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Grateful Undead #1
They're So Vein
Susan is 58-years-old and bored with life. Middle age is a daily drudge of sagging body parts and aches and pains. Her fervent prayer that she could somehow recapture her youth comes true one night during a chance encounter with a child-like vampire. As soon as the other women in her family see the transformation they waste no time in sticking their necks out, hoping Susan will share this new-found fountain of youth. Suddenly, this newly born group of hot-bodied vamps find themselves thrust into a world controlled by an ancient order of vampires. A world with rules, all of which the ladies pretty much break within hours of becoming immortals. And the little matter of the accidental epidemic of vamped out wildlife isn't exactly endearing them to the powers that be, either. They're So Vein is a hilarious and irreverent new twist on the paranormal/vampire romance genre.
269 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 9, 2011
30 people are currently reading
522 people want to read
About the author
Susan Stec
29 books293 followersNEW YORK TIMES Bestselling Author Susan Stec loves her Cavalier Buddy, that first sip of AM coffee, the sound her keyboard makes when she's on a roll, 70's rock, chocolate (lots of chocolate), iced mocha, and getting lost in worlds where myth and legend are reality. Her characters are always humorous, usually crazy, and, well, snarky. Oh, and they swear a lot. But don't hold that against them. They mean well...most of the time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
January 30, 2017
This is a good story but it didnt come without problems.
Character wise this was a mess. They were mostly unlikable characters. For various reasons too. Susan is the main character but we hardly hear from her. She gets more vocal at the end but when that happens she grates. She's got 2 daughters one has been in trouble with drugs and the other is kinda mean. Then we have Zaire the lesbian lover of her daughter Resi which I didnt like her at all. Too much wanting to fight all the time. Susan's sister JoAnn...just didnt like her. Very unsupportive and whined through the whole book! I think the character I liked the most was Christopher. An older vampire in a childs body who started this whole thing and his reasons were warranted although he went about it wrong.
No real romance in the book. A little but not much. They did some things together but they didnt even kiss...not that I remember and no love scenes. A little disappointing
I do like humor in my books. However, it was more of the same humor throughout the book. There came a time when it wasnt funny but annoying. The women bickered way too much and there was a different feel to the book from the beginning compared to the middle and end. It was interesting and funny at the beginning and it just went south after that. I struggled with some word choices in the book. Like when leered is used but it really should have been sneered. There is a big difference between the 2 and the topic at the time was opposite. I just dont think this book worked that well. Its a good story but it just didnt come out right for me. It dragged on a lot. It never really went anywhere and when it did it was short lived. I think this book would have been better had it been shortened and cut out the needless things that made it too slow and all the arguing among the characters was just too much.
Character wise this was a mess. They were mostly unlikable characters. For various reasons too. Susan is the main character but we hardly hear from her. She gets more vocal at the end but when that happens she grates. She's got 2 daughters one has been in trouble with drugs and the other is kinda mean. Then we have Zaire the lesbian lover of her daughter Resi which I didnt like her at all. Too much wanting to fight all the time. Susan's sister JoAnn...just didnt like her. Very unsupportive and whined through the whole book! I think the character I liked the most was Christopher. An older vampire in a childs body who started this whole thing and his reasons were warranted although he went about it wrong.
No real romance in the book. A little but not much. They did some things together but they didnt even kiss...not that I remember and no love scenes. A little disappointing
I do like humor in my books. However, it was more of the same humor throughout the book. There came a time when it wasnt funny but annoying. The women bickered way too much and there was a different feel to the book from the beginning compared to the middle and end. It was interesting and funny at the beginning and it just went south after that. I struggled with some word choices in the book. Like when leered is used but it really should have been sneered. There is a big difference between the 2 and the topic at the time was opposite. I just dont think this book worked that well. Its a good story but it just didnt come out right for me. It dragged on a lot. It never really went anywhere and when it did it was short lived. I think this book would have been better had it been shortened and cut out the needless things that made it too slow and all the arguing among the characters was just too much.
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August 17, 2012
All Susan wants is to get her phone over the bathroom stall wall so she can record the woman fighting with her seriously bratty child and post it on her website. One awkward fall later, and she lands herself in a mess of trouble. Becoming a vampire wasn’t quite what she meant she prayed for a more youthful body. To make things even worse, when her vain family members get a look at her new body they can’t wait to get a piece for themselves.
I mentioned in yesterday’s post how much I enjoyed the humor in The Grateful Undead: They’re so Vein. It was over-the-top humor in many ways with crazy antics and characters that never seemed to stop, but there was also a deeper humor that stemmed from the idea of what a person might willingly give up in exchange for youthful bodies and immortality. The non-stop comedy bred a certain amount of chaos in the book. At times the chaos slowed the story down when outrageous arguments lasted a little too long or strayed away from the main story, but for the most part the humor kept the story moving at a swift pace. It was hard to ever predict where the story was going, but I felt certain that whatever popped up next was going to have me laughing.
