Enemies Unite in Morganville!

For some reason, I just can't seem to help myself when it comes to vampires. And yes, I know you already know that! Fortunately, the market is heavy on vampires and zombies right now. Especially in the YA lit department. But one of the better series in the mix is the Morganville Vampire Series by Rachel Caine. I don't know what there is about this one, but it is just SO readable! I just finished Book 4: Feast of Fools (256 pgs, Signet, 208). Since it IS that time of year, I'm using this as one of my selections for the RIP IV Challenge.

It was hard to imagine how Claire's day -- even by Morganville standards -- could get any worse...and then the vampires holding her hostage wanted breakfast.

I'm mean really. With an opening line like that, how can you not want to read this book/series?? As with every book in the series, Feast of Fools picks up immediately where Midnight Alley left off. Mr. Bishop has arrived in town and wants to meet with his daughter, Amelie. As the Founder of the Morganville, Amelie has always been the most powerful vamp in town. Until now. If things in Morganville were scary before, now they are downright terrifying. Unlike Amelie, Mr. Bishop couldn't care less about the humans. To him, they are just cattle. Nothing more than the next meal. The protections that have been placed don't mean anything to him or his vampire crew.

And if this wasn't bad enough, now Claire has to deal with the fact that Amelie has brought her parents to live in Morganville. At least, when they were not in Morganville, she could shield them from the horrors she faced on a daily basis. Now, not only are they going to learn the secret of the Vampires of Morganville, but she is going to have to worry about their safety as well as her friends' safety.

In the fourth installation of this series, enemies come together to fight side by side against an outside force that threatens their existence in Morganville. I wish I could explain why I like these books so much. Rachel Caine can write. She knows how to tell a story. And frankly, she doesn't pull her punches. The characters in her books go through a lot. Unlike a lot of the books out there that romanticize vampires, Caine does not. Her vampires are rather scary, in fact. They need the humans in town to survive, without exposing themselves to the world. But if push comes to shove, they will eat you!

Claire is still a great character. In past books, I've admired her smarts, strength and loyalty. Nothing changes in this book, except her confidence. She has grown from the shy, meek little girl to a much more confident, self-reliant woman. Her romance with Shane is heating up too. But as with all the other books, Feast of Fools ends with a major cliffhanger ending. In fact, it's almost cruel the way Rachel Caine leaves us hanging! I guess that means, I'll just have to keep on reading!! And if you start this series, you will too! 4/5