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Social Vampire
At a new school, you get a chance to reinvent yourself, so...why not be a vampire?
Gordon is hiding something. Is it the fact that he's secretly a vampire? No, of course n-wait. Yes. That's exactly what he's hiding. Let's go with that.
So when this nerdy teen moves to a small town where all the kids are obsessed with vampire fiction, he reinvents himself as their dream character: dark & brooding, cool as hell, and overly susceptible to stabs through the heart.
While rivaling the alpha male jock, garnering the attention of the most popular girl in his class, and forming a hilarious friendship with the girl next door (the only one who knows his secret), Gordon might find that his new school is the perfect place for him to shine-or, better yet, sparkle.
But if his classmates dig up the truth, it'll be the nail in his coffin...
- GenresYoung Adult
320 pages, Paperback
Published April 4, 2023
1 person is currently reading
1643 people want to read
About the author
James Schannep
12 books154 followersJames Schannep has no tragic backstory.
Having grown up in a fairly ordinary suburban household, with a family who loved him, he was forced to dream up far flung adventures on strange new worlds where the hero can save the day and make a difference through strength of character alone.
Schannep attended the United States Air Force Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in English Literature with a minor in General Engineering. After serving honorably as a Nuclear Missile Command and Control Officer, he returned to trying to make a difference through story.
As a screenwriter, game designer, and novelist, he is probably best known for his Click Your Poison series of interactive gamebooks.
Social Vampire is his first novel.
When not dreaming up strange new worlds, James lives in the one inhabited by his wife, who faithfully remains the patroness of his art, and with his children, who don’t quite grasp what they’ve inherited yet with such an eccentric father.
Having grown up in a fairly ordinary suburban household, with a family who loved him, he was forced to dream up far flung adventures on strange new worlds where the hero can save the day and make a difference through strength of character alone.
Schannep attended the United States Air Force Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in English Literature with a minor in General Engineering. After serving honorably as a Nuclear Missile Command and Control Officer, he returned to trying to make a difference through story.
As a screenwriter, game designer, and novelist, he is probably best known for his Click Your Poison series of interactive gamebooks.
Social Vampire is his first novel.
When not dreaming up strange new worlds, James lives in the one inhabited by his wife, who faithfully remains the patroness of his art, and with his children, who don’t quite grasp what they’ve inherited yet with such an eccentric father.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 8, 2023
Gordon and his dad move to a small town. As Gordon is the new kid at school and no one knows him, he gets to reinvent himself, so he chooses to be... a teen vampire!
I really liked the book. It's written with lots of humor, and the main character is so relatable. We've all been there, being 15 and wanting to impress. There are also sad moments in the book, which are also beautifully written. All of the characters (the main ones and the secondary ones) are well developed. I definitely recommend the book for young adult fiction fans, and/or for vampire fans.
** Thanks to BookSirens and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion. **
I really liked the book. It's written with lots of humor, and the main character is so relatable. We've all been there, being 15 and wanting to impress. There are also sad moments in the book, which are also beautifully written. All of the characters (the main ones and the secondary ones) are well developed. I definitely recommend the book for young adult fiction fans, and/or for vampire fans.
** Thanks to BookSirens and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion. **
April 10, 2023
This was a charming book geared to high level MG or YA. I enjoyed the levels of depth the author portrayed - a great story for MG/YA aged people who could appreciate a boy doing his best to fit in at a new school in a new town. The father/son dynamic allowed me as an adult to connect to the story better as we see the pair going through a big change in their life. Some funny writing techniques kept me reading and waiting to see what would happen. Fun read.
September 25, 2023
A binge-worthy coming of age story that will take you on an emotional roller coaster filled with cringey awkward teen angst, laugh out loud humor, extremely touching tear-inducing moments, and vampires! A book about and written with empathy, a great YA novel (for the YA’s and their parents, I’d say) from author James Schannep!
May 18, 2023
James Schannep’s coming-of-age teen comedy, Social Vampire, delivers Mariana Trench-level deep point of view. The novel is told from the perspective of the protagonist, Gordon. Who happens to be an immortal fourteen-year-old vampire. The strong character voice is not the author, or narrator, but the voice of the main character. And Schannep masters the execution with ease.
