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Karma Bites

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"Whoever said, 'parents are always right' really should have thought that one through. After all, my mom believes in vampires. Go figure."

All Abigail Thompson ever wanted was to be considered normal. Instead, she ended up a loner with a vampire–obsessed mom and a stamp labeling her the resident freak of Karma, California.

When bad boy Caleb Evans saves Abby from a mean girl attack straight out of a “B” movie, Abby’s own karma starts to improve. Maybe “normal” could become her way of life, after all. But Caleb isn’t the only boy to notice her. Once newcomer Gabriel Chambers becomes Abby’s new best friend, she finds herself trapped between two boys, both holding secrets. And when Abby learns sometimes things really do go bump in the night, she discovers one of those secrets could just get her killed.

205 pages, ebook

First published July 15, 2012

4 people are currently reading
772 people want to read

About the author

Nyrae Dawn

33 books3,912 followers
I am a compulsive reader and writer who loves YA fiction.

I love nothing more than writing about young adults. There is something so fresh and fun about it. You can pretty much always find me with a book in my hand or open document in front of me.


I live in Southern California with my husband and two children.

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5 stars
46 (17%)
4 stars
53 (20%)
3 stars
105 (40%)
2 stars
44 (16%)
1 star
13 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Profile Image for Jolene Perry.
Author 14 books278 followers
January 30, 2012
This book is totally made of hot guys, unexpected twists and FUN!!
Abby is SUCH a fun character to read, and I found myself both feeling sad with her, falling in love with her, and laughing out loud.

I adore the voice of this book :D
Profile Image for Dominique.
120 reviews
August 20, 2012
This was such a fun read! I'm not a vampire girl. I know…vampires are all the rage. Sorry, all the bloodsucking gives me the skeeves! Karma Bites was perfect, the right amount of high school angst, witty banter, cute boys, and things that go bump in the night.
Profile Image for Kelley York.
Author 23 books604 followers
February 12, 2013
The cover fits this book so perfectly. Loved the setting, and getting back to the roots of how vampires are portrayed. (No sparkles!) Along with a fun protagonist and gorgeous boys alongside a crazy (or is she?) mom, KARMA BITES is a fun, dark, and sass rolled into one.
Profile Image for Evie.
266 reviews20 followers
January 30, 2012
Helllllooooooo! It's Kelley Vitollo! Need I say more?

Nope, I needn't not sayeth any moreth.

EEEK!
Profile Image for Kala.
247 reviews57 followers
September 10, 2012
I discovered Nyrae Dawn a few days ago when I found Measuring Up on Amazon and loved it. I proceeded to buy all of her books and tore through them all in two days. This one was my least favorite, by far.

I liked it at first. I actually loved the first half. Abby is funny and occasionally snarky and cute. While I thought she was a little bit of a wuss when it came to the Mean Girls (who were a little over the top), I still liked her.

Caleb was also interesting at first, though I really didn't follow the progression of their relationship. He is a major jerk to Abby at school (yes, I realize we find out why later, but ABBY doesn't know that) and she still falls in love with him. They don't spend that much time together before she is in looooove.

Gabe was my least favorite character. I also felt the progression of his relationship with Abby was awkward and WAY too fast. He meets her in the woods (why is he even there??) then he just appears at her job. She tells him to leave and not only does he NOT leave, but he follows her into the back and refuses to leave. They then become BFFs.

This part is a spoiler! Sort of!

It ruined the whole story for me. I liked all her other books quite a bit and this one being so blah was a real disappointment.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
11 reviews
August 18, 2012
This book left me wanting the sequel, and I can't wait to see if and when that happens. Great characters, love the way you tied it all in. :)
Profile Image for Jessirae.
272 reviews37 followers
August 28, 2012
Karma Bites is another book to add on to my ever growing obsession, addiction and admiration for Nyrae Dawn. It’s also another one of Nyrae’s books that will be added to my all-time favorites list because I seriously cannot tell you how much she never ceases to WOW me with her work. Just when I thought her last book was my favorite, she goes and writes another, that I knew would be completely great, but instead I get blown away.

Whether it be contemporary or a paranormal book, Nyrae Dawn is a master storyteller, a master at writing books that you can easily lose yourself into where you can relate to the characters and the story. She has the power to make you feel like your living in the book rather than just reading it.

Karma Bites is Nyrae’s first paranormal novel and the first book of hers that I read with a female narrator. I can tell you that Nyrae excels at writing paranormal and she creates one killer female protagonist. (Was there even any doubt?!) I love how Nyrae eases us into this world with a steady pace that doesn’t lack excitement. She doesn’t bombard you with information, but leaves you with enough to want and need more. KB is not your typical paranormal book and not your everyday vampire story either. It’s different and unique, cool and believable. Nyrae Dawn creates her own vampires, giving them a twist within Abby’s story. These vampires don’t sparkle in the sun, but they are the menacing and dangerous creatures of the night with powers only humans wish to obtain. At the same time, they are capable of real human feelings and emotions where you can love them wholeheartedly.

