Back Blurb-What if the hottest guy in the world was hiding a nameless evil, and all he wanted was you? At the start of this heart-pounding new installment of the bestselling House of Night series, Zoey’s friends have her back again and Stevie Rae and the red fledglings aren’t Neferet’s secrets any longer. But an unexpected danger has emerged. Neferet guards her powerful new consort, Kalona, and no one at the House of Night seems to understand the threat he poses. Kalona looks gorgeous, and he has the House of Night under his spell. A past life holds the key to breaking his rapidly spreading influence, but what if this past life shows Zoey secrets she doesn’t want to hear and truths she can’t face?
Whoo-boy. I've never hidden the fact that I'm a big PC Cast fan-girl. I love her books. There's something about her writing that just calls to me. I can't even begin to describe why. I remember when I found out that she & her daughter were going to be writing a YA series together. My first thought? Cool! My second? Aw, but it's vampires. Yeah, what did I know.
All along, we've had to follow Zoey and her...well, her choices. The girl's life has never been easy and it got even harder when she was Marked as a vampire and had to leave her "human" life behind. And now that we're into book 5, her life just gets more and more complicated.
For those of you who've read the House of Night series, I'll just say this...Hunted was probably the most spiritual of all of them. Not religious...spiritual. Zoey's struggles to deal with her powers, her friends, her world AND dealing with the evil that was unleashed at the end of Untamed really leads up to a crisis, not only of spirit, but also of her very reality.
And I think, for me, that's why this series is so amazing. It's not perfect, but the pure emotions that are behind all that Zoey does are what make this series such a winner for me. Out of all the books, Hunted is definitely the darkest one yet. Evil has manifested itself into an actual human guise and since Zoey and her friends are the only ones who can sense it, it is their responsibility to break the others free from this evil being.
Zoey has truly grown from the young, confused child that started out the series into a strong woman. It's amazing to me that such a short amount of time has passed since the beginning of the series. A lot has happened to her, in more ways than one.
The ramifications from her actions in the previous books are super strong in this book. She's not perfect. Which is why I like her. She's funny and sarcastic, but she also has a strong sense of right and wrong. Her powers are immense, but she still makes mistakes.
As I said earlier, this book is definitely the most spiritual yet. A combination of a lot of different elements. It's a book that definitely showcases the battle between good and evil. And all the shades of gray in the middle.
Was it perfect? No. The end was a bit abrupt and it seemed like it could have been, well, more, but all in all I really really enjoyed it. I can't wait to see what they cook up next.
My Rating: A-
Showing posts with label kristin cast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kristin cast. Show all posts
Monday, March 16, 2009
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Untamed by PC & Kristin Cast
Life sucks when your friends are pissed at you. Just ask Zoey Redbird--she's become an expert on suckiness. In one week she has gone from having three boyfriends to having none, and from having a close group of friends who trusted and supported her to being an outcast. Speaking of friends, of the two Zoey has left, one is undead and one is unMarked. And Neferet has declared war on humans, which Zoey knows in her heart is wrong. But will anyone listen to her? Zoey's adventures at vampyre school take a wild and dangerous turn as loyalties are tested, shocking true intentions come to light, and an ancient evil is awakened...
I have been waiting ever so impatiently for this book since the end of Chosen. The events at the end of that book are the main issues Zoey has to deal with in this one. Whoo-boy, her life is one giant piece of messed up.
At the end of Chosen, some major secrets were unveiled and major drama ensued. Zoey found herself losing everyone she held dear due to decisions she had made. The hardest part was dealing with the loss of Erik...and Heath.
Now, it's only a few weeks later, and Zoey is still trying to deal with the aftermath of those events. She knows what she did is right, but it is hard to convince herself when everything is going to pot. What should she do?
Thankfully, Aphrodite is there to lend a hand and to have a major vision that catapults Zoey back into her job as one of the most powerful fledglings in vampyre history. She knows that she needs to figure out a way to overthrow Neferet and get her out of the school, but with her friends hating her, she's stuck.
Wow...that's all I can say about this book. It's not as heartbreaking as Betrayed or as frustrating as Chosen, but it is deep in its own way. The Cast's have created a world that is multi-layered and fascinating. Watching Zoey struggle to overcome her figuritive and literal demons is a wonderful journey.
This book is dark and it is creepy, but it's also just about a young woman who has awful choices to make and who has to deal with the repercussions of those decisions. You forget that she's only 17. That she's still just a kid. She deals with things with a maturity that belies her young years and makes you hope for her future.
