Throat    by R. A. Nelson Order:  USA  Can Knopf, 2011 (2011) Hardcover, e-Book Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Lyn Seippel After her seizures begin, seventeen-year-old Emma's friends drift away, leaving her lonely and angry. Epilepsy defines her. She is the best soccer player the school has, but her anger is ruining even that. When her ex-best friend's soccer tactics lead to a seizure, Emma slugs her. Afraid she'll be dropped from the team, she grabs her mother's car keys and speeds away. After she drives the car into a creek, she seeks aid at a nearby, old house. There she is attacked by Wirtz, an ancient German vampire. She has a grand mal seizure, interrupting him before he drains all her blood, and allowing her to get away. Found stumbling down the road with blood pouring from her leg, she is rushed to the hospital. It takes two blood transfusions for her to begin to recover. Which is worse, having epilepsy or being part-vampire? At least with epilepsy, Emma has only herself to worry about. Now that she's part-vampire, Wirtz wants to finish what he began. Through a mind connection, she knows he's searching for her and that he knows about her little sister Manda. She can't endanger her family by having him follow the trail to her home. As part-vampire she has abilities such as being able to see in complete darkness, as well as superhuman strength, speed, and hearing. She is not yet cursed with the threat of sun exposure or having to feast on blood. She goes on the run to lead her vampire stalker away from her family. Emma ends up hiding in a military facility where she meets Sagan. He's willing to be her friend and not turn her in to the authorities so long as she's straight with him. But if she is, he's not likely to believe her. Emma is a spunky teenager who embraces her new vampire skills, hoping that Wirtz has given her just what she needs to defeat him. This unusual supernatural thriller shines a different light on vampires. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Teens books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews