The last few lines in the book still have me wanting more. Somehow, I get the inkling that Vlad's going to get a sequel, perhaps taking place in Stokerton University?
Only time will tell....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
September 13, 2013Oh boy, everyone. Oh boy. Just WAIT until you read this one!!!
December 3, 2013
Firstly, I didn't realize this was the last one in the series, I thought there would be more, this changes my opinion on it a bit concerning the ending, but I'll come back to that in a bit.
I started this series curious, and I enjoyed it but wasn't wowed, I kept coming back to it though, I couldn't seem to stay away and as each new book came out I found myself bringing it home from the library, it was the same with this one. I did think to myself 'do I really want to read it, I have so much else to read." but I couldn't get myself to take it back. And I'm glad I didn't take it back. it has been a while since I read book four, so I had to try and remember who everyone was but I was soon back into the story, it looks like it continues from where the last book finished.
Vlad is in his final year of school, but he's not sure he;ll see the end of it. Both the Elyssian council and the Slayers want him dead, if one doesn't do it the other will.
The storyline with his father was great, I wasn't sure how Brewer would bring him back, but she handled the plot very well and made it so everything made sense. I didn't think she could answer all the questions it would raise but she did.
I love that 'Snow' is back in this book, she's one of my favourite characters. I still think Nelly is fantastic too. There is a lot of mistrust and trickery in this book and I found it all very exciting, I read this in less than a day, and really enjoyed it.
There were a couple of points where I didn't think the author was making complete sense, things would happen and I would be like 'no that's not right, how does he/she do that?' then something else would happen and it would all make sense. It keeps you guessing throughtout.
This book does tie up a lot of lose ends and comes to a good conclusion, but then the very ending, the last chapter opens up a whole other can of worms, at the time of reading I was sure there would be another book in the series, but now I've found out that it's supposed to be the last one, I'm not as satisfied, i want to know what happens next, you can't finish with a sentence like that and not expect to come back to it, unless she is going to do another spin off series. I haven't read 'The Slayer' book yet, but it's on my list. Also the whole thing with Eddie wasn't completely solved, what happens to him?
So overall I'm in two minds about this, I did really enjoy the storyline but am now disappointed with the ending. I am still going to give it the rating I was originally, as I don't think it quite deserves as low as 3 stars, plus as one last thought it had a redeeming feature, on Page 99 it says this:
"Vlad wiped her lip gloss from his lips with the back of his hand. Vampires, after all, didn't sparkle."
LOL - FANTASTIC. Love it. This is what saves the rating, go Heather Brewer!!!
I started this series curious, and I enjoyed it but wasn't wowed, I kept coming back to it though, I couldn't seem to stay away and as each new book came out I found myself bringing it home from the library, it was the same with this one. I did think to myself 'do I really want to read it, I have so much else to read." but I couldn't get myself to take it back. And I'm glad I didn't take it back. it has been a while since I read book four, so I had to try and remember who everyone was but I was soon back into the story, it looks like it continues from where the last book finished.
Vlad is in his final year of school, but he's not sure he;ll see the end of it. Both the Elyssian council and the Slayers want him dead, if one doesn't do it the other will.
The storyline with his father was great, I wasn't sure how Brewer would bring him back, but she handled the plot very well and made it so everything made sense. I didn't think she could answer all the questions it would raise but she did.
I love that 'Snow' is back in this book, she's one of my favourite characters. I still think Nelly is fantastic too. There is a lot of mistrust and trickery in this book and I found it all very exciting, I read this in less than a day, and really enjoyed it.
There were a couple of points where I didn't think the author was making complete sense, things would happen and I would be like 'no that's not right, how does he/she do that?' then something else would happen and it would all make sense. It keeps you guessing throughtout.
This book does tie up a lot of lose ends and comes to a good conclusion, but then the very ending, the last chapter opens up a whole other can of worms, at the time of reading I was sure there would be another book in the series, but now I've found out that it's supposed to be the last one, I'm not as satisfied, i want to know what happens next, you can't finish with a sentence like that and not expect to come back to it, unless she is going to do another spin off series. I haven't read 'The Slayer' book yet, but it's on my list. Also the whole thing with Eddie wasn't completely solved, what happens to him?
So overall I'm in two minds about this, I did really enjoy the storyline but am now disappointed with the ending. I am still going to give it the rating I was originally, as I don't think it quite deserves as low as 3 stars, plus as one last thought it had a redeeming feature, on Page 99 it says this:
"Vlad wiped her lip gloss from his lips with the back of his hand. Vampires, after all, didn't sparkle."
LOL - FANTASTIC. Love it. This is what saves the rating, go Heather Brewer!!!
July 13, 2018
What a great YA series... I truly enjoyed it!
March 12, 2011
Characters: Vladimir Tod, the main character, is half vampire and half human and he struggles a lot with the fact that he does not fit perfectly into both worlds. His parents die in a house fire when he is very young and he blames himself for that. He is a very nice, smart and caring boy. My only complaint about him was the fact that, to me, he didn't seem like he was 18 in this book. I had a really hard time picturing him and his friends as seniors in high school and had to keep reminding myself that he was 18, not 13. My favorite character would probably have to be Henry, Vlad's bestfriend/drudge. He is very funny and entertaining and he is extremely loyal to Vlad which are great characteristics to have. Despite only being human, he does manage to kill a few vampires along the way. Overall, the characters were interesting and fun to read about. Each had its own distinct personality and together they made the book better.
Relatability: Despite this being a vampire book, that is not all that it is about. It is about family, love and what a person will do in order to protect the people they care most about. Most people will do just about anything to save the people they love and that is the most relatable aspect of this book.
Cover: I really like the covers for these books. The cover changes as the characters in the book change. The first book takes place during Vlad's eighth grade year and the boy on the cover represents that. This book takes place during his senior year of high school and that is represented by the older version of Vlad on this cover. Also, the smiley face with the fangs is pretty cool. I like how for each book the smiley face is a different color.
Overall Impression: Not my favorite, but it concluded the series nicely. There were no unanswered questions and there was even a mini cliffhanger at the end!
Rating: * * *
Check out the review at my blog: http://best-of-ya.blogspot.com/2010/1...
Relatability: Despite this being a vampire book, that is not all that it is about. It is about family, love and what a person will do in order to protect the people they care most about. Most people will do just about anything to save the people they love and that is the most relatable aspect of this book.
Cover: I really like the covers for these books. The cover changes as the characters in the book change. The first book takes place during Vlad's eighth grade year and the boy on the cover represents that. This book takes place during his senior year of high school and that is represented by the older version of Vlad on this cover. Also, the smiley face with the fangs is pretty cool. I like how for each book the smiley face is a different color.
