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Hidden (Marchwood Vampires #1)

by Shalini Boland (Goodreads Author)

3.85 of 5 stars 3.85 · rating details · 346 ratings · 70 reviews

A paranormal romance that spans the centuries from modern England to 19th century Paris and ancient Cappadocia.

Madison Greene is in foster care until one day she inherits a fortune, she inherits a house, she inherits a cellar full of danger.

Alexandre Chevalier lives in 19th century Paris. On an archaeological expedition, he discovers a lost underground city where his lif...more

Paperback, 414 pages

Published May 11th 2011 (first published March 15th 2011)

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Community Reviews

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May 16, 2011 Suzy Turner rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is, without doubt, one of the best YA novels I have ever read. I just couldn't put it down. I loved the combination of the past and the present intertwined with mystery and romance and downright spookiness!
I can't wait to read the sequel.
If you haