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Jacob Maresbeth Chronicles #1
High Stakes
“I’m not a vampire,” insists Jacob Maresbeth, teenage journalist for the school paper. But what is a vampire, really? What happens if you have all the right symptoms, but are a living, breathing sixteen-year-old boy?
Diagnosed with a rare disease, Jake can’t help but wonder. After eight years in and out of the Newport News hospital, he’s had it up to here with doctors, diseases and dishonesty. After all, Jake’s father, respected neurologist Franklyn Maresbeth, has been hiding some of his more unusual symptoms for years… particularly that part about drinking blood.
In High Stakes, Jake records his summer vacation in the home of his maiden aunt, the bangled and be-spectacled Professor Sylvia. If that isn’t bad enough (and it is), Jake and his theatre-loving sister Lizzy must keep the “unofficial” details of Jake’s disorder a secret from Aunt Sylvia’s seductively beautiful graduate student, Zsofia. Will Jake survive a whole month pretending to be an invalid? Will Zsofia weaken his resolve with her flirtatiously dangerous Hungarian accent? Will Jake lose his heart–in more ways than one?
Diagnosed with a rare disease, Jake can’t help but wonder. After eight years in and out of the Newport News hospital, he’s had it up to here with doctors, diseases and dishonesty. After all, Jake’s father, respected neurologist Franklyn Maresbeth, has been hiding some of his more unusual symptoms for years… particularly that part about drinking blood.
In High Stakes, Jake records his summer vacation in the home of his maiden aunt, the bangled and be-spectacled Professor Sylvia. If that isn’t bad enough (and it is), Jake and his theatre-loving sister Lizzy must keep the “unofficial” details of Jake’s disorder a secret from Aunt Sylvia’s seductively beautiful graduate student, Zsofia. Will Jake survive a whole month pretending to be an invalid? Will Zsofia weaken his resolve with her flirtatiously dangerous Hungarian accent? Will Jake lose his heart–in more ways than one?
142 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2014
About the author
Brandy Schillace
15 books214 followersDr. BRANDY SCHILLACE (skil-AH-chay) is an autistic, nonbinary author, historian, mystery writer and Editor (who grew up in an underground house next to a cemetery with a pet raccoon). Her mystery novel, THE FRAMED WOMEN OF ARDEMORE HOUSE, features an autistic protagonist: Jo Jones. Plus: An abandoned English manor, a peculiar missing portrait, and one dead gardener. “A must read for any mystery lover.” – says DEANNA RAYBOURN, New York Times bestselling author of KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE. (This will be book one in the NETHERLEIGH mystery series.)
***QUICK NOTE! I love talking with readers - for Book Clubs and 1:1s, find me now on Skolay: skolay.com/writers/brandy-schillace***
Brandy’s recent nonfiction, MR. HUMBLE AND DR. BUTCHER–described by the New York Times as a “macabre delight”–explores Cold War medicine, bioethics, and transplant science. Brandy’s next nonfiction book, THE INTERMEDIARIES, will tell the forgotten, daring history of the interwar Institute of Sexology in Berlin: trans activists, the first gender affirming surgeries, and the fight for LGBTQ rights in the shadow of the Nazi Third Reich. Rebels against empires, it’s a heart-stopping story of courage in the face of long odds.
And because she writes in two worlds, both of them weird, Brandy hosts a regular YouTube show called Peculiar Book Club. It features livestream chats with bestselling authors of unusual nonfiction, from Lindsey Fitzharris and Mary Roach to Carl Zimmer and Deborah Blum. She has appeared on Travel Channel’s Mysteries at the Museum, NPR’s Here and Now, and with Dan Aykroyd on THE UNBELIEVABLE (History Channel). Bylines at WIRED, Scientific American, Globe and Mail, WSJ Books, and Medium. She works as Editor in Chief for BMJ’s Medical Humanities, a journal for social justice and health equity.
Dr. Schillace is represented by Jessica Papin at Dystel and Goderich Literary Management.
http://brandyschillace.com/
@bschillace
***QUICK NOTE! I love talking with readers - for Book Clubs and 1:1s, find me now on Skolay: skolay.com/writers/brandy-schillace***
Brandy’s recent nonfiction, MR. HUMBLE AND DR. BUTCHER–described by the New York Times as a “macabre delight”–explores Cold War medicine, bioethics, and transplant science. Brandy’s next nonfiction book, THE INTERMEDIARIES, will tell the forgotten, daring history of the interwar Institute of Sexology in Berlin: trans activists, the first gender affirming surgeries, and the fight for LGBTQ rights in the shadow of the Nazi Third Reich. Rebels against empires, it’s a heart-stopping story of courage in the face of long odds.
