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The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod #4
Eleventh Grade Burns
Things have taken a darker turn for the half-human teenager with an appetite for blood. Joss, a vampire slayer and Vlad’s former friend, has moved back to Bathory. A mysterious and powerful new vampire, Dorian, appears with a shocking secret and an overwhelming desire to drink Vlad’s blood. And Vlad’s arch enemy, D’Ablo, has a sinister plan to eliminate Vlad once and for all. With death threatening from every angle, Vlad will have to use every ounce of his skill and training to survive, but nothing can prepare him for what awaits him in the end. Watch a Video
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
320 people are currently reading
7702 people want to read
About the author
Heather Brewer
25 books2,856 followersHeather Brewer is the pseudonym of Zac Brewer…but you can call him Z.
Zac is the NYT bestselling author of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series, as well as The Slayer Chronicles series, Soulbound, The Cemetery Boys, The Blood Between Us, and more short stories than he can recall.
He grew up on a diet of Twilight Zone and books by Stephen King. He chased them down with every drop of horror he could find—in books, movie theaters, on television. The most delicious parts of his banquet, however, he found lurking in the shadowed corners of his dark imagination. When he’s not writing books, he’s skittering down your wall and lurking underneath your bed. Zac doesn’t believe in happy endings…unless they involve blood.
He lives in Missouri with his husband, two children, and four furry overlords that some people refer to as “cats”.
Zac is the NYT bestselling author of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series, as well as The Slayer Chronicles series, Soulbound, The Cemetery Boys, The Blood Between Us, and more short stories than he can recall.
He grew up on a diet of Twilight Zone and books by Stephen King. He chased them down with every drop of horror he could find—in books, movie theaters, on television. The most delicious parts of his banquet, however, he found lurking in the shadowed corners of his dark imagination. When he’s not writing books, he’s skittering down your wall and lurking underneath your bed. Zac doesn’t believe in happy endings…unless they involve blood.
He lives in Missouri with his husband, two children, and four furry overlords that some people refer to as “cats”.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 652 reviews
February 19, 2010
I LOVED the end of this book. It wasn't at all expected, and as soon as I finished it I wanted more! Vladimir really matures throughout the course of the story, and I think his character becomes a lot more complex. At the beggining I was a little unsure, but by the end I cared for him so deeply.
Vlad matures a lot during the course of the story, mostly emotionally. Although he's a half-vampire, he's also a teenage boy. He has a lot to deal with even excluding his vampire issues.
I guess every high-schooler faces simmilar issues, but it's hard to understand without reading about it. When Vlad is upset, I really empathize with him, and I can't help but feel his pain. I've never been in love, but seeing him having to hurt Meredith... I feel almost like I have.
I feel like love is an important theme in this book. There's one line at the end: Like Meredith. Like Henry. Like Joss. Like Otis. Like Nelly. Everything. Everything. Vlad is listing all of the things he loves. It seems weird out of context, but it's actually very meaningful. He loves all of those people, but each in a different way.
I understand that, and there are many types of love. I love my sister and my dad; both in different ways. Although niether of those relationships are perfect, I couldn't live without either of them. Love and hate are close emotions, and I don't always love my family. But I do know that they'll always be there for me.
I think that Vlad feels simmilarly for Otis, and maybe even Joss. The author seems to want you to feel that Joss and Vlad can get along. Although it does confuse me that at the end Joss tries to kill Vlad. I know the character's motives, but not the author's. What message was she trying to convey?
The author obviously meant to inflict some theme. I'm not sure exactly what that is, but it must have to do with how relationships aren't always crystal-clear. They're always complicated, and a lot of times don't work out the way you expect them to. This actually applies to life in general. Things never go exactly as planned, and you have to live with them the way they are.
This may be a hard concept to accept, but it's true. Vlad seems to be just getting to this toward the end of the story. He's starting to just let things happen, and I think that that is the primary change in his character. It strengthens him as not only a character, but as a person.
I think that most people in the real world realize this to, and that is one of the main differences between a kid and an adult. Children want things to go their way- and who could blame them? Adults on the other hand are better at just letting things happen. Whether anyone ever truly realizes the extent of this is hard to say. But life is more full if you think you are controling it.
Vlad matures a lot during the course of the story, mostly emotionally. Although he's a half-vampire, he's also a teenage boy. He has a lot to deal with even excluding his vampire issues.
I guess every high-schooler faces simmilar issues, but it's hard to understand without reading about it. When Vlad is upset, I really empathize with him, and I can't help but feel his pain. I've never been in love, but seeing him having to hurt Meredith... I feel almost like I have.
I feel like love is an important theme in this book. There's one line at the end: Like Meredith. Like Henry. Like Joss. Like Otis. Like Nelly. Everything. Everything. Vlad is listing all of the things he loves. It seems weird out of context, but it's actually very meaningful. He loves all of those people, but each in a different way.
I understand that, and there are many types of love. I love my sister and my dad; both in different ways. Although niether of those relationships are perfect, I couldn't live without either of them. Love and hate are close emotions, and I don't always love my family. But I do know that they'll always be there for me.
I think that Vlad feels simmilarly for Otis, and maybe even Joss. The author seems to want you to feel that Joss and Vlad can get along. Although it does confuse me that at the end Joss tries to kill Vlad. I know the character's motives, but not the author's. What message was she trying to convey?
The author obviously meant to inflict some theme. I'm not sure exactly what that is, but it must have to do with how relationships aren't always crystal-clear. They're always complicated, and a lot of times don't work out the way you expect them to. This actually applies to life in general. Things never go exactly as planned, and you have to live with them the way they are.
This may be a hard concept to accept, but it's true. Vlad seems to be just getting to this toward the end of the story. He's starting to just let things happen, and I think that that is the primary change in his character. It strengthens him as not only a character, but as a person.