Overall Impression: Not my favorite, but it concluded the series nicely. There were no unanswered questions and there was even a mini cliffhanger at the end!
Rating: * * *
Check out the review at my blog: http://best-of-ya.blogspot.com/2010/1...
May 28, 2011
SUCKED SOOOOOO BAD!!!!!!!!!! What is up with killing off all the characters just like that! I had spent all my time reading those freaking series just to find out they all DIE and what is up with the main character being so weak, naive, and stupid he lets so many people just push him around! WHO said had to suck that Eddie Poe's blood, if I were him with all that power I would of just snapped his freaken neck right there and then, plus what is up with him crying all the time I mean jeesh I felt like I was reading about some whiney little girl "GOSH MAN UP!!" He had all those powers and used them only on occasions suckish much. Point is why waste my time getting used to all these characters just to have all of them killed. 'DEPRESSION ALERT!!!!!!!!" Oh and another thing the worst part is he dates the happy, perky girl and she doesn't GET FREAKING KILLED GOSH!!!! The most powerful vampires get killed and the coolest characters but not that stupid girl, I mean she could've got killed out of a threat of one his enemies, BUT NO, you kill Nelly, Dorian, D'Ablo and Vikas but you cant kill Meredith;. Yea sure whatever, there's a lot of things she doesn't explain in the book but let me just say ask if a vampire turns a human into a vampire and that automatically makes them their children, when he turned snow inta a vampire doesn't that make Snow his daughter and if he was dating her and still was after she was turned, that is that is total pedophilia, GROSS!!!!!!!
June 15, 2011
I just hate it when I read an entire series and then I don't like the ending.
This is the last book in The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod.
I liked the series a lot.
Really.
But, this last book -Sucks.
Yes, there was Bites, Slays, Bleeds, Burns and Kills, and to me, the ending - Sucks.
I really liked the series - it follows the life of Vladimir Tod from 8th through 12th grades and his experiences as a teenage vampire living in the normal human world knowing little about the vampire world since he was born to a human mother and a vampire father who had both died in a tragic fire when he was younger - or so he thought.
I felt the last book tried to tie all of the loose ends together and end the series without enough detail.
We are not given much detail about the lives of the other characters - Henry or Snow or Eddie or any of the others and they could have been fleshed out some more.
We never have been told how slayers have superhuman type strength although apparantly a new book is being written by the author about the slayers that will come out in the fall - perhaps the author will explain things about the slayers in that book. It will be called "The Slayer Chronicles".
And I just did not like the violence and killing of loved characters at the end and the character of Tomas either at the end.
I will read Heather Brewer's future books - I do like her writing and her stories - I just was not happy about the way this series ended.
This is the last book in The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod.
I liked the series a lot.
Really.
But, this last book -Sucks.
Yes, there was Bites, Slays, Bleeds, Burns and Kills, and to me, the ending - Sucks.
I really liked the series - it follows the life of Vladimir Tod from 8th through 12th grades and his experiences as a teenage vampire living in the normal human world knowing little about the vampire world since he was born to a human mother and a vampire father who had both died in a tragic fire when he was younger - or so he thought.
I felt the last book tried to tie all of the loose ends together and end the series without enough detail.
We are not given much detail about the lives of the other characters - Henry or Snow or Eddie or any of the others and they could have been fleshed out some more.
We never have been told how slayers have superhuman type strength although apparantly a new book is being written by the author about the slayers that will come out in the fall - perhaps the author will explain things about the slayers in that book. It will be called "The Slayer Chronicles".
And I just did not like the violence and killing of loved characters at the end and the character of Tomas either at the end.
I will read Heather Brewer's future books - I do like her writing and her stories - I just was not happy about the way this series ended.
Want to read
April 8, 2010The coverrrrr...The freakin' COVERRRRR!!
it's beautiful... Beautiful, I declare! Vladimir, you are amazing. <3
...anyways, everytime I see the cover I get a jittery and stuff... I'm sooo stoked about this book!! Clearly, the series has come a LONG, LONG way, and the books are such cliff-hangers. It's absolutly torturous and horrible, it makes me cry. :D I'm on Eleventh Grade Burns right now, so maybe I'll just purposely go slow so it won't seem like a long wait... But then again, that's nearly impossible because you just flippin' devour the book! :]]
it's beautiful... Beautiful, I declare! Vladimir, you are amazing. <3
...anyways, everytime I see the cover I get a jittery and stuff... I'm sooo stoked about this book!! Clearly, the series has come a LONG, LONG way, and the books are such cliff-hangers. It's absolutly torturous and horrible, it makes me cry. :D I'm on Eleventh Grade Burns right now, so maybe I'll just purposely go slow so it won't seem like a long wait... But then again, that's nearly impossible because you just flippin' devour the book! :]]
Want to read
May 26, 2010Omygod. Vlad is soooooooooooooo sexyyy!!! Best. Hair. Ever.!.
I really wanna know why the hell he ever liked Meredith. Snow is soooo much better for him.
I really wanna know why the hell he ever liked Meredith. Snow is soooo much better for him.
July 4, 2016
Sand to see the series ending. Sure to be a classic in its own right.
September 1, 2016
What a great way to end the series. My heart broke a little, but it was a fantastic story. I loved watching Vladimir grow up and find his way through life's challenges.
December 29, 2016
EDIT: Changed Brewer's name and pronouns.
At last we get to the last book in Brewer’s The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series with Twelfth Grade Kills. I can say with certainty that I’m glad to finally be washing my hands of Zac Brewer and his mediocre vampires.
Vladimir Tod has spent four years trying to survive being a half-vampire that has been spoken about in an ancient prophecy. Everything that has happened in the past four years of Vlad’s life is now coming to a close as not only are the Slayer Society moving in on Bathory, but Vlad also has to deal with the vampire council.
Plot
If I had to describe the plot of Twelfth Grade Kills in a few words it would be this: predictably trying to wrap up an entire series. That’s pretty much what happened in this book. Each book in this series has had a plot of their own, no matter how bare, and none of them except the fourth one has advanced the overall plot—Vlad facing his destiny as the Pravus by enslaving the human race. This very reason is why when we get to the last book we are faced with a plot that is trying to tie up all the loose ends from the previous books. Brewer definitely did not do a good job with that.
There was too much stuffed into one book. It was overcrowded with plot that should have been spread out in the previous books. Brewer’s problem was that he seemed to try and make a series that felt like JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series, where the books span an entire school year and the books catalogue multiple years. Brewer didn’t have nearly enough plot to pull this off. The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod would have been better in one or two books.
Another really bad thing about these books was all of the plot holes. Brewer trying to tie up all the loose ends is what made all of these happen. I have a feeling he didn’t really think out all of the plot before he started writing. And if he did then he didn’t think it through good enough.
