About ‘Vampire Juice’ by Reuben Shupp:
Genre: Young Adult; Horror; Vampire; Occult; Fantasy
Amanda and Sean stumble upon a mysterious can of juice while searching for Halloween costumes at a local store. Despite being kicked out by the sales clerk, they become obsessed with uncovering the truth behind the strange drink. With the help from some local bullies, they sneak back into the store through a crypt in the graveyard, only to find themselves in the midst of a spine-chilling adventure.
I have also reviewed these other titles by Reuben Shupp:
Creepy and Scary Tales
A Collection of Short Stories or Tales
This book sent me back to the days of Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark? I felt like a kid being sucked into the world of Halloween horrors. It even came complete with a setting reminiscent of the 90s: my favorite era. I always prefer horror that is pre-smartphone age.
It follows the experience Sean and (she’s not my girlfriend!) Amanda as they prepare for the upcoming holiday. The author takes the time to develop the atmosphere and the characters before the focal plot point- the discovery of the vampire juice- comes into play. I appreciated his quick yet thorough setup of both main and supporting characters’ personalities. As per the age group the story is written for (“teenagers” with my presumption being younger teenagers) and the genre, it’s just the right amount of detail. The fast pace of the story is never sacrificed.
Bullies coming around to help in the midst of danger or horror is a favorite trope of mine and the author executed it wonderfully. I also enjoyed the reference to The Lost Boys (my favorite vampire movie next to 30 Days of Night). There was clear inspiration drawn from that movie in ‘Vampire Juice,’ but with enough originality not to feel like a copy. The difference in the targeted age of the audience also keeps it from feeling so.
I have to admit that while I was correct in some of my predictions, there were also things I didn’t see coming or rather, I thought someone else was responsible. This was a good read to get into the Halloween spirit for sure! It was quirky and fun while maintaining that original foreboding sense we all felt from scary stories and spooky season growing up.
My only note to the author is that the wording sometimes feels a little stiff. It’s okay to use more contractions, slang, and informal wording, especially in dialogue, and especially with kids.
Author can be found on:
Twitter @rshupp50
Amazon
Goodreads
Instagram
((Review submitted to Amazon and Goodreads))
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~Sahreth ‘Baphy’ Bowden
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