And because she writes in two worlds, both of them weird, Brandy hosts a regular YouTube show called Peculiar Book Club. It features livestream chats with bestselling authors of unusual nonfiction, from Lindsey Fitzharris and Mary Roach to Carl Zimmer and Deborah Blum. She has appeared on Travel Channel’s Mysteries at the Museum, NPR’s Here and Now, and with Dan Aykroyd on THE UNBELIEVABLE (History Channel). Bylines at WIRED, Scientific American, Globe and Mail, WSJ Books, and Medium. She works as Editor in Chief for BMJ’s Medical Humanities, a journal for social justice and health equity.
Dr. Schillace is represented by Jessica Papin at Dystel and Goderich Literary Management.
http://brandyschillace.com/
@bschillace
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 17, 2016
Short summary of the story:
Jacob Maresbeth is just your average sixteen-year-old boy, well, aside from his vampiric tendencies that is. As a child, Jacob developed a strange blood disorder that his father has come to call "epilemia." This disorder has a strange set of symptoms, including nocturnal habits, fast healing, and, of course, the consumption of blood. This is why one should not be surprised that Jacob's sister, Lizzy, prefers to call him a vampire.
The story begins with Jacob and Lizzy being sent to live with their Aunt Sylvia, in Ohio, for two weeks. Aunt Syl is one of those great quirky english majors that possesses so many lovable qualities. Of course, Jacob is less than thrilled to spend time with her and must keep up the appearance of being an invalid and the fact that he drinks blood, a secret. Aunt Syl seems to be a bit overbearing and loves to joke about Jacob's "irritable bowels." Jacob soon meets Syl's Hungarian research assistant, Zsófia. This beautiful graduate student just happens to be writing her dissertation on vampires (ironic right?). Soon Jacob is spending quite a bit of time with Zsófia and hoping that his love for her will be returned. The universe, however, has different plans.
Jacob has a nasty habit of overeating when he's depressed, leading up to the fact that he drank about almost over a two weeks supply of blood. Why is this a problem? Well, now that he has met Zsófia, he plans to stay another two weeks so that he can spend even more time with her. Nothing can possibly go wrong as long as he rations the remaining packs of blood, but then strange things begin to happen. The remaining blood packs go missing and Jacob's health declines, bringing forth drastic changes in his demeanor and appearance. Perhaps Jacob's "epilemia" is a lot more than what his family believed it to be and Zsófia is definitely hiding a few secrets of her own.
I loved the fact that Brandy Schillace wove so much humor into this tale. Jacob possesses that lovable sarcastic humor that I absolutely adore! The sibling banter was also great and the witty remarks and comebacks kept me smiling and laughing the whole time. I also enjoyed the fact that this story was much more of a take on a modern day vampire. The possibility of vampirism being a disease was wonderful and refreshing, too. Overall, I found Jacob to be a protagonist that felt believable and real, and one that I would love to read more about.
I would also like to thank the author for the free electronic copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
This review was also posted on:knightingalereviews.com
http://knightingalereviews.blogspot.c...
Jacob Maresbeth is just your average sixteen-year-old boy, well, aside from his vampiric tendencies that is. As a child, Jacob developed a strange blood disorder that his father has come to call "epilemia." This disorder has a strange set of symptoms, including nocturnal habits, fast healing, and, of course, the consumption of blood. This is why one should not be surprised that Jacob's sister, Lizzy, prefers to call him a vampire.
The story begins with Jacob and Lizzy being sent to live with their Aunt Sylvia, in Ohio, for two weeks. Aunt Syl is one of those great quirky english majors that possesses so many lovable qualities. Of course, Jacob is less than thrilled to spend time with her and must keep up the appearance of being an invalid and the fact that he drinks blood, a secret. Aunt Syl seems to be a bit overbearing and loves to joke about Jacob's "irritable bowels." Jacob soon meets Syl's Hungarian research assistant, Zsófia. This beautiful graduate student just happens to be writing her dissertation on vampires (ironic right?). Soon Jacob is spending quite a bit of time with Zsófia and hoping that his love for her will be returned. The universe, however, has different plans.
Jacob has a nasty habit of overeating when he's depressed, leading up to the fact that he drank about almost over a two weeks supply of blood. Why is this a problem? Well, now that he has met Zsófia, he plans to stay another two weeks so that he can spend even more time with her. Nothing can possibly go wrong as long as he rations the remaining packs of blood, but then strange things begin to happen. The remaining blood packs go missing and Jacob's health declines, bringing forth drastic changes in his demeanor and appearance. Perhaps Jacob's "epilemia" is a lot more than what his family believed it to be and Zsófia is definitely hiding a few secrets of her own.
I loved the fact that Brandy Schillace wove so much humor into this tale. Jacob possesses that lovable sarcastic humor that I absolutely adore! The sibling banter was also great and the witty remarks and comebacks kept me smiling and laughing the whole time. I also enjoyed the fact that this story was much more of a take on a modern day vampire. The possibility of vampirism being a disease was wonderful and refreshing, too. Overall, I found Jacob to be a protagonist that felt believable and real, and one that I would love to read more about.
I would also like to thank the author for the free electronic copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
This review was also posted on:knightingalereviews.com
http://knightingalereviews.blogspot.c...
March 15, 2014
Jacob Maresbeth is a vampire. Although, that's not the correct term, his father calls it "epilemia." Which is one of many things that make this not-your-usual vampire tale. Poor Jacob's affliction is explained in scientific terms making the story seem much more real. And, Jacob isn't the overly sexy, overly perfect, brooding vampire we've come to know. He's a real teenage boy, with all the insecurities and flaws that come with it. And, in my opinion, that just makes him all the more appealing. Jacob is certainly a character you enjoy spending time with, and want to root for.
High Stakes was thoroughly enjoyable read from beginning to end. Schillace gives us a powerful debut, with a strong and an entertaining voice. The story was funny, sweet, but also suspenseful. At the end of this brief and brisk story, I was left wanting more. I can't wait for more Jacob Maresbeth, and more novels by Brandy Schillace.
High Stakes was thoroughly enjoyable read from beginning to end. Schillace gives us a powerful debut, with a strong and an entertaining voice. The story was funny, sweet, but also suspenseful. At the end of this brief and brisk story, I was left wanting more. I can't wait for more Jacob Maresbeth, and more novels by Brandy Schillace.
June 25, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. The main character, Jacob, was a dorky likeable teenage boy. Not your typical vampire heart throb. I found this to be a nice refreshing take on the teenage vampire story. And I've read a lot of vampire stories. I found the medical explanation of his vampirism to be plausible for the story and interesting. I do hope the author expands on it in future books, though.
I read the book straight through in one sitting. It's a quick easy read. The writing was well done. The book seems to be aimed at very young teens, perhaps junior high to early high school age. I thought the sibling relationship was especially well done. I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series.
I read the book straight through in one sitting. It's a quick easy read. The writing was well done. The book seems to be aimed at very young teens, perhaps junior high to early high school age. I thought the sibling relationship was especially well done. I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series.
June 23, 2014
I've been trying to read young adult novels at a pace to stay ahead of my daughter and have plowed through a variety of genres. High Stakes was a fun quick read with two great siblings who pick at each other mercilessly but come through when they need to. Jake Maresbeth isn't a vampire, but isn't a normal 16 year old (but what 16 year old is?). I'm looking forward to reading more books in the series.
August 24, 2014
This is a review for an uncorrected Advanced Readers Copy.
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? I do love the cover art. It's dark and intriguing and Gothic. Love it!
Characters: Jacob is very entertaining, very likable guy protagonist. We get to know him best, through his hilarious narration. He had me laughing the whole time. Aunt "Syl" was bursting with personality, with her obsession in playing the nursemaid and her overly loud presence. There were three characters I would have liked to have gotten to know better: Jacob's sister Lizzy, Zsofia, and Aunt Syl's other intern who also happens to like Zsofia. I could tell they all had lots of personality, but I didn't get to know they as well as I wanted to. Zsofia made sense, since getting to know her is kind of part of the plot. But even so, it would have been nice to know even her a little better.
The Romance: Jacob has a big crush of Zsofia, and he's going to try his hardest to get her to notice him. I admittedly don't like adolescent crushes, but in this case it was amusing.