I think that most people in the real world realize this to, and that is one of the main differences between a kid and an adult. Children want things to go their way- and who could blame them? Adults on the other hand are better at just letting things happen. Whether anyone ever truly realizes the extent of this is hard to say. But life is more full if you think you are controling it.
January 10, 2011
As always this book was amazing, I mean what else should you expect from Heather Brewer and her series of Vladmir Tod? If you thought book number 3 was action packed and amazing, then you really should brace yourself for book number 4! The blurb to this book explains eveything that happens in a nut shell:
"Eleventh grade at Bathory High is draining Vladimir Tod. Joss, a professional vampire slayer and Vlad's former friend, has moved back to town. The powerful vampire Dorian has an overwhelming desire to drink Vlad's blood. And his arch enemy, D'Ablo, has brought Vlad's Uncle Otis to trial for crimes against vampires. So much for dating. When the tables turn on Vlad, he has just enough time to return to Bathory for his final good-byes"
I always feel bad for Vlad because his life is so difficult and unfair. His only father figure Otis is being put on trial for the killing of Ignatius the vampire, and trial is another word for Killing. while dealing with sad thoughts of his uncle dying Vlad also has to deal with a lot of Drama between his 2 drudge snow, and Henry. Vlad finds out about himself and what future awaits him as the beloved, and hated Praves "ruler of vampires, and master of all humans" We meet new and old people here. Vikas an Joss the mean vampire slayer comes back for a visit. Also a new comer Dorine who wants badly to drink vlads blood. This book is all about the problems that vlad has been facing ever since 8th grade, and the problems that he soon has to fsce in the future. I really liked this book and would read it over and over again. I was sad to hear that the next book, Twelfth Grade Kills, is the last book in the seirs. I will miss Vlad and all the charcters, and I will also miss Heathers heavenly writting.
"Eleventh grade at Bathory High is draining Vladimir Tod. Joss, a professional vampire slayer and Vlad's former friend, has moved back to town. The powerful vampire Dorian has an overwhelming desire to drink Vlad's blood. And his arch enemy, D'Ablo, has brought Vlad's Uncle Otis to trial for crimes against vampires. So much for dating. When the tables turn on Vlad, he has just enough time to return to Bathory for his final good-byes"
I always feel bad for Vlad because his life is so difficult and unfair. His only father figure Otis is being put on trial for the killing of Ignatius the vampire, and trial is another word for Killing. while dealing with sad thoughts of his uncle dying Vlad also has to deal with a lot of Drama between his 2 drudge snow, and Henry. Vlad finds out about himself and what future awaits him as the beloved, and hated Praves "ruler of vampires, and master of all humans" We meet new and old people here. Vikas an Joss the mean vampire slayer comes back for a visit. Also a new comer Dorine who wants badly to drink vlads blood. This book is all about the problems that vlad has been facing ever since 8th grade, and the problems that he soon has to fsce in the future. I really liked this book and would read it over and over again. I was sad to hear that the next book, Twelfth Grade Kills, is the last book in the seirs. I will miss Vlad and all the charcters, and I will also miss Heathers heavenly writting.
July 4, 2016
You will cry and cheer as this larger- than- life story come pulsing together with an explosive end that will have you exhaling "OMG!"
September 30, 2020
That ending? Dang.
I like how my last review was a complaint about how underdeveloped Meredith was, and then they addressed it in this book by saying Vlad barely knew her at all. I was rooting for Snow the whole time.
Also, can I just say that I love Henry? I love that he's some normal popular kid who just happens to be best friends with a "goth" who is actually a vampire. Just love that dynamic.
I have a hard time taking the vampire council seriously. It's just... all dramatics, nothing below the surface.
I like how my last review was a complaint about how underdeveloped Meredith was, and then they addressed it in this book by saying Vlad barely knew her at all. I was rooting for Snow the whole time.
Also, can I just say that I love Henry? I love that he's some normal popular kid who just happens to be best friends with a "goth" who is actually a vampire. Just love that dynamic.
I have a hard time taking the vampire council seriously. It's just... all dramatics, nothing below the surface.
July 23, 2016
EDIT: Changed Brewer's name and pronouns.
I'm surprised myself that Eleventh Grade Burns actually got an above two stars rating from me. I'm glad that the story has picked up but it's a shame that it's taken the second to last book for me to get somewhat into this series.
In Eleventh Grade Burns Vladimir Tod not only has to deal with his Junior year of high school but also his old vampire slayer friend Joss moving back, a powerful vampire named Dorian who wants his half-human blood, and his uncle Otis's upcoming Elysian trial. Vlad's got a lot to deal with this school year. Not to mention D'ablo is still scheming on how to do him in.
Plot
The plot in Eleventh Grade Burns was much better than the other three books. This one was much more vampire oriented. We spent less time with Vlad in school and more time with him in Elysia and among other vampires. This is honestly what I wanted in the beginning of the series. Having a half-human, half-vampire protagonist is cool, but not when the main focus is on the human aspect of him. There are plenty books about humans in high school people can read about, the books in The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod should not have been one of them.
This is also the book where the story finally moves forward. In the previous books the story did move forward a little but not nearly enough. We were given these threadbare plots for the previous books and it's only now that we've got a book with substance. If I wasn't so adamant about finishing series then I would have given up the first or second book and I definitely wouldn't have made it this far.
Writing
The writing is around the same. It is slowly getting better but you can still see the amateurishness in the text. For example, Brewer overuses phrases. You can see a lot of young or inexperienced writers doing this. Her editor should have caught that. For Brewer, he uses "as is", "licked their lips", and "bit his lip" way too much. It was very noticeable.
Regular scenes where nothing is really going on are written okay but when it comes to scenes that require strong emotion, Brewer falls short in this area. There are scenes that are supposed to be tense, sad, high action, etc., but they aren't. My complaints in the earlier books was that they had this monotonous tone throughout the entire book. This also applies to Eleventh Grade Burns. The plot in this book was more exciting but the writing didn't reflect that.
