Suck It Up and Die

July 1, 2012
The sequel to 2008's Suck It Up fails to match its predecessor's charm. Now that vampires have come forward and learned to walk in the sun, it's time to campaign for equal rights. But Morning McCobb, geeky vampire spokesperson, just wants to hang with his EB (eternal beloved) Portia and work on his Lifer (human) dream of firefighting. Sadly, there's no rest for the immortal; villain Ikor DeThanatos is back, teamed up with a Palin-esque politician who hates vampires. Chock full of bad puns, a tensionless love story and underlying messages that come across more pointed than a hawthorn stake, this won't garner new fans (and there's almost no recap to orient newcomers, anyway). Messy mythology (the oldest vampires can sustain themselves by transforming part of their body into a creature they can then drink from) and unexpected shifts in character don't help (tough-girl vamp Rachel Capilarus becomes a daffy hippie). Meehl's wordplay (there's a glossary for the acronyms, initialisms and made-up words) and humor are out in full force, and there are moments of genuine sweetness packed into the campy, inconsistent story. Fans of the first may appreciate the happy ending, but most will wonder why the lily needed gilding. (Comic horror. 12-16)

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December 1, 2012

Gr 8 Up-A year has passed since the historic America Out Day, the day on which awkward 16-year-old vampire Morning McCobb led other vampires in their quest to integrate peaceably into everyday human life. Now, with Congress's vote on the Vampires Rights Act just days away, most vampires (sanguivores is the PC term) are on their best behavior. In this relatively gore-free, stand-alone sequel to Suck It Up (Delacorte, 2008), Morning wants out of the spotlight. He just wants to spend time with his human girlfriend, Portia, and focus on training to be a fireman for the NYFD. The advancement of vampire rights and Morning's desire to lead a quiet life are jeopardized when the evil vampire he and Portia killed in the first book comes back to life bent on revenge. It does not help that Becky-Dell Wallace, an outspoken and powerful anti-vampire congresswoman, is doing all she can to fan the flames of vampire phobia. It is up to Morning, Portia, and a few of their friends to fight back before the nice vampires lose the political ground they have gained. This book defies any efforts to give it a genre label. Action and suspense abound, with a little romance thrown in for good measure. In addition, between the soy-based blood substitute favored by vegan vampires and faux terms such as "dentis eruptus," Meehl fabricates a vampire experience that is not only laugh-out-loud funny but nuanced as well.-Jennifer Prince, Buncombe County Public Library, NC

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