The overall plot of the series wasn’t too good either. I probably would have liked the series if it was heavily condensed and not full of Vlad’s boring day-to-day life. The plot was spread way too thin. Brewer either needed to have more actual things going on in the plot or started the series in Vlad’s tenth year, or something. Eight Grade Bites was alright to stand alone. Ninth and tenth grade could have been combined; same with eleventh and twelfth grade.
Writing
Brewer’s writing is still too young to be considered good by any measure. It’s alright for this being—I assume—his first series but there are better written books by younger authors out there. Brewer’s style started out very simple and boring, then evolved to be clunky and awkward. In the end it wound up to be a sort of mix of the two styles. The last book was a mix of boring and clunky.
There was an over usage of certain phrases, like “as if”, that drove me up the wall. I will say that Brewer’s writing was easy enough to read. He doesn’t have a style that’s simple yet over describes things like Stephenie Meyer’s style.
Characters
I still didn’t like any of the characters. Vlad was a terrible person most of the time and only stopped being such a jerk in the last two books. He was a hypocritical boy who shamed people for their emotional choices but then turned around and did the exact same thing. He made idiotic decisions without really thinking them through.
The other characters I just didn’t care about. I did feel a little sad about what happened to Nelly but I couldn’t have cared less about the other characters. Even the villains were lackluster. They had sort of silly motives and were bested by a teenager most of the time so they really weren’t the best villains.
Things I Didn't Like
All you have to do is look at my reviews for the other books in this series to know what I didn’t like. The lack of vampire lore, the prophecy, and now all the plot holes. The lack of vampire lore and the prophecy are two things that I just think weren’t very well done. There was very little vampire lore and the prophecy business is your standard “the main character doesn’t want to be the person in this prophecy so they’ll try to somewhat fight it and end up fulfilling the prophecy anyways” prophecy story. The plot holes really made this series fall into itself.
Diversity
None of the characters races were ever described but it’s safe to assume Brewer meant for everybody to be white. Everybody was also straight, neurotypical, able-bodied, and cisgender. There were a few girl characters but they were either cliché’s of girly-girls or they were killed for Vlad’s man pain. There is really no diversity in The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod. Very disappointing.
Overall
I did not like this series. At times it did do well enough and there were small parts here and there that I liked, but I can’t say I liked the books or the series as a whole. There were multiple things wrong with this books series but it mostly comes down to the fact that it was boring and too long for such a simple story. If I ever do read anything by Zac Brewer again I hope that he will have improved in his writing.
Here is a link to my notes.
At last we get to the last book in Brewer’s The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series with Twelfth Grade Kills. I can say with certainty that I’m glad to finally be washing my hands of Zac Brewer and his mediocre vampires.
Vladimir Tod has spent four years trying to survive being a half-vampire that has been spoken about in an ancient prophecy. Everything that has happened in the past four years of Vlad’s life is now coming to a close as not only are the Slayer Society moving in on Bathory, but Vlad also has to deal with the vampire council.
Plot
If I had to describe the plot of Twelfth Grade Kills in a few words it would be this: predictably trying to wrap up an entire series. That’s pretty much what happened in this book. Each book in this series has had a plot of their own, no matter how bare, and none of them except the fourth one has advanced the overall plot—Vlad facing his destiny as the Pravus by enslaving the human race. This very reason is why when we get to the last book we are faced with a plot that is trying to tie up all the loose ends from the previous books. Brewer definitely did not do a good job with that.
There was too much stuffed into one book. It was overcrowded with plot that should have been spread out in the previous books. Brewer’s problem was that he seemed to try and make a series that felt like JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series, where the books span an entire school year and the books catalogue multiple years. Brewer didn’t have nearly enough plot to pull this off. The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod would have been better in one or two books.
Another really bad thing about these books was all of the plot holes. Brewer trying to tie up all the loose ends is what made all of these happen. I have a feeling he didn’t really think out all of the plot before he started writing. And if he did then he didn’t think it through good enough.
The overall plot of the series wasn’t too good either. I probably would have liked the series if it was heavily condensed and not full of Vlad’s boring day-to-day life. The plot was spread way too thin. Brewer either needed to have more actual things going on in the plot or started the series in Vlad’s tenth year, or something. Eight Grade Bites was alright to stand alone. Ninth and tenth grade could have been combined; same with eleventh and twelfth grade.
Writing
Brewer’s writing is still too young to be considered good by any measure. It’s alright for this being—I assume—his first series but there are better written books by younger authors out there. Brewer’s style started out very simple and boring, then evolved to be clunky and awkward. In the end it wound up to be a sort of mix of the two styles. The last book was a mix of boring and clunky.
There was an over usage of certain phrases, like “as if”, that drove me up the wall. I will say that Brewer’s writing was easy enough to read. He doesn’t have a style that’s simple yet over describes things like Stephenie Meyer’s style.
Characters
I still didn’t like any of the characters. Vlad was a terrible person most of the time and only stopped being such a jerk in the last two books. He was a hypocritical boy who shamed people for their emotional choices but then turned around and did the exact same thing. He made idiotic decisions without really thinking them through.
The other characters I just didn’t care about. I did feel a little sad about what happened to Nelly but I couldn’t have cared less about the other characters. Even the villains were lackluster. They had sort of silly motives and were bested by a teenager most of the time so they really weren’t the best villains.
Things I Didn't Like
All you have to do is look at my reviews for the other books in this series to know what I didn’t like. The lack of vampire lore, the prophecy, and now all the plot holes. The lack of vampire lore and the prophecy are two things that I just think weren’t very well done. There was very little vampire lore and the prophecy business is your standard “the main character doesn’t want to be the person in this prophecy so they’ll try to somewhat fight it and end up fulfilling the prophecy anyways” prophecy story. The plot holes really made this series fall into itself.
Diversity
None of the characters races were ever described but it’s safe to assume Brewer meant for everybody to be white. Everybody was also straight, neurotypical, able-bodied, and cisgender. There were a few girl characters but they were either cliché’s of girly-girls or they were killed for Vlad’s man pain. There is really no diversity in The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod. Very disappointing.
Overall
I did not like this series. At times it did do well enough and there were small parts here and there that I liked, but I can’t say I liked the books or the series as a whole. There were multiple things wrong with this books series but it mostly comes down to the fact that it was boring and too long for such a simple story. If I ever do read anything by Zac Brewer again I hope that he will have improved in his writing.
Here is a link to my notes.