The story itself was enjoyable. It was light, and flowed along with the laughs. I was expecting a little bit more complicated plot at first, but really, how serious and deep can you get with vampire raccoons and pint-sized century-old vampires? This was more of a situation comedy. There aren’t intricate plot twists or overly complex designs. The characters are over the top as well, but each one has a unique personality. The odd dynamic of the family only increases that craziness and fun. The characters are definitely memorable. The majority of this book was dialog between the characters – largely arguments that were funny – but there were times when the dialog could have been broken up more often to give readers a break from the intensity of the characters.
Despite being a very funny book, there are some aspects that may turn readers off. There is a decent amount of profanity throughout the book. There are multiple sexual references and several sexual scenes – one of which got quite graphic. Two of the characters are homosexual, and there relationship is discussed throughout the book. If you’re a reader that doesn’t care to read these types of things, this book is not for you, as they are found through the majority of the book. Because of these, this book does earn a spot on my “No way would I let my teenage nieces read this” book list.
This book is a fun, quick read that’s great for when you need a break from all the serious day to day stress.
Would I recommend this book? With caution, mainly because of the amount of language, sex, and homosexuality. It is a very funny book, and while some readers will have no problem with these, others will. If you want comedy and don’t mind the adults themes, you’ll really enjoy this book. If you don’t want to read those sorts of themes, this book is not for you.
Who would I recommend this book to? Vampire enthusiasts won’t find the brooding and serious vamps they might be expecting, but I think vampire lovers and those who never really jumped on the Twilight bandwagon can enjoy Stec’s vampires. Comedy readers will love it. It’s definitely one for adults, though. I think chick lit readers will enjoy this as well as those who are in the stage of wishing their cute and perky days weren’t so far behind them. Teens and those looking for cleaner comedy may want to choose something else.
Check out my other reviews on The Edible Bookshelf
I mentioned in yesterday’s post how much I enjoyed the humor in The Grateful Undead: They’re so Vein. It was over-the-top humor in many ways with crazy antics and characters that never seemed to stop, but there was also a deeper humor that stemmed from the idea of what a person might willingly give up in exchange for youthful bodies and immortality. The non-stop comedy bred a certain amount of chaos in the book. At times the chaos slowed the story down when outrageous arguments lasted a little too long or strayed away from the main story, but for the most part the humor kept the story moving at a swift pace. It was hard to ever predict where the story was going, but I felt certain that whatever popped up next was going to have me laughing.
The story itself was enjoyable. It was light, and flowed along with the laughs. I was expecting a little bit more complicated plot at first, but really, how serious and deep can you get with vampire raccoons and pint-sized century-old vampires? This was more of a situation comedy. There aren’t intricate plot twists or overly complex designs. The characters are over the top as well, but each one has a unique personality. The odd dynamic of the family only increases that craziness and fun. The characters are definitely memorable. The majority of this book was dialog between the characters – largely arguments that were funny – but there were times when the dialog could have been broken up more often to give readers a break from the intensity of the characters.
Despite being a very funny book, there are some aspects that may turn readers off. There is a decent amount of profanity throughout the book. There are multiple sexual references and several sexual scenes – one of which got quite graphic. Two of the characters are homosexual, and there relationship is discussed throughout the book. If you’re a reader that doesn’t care to read these types of things, this book is not for you, as they are found through the majority of the book. Because of these, this book does earn a spot on my “No way would I let my teenage nieces read this” book list.
This book is a fun, quick read that’s great for when you need a break from all the serious day to day stress.
Would I recommend this book? With caution, mainly because of the amount of language, sex, and homosexuality. It is a very funny book, and while some readers will have no problem with these, others will. If you want comedy and don’t mind the adults themes, you’ll really enjoy this book. If you don’t want to read those sorts of themes, this book is not for you.
Who would I recommend this book to? Vampire enthusiasts won’t find the brooding and serious vamps they might be expecting, but I think vampire lovers and those who never really jumped on the Twilight bandwagon can enjoy Stec’s vampires. Comedy readers will love it. It’s definitely one for adults, though. I think chick lit readers will enjoy this as well as those who are in the stage of wishing their cute and perky days weren’t so far behind them. Teens and those looking for cleaner comedy may want to choose something else.
Check out my other reviews on The Edible Bookshelf
September 16, 2015
I loved this book! I’ve never read anything like it, which is always a win in my book. At first, when I saw it was about vampires, I wasn’t sure, but I haven’t read a vampire novel in a while, so I wanted to give it a try. Another thing that made me want to give the book a try was the cover. Yes, I’m a sucker for a great cover, and this book has a great cover. Anyway, I’m glad the first vampire novel I’ve read in a while was this one! First, a brief over view. Susan, a middle-aged woman who is bored with being middle-aged and with life in general, is attacked in a gas station bathroom by a tiny, bratty little vampire (Christopher) and joins the ranks of the undead. Her first act as a vampire is to kill her sister’s beloved pet, Tootles. And yeah, Johann (Susan’s sister) isn’t at all happy about that.