Characters
Vlad is given the most screen time in Eleventh Grade Kills. Before there was more Otis and Henry but this book is most exclusively Vlad. And yet, I still don't like Vlad. He has grown as a person, I will concede that, but he still comes off as a jerk. He tugs Snow around by the heart because he's unsure and instead of telling her this he encourages her. He also is a hypocrite, getting mad at Nelly for thinking there's good in everybody, especially Joss, when he did and continued to do the exact same things. I was glad to see that he was treating Henry a lot better but it shouldn't have taken Henry telling Vlad for him to figure it out himself.
I can appreciate Vlad more as a character but I still don't like him because of his past actions.
Things I Didn't Like
Once again my main gripes come down to the prophecy and the vampire lore in this world. We see more of the vampire council but we still don't know anything about the actual powers of vampires, where they came from, what they are and aren't affected by and for what reasons, etc. There is little that we know about Brewer's vampires.
My other gripe is the prophecy. Not only do I not like prophecies, but I also don't like it when they are set in stone. I can handle prophecies where they have a possibility of coming true but might not, depending on the circumstances. And what I don't get is why should any of the characters believe the prophecy will come true? The prophecy also mentions that the Pravus is unkillable but Vlad is not anymore. So why should we believe that things pertaining to the prophecy cannot change as well?
Diversity
Practically none of the characters are described but it is safe to assume they are all white, even the oldest vampires. Everybody is also straight and able bodied, except D'ablo. D'ablo is missing a hand so that does count as a disability but it's never really mentioned and he's the bad guy so I wouldn't really count that.
Overall
If you couldn't tell by my three star rating, I did like Eleventh Grade Burns better than its prequels. I liked it well enough but I didn't really like it. The way this series started off has soured me to the actual good parts of this book. I'll just be happy when I finish the last book.
Here is a link to my notes.
I'm surprised myself that Eleventh Grade Burns actually got an above two stars rating from me. I'm glad that the story has picked up but it's a shame that it's taken the second to last book for me to get somewhat into this series.
In Eleventh Grade Burns Vladimir Tod not only has to deal with his Junior year of high school but also his old vampire slayer friend Joss moving back, a powerful vampire named Dorian who wants his half-human blood, and his uncle Otis's upcoming Elysian trial. Vlad's got a lot to deal with this school year. Not to mention D'ablo is still scheming on how to do him in.
Plot
The plot in Eleventh Grade Burns was much better than the other three books. This one was much more vampire oriented. We spent less time with Vlad in school and more time with him in Elysia and among other vampires. This is honestly what I wanted in the beginning of the series. Having a half-human, half-vampire protagonist is cool, but not when the main focus is on the human aspect of him. There are plenty books about humans in high school people can read about, the books in The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod should not have been one of them.
This is also the book where the story finally moves forward. In the previous books the story did move forward a little but not nearly enough. We were given these threadbare plots for the previous books and it's only now that we've got a book with substance. If I wasn't so adamant about finishing series then I would have given up the first or second book and I definitely wouldn't have made it this far.
Writing
The writing is around the same. It is slowly getting better but you can still see the amateurishness in the text. For example, Brewer overuses phrases. You can see a lot of young or inexperienced writers doing this. Her editor should have caught that. For Brewer, he uses "as is", "licked their lips", and "bit his lip" way too much. It was very noticeable.
Regular scenes where nothing is really going on are written okay but when it comes to scenes that require strong emotion, Brewer falls short in this area. There are scenes that are supposed to be tense, sad, high action, etc., but they aren't. My complaints in the earlier books was that they had this monotonous tone throughout the entire book. This also applies to Eleventh Grade Burns. The plot in this book was more exciting but the writing didn't reflect that.
Characters
Vlad is given the most screen time in Eleventh Grade Kills. Before there was more Otis and Henry but this book is most exclusively Vlad. And yet, I still don't like Vlad. He has grown as a person, I will concede that, but he still comes off as a jerk. He tugs Snow around by the heart because he's unsure and instead of telling her this he encourages her. He also is a hypocrite, getting mad at Nelly for thinking there's good in everybody, especially Joss, when he did and continued to do the exact same things. I was glad to see that he was treating Henry a lot better but it shouldn't have taken Henry telling Vlad for him to figure it out himself.
I can appreciate Vlad more as a character but I still don't like him because of his past actions.
Things I Didn't Like
Once again my main gripes come down to the prophecy and the vampire lore in this world. We see more of the vampire council but we still don't know anything about the actual powers of vampires, where they came from, what they are and aren't affected by and for what reasons, etc. There is little that we know about Brewer's vampires.
My other gripe is the prophecy. Not only do I not like prophecies, but I also don't like it when they are set in stone. I can handle prophecies where they have a possibility of coming true but might not, depending on the circumstances. And what I don't get is why should any of the characters believe the prophecy will come true? The prophecy also mentions that the Pravus is unkillable but Vlad is not anymore. So why should we believe that things pertaining to the prophecy cannot change as well?
Diversity
Practically none of the characters are described but it is safe to assume they are all white, even the oldest vampires. Everybody is also straight and able bodied, except D'ablo. D'ablo is missing a hand so that does count as a disability but it's never really mentioned and he's the bad guy so I wouldn't really count that.
Overall
If you couldn't tell by my three star rating, I did like Eleventh Grade Burns better than its prequels. I liked it well enough but I didn't really like it. The way this series started off has soured me to the actual good parts of this book. I'll just be happy when I finish the last book.
Here is a link to my notes.
January 3, 2015
Why haven't I been reading this series already? Vladimir Tod's story is a great vampire story - nothing sparkles, but Tod's half-human, half-vampire nature leads him to claim to prefer to not drink human blood (so kind of a vegetarian). The Slayer/vampire conflict will resonate with any Buffy/Angel fan, but the bromance (sorry, I just couldn't help myself there) will really appeal to male readers.