January 7, 2011
This book was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!! It's definantly my favorite book of the series!!!! It was filled with action packed scenes, and intense romance. It was EPIC!!!!!!! i loved the ending, heather brewer really tricks you by making you think that vlad's one true love, Snow is dead. When i read that chapter where she dies, i was ssssoooo sad and felt like the book was incomplete... like that wasn't suppose to happen and the idea that i had for the ending, should've been right. But then on the last page Snow comes back to life, as a vampire!:D It was the perfect ending to a great series of Vladimir Tod.
Throughout the book was amazing too, it wasnt just the ending. Because throughout this last book his father comes back to life and the beginning of the book everyone is mad at him, but things slowly start to change as Thomas Tod gains back characters trust. Towards the ending though you find out that he really is an evil father, and that the only reason he made Vlad was so Thomas could eventually become the Pravus. I love that it has live a dark evil twist to the series, because almost all that vlad really believed or trusted was betrayed by his father.
This book really has some of everything... a type of book that everyone will like. Not only does this book have a dark, evil but intresting, and a happy ending, but it also has a sad one. Because the only person that Otis loved, and really a second mom to Vlad dies by Thomas Tod, Vlad's evil father. That is something that i didnt like about this book. But it is something that i feel the book wouldnt be complete without some tyoe of sad ending. But overall this book was AMAZING!!!!!!!! like i sayed before and i loved it. And the series Vladimir Tod.
Throughout the book was amazing too, it wasnt just the ending. Because throughout this last book his father comes back to life and the beginning of the book everyone is mad at him, but things slowly start to change as Thomas Tod gains back characters trust. Towards the ending though you find out that he really is an evil father, and that the only reason he made Vlad was so Thomas could eventually become the Pravus. I love that it has live a dark evil twist to the series, because almost all that vlad really believed or trusted was betrayed by his father.
This book really has some of everything... a type of book that everyone will like. Not only does this book have a dark, evil but intresting, and a happy ending, but it also has a sad one. Because the only person that Otis loved, and really a second mom to Vlad dies by Thomas Tod, Vlad's evil father. That is something that i didnt like about this book. But it is something that i feel the book wouldnt be complete without some tyoe of sad ending. But overall this book was AMAZING!!!!!!!! like i sayed before and i loved it. And the series Vladimir Tod.
March 6, 2023
this series is so nostalgic for me. I love it so much.
October 14, 2013
The Vladimir Tod series is amazing, but I think my favorite book out of the series was Twelfth Grade Kills. Vlad has had a tough life in the past 17-18 years being teenaged half-vampire half-human, and everyone keeps trying to kill him; even when they know he can't die.
When DiAblo tried to steal Vlad's invincibility/immortal traits/life, there's a ritual in which you steal the essence and kill the sacrifice. But he wasn't stronger than Vlad; Vlad was able to leave the Council building with his invincibility and life.
Vlad has a crush on his drudge, named Snow, he thinks that she would complete him, but he doesn't want to hurt her. He eventually dated her, they completed each other. But, when Death is calling, will he allow i to take her? Or will he change her so they can live happily together forever?
When a slayer, named Abraham, tried to kill Vlad, Snow shoved Vlad out of the way and took the stake herself. Vlad had to change her or h would be gone forever.
Vlad's dad, Tomas, came back to life, but, he never really died. He has killed Vlad's mom, a vampire friend named Aiden, and Nelly (Vlad's aunt, but she really wasn't his aunt, she was a friend of his mom, who was like an aunt to him). Tomas tried killing his own brother, who also is a vampire named Otis, who was protecting Vlad. Tomas tried the ritual, mentioned earlier, to steal the invisibility, but Vlad had to kill his own dad to save his life, everyone's life, and the fate of the world.
After everything, Vlad graduated from high school, was dating the girl of his dreams, Snow, who's now a vampire who has eyes that flash an emerald green color and loved Vlad with all her heart, just like she did as a human.
When DiAblo tried to steal Vlad's invincibility/immortal traits/life, there's a ritual in which you steal the essence and kill the sacrifice. But he wasn't stronger than Vlad; Vlad was able to leave the Council building with his invincibility and life.
Vlad has a crush on his drudge, named Snow, he thinks that she would complete him, but he doesn't want to hurt her. He eventually dated her, they completed each other. But, when Death is calling, will he allow i to take her? Or will he change her so they can live happily together forever?
When a slayer, named Abraham, tried to kill Vlad, Snow shoved Vlad out of the way and took the stake herself. Vlad had to change her or h would be gone forever.
Vlad's dad, Tomas, came back to life, but, he never really died. He has killed Vlad's mom, a vampire friend named Aiden, and Nelly (Vlad's aunt, but she really wasn't his aunt, she was a friend of his mom, who was like an aunt to him). Tomas tried killing his own brother, who also is a vampire named Otis, who was protecting Vlad. Tomas tried the ritual, mentioned earlier, to steal the invisibility, but Vlad had to kill his own dad to save his life, everyone's life, and the fate of the world.
After everything, Vlad graduated from high school, was dating the girl of his dreams, Snow, who's now a vampire who has eyes that flash an emerald green color and loved Vlad with all her heart, just like she did as a human.
November 14, 2010
***Spoilers***
It seems as if I have to state this every time a write a review: I strongly believe in God.
That being said, I'm very glad that Ms. Brewer made Vlad choose the side of good over evil. However, I don't like how she made the "Pravus" all-powerful (ultimate mind-control, the ability to make men forget things, striking people down with a single word, etc.). That just doesn't sit right with me, that sort of power is reserved for God, and He alone. I hated how abysmally EVIL his father was, though I can't say that I didn't see it coming, there was something "off" with him throughout the book. I adore how Joss didn't betray him in the end, and how Snow didn't die (fangirl, anyone?). But one of my major issues with these books actually don't have anything to do with the plot itself. It's the description of Heather Brewer in the back of the book:
"...Heather does not believe in happy endings...unless they involved blood..."
This is disturbing to say the least, and really troubles me, whereas the plot is great (Vlad always choosing the side of the just and good), Ms. Brewer's own views slightly distress me.
Overall, I was satisfied with this book, but (and pardon the caps), NELLY DID NOT HAVE TO DIE! THAT WAS COMPLETELY POINTLESS AND UNNEEDED, ONLY WISHING TO CAUSE VLAD, OTIS, NOT TO MENTION THE READERS, PAIN? THAT'S SICK!
It seems as if I have to state this every time a write a review: I strongly believe in God.
That being said, I'm very glad that Ms. Brewer made Vlad choose the side of good over evil. However, I don't like how she made the "Pravus" all-powerful (ultimate mind-control, the ability to make men forget things, striking people down with a single word, etc.). That just doesn't sit right with me, that sort of power is reserved for God, and He alone. I hated how abysmally EVIL his father was, though I can't say that I didn't see it coming, there was something "off" with him throughout the book. I adore how Joss didn't betray him in the end, and how Snow didn't die (fangirl, anyone?). But one of my major issues with these books actually don't have anything to do with the plot itself. It's the description of Heather Brewer in the back of the book:
"...Heather does not believe in happy endings...unless they involved blood..."
