Vampire Island

Vampire Island #1

by Adele Griffin

Life isn't easy for vegetarian vampires trying to blend in with regular people in a new city. The Livingstone kids are fruit bat hybrids who have left Old World dangers, and immortality, behind for a "normal" ”life in New York City. But normal doesn't necessarily mean easy, especially with lingering vampire traits complicating things.

Older sister Lexie's super speed, amazing strength and knowledge of tragic poets often embarrass her in front of her classmates, and worse - —her secret crush. Devious Maddy would rather invent ways to spy on her suspicious, possibly blood-sucking (i.e., rule-breaking) neighbors than stick to her new vegan diet. Hudson, who can still fly like a bat and talk to animals, is determined to save the planet, but with odd habits and vocabulary from the wrong century, how can he rally his classmates to his cause?

In her offbeat portrayal of this not-quite-normal family, Adele Griffin uses her unique brand of humor to introduce readers to three siblings who face challenges growing up that most "normal" kids couldn't even imagine.

Genres: Vampires, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fiction, Paranormal, Childrens, Ebooks

128 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

from Wikipedia:

Adele Griffin is the author of over thirty highly-acclaimed books across a variety of genres, including Sons of Liberty and Where I Want to Be, both National Book Award Finalists.

Her debut adult novel The Favor explores themes of friendship, surrogacy, and nontraditional family building.

Find her on TikTok at @adelegriffinbooks and Instagram at @adelegriffin or www.adelegriffin.


website: www.adelegriffin.com


Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/adelegriffi...

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Adele-G...


Open Road Media interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSa3P...

Reviews

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fruit-bat hybrids living in NYC. huh. Took me a while to understand exactly what they were, and what made them different from full vampires. Kids will surely just go with it.
Three likable, but outsider-ish siblings each with a trait left over from their old vampire fruit bat days in the Old World (Europe). Oldest, Lexie is trying to court the most popular boy in middle school, even though she has an equally weird best friend, and the class queen bee is onto her. Hudson, the youngest is trying to force all the 4th graders in his class to take up the mantle of saving the earth- they might listen to him if only he'd make an effort to try to like them, but he doesn't know how. Maddie isn't having school trouble she is trying to slay the full bloods that just moved in across the street, and getting the taste for blood into the bargain.
A fun read, and the pace picks up. Just when you think all of the questions will go unanswered until the next installment (there must be a next installment), a few pieces are tied up, but they will prove to be a jumping off point for the rest of the series.
Kids will go for the vampires, but they aren't too creepy.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creative take on vampire culture. The way the individual vampires interact with each other based on their heritage and perspective of what is right was fun for me as an adult reading this book with my 12 and 10 year olds. My ten year old liked the way the author detailed in individual chapters each character's viewpoint and how it changed. My 12 year old enjoyed the differences in each character's personality and abilities. Especially the way the author didn't dump all the facts in the reader's lap but rather slowly revealed them, allowing the reader to be the detective. We're looking forward to reading more of Adele Griffin's books!

[Merrilee · Rating 5 out of 5]

tons of fun (and of course I illustrated the lovely cover :))

[Rae Lake · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute easy read. So you have Lex, Hudson and Mandy. They are all new world vampires and living in the main world. Going to grade school. :-)

Maddy is funny, and is a vampire hunter. She breaks into her neighbors house convinced that they are old world vampires and pretty much inserts herself into their dinner. She does her best to make sure that they are vampires and then goes about trying to kill them so that she and her family can get there house.
Hudson is a early riser who is suddenly all into the eco system thanks to the old man Orville. He is a bit annoying with it but he feels like if he is going to be a protector he should start right away!
Finally, Lex is probably the calmest of the bunch. She has a huge crush on Dylan and pretty much does everything possible to get him to notice her, including bending her leg in impossible postions and being able to carry him the 7 blocks to the hospital and signing his cast with a mixture of her blood and pen ink.

For a light read I would for sure recommend it.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

cute and a good break from intense reading. very enjoyable.

