AMERICAN VAMPIRE – Jennifer Armintrout
MIRA
ISBN: 978-0-7783-2878-0
March 2011
Paranormal Romance

Penance, Ohio – Present Day

The vampire Graf just wanted to get to the big party held by his maker. There would be plenty to eat, people to mingle with, more than enough to keep him satisfied for quite a while…if only he can get there. No map, GPS on the fritz, Graf makes the decision to pull off at a small gas station, to steal a map or two, and maybe grab a human snack. But when Graf and the only other occupant in the building are attacked by some sort of monster, he and the girl barely make it out alive. He dumps the girl a ways down the road and figures he'll head to a bigger city for directions. Except…suddenly Graf can't leave. He's stuck in the small town of Penance .

Jessa was running away from Penance's own “It”, a monster that stalks the town and keeps people from coming or going. So imagine her surprise when a stranger manages to get trapped in the small town, the first stranger Penance has seen in over five years. Jessa soon finds out Graf isn't just a normal guy, but a vampire. Her town already has a monster; it really doesn't need another one to deal with. Penance hasn't been an easy place the past five years, but it's about to get much, much worse.

AMERICAN VAMPIRE has a little something for everyone, from suspense and horror, to a little romance between the two main characters, Jessa and Graf. From the moment Graf and Jessa meet up at the closed gas station to the final showdown with It, the terror of Penance, Ohio, this book goes full throttle. I was on the edge of my seat through the entire last half of the book, and without giving anything away, all I can say is that the ending is incredibly satisfying.

Graf is not your usual modern-day vampire; he's gruff and tough and doesn't mind mouthing off, even if it earns him a punch to the jaw. He's not smooth in the least, and his rough personality is almost refreshing considering today's perfect, sparkling vampires. Jessa has her faults, and her talents aren't anything that will help her win a pageant, but she's one of the most genuine heroines I've read all year.

For a good paranormal suspense, be sure to check out AMERICAN VAMPIRE by Jennifer Armintrout.

Amanda Toth