This is disturbing to say the least, and really troubles me, whereas the plot is great (Vlad always choosing the side of the just and good), Ms. Brewer's own views slightly distress me.
Overall, I was satisfied with this book, but (and pardon the caps), NELLY DID NOT HAVE TO DIE! THAT WAS COMPLETELY POINTLESS AND UNNEEDED, ONLY WISHING TO CAUSE VLAD, OTIS, NOT TO MENTION THE READERS, PAIN? THAT'S SICK!
January 12, 2011
Poor Vlad -- he thinks his father's return will mean he'll live happily ever after...in vampire terms. But complications continue. I was excited to see Vlad and Henry and Joss all really mature and develop into strong characters. I had such a hard time liking Joss for the other books. He seemed so one-dimensional. But in this one he really grows. The twists were breath-taking. The double-crosses were both anticipated and horrible surprises. People die here...good people, people who made a difference. Bad people die here...bad people who deserved what they got.
My friend Kathy wonders if Brewer has left the door open for Vlad-goes-to-college, and I absolutely think she has...and an interesting change of scenery also. Vlad fulfills the prophesy and he keeps his humanity.
This was a fun series that got stronger with each book. The parallels to Star Wars, to Harry Potter, are strong, but this story of an abandoned child who must find his own way to adulthood is hard-wired into our DNA, I think.
My friend Kathy wonders if Brewer has left the door open for Vlad-goes-to-college, and I absolutely think she has...and an interesting change of scenery also. Vlad fulfills the prophesy and he keeps his humanity.
This was a fun series that got stronger with each book. The parallels to Star Wars, to Harry Potter, are strong, but this story of an abandoned child who must find his own way to adulthood is hard-wired into our DNA, I think.
April 7, 2011
SPOILERS********************************************************************
I love Heather Brewer's writing. LOVE it. I read each of these books in less than entire day. This book is a piece of pure genius....however, the ending drives me insane. For one, what purpose does it serve that Nelly died? Granted, it gives her some points for making the reader feel certain emotions...but this was just too far. Nelly didn't deserve what she got and it just makes me sick.
However, the near death of Snow was devastating, and to have her come back in the end was nice. Having all of the supporting characters killed off would have been awful, and would just piss people off. Also, i can't help but question Heather's judgement in ending the book the way she did. What is the iridescent green flash of Snow's eyes going to mean, if anything? Why would you write a SERIES ending that is vague and leaves more questions? It's driving me crazy, and if Heather doesn't mention something about it in her next series, or even some other series, i'm going to be EXTREMELY upset.
I love Heather Brewer's writing. LOVE it. I read each of these books in less than entire day. This book is a piece of pure genius....however, the ending drives me insane. For one, what purpose does it serve that Nelly died? Granted, it gives her some points for making the reader feel certain emotions...but this was just too far. Nelly didn't deserve what she got and it just makes me sick.
However, the near death of Snow was devastating, and to have her come back in the end was nice. Having all of the supporting characters killed off would have been awful, and would just piss people off. Also, i can't help but question Heather's judgement in ending the book the way she did. What is the iridescent green flash of Snow's eyes going to mean, if anything? Why would you write a SERIES ending that is vague and leaves more questions? It's driving me crazy, and if Heather doesn't mention something about it in her next series, or even some other series, i'm going to be EXTREMELY upset.
September 17, 2017
The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod conclude (for now, though I hope Uncle Z returns to this world someday, whether it be a prequel centered on Otis or a sequel about Vlad's college years and beyond) with blood, gore, guts, and delights everywhere. Not to mention what is, by far, the twistiest plot this author has ever come up with - even from the very beginning, when a major villain is unceremoniously killed off in the prologue, followed by the first steps towards the resolution of the many cliffhangers of Eleventh Grade Burns. Resolution which you think you'll be able to see coming, but then holy God, the ways Brewer subverts all the expectations...I am cry, still, just a little from thinking about it.
I seriously wish Vlad Tod and Z Brewer got more love from the YA world at large. These books and their author are shining stars that not nearly enough people know about and appreciate.
But for now, Vlad Tod, I hereby wish you ave atque vale.
I seriously wish Vlad Tod and Z Brewer got more love from the YA world at large. These books and their author are shining stars that not nearly enough people know about and appreciate.
But for now, Vlad Tod, I hereby wish you ave atque vale.
February 11, 2015
The final instalment was the best of the series. Vlad started making use of his abilities to achieve his goals, and many of the errant story threads were drawn together. A few lose ends were left open for future spinoff series.
May 16, 2011
My daughter liked it, but I thought it was predictable and not as exciting as the 10th and 11th grade books.
December 20, 2010
Vladimir life was at stake (literally). but he couldn't be worried about that now, not when he just saw the ghost from his past and he had to find him at all cost.
not just that, there's a lot of things he couldn't left behind. like the fact that the place he'd grown up might be gone in the end of year. or that Eddie tried once more to made Vlad wanted to kick his butt, much. or about his stupid heart and mind which cooperated to keep Snow not too far away from him.
bad enough, he had to see Snow everyday in school.
bad enough, his dad's journal was gone. even though they needed it fast, because maybe, it's the only ticket to get through his dad trial, the slayers, and Em's glare.
but time is ticktocking and the end of year wasn't that far enough. even with his friends at his side, trusting someone might be a disaster. even if that someone was the one he loved...
I'm searching for this book IN EVERY BOOKSTORES I CAME IN!!! Did I get it? sadly no. I mean, I swore I saw this book in Times Bookstore but back then, I had no idea how good this series was and when I was back, eager to put my hand on this book, IT'S NOWHERE TO BE FOUND!
*breaths hard*
that's really made me want to say the 'F' word.
so, I gave up. I got my computer back, and downloaded Torrent, so I thought why don't I risk to get the audiobook instead? sure, I doubted I could hear properly or if I could understand (with english and all). but then, I thought it would be a good thing to learn listening english since by the way, I'll get my stupid exam in April and it had the stupid listening. I mean the question.
well, I felt like I was writing a diary.
SPOILER!!! THERE'S NO DOUBT THIS REVIEW WOULD BE!!!
first, like usual, The Characters.
