Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Great New Series!

I like vampire books, okay? Sue me! When I saw that Marked: A House of Night Novel by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast was available for review, I jumped on it. This book is the first in a new young adult series about vampires.

One day, Zoey Redbird is an average, 16-year-old schoolgirl, worrying about her ex-boyfriend’s drinking and her upcoming Geometry test. Then it happens. A Vampyre Tracker “marks” her, and life as she knows it has ended. When you receive the “mark”, a crescent-shaped tattoo on your forehead, it means that you have been chosen to become a vampyre. And you will, if you can survive “the Change.”

From that moment, all things are different. Her best friend looks like she’s scared to death of Zoey. Her own family, led by the sanctimonious step-monster John, thinks she has done something evil to deserve it. And being Marked means that she will have to leave her own home and move to the House of Night, the vampyre finishing school that will train her as a fledgling to go through the Change and become an adult vamp. But Zoey is destined to more than just any fledgling. After a fall in which she hits her head, Zoey connects with the Vampyre Goddess Nix and is told she is special. She is to be the Goddess's eyes and ears in the modern world, destined to have great Goddess powers. When Zoey awakens, her Mark is colored in, something that doesn’t happen to fledglings.

With Neferet, a high-priestess of Nix, as her mentor, Zoey starts her new life as a fledgling. Her roommate, Stevie Rae is great, and she is given an invitation to join the Dark Daughters, the school’s most elite club (although the leader of the group isn’t at all what she appears to be). How bad can life be?

In the first book in a series, we are introduced to a new world - a world in which vampyres are real and are usually the most successful and famous people around. A world in which the People of Faith are taught to be frightened of them. And we are introduced to the House of Night and the ways of the vampyre population of today.

I was completely hooked by the first chapter; P.C. Cast has done a fantastic job of laying the groundwork for an exciting series and, with the help of her daughter, Kristin, has made a very believable character in Zoey Redbird. The mother-daughter writing team has done a wonderful job capturing the essence of a 16-year-old girl: scared, looking for acceptance, and trying to fit in. Isn’t that what all 16-year-olds want out of life? In my opinion, Marked is definitely above average in the emerging “teen” paranormal genre, a genre that is growing at a lightning speed. This book isn’t a bloody horror novel by any means. It is much more than that. I found it to be exotic, engaging, and just plain fun, and I highly recommend it. 4.5/5

(copyright 2007 by Stephanie Toland for Curled Up With a Good Book)

22 comments:

Carl V. Anderson said...

Very good review and it sounds like an interesting book. In a market that is getting flooded with vampire fiction, the teen market, it certainly does take something special to stand out.

Melody said...

Great review, Stephanie! I have this book in my TBR pile! I'm glad I picked it up after browsing it at the bookstore. :D

Ana S. said...

Oh, this sounds very appealing. I'm going to look for it.

Stephanie said...

Carl - You are right. The market is definitely flooded with this type of book. But I thought this one was really good. Besides, they gave us a lot of information that I really can't wait to see what's going to happen next!

Melody - Thanks! Hopefully you will like it as much as I did! (Besides...the cover is pretty cool!)

Nymeth - Well....finally!! I can add a book to YOUR list!

Anonymous said...

I like vampire books too. This looks like a good one!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a good book... I should get one.

Anonymous said...

Oh I want this! I have some other PC Cast books to read and this has now been added to my list too thanks.

Angela/SciFiChick said...

Sounds like a fun one!
How does it compare to the Stephanie Meyers series? Have you read those?

PC Cast said...

Hi Stephanie,
Thanks for the lovely review! Kristin and I are so pleased you enjoyed MARKED. The series is certainly fun to write. BETRAYED will be out in October, and CHOSEN follows in March. We've recently agreed to write books 4, 5, and 6 in the series, too. In October St. Martin's will launch an interactive website for the series, www.houseofnightseries.com. Please stop in and see what you think!

Angela - I'm not sure how our series compares to the TWILIGHT series, but I do love those books. Also, Melissa Marr's new YA, WICKED LOVELY is amazing, too. I'd say that MARKED is popular with the same type audience. Please let me know what you think if you read it: phyl@pccast.net.

Stephanie said...

PC - Wow! Thanks so much for stopping by! As I said in my review, I really enjoyed this book!! I think the groundwork is now in place for a great series!! I will definitely be reading Betrayed and Chosen....and books 4, 5, and 6 when they come out!

tinylittlelibrarian said...

I'm doing this one as part of the Triple 8 challenge, one of my themes is vampires. Looking foward to it.

Booklogged said...

It's really amazing how many vampire books there are on the market right now, both in adult and YA. To hear rave reviews on a new series takes some of the fear out of buying it. Thanks, Stephanie, for the good review.

Bookfool said...

What Carl said. And, what Booklogged said. I didn't realize you were reviewing for Curled Up. Go, you! I love your reviews!

Anonymous said...

I read Marked and Betrayed,they were fantastic reads! It put an entire new spin on vampires. I told all my friends and would give them a 6 out 5 stars.

Nanashi said...

Awesome review. I read the first two in the series, and loved them both. The books are very unique with the take on vampirism, and its really cool to see that, especially since most takes are very similar.
I'd love to have you join this forum site dedicated to the series. It'd be awesome to talk to you and get your take on the book, especially since we are still a growing site, and don't have many members as of now.
http://houseofnight.niceboard.net
~Nanashi

Anonymous said...

I've rad all three books and it's very true that ths series is the best i've read in a while!

Anonymous said...

thanks for the review, i have been looking for one for awhile i heard about it and it seemed interesting, and i love vamoire books have you ever read stephanie Meyer's Twilight series? any way thanks

Anonymous said...

I've read marked and chosen and i absolutely LOVE them! i think that they're great and i'm looking forward to reading the rest in the series! Does anyone know how many total there are gonna be? Anyways if you haven't read them READ THEM cuz they're really good.

Anonymous said...

Stephanie,

Excellant site! Very nice. You are a true lover of books. I also, am going to be interviewing Adrienne Barbeau on my Best Selling Author Television online program. I do enjoy here book as well. I live out here where the story takes place. If you have time, take a look at my interview site at http://bestsellingauthortv.blogspot.com/and
see some interesting interviews with some great authors.

Talk to you soon.

Rey Ybarra

Unknown said...

Sounds so interesting, but I was wondering does this book talk alot about gods and godesses and does it make fun of Christians?

Anonymous said...

I stumbled across your blog and am wondering if you can help me out!!! My daughter is a HUGE fan of the Twilight series and I am looking for some books that she may enjoy now..... Wondering if you can tell me if these books are appropriate for a 13 year old to read.... I know some of the books out there for young readers are not really appropriate lol! Just wondering if there is any subjective material that I may have to explain!! Thanks for any help you can give me

SilverBella said...

I love the "House of the Night" books. They are a combo of Harry Potter meets Edward and Bella! Great Job to the Cast Women!

I had just finished Twilight when I started "Marked". I just love our little Zoey! She is my new Hero!

Zoey, Bella, and Harry! My Heros!