Customer Reviews

Tenth Grade Bleeds #3: The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

TENTH GRADE BLEEDS takes readers on the continuing adventures of a young vampire named Vladimir (Vlad) Tod.

Vlad is different than most vampires. He was born a vampire instead of created. Since the death of his parents - vampire father and human mother - he's been living with his aunt. There have been some bumpy times, but with the help of his vampire uncle and his best friend and drudge, Henry, he's survived his first year in high school and is about to begin his second.

The previous years have held some challenges for Vlad, but his tenth grade year is threatening to reveal some of the more potentially serious vampire issues. Uncle Otis headed off on his own adventures; however, Vlad wasn't really worried about his absence since the two have a mental connection that allows them to easily communicate. Otis isn't gone very long when Vlad discovers that the comforting communication seems to be missing. Now he doesn't have a clue where Otis is or how to get in touch with him.

Another new challenge is Henry. Their best friend relationship seems a bit strained. Henry finally admits his desire to be released as Vlad's drudge. First of all, is it possible? Secondly, can Vlad survive without the support and protection offered by a vampire's drudge?

The scariest change in book three is the fact that Vlad is beginning to have urges more typical of vampires. His blood supply has always come courtesy of his aunt's access to the blood bank at the hospital where she works, but he now is finding that the sweet scent of live human blood may be a temptation he might be unable to resist.

Combine these immediate concerns with continued problems from distant vampire councils, and Vlad may have more than he can handle. As evidence mounts that he might, in fact, be Pravus, life as a one-of-a-kind vampire is quickly turning dangerous.

Heather Brewer has joined the legions of authors writing vampire tales, but THE CHRONICLES VLADIMIR TOD series has many twists and turns that make it unique and will have teens excited to read each upcoming book.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

This doesn't have the gore of Rice books and the sexual content in the Meyer series, so a good vampire read for a 12-16 yr old. Good story line and characters you can relate to.

So far, I've been rather so-so on the Vladimir Tod Series. As an older teen, I've felt the first book was rather childish, meant for middle school and elementary kids. I never had a really strong feel for the characters or the plot, which felt lacking. I did like it enough, however, to keep reading. The second book was better, if only by a little. But this third book in the series is a vast improvement. I loved it!

In this new installment, Vlad grows as a person, changing from a naive preteen to a (at least somewhat more mature) young man. More and more problems are being thrust Vlad's way, giving the story more layers and depth. Tenth Grade Bleeds has a somewhat more darker tone to it than the previous books, especially when it comes to Vlad dealing with his growing bloodlust, but that's what I like best about the book. I also like how, for the first time, Henry didn't just follow Vlad around like a typical sidekick, and actually had his own opinion on some things. I like Vlad's relationship with Meredith, although the loser-hooking-up-with-popular-girl routine is nothing new, and Meredith seems a little too good to be true. I especially like how Vlad started hanging out with the goths at school. I couldn't help but think "it's about time!"

There were still quite a few things to keep me from giving this book five stars--the writing still seems too childish at times to be a Teen book, and there were still quite a few inconsistencies and illogical moments in the plot (especially how Vlad wound up at his final confrontation with D'Ablo). But what I like about this series is that, so far, every book has gotten better. Tenth Grade Bleeds was a great new installment in the series, and I have high hopes for the rest of the books to follow.

Vladimir Tod, growing vampire and probable Pravus, knows things aren't going to be easy when he begins his tenth grade year, even if he does have a wonderful girlfriend, Meredith. For one thing, his uncle Otis is leaving, just when Vlad thinks he's most needed; for another, his best friend Henry seems to be slipping away as a friend. Most troubling of all, though, is the increased thirst for blood that Vlad is constantly fighting. Oh, and yes, D'Ablo, his archenemy, is still after him, even slipping into Vlad's room to demand Vlad's father's journal. So when does that leave a fifteen-year-old time to study?

The third book in The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series follows the standard formula of a school year in the life of Vlad. But things are becoming more difficult on several levels for Vlad. He realizes he's not the most popular kid around, but with Henry wanting distance from being his drudge, and other kids teasing Meredith about liking him, Vlad suffers in silence. Otis is MIA for most of the book, and Nelly begins to realize that raising a vampire isn't an easy task. At least half of the book is teenaged angst, which of course makes sense, but when the action does pick up, it's fast and furious.

Like the other two, I liked this installment well enough, even if I did get tired of Vlad's insecurities at times. There were times when I felt the writing definitely was more childish than young adult, making me wish that the author would adjust as the character grows older (much as JK Rowling did with the Harry Potter series). And speaking of HP, I really did get a sense of a very Harry Potteresque ending when Vlad was facing D'Ablo for the big ending. Though not all of the final action made sense as a fight scene, I did enjoy it in general. I also feel that the final chapters really set the stage for major conflicts for Vlad in the future, and that makes me anxious to see how it's all going to turn out. Recommended for those who like books of the vampirish flavor.

Vlad is back! Tenth grade, Meredith, and Henry are the least of his worries. D'ablo is looking for the evil ritual to steal Pravus' powers, and he thinks Vlad is the Pravus.
This book had mystey, action, humor, and suspense. I bawled in the second book and I did not shed a tear in this book. It was way good but not as good as the second.
I recommend this book and series to people are looking for a good read. It really is good!!!

It's another awful year at Bathory High for Vladimir Tod. The evil vampire D'Ablo is hunting for a ritual that could steal Vlad's powers. His best friend, Henry, doesn't want to be his drudge anymore. And it's getting harder for Vlad to resist feeding on the people around him. With the threat of D'Ablo looming closer and nightmares haunting him each night, Vlad realizes that having a normal high school year is the least of his concerns. He needs to act fast, and even his Pravus powers won't save him this time.