Vladimir Tod. it's SO AMAZING how he, someone who was so childish I wanted to beat him to pulp in Eleventh Grade Burns could be this mature! there's no sign of the gloom boy back then. there's only the determined, someone who admired his mistakes, and strong enough to kept his mind from exploding.
okay, I might be not too happy about the Pravus things, I mean seriously glowing eyes? that creeps the laugh out of me.
he learned a lot, his distrust of things around him was better than his stupid trusting mind. I mean, his life was hard! there's no way he didn't learn to trust nobody, right?
but I was so proud of him for what he'd done to Joss. forgave him! that's certainly something I could never do. that, maybe a big mistake, but he also thought about that much and used his brain and heart for every decisions.
and he even admired his fault to Snow! for one thing, I thought it was cruel thing to do. he was almost dead! but I couldn't blame him from wanting to have a happy life before he died.
okay, he might still between Snow and Meredith, but whatever.
Henry MacMillan. I'm so AWESOME!!! (laugh if you want) I knew he'll went out with October! they were SOOOO fit together! Henry was so easily bored boyfriend and October would never ever made him bored. okay, so different maybe, but I was totally on this pairing!
as usual, Henry could make me laugh easily. and those Tacos? what I could only thing was HE EATS MUCH. well, as much as I'm maybe. with lobsters I can't ever resist (and I can go on forever anyway).
Henry might be had so much weird ideas, but he was one of someone who could see the bright things in the darkness. something Vlad and Joss couldn't do.
Joss MacMillan. I might think Vlad was weird enough to kept him as his friend still, but I was happy. Joss had a life just as hard as Vlad's. he was, not literally of course, at stake. killing your own friend or losing everyone he loved? that's sure will get the hell out of me.
no wonder he had insomniac.
what I admired from him was, he admired his mistakes and even threw his pride aside for that.
and he was brave. there's no doubt about that. he even big-hearted enough to kept being with Meredith and her pink-stuff.
but maybe, because he loved her. though I'm not sure he loved her bunny pink.
Otis Otis. I couldn't keep imagine he was, like Lupin/Sirius in Harry Potter or Chiron in Percy Jackson or... (I could go on forever). the thing was, his distrust toward his brother was something greatly understandable.
but he started to believe his brother back. because even if Thomas wasn't not suspicious, he was his family, and family supposed to forgive and be together.
he didn't believe prophecy. not that it wasn't weird, but considering he was Vampire which also a myth...
Thomas Tod. first time, I knew there's something about him. I mean, that he wasn't really a good guy. but then I couldn't blame to believe him anyway, he sounded so honest and pure and good. how could you think of him as a bad guy? Em was gonna kill him and his wife was found with another body...
but the stupid thing was, he believed myth? seriously?
Aunt Nelly. she was so good hearted and open-up. and just like Vlad, Thomas was her family, that was why she was easily forgive him.
also, she was kind, there's no way she wouldn't forgive him!
Vikas. I COULDN'T BELIEVE HE WAS A BAD GUY!!! no way! he was my favorite here just like Otis! but then, the thing he was a bad guy didn't even flatter my love for him anyway.
sadly, he died in stupid accident. yeah, I hate that part! if he was going to die, why don't it'd be a merciless but cool death like Joss staked him? that's a lot cooler.
Snow. I might can't see why Vlad was so in love with her since in Eleventh Grade Burns, there's not much chemistry between them.
still, Snow in her black goth, much better than Meredith's pinky stuff.
also, because she was a pride, independent girl who didn't scream for stupid boys. and she was strong, not even crossed she would take revenge for stupid things Vlad had done to her.
that's what being a girl mean.
and then, there's something bothering my mind. Vlad gave her his blood and he was half-human, didn't it will made Snow different from other vampires?
Eddie. okay, I forgot his last name but that wasn't important anyway. even if he was annoying, I salute him for being so stubborn to get what he wanted.
Em. she was too temperament to be a leader. let alone a tyrant. but whatever, though she wasn't my appetite in villain, I didn't think of her much. she didn't appear much either anyway...
Meredith Bookstone. at first, I liked her. much anyway. but in this book, when she cornered Snow, I wanted to smack her face all around! I HATE MEAN GIRLS!
The Story
problems seemed like they will die if they didn't bother Vlad's life. but hey, this is a novel!
okay, first about my-dad-is-back-from-death! was sooo fiction-ish. I mean, so much books had that kind of mystery but yet, Vlad was the Pravus, so let's get this book some slacks.
and The Pravus thing anyway, made me wanted to roll my eyes over to my knees. well, I'm tired with ALL the prophecy things since Harry Potter back then and second, because I didn't believe in myth. whatever.
oh, and forgot. the vampiric speed, the you'll-do-what-I-say with the glowing eyes things? that's too much. I found myself wanted to laugh.
anyway, the story was so complicated there's no way I would ever get bored! every chapters were cliff-hanger, I couldn't even concentrated what I was doing because my head started screaming "I WANTED VLADIMIR TOD NOW!!!" everytime I went to kitchen (partly that was good thing. I'll probably made my kitchen burn to ashes anyway).
when Thomas Tod came home? I could feel how upset Vlad was. I mean, he thought he was dead and then BUM! he said "I went all over the world!" that's pretty much ruined his mood. plus, Vlad had through a lot to find his father, with Em was going to kill him.
but then Joss came, he needed Vlad's help to saved the town from slayers. that's the best thing in this series EVER. with Joss, Vlad, and Henry, they made me wanted to hug them! they were sooo cute!!! their hatred forgotten to save everyone, even Henry did anything for them. though it was sure, hurt him a lot to know Vlad was going to die.
okay, maybe Henry wanted to save Vlad too. but well...
then when Snow and Vladimir finally back together, that's cruel, of course, Vlad was going to die! but Snow was a very kind girl, even it made me think Vlad wasn't deserved someone as good as she was. but I liked this couple after all.
or maybe because the only left was Vlad-Meredith or Joss-Meredith (Henry-October was the best).
the weird thing was, why didn't Vlad ask what was in his dad's journal? okay, he knew it contains a ritual or whatever, but his dad was a vampire! didn't he have, a sharp memory? seriously.
but after all, Thomas would lie anyway.
Vlad was too soft on Eddie. there's a lot of ways to kill him without bite! I mean, what's with the Pravus power anyway? he could snap Eddie's head splatter on the wooden floor any second.
I probably didn't like how it ends, I preferred a sad ending or something. but maybe this book was, sad ending.
