Stephanie R. Pearmain (Children's Literature)
Eternal is narrated by both the protagonist--16-year-old Miranda, an insecure teen girl who aspires to dramatic success on the stage even though her talent is mediocre, and her guardian angel (GA), Zachary, who we find out is a gorgeous and perfectly muscled being who has looked after Miranda her whole life. Miranda’s best friend, Lucy, is more confident, gregarious, and daring. She also has a thing for scary movies and, coincidentally, the cute guy named Kurt who works at the video store. By page twenty, Miranda and Lucy have agreed to meet Kurt, who turns out to be a vampire, and his friends at eleven P.M. in the local cemetery to have some fun and “a real-life adventure.” Zachary watches all of this, knowing Lucy is leading “his girl” into trouble. Realizing Miranda is about to fall into a freshly dug grave and probable death, Zachary breaks the rules of the universe by stretching his wings to shine some heavenly light and attempts to save Miranda from falling. Zachary is then scolded by the archangel Michael, stripped of his wings, and left to wander the earth as a human. After saving Lucy, he delves into drunken behavior with girls that look like Miranda, who he was unable to save, as he wanders aimlessly. Two pages are then dedicated to a blog, “Missing Miranda,” set up by Lucy two weeks after the cemetery event. Then the book returns to Miranda’s narration, as she wakes up to a male voice calling her “Sugar.” This man, who turns out to be Dracula, the leader of the Eternals, announces that he has turned her into a princess of the Eternal aristocracy. She is now to call him “Father” and her new residence is a vast castle in Chicago. Another two pages of the blog tell the reader that it has been a year since Miranda disappeared. Miranda begins to narrate again; she is now well indoctrinated into the world of Eternals where there is a lot of gossip, glitter, and their own group of paparazzi. The world of Eternals is “all about maintaining appearances.” Miranda is, of course, now beautiful, rich, and working toward becoming powerful. It just so happens that she needs a personal assistant. Zachary fills the position; his new mission from the angels involves assisting in the take down of the Dracula. The first hundred pages of this novel left me wanting more substance, primarily a stronger plot and more character development. It is well over halfway through the book before Miranda misses anything about her life or family. In fact, she mentions missing her gerbil before anything else. Since there are only about twenty pages of introduction to Miranda before she becomes a vampire, there is not much to draw the reader into liking her character. Likewise, the next 80 to 100 pages contain too much of the glitz, castle, and superficial Miranda, so it becomes a bit tedious. I was hoping for more of her personality. The second half of the book moves a bit faster, as Miranda and Zachary fulfill their destinies. Some of the references to other pieces of literature are fun, and the bantering conversations keep the story moving quickly. This book is recommended as a very light read. 2009, Candlewick Press, $17.99. Ages 12 to 15.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, January 15, 2009 (Vol. 77, No. 2))
Plain Miranda ascends to the rank of vampire princess in this imaginative but somewhat underdeveloped horror-comedy. Revisiting the same world in which bloodsuckers and animal shape-shifters exist alongside and in full view of mortals that was the setting of Smith's 2007 novel Tantalize, the locale has changed from Austin to Chicago. Additionally, guardian angels become part of the cast, providing a rather sardonic love interest for this offering's protagonist in the form of Zachary, who falls from grace while attempting to rescue Miranda from a vampire attacker. In order to save her and himself, he infiltrates the house of Dracul, where Miranda now lives as an unwitting accomplice to the head vampire's grisly schemes. Focusing on the aesthetics of the castle and on the A-list monster world that Miranda now inhabits, Smith falters a bit as she increasingly relies on descriptions of the setting and campy dialogue instead of fleshing out her characters. Still, the pace of this entertaining romp is quick and the action plentiful—a painless, if not particularly memorable, read. 2009, Candlewick, 320p, $17.99. Category: Horror. Ages 14 up. © 2009 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Megan Blakemore (Library Media Connection, August 2009)
As with her recent book, Tantalize (Candlewick Press, 2007), Cynthia Leitich Smith has set this title in a world where vampires and other nocturnal beasties not only exist, but also are acknowledged by humans. In this novel, Miranda, a wallflower turned vampire princess, and her former guardian angel, Zachary, fall in love, but are kept apart by several obstacles. He’s been sent to save her soul and kill Dracula. She is struggling with the morality of vampirism. Their relationship is fairly chaste, with a few kisses and a near-miss at a sexual encounter. What sets this book apart from the other vampire novels is its sly humor, more akin to Buffy the Vampire Slayer than Twilight (Little, Brown & Company, 2005). Told from both Miranda’s and Zachary’s perspectives, the storyline doesn’t offer too many surprises, and the teen-speak occasionally feels forced. However, Zachary and Miranda are likable and surrounded by a great supporting cast. Short chapters send the narrative along at a brisk pace. It’s a fun read sure to please the legions of vampire fans. Reading Tantalize is not necessary, but teens may want to, as characters from both books are promised to meet up in a future title. Recommended. 2009, Candlewick Press, 320pp., $17.99 hc.

Courtney Huse Wika (VOYA, April 2009 (Vol. 32, No. 1))
Zachary has been Miranda’s guardian angel since birth, but Zachary’s care for his charge extends past that of the usual guardian-human connection. In love with “his girl,” and unwilling to let any harm befall her, he thwarts fate and averts Miranda’s death, only to have her abducted and turned by Dracula himself. Stripped of his wings for his transgression, Zachary is doomed to walk the earth as a fallen angel unless he can rectify his mistake and fulfill one last mission. His task is a difficult one, however, for as an eternal, Miranda is offered everything she never had--fame, fortune, and power. For every day that passes, her old life slips farther away as she embraces her new role as Dracula’s cold, cruel princess. Zachary has little time before Miranda is lost completely, and Miranda has very little time before her transformation is complete to recognize the truth of her new life. Smith’s new novel approaches popular vampire fiction with a new spin: a vampire protagonist who, for most of the book, is as callous as a vampire should be. This darkness serves to illuminate the significance of the struggle between Miranda’s human soul and her newly acquired “vampness,” but it also reveals new depths of forgiveness, sacrifice, and love. The two characters alternate narration, which further situates the battle between good and evil. Fanpires will not be disappointed with the newest addition to the genre, and the mythology is subtle enough for general fiction readers. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2009, Candlewick, 320p., $17.99. Ages 12 to 18.