Review: The Coffin Club by Ellen Schreiber

The Coffin Club

Author: Ellen Schreiber
Publisher: Harper Collins Books
Series: Vampire Kisses, Book 5
ISBN: 9780061288845
Purchase Information:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Borders | Indiebound

For more information visit Ellen Schreiber's website.

There's a hot new underground club in town . . . but membership lasts an eternity.


It's summer break, and Raven knows she should stay put in Dullsville until her immortal love returns. But when she decides to go after Alexander, she can't resist a visit to her favorite Goth-spot, The Coffin Club. Sneaking inside, Raven is shocked to discover a secret door that leads to the entrance of another hidden club. There's something peculiar about this cryptic hangout—and it's too enticing for Raven to resist. Soon a dangerous battle for the club's rule erupts between Alexander's old nemesis and a mysterious new guy. Can Raven avoid the clash before her curiosity lands her in serious trouble?

Review:

This is the fifth novel in the popular Vampire Kisses series by Ellen Schreiber. It focuses on a goth girl named Raven and her desire to become a creature of the night. When Alexander moves into the creepy mansion in her home of Dullsville all of her dreams suddenly seem possible. Overall the series is something of a gothic fairy tale where happy endings undoubtedly exist and vampires are just misunderstood. And honestly, what’s wrong with that?

In this installment, Hipsterville’s vampire night spot the Coffin Club is in turmoil. Its secret vampires-only underground club The Dungeon is filling with the undead, all worried about the growing sense of tension. It seems Jagger is up to no good once more, this time wishing to take over the town and expose the presence of his race. Using crop circles to attract more vampires, he’s amassed an army, but not all the vampires want to be exposed. It seems the Coffin Club is designated as a safe zone where they can be free to be themselves. Naturally, Raven finds solace in this underground club among people who also feel ostracized from the rest of the world and wants to help fight to keep it as it always has been, a refuge.

Even with the lingering feeling of tension in the novel the story is upbeat with lots of kitschy details making the dark and dreary world of Goths disappear, instead replacing it with strong indivualism and an unyielding desire for acceptance. Raven at the forefront, is a strong character that can be looked up to, though her over exuberance often leads her into trouble. However, it is also this over exuberance that allows her to see past stereotypes to the person beneath.

The pace was a bit slower in this novel then in previous books, but the storyline was still interesting, though I did miss the more dire adventures that held you with their mystery. There was also a lack of time with Alexander. Considering this book was all about Raven going to Hispterville to spend time with him, she spends very little in his actual presence, though we come to find he was never far.

Overall, this novel is one that you can feel secure that your child is reading. It holds some strong messages about love, tolerance and self identity and while it is a romance book there’s nothing steamier then a kiss. This is simply a fun quick read that keeps you coming back for more.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Scars