Nelly was died (though I hate how it wasn't much described, I didn't even feel as sad as I should be), a lot was died (again, not described), and Vlad thought about his Pravus power too much but not about the war surrounding him.
even when Snow died, I couldn't feel his pain.
the bad guys were dead, Council of Elders were clear with Otis, and Vlad was graduating. that was sooo happy ending.
and Snow was back.
but still, it was still a cliff-hanger! I wanted to know how Vlad was going on after graduation or where Snow lived, she was a vampire after all. she couldn't live with her foster family, didn't she?
and there's more, Brewer wrote too much useless description. there always had 'and' in every paragraph through and through.
but I liked how she wrote the book, she had a great way of writing. I never got bored and irritatingly made me wanted MORE of hers!
good thing was, even though this was my first time hearing audiobook, and I assure you as an Indonesian, there's not much chances of me listening english words, but I could understand! YAAII for me!!!
the audiobook was easily understand and slow and fit to my ears. I could even imagine the Bathory high and hadn't touch dictionary! *patted my own back*
still, listening wasn't as fun as reading myself. sure, the voice was good for 40-something year old guy, but...
to get started, listening audiobook took TOO MUCH TIME!!! it's almost 12 hours! and that wasted so much my time, I could finished the book for about 4 hours reading at most.
secondly, I couldn't reading and listen to music at the same time. or I couldn't do something with my hand and listening to audiobook at the same time because it would distracting me.
and I certainly couldn't hear it in any place, because too much volume would made my ears sick in numbness (I'm hearing through my headphones).
that means, I'm not a fan of audiobook. three cheers for REAL BOOKS!!!
I can't wait for The Slayer Chronicles but not so wanting for Bloodbound (it had too much romance I think, with boys and one girl. but don't judge a book from its synopsis, right?).
I really would going to find this series boxset. but not before I'm done with my exam (if I found the boxset and had money to buy).
I really am recommended this series for whoever who was fans of Darren Shan and sick of romance books.
PS. this maybe the longest review I've ever made!
not just that, there's a lot of things he couldn't left behind. like the fact that the place he'd grown up might be gone in the end of year. or that Eddie tried once more to made Vlad wanted to kick his butt, much. or about his stupid heart and mind which cooperated to keep Snow not too far away from him.
bad enough, he had to see Snow everyday in school.
bad enough, his dad's journal was gone. even though they needed it fast, because maybe, it's the only ticket to get through his dad trial, the slayers, and Em's glare.
but time is ticktocking and the end of year wasn't that far enough. even with his friends at his side, trusting someone might be a disaster. even if that someone was the one he loved...
I'm searching for this book IN EVERY BOOKSTORES I CAME IN!!! Did I get it? sadly no. I mean, I swore I saw this book in Times Bookstore but back then, I had no idea how good this series was and when I was back, eager to put my hand on this book, IT'S NOWHERE TO BE FOUND!
*breaths hard*
that's really made me want to say the 'F' word.
so, I gave up. I got my computer back, and downloaded Torrent, so I thought why don't I risk to get the audiobook instead? sure, I doubted I could hear properly or if I could understand (with english and all). but then, I thought it would be a good thing to learn listening english since by the way, I'll get my stupid exam in April and it had the stupid listening. I mean the question.
well, I felt like I was writing a diary.
SPOILER!!! THERE'S NO DOUBT THIS REVIEW WOULD BE!!!
first, like usual, The Characters.
Vladimir Tod. it's SO AMAZING how he, someone who was so childish I wanted to beat him to pulp in Eleventh Grade Burns could be this mature! there's no sign of the gloom boy back then. there's only the determined, someone who admired his mistakes, and strong enough to kept his mind from exploding.
okay, I might be not too happy about the Pravus things, I mean seriously glowing eyes? that creeps the laugh out of me.
he learned a lot, his distrust of things around him was better than his stupid trusting mind. I mean, his life was hard! there's no way he didn't learn to trust nobody, right?
but I was so proud of him for what he'd done to Joss. forgave him! that's certainly something I could never do. that, maybe a big mistake, but he also thought about that much and used his brain and heart for every decisions.
and he even admired his fault to Snow! for one thing, I thought it was cruel thing to do. he was almost dead! but I couldn't blame him from wanting to have a happy life before he died.
okay, he might still between Snow and Meredith, but whatever.
Henry MacMillan. I'm so AWESOME!!! (laugh if you want) I knew he'll went out with October! they were SOOOO fit together! Henry was so easily bored boyfriend and October would never ever made him bored. okay, so different maybe, but I was totally on this pairing!
as usual, Henry could make me laugh easily. and those Tacos? what I could only thing was HE EATS MUCH. well, as much as I'm maybe. with lobsters I can't ever resist (and I can go on forever anyway).
Henry might be had so much weird ideas, but he was one of someone who could see the bright things in the darkness. something Vlad and Joss couldn't do.
Joss MacMillan. I might think Vlad was weird enough to kept him as his friend still, but I was happy. Joss had a life just as hard as Vlad's. he was, not literally of course, at stake. killing your own friend or losing everyone he loved? that's sure will get the hell out of me.
no wonder he had insomniac.
what I admired from him was, he admired his mistakes and even threw his pride aside for that.
and he was brave. there's no doubt about that. he even big-hearted enough to kept being with Meredith and her pink-stuff.
but maybe, because he loved her. though I'm not sure he loved her bunny pink.
Otis Otis. I couldn't keep imagine he was, like Lupin/Sirius in Harry Potter or Chiron in Percy Jackson or... (I could go on forever). the thing was, his distrust toward his brother was something greatly understandable.
but he started to believe his brother back. because even if Thomas wasn't not suspicious, he was his family, and family supposed to forgive and be together.
he didn't believe prophecy. not that it wasn't weird, but considering he was Vampire which also a myth...
Thomas Tod. first time, I knew there's something about him. I mean, that he wasn't really a good guy. but then I couldn't blame to believe him anyway, he sounded so honest and pure and good. how could you think of him as a bad guy? Em was gonna kill him and his wife was found with another body...
but the stupid thing was, he believed myth? seriously?
Aunt Nelly. she was so good hearted and open-up. and just like Vlad, Thomas was her family, that was why she was easily forgive him.
also, she was kind, there's no way she wouldn't forgive him!
Vikas. I COULDN'T BELIEVE HE WAS A BAD GUY!!! no way! he was my favorite here just like Otis! but then, the thing he was a bad guy didn't even flatter my love for him anyway.
sadly, he died in stupid accident. yeah, I hate that part! if he was going to die, why don't it'd be a merciless but cool death like Joss staked him? that's a lot cooler.
Snow. I might can't see why Vlad was so in love with her since in Eleventh Grade Burns, there's not much chemistry between them.
still, Snow in her black goth, much better than Meredith's pinky stuff.
also, because she was a pride, independent girl who didn't scream for stupid boys. and she was strong, not even crossed she would take revenge for stupid things Vlad had done to her.
that's what being a girl mean.
and then, there's something bothering my mind. Vlad gave her his blood and he was half-human, didn't it will made Snow different from other vampires?
Eddie. okay, I forgot his last name but that wasn't important anyway. even if he was annoying, I salute him for being so stubborn to get what he wanted.