The novel is also filled with great theme-building right out of the gate. There is a strong 80’s or 90’s vibe - or that might be this reviewer projecting his own coming-of-age era on the scenes. The use of film motifs and storyteller jargon, topped off with just enough Nerd to upset a Beta, is blended with plenty of Dungeons and Dragons references to satisfy lots of different target demographics. All while serving the purpose of character development, premise support, and plot progression.
When you enter a new school, you get the chance to reinvent yourself, so... why not be a vampire?
Gordon is hiding something. It could be the fact that he's secretly a vampire. Yes - that's exactly what he's hiding. He decides to go with that. When the nerdy teen moves to small town Montana - where all the kids are obsessed with vampire fiction - Gordon reinvents himself as their dream character: dark & brooding, cool as hell, and overly susceptible to stabs through the heart.
The school’s alpha male jock is also garnering the attention of the most popular girl in Gordon’s class, and forming a close friendship with the girl next door (the only one who knows Gordon’s secret). Will he find that this new school is the perfect place for him to shine - or, better yet, sparkle.
Not if his classmates dig up the truth. That'll be the nail in his coffin...
The teen angst and snarky sarcasm is strong in this one. Throughout the novel, Gordon’s thoughts are Teen thoughts. Everything from his judgment of adults, and incomplete understanding of what his Dad faces, are handled from the internal monologue perspective of a frustrated teen. There are good jokes on almost every page that land just right and will put a smirk on the reader’s face.
The use of theater, film, and screenplay terminology was executed with apt skill. There were, however, moments when readers may not be compelled to continue reading the story. Near the muddled middle nothing seems to be happening even though there is a lot of activity on the page.
Still, once the plot line picks back up, readers find Gordon using his real-life frustrations for a Dungeons and Dragons campaign with his old friends. The immortal fourteen-year-old faces a lot - his coming-of-age, the challenge of moving to a new town, and entering a new high school. All this while trying to meet people, make friends, and avoid trouble with existing cliques. Schannep gets it, and conveys Gordon’s emotions quite well.
Overall, the novel was quite entertaining but there was not much substance until the final moments of the story arc. This was a good, fun read with well-placed jokes that land every time. James Schannep plays off the tropes introduced by Twilight films with a tongue-in-cheek approach.
The book will remind older readers of the Michael J. Fox Teen Wolf movie. Kids, let me catch you up. A werewolf, played by a Fox, is an unpopular kid who gains great popularity through supernatural gifts that arrive with puberty. He then wrestles with the meaning of true friendship, kindness, community, and fair play. (Cue After School Special theme song…)
Social Vampire has enough Teen Wolf blended with hints of Twilight, and a healthy dash of Nerd Culture, to please any pop culture aficionado. The best part of the entire novel may be the BIG theatric surprise ending - readers will smile, laugh, and cry!
James Schannep is addicted to story. It started with just a few movies at friends’ houses, books at school, then getting the harder stuff from his older sisters and their boyfriends. Once he was hooked, James couldn’t get enough. He needed more, and in purer form and higher quantities.
Soon Schannep was on to whole book series and the seemingly endless RPG titles. It wasn’t enough to simply watch a movie anymore, he needed to know everything about it: minor characters’ names who weren’t even mentioned in the film, production notes, and so much trivia.
This is when James started dealing his own stuff. Nothing big, but enough to support his habit and that of his story-junky friends. James Schannep shared fan fiction with fellow nerds, he invented boardgames, made movies on the family camcorder, and even added his own voiceover to MST3K… When he created, it felt good.
Read more from James Schannep at https://jamesschannep.com and find him on social media at Facebook(@jamesschannep), and Twitter(@clickyourpoison).
The novel is also filled with great theme-building right out of the gate. There is a strong 80’s or 90’s vibe - or that might be this reviewer projecting his own coming-of-age era on the scenes. The use of film motifs and storyteller jargon, topped off with just enough Nerd to upset a Beta, is blended with plenty of Dungeons and Dragons references to satisfy lots of different target demographics. All while serving the purpose of character development, premise support, and plot progression.
