Review: Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (House of Night Series)

Novel: Marked (House of Night #1)
Author: P.C. Cast + Kristin Cast
Pages: 306
Genre: Young Adult Urban Fantasy



The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed. In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire--that is, if she makes it through the Change. Not all of those who are chosen do. It’s tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling. She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx. But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers. When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends.


(I will not be posting any spoilers! Only opinion for the sake of those of us who love to have our first look at a book be untainted by foreknowledge.)

Okay, I will admit it. The first time I saw this book I picked it up, saw that the first page said K-babble, turned to a random pages and started reading and saw something I felt was inappropriate and put it back down deciding not to buy it. I won't lie about it but then the other day I was at the library and figured, well, I am not paying for it. Now... my full confession. This series has become my guilty pleasure. I realize there are points that a lot of parents would not be okay with and I will start out with those simply because I know a lot of mothers read my reviews while looking for books for their daughters and I feel that you should be well informed before making a decision about this series. This is a vampire series, does have sexual content, has a small amount of cussing and a few other parts of the books that mothers may or may not approve of. Now for the good part. I normally really dislike books with that kind of content... not this one. It is written in a perspective that makes the teen aspect of it more realistic, the main character is intelligent, level headed and easy to relate to and I even went as far as to go out and buy the first four books. (Betrayed, the second book is eagerly awaiting me in my purse.) I was reading and could really relate and feel what she was feeling make me perfectly sure that P.C. Cast and her daughter Kristen Cast make a perfect team. I JUST LOVED IT! Off to go read the second book and eagerly awaiting seeing what will happen next. I really should have picked the book up the first time and to be honest, when I get proven wrong about a book I thought I might not like. I like it. I love having a book pleasantly surprise me and boy was this one a surprise! LOVED IT!



4 Stars!



Would I suggest you read it:

This is a book where I am a bit torn about who I should suggest it to. On the one hand I really enjoyed it and it was written in a style that brought me back to when I was a teenager but on the other hand there was cussing, sexual references and more that isn’t appropriate for all teens and some adult prefer to stay away from. So I would have to say that I would suggest it to anyone who wants to read it but knows what they are getting into and understands that there is some inappropriate content.



P.S.- I am looking forward to the release of Awakened on January 4th!!!