Em. she was too temperament to be a leader. let alone a tyrant. but whatever, though she wasn't my appetite in villain, I didn't think of her much. she didn't appear much either anyway...
Meredith Bookstone. at first, I liked her. much anyway. but in this book, when she cornered Snow, I wanted to smack her face all around! I HATE MEAN GIRLS!
The Story
problems seemed like they will die if they didn't bother Vlad's life. but hey, this is a novel!
okay, first about my-dad-is-back-from-death! was sooo fiction-ish. I mean, so much books had that kind of mystery but yet, Vlad was the Pravus, so let's get this book some slacks.
and The Pravus thing anyway, made me wanted to roll my eyes over to my knees. well, I'm tired with ALL the prophecy things since Harry Potter back then and second, because I didn't believe in myth. whatever.
oh, and forgot. the vampiric speed, the you'll-do-what-I-say with the glowing eyes things? that's too much. I found myself wanted to laugh.
anyway, the story was so complicated there's no way I would ever get bored! every chapters were cliff-hanger, I couldn't even concentrated what I was doing because my head started screaming "I WANTED VLADIMIR TOD NOW!!!" everytime I went to kitchen (partly that was good thing. I'll probably made my kitchen burn to ashes anyway).
when Thomas Tod came home? I could feel how upset Vlad was. I mean, he thought he was dead and then BUM! he said "I went all over the world!" that's pretty much ruined his mood. plus, Vlad had through a lot to find his father, with Em was going to kill him.
but then Joss came, he needed Vlad's help to saved the town from slayers. that's the best thing in this series EVER. with Joss, Vlad, and Henry, they made me wanted to hug them! they were sooo cute!!! their hatred forgotten to save everyone, even Henry did anything for them. though it was sure, hurt him a lot to know Vlad was going to die.
okay, maybe Henry wanted to save Vlad too. but well...
then when Snow and Vladimir finally back together, that's cruel, of course, Vlad was going to die! but Snow was a very kind girl, even it made me think Vlad wasn't deserved someone as good as she was. but I liked this couple after all.
or maybe because the only left was Vlad-Meredith or Joss-Meredith (Henry-October was the best).
the weird thing was, why didn't Vlad ask what was in his dad's journal? okay, he knew it contains a ritual or whatever, but his dad was a vampire! didn't he have, a sharp memory? seriously.
but after all, Thomas would lie anyway.
Vlad was too soft on Eddie. there's a lot of ways to kill him without bite! I mean, what's with the Pravus power anyway? he could snap Eddie's head splatter on the wooden floor any second.
I probably didn't like how it ends, I preferred a sad ending or something. but maybe this book was, sad ending.
Nelly was died (though I hate how it wasn't much described, I didn't even feel as sad as I should be), a lot was died (again, not described), and Vlad thought about his Pravus power too much but not about the war surrounding him.
even when Snow died, I couldn't feel his pain.
the bad guys were dead, Council of Elders were clear with Otis, and Vlad was graduating. that was sooo happy ending.
and Snow was back.
but still, it was still a cliff-hanger! I wanted to know how Vlad was going on after graduation or where Snow lived, she was a vampire after all. she couldn't live with her foster family, didn't she?
and there's more, Brewer wrote too much useless description. there always had 'and' in every paragraph through and through.
but I liked how she wrote the book, she had a great way of writing. I never got bored and irritatingly made me wanted MORE of hers!
good thing was, even though this was my first time hearing audiobook, and I assure you as an Indonesian, there's not much chances of me listening english words, but I could understand! YAAII for me!!!
the audiobook was easily understand and slow and fit to my ears. I could even imagine the Bathory high and hadn't touch dictionary! *patted my own back*
still, listening wasn't as fun as reading myself. sure, the voice was good for 40-something year old guy, but...
to get started, listening audiobook took TOO MUCH TIME!!! it's almost 12 hours! and that wasted so much my time, I could finished the book for about 4 hours reading at most.
secondly, I couldn't reading and listen to music at the same time. or I couldn't do something with my hand and listening to audiobook at the same time because it would distracting me.
and I certainly couldn't hear it in any place, because too much volume would made my ears sick in numbness (I'm hearing through my headphones).
that means, I'm not a fan of audiobook. three cheers for REAL BOOKS!!!
I can't wait for The Slayer Chronicles but not so wanting for Bloodbound (it had too much romance I think, with boys and one girl. but don't judge a book from its synopsis, right?).
I really would going to find this series boxset. but not before I'm done with my exam (if I found the boxset and had money to buy).
I really am recommended this series for whoever who was fans of Darren Shan and sick of romance books.
PS. this maybe the longest review I've ever made!
December 29, 2022
I think a bit too much happened in this book. It felt rushed a bit. And although there were some great plot twists and resolutions, there was a lot left unresolved. There are some logical questions that the reader should not ask if they want to be happy. :) Vlad broke legs and assaulted people at school and nothing ever happened to him. This was after he put another boy in the hospital. And the aftermath of the finale is a bit questionable. But forgetting logic, the plot was nice and Vlad will be heading off to college. I don't know where he will get blood now, but I guess that's none of our business. She said The End! So no more questions. :) I liked that Snow was given some agency in this book. This series is seriously lacking in female characters who do anything. Nelly, of course, is the blood provider and mother figure, but Vlad never confides in her and she is basically background. Meredith and various other girls exist to be objects of affection--deserved or not. And Snow was pretty much an object up to now. So it was nice to see her independent and strong. I thought it was pretty crappy that
October 1, 2020
I'm gonna say it.
I dunno, this whole thing felt rushed and sloppy. I was incredibly disappointed. It honestly had a Twilight ending where everyone is fighting and then suddenly, it stopped. Like, the choice for the town to have a full-out war was a ...choice. When I knew it was headed in that direction I was like... oh... no. Really. Seriously.
The one props I will give is letting Vlad end up with someone else and not the girl the series led with. Changed it up a bit.
I dunno, this whole thing felt rushed and sloppy. I was incredibly disappointed. It honestly had a Twilight ending where everyone is fighting and then suddenly, it stopped. Like, the choice for the town to have a full-out war was a ...choice. When I knew it was headed in that direction I was like... oh... no. Really. Seriously.
The one props I will give is letting Vlad end up with someone else and not the girl the series led with. Changed it up a bit.
February 20, 2019
I loved this series and I'm so sad that there are no more books. This books series is emotional. This book series is powerful. This book series is romantic. And so much more. (*SPOILERS*) I was really surprised about the part that Vlad's father was actually evil, and the leader and founder of the Alumno. The Alumno is a secret organization that is dedicated to find the Pravus, a special half-human vampire that is immune to sunlight, impossible to kill, and ridiculously fast, strong, and powerful. Vlad is the Pravus.
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