When you enter a new school, you get the chance to reinvent yourself, so... why not be a vampire?
Gordon is hiding something. It could be the fact that he's secretly a vampire. Yes - that's exactly what he's hiding. He decides to go with that. When the nerdy teen moves to small town Montana - where all the kids are obsessed with vampire fiction - Gordon reinvents himself as their dream character: dark & brooding, cool as hell, and overly susceptible to stabs through the heart.
The school’s alpha male jock is also garnering the attention of the most popular girl in Gordon’s class, and forming a close friendship with the girl next door (the only one who knows Gordon’s secret). Will he find that this new school is the perfect place for him to shine - or, better yet, sparkle.
Not if his classmates dig up the truth. That'll be the nail in his coffin...
The teen angst and snarky sarcasm is strong in this one. Throughout the novel, Gordon’s thoughts are Teen thoughts. Everything from his judgment of adults, and incomplete understanding of what his Dad faces, are handled from the internal monologue perspective of a frustrated teen. There are good jokes on almost every page that land just right and will put a smirk on the reader’s face.
The use of theater, film, and screenplay terminology was executed with apt skill. There were, however, moments when readers may not be compelled to continue reading the story. Near the muddled middle nothing seems to be happening even though there is a lot of activity on the page.
Still, once the plot line picks back up, readers find Gordon using his real-life frustrations for a Dungeons and Dragons campaign with his old friends. The immortal fourteen-year-old faces a lot - his coming-of-age, the challenge of moving to a new town, and entering a new high school. All this while trying to meet people, make friends, and avoid trouble with existing cliques. Schannep gets it, and conveys Gordon’s emotions quite well.
Overall, the novel was quite entertaining but there was not much substance until the final moments of the story arc. This was a good, fun read with well-placed jokes that land every time. James Schannep plays off the tropes introduced by Twilight films with a tongue-in-cheek approach.
The book will remind older readers of the Michael J. Fox Teen Wolf movie. Kids, let me catch you up. A werewolf, played by a Fox, is an unpopular kid who gains great popularity through supernatural gifts that arrive with puberty. He then wrestles with the meaning of true friendship, kindness, community, and fair play. (Cue After School Special theme song…)
Social Vampire has enough Teen Wolf blended with hints of Twilight, and a healthy dash of Nerd Culture, to please any pop culture aficionado. The best part of the entire novel may be the BIG theatric surprise ending - readers will smile, laugh, and cry!
James Schannep is addicted to story. It started with just a few movies at friends’ houses, books at school, then getting the harder stuff from his older sisters and their boyfriends. Once he was hooked, James couldn’t get enough. He needed more, and in purer form and higher quantities.
Soon Schannep was on to whole book series and the seemingly endless RPG titles. It wasn’t enough to simply watch a movie anymore, he needed to know everything about it: minor characters’ names who weren’t even mentioned in the film, production notes, and so much trivia.
This is when James started dealing his own stuff. Nothing big, but enough to support his habit and that of his story-junky friends. James Schannep shared fan fiction with fellow nerds, he invented boardgames, made movies on the family camcorder, and even added his own voiceover to MST3K… When he created, it felt good.
Read more from James Schannep at https://jamesschannep.com and find him on social media at Facebook(@jamesschannep), and Twitter(@clickyourpoison).
May 15, 2023
Brooding, giggles, and unexpected sparkle accompany this unexpected fake-vampire in a small town, high school setting.
Gordon isn't thrilled that he's moving with his father from California to Montana. He's even less thrilled that his mother lied to both of them and left. But all of that can be forgotten thanks to the new town and new high school. It's his chance to finally re-image himself and start again. With his dad's support, Gordon takes on the most original, fun twist he can and decides to be a vampire. But being broody and cool is more challenging than one might think...and no, not because of stakes or blood.
