Alana Oakley: Bloodlust and Blunders by Poppy Inkwell

Big Sky Publishing, 2016. ISBN 9781925275803
(Age: 11+) Recommended. In Alana Oakley: Bloodlust and Blunders, 14 year old Alana's new neighbours look suspiciously like vampires, the PE teacher isn't as vicious as usual and she has to learn ballroom dancing. Not a great start the new school year! What's worse is Alana needs extra dance lessons from her 'vampire' neighbours. The neighbours just happen to live in a creepy old house with creepy old family members.
Subplots weave through the narrative; a dead body on a table and Alana's mum and her friends trying to get to Tasmania. Readers could find keeping track of these subplots a little tricky but the use of different fonts and each event having its own chapter helps. Alana and her friends come from a wonderful selection of cultures, showing readers Australia has so many stories and cultures to learn from. The text is descriptive and easy to read, moving through events quickly. It is recommended for independent readers aged 11+ as there are some teenage themes.
Kylie Kempster