Continued to be light, cute and silly with really no need for it to be anything else. ( )

Milagro meets Oswald at a book party for her jerk of an ex-boyfriend. They end up making out so heavily that they both fall down and cut their lips, exchanging blood. The next day, Milagro falls ill. Her symptoms include craving raw meat and sensitivity to sunlight. Her ex kidnaps her and tells her she’s a vampire now. However, Oswald’s family rescues her and takes her to their estate. The family insists that they are not vampires and neither is she. They say they suffer from a genetic condition and she has a virus.

The writing of Happy Hour at Casa Dracula was not the greatest – many cliché metaphors and whatnot. (Also, the word transvestite is used several times. I don’t think that word is okay to use now? This book was published in 2006 though, so it was probably okay then.) But I know the focus for these types of books is plot and I did think the story was amusing. I know nowadays, most romance readers want spice so fair warning: There is zero spice in this book. All love scenes fade to black. Lastly, I always like to document whenever Unitarians are referenced in popular culture since we so rarely are. When Milagro is trying to talk a girl out of being a Satanist, she says, “And you should find a decent religion. I’ve heard great things about the Unitarians.” Thanks, Milagro!

This book is the first in a series of four. I’m still deciding whether or not I liked it enough to read book two. This book doesn’t end with a cliffhanger so I feel pretty satisfied. ( )

Hilarious, and I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did. Love the literary commentary, love the latina protagonist, love that she's pissed at the loss of her curvy chichis. ( )

This was a nice light read. I should have had it on holidays a couple of weeks ago (it would have suited the atmosphere to a t). I don't always feel in the mood for this sort of light humour but it suited me today. ( )

The book is written by a San Francisco local, Marta Acosta, who also contributes to the San Francisco Chronicle and The Contra Costa Times. She's also Latina, which coincidentally is her main character!

You already know the story: A girl is invited to a book party when she meets her ex, Sebastian. She is led to a hotel room by one Oswald who accidentally infects her with a virus. A virus that leads the victim to desire blood, have very allergic reactions to the sun, and long-lived. Although "long lived" may be short-term because an organization is out to kill the vampire clan, CACA (get it?), and most of the story involves her narrowly escaping their clutches, moaning on and on about all the "fabulous men" she sees, still trying to stay in touch with her normal life and dealing with her new vamp "family."

The story did drag for me, mainly due to the characters all talking to each other, fixing dinner, drinking diluted blood of animals and visiting the occasional Satanic rite (not on purpose of course -- they're against that sort of thing -- but I digress).

The book really starting picking up after some apparent kidnapping, a resultant spree of animal killings and some bizarre sex (implied, not graphic). The ending left me satisfied that Ms. Acosta knows how to write -- but sadly I'm not that "into" romantic comedies.

If you like a little sangria with your lamb chops, you just might like this book. Easy to read and if you know a little Spanish, all for the best! Recommended especially for young adult women.

She's also written a trilogy on this book, "Happy Hour" being the first novel.
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