Young Adult Vampire Books: The Emerald Talisman

The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos

This start of a new series of young adult vampire books is an amazing read. It is hard enough to be sixteen, but to be sixteen without your mother is even more difficult. Julia knows her mother died when she was very young. She still misses her and wishes she could remember what happened, and why it feels so important to remember. She loves her family but there is something missing in her life.

What isn’t missing is emotion, particularly everyone else’s because Julia is someone with a gift, a gift of empathy that allows her to feel the emotions of those around her. But lately she has been aware that someone, or something, has been stalking her. She knows it isn’t an animal because she can sense its hunger. But when she meets the vampire hunter Nicholas she soon finds out there is more to life, because with Nicholas there is love.

Here is a well told story of forbidden love and some though not too much teenage angst. Yes, Julia makes some mistakes along the way, but who hasn’t? Still, all in all the story of their love and Julia’s awakening of her abilities is a great story and really well handled by newcomer Brenda Pandos. This is the first of a three part series of young adult vampire books, and I seriously suggest getting all three at the same time. They are fast reads, primarily because you get so engrossed in the story. You will want to jump straight from The Emerald Talisman to The Sapphire Talisman without a break.