After that, the fun starts. And I mean, fun. I had more fun reading this book than I have in a long time. It’s hilarious. I love all the characters and want to hang out with them. I even love Johann, even though I think she’s supposed to annoy you. I like that she’s herself no matter how much her mother and sister’s complain. The best, and most hilarious part of this book, for me at least, is that her family begs Susan to make them into vampires too. The reason is great! They want to be young and hot too! Susan isn’t sure at first, but winds up turning her entire family into the funniest vamps ever. Except Jenni, who is cool even as a mortal.
I love the interaction between this family! Susan’s mom is by far my favorite character. She gives not a f*ck. She’s in her new, young body, and she’s going to have fun by drinking blood and getting laid. A lot. Phenomenal character. One of my faves now.
But, of course, all books need conflict. It enters this story when Johann accidentally turns a raccoon into a vampire raccoon. Ooops. This is also funny as hell. The raccoon actually gets the best of Johann, which I thought was great, and winds up creating a critter vampire population. Enter the vampire bosses. They send them the rules of being a vampire, a fact that isn’t cool with the girls, especially Zaire, who is sassy and just wants to bite everyone’s head off, especially Dorius. She manages not to, and the Stech klan works with the vampire council to get the critter vamp population under control. After they figure out they have some cool powers, mind control, telekinesis, just to name a few. Add one super hot sex scene between the vampire Marcus and Susan and this book is winning!
Love it. If you love great characters and hilarious, back and forth dialogue, get in on this one!
After that, the fun starts. And I mean, fun. I had more fun reading this book than I have in a long time. It’s hilarious. I love all the characters and want to hang out with them. I even love Johann, even though I think she’s supposed to annoy you. I like that she’s herself no matter how much her mother and sister’s complain. The best, and most hilarious part of this book, for me at least, is that her family begs Susan to make them into vampires too. The reason is great! They want to be young and hot too! Susan isn’t sure at first, but winds up turning her entire family into the funniest vamps ever. Except Jenni, who is cool even as a mortal.
I love the interaction between this family! Susan’s mom is by far my favorite character. She gives not a f*ck. She’s in her new, young body, and she’s going to have fun by drinking blood and getting laid. A lot. Phenomenal character. One of my faves now.
But, of course, all books need conflict. It enters this story when Johann accidentally turns a raccoon into a vampire raccoon. Ooops. This is also funny as hell. The raccoon actually gets the best of Johann, which I thought was great, and winds up creating a critter vampire population. Enter the vampire bosses. They send them the rules of being a vampire, a fact that isn’t cool with the girls, especially Zaire, who is sassy and just wants to bite everyone’s head off, especially Dorius. She manages not to, and the Stech klan works with the vampire council to get the critter vamp population under control. After they figure out they have some cool powers, mind control, telekinesis, just to name a few. Add one super hot sex scene between the vampire Marcus and Susan and this book is winning!
Love it. If you love great characters and hilarious, back and forth dialogue, get in on this one!
November 9, 2016
Every time I think I've read everything new in the Vampire genre along comes an unexpected treat.
I got this book as part of a box set called Magic and Mayhem.
While action/thriller is my main read, I admit to loving some good vampire and magic stories too. I find that I prefer when these genres have comedy in them like the fantastic series from Rick Gualtieri and John Locke.
Even now after I've read this book it's really hard to pen a good description of it now. At times my brain felt like a pinball slamming around as this family of crazy women goes at each other. Imagine a family of, let's say, more mature women, who happens to have a desire for that often wished for, fountain of youth, who also happen to all live together, with the fire of Italian heritage flowing through their veins, and a matriarch that could be referred to as a wannabe nympho and you can only imagine what happens when the possibility of unending youth and life is not only a dream but a reality.
The realization of that miracle dream come true is not without consequences. Mayhem is the polite word for what these vain, slightly crazy women unleash on their unsuspecting community as they stumble around trying to figure out their new lot in life while unknowingly breaking every rule the vampire council has. I'm fairly sure that this is the first book that I've read with vampiric wildlife and a newly minted geriatric with an insatiable sex drive. It will have you laughing and shaking your head while you're unable to put it down.
There are times I was overwhelmed by the family feuding that made my brain hurt trying to follow but I just couldn't put it down. I had to know what happened next.
If you're looking for some hilarity to pass your leisure time then I would recommend this book for some guiltless escapism.
I got this book as part of a box set called Magic and Mayhem.