Blurb from Barnes and Nobel.com

4 out of 5 stars

I have to say, I think this one is the funniest in the series yet! There were times where I was laughing out loud it was so funny!

This book also goes more indepth to Vlad's life at school, and about his friends.

Although this was the funniest, I also think it was the saddest. There were times I were crying, both from sadness and from laughing.

But all in all, in was very good, and I will be reading the next one! :)

Happy Reading!

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[...]

"It would be easier to be your drudge if you didn't order me around." - Henry McMillan to Vladimir Tod

Having survived a stake to the heart administered by a one-time friend, Vlad Tod finally has to admit the very real possibility that he is in fact the Pravus of vampire legend. It's not something he really wanted to face. It was bad enough when other vampires wanted to kill him when they only THOUGHT he might be the one fated to lead all vampires and enslave all humans. Now that it looks like the prophesy contains more fact than fiction, Vlad is sure he is in for a world of trouble.

Since Joss revealed himself as a slayer, Vlad is down one friend - and he didn't have all that many to start with. Now his best friend Henry has decided he doesn't want to be Vlad's drudge anymore and Vlad can't help but think that Henry is tired of being his friend as well. Vlad still has his amazing girlfriend Meredith, but with his blood hunger growing stronger every day he fears she might not really be safe with him.

The evil vampire D'Ablo is still hunting for a way to steal Vlad's Pravus powers and Vlad's Uncle Otis never seems to be around when Vlad needs him most. The icing on the cupcake of Vlad's life is that nerdy Eddie Poe has figured out that Vlad is a vampire and he's convinced that exposing Vlad's secret will pull him up and out of loserdom. Vlad just wants to get through sophomore year unscathed, he really doesn't need all this 'kill you, steal your powers' drama. Too bad no one cares what he needs.

Heather Brewer's Chronicles of Vladimir Tod is one of my favorite Young Adult book series. There is plenty of action and, even though the emotions portrayed are vividly real, the stories don't get bogged down in angst and pathos. This third book of five is a pivotal one for the series and hints of things to come are carefully woven into the details. Add in a kicker of an ending and you'll be clamoring for Eleventh Grade Burns as soon as you finish this one.

this is a great read. i have 3 out of 4 in the series. i am an adult and even though this book may seem teenage it is a good read for both adults and teens

Finally! Three books into the series and we get actual character development!

After the second book I found myself wondering wither or not it was such a good idea to keep reading this series - after all I hadn't found myself finding anything in them so far that had really captured my imagination. The characters still seemed rather flat and it was time, after 200 pages with them, rather than writing that made me feel as if I had a right to claim any familiarity with them. However Brewer powered up her writing, the pacing of her plot and, thankfully, her character development and we actually get something resembling a novel here. And for all the times I groaned and held my head as characters try and out do each other on the scale of supreme wussyness as they try and one up each other with who can cry the most single tears as they run away while all but flailing their arms and screaming "you just don't understaaaand" I found myself also being sucked deeper and deeper into the little world she had created for us to fall into.

So here's what's good in Tenth Grade Bleeds :

1) We finally get to spend some time with Meredeth. Yes, Vlad's decelerations of love make absolutely no sense and still seem to come right out of the great blue yonder but at least we see that the poor girl does indeed have a personality. And surprisingly enough it wasn't an air brained or even stupid one. No one was more shocked than I to find out that the girl was kind, artistic, patient and deeply sweet. Who knew she actually had three dimensions instead of two?

2) The plot goes somewhere and it doesn't go where I expected it to either. Throughout the series up until now I would occasionally amuse myself by playing Miss Cleo by guessing (correctly in all cases) where the plot would end up and what cliche Mrs Brewer would use to get us there. Yet my psychic powers failed me and she threw me for a loop. I was particularly happy with one of the plot lines about Vlad having prophetic nightmares. You think you know where it will end up and yet when it does show us where it's going it does an awfully good job of surprising us.

3) The fighting between Henry and Vlad. I know I shouldn't be so gleeful about this but the scenes between these two were actually well written with just the right amount of tension to make it believable. It also made room to play around with some surprisingly direct and painful questions about just what it means for Henry's character to be Vlad's human slave for the rest of his life.

But my biggest praise of this book is also my biggest sorrow and that is that Brewer finally introduces us to the gaggle of goths that, up until now, Vlad has only had a bizarre fascination with but no contact. For being bad inner sounding boards for Vlad's inner musings in the first two novels she fleshes out their characters with feeling and genuine emotion. When Vlad later on takes a trip with them out to a local goth club I found myself gripping the sides of the book with glee, my inner teenager being transported back in time, the writing eerily reminiscent of a more age appropriate Poppy Z Brite.

And that's the sad part - this series should have been about this. Vlad trying to find his place in the world, his gradual acceptance by a group just as alienated as himself, and a heartbreaking and tension filled encounter with a strangely intriguing girl named Snow in the shadows of a back alley were all one thousand times more interesting than any vampire prophecy. This series should have been less Harry Potter and more every day drama. What perils can the most outrageous fantasy story have for us that can't be rivaled at times with real life? I mean, what's more terrifying - leather pant wearing, foppy footed Diablo or the drunken father coming to beat his poor daughter - in the mind of a teenager?

My one consolation is that Brewer goes against convention and doesn't back down on these characters later on in the book and when I get around to picking up the fourth book in this series (and at this rate it's guaranteed that I will), you can be assured that it's because of the personal connections Vlad has started to make and the questions that they raise in his life with Henry and his relationships with others that I'll continue to read - not because I'm interested in some damn prophecy.

This is the third in a series of vampire stories for teenagers and young adults. Engaging characters and interesting plot. I would recommend for anyone.