I was hoping for a fun read, and this is exactly that. Gordon's idea to be a vampire is a little out there but holds just the right amount of quirkiness to give the high school drama zest. Humor reigns high, adding laughs right along with eye rolls, since the gullibility of the teens and their ideas is a little ridiculous...and makes it fun. Gordon's desire to fulfill his new identity is slightly over-the-top, and I adored that his father, actually, had his back. But that's only the beginning of the underlying goodness in these pages.
With all the quirky delights, there are some serious messages. Without revealing spoilers, Gordon is dealing with a heavier issue, and this has tossed his world upside-down. When this secret comes to light later in the book, his father's support makes sense and is more than touching. There are also more usual themes surrounding insecurity, trust in friendships, and fitting in. Also, there is a lovely and clear character arc as Gordon takes in several life lessons. So, among the drama, romance, fun, and fangs, there is also heart.
This is a quick read done from Gordon's point of view, and he has an entertaining voice. The author has also slipped in sections which appear as excerpts from movie scripts, since Gordon's hope is to work in the film business, and he often sees the world through that sort of lense. It's a light read with an original twist, which will draw in more than vampire fans. I received a DRC and enjoyed the fun quite a bit.
Gordon isn't thrilled that he's moving with his father from California to Montana. He's even less thrilled that his mother lied to both of them and left. But all of that can be forgotten thanks to the new town and new high school. It's his chance to finally re-image himself and start again. With his dad's support, Gordon takes on the most original, fun twist he can and decides to be a vampire. But being broody and cool is more challenging than one might think...and no, not because of stakes or blood.
I was hoping for a fun read, and this is exactly that. Gordon's idea to be a vampire is a little out there but holds just the right amount of quirkiness to give the high school drama zest. Humor reigns high, adding laughs right along with eye rolls, since the gullibility of the teens and their ideas is a little ridiculous...and makes it fun. Gordon's desire to fulfill his new identity is slightly over-the-top, and I adored that his father, actually, had his back. But that's only the beginning of the underlying goodness in these pages.
With all the quirky delights, there are some serious messages. Without revealing spoilers, Gordon is dealing with a heavier issue, and this has tossed his world upside-down. When this secret comes to light later in the book, his father's support makes sense and is more than touching. There are also more usual themes surrounding insecurity, trust in friendships, and fitting in. Also, there is a lovely and clear character arc as Gordon takes in several life lessons. So, among the drama, romance, fun, and fangs, there is also heart.
This is a quick read done from Gordon's point of view, and he has an entertaining voice. The author has also slipped in sections which appear as excerpts from movie scripts, since Gordon's hope is to work in the film business, and he often sees the world through that sort of lense. It's a light read with an original twist, which will draw in more than vampire fans. I received a DRC and enjoyed the fun quite a bit.
June 11, 2023
Gordon, a teen boy who is the protagonist of this story, and his dad move from Los Angeles, California to Bozeman, Montana after Gordon’s mom dies and his dad becomes unemployed. This put Gordon in the position of struggling with all kinds of things including coming to terms with his mom’s death, understanding dad’s thinking in uprooting them to move back to the town where dad grew up, and most of all figuring out how to fit in in a town where he knows no one and feels nothing like what he’s used to.
There are some things in this book that I could picture myself not buying into in most books, but I do here. For example so many of Gordon’s new classmate’s appearing to believe that he was a vampire, felt reasonable to me. Sure, I had to suspend belief, but it was easy to do. At points Gordon as the narrator presents events (or a fancied-up version of events) in the form of a montage as it would be presented in a screenplay, and it didn’t feel unnatural, because Gordon presented himself as a budding screenwriter so this approach seemed reasonable.
The part that I had no difficulty with and understood immediately was the difficulty in moving into and finding a way to fit in in a new school. While it has been a few years … okay, decades … no, not centuries, not quite yet, this was something I experienced a few times as a kid and still remember the struggle. While aimed at a younger audience I think even someone well out of their teens could still enjoy this book. Those in the young adult age range should like it and relate even more.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
There are some things in this book that I could picture myself not buying into in most books, but I do here. For example so many of Gordon’s new classmate’s appearing to believe that he was a vampire, felt reasonable to me. Sure, I had to suspend belief, but it was easy to do. At points Gordon as the narrator presents events (or a fancied-up version of events) in the form of a montage as it would be presented in a screenplay, and it didn’t feel unnatural, because Gordon presented himself as a budding screenwriter so this approach seemed reasonable.
