The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause

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16-year-old Zoë's life is falling apart; her beautiful mother is dying of bone cancer and her best friend, Lorraine, is drifting away. So when the mysterious and handsome Simon comes along with a more profound loneliness a tentative friendship is formed. But does Simon have serious problems, Zoë wonders when she finds him with blood on his face, or is he just plain crazy, when he claims to be a 300 year old vampire? And is he right about the identity of a serial killer who has been leaving his mark on her formerly quiet hometown? Soon, Simon is the only thing Zoë can hold on to when everything else is falling apart. But what will become of him, the half mad vampire, once he has avenged his mother's death...Or if he fails?

Wow, this was a super fast read! It's been a while since I've read a book written in the 90's, and I have to say that I found it to be a bit comforting and nostalgic to read a book with characters that don't have cell phones and actually write letters to each other via snail mail.

What I Liked Best:

This story was told from two points of view: Zoë's and Simon's. I always enjoy it when authors alternate perspectives as they change chapters, since it gives you a better understanding of how each character is feeling. I especially liked that Simon was a realistic vampire: he still feeds off humans, but struggles with trying to remain his human self, and tries to feed off animals when he can. If he isn't to careful, the monster inside of him will take over. Plus, it was entertaining to read about vampires who can turn into bats, have trouble crossing running water, and can be harmed by the cross - it's been awhile since I've read about "classic" vamps.

What I Liked Least:

The story moved too quickly, and while Klause did her best to form a bit of a romance between Simon and Zoë, it still didn't sit well with me. I mean, at least Zoë had the sense to be constantly freaked out at what Simon was, but the fact that she just accepted this all quickly after he told her his life story was, in my opinion, a bit lame. I also felt that the ending was rather rushed, what with Zoë coming to terms all of a sudden with the fact that her mom is dying of cancer. 

Overall Thoughts:

Despite the fact that this story moved at warp-speed, it was still an enjoyable read. I enjoyed reading about the oddball vamp Simon, and actually laughed when he secretly followed Zoë home and peed on her front door - I mean, what the hell? Was he marking his territory? What a weirdo. It was just an entertaining read, and it had a good message about dealing with death. I recommend you give this a shot if you have the free time and enjoy vampire romances, though it isn't a must-read.