TEENAGE readers, it seems, just can t get enough of vampires. Stephenie Meyer s Twilight series fills the bestseller lists, Buffy and Angel tales fly off the shelves, British author Justin Somper has created a community of vampire pirates, Serena Robar s

TEENAGE readers, it seems, just can't get enough of vampires.

Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series fills the bestseller lists, Buffy and Angel tales fly off the shelves, British author Justin Somper has created a community of vampire pirates, Serena Robar's Colby Blanchard is a half-blood student vampire. The list goes on and on.

Australian Catherine Jinks has come up with a new take on the subject. Her vampires are sickly, nervous and keep their cravings for human blood at bay by breeding, and then "fanging" guinea pigs.

The Reformed Vampire Support Group (�6.99, Quercus) is a funny adventure, with brilliantly drawn characters, set in and around Sydney.

Nina is, to all intents and purposes, 15 - the age she was when she was infected. But that was back in 1973 and she has hated every minutes of being a vampire. It has really cramped her style and social life. And it's boring.

Plus, she is nauseous most of the time, the other members of the group get on her nerves and she can't get a decent haircut.

It seems real vampires aren't the romantic, sexy, courageous and powerful heroes of fiction.

But when one of their number falls victim to an unknown slayer, Nina and her support group colleagues set out to hunt down the culprit. And they soon find themselves caught up in a world of guns, thugs and werewolves.

- LINDSAY J ONES