In this episode, Vlad's struggle with his junior year in high school and the heartbreak he feels over breaking up with Meredith and the confusion over his feelings for Snow, as well as his sense of loss over his friendship with Joss are normal, everyboy things. The vampire parts just add to the teen angst, and the drama. There's the Parvus prophecy, vampires who want to kill him, his uncle dating his aunt (gross, right?) and above all, the Slayer's back.
Now I have to go read about eighth through tenth grade - if you like vampire books that aren't too gory (and don't sparkle), you should, too.
ARC provided by publisher.
In this episode, Vlad's struggle with his junior year in high school and the heartbreak he feels over breaking up with Meredith and the confusion over his feelings for Snow, as well as his sense of loss over his friendship with Joss are normal, everyboy things. The vampire parts just add to the teen angst, and the drama. There's the Parvus prophecy, vampires who want to kill him, his uncle dating his aunt (gross, right?) and above all, the Slayer's back.
Now I have to go read about eighth through tenth grade - if you like vampire books that aren't too gory (and don't sparkle), you should, too.
ARC provided by publisher.
Want to read
October 27, 2009Counting down the days... in February 2010 that book will be mine >_>
January 28, 2016
I spoiled myself two days ago with the last word of the book.
A very nice cliffhanger. even if you read the book a second time :D
A very nice cliffhanger. even if you read the book a second time :D
December 2, 2018
I really loved this book, probably more than all the others so far. There were so many more romantic aspects. There were so many moments that were mysterious. There were so many moments of power. Moments of greed. Bloodlust. Death. But most of all, caring. And that is what I love so much about this series. There is pain, death and betrayal. But in these books, it all comes down to relationships. Loving ones, hating ones, and ones of friendship and family. Vlad is not so much a vampire, as he is a human. He is caring and does his best to save people around him, even when it's a vicious vampire slayer that will stop at nothing to kill him. The world has good and bad people in it. But who those people are, they get to choose. You always have a choice when it comes to changing your ways, and no one can take that away.
January 27, 2012
Let me start off by saying, the ending of this book left me with my jaw on the floor! Didn't see THAT coming!!!
In this book, we see the return of Henry's cousin and Vlad's former friend, Joss. Vlad made a tough decision at the end of book 3 and must deal with the consequences in this and the final book in the series.
Otis makes a return to Bathory and Bathory High School...as a teacher. Vlad is enjoying having his uncle around more often, but it won't be long before he'll be gone forever. And a new vampire in town, Dorian, wants nothing more than to drink every drop of Vlad's blood.
Vlad's "relationship" with Snow becomes more complicated as he tries to work through his feelings. He has to deal with an old flame and an old friend--how is he going to make it through Eleventh Grade.
This is the first year Vlad skips Matthew's Halloween party. He goes to The Crypt to celebrate with his Goth friends, October, Snow, Sprat, Kristoff, and Andrew. His appetite is growing stronger and others are in danger. Some one close to him senses the change in him.
Otis has his pre-trial to face the charges on Tomas Tod. There is a surprising twist and the ending was very unexpected. I was glad that I had the last book from the library or I would have felt like I did when I finished "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins. It was something like this--"Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!" Cliffhanger, much?!
review link: http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2011...
In this book, we see the return of Henry's cousin and Vlad's former friend, Joss. Vlad made a tough decision at the end of book 3 and must deal with the consequences in this and the final book in the series.
Otis makes a return to Bathory and Bathory High School...as a teacher. Vlad is enjoying having his uncle around more often, but it won't be long before he'll be gone forever. And a new vampire in town, Dorian, wants nothing more than to drink every drop of Vlad's blood.
Vlad's "relationship" with Snow becomes more complicated as he tries to work through his feelings. He has to deal with an old flame and an old friend--how is he going to make it through Eleventh Grade.
This is the first year Vlad skips Matthew's Halloween party. He goes to The Crypt to celebrate with his Goth friends, October, Snow, Sprat, Kristoff, and Andrew. His appetite is growing stronger and others are in danger. Some one close to him senses the change in him.
Otis has his pre-trial to face the charges on Tomas Tod. There is a surprising twist and the ending was very unexpected. I was glad that I had the last book from the library or I would have felt like I did when I finished "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins. It was something like this--"Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!" Cliffhanger, much?!
review link: http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2011...
May 3, 2011
The book I read was The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod Eleventh Grade Burns. The reason I choose this book was because I read the other books in the serious and I couldn’t stop reading until the end.
This book is fiction and it takes place in a town and most of the time it takes place in a house or at the school. The main character is Vladimir but everyone calls him Vlad and he is a teen but he is different because he is part human and part vampire.
In this book he is still wanting to feed from his classmates and but when he gets a new drudge named Snow when he needs human blood Snow is always there to give it to him but sometimes he gets out of control but the problem does start when and old friend Joss comes back it is hard for Vlad because Vlad is tired of thinking that Joss still wants to kill but than is somewhat true because even thought Joss wants to be friends with Vlad he still can’t get over the fact that Vlad is part vampire.
The main problem is the fact that Vlad when his old friend Joss wants to kill him and when he wants to kill people for blood. There is also a problem when Eddie and boy that know Vlad is vampire wants to tell the whole world and want to famous because of it.
The problem is not solved because there is an other book that should explain everything.
I would say that this is a good book that keeps your feet because it is so exciting and so funny that you just want to keep reading and reading this serious until you are done with it.
This book is fiction and it takes place in a town and most of the time it takes place in a house or at the school. The main character is Vladimir but everyone calls him Vlad and he is a teen but he is different because he is part human and part vampire.