Plot: Jacob has a rare blood disorder, which requires him to have a very strict diet and to take blood transfusions on a regular basis. At least, that's what he tells everyone. In reality, the blood isn't for transfusions - it is his special diet. But Jake isn't a vampire - or so he tries to convince himself. He doesn't go around biting people, he's not allergic to sunlight, and he doesn't only come out at night (though he is most awake then). Even so, it's important that no one finds out about his rare condition. So when he and his sister Lizzy go to stay with their Aunt Sylvia for the summer, Jacob knows it's going to be just an absolute blast (not). Aunt Syl is dying to take care of her invalid nephew, and Lizzy is having way too much fun making up all kinds of untrue things about his illness. Then Jake meets Zsofia, Aunt Syl's gorgeous Hungarian graduate student. Who happens to be doing a paper on the history and lore of vampires. The concept of High Stakes was awesome. I'm no vampire fiction lover, but I did really like the cleverness of this story. We're given a witty protagonist, the plausible struggles of having to live a modern life with such problems - and not letting anyone find out about it. And then there's the mystery of Zsofia, who certainly isn't everything she seems. The problem? High Stakes was way, way too short. The Author gives us some very memorable characters, but we don't get to know them as well as we would like to. The plot follows a very day-to-day linear style, but the opportunities the Author has to explore more of Jake's condition are skimmed over. For instance, Jake at one point gets his hands on The Vampire Bible, which is essentially a user's guide for new vampires. But Readers are only given a cursory look into it; not many details. Jake doesn't do any exploring around his aunt's house or anything. So there's very little sense of scenery/setting. It was all just too fast.
Believability: Not applicable.
Writing Style: First person, past tense. Jake was a great narrator; he was hilarious and added a lot to the story. There were quite a few spelling/grammatical errors, but not so much that it took away from the writing.
Content: None.
Conclusion: The climax was very exciting and intense, which almost made up for the too hurried plot. I knew a split second before it was revealed what Zsofia's secret was, but the realization just made it better. High Stakes is a fun read. The Reader is left wondering: Does Jacob just have a weird and rare illness? Or is he really a vampire? I'm still not entirely certain myself. It has good characters, but it's a story that has a lot of unrealized potential. I hope that changes with future installments, because it has an overall great concept.
Recommended Audience: Guy-and-girl read, sixteen-and-up, fans of vampires, clever paranormal, and comedy.
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? I do love the cover art. It's dark and intriguing and Gothic. Love it!
Characters: Jacob is very entertaining, very likable guy protagonist. We get to know him best, through his hilarious narration. He had me laughing the whole time. Aunt "Syl" was bursting with personality, with her obsession in playing the nursemaid and her overly loud presence. There were three characters I would have liked to have gotten to know better: Jacob's sister Lizzy, Zsofia, and Aunt Syl's other intern who also happens to like Zsofia. I could tell they all had lots of personality, but I didn't get to know they as well as I wanted to. Zsofia made sense, since getting to know her is kind of part of the plot. But even so, it would have been nice to know even her a little better.
The Romance: Jacob has a big crush of Zsofia, and he's going to try his hardest to get her to notice him. I admittedly don't like adolescent crushes, but in this case it was amusing.
Plot: Jacob has a rare blood disorder, which requires him to have a very strict diet and to take blood transfusions on a regular basis. At least, that's what he tells everyone. In reality, the blood isn't for transfusions - it is his special diet. But Jake isn't a vampire - or so he tries to convince himself. He doesn't go around biting people, he's not allergic to sunlight, and he doesn't only come out at night (though he is most awake then). Even so, it's important that no one finds out about his rare condition. So when he and his sister Lizzy go to stay with their Aunt Sylvia for the summer, Jacob knows it's going to be just an absolute blast (not). Aunt Syl is dying to take care of her invalid nephew, and Lizzy is having way too much fun making up all kinds of untrue things about his illness. Then Jake meets Zsofia, Aunt Syl's gorgeous Hungarian graduate student. Who happens to be doing a paper on the history and lore of vampires. The concept of High Stakes was awesome. I'm no vampire fiction lover, but I did really like the cleverness of this story. We're given a witty protagonist, the plausible struggles of having to live a modern life with such problems - and not letting anyone find out about it. And then there's the mystery of Zsofia, who certainly isn't everything she seems. The problem? High Stakes was way, way too short. The Author gives us some very memorable characters, but we don't get to know them as well as we would like to. The plot follows a very day-to-day linear style, but the opportunities the Author has to explore more of Jake's condition are skimmed over. For instance, Jake at one point gets his hands on The Vampire Bible, which is essentially a user's guide for new vampires. But Readers are only given a cursory look into it; not many details. Jake doesn't do any exploring around his aunt's house or anything. So there's very little sense of scenery/setting. It was all just too fast.
