Book Review: Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

Infinite Days (Vampire Queen, Book #1) by Rebecca Maizel
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Release Date: August 3, 2010
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pages: 336
Source: Received from author/publicist for honest review

Summary: When Lenah Beaudonte, a 500-year-old vampire queen, wakes up a human teenager at an ultra-cliquey prep school, she must choose between embracing the humanity she’s always craved and saving her new friends from her vicious coven. The first in a sizzling new YA series. Lenah Beaudonte is, in many ways, your average teen: the new girl at Wickham Boarding School, she struggles to fit in enough to survive and stand out enough to catch the eye of the golden-boy lacrosse captain. But Lenah also just happens to be a recovering five-hundred-year-old vampire queen. After centuries of terrorizing Europe, Lenah is able to realize the dream all vampires have -- to be human again. After performing a dangerous ritual to restore her humanity, Lenah entered a century-long hibernation, leaving behind the wicked coven she ruled over and the eternal love who has helped grant her deep-seated wish. Until, that is, Lenah draws her first natural breath in centuries at Wickham and rediscovers a human life that bears little resemblance to the one she had known. As if suddenly becoming a teenager weren’t stressful enough, each passing hour brings Lenah closer to the moment when her abandoned coven will open the crypt where she should be sleeping and find her gone. As her borrowed days slip by, Lenah resolves to live her newfound life as fully as she can. But, to do so, she must answer ominous questions: Can an ex-vampire survive in an alien time and place? What can Lenah do to protect her new friends from the bloodthirsty menace about to descend upon them? And how is she ever going to pass her biology midterm?

My Review: Infinite Days was an eloquently written and detailed vampire novel. Rebecca has already sold me as not only a gifted writer but a fantastic storyteller as well. The main character, Lenah, was complex yet unique. The story began with Lenah's transformation into humanity. Her maker and beloved Rhode sacrificed himself in order to fulfill her wish of turning into the human she longed to be. This element of the story piqued my interest in Lenah's change of lifestyle. It amused me how a 500 year old vampire had to now attend school and deal with the customs of being a normal teenager. I was glad to see that she quickly gained a best friend in Tony, a funny, artistic cutie. He was by far one of my favorite characters. He was a great friend and had an infectious personality that made me comfortable.

Now, Lenah was a bit of a boy magnet, I lost count on all the crushes guys had on her. In her vampire flashbacks, I met Vicken, a lover she had while reigning her coven. I enjoyed learning about her coven and wished to see more of it since they mostly appeared in the last chapters of the book. The action was fun and I hope to see more of it in the sequel. In Lenah's human state she fell in love with Justin, a heartthrob, lacrosse player who stole her heart. Throughout the novel I didn't fall for any of the guys. I didn't think any of them were swoon worthy, however their auras were full of love and passion. Overall, I liked the premise and mature, sophisticated tone. The only flaw I discovered was at times the plot unfortunately dragged. Besides that, the story was interesting and definitely brought refreshing aspects to vampires. Rebecca wrote a promising start to a series and the cliffhanger in the end definitely left me in anticipation.

My Rating:
Book Trailer:

Author's Info:
Rebecca Maizel graduated from Boston University and the Rhode Island College master’s program. She teaches community college in Rhode Island and is studying to receive her MFA from Vermont College.

For more info on Rebecca, visit her site(s):
-Blog
-Facebook
-GoodReads