And the end? Wow! I cannot wait to read Hunted. I don't know if it's the last book in the series, but I can't wait to see how they wrap up the insanity that they've created.
My Rating: A very solid A
I have been waiting ever so impatiently for this book since the end of Chosen. The events at the end of that book are the main issues Zoey has to deal with in this one. Whoo-boy, her life is one giant piece of messed up.
At the end of Chosen, some major secrets were unveiled and major drama ensued. Zoey found herself losing everyone she held dear due to decisions she had made. The hardest part was dealing with the loss of Erik...and Heath.
Now, it's only a few weeks later, and Zoey is still trying to deal with the aftermath of those events. She knows what she did is right, but it is hard to convince herself when everything is going to pot. What should she do?
Thankfully, Aphrodite is there to lend a hand and to have a major vision that catapults Zoey back into her job as one of the most powerful fledglings in vampyre history. She knows that she needs to figure out a way to overthrow Neferet and get her out of the school, but with her friends hating her, she's stuck.
Wow...that's all I can say about this book. It's not as heartbreaking as Betrayed or as frustrating as Chosen, but it is deep in its own way. The Cast's have created a world that is multi-layered and fascinating. Watching Zoey struggle to overcome her figuritive and literal demons is a wonderful journey.
This book is dark and it is creepy, but it's also just about a young woman who has awful choices to make and who has to deal with the repercussions of those decisions. You forget that she's only 17. That she's still just a kid. She deals with things with a maturity that belies her young years and makes you hope for her future.
And the end? Wow! I cannot wait to read Hunted. I don't know if it's the last book in the series, but I can't wait to see how they wrap up the insanity that they've created.
My Rating: A very solid A
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Marked and Betrayed both by PC & Kristin Cast
I'm going to talk about both of these books in one review instead of trying to write two separate ones. For one thing, I'm lazy and for another, they are very closely connected. The series is considered young adult, but since I haven't been one in...years, it's definitely readable by anyone.
Blurb for Marked: Enter the dark, magical world of the House of Night, a world very much like our own, except here vampyres have always existed. Sixteen-year-old Zoey Redbird has just been marked as a fledgling vampyre and joins the House of Night, a school where she will train to become an adult vampyre. That is, if she makes it through the Change-and not all of those who are Marked do. It sucks to begin a new life, especially away from her friends, and on top of that, Zoey is no average fledgling. She has been chosen as special by the vampyre Goddess Nyx. Zoey discovers she has amazing powers, but along with her powers come bloodlust and an unfortunate ability to Imprint her human ex-boyfriend. To add to her stress, 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 group, 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.
What can I say about Marked? Zoey is a very cool heroine. She's just a teen herself, but has a selfpossession most people twice her age would kill for. The day she's Marked her life changes forever. She goes from being your average teen with an immature ex-boyfriend, a mother who ignores her and a stepfather from hell, to a young vampyre-to-be whose life has completely changed.
When she first gets to the House of Night, she goes through all those weird first-day-of-school things all people do, but she's got that even more since it's obvious right away that she's not like all the other fledglings.
What I love about Marked is how PC & Kristin have tweaked vampire legend and made it into something really unique. The story is told from Zoey's POV and it's interesting to see how she figures things out.
Aphrodite is the rival from hell. Her name does NOT have anything to do with her personality in any way, shape, or form. They are great nemeses and the way their power play goes back & forth is a great trip.
It's so hard to give a really concise review, because almost anything could be a spoiler. All I'll say is if you like a great adventure with romance, the struggle between good and bad, and some very unexpected twists....this is the book for you.
Rating: A-
You can visit the Cast's here
Betrayed by PC Cast & Kristin Cast
Back blurb: Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird has managed to settle in at the House of Night finishing school. She finally feels like she belongs, even gets chosen as the Leader of the Dark Daughters. Best of all, she actually has a boyfriend...or two. Then the unthinkable happens: Human teenagers are being killed, and all the evidence points to the House of Night. While danger stalks the humans in Zoey's old life, she begins to realize that the very powers that make her so unique might also threaten those she loves. Then, when she needs her new friends the most, death strikes the House of Night, and Zoey must find the courage to face a betrayal that could break her heart, her soul, and jeopardize the very fabric of her world. Betrayed, the second book in the House of Night series, is dark and sexy, and as thrilling as it is utterly shocking.