The part that I had no difficulty with and understood immediately was the difficulty in moving into and finding a way to fit in in a new school. While it has been a few years … okay, decades … no, not centuries, not quite yet, this was something I experienced a few times as a kid and still remember the struggle. While aimed at a younger audience I think even someone well out of their teens could still enjoy this book. Those in the young adult age range should like it and relate even more.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
June 4, 2023
This novel is a comprehensive list of all the things you shouldn’t do as a teenager. The main character, Gordon, is placed in about the worst situation a youngster can endure: loss of a parent, new town, new school and various other problems. Unfortunately, his solution is to create a whole fictitious scenario that seems to solve everything but is actually damaging to himself and everyone he comes in contact with. In the process of unravelling the mess he has made, he learns a lot about growing up.
This author is a screenwriter, and it shows. The clearest and most moving sections of the novel are the screenplay vignettes. The play-by play of the handholding in the movie theatre and teenage Truth or Dare according to Hoyle are classics.
The basic conflict of the novel revolves around secrecy and the trouble it causes, but that’s only on the surface. Behind the scenes, the story is also about grieving, and the main emotional climax of the book is worth the read in itself.
The story is also about not being judgemental, and not trying to be something you’re not, and several other things we all need to learn during the teenage years. This gives the writing a rather polished “created by a parent” feel, relieved by the main character’s humorously cynical and self-aware approach to life.
A well-written and emotionally powerful story of teenage angst and — dare I say it? — redemption.
This author is a screenwriter, and it shows. The clearest and most moving sections of the novel are the screenplay vignettes. The play-by play of the handholding in the movie theatre and teenage Truth or Dare according to Hoyle are classics.
The basic conflict of the novel revolves around secrecy and the trouble it causes, but that’s only on the surface. Behind the scenes, the story is also about grieving, and the main emotional climax of the book is worth the read in itself.
The story is also about not being judgemental, and not trying to be something you’re not, and several other things we all need to learn during the teenage years. This gives the writing a rather polished “created by a parent” feel, relieved by the main character’s humorously cynical and self-aware approach to life.
A well-written and emotionally powerful story of teenage angst and — dare I say it? — redemption.
May 24, 2023
I got this book for free, in exchange for my honest opinion via NetGalley.
Anyone who knows me knows that I'm Team Zombie forever. However, after being apart of a Blitz for this book, I had to break my rules of no vampires and requested to read the book.
Gordon and his father are transplants from California to a small town in Montana. As the new kid in school, Gordon can be anything he wants. So he chooses a teenage vampire. He has to keep face however, when his crush starts falling for him, Gordon must keep face, and does everything in his power to sell the vampire story.
This was a nice read, it had equal humorous parts and heart. I even cried during one chapter. Me, crying during a vampire book! Unheard of. I understand that Gordon is a nerd, but all that D&D talk went right over my head, and thus made reading parts of this book boring. It also irked me that these high school girls are so caught up with their vampire series, that they readily accepted that Gordon was, well, a vampire.
Overall, this was a great read (even for a vampire novel). It's entertaining and holds the attention. I am definitely going to read more books from this author.
Anyone who knows me knows that I'm Team Zombie forever. However, after being apart of a Blitz for this book, I had to break my rules of no vampires and requested to read the book.
Gordon and his father are transplants from California to a small town in Montana. As the new kid in school, Gordon can be anything he wants. So he chooses a teenage vampire. He has to keep face however, when his crush starts falling for him, Gordon must keep face, and does everything in his power to sell the vampire story.
This was a nice read, it had equal humorous parts and heart. I even cried during one chapter. Me, crying during a vampire book! Unheard of. I understand that Gordon is a nerd, but all that D&D talk went right over my head, and thus made reading parts of this book boring. It also irked me that these high school girls are so caught up with their vampire series, that they readily accepted that Gordon was, well, a vampire.
