Review : The Vampire Underground (Grisly High #1) by Brian Rowe (YA)

Goodreads

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Book Blurb

16-year-old Brin Skar hates everything to do with the supernatural, so the obsessive film geek isn't happy when she discovers that her junior year Film class at Grisly High is devoted to the horror genre. She's even more disconcerted when she learns that six groups in the class will be writing and directing their very own horror movies.

Brin and five classmates travel to Bodie Ghost Town in California to shoot their creepy film, but they soon find themselves fighting a real terrifying threat when a clan of mean, bloodthirsty vampires emerge from beneath the surface and start attacking the group. The teens, headed by Brin and the egotistical director Anaya Frost, have no help from the outside and become outnumbered by the vampires a hundred to one.

But when Brin meets Paul, a helpful and smoldering vampire outcast who's had enough of his shameful life, she realizes he might be the only key to her survival.

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Toot's Review by Stacy Sabala

Brin is a high school junior. She is about to go back to school after her winter break. She is not thrilled. The only high point is her Intro to Film class. She has waited a year to take it. She and her best friend Ash are excited and ready to explore their favorite thing.

The first assignment is to make a horror movie with another genera twist. Brin’s group gets a western twist while Ash’s group gets a musical. Brin wants to direct the movie but she clashes with Anaya, the big beast of a girl, who wants to direct also. Brin ends up being shot down by her teacher and has to bend to Anaya’s dictation. She chooses to film at Bodie Ghost down on a Saturday. Brin has to choose between filming and going to her father’s grave. She chooses filming.

Once at Bodie everything goes wrong. The road is closed but Anaya pushes forward anyway. Brin keeps seeing people that shouldn’t really be there. The van gets stuck and they have to walk the rest of the way. Their ride home is in jeopardy too paired with no phone service. Then Anaya refuses to listen to reason in pursuit of filming the movie for class.

When the van is finally broken free and brought in for a filming angle, Sawyer loses control and crashes it. It flips and bursts into flames burning him badly. Brin elects to walk to the main road for help. She and Chace take off while the others stay behind. As they make their way through the cold and snow, the nightmare begins.

This is a YA horror story. It isn’t my usual taste, but it was pretty interesting. For those who like horror, it doesn’t disappoint. It has death, vampires, destruction and deceit. I couldn’t stop reading it to see what happened next. It was a hair raising story full suspense and scary situations. I give it a 3 out of 5.

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