While action/thriller is my main read, I admit to loving some good vampire and magic stories too. I find that I prefer when these genres have comedy in them like the fantastic series from Rick Gualtieri and John Locke.
Even now after I've read this book it's really hard to pen a good description of it now. At times my brain felt like a pinball slamming around as this family of crazy women goes at each other. Imagine a family of, let's say, more mature women, who happens to have a desire for that often wished for, fountain of youth, who also happen to all live together, with the fire of Italian heritage flowing through their veins, and a matriarch that could be referred to as a wannabe nympho and you can only imagine what happens when the possibility of unending youth and life is not only a dream but a reality.
The realization of that miracle dream come true is not without consequences. Mayhem is the polite word for what these vain, slightly crazy women unleash on their unsuspecting community as they stumble around trying to figure out their new lot in life while unknowingly breaking every rule the vampire council has. I'm fairly sure that this is the first book that I've read with vampiric wildlife and a newly minted geriatric with an insatiable sex drive. It will have you laughing and shaking your head while you're unable to put it down.
There are times I was overwhelmed by the family feuding that made my brain hurt trying to follow but I just couldn't put it down. I had to know what happened next.
If you're looking for some hilarity to pass your leisure time then I would recommend this book for some guiltless escapism.
December 20, 2012
I'm giving this one 2 and a half stars and going to try the next in the series to see if it gets better.
The biggest issues with this story: 1. Way to much use of foul language, I was starting to wonder if these people could have a conversation without dropping God and damn together. 2. It dragged quite a bit in places, making you feel like there was no forward progress. 3. I felt almost like I was reading a Lynsay Sands fanfiction with a few other popular vamp books thrown in, not because of the references to the other vamp romances but due to the mythology of their worlds being all lumped together. 4. Very little of the main lead. 5. Zaire I hated her with a passion so very annoying. 6. All of these women were so hostile it was hard to like any of them, though Jeni would have to be my favorite.
The best parts: 1. It had some funny scenes that I did LOL out loud with. 2. Marcus, though I do worry that she described him as looking like Steven Segal, I'm going to picture someone hot not middle aged with a paunch and balding. 3. Gibby, the little fairy was hilarious. 4. Jeni and Paul's romance (in fact I only bought the next book to see how they develop as a couple.
While the bad outweighs the good in this book I have read worse. If you are looking for a draws you in and won't let you stop reading story I'd look elsewhere, if you are desperate and can't find anything else to read I'd say this is a book for you.
The biggest issues with this story: 1. Way to much use of foul language, I was starting to wonder if these people could have a conversation without dropping God and damn together. 2. It dragged quite a bit in places, making you feel like there was no forward progress. 3. I felt almost like I was reading a Lynsay Sands fanfiction with a few other popular vamp books thrown in, not because of the references to the other vamp romances but due to the mythology of their worlds being all lumped together. 4. Very little of the main lead. 5. Zaire I hated her with a passion so very annoying. 6. All of these women were so hostile it was hard to like any of them, though Jeni would have to be my favorite.
The best parts: 1. It had some funny scenes that I did LOL out loud with. 2. Marcus, though I do worry that she described him as looking like Steven Segal, I'm going to picture someone hot not middle aged with a paunch and balding. 3. Gibby, the little fairy was hilarious. 4. Jeni and Paul's romance (in fact I only bought the next book to see how they develop as a couple.
While the bad outweighs the good in this book I have read worse. If you are looking for a draws you in and won't let you stop reading story I'd look elsewhere, if you are desperate and can't find anything else to read I'd say this is a book for you.
August 21, 2011
Susan Stec's THE UNGRATEFUL DEAD: THEY'RE SO VEIN, is a rip-snorting satire on all things vampiric and paranormal. If comedy lurks on the other side of any societal boundary, you can be certain Susan's characters will sashay across it without a backwards glance.
Rather than following the current convention of brooding immortals, Susan gives us a zany family of middle-aged and elderly women suddenly returned to the prime of their youth (albeit an undead youth), with the bonuses of being gorgeous vampires. Rather than whining about it, they glory in it, but their outrageous behavior has not gone unnoticed. There's hierarchy and rules for paranormal beings, and as the girls have been adjusting to their undead lives, they've tromped their stiletto heels all over them, and unfortunately, the Lords of the Undead are not the forgive nor the forget type.
As someone who's overdosed on the vampiric saturation of the entertainment industry, I was hesitant to give this a shot despite recommendations from friends, but I'm very glad I did because Susan has breathed freshness into genre that needed it badly.
Highly recommended for fans of Charlaine Harris's "Sookie Stackhouse" novels, and Christopher Moore's BLOODSUCKING FIENDS, or basically any of his work.