In this book he is still wanting to feed from his classmates and but when he gets a new drudge named Snow when he needs human blood Snow is always there to give it to him but sometimes he gets out of control but the problem does start when and old friend Joss comes back it is hard for Vlad because Vlad is tired of thinking that Joss still wants to kill but than is somewhat true because even thought Joss wants to be friends with Vlad he still can’t get over the fact that Vlad is part vampire.
The main problem is the fact that Vlad when his old friend Joss wants to kill him and when he wants to kill people for blood. There is also a problem when Eddie and boy that know Vlad is vampire wants to tell the whole world and want to famous because of it.
The problem is not solved because there is an other book that should explain everything.
I would say that this is a good book that keeps your feet because it is so exciting and so funny that you just want to keep reading and reading this serious until you are done with it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2016
Ohhhh, Vlad. He slightly irritated me in this one. Don't get me wrong, I understand Vladimir is growing up and is being immature, but half his problems would disappear if he wasn't so naive. Or gave his enemies the benefit of the doubt. This people try to kill him and he always shows mercy. It drove me insane.
That ending though... I have to read the final book RIGHT NOW!
That ending though... I have to read the final book RIGHT NOW!
October 17, 2019
It was ok, but I have to admit that I haven’t read the other books in the series. I’m certain had I read those, my understanding of things would have been better.
December 28, 2022
Cliffhanger warning! Make sure you have the next book ready. :) This series is getting darker as Vlad gets older. It makes sense that as he learns more about the seedy underbelly of the vampire political world, his life gets more complicated. He goes from worrying about bullies and girls in the first book to worrying about the death of his Uncle and himself and if he will have to kill his friend to protect his family. I think there is a lot to wrap up in the last book, so I hope it is able to do it!
Content notes: Gore, violence, blood-drinking, hunting and killing humans
Content notes: Gore, violence, blood-drinking, hunting and killing humans
January 20, 2019
Wow, a Vlad Tod book that finally breaks four stars! I absolutely enjoyed this book and it was so close to being a five-star read, but I couldn't ignore the glaring issues I personally saw.
Normally I would give a short synopsis of a book, but due to the fact that I suck at summarizing (and I call myself a writer), I'm not going to bother any longer. Plus, this review is only going up on Goodreads and the summary can be accessed above, so let's just get on with it, shall we?
Let's start off with the pros, because we have to get some positivity up in here and, oh boy, do I have some stuff to talk about.
First off are the twists in this book. Oh. My. God. So good. I saw a few of them coming (most being the romance that was going to happen), but holy crap. The big, important ones? Yeah, I didn't see them. I was constantly wondering what was really going to happen and if my suspicions were correct. Most weren't. During the last half of the book, I was on the edge of my seat.
The writing gets so much more emotional and suspenseful in this one. This ties in with the twists point, but oh my. I'm s h o o k. Brewer definitely grew as a writer over time and completely reeled me in in this one.
We're introduced to a few new characters in this book, the biggest being Dorian. He was mysterious and I wanted to know so much more about him. I loved how he was sweet and kind, even when throwing out outlandish requests (like wanting to drink Vlad's blood). I definitely wanted to know more about his past and how he became who he was as a vampire.
Along with Dorian, I loved the new vampire lore that was explained, along with the history of the Slayer Society. Reading about the history of it all really made me feel more connected to these books in a way I hadn't been before. There's still so much more I'd like to know, but at least we finally got a stepping stone in book four.
With the growth of Brewer's writing, I was also happy to see some character development, especially with Henry. I really hated him in the beginning of the series, but he's really grown on me and I actually think I'd be sad if something were to happen to him. I feel like Vlad grew as a character after a certain event happened. It was like he had been forced to mature and grow overnight- and I honestly really enjoyed that. I like this new, harder, more vampiric Vlad and hope we see more of it.
The pros were what gave this book such a high rating (obviously) but, of course, there have to be cons to bring the rating down. This one had quite a few, but most were just nitpicky things.
The biggest con I have is Vlad's character as a whole. In my review notebook, I had made several bullet points about things Vlad had done/thought/said that pissed me off and very nearly had me giving this book two stars. Instead of listing them all out, I'm just going to create one lengthy, run-on paragraph.
Vlad's treatment of Otis, especially knowing of the impending trial that could take his life away, ticked me off. Trust me, I understand Vlad is a teenager. He's going to be moody and lash out, especially since he has so much going on in his life. It IS hard and I expect he's only doing things the best he can, but that doesn't mean I have to like him as a character or support every decision he makes or every thought he has. The first half of this book was spent rolling my eyes at nearly everything Vlad did or said. Along with Otis, he was so back and forth about Joss and what do with him and whether or not they really were friends (even though Joss made it clear that they weren't), and even after Tristian was killed his reaction was, 'well, vampires aren't exactly nurturing'. Vlad, my dude, Tristian wasn't even a vampire??? He was a drudge??? I know he kind of rectifies things after, but still. The fact that that thought even ran through his mind made me so angry.
Vlad revealing to Meredith at the Snow Ball that he's a vampire: seriously??? He freaks out about the entire school potentially knowing who he was but he literally blurts it out to Meredith in the middle of the dance floor. Idiot. A damn idiot.
I'm going to stop talking about Vlad before this turns into a full-length novel on how much he pissed me off. How about we talk about Nelly instead?
Nelly. Hooooo. I enjoyed her in the first book and some of the second book, but now I just- I can't stand her. First, she turned a blind eye on her ward being bullied AND THEN she literally accepts an invitation to dinner with the guy that tried to kill him. I understand that she did have her reasons and they are explained, but in the moment I was so pissed off. That was a traumatic experience for him - y'know, being staked by your best friend does that to a guy - but no, Nelly doesn't even ask him if he's okay with it, just accepts. No. I don't like her. Sorry.
