Invitation to a Stranger

Margaret
Pearce
Genre: 
Young Adult

 Most people may think ‘school disco’ does not sound earth-shattering or life-changing. But for friends Ronnie, Katie and Jasmine it started a chain of events that rocked their world, because there they met Drake… For this group of fourteen-year-olds Drake was beyond interesting because:
He was hot
He was mysterious
He was interesting and different

That could be amazing and a start of a beautiful crush-love story.  Any sensible elder, however, would make the point that it’s not a bright idea because Drake is:
Different
Fishy
Too old for them

Not only that, but he is part of a family which are suspected of being involved in a series of disappearances, of both pets and children.  No one can understand what on earth they might want with them.  These disappearances are the most worrisome, of course. Not to worry, the super-team of Katie, Ronnie, Jasmine and a neighborly Greek grandmother just might save the day.

The YA vampire theme has been done before, many, many times, and done much better. The little ways in which this book is innovative aren’t enough to overcome the predictable plots and uninteresting characters. The girls’ actions weren’t  believable or logical. All in all, this is not a book that would likely end up on a reader’s ‘Favorite’ shelf. The author is to be commended, though (which if it weren’t so, would’ve resulted in a lengthy rant) on the way in which Pearce handled the potential relationship. It was definitely unique and maturely written, definitely refreshing! 

Mimi Smith