Rather than following the current convention of brooding immortals, Susan gives us a zany family of middle-aged and elderly women suddenly returned to the prime of their youth (albeit an undead youth), with the bonuses of being gorgeous vampires. Rather than whining about it, they glory in it, but their outrageous behavior has not gone unnoticed. There's hierarchy and rules for paranormal beings, and as the girls have been adjusting to their undead lives, they've tromped their stiletto heels all over them, and unfortunately, the Lords of the Undead are not the forgive nor the forget type.
As someone who's overdosed on the vampiric saturation of the entertainment industry, I was hesitant to give this a shot despite recommendations from friends, but I'm very glad I did because Susan has breathed freshness into genre that needed it badly.
Highly recommended for fans of Charlaine Harris's "Sookie Stackhouse" novels, and Christopher Moore's BLOODSUCKING FIENDS, or basically any of his work.
August 15, 2015
I'm always wary about books that claim to be funny as I rarely find them funny and this was the case with this book.
OK I can see why other people found the book amusing. But for me, I just found it plain annoying to watch a group of mature women acting like young kids in the playground. It was all very immature and tiresome and I gave myself a headache from all the rolling of my eyes skyward as the situations got more ridiculous. They were pouting, whining, sulking and calling each other names like a bunch of very annoying toddlers and I could only bear a few chapters before it got too dumb for me.
It's not a bad book-nothing wrong with the writing or anything like that. The type of humour just did not appeal to me in any way and just because I didn't like it doesn't mean the book or author are bad. I'm sure it will appeal to plenty other people.
OK I can see why other people found the book amusing. But for me, I just found it plain annoying to watch a group of mature women acting like young kids in the playground. It was all very immature and tiresome and I gave myself a headache from all the rolling of my eyes skyward as the situations got more ridiculous. They were pouting, whining, sulking and calling each other names like a bunch of very annoying toddlers and I could only bear a few chapters before it got too dumb for me.
It's not a bad book-nothing wrong with the writing or anything like that. The type of humour just did not appeal to me in any way and just because I didn't like it doesn't mean the book or author are bad. I'm sure it will appeal to plenty other people.
May 30, 2015
I liked the premise better before I actually started reading it. Jesus Christ that family is annoying as hell. So are the rest of the characters. The whole book is them bitching at each other. I'm not kidding.
The grandmother had a couple funny lines and the one actual sex scene was hot. Those are the only reasons why this even got 3 stars. I thought the child vampire idea would be interesting, but even Christopher was annoying for most of the book.
I was disappointed with this book, and at myself for finishing it. I probably could have liked the main character more if she had just knocked one of her family members out or something, instead of just bitching or ignoring them. Lol
Or maybe I am just irritable.
I was just irritable.
The grandmother had a couple funny lines and the one actual sex scene was hot. Those are the only reasons why this even got 3 stars. I thought the child vampire idea would be interesting, but even Christopher was annoying for most of the book.
I was disappointed with this book, and at myself for finishing it. I probably could have liked the main character more if she had just knocked one of her family members out or something, instead of just bitching or ignoring them. Lol
Or maybe I am just irritable.
I was just irritable.
April 6, 2015
A unique take on the traditional vampire tale. My only real criticism is the catty confusing female family fights. One because its just annoying. And two because one or two of these outbursts are hard to follow, thus throwing me out of the story. And I usually love snark...so something didn't flow in these parts. I also didn't like JoAnn, but I don't think we're supposed to. I would've drained her and left her for dead, family or not.
The surprising parts were that the first two vamps you see are not a love interest for the main character. Usually we meet the enemy or the love first...and that's not quite what happened here.
I plan to continue the series. I just hope I survive the family snits in future installments.
The surprising parts were that the first two vamps you see are not a love interest for the main character. Usually we meet the enemy or the love first...and that's not quite what happened here.
I plan to continue the series. I just hope I survive the family snits in future installments.
August 11, 2016
I simply loved reading They're so Vein by Susan Stec. She has a unique style of her own in writing. I was simply pulled from the first few pages... loved the humorous parts and the snarky comments that the 5 ladies have with each other...
Susan the main character in the story is awesome... I simply love how she handles things when something happened in a public bathroom... and Joanne is a riot... Nanna (the grandmother), Resi (Susan's daughter) and Zaire (who is a black lady with an awesome snarky attitude and Resi's lover)... These ladies are the best... Then there is Jennifer (Jenni for short) she is Susan's other daughter... Something happens on there property with the wild life...
Do they take care of the problem? For the answer to this question you will need to read this book
Susan the main character in the story is awesome... I simply love how she handles things when something happened in a public bathroom... and Joanne is a riot... Nanna (the grandmother), Resi (Susan's daughter) and Zaire (who is a black lady with an awesome snarky attitude and Resi's lover)... These ladies are the best... Then there is Jennifer (Jenni for short) she is Susan's other daughter... Something happens on there property with the wild life...