And, last of the characters, Em. At first, I thought it was really cool that the oldest living vampire is a teenager. I enjoyed that, I thought maybe she could become a friend to Vlad or something. Or be super powerful and badass. But? Yeah, she's powerful, BUT she's completely embraced the whole scene/emo image and I actually laughed out loud at that bit (and maybe cringed a little). I don't know. Em is a teenager and, while she may be the oldest vampire in the world, she still LOOKS young, so I imagine she gets some crap from fellow vamps. I can see her being more regal. Sure, let her wear the thick black eyeliner, but skinny jeans and a band t-shirt? Sure, Jan. This is definitely a nitpicky thing and I know I probably sound like a complete dick, but this just really bugged me, okay?
The Jasik situation that's literally touched on once. In the last book, Vlad was in Jasik's mind as he died, something that greatly affected him. I was hoping I'd see more on it in Eleventh Grade Burns. Vlad dealing with nightmares about Jasik dying or crushing guilt (as if he doesn't already deal with that ha). But there was nothing, and then he had the audacity to say 'yup, was scarred when that happened'. Really? Because you hadn't let anyone know about that until now, not even your thoughts. So, uh, you sure?
I would go in on the treatment of women once again, but this review is getting long and all I'm going to say is: comparing a girl to a Big Mac isn't okay. It isn't funny. It's gross and I almost dnf'd the book. That might sound dramatic to some of you, but I can't stand seeing that kind of thing in books anymore, especially when it's not really addressed. I can say it was a little in here, but the comparing women to objects was still a thing and, eh, that doesn't sit well with me.
As much as Brewer's writing has grown from the beginning of the series, I did feel like his writing was repetitive in parts. It was like he couldn't think of anything to write so he had to regurgitate things that had already been stated tons of times before. It got old pretty quick.
I'm definitely ready to see how this series concludes, especially with the twist at the end of this one.
Normally I would give a short synopsis of a book, but due to the fact that I suck at summarizing (and I call myself a writer), I'm not going to bother any longer. Plus, this review is only going up on Goodreads and the summary can be accessed above, so let's just get on with it, shall we?
Let's start off with the pros, because we have to get some positivity up in here and, oh boy, do I have some stuff to talk about.
First off are the twists in this book. Oh. My. God. So good. I saw a few of them coming (most being the romance that was going to happen), but holy crap. The big, important ones? Yeah, I didn't see them. I was constantly wondering what was really going to happen and if my suspicions were correct. Most weren't. During the last half of the book, I was on the edge of my seat.
The writing gets so much more emotional and suspenseful in this one. This ties in with the twists point, but oh my. I'm s h o o k. Brewer definitely grew as a writer over time and completely reeled me in in this one.
We're introduced to a few new characters in this book, the biggest being Dorian. He was mysterious and I wanted to know so much more about him. I loved how he was sweet and kind, even when throwing out outlandish requests (like wanting to drink Vlad's blood). I definitely wanted to know more about his past and how he became who he was as a vampire.
Along with Dorian, I loved the new vampire lore that was explained, along with the history of the Slayer Society. Reading about the history of it all really made me feel more connected to these books in a way I hadn't been before. There's still so much more I'd like to know, but at least we finally got a stepping stone in book four.
With the growth of Brewer's writing, I was also happy to see some character development, especially with Henry. I really hated him in the beginning of the series, but he's really grown on me and I actually think I'd be sad if something were to happen to him. I feel like Vlad grew as a character after a certain event happened. It was like he had been forced to mature and grow overnight- and I honestly really enjoyed that. I like this new, harder, more vampiric Vlad and hope we see more of it.
The pros were what gave this book such a high rating (obviously) but, of course, there have to be cons to bring the rating down. This one had quite a few, but most were just nitpicky things.
The biggest con I have is Vlad's character as a whole. In my review notebook, I had made several bullet points about things Vlad had done/thought/said that pissed me off and very nearly had me giving this book two stars. Instead of listing them all out, I'm just going to create one lengthy, run-on paragraph.
Vlad's treatment of Otis, especially knowing of the impending trial that could take his life away, ticked me off. Trust me, I understand Vlad is a teenager. He's going to be moody and lash out, especially since he has so much going on in his life. It IS hard and I expect he's only doing things the best he can, but that doesn't mean I have to like him as a character or support every decision he makes or every thought he has. The first half of this book was spent rolling my eyes at nearly everything Vlad did or said. Along with Otis, he was so back and forth about Joss and what do with him and whether or not they really were friends (even though Joss made it clear that they weren't), and even after Tristian was killed his reaction was, 'well, vampires aren't exactly nurturing'. Vlad, my dude, Tristian wasn't even a vampire??? He was a drudge??? I know he kind of rectifies things after, but still. The fact that that thought even ran through his mind made me so angry.
Vlad revealing to Meredith at the Snow Ball that he's a vampire: seriously??? He freaks out about the entire school potentially knowing who he was but he literally blurts it out to Meredith in the middle of the dance floor. Idiot. A damn idiot.
I'm going to stop talking about Vlad before this turns into a full-length novel on how much he pissed me off. How about we talk about Nelly instead?
Nelly. Hooooo. I enjoyed her in the first book and some of the second book, but now I just- I can't stand her. First, she turned a blind eye on her ward being bullied AND THEN she literally accepts an invitation to dinner with the guy that tried to kill him. I understand that she did have her reasons and they are explained, but in the moment I was so pissed off. That was a traumatic experience for him - y'know, being staked by your best friend does that to a guy - but no, Nelly doesn't even ask him if he's okay with it, just accepts. No. I don't like her. Sorry.