Abby was an excellent main character. I adored her from the very start. Her voice was so clear in my head, I could almost see and feel her right next to me. Abby had this spunk, this attitude that really captured my attention and made her unforgettable in my eyes. She constantly made me laugh with her snarky comebacks and her never-ending sarcasm. I loved how real Nyrae created Abby. She was just a young girl who wanted nothing more than a normal life. I found Abby to be very loving and understanding. Despite what her mom believed in and the things she goes through, Abby keeps their strong, unbreakable bond. My favorite thing about Abby was her endearing and charming personality. Even when she said something silly and ended up embarrassing herself, I just ended up loving her more. She was just so adorable and cute I wanted to keep her forever. Abby was so easily relatable and so easy to connect with I felt like I could be friends with her in a heartbeat. Because my connection with Abby was so deep, whatever she was feeling my emotions were up front and center with hers. I felt her sadness, her loneliness, her anger, her happiness, her heartbreak and all her giddiness.

There are two boys in this book that will definitely make you swoon, but Caleb was my favorite all the way. He was mysterious, gorgeous, a green-eyed, black haired beauty I couldn’t get enough of. He was totally cool in that I-don’t-care-what-other-people-think kind of way. Although he was aloof towards Abby at times, he was kind to her when no one else would give her the time of day. He helped Abby a lot, believed in her strength when she didn’t think she had any and he boosted her confidence when she thought she had none. On the outside, Caleb had this bad boy persona, but he was vulnerable and sweet on the inside.

Nyrae surely knows how to pack in the action and give a little more than a punch to the stomach. Karma Bites had me at the edge of my seat to the point where I couldn’t seem to read fast enough for my brain to catch up with all the anticipation I was feeling. Right when things were going great for Abby, BOOM! Cue in explosive plot twist one after the another that keeps you guessing all the time. It’s intense and crazy and I was so swept up into a whirlwind full of emotions and turmoil. Just when I think it couldn’t get any better than that, it does. It really does. So many parts of this book was so unexpected, I’m at a loss for words.

Overall, Karma Bites is one fierce and riveting book. It has wonderful characters anyone call fall in love with, an exuberant storyline, and writing that can mesmerize all. Nyrae Dawn is one of very few authors who can make me fall in love with a book after the first page alone.

More Reviews on my blog: Words, Pages, and Books
Profile Image for Ktine.
138 reviews26 followers
January 7, 2013
I tried so hard to finish this... But it was too painful for my eyes.

There are three things that made this book cringe-worthy:

1. Annoying love triangle
2. Mopey Heroine
3. and not just enough plot to make it a worthwhile book.

There's only one thing I can say after dropping this book... Nyrae Dawn should stick to what she does best and not do a PNR again.

EDIT: make it four. I forgot to add this:
4. Instalove
Profile Image for Meli Videla.
637 reviews12 followers
August 21, 2022
Dos cosas.
Si en la tapa no dijera Nyrae Dawn jamás hubiera creído que ella lo escribió.
Por otro lado, ¿en serio no hay segundo libro? Es decir... ¿Qué fue ese final? :| jajaja todavía estoy como shockeada y lo terminé de leer anoche.

Para un domingo sin nada mejor que hacer, engancha :)
Profile Image for Luisa B..
Author 1 book24 followers
April 26, 2024
Este libro ha estado en mi lista de pendientes por 12 años, así que decidí que o lo leía o lo dejaba ir. Al final puedo decir que fue una lectura regular. Por momentos entretenida, por momentos ridícula -se nota claramente que fue escrito cuando estaba de moda los vampiros adolescentes…
Profile Image for Sara.
1,520 reviews130 followers
January 21, 2013
The book I read before this, I couldn't wait for it to end.
Reading this book instead, I didn't want it to end. I couldn't put it down. Except for dinner. And when the end has come, I couldn't believe I was already done. I wanted more. And I wasn't really satisfied about how it ended. I'm hoping for a sequel. I want more of Caleb and Abby. Oh, especially of Caleb. Right, I fell in love with him, like, immediately. He was so cute and so sweet! And he was a little mysterious and looked dangerous, when in reality he was all but. He was a real good guy and very protective and sweet. And, as Abby said, DELICIOUS!
I enjoyed so much their kisses too. Mmmmhh... so hot and sweet ant the same time!
I liked Abby, she's very nice, a good girl and brave. But still a little naive and I also didn't like some of her behaviours toward Caleb. She should have trusted him more. But still, a good main character.
My favorite is obviously Caleb, for all the reasons I listed above. I totally loved him! He was swoon-worthy! Sigh!
I didn't like Gabe from the start. I knew there was just something wrong with him. And I trusted Caleb in his judgement. Even in the end, I still couldn't let myslef like Gabe. He's brought too much pain.
I loved Christopher, Abby's dad, too! Really sweet and a great guy. I definitely want to read more of him too.
Abby's mom was okay, though kind of suffocating at times. I could understand her fears, but still... poor Abby, it was never easy for her. A good mom, though.
Stacy and her friends were just little evil girls.
Isaac was total evil, instead.
The story was good and fast-paced. It was never boring and there was always a little surprise or new event throwing Abby off balance. Not that she wasn't used to it already.