Do they take care of the problem? For the answer to this question you will need to read this book
September 9, 2011
Susan Stec's wrting is delightful, hilarious and very entertaining. This is a vampire/supernatural novel like you've never read before. It is unique and refreshing. The Grateful Undead is filled with wonderful characters that you'll wish you knew personally and will keep you wanting more. I, for one, am grateful she's writing a series as one book is simply not enough. I loved it!
October 8, 2011
I took a chance on this novel because I really like Sookie Stackhouse and True Blood on HBO and I've already read all of Christopher Moore's stuff and this looked like it was something similar. I'm happy that I did because even though it doesn't have the "chills up the spine" moments of True Blood, it's incredibly funny and a great light page-turner. Really looking forward to the sequel!
May 1, 2012
The Grateful Undead By Susan Stec
I love the idea of a humor-based vampire series. Susan’s characters are a total crack-up and I truly enjoy the mad-cap adventures they get themselves into. Plus she’s got some sexy stuff in there too, so it’s a full-on entertainment package. If you don’t mind a little blood, sex, and swearing, you’re sure to enjoy this one.
I love the idea of a humor-based vampire series. Susan’s characters are a total crack-up and I truly enjoy the mad-cap adventures they get themselves into. Plus she’s got some sexy stuff in there too, so it’s a full-on entertainment package. If you don’t mind a little blood, sex, and swearing, you’re sure to enjoy this one.
May 7, 2011
Read an advanced version of this book, and it was hilarious! The characters are a riot and shed an entirely new light on vampires. This promises to be great series!
May 19, 2011
Funny beyond belief! I laughed from page one through the last page.
June 8, 2011
Funny Book, can't wait for volume 2!
February 16, 2017
I am not usually a fan of Vampire books, but I loved this, with tons of humor and a very good story.
August 10, 2011
Very funny take on vampires!! Any supernatural readers would love this book.
June 3, 2021
You Must Read This!
They’re so Vein is a wonderful vampire comedy romance that reminds me of My Life as a White Trash Zombie. It follows the same basic premise as White Trash Zombie since it focuses on a redneck from the swamps becoming an immortal and adjusting to the change in lifestyle.
The Opening
Like the rest of the book, the opening is funny. It also incorporates a wonderful hook. However, I didn’t feel the initial character description was clear enough to show the reader that the initial main characters are two relatively elderly ladies.
The Characters
All the ladies in the story boast wonderful personalities that are very three-dimensional. Effortlessly, the author provides them all with detailed back stories that make them real and rounded.
Susan is the main narrator and the first vampire in the family. She is quickly established as a sympathetic character through her thoughts and behavior. She’s an every man character type with whom readers can easily identify, at least to begin with.
Susan has kindly allowed her mom, her sister, her daughter, and her daughter’s girlfriend to live with her in her house. This mixture of characters provide ethnic diversity and they each easily pass the Bechdel-Wallace Test as they argue about a mixture of topics unrelated to men.
They are stereotypical rednecks — promiscuous, heavy drinkers, drug-takers, hunters, stuffed animal heads, and wearing shabby clothes in need of a wash. However, there is enough individuality in the mix to make them original, and this uniqueness increases as the story unfolds.
Around chapter 5, I occasionally became confused because two characters are called Mom by various characters — Susan and Susan’s mom.
The Plot
The relationship plot follows the fated mates trope commonly found in vampire fiction. However, the action plot is much more complex and involves interesting elements of deception, envy, and vengeance. The action plot is engaging and interesting.
The resolution is satisfying. In fact, it’s much better than I expected. There were lots of hints at other relationships brewing that will flow through into the later books in The Grateful Undead series.
The Setting
I loved the setting for this story. It is well constructed and adds to the humor. The magic system is wonderful.
To a great extent, the vampire’s magic system resembles the vampires found in Lynsay Sand’s Argeneau Vampires series — once bitten, a human reverts to their ideal adult age and health, they can go out in sunlight, they can read minds except those of their true mates, they can control most human minds, and they aren’t harmed by crucifixes, etc.
However, there is no mention of nanos in this book, the vampiric transformation is almost instant, and this story universe contains other mythical creatures as well as vampires. So it’s not an exact match.
The Prose
This paranormal comedy is extremely well written. It’s hilarious, using all the best comic techniques to entertain the reader. However, there are a few typos in the narrative.
Chapter 1, 2%: …the coppery taste on my tongue, swallowed like and idiot… Chapter 6, 18%: Don’t test me Resi (missing comma) Chapter 30, 78%: You’re family knows they don’t…
Throughout this book, there is a continuous theme of playing tribute to famous vampire books. Accidental Vampire by Lynsay Sands comes in for some really special attention, mainly because of the similarity in how Susan becomes a vampire. Incidentally, Accidental Vampire was released the same year as this book, so either this book was written and published really quickly or these references were a last-minute addition.
