The Moth Diaries, by Rachel Klein

It's always hard when someone you always thought was your BFF suddenly drops you for a new BFF. But just how far would you be willing to go to win back your friend? And what about the person your friend has replaced you with? Let's consult Rachel Klein's short, but suspenseful novel The Moth Diaries for the more dysfunctional approach.

Upon returning to her exclusive private school, an unnamed narrator is obviously upset when her longtime BFF, Lucy, is suddenly more interested in hanging out with mysterious new girl, Ernessa. Sure, our girl could have tried to befriend Ernessa as well. She could have suggested the three of them go grab a coffee together or something. But no... Instead she observes, spies, stalks, sneaks, and, like a twisted version of Nancy Drew, records all she sees in her journal (which is what we have here). And she reaches the unlikely conclusion that Ernessa is secretly a vampire who has chosen Lucy as her next victim. And we're not talking the sort of Vamp who is the stuff of a Mid-2000s paranormal romance novel, but the real sort. The scary sort. (so no sparkles here)

I know, right. It sounded crazy to me too. But as I read the "evidence" in this journal, I became increasingly convinced that maybe, just maybe, the narrator was on to something here. Maybe. I won't say more. I won't spoil. You'll have to read The Moth Diaries for yourself and see what you think: Is Ernessa really a vampire? Or is she just a somewhat strange girl who innocently happened to get between an unstable and unreliable narrator and her Bestie?

I won't tell you what conclusion I arrived at. But I can recommend it as a great read!

--AJB