It's gonna show 4 stars, but it's more like 3.5 stars to me.
Profile Image for Autumn Review.
1,023 reviews524 followers
October 31, 2012
3.5 stars
Karma Bites is a story about a girl named Abigail, who is somewhat of an outcast at school. Her mom believes in vampires and as a result, people think Abby is a freak. She doesn't have many friends and has never had a boyfriend. However, she does have a major crush on Caleb. He's kind of the bad boy, but not really. Caleb just tends to hang out with the wrong crowd. Anyway, one day when Abby is getting picked on by the "mean girl" group, Caleb steps in and sticks up for Abby. They start spending time together and I'm sure you can guess what happens next. Then, Gabe arrives to make things more complicated for Abby. Family secrets are revealed and loyalties are tested.

Abby was a likable girl. I wouldn't say that she had many strong characteristics that stood out for me, but I liked her. I felt like she was in the dark about so much of her life. Then, towards the end of the book, pieces start coming together and Abby becomes more solid. Does that make sense? I liked her relationship with Caleb and would have liked to have seen more of them.

Even though there are two boys involved in the story, I didn't really feel like it was a love triangle. Caleb was definitely more likable to me and a better fit for Abby. We don't really learn too much about the boys until closer to the end of the book. In the end, I still liked Caleb more than Gabe.

Overall, I liked this book. I felt like it moved a bit slow in the first half of the book, but I liked how everything came together in the end. I'm a fan of Nyrae Dawn's writing, so I'm glad I gave this one a go. I will say that she has a definite knack for writing male POV's and I would have liked to have seen Caleb's POV. It's a good read for a fan of YA Paranormal. Appropriate for 15+.
Profile Image for Schmunzelrapunzel.
67 reviews6 followers
January 25, 2013
Duh, I have to say I was quite disappointed with this one,
at least I expected after reading the synopsis and seeing the cover that it would be a funny, sarcastic read.. well, don't make the same mistake as me..
The overall feeling of the book is just, sad, pitiful - ok there were family trouble, social problems at school and so on mentioned but I just didn't see it coming:
For example the mother who believes in vampires, I thought this at least would be a running gag, instead it's a nightmare for her.

The mentioned love- triangle, mhhmh, I have had a few issues with:
Boy 1: At least I didn't get why he suddenly/ finally treats her differently than before and does not ignore her and where the sudden romance comes from.
And there's a lot of over the top red herring regarding boy 1 going on, don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about missing subtlety from time to time but in-your-face "hints" which are just there that something happens.
And boy 2, well, I think he fulfills his purpose... (don't want to say too much, but I could go on endlessly)

The lovestory all in all is not very enticing or sizzling, and probably we all have smelled a rat earlier than good ol' Abigail.

I think the story was simply too short (205 pages and huge fond) to get to know the characters a bit, to have built up special moments and subtly seeded hints that would have made it much more captivating.

Profile Image for Marga.
177 reviews41 followers
June 27, 2013
Vampires. Yes, I would say I'm a sucker for these kinds of stories. I don't know if I'm pro-vampire or pro-werewolf, I guess it all depends on the story or maybe I'm just neutral about it.

The start was pretty boring but it eventually started to become interesting, especially when Gabe's character came around. I was a bit confused by what I was reading at the time, I just fnished reading Story of a Girl and the events in both books were so similar. I thought I was reading Story Of A Girl again.

There was also a moment when I started to doubt the plot but by the end of the story it was like it was reading my mind What I wanted to happen happened and what I predicted to happen next also happened. I don't know if this was a good thing, I'm kind of torned between it. I loved that I guessed it right but I also feel like the predictability of the story was too strong. I would like to be wrong too or maybe the twist would be more unforeseeable.

All in all, it was a good story. Something that I'd probably recommend to my vampire-book loving friends.
Profile Image for aiv.
115 reviews1 follower
January 6, 2015
The main thing that I liked about this was that it was short and sweet. The ending was abrupt enough, but not cliffhanger style, just in a way that kind of leaves you wondering about a few things... but nothing that plagues you.

It can be really off putting when supernatural novels go into long, lengthly descriptions of how everything works and are really long and stretched out. This was not the case with Karma Bites. The supernatural element doesn't kick in for a while and it's pretty straightforward.

