Repost: Enchanting Review: Marked

MARKED

P.C. CAST AND KRISTIN CAST

Paranormal Young Adult

St. Martin’s Griffin

ISBN# 978-0-312-36026-9

306 Pages

$8.95

Trade - Available Now

Rating: 5 Enchantments

Sixteen year old Zoey Redbird is just like any other typical teenager, worrying over the geometry test she has to take tomorrow-that is, until she’s marked by a tracker and her entire world changes. Everyone knows what happens next, Zoey needs to go to the House of Night, the vampire finishing school to complete the change or else she could die without ever having the chance to complete the change.

MARKED is unlike any paranormal I’ve ever read. P.C Cast and Kristin Cast create an intriguing paranormal world in which to set the House of Night series. There are stages to becoming a full fledged adult vampire, and at any point in time, a fledgling’s body can reject the change, as Zoey soon learns, perhaps a nice foreshadowing of things to come?

Zoey isn’t your average vampire fledgling. Her mark is colored in almost immediately, which makes her somewhat of a freak at House of Night and an easy target for the bitchier brigade, led by Aphrodite, the head of the Dark Daughters and Sons, a selective group of students at the House of Night. Zoey would be happy to stay far away from Aphrodite and her cohorts, only her mentor, the High Priestess Neferet encourages her to join the Dark Daughters. As Zoey can’t say no to her new mentor, she finds herself at the ritual. And when things later get out of control, it may be Zoey is the only one who can right things, much to the chagrin of her nemesis.

I was hooked from page one into this amazing book. From Zoey’s indifferent parents (I literally cheered when she snuck out of the house to get away from them) to Nyx, the goddess, the story is populated with amazing characters who come alive within the pages of MARKED.

MARKED is the first book in the House of Night series. You can visit the official house of night website at http://www.houseofnightseries.com/

Lisa

Enchanting Reviews

May 2008

Enchanting Review: Betrayed

BETRAYED
P.C Cast and Kristin Cast
Paranormal YA
St. Martin’s Griffin
ISBN# 978-0-312-36028-3
310 Pages
$8.95
Trade—Available Now

Rating: 5 Enchantments

BETRAYED is the second book in the ‘House of Night’ series and picks up a short time after MARKED. Zoey Redbird is still at the House of Night finishing school and is beginning to finally fit in and feel at home, even with her strengthening powers and thanks to the help of her new circle of friends. As the new Leader of the Dark Daughters, Zoey’s dealing with a lot more responsibility not to mention the jealousy of the ousted former leader, Aphrodite.

But things are never smooth sailing at House of Night, as a few of the fledglings’ bodies suddenly reject the change into vampyres. Things begin to get even more troubling when two of Zoey’s friends from the outside world disappear and the blame is put on a rogue group of vampires, something Zoey wonders about when she sees something inexplicable outside late at night.

What can I say about this book other than have Kleenex handy for the emotional last few chapters and be prepared for a few twists and turns that will leave your jaw hanging in disbelief. BETRAYED is an entertaining mix of paranormal and mystery that will leave readers desperate for book three.

For vampire fans, you can’t go wrong picking up the unique House of Night series. I look forward to seeing what the third book; CHOSEN has in store for Zoey and the rest of her friends. If BETRAYED is any clue, readers will be in for a wild ride. You can learn more about the series at the official website, http://www.houseofnightseries.com/

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
July 2008