I actually read Marked when it first came out and reread it again after buying Betrayed. For some reason (don't ask me why), I didn't read Betrayed right away. Last night I decided to read Marked again to refresh my memory & then started Betrayed afterwards.
Now let me start off by saying that I didn't know what to expect. Marked ended in a way that was very surprising & I wasn't sure what Betrayed would be like. I think the blurb says it best. It is dark and sexy with so many twists & turns you'll be shaking your head...but in a good way.
Betrayed is a lot darker than Marked & it seems...older to me. Zoey hasn't been at HoN for all that long, but it seems like she's matured considerably since Marked. Her love life is confusing and she tries so hard to do what she feels is right.
There are moments I was laughing and others where I was crying my eyes out. The end is a major shock and now I'm waiting for Chosen to come out. I cannot wait to see how the story is ended.
And to think it all started when I won a copy of Goddess of Love last year. The Cast's have a very lyrical voice that will suck you right into this world they've created. I recommend it 100%.
Rating: A
Blurb for Marked: Enter the dark, magical world of the House of Night, a world very much like our own, except here vampyres have always existed. Sixteen-year-old Zoey Redbird has just been marked as a fledgling vampyre and joins the House of Night, a school where she will train to become an adult vampyre. That is, if she makes it through the Change-and not all of those who are Marked do. It sucks to begin a new life, especially away from her friends, and on top of that, Zoey is no average fledgling. She has been chosen as special by the vampyre Goddess Nyx. Zoey discovers she has amazing powers, but along with her powers come bloodlust and an unfortunate ability to Imprint her human ex-boyfriend. To add to her stress, 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 group, 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.
What can I say about Marked? Zoey is a very cool heroine. She's just a teen herself, but has a selfpossession most people twice her age would kill for. The day she's Marked her life changes forever. She goes from being your average teen with an immature ex-boyfriend, a mother who ignores her and a stepfather from hell, to a young vampyre-to-be whose life has completely changed.
When she first gets to the House of Night, she goes through all those weird first-day-of-school things all people do, but she's got that even more since it's obvious right away that she's not like all the other fledglings.
What I love about Marked is how PC & Kristin have tweaked vampire legend and made it into something really unique. The story is told from Zoey's POV and it's interesting to see how she figures things out.
Aphrodite is the rival from hell. Her name does NOT have anything to do with her personality in any way, shape, or form. They are great nemeses and the way their power play goes back & forth is a great trip.
It's so hard to give a really concise review, because almost anything could be a spoiler. All I'll say is if you like a great adventure with romance, the struggle between good and bad, and some very unexpected twists....this is the book for you.
Rating: A-
You can visit the Cast's here
Betrayed by PC Cast & Kristin Cast
Back blurb: Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird has managed to settle in at the House of Night finishing school. She finally feels like she belongs, even gets chosen as the Leader of the Dark Daughters. Best of all, she actually has a boyfriend...or two. Then the unthinkable happens: Human teenagers are being killed, and all the evidence points to the House of Night. While danger stalks the humans in Zoey's old life, she begins to realize that the very powers that make her so unique might also threaten those she loves. Then, when she needs her new friends the most, death strikes the House of Night, and Zoey must find the courage to face a betrayal that could break her heart, her soul, and jeopardize the very fabric of her world. Betrayed, the second book in the House of Night series, is dark and sexy, and as thrilling as it is utterly shocking.
I actually read Marked when it first came out and reread it again after buying Betrayed. For some reason (don't ask me why), I didn't read Betrayed right away. Last night I decided to read Marked again to refresh my memory & then started Betrayed afterwards.
Now let me start off by saying that I didn't know what to expect. Marked ended in a way that was very surprising & I wasn't sure what Betrayed would be like. I think the blurb says it best. It is dark and sexy with so many twists & turns you'll be shaking your head...but in a good way.
Betrayed is a lot darker than Marked & it seems...older to me. Zoey hasn't been at HoN for all that long, but it seems like she's matured considerably since Marked. Her love life is confusing and she tries so hard to do what she feels is right.
There are moments I was laughing and others where I was crying my eyes out. The end is a major shock and now I'm waiting for Chosen to come out. I cannot wait to see how the story is ended.
And to think it all started when I won a copy of Goddess of Love last year. The Cast's have a very lyrical voice that will suck you right into this world they've created. I recommend it 100%.
Rating: A
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