Dracula by Bram Stoker is another book much referenced, though in this case to highlight the negative aspects of being a vampire. These books and various other named vampire tales are used as instruction manuals by Susan and her family as they try to navigate their ways through the supernatural world.
My Opinion
Overall, They’re so Vein is the funniest book I have read so far this year. It kept me entertained and turning the pages. I cannot recommend it enough. It easily rates 5 out of 5 in my book.
They’re so Vein is a wonderful vampire comedy romance that reminds me of My Life as a White Trash Zombie. It follows the same basic premise as White Trash Zombie since it focuses on a redneck from the swamps becoming an immortal and adjusting to the change in lifestyle.
The Opening
Like the rest of the book, the opening is funny. It also incorporates a wonderful hook. However, I didn’t feel the initial character description was clear enough to show the reader that the initial main characters are two relatively elderly ladies.
The Characters
All the ladies in the story boast wonderful personalities that are very three-dimensional. Effortlessly, the author provides them all with detailed back stories that make them real and rounded.
Susan is the main narrator and the first vampire in the family. She is quickly established as a sympathetic character through her thoughts and behavior. She’s an every man character type with whom readers can easily identify, at least to begin with.
Susan has kindly allowed her mom, her sister, her daughter, and her daughter’s girlfriend to live with her in her house. This mixture of characters provide ethnic diversity and they each easily pass the Bechdel-Wallace Test as they argue about a mixture of topics unrelated to men.
They are stereotypical rednecks — promiscuous, heavy drinkers, drug-takers, hunters, stuffed animal heads, and wearing shabby clothes in need of a wash. However, there is enough individuality in the mix to make them original, and this uniqueness increases as the story unfolds.
Around chapter 5, I occasionally became confused because two characters are called Mom by various characters — Susan and Susan’s mom.
The Plot
The relationship plot follows the fated mates trope commonly found in vampire fiction. However, the action plot is much more complex and involves interesting elements of deception, envy, and vengeance. The action plot is engaging and interesting.
The resolution is satisfying. In fact, it’s much better than I expected. There were lots of hints at other relationships brewing that will flow through into the later books in The Grateful Undead series.
The Setting
I loved the setting for this story. It is well constructed and adds to the humor. The magic system is wonderful.
To a great extent, the vampire’s magic system resembles the vampires found in Lynsay Sand’s Argeneau Vampires series — once bitten, a human reverts to their ideal adult age and health, they can go out in sunlight, they can read minds except those of their true mates, they can control most human minds, and they aren’t harmed by crucifixes, etc.
However, there is no mention of nanos in this book, the vampiric transformation is almost instant, and this story universe contains other mythical creatures as well as vampires. So it’s not an exact match.
The Prose
This paranormal comedy is extremely well written. It’s hilarious, using all the best comic techniques to entertain the reader. However, there are a few typos in the narrative.
Chapter 1, 2%: …the coppery taste on my tongue, swallowed like and idiot… Chapter 6, 18%: Don’t test me Resi (missing comma) Chapter 30, 78%: You’re family knows they don’t…
Throughout this book, there is a continuous theme of playing tribute to famous vampire books. Accidental Vampire by Lynsay Sands comes in for some really special attention, mainly because of the similarity in how Susan becomes a vampire. Incidentally, Accidental Vampire was released the same year as this book, so either this book was written and published really quickly or these references were a last-minute addition.
Dracula by Bram Stoker is another book much referenced, though in this case to highlight the negative aspects of being a vampire. These books and various other named vampire tales are used as instruction manuals by Susan and her family as they try to navigate their ways through the supernatural world.
My Opinion
Overall, They’re so Vein is the funniest book I have read so far this year. It kept me entertained and turning the pages. I cannot recommend it enough. It easily rates 5 out of 5 in my book.
September 16, 2019
3.5 stars. I blew through all three books in 4 days. The hilarious setup of a child vampire turning an older woman (late 50s) who in turn ends up with a whole matriarchal household of hot 20s-looking vamps who still act like their original ages (from 30s to 83!!)
It’s not really a new setup- other vampire novel universes include the whole “reverting to the best your dna can be and at optimal age” and a whole hidden society, including a ruling organization, of vampires. But, it’s funnily written and has many details that enhance the whole tale. And it’s not just vamps, we have fairies and werewolves and weredragons and zombies and demons. I loved that one of the Stech women refused to be turned....it always annoys me that vamp novel writers cannot often wrap their heads around someone consciously *not* choosing immortality, eternal youth, etc. (it’s often used as a trope on someone already turned, but it was refreshing to see it as a choice).
All three books were a fun read that weren’t too heavy and well done. I look forward to reading the fourth installment.