Overall, this was a great read (even for a vampire novel). It's entertaining and holds the attention. I am definitely going to read more books from this author.
May 21, 2023
This is an entertaining and fun book! Gordon moves to a new town and a new school and introduces himself as not only the new kid but possibly a vampire. From the beginning you know that something is off and that it involves his mother. Over the course of the story, you are entranced as Gordon interacts (often poorly) with his classmates, teachers, and dad. There is mixture of teenage drama (crushes, jealousy, etc.), overcoming grief, and establishing relationships that pulls you in. The portrayal of being a teenager is realistic and the characters are well-developed and likable. This is definitely a coming-of age story that will readers of all ages will enjoy. "Team Gordon all the way"
May 29, 2023
I want to start off this review by saying I think I would have enjoyed this story a lot more if I had read it as a teenager, rather than an adult. I found Gordon to be somewhat annoying and frustrating as a character, although I did appreciate his character development towards the end. I thought it was interesting to see the author include sections of script in the book. What I enjoyed most was the family dynamic/plot point. I thought the author brilliantly captured Gordon and his dad grappling with grief, loss and distrust. This story mixed strong morals with a classic teenage school experience, and I would happily recommend it to teens and tweens
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2023
Social Vampire: A Novel
By James Schannep
2022
A LibraryThing Early Reviewer book.
I was expecting a Young Adult, run-of-the mill, vampire story. I was pleasantly surprised that it was a bit more. It is more a of coming age story, dealing with the death of a parent, moving to a new school, and how constructing a new identity and be a new or bad idea, considering how you do it.
I enjoyed the vulnerability displayed by the two main characters - Gordon, and his father. It seems like a very real relationship. The rest of the characters are a little less perfected, but work OK in the story.
4 stars.
By James Schannep
2022
A LibraryThing Early Reviewer book.
I was expecting a Young Adult, run-of-the mill, vampire story. I was pleasantly surprised that it was a bit more. It is more a of coming age story, dealing with the death of a parent, moving to a new school, and how constructing a new identity and be a new or bad idea, considering how you do it.
I enjoyed the vulnerability displayed by the two main characters - Gordon, and his father. It seems like a very real relationship. The rest of the characters are a little less perfected, but work OK in the story.
4 stars.
April 29, 2023
Very Clever . . .
This was a unique fun story where nerdy Gordon is starting at a new school and decides to create a new persona, to reinvent who he is and present someone new and different, sort of a second chance at life. So he will be a vampire and channel his new creation in that direction. But he will find it’s not the clean slate scenario one might imagine. There are still life’s complications and issues to deal with, and old habits and behaviors are so easy to fall back on, especially if we panic. Grab your copy and see if he can make it through unscathed.
This was a unique fun story where nerdy Gordon is starting at a new school and decides to create a new persona, to reinvent who he is and present someone new and different, sort of a second chance at life. So he will be a vampire and channel his new creation in that direction. But he will find it’s not the clean slate scenario one might imagine. There are still life’s complications and issues to deal with, and old habits and behaviors are so easy to fall back on, especially if we panic. Grab your copy and see if he can make it through unscathed.
April 25, 2023
I volunteered to read this ARC for an honest review. This was a fun story about a new student who is trying to reinvent himself. He faces all kinds of issues one that needs to be kept a secret. See how this vamp makes it work.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 30, 2023
This book is a funny social commentary on the joys of being a teenager in a new school and it also is really sad too!! I laughed and cried at this book and thoroughly enjoyed following Gore Don along on his adventure. I will be keeping an eye out for more by this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 2, 2023
What a great book. I loved the premise -- a new kid at school finding popularity by dialing into the vampire fad -- but it ended up being a lot more. Loved the setting, the characters, the pop culture, Gordon's gentle sarcasm and dry humor. I also really loved how this story ended up. Definitely recommended.
November 3, 2023
an entertaining YA novel about a young protagonist who pretends to be a vampire at his new school — while overcoming tragedy, grappling with social pressures, and learning how to be his authentic self. fun to read on halloween:)
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews