Sucks to Be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire (maybe) [Hardcover]

Kimberly Pauley (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 26, 2008

Mina Hamilton's parents want her dead. (Or undead to be precise.) They're vampires, and like it or not, Mina must decide whether to become a vampire herself. But Mina's more interested in hanging out with best friend Serena and trying to catch the eye of the too-hot-for-high-school Nathan Able than in the vampire training classes she's being forced to take. How's a girl supposed to find the perfect prom date and pass third-year French when her mom and dad are breathing down her neck--literally?

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Most high-school juniors face big questions about their futures, but few ask the question posed to 16-year-old Mina: should she stay human or should she become a vampire, like her parents? In this breezy, often uproarious debut novel, Pauley follows Mina through her decision-making process, which includes classes about vampire history and culture and field trips with her eccentric uncle Mortie, the first vampire in the family. The juxtaposition between Mina’s normal, human high-school existence and “vampire camp” creates hilarious contrasts, all narrated in Mina’s wisecracking, authentic teen voice. Mina’s frequent lists, such as “Why It Sucks to Have Parents Who Are Vampires” and IM exchanges between Mina and her best friend, add to the pitch-perfect humor. A chirpy cheerleader considering the vampire life and a cast of handsome romantic prospects round out the appealing supporting cast. Readers will race through this lighthearted debut, filled with vampire lore, to discover Mina’s final decision, and they might recognize Mina’s larger struggle to move between very different cultural worlds. Grades 7-10. --Gillian Engberg

About the Author

Kimberly Pauley loves a good book she can sink her teeth into. As her alter-ego, the Young Adult Books Goddess of yabookscentral.com, she has devoured more books than she can count. This is her first novel. She lives in Illinois.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 293 pages
• Publisher: Mirrorstone; First Edition edition (August 26, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786950285
• ISBN-13: 978-0786950287
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 1.1 x 8.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (103 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,471,530 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kimberly Pauley is the author of Sucks to Be Me (Aug, 2008) and Still Sucks to Be Me (May, 2010). Her third book, Cat Girl's Day Off was released in April 2012. She now lives in London, England with her husband (who really doesn't get YA fiction) and The Max, the cutest little boy in the world.

She has an (infrequent) newsletter, often runs giveaways and contests, and sends out signed bookplates to readers, so be sure to check out her website, www.kimberlypauley.com for more information.

Kimberly was also the founder of Young Adult (& Kid's) Books Central, one of the leading Internet destinations for anyone interested in children's or adolescent literature.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Didn't Suck at All! August 26, 2008

By The Book Muncher VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

At the end of Mina Hamilton's junior year in high school, she is faced with the biggest decision of her life: whether or not to become a vampire. To make it worse, the only guidance she has comes from her slightly crazy uncle Mortie and a vampire class taught by good old Grandma Wolfington (okay, her real name is Ms. Riley) that Mina is forced to take. And just because she is named after a character from Bram Stoker's Dracula doesn't make this enormous decision any easier.

This novel opens with an allusion to Stephenie Meyer, queen of all vampire novels, so I knew that Sucks to Be Me would be a fantastic read, which it was. Sucks to Be Me was a truly witty and original debut novel that I completely enjoyed. It was filled with many laugh-out-loud funny moments from the beginning to end and very rarely was repetitive. In a way, Kimberly Pauley's funny writing reminded me of Shakespeare's comedies, because they both used comedy to mask important themes. I also really liked how each chapter started out with a myth and fact of vampires, especially because Mina usually inserted a sarcastic comment. Mina's character is very lovable, and it was fun to read along as Mina dealt with her confusion regarding the vampire and boy issues in her life.

Anyone who is looking for a lighthearted and witty read should definitely check out Sucks to be Me in September when it hits shelves. I was very impressed with Kimberly Pauley's debut novel, and I hope she plans to turn Sucks to Be Me into a series or at least write another fantastic and witty novel in the near future.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Vamp Book September 21, 2008

By Book-lover Carol VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

So, you think your life sucks? Try being Mina Hamilton. Her parents are vampires, which would sound cool if they weren't so bo-ring and parent-like. And now Mina has to decide whether or not she wants to be one too...in a month. As if high school wasn't bad enough, now she's got to go to vampire classes with a bunch of freaks who actually want to drink blood (Gross! As if sushi wasn't bad enough.). And she can't even tell her best friend about any of it, not with a bunch of red-tape-loving vampire bureaucrats breathing down her neck. How's a girl supposed to find a prom date and get through school with all this blood-sucking drama going on?

You are sucked into this book from page one. Mina's voice is original, funny and truly engaging. She felt real and seemed like a teenage girl you might know.The little facts and truth about some vampire myths over each chapter were pure genius and each myth had something to do with that chapter. The book made you laugh a lot and the spin added to this vampire book was great. Pauley writes like an experienced author and I had trouble believing that this was her debut novel. The plot was great and fun to read. This was a fast read that had you laughing at every page. The romance, humor,normal teenage problems, and vampires incorporated into this book makes Sucks to be Me a perfect summer read that everyone should read.
-Carol
[...]

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Life changing experience September 27, 2008

By Dixie McCarty

Format:Hardcover

Mina has a life changing or is that death changing decision to make. This comes on top of deciding what to wear, the cute boy in her class, who will she go to prom with, and dealing with her weird uncle.

Besides being a fun read written in a quirky manner Sucks to be Me goes hand in hand with the major decisions that high school student make every year. Who they date, grades, what to major in at the college they choose, all are life changing decisions.

This would be an excellent book to use in a classroom in middle or high school. With so many possible scenarios of decision making it would get students thinking about what they do today and how it affects the future.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Book Title Fits June 6, 2009

By The Three Woods VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Mina Hamilton has known her parents were vampires for her as long as she can remember. Her dad was turned by a plump Uncle Mortie who became upset and bit him. Her mom turned after Mina was born since she didn't want to lose her baby and knew they wouldn't be able to have any after Mina's mom turned. Mina has now been discovered by the Vampire Council after the Vampire Tax Authority reported her. See, vampires are not allowed to tell humans that vampires exist. (Sound familiar?) Her parents lie and say they just told Mina who is now 16 years old. Mina is then sent to a 5 week introduction course where she will learn about becoming a vampire. Since she grew up knowing her parents were vampires, she finds the classes very boring save for a gorgeous boy whose looks and butt she obsesses over - Aubrey. George (a teen who was raised in and out of foster care), Lorelei (your typical cheerleader), Raven (your usual nemesis with an attitude who likes the same guy as Mina) and Linda (the quiet girl) all are in classes with her and interact throughout the book - George being an important character for later in the book. At school, she can't tell her best friend, Serena, what she is becoming. So, they talk about Mina's crush at school - Nathan.
Ironically, Mina has to write a report on the character Mina and her fiance Hamilton in Bram Stoker's "Dracula" with her crush Nathan. Nathan is this ultra cool rich kid who Mina sees as gorgeous - again with a great butt. Nathan invites Mina to attend a party and she brings Serena along. Since Mina and Serena are usually in the "out" crowd, a few of the "in crowd" girls get upset. We then find out why Nathan is inviting the girls to his parties....
Written from a 16 year old, over-sexed and selfish girl's perspective, this story takes you on a tour of her life - what she likes, what she doesn't like, what she obsesses about 24/7, etc. There is absolutely no action in the book. The plot is two-fold - 1. becoming a vampire - what it's like and what will happen to her friends and life as she knows it when she turns. 2. will she or won't she be with the guys she has crushes on and who will take her to her prom.
If you pick up this book and consider it as someone's diary, you might enjoy it. Add in a few written out text messages, email and hand written notes and you've got Mina's life in one book with a perfect title. Parents of impressionable tweens will be interested to know that sexuality, teen drinking, cussing and adult language are found throughout this book. Read more ›