Believability: Not applicable.
Writing Style: First person, past tense. Jake was a great narrator; he was hilarious and added a lot to the story. There were quite a few spelling/grammatical errors, but not so much that it took away from the writing.
Content: None.
Conclusion: The climax was very exciting and intense, which almost made up for the too hurried plot. I knew a split second before it was revealed what Zsofia's secret was, but the realization just made it better. High Stakes is a fun read. The Reader is left wondering: Does Jacob just have a weird and rare illness? Or is he really a vampire? I'm still not entirely certain myself. It has good characters, but it's a story that has a lot of unrealized potential. I hope that changes with future installments, because it has an overall great concept.
Recommended Audience: Guy-and-girl read, sixteen-and-up, fans of vampires, clever paranormal, and comedy.
August 19, 2014
Narrated by sixteen-year-old Jacob Maresbeth, High Stakes reads like the most interesting “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” essay I’ve ever read.
Jake is not a vampire, not really. Except he kind of is. He drinks blood and his internal clock definitely has a nocturnal preference. But besides that, he’s pretty much your average healthy, growing teenage boy. And being an average teenage boy, he’s pretty disgruntled that he has to leave the sunny beaches of his home town of Newport News, Virginia to spend two weeks of his summer vacation with his younger sister in Cleveland, Ohio with their Aunt Sylvia, an eccentric English professor. Aunt Sylvia’s been kept in the dark about Jake’s more, shall we say, vampiric symptoms, so Jake will have to spend the whole time living up to his father’s cover story of being frail, allergic to pretty much everything, and having an all-around delicate constitution. Jake figures the whole thing is a bust and just plans to wait the days out until he can go home– until he meets Zsofia, his aunt’s gold-haired, gorgeous Hungarian graduate student.
I love different takes on established genres and so a book about a living teenager with a mysterious blood disorder that mimics vampirism sounded great – and it was! The story flowed brilliantly and Jake had this fantastic dry, self-deprecating sense of humor that I really liked. Aunt Sylvia was quite a character with her clinking bangles, flowing skirts, and obsession with health foods and remedies (like the medicated soap she tries to thrust upon Jake in misplaced, but well-intentioned, helpfulness). Lizzy was a bit bratty and terribly dramatic, but loyal all the same – like any good little sister.
High Stakes was a great start to a fantastically original and readable series peppered with well-rounded, well-written, and well-detailed characters. I would absolutely read this author again and look forward to the next book of the Jacob Maresbeth Chronicles.
*I received an ARC of this book to review. You can find this review and others like it at BookAndCoffeeAddict.com, along with recommendations for a fantastic cup of coffee.
Jake is not a vampire, not really. Except he kind of is. He drinks blood and his internal clock definitely has a nocturnal preference. But besides that, he’s pretty much your average healthy, growing teenage boy. And being an average teenage boy, he’s pretty disgruntled that he has to leave the sunny beaches of his home town of Newport News, Virginia to spend two weeks of his summer vacation with his younger sister in Cleveland, Ohio with their Aunt Sylvia, an eccentric English professor. Aunt Sylvia’s been kept in the dark about Jake’s more, shall we say, vampiric symptoms, so Jake will have to spend the whole time living up to his father’s cover story of being frail, allergic to pretty much everything, and having an all-around delicate constitution. Jake figures the whole thing is a bust and just plans to wait the days out until he can go home– until he meets Zsofia, his aunt’s gold-haired, gorgeous Hungarian graduate student.
I love different takes on established genres and so a book about a living teenager with a mysterious blood disorder that mimics vampirism sounded great – and it was! The story flowed brilliantly and Jake had this fantastic dry, self-deprecating sense of humor that I really liked. Aunt Sylvia was quite a character with her clinking bangles, flowing skirts, and obsession with health foods and remedies (like the medicated soap she tries to thrust upon Jake in misplaced, but well-intentioned, helpfulness). Lizzy was a bit bratty and terribly dramatic, but loyal all the same – like any good little sister.
High Stakes was a great start to a fantastically original and readable series peppered with well-rounded, well-written, and well-detailed characters. I would absolutely read this author again and look forward to the next book of the Jacob Maresbeth Chronicles.