And, last of the characters, Em. At first, I thought it was really cool that the oldest living vampire is a teenager. I enjoyed that, I thought maybe she could become a friend to Vlad or something. Or be super powerful and badass. But? Yeah, she's powerful, BUT she's completely embraced the whole scene/emo image and I actually laughed out loud at that bit (and maybe cringed a little). I don't know. Em is a teenager and, while she may be the oldest vampire in the world, she still LOOKS young, so I imagine she gets some crap from fellow vamps. I can see her being more regal. Sure, let her wear the thick black eyeliner, but skinny jeans and a band t-shirt? Sure, Jan. This is definitely a nitpicky thing and I know I probably sound like a complete dick, but this just really bugged me, okay?
The Jasik situation that's literally touched on once. In the last book, Vlad was in Jasik's mind as he died, something that greatly affected him. I was hoping I'd see more on it in Eleventh Grade Burns. Vlad dealing with nightmares about Jasik dying or crushing guilt (as if he doesn't already deal with that ha). But there was nothing, and then he had the audacity to say 'yup, was scarred when that happened'. Really? Because you hadn't let anyone know about that until now, not even your thoughts. So, uh, you sure?
I would go in on the treatment of women once again, but this review is getting long and all I'm going to say is: comparing a girl to a Big Mac isn't okay. It isn't funny. It's gross and I almost dnf'd the book. That might sound dramatic to some of you, but I can't stand seeing that kind of thing in books anymore, especially when it's not really addressed. I can say it was a little in here, but the comparing women to objects was still a thing and, eh, that doesn't sit well with me.
As much as Brewer's writing has grown from the beginning of the series, I did feel like his writing was repetitive in parts. It was like he couldn't think of anything to write so he had to regurgitate things that had already been stated tons of times before. It got old pretty quick.
I'm definitely ready to see how this series concludes, especially with the twist at the end of this one.
April 13, 2010
I found this series gets more enjoyable with every book. I was drawn in more to the plot and I didn't find nearly as many faults with Brewer's writing style. I think she improved a lot with this book. And I also feel like it's a gradual improvement, which is good since I wasn't thrown completely into a story that was so much better written I had to question whether or not she really wrote it.
So things I did find troubling, first off, was that she got rid of two of what I considered her best characters. Vlad severed his ties with Snow, which he'll rethink, hopefully, in the next book. And Dorian died. (Which, when you think about it, doesn't make much sense. He was possibly the most powerful vampire any knew and Joss was able to take him out? Joss, who was scared of by Vikas when he confronted Vlad?)They were honestly my favorite characters throughout this book and I was highly disappointed.
I was also really disappointed with Vlad's obsession with Meredith. It was bareable in the third book, but in this I found it really obnoxious in the fact that it was mentioned too often and I feel it wasn't necessary. The plot was completely absorbing without it. And not every vampire based book needs to incorporate a ton of romance. And I feel this one in particular shouldn't because the little romance in it wasn't all that great. And Meredith's character isn't all that interesting anyway.
There were some little things here and there too, like the "V Bar", I think it was called. I felt that was a little too obvious. She could've come up with a much better name for the place.
Once again, I'm focusing too much on the negative. I did like Em. Not her character so much as the fact that she's just there. She came in right when I started thinking, "Why haven't we seen any important female vampires in any of these books? It's like all of Elysia is male or something." So I was pleased with the fact that she made the oldest and most respected vampire a teenage girl.
So things I did find troubling, first off, was that she got rid of two of what I considered her best characters. Vlad severed his ties with Snow, which he'll rethink, hopefully, in the next book. And Dorian died. (Which, when you think about it, doesn't make much sense. He was possibly the most powerful vampire any knew and Joss was able to take him out? Joss, who was scared of by Vikas when he confronted Vlad?)They were honestly my favorite characters throughout this book and I was highly disappointed.
I was also really disappointed with Vlad's obsession with Meredith. It was bareable in the third book, but in this I found it really obnoxious in the fact that it was mentioned too often and I feel it wasn't necessary. The plot was completely absorbing without it. And not every vampire based book needs to incorporate a ton of romance. And I feel this one in particular shouldn't because the little romance in it wasn't all that great. And Meredith's character isn't all that interesting anyway.
There were some little things here and there too, like the "V Bar", I think it was called. I felt that was a little too obvious. She could've come up with a much better name for the place.
Once again, I'm focusing too much on the negative. I did like Em. Not her character so much as the fact that she's just there. She came in right when I started thinking, "Why haven't we seen any important female vampires in any of these books? It's like all of Elysia is male or something." So I was pleased with the fact that she made the oldest and most respected vampire a teenage girl.
April 12, 2011
Another blood sucking suspense by Heather Brewer,Eleventh Grade Burns. Vlad starts his Junior year with slayers gaining on his back. School is hard enough to handle, but with slayers trying to kill you, you have to work even harder. A vamipre that Vlad never knew about, Dorian, is out for Vlad's blood.Eddie is still trying to admit that Vlad is a vampire and it is so hard for Vlad to stop thinking about Meredith. A new character joins the suspense named Snow.Ever sense Vlad met Snow at the crypt,he can't stop thinking about her.Vlad can't stop sucking her her blood so he makes her his drudge. Joss is sick and tired of Vlad and he really wants to stake him. So him and Vlad have a face off at a semitary. Dorian risks his life for Vlad and jumps in front of the stake. Blood oozes out from Dorian and Dorian tells Vlad to drink it. When he drinks it he sees his dad!!! But his dad died a couple of years ago in a fire. Could Dorian's blood just be messing with him, or is his dad really alive? Read this awesome book to find out.
I really liked this book,not because it is about vampires and how it has a lot of action in it,but because at the very last page of the book left a cliffhanger that I thought was impossible.But then I read the next book and everything came together like puzzle pieces.So read the series,it will get you hooked like a fish.You won't be able to put it down.
I really liked this book,not because it is about vampires and how it has a lot of action in it,but because at the very last page of the book left a cliffhanger that I thought was impossible.But then I read the next book and everything came together like puzzle pieces.So read the series,it will get you hooked like a fish.You won't be able to put it down.
