V-LIFE

In Parker’s horror comedy series starter, a novice vampire struggles to adjust to her new reality.

“Be steely.” That’s what Sugar Bernstein’s boyfriend Curtis always told her, and it’s advice that she needs more than ever, now that her life has been completely upended. Curtis is dead; Sugar’s no longer a Manhattan condo-dwelling ad executive with a penchant for shopping, wine, and mani-pedis; and her close-knit Jewish family is far away. Now, jobless Sugar both travels and resides in a Sprinter van, avoiding people and sunlight because she’s a vampire—the effect of a bite from Alexandria, also known as She-vil, a “vamp who lives on hate.” Alexandria constantly intrudes into Sugar’s dreams; while awake, Sugar struggles to feed herself by killing small animals. Also, her twin brother keeps trying to get her to attend his daughter’s bat mitzvah, which is inconveniently scheduled for the daytime. She does find some aspects of “V-life” more appealing: She lost a few pounds that she wanted to shed, and sometimes she manages to fly; when she falls, her broken limbs heal quickly. She also discovers a chain of RV parks that cater to an undead clientele, and that vampire sex is fantastic. Still, Sugar grapples with guilt—especially when it comes to her boyfriend’s untimely death at Alexandria’s hands. She’s increasingly aware that a possibly fatal showdown with Alexandria is inevitable. Over the course of the novel, Parker delivers a winning paranormal tale with quirky details. One fanged couple that Sugar meets, for instance, lives in a converted ambulance, and readers find out that even vamps care about gas mileage. Sugar is an inspired creation who’s relatable and quick-witted, and Parker excels at witty banter, especially between Sugar and her twin. Still, there’s an effective undercurrent of seriousness: Human companionship is off the table for Sugar, who’s forced to take lives to keep hers. The first person she deliberately kills is loathsome, but she can’t help but feel moral revulsion—and sadly, there’s no turning back.

A lighthearted road novel that doesn’t shy away from the inherent darkness of vampire life.