*I received an ARC of this book to review. You can find this review and others like it at BookAndCoffeeAddict.com, along with recommendations for a fantastic cup of coffee.
March 7, 2014
I copy-edited this book not long ago, and kept having to remind myself that I was copy-editing and not just reading for pleasure. Schillace provides a refreshing take on the teen vampire genre by keeping the stakes realistic and leaving the reader wondering whether Jacob's condition is strictly a blood disorder or something more...
February 27, 2014
Adore this book and can't wait for the others in the series to be released!
August 30, 2014
Quite an overdue review, but better late than never, I say...
I don't normally read YA fiction, but word-of-mouth for this novel was so positive that I had to read it for myself. The short verdict: yes, it's an excellent read. The long version is below, but be forewarned that in the course of this review, I may unwittingly drop hints that give away the plot. Proceed with caution.
Aspiring teenage investigative reporter Jacob Maresbeth lives with epilemia, a condition so rare that, as far as his family knows, Jacob is the only existing case. The main effect of epilemia is that it obliges Jacob to regularly consume human blood, and Jacob's family keep his condition a secret for his own safety, telling everyone else that he suffers from a rare disorder while his doctor father acquires blood from the hospital supply.
High Stakes follows Jacob as he and his sister Lizzy head off to spend a fortnight with their aunt Sylvia, a somewhat dotty academic whose research covers some rather esoteric fields. Jacob is not thrilled at the prospect, but he perks up after meeting Zsòfia, Aunt Sylvia's enthralling, vampire-obsessed young research assistant. In the throes of puppy-love, Jacob agrees to extend his and Lizzy's stay - and that is when things start to go wrong...
The depiction of vampirism as a medical/biological phenomenon has become more and more prevalent over the past few years; however, it is not always depicted this convincingly. As far as his family are concerned, Jacob is first and foremost a kid with a chronic health issue that needs to be carefully managed: when Jacob goes off on holiday without parental supervision, his parents have to estimate how many blood-packs he should take with him, knowing that he eats more when he's agitated and sometimes sleepwalks when he's hungry. The unusual nature of his condition aside, the family dynamic arising out of it is utterly believable, with the frustrated Jacob doing his best to put up with the fretting of his overprotective parents.
Narrated in the first person, a story like this depends upon a solid main character, and Jacob certainly qualifies. Just naive and self-involved enough to be convincing as a teenage boy, but not so adolescently cocky as to be unlikeable, he's a very sympathetic protagonist who does not always consider the consequences of his words or actions. I'd wager that many an adult reader will wince in painfully embarrassed recognition at his crush on an older woman, which makes it all the creepier when, in Jacob's perception, Zsòfia seems to return his interest.
I also enjoyed Schillace's world-building. Lurking in the background is a vampire mythology that will doubtlessly be teased out over the following volumes; I won't say any more for fear of spoiler-ing the whole thing, but take my word for it - for the young (or the young-at-heart), High Stakes is well worth a read.
I don't normally read YA fiction, but word-of-mouth for this novel was so positive that I had to read it for myself. The short verdict: yes, it's an excellent read. The long version is below, but be forewarned that in the course of this review, I may unwittingly drop hints that give away the plot. Proceed with caution.
Aspiring teenage investigative reporter Jacob Maresbeth lives with epilemia, a condition so rare that, as far as his family knows, Jacob is the only existing case. The main effect of epilemia is that it obliges Jacob to regularly consume human blood, and Jacob's family keep his condition a secret for his own safety, telling everyone else that he suffers from a rare disorder while his doctor father acquires blood from the hospital supply.
High Stakes follows Jacob as he and his sister Lizzy head off to spend a fortnight with their aunt Sylvia, a somewhat dotty academic whose research covers some rather esoteric fields. Jacob is not thrilled at the prospect, but he perks up after meeting Zsòfia, Aunt Sylvia's enthralling, vampire-obsessed young research assistant. In the throes of puppy-love, Jacob agrees to extend his and Lizzy's stay - and that is when things start to go wrong...
The depiction of vampirism as a medical/biological phenomenon has become more and more prevalent over the past few years; however, it is not always depicted this convincingly. As far as his family are concerned, Jacob is first and foremost a kid with a chronic health issue that needs to be carefully managed: when Jacob goes off on holiday without parental supervision, his parents have to estimate how many blood-packs he should take with him, knowing that he eats more when he's agitated and sometimes sleepwalks when he's hungry. The unusual nature of his condition aside, the family dynamic arising out of it is utterly believable, with the frustrated Jacob doing his best to put up with the fretting of his overprotective parents.