[Jennifer Varnadore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this book at my local library. It starts off innocently enough, a fruit bat hybrid vampire family has moved to the New World, and they are attempting to live normal mundane lives among the regular folk around them, while trying to hide their quirks. The characters have their oddness and they stand out, as most vampires do. Some of their quirks they don't try to hide, and it can be off putting to the normal people, because they seem so different, but it usually isn't omg vampire different. Usually. Hudson is too handsome, and aristocracy level snooty sometimes, Lexie is the equivalent of my high school goth/ drama club friends, their parents have a dog walking business and a band, they live above a storefront, which admittedly sounded cool, and then there is Maddy. Maddy, who doesn't seem to care that she stands out, or that she's more different than even her own family.

Anyways, things start off mostly innocent.

Then a new family moves in close by. Maddy wants to know if they are purebloods. That might be danger to them. She wants to become a slayer. So she tries to get rid of the neighbors.

Hudson, he meets an owl friend and finds out he must become a protector of the earth. That's a lot of responsibility to put on a kid's shoulders, even one so old as he is.

Lexie, she's trying to figure out love. And friendship, and... Lovefriendship? Friendloveship? Gets caught up in some tangled webs herself. She's gotta figure out which way she's going to untangle them, and when she's untangled them how She thinks she wants, she may very well find out, she's not quite sure that's how she wants it to go. All of this she has to deal with while battling her own archnemisis Mina.

What a world. What a story, can't wait to read the rest.

[Teri B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just the most cute, lovely and entertaining middle grade book including vampires I possibly read ever.

We follow the three Livingstone siblings Lexie, Maddie and Hudson as they get accustomed to live in the New World. As fruit bat hybrid vampires they are down to a fruit only diet, or so it seems. We follow adventures of all three siblings as they negotiate scary full blood vampires, deal with the most popular boy at school and promote a more pronounced care of the natural world.

Loved the relationship the three siblings had amongst each other. And how they all had very distinct personalities as well. This book comes with a lot of positive representation for parenting, for growing up, for finding out what works for you and what does not and wow, is Maddie a feisty character.

Quirky, entertaining, funny.

[Deke Moulton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a fan of books with “mixed” characters who hate one lineage so much they are wanting to murder every part of their bloodline?? Though kudos for the most original “nice vampire” origins… the text suggests that vampires are sexing regular bats when they charger into their bat form???????

[Wide Eyes, Big Ears! · Rating 2 out of 5]

The truism, “You can never be too old for a book, only too young” did not hold true for me and this book. Three young vampires try to negotiate the normal world.

[Emily Wrayburn]

This was... weird. I don't even know what to rate it. I don't know what it was trying to say.

[Jess d'Artagnan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Super cute. Reads on the younger end of middle grade.

[Blake G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vampire Island
My favorite part of this book was when Maddy was traped at the party and the phone was ringing under the couch. The book reminded me of Eighth Grade Bites a little because of the vampires have to hide stuff. I made a prediction that zombies would attack vampires but there were know zombies. I wonder why they traped her at the party, My favorite charecter was Lexi because she has powers to make her go faster. I will reccomend this book to other students because it has funny pieces through each sector of the book. I was confused when they tried to figure out if Maddy would ever be able to get to a normal world. I could pronounce almost every word throught the whole book. I think the auther wrote this book because they liked vampire books as they were a kid. One of the problems in this book was when Maddy was stuck at the party but it was resolved when her sisters came to help. After reading this book i felt like i dint want to read it again because i dont like vampires.A part that disapointed me was when she was on a fruit diet because i dont like fruit and its strange. I was realy surprised when maddy got a call on her house phone because she never does. When i was reading the book i felt like there was always a attack or trap going to happen. I realy pictured the part in my head when the phone was ringing under the couch because that happens to me. I dont want to read other books by the auther because i dint realy like the writing in all but thats just my oppinon.The ending was ok but i think it could of been better. I noticed in the book there were so many similes. I learned a teckneak from the auther it was were to put simiculins, I would give this book a three star.
By:Blake Gartica

[Lanae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lexie, Maddy, and Hudson aren't your average kids. Their parents are in a rock band called The Dead Ringers and walk dogs for a living. Hudson calls the oven the yewn and nags his classmates about saving the world to the point that no one wants to speak to him. Maddy spies on neighbors while eating ticks. And Lexie, well, she quotes dead poets - mostly the classics, but let us not forget Tupac and Kurt Cobain. Oh and they're not exactly human, but not exactly bats, but not exactly vampires either - they're fruit-bat hybrids and they're just learning to fit into the new world of New York. They're also just learning about aging, crushes, school age politics, embracing their uniqueness, hiding their uniqueness. The usual.