The plot itself was kind of predictable, and a lot of things were very cliché. I wasn't the biggest fan of the voice of the MC - though it probably is realistic enough when it comes to the trail of thought of a teenage girl. But just like with anyone, you get tired of hearing someone say the same things over and over and have the same neverending insecurities.

It's one of the simplest novels I've read in a while and feels slightly amateurish (feels bitchy coming from a reader that isn't a writer but still). Not unmissable, but it was okay.
Profile Image for Adream adream.
114 reviews1 follower
August 21, 2012
I love the style of this book. I love the way Nyrae Dawn makes the main character think and speak. I liked the story. The main character was completely understandable and likable. And, yes, I loved the boys. The only thing I had problems with was the number of editing errors I found. There were a number of words that were obviously just typos that spell check would miss, and there was one part where we were told something, and then a few paragraphs later told again as if it had never happened (the main character was surprised to have heard it, but she'd already heard it before, was slightly awkward to read, that's all). There was one section of the book nearing the end that felt very rushed, as if there was more there but it had been cut out and we just went with it. BUT! I really love Nyrae Dawn. And I can't wait to read more by her. <3
107 reviews
August 23, 2013
So I was like, snorting and rolling my eyes most of the time. I mean, I really really really hate Abby. I can never see her as the heroin in any story. Abby's just stupid, stupid, stupid, and fucking stupid! I know she really really loved Caleb but she's only just a stupid, weak, ignorant 17 years old mortal girl. What made her think she'd be able to save Caleb? In such situation, her presence will only slow down the mission and be the distraction for her father to kick villain's ass or whatever.
Not only is she stupid, her personality is also seriously annoying me like hell. I was like, arghhh!!! Whatever, I just hate her. Period.
Profile Image for Roanne.
269 reviews32 followers
February 18, 2013
OH MY GOD THE VAMPIRE THING IS REAL?!?!?!?!?!

I can't believe it! I thought it was just like Northanger Alibi, you know assumptions and craziness. BUT OH MY GOD THEY'RE REAL VAMPIRES!!!

To be honest I really wished Abby was actually just dreaming. Or maybe she's a nutjob and it's one of her hallucinations...

So anyway, I guess this is the only other vampire story that I actually liked. The other was Silver Kiss.
Profile Image for Monik.
46 reviews10 followers
May 16, 2013
Me tenía pegadísima leyendo, no lo podía dejar, Caleb me tenía confundida pero me gustaba al mismo tiempo, odiaba cuando Abby huía en vez de enfrentar a las LP.. pero también tenía sus momentos...... Gabe..... nunca me gustó.. Estaba intrigadísima a mitad del libro y estaba segura de que se iba a poner bueno pero de pronto se me cayó la trama.. y terminó... No se la verdad si me gustó o si perdí mi tiempo..... sólo sé que es uno menos en mi lista.
Profile Image for Luu.
364 reviews8 followers
June 16, 2013
Me ha encantado!
Pero es una verdadera lastima que sea solo uno, me dejó con muchas ganas de una segunda parte. No es justo ese final D:
Hace rato no leía un libro sobre vampiros que me guste tanto. Aunque no es taaan original, si es muy entretenido, fácil de leer.
Me gusto la historia, aunque en algunos momentos me dan ganas de gritar.
Quiero una segunda parte!
Profile Image for Trisha.
5,928 reviews232 followers
August 18, 2013
a very cute, sweet and light vampire read. it was the perfect read for me to juggle during these really busy last few days.

But, because it was kind of light and short, I didn't feel like I fully connected to the characters or the story. but it was a fun read and perfect for summer!
Profile Image for Marj.
50 reviews29 followers
October 26, 2013
Clara is so hilarious ... I almost die laughing in the scene where she imagine Caleb is going to kiss her... she really got me in that one...:)

Caleb I thought his sort of a jerk ... but that's just because of vampires messing him... and OH...I forgot to mention he's HOT!!!
Profile Image for Laura.
158 reviews34 followers
Want to read
June 14, 2012
I need a release date. To know exactly how long it will take to read it. :)
Profile Image for Dani.
417 reviews197 followers
August 24, 2012
3.5/5 stars

Review to come :)
Profile Image for Erleen Alvarez.
Author 3 books91 followers
Want to read
September 24, 2012
oh, the cover looks gorgeous and the synopsis sounds promising..
i would love to read this...
Profile Image for Stephanie.
149 reviews
February 19, 2013
Young love with campers but this is no twilight it's a good short read with characters you'll love an relate to.
Profile Image for Andrea Tesares.
24 reviews23 followers
May 24, 2013
Ya no se que paso, todo empezó excelente, hasta la mitad del libro y al final, bueno perdió el sentido, le falto algo.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews

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