Narrated in the first person, a story like this depends upon a solid main character, and Jacob certainly qualifies. Just naive and self-involved enough to be convincing as a teenage boy, but not so adolescently cocky as to be unlikeable, he's a very sympathetic protagonist who does not always consider the consequences of his words or actions. I'd wager that many an adult reader will wince in painfully embarrassed recognition at his crush on an older woman, which makes it all the creepier when, in Jacob's perception, Zsòfia seems to return his interest.
I also enjoyed Schillace's world-building. Lurking in the background is a vampire mythology that will doubtlessly be teased out over the following volumes; I won't say any more for fear of spoiler-ing the whole thing, but take my word for it - for the young (or the young-at-heart), High Stakes is well worth a read.
January 26, 2015
Overview: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
There's a missing home for the humor in young adult and middle grade fiction. Reading this made me realize how action/drama focused nearly every narrative I've read in the last year was. This book had me laughing every few pages thanks to Jake's awkwardness and his authenticity as an average teenage boy. I've missed that.
I also thought Brandy Schillace's world was interesting, involving the blood disorder that has vampire-like symptoms. I think that's what also made it a really fun read, too. It's also quite short, which was refreshing because there wasn't a whole load of extra world building and useless bits like I've seen in a lot of traditionally published pieces lately.
Characters: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Jake is hilarious, and awkward, and your average teenage boy. It's really funny. Because he tries to impress a grad student while staying at his aunt's who's way out of his league. I also loved his younger sister, Liz. She's sassy and smart. My kind of girl. Zsofia, "Helga" as Lizzy calls her, is quite intriguing if I do say so, following the whole vampire thread of things. And his aunt just made me laugh. A lot.
Overall some good story, though I wish Jake would have grown up just a smidge more over the course of the book, learned the error of his ways, or got a little more suspicious about the vampire craze going through his immediate circle of, well, people. But then again, he's a teenage boy.
Plot: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
I can't get over this plot. It's super simple and very nicely written. The end went a little fast for my tastes, but then again I may have actually speed-read through it to see how it ended I was so into it. So that may just be my error. I have to say though I was definitely surprised by the turning of events that happened between Jake and Zsofia.
Style: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Schillace nails the simplicity of the wild teenage boy. Her voice throughout the entire novel is very simple, sarcastic, and also reflective. It's clear Jake is still trying to figure his life out, and get a date, and Schillace's writing reflects just that. I had really no issues with this book.
I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for a good laugh and a short read. It's even better when you think of it as a response to the Twilight craze that hit around 2008/9. Go read it.
Find more reviews at http://www.hannahhuntwrites.com/
There's a missing home for the humor in young adult and middle grade fiction. Reading this made me realize how action/drama focused nearly every narrative I've read in the last year was. This book had me laughing every few pages thanks to Jake's awkwardness and his authenticity as an average teenage boy. I've missed that.
I also thought Brandy Schillace's world was interesting, involving the blood disorder that has vampire-like symptoms. I think that's what also made it a really fun read, too. It's also quite short, which was refreshing because there wasn't a whole load of extra world building and useless bits like I've seen in a lot of traditionally published pieces lately.
Characters: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Jake is hilarious, and awkward, and your average teenage boy. It's really funny. Because he tries to impress a grad student while staying at his aunt's who's way out of his league. I also loved his younger sister, Liz. She's sassy and smart. My kind of girl. Zsofia, "Helga" as Lizzy calls her, is quite intriguing if I do say so, following the whole vampire thread of things. And his aunt just made me laugh. A lot.
Overall some good story, though I wish Jake would have grown up just a smidge more over the course of the book, learned the error of his ways, or got a little more suspicious about the vampire craze going through his immediate circle of, well, people. But then again, he's a teenage boy.
Plot: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
I can't get over this plot. It's super simple and very nicely written. The end went a little fast for my tastes, but then again I may have actually speed-read through it to see how it ended I was so into it. So that may just be my error. I have to say though I was definitely surprised by the turning of events that happened between Jake and Zsofia.
Style: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Schillace nails the simplicity of the wild teenage boy. Her voice throughout the entire novel is very simple, sarcastic, and also reflective. It's clear Jake is still trying to figure his life out, and get a date, and Schillace's writing reflects just that. I had really no issues with this book.