I really struggled with what to rate this. It is a quick, fun, fast read. Maybe too fast. Without spoilers: The main Maddy storyline, which the main storyline of the book really, it seems to just sort of end in a rushed cop out sort of way. Tied up neatly with a bow on it. In such a way that made it feel as though this whole book was nothing more than a set up to ensure further books would happen. Which is fine, it actually worked, as I said this book was fun, I've already purchased the next. But given how the main storyline went on seeming rather important and just ended, it did feel as though there was room for more here. Either more in that storyline. Or more of the other siblings. Or more of the parents. I'm not sure what exactly was missing. A little of all of the above maybe. For this "what was missing?" feeling alone, 4 stars. For fun factor it would have been 5.

[Myhotstylist · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, its great for pre-teens. The only fault I found with this book was the ending.... (or lack thereof) Case in point, the story just bluntly stopped in the middle of the last chapter. There was no resolution. I guess this is meant for the reader to draw their own conclusion.

Meet Lexi, Madison and Hudson. 3 siblings aged 9-13 who live in an apartment building in New York. The children are hundreds of years old and currently living as fruit bat/vampire hybrids. Maddie is spying on the neighbors determined to find out if they are pureblood vampires... Lexi is having problems fitting in at school, and Hudson learns from a fellow hybrid that its his job to be a protector. Since each chapter was read by one of the 3 characters, it felt more like getting 3 stories in one book. Maddies' story was more of a mystery, Lexi's was more about teen drama/romance, and Hudson... Well Hudsons story went unresolved. (((Shruggs))) Of the 3 stories, I enjoyed Maddie's story the best. However all 3 purposely intertwined together.

Like I said before, the book is cute, mindless easy fun. Read in one sitting. I wouldnt mind reading the next 2 in the series.

[Charlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Livingstone family are fruit bat hybrids who have left the Old Word and immortaility to live in New York City as "normal" humans (with rather strange dentition and diet). Unfortunately, the three children--Lexie, Maddy, and Hudson--don't quite blend in with the school population. Each chapter focuses on one of the children and each has his own obsession: Lexie is obsessed with dead poets and her hearththrob, Dylan; Maddy is obsessed with ridding the neighborhood of the vampires across the street; Hudson wants the clout to help make the world more environmentally friendly. The parents move quietly about in the background, never intruding much on each child's way, other than to try to steer them toward acceptable behavior. Each child's obsession is resolved, often with the help--sometimes, unwitting--of a sibling.
Children are taken with tales of the weird, especially vampires at this point in time, so this series should have no problem attracting readers.

[Kit · Rating 4 out of 5]

You would have thought that with romantic vampires, tragic emo vampires, and romantic, tragic emo vampires, there wasn't much else that could be done with the genre. But Adele Griffin manages it in this funny new book.

Siblings Lexie, Hudson, and Maddie are fruit-bat vampire hybrids who have come to Manhatten with their parents to start a new (and vegan) life. Being almost 400 years old while looking like they shouldn't be in high school yet is difficult, especially when Lexie wants to get the guy, Maddie wants to become a slayer, and Hudson wants to save the planet from global warming. Full-blooded vampires, a werewolf, and the mysterious Argos complicate things further. Although the book is slim, Griffin drops a lot of hints that there's more going on than we've been told in this volume, so I'm looking for a sequel.

[Sandie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book moved very slowly for me and I never really got into it. Though the last few chapters were more intriguing then the rest of the book. I would like to know why the parents of Lexie and Pete didn't like each other's children, wished the writer had given us more about that.

I would say that because this book was geared towards young readers that is why I didn't get into. But I read all kinds of books and I know that is not the reason. This plot while interesting and I think very unique didn't warm my blood and compell to me to keep reading. One thing I did like at the end was the extra's included about each sibling, a recipe, quotes and a story about family history. That was very cool.

The cover art is very cool, I liked it very much.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts the Vampire Island series. Maddy and her family have come over from the Old World to the New World in hopes of becoming fully human. There are rules to follow and the Argos watch over them. Maddy is not too crazy about following rules and she's the one most likely to remain vampire.

I love Maddy. She just does whatever she wants. This time she is spying on the neighbors. She's funny as she goes about her spy work. She also gets in a lot of trouble. Good thing she has some of her vampire traits yet. I also like Hudson, her brother. He takes preserving the environment seriously, much to the disdain of his classmates.