It’s not really a new setup- other vampire novel universes include the whole “reverting to the best your dna can be and at optimal age” and a whole hidden society, including a ruling organization, of vampires. But, it’s funnily written and has many details that enhance the whole tale. And it’s not just vamps, we have fairies and werewolves and weredragons and zombies and demons. I loved that one of the Stech women refused to be turned....it always annoys me that vamp novel writers cannot often wrap their heads around someone consciously *not* choosing immortality, eternal youth, etc. (it’s often used as a trope on someone already turned, but it was refreshing to see it as a choice).
All three books were a fun read that weren’t too heavy and well done. I look forward to reading the fourth installment.
August 25, 2024
I started reading "They're So Vein" in the bundle "Magic and Mayhem" so I wasn't aware of all its genres. Had I been aware of it being a romance I wouldn't have started it.
I started off a bit confused. I was having trouble following the story. But, as I continued to read it started to clear up and make sense.
Some cons (from my POV):
Too much overt sex.
Homosexuality.
Some pros:
Hilarity.
Good character development.
Surprise twists.
Ignoring the cons, the overall story was enjoyable.
I started off a bit confused. I was having trouble following the story. But, as I continued to read it started to clear up and make sense.
Some cons (from my POV):
Too much overt sex.
Homosexuality.
Some pros:
Hilarity.
Good character development.
Surprise twists.
Ignoring the cons, the overall story was enjoyable.
March 10, 2017
4.5 STARS
Very Hilarious Story of a 58 year old woman who discovers the fountain of youth when bitten by a bratty Vamp. And if comes with a hodge podge of funny antics as her family all get into the act along with the Vamp council and her new Hunny Bunny Marcus LOL Not my usual read but Fun! Would have gotten a 5 star review but needs more editing!
Very Hilarious Story of a 58 year old woman who discovers the fountain of youth when bitten by a bratty Vamp. And if comes with a hodge podge of funny antics as her family all get into the act along with the Vamp council and her new Hunny Bunny Marcus LOL Not my usual read but Fun! Would have gotten a 5 star review but needs more editing!
February 8, 2017
An original and funny take on vampires: a bunch of ladies want to be vampires because it makes them younger and look good again - all the way to the grandma. Really funny and original writing, one of the best books in the 21 book collection it was part of.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2020
Silly Supernatural Fun
Wow. What a fun romp! I laughed out loud through much of the book. I look forward to the next installment. The crazy lady vampires are a hoot. This would be a great series like the Sookie Stackhouse books.
Wow. What a fun romp! I laughed out loud through much of the book. I look forward to the next installment. The crazy lady vampires are a hoot. This would be a great series like the Sookie Stackhouse books.
August 14, 2025
Funny!!!!
I laughed so much reading this book. Can't wait to read the next one. I love the crazy family drama.
I laughed so much reading this book. Can't wait to read the next one. I love the crazy family drama.
March 13, 2017
This sounded really promising, and I even thought I could look past the bad writing. It started off with funny bits here and there, but the characters were so annoying I couldn't take more than 6 chapters.
March 10, 2017
I absolutely loved this book. Engaging realistic characters and so calm funny
Love it. Wish my family was so funny and the story moves quickly. Can't wait to read the rest. Cheers
Love it. Wish my family was so funny and the story moves quickly. Can't wait to read the rest. Cheers
January 24, 2017
This is book 1 in The Grateful Undead Series. In it we meet Susan who is a middle aged woman (58). As a result her body is sagging and she wishes to be back to when she looked amazing. Her wish is "answered" when she runs into a vampire. When others close to her see how she is changing they ask her to change them as well. What they don't realize is that the Vampire world is just as controlled as the human world and has just as many rules. The bad part is they break almost all of them very early on. These new vamps are hilarious as they try to read about their new status in vampire books. Of course they don't "report" to the council in time and that makes them in deep trouble.
My favorite character is Susan and the one I really didn't like was Joann because she was just so darn annoying. I also think that making Zaire so confrontational wasn't needed. Another review called them the "Golden Girls of the Vampire World" and that just fits them so well and makes me laugh. They also learn about creatures others than vamps which include trolls, fairies, and werewolves. Sadly though I found the characters to be very 1 dimensional and underdeveloped and the plot was meh. There is so much more that could have been done with this book because it is a new idea in vampire books.
My favorite character is Susan and the one I really didn't like was Joann because she was just so darn annoying. I also think that making Zaire so confrontational wasn't needed. Another review called them the "Golden Girls of the Vampire World" and that just fits them so well and makes me laugh. They also learn about creatures others than vamps which include trolls, fairies, and werewolves. Sadly though I found the characters to be very 1 dimensional and underdeveloped and the plot was meh. There is so much more that could have been done with this book because it is a new idea in vampire books.
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