I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for a good laugh and a short read. It's even better when you think of it as a response to the Twilight craze that hit around 2008/9. Go read it.
Find more reviews at http://www.hannahhuntwrites.com/
July 14, 2015
I've read plenty of YA vampire books, and so many of them are terrible! This is definitely not one of them.
Jacob is your average dorky teenage boy - he's nervous around girls, an aspiring journalist, and had an annoying little sister. But he's also a vampire... kind of.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. Jacob's "blood disorder" straddles the line between natural and supernatural. It's never exactly clear where he falls on the vampire spectrum, and that gives him more flexibility since he doesn't have some of the common vampire limitations.
The one big problem that I had with the story is that Jacob is kind of boring. He doesn't really do anything, he barely leaves his aunt's house! On the other hand, he spends much of the book feeling pretty bad, so maybe that's excusable.
There was a little clue dropped about the origin of his illness, and I hope that is explored more in future books.
Overall, High Stakes was a fun and interesting read, and I'm planning on continuing to read the series.
Jacob is your average dorky teenage boy - he's nervous around girls, an aspiring journalist, and had an annoying little sister. But he's also a vampire... kind of.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. Jacob's "blood disorder" straddles the line between natural and supernatural. It's never exactly clear where he falls on the vampire spectrum, and that gives him more flexibility since he doesn't have some of the common vampire limitations.
The one big problem that I had with the story is that Jacob is kind of boring. He doesn't really do anything, he barely leaves his aunt's house! On the other hand, he spends much of the book feeling pretty bad, so maybe that's excusable.
There was a little clue dropped about the origin of his illness, and I hope that is explored more in future books.
Overall, High Stakes was a fun and interesting read, and I'm planning on continuing to read the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2014
In High Stakes we meet Jacob, he's just your average teenage boy with his summer vacation plans ruined by being shipped off to spend two -- wait no -- four weeks with his well-meaning Aunt Syl and his theatre-mad little sister Lizzy in Cleveland of all places. His exile from a summer on the beach is redeemed when he meets his English Professor Aunt's newest (and hot) grad student Zsòfia who is working on her dissertation research in Aunt Syl's impressive Bela Lugosi collection. He really wants her to notice him. He'll do anything for her attention. But he has some secrets of his own and when she notices and begins to focus on his special diet, will it lead to the happy and romantic evening he wants?
This is Schillace's first novel, and I look forward to learning more about Jacob and his unique condition. Note: I received a review copy from the publisher.
This is Schillace's first novel, and I look forward to learning more about Jacob and his unique condition. Note: I received a review copy from the publisher.
August 10, 2014
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a positive review.
An enjoyable, fast read, High Stakes, introduces us to Jacob Maresbeth, his sister Lizzy, Aunt Syl, and an attractive Hungarian graduate student Zsofia. The relationship between the two siblings is just as important to the novel as is Jacob's "disease," and the way that Schillace builds to the climax makes the final pages that much more interesting. I'm intrigued by introducing the vampirism as a disease, making it more a part of Jacob than what he is. Appropriate for a middle school reading audience.
An enjoyable, fast read, High Stakes, introduces us to Jacob Maresbeth, his sister Lizzy, Aunt Syl, and an attractive Hungarian graduate student Zsofia. The relationship between the two siblings is just as important to the novel as is Jacob's "disease," and the way that Schillace builds to the climax makes the final pages that much more interesting. I'm intrigued by introducing the vampirism as a disease, making it more a part of Jacob than what he is. Appropriate for a middle school reading audience.
November 30, 2022
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
High Stakes is a fun and delightful YA story. The disease was a nice take on the vampire myth. I loved seeing Jacob go through regular teen boy angst while also dealing with his "disease". While the ending seemed a bit rushed, it didn't lessen my enjoyment of the book. I highly recommend this book to YA readers looking for a fun quick read.
High Stakes is a fun and delightful YA story. The disease was a nice take on the vampire myth. I loved seeing Jacob go through regular teen boy angst while also dealing with his "disease". While the ending seemed a bit rushed, it didn't lessen my enjoyment of the book. I highly recommend this book to YA readers looking for a fun quick read.
July 28, 2014
Fun page-turner with a charming narrator. I'm going to give this one to my ten-year-old, as well. Appeals to a wide audience.
September 11, 2014
Totally fascinating! Great beginning to a series! Loved the premise! Can't wait for the next one!
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