The last time I did a post about the books I was reading, I was about to start the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson. Dani keeps telling me it is so good and once I get passed the first book, I’ll like them. I’m sorry but If you don’t even enjoy the first book, why get into them? The first book should be the hook into the series, not the one you just try to get past to hopefully find something better within the series. I read about halfway, still didn’t get hooked so gave them up.
I then started reading the House of Night series by PC & Kristin Cast. It’s a mother/daughter collaboration and very well written. This is another series Dani has been trying to get me to read. Even before Twilight. I was skeptical at first especially when she started explaining it to me. But since I didn’t have anything else to read after the Mortal Instruments, I decided to give them a go.
The House of Night is full of Vampyres but PC & Kristin were like Stephenie Meyer and didn’t follow the rules that most books or movies have about Vampires. For one, you can tell they are spelt different. And also in this series, a vampyre isn’t created by being bitten, they are Marked which is the first title of the book series. When they are marked they get a blue outline of a crescent on their forehead so everyone knows what they are, a vampyre fledgling. In these books, it isn’t a secret that vampyres exist. Everyone knows about them and some are even well known singers, actors and actresses in the real world. They go to a special school called the ‘House of Night’ where they learn about the history and about the becoming of vampyres. Eventually when a fledgling becomes an adult vampyre, their outline of the crescent will be filled in.
These vamps can still go out in to the daylight, even though it is tough on their eyes. No sparkling vamps in this book. Also as a fledgling, they don’t like blood. Actually, most fledglings can’t stand even thinking about drinking blood, they think it is as gross as a regular human would. Also PC & Kristin’s vampyres have powers. Yeah, some are like Stephenie Meyer’s vampire powers but these remind me more of witchcraft. They rely heavily on the elements around us. Air, Fire, Water, Earth and Spirit.
If I’m remembering correctly, it didn’t take me a long time to get hooked with these books like it did in City of Bones. I think it was just a few chapters in, actually. And when I got hooked, I couldn’t put them down. I had to find out what was happening next. I’m thinking I might go back and revamp the series this summer since I did read them pretty fast. That way when the 6th book, Tempted, comes out in October, they will still be fresh in my mind.
To finish up, here are a few editorial reviews I pulled off of amazon.com:
From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up—In 16-year-old Zoey Redbird’s world, vampyres not only exist but are also tolerated by humans. Those whom the creatures “mark” as special enter the House of Night school where they will either become vampyres themselves, or, if their body rejects the change, die. To Zoey, being marked is truly a blessing, though she’s scared at first. She has never fit into the human world and has always felt she is destined for something else. Her grandmother, a descendant of the Cherokee, has always supported her emotionally, and it is she who takes the girl to her new school. But even there the teen stands apart from the others. Her mark from the Goddess Nyx is a special one, showing that her powers are very strong for one so young. At the House of Night, Zoey finds true friendship, loyalty, and romance as well as mistrust and deception. She realizes that all is not right in the vampyre world and that the problems she thought she left behind exist there as well. Readers will identify with many of the characters, especially the protagonist. The story moves quickly (a little too quickly at the end) and purposely leaves many unresolved issues. A good choice for those libraries serving fans of the occult, but be aware that the book contains some suggestive language and sex.—Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY
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Reviews:
“From the moment I stuck my face in this book it hooked me! Totally awesome new take on vampires! Marked is hot and dark and funny. It rocks!”
–Gena Showalter, author of MTV’s Oh My Goth
“Cast reeled me in from paragraph one. I snorted and giggled through the whole thing, and devoured it in one sitting.”
–MaryJanice Davidson, New York Times best-selling author of the Undead series