I look forward to more of this family.

[Brooke | brookesreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh my gosh! I forgot all about this book!!😱
I also had no idea there were more of them!🤔

In grade four or five (phew, feels like a lifetime ago😅) my teacher gave each person in the class a book she thought we’d like, and this was the book I received. I remember all the other girls in my class were jealous because my book looked like a fun and interesting book compared to there’s; they all wanted to trade but I wouldn’t 😂

I don’t remember the whole story, because that was quite a few years ago, but I do still have the book and I remember really liking it, so I’m giving it 4 stars for being one of the first books I loved and reread many times😊

[Ruby Hollyberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really blown away by the creativity. I love it when authors really open up and let themselves go, inventing something really quirky and original like this. The mix of ordinary kid stuff with bits of fantasy, history, sophisticated humor, and action just works. Only flaws to pick were in the execution. Several word choice and grammatical issues cropped up and were annoying. Twice "slayed" was used, once when it should have been "slew" and once when it should have been "slain". There were others, but I won't pick.

[Roxanne Hsu Feldman · Rating 1 out of 5]

By page 24, I know I cannot possibly enjoy the rest of the book. It's wordy without polish and boring even though the idea of hybrid-fruit-bats living as pretend humans in NYC should have been entertaining, interesting, or at least magical. And sloppy continuity checks: page 25, Nicola von Krik said, "Our servant, Snooks, is preparting a late-afternoon snack of steak tartar..." and the next page, after the snack, the text reads, "After lunch, the von Kriks..."

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great(and more appropriate!) suggestion for younger kids (3-6) looking for vampire books in the wake of the Twilight craze. The characters are fully realized and the story includes everything from an unrequited crush (minus the sensuality of most vampire tales), environmental protection, and yes, the presence of old world carnivorous vampires. This is the first in a series by Adele Griffin that is sure to be popular...

[Lincolnwood Public LIbrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great(and more appropriate!) suggestion for younger kids (3-6) looking for vampire books in the wake of the Twilight craze. The characters are fully realized and the story includes everything from an unrequited crush (minus the sensuality of most vampire tales), environmental protection, and yes, the presence of old world carnivorous vampires. This is the first in a series by Adele Griffin that is sure to be popular...

[Lara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, but felt a little awkward and clunky at times. Loved the characters, but feel like the stories could be a little better connected and the details a little neater--it sometimes felt like the entire thing was written off the cuff and that Griffin didn't go back to really figure out how her world works. I won the second book from First Reads and am looking forward to Maddy, Hudson and Lexie's further adventures though.

[Deidre · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this was a well done story for kids. Griffin uses vampires, which are very popular right now, to discuss perennial kids issues such as popularity and being different as well as moving, making friends, crushes, etc. But she adds in care of the environment in a way that is accessible to children. I look forward to the next installment.

[Jacqui Ainsworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read. How can you go wrong with fruit bat/vampire hybrids? A great book for grades 4-6 or adults who like fun young adult reads. No, it's not too deep and you don't want to think too hard about how that hybridization thing worked out, but the story is good, the characters are interesting and it will keep a kid's interest.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really like this book but as I read more I started likeing it.It is about three vampires who had to move from the old world and now are liveing in our period of time.They face challenges like boy trouble,saveing the enviourment,and one of them thinks there is another vampire family liveing acroos the street. You will have to read to find out what happens next.

[Aymee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fun and enjoyable story for young adults aged 10-14. I love the way each chapter is told by one of the three siblings: Maddy, Lexie and Hudson. The varying viewpoints and insight into each kid's world is amusing and interesting. The author definitely took a stale topic, as much as I love it, and made it fresh and new. Looking forward to more in this series.

[Gwnhwyfer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vegetarian vampires?! How could I not resist reading this book (and the series)? ;) I found it while I was searching for a replacement book similar to Sienna Mercer's My sister the vampires series. Lots of humour, lots of heart...I liked this book and the second one, but the third one fell flat.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute little story about friendly kid fruit-bat vampires who go to school in New York. They deal with typical kid issues such as liking the popular boy in school and trying to figure out what's up with the weird new neighbors. Kids who like a paranormal twist to their chapter books will like this. Actually, fans of the Pixar movie The Incredibles might like this too.