Poppy Inkwell, Bloodlust and Blunders (Alana Oakley #3), Big Sky Publishing, 13 Jan 2016, 330pp., $14.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781925275803
The latest instalment in the Alana Oakley series finds Alana suspecting that her new neighbours might be vampires. Similar to Catherine Moreland in Northanger Abbey, Alana has let her interest in romance novels with horror themes cloud her judgement and has jumped to wrong conclusions by misinterpreting the evidence. Her friends Khalilah, Maddie and Sophia join Alana in her quest to expose her neighbour’s true nature. Meanwhile, her mother Emma and friends Ling Ling and Katriona have adventures of their own as they flee a greedy loan shark and try to defy the aging process. A mysterious disappearing dead body, an attractive bodybuilder, overbearing teachers and a meeting with Kylie Minogue all add to the fun of this teenage romp.
The short chapters and multiple storylines move the plot along at a rapid pace with confusions and misunderstandings leading to many funny and unexpected results. As Alana and her friends approach the end of Year 10 the perplexity of first love confounds her and she must come to terms with her feelings for heartthrob Flynn Tucker.
Set in contemporary Sydney, Bloodlust and Blunders has a distinctly modern Australian feel as the characters’ diverse ethnic backgrounds reflect the spirit of multiculturalism. Being the third book in the series, the first few chapters are heavily expository as new readers are given background information. However, the overriding tone is one of light-hearted fun. The eccentric characters and exuberant story create a charming and entertaining atmosphere that female readers in the 13 to 16 year age range in particular will find engaging.
Reviewed by John Nolan