December 9, 2017
Meh. I'm a bit over this series. It's really not written very well and the plot has gotten repetitive and boring. In the fourth book of the series, we see Vlad, now 16 and starting his Junior year struggle with the aftermath of breaking up with Meredith. D'Ablo stil wants to steal the Pravus status, Otis faces a death trial, and Joss is back in Bathroy to stay. Vlad finally has some chemistry with another character as Snow has become a second drudge and a feeding bag for the young vamp. However, he claims he has no feeling for her despite aching when she's not near and getting excited when she shows interest in him. He also claims to be "in love" with Meredith even when Henry points out that Vlad doesn't know anything about her (favorite color? Plans for after school? He's got nothing...) Dorian could have been an interested character except he'd pop in and out of the book with no real explanation and than dies to save Vlad at the end. The Joss plot was rushed and honestly a cop-out...as a former friend neither wants to kill the other but "has" to; so they compromise that they'll be friends during the day and enemies at night. Vlad never uses cool vamp powers other than to threaten Eddie, D'Ablo once again outsmarts everyone, and apparently garlic is a poison and a deterrent.
With only one final volume of this series, I will finish it but begrudgingly.
With only one final volume of this series, I will finish it but begrudgingly.
June 11, 2010
I just finished this book a few weeks ago. I have followed Vlad since the first book. Mostly, the cover caught my eye, and as expected, the synopsis on the back sealed the deal. I was kinda iffy on the first couple of books, even though I did like them because evryone wants to compare to Twilight. These books stand alone, and are very much the male response to Twilight. But the biggest thing is that these books MAKE SENSE. They're vampires! They drink blood. They maim. They kill. As sadistic as that sounds, I still love vampires that are not endearing. And here Vlad is struggling with that. I mean he's only half vamp, but he still struggles. And we don't forget that he's still a kid.
Now, as far as this book, it was awesome - very action packed and edge of your seat. It draws you more into the vampire world without forgetting that Vlad is still a kid with all these kid thing to worry about on top of this Pravus prophecy. But my favorite part were the last few lines. I have never been so excited that I almost threw a book across the room! What a cliffhanger!!!!!
As an author, I hope my books elicit a response like this one did for me!
Now, as far as this book, it was awesome - very action packed and edge of your seat. It draws you more into the vampire world without forgetting that Vlad is still a kid with all these kid thing to worry about on top of this Pravus prophecy. But my favorite part were the last few lines. I have never been so excited that I almost threw a book across the room! What a cliffhanger!!!!!
As an author, I hope my books elicit a response like this one did for me!
February 16, 2013
The only thing I can say after finishing this book is....Oh... My... Goodness!! This book was FILLED with twists and wonderful teenage drama. Vlad still attempts to renew his friendship with Joss, there is a new girl on the scene, plus there is the little life or death situation with his uncle. Everything goes down in this book and by the end... if you aren't thinking "Did I read that right?" as you reread the same page just to be sure, you are not human.
I still love how the book brings in all kinds of teenager problems that myself and many other people had to deal with at one point or another, making the book very much relateable (since I'm assuming not everyone had to deal with the urge to eat their classmates).
Overall, this book earns a 5/5 rating that will almost literally make you salivate for the final book. I would recommend the series just for this book (and also just because it is one of the best YA vampire series I've ever read).
I still love how the book brings in all kinds of teenager problems that myself and many other people had to deal with at one point or another, making the book very much relateable (since I'm assuming not everyone had to deal with the urge to eat their classmates).
Overall, this book earns a 5/5 rating that will almost literally make you salivate for the final book. I would recommend the series just for this book (and also just because it is one of the best YA vampire series I've ever read).
April 20, 2010
The absolute horror of the biggest cliffhanger ever as entered my world. I can't believe Heather Brewer would do such a thing!
My eyes were brimming with tears when Dorian gave his life up for Vlad! (I never knew I was remotely allowed to cry over someone who basically wanted to kill Vlad. But, my view of Dorian did change as the book came to an end.)
Eleventh Grade Burns has to be my favorite book out of the whole series so far. Two thumbs up for Heather Brewer and her jaw-wrenching cliffhangers that I most utterly despise! *sarcasm*
Can't wait for Twelfth Grade Kills this September!
My eyes were brimming with tears when Dorian gave his life up for Vlad! (I never knew I was remotely allowed to cry over someone who basically wanted to kill Vlad. But, my view of Dorian did change as the book came to an end.)
Eleventh Grade Burns has to be my favorite book out of the whole series so far. Two thumbs up for Heather Brewer and her jaw-wrenching cliffhangers that I most utterly despise! *sarcasm*
Can't wait for Twelfth Grade Kills this September!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2010
Excellent novel. A lot of gripping emotion, drama and humour that has you hooked from the first page. If you're a fan of paranormal/vampires, I highly recommend. If you're not a fan, then I wouldn't recommend. But all in all a great book.
May 17, 2013
I recommend this book to everyone. It's great, full of action and your left with a cliffhanger. Heather brought back Joss which always makes things interesting. It's a great book and it was fun to read.
August 24, 2016
WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!?! I ... I don't know honestly. I can't comprehend what's happening right now. That ending is just everything.
October 3, 2010
I like the Vlad Todd books quite a bit. It is another Vampire read but still quite enjoyable.
March 23, 2011
This series just keeps getting better and better!!!
May 12, 2011
Reese and I read this series over break on her Kindle. Harry Potter meets Twilight :)
July 12, 2012
Wooo! Tables turned. Mysteries to solve in the last book! I can't waaaaiiiit!
April 23, 2013
It was a great book, keeping me reading until the end. Speaking of the end, it was amazing, made me want to read the next one.
September 23, 2013
yai this book is really awesome but everyone should read all of the series trust me this book is awesome i like the first novel the setting there was a good choice to put the characters.
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