Blood Is the New Black: A Novel

By Valerie Stivers

When nice-girl Kate McGraw finds herself working at Tasty, a magazine with its finger on the pulse of modern style, she's finally able to put her flair for fashion to good use. But can she keep up... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0307352137
• ISBN13: 9780307352132
• Release Date: September 2007
• Publisher: Broadway Books
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.7" x 5.2"

Customer Reviews

Pleasantly surprised by this addition to vampire chick lit

I wanted to not like this book, 'cause I'm not really into chick lit*, or fashion, or shopping - but despite myself, I enjoyed it! (*Why did you read it in the first place, then, you ask? Because I am into vampire books, and I always like to see where the genre wanders to.) The dialogue is snappy; enough of the fashion world was explained as we went along that I didn't feel too ignorant; and the vampires were a bit different from the same old same old. I enjoy reading about vampires who have "day jobs" rather than existing solely for the purpose of representing evil/darkness. This is a personal bias; there are many types of vampires for many types of readers, and that's why I try to explain a bit about the specific characteristics of the vampires in each book. As a vampire story goes, this one is lightweight but amusing. The vampires are part traditional, part not. They can turn into bats, they drink blood, they hate garlic and crucifixes - but they can go out during the day, and drink other things besides blood, and they're surprisingly ambitious in the business world. These vampires aren't the dark, brooding, evil-for-the-sake-of-evil types; they are sometimes-brooding, sometimes-perky, and when they're evil, it's for the sake of corporate profits, just like everyone else. Some are all-evil, some aren't, some are even, at least for now, nice people. As a previous reviewer noted, there are fun moments for Excel nerds (of whom I am one) in here. And some for medical nerds, since we do get some of Kate's EMT background spilling over into her new job. Most of the fun, though, is poking at fashion, with a bit at the art world thrown in. (I suspect it's entirely possible that another book by this author might involve Kate's uncle Sterling, and his art collection.) Other bits I got an extra laugh out of: the dog named Marc Jacobs; how well Kate's dad and Annabel get along; the comments on viewing New York's gargoyles. People have different reasons for reading vampire novels. In case yours reasons include sheer horror or vampire sex, let me warn you that there's precious little of the former, and none of the latter. In fact, there's almost no romance, never mind sex. The main themes of this book have to do with female friendships, workplace problems, and shopping - not ethics, not evil, not horror, except the horror inherent in the cutthroat (you should pardon the phrase) business world. There is also a murder mystery component to the story - who killed the models? It's not primarily a mystery, but it is important, so there may be something to appeal to mystery readers who wouldn't read a vampire book if that's all it were. One small quibble: our protagonist is supposedly an EMT and going to be going to med school in the fall after her internship in New York. That was the one aspect I had a bit of trouble with - it took her so long to catch on that they were vampires; if she were really that dumb, she wouldn't be getting into medical school. And

Better than The Devil wears Prada

If you think this is just another formulaic Madison avenue fashionista novel, you're in for a big surprise. The juicy, mysterious plot adds so much more to the very real-life fashion magazine world Stivers depicts in her book and because of it makes it 100 times more interesting than your average intern-in-the-big-bad-world-of-fashion story. It's hip, smart, funny and unbelievably well-written. She makes you want to know more about the texture of a new york city hot-dog cart with her wonderful descriptive writing. You can smell, taste and feel every nook and cranny of Manhattan--she totally brings it to life on paper. I couldn't put it down and I can't believe this is a first novel for Stivers.

Impressive debut novel

Love of fashion and/or interest in vampires will keep you totally immersed in this little gem. If this is any indication - I found myself longing to descend into the stifling, foul-smelling subway station because I do most of my reading during my commute. Also came close to missing my stop a few times. Definitely looking forward to more work from Stivers.

My, What Sharp Teeth She Has

Impossible to put down, this novel grabs you by your baby doll hem and doesn't let go until you know who will be the last fanged fashionista standing. Just as Kate McGraw is brainier than her fashion closet internship at Tasty Magazine, Valerie Stivers smartens up vampire slayer chick lit with absolute wit and juicy insider details. If you like fashion, shoes, mystery, Manhattan, best friendship or falling in love, this fun and funny coming-of-age story in the big city is for you.

Entertaining Read!

Very entertaining, well written story! Good plot, very funny in places, suspense, romance, fashion industry details, intelligent heroine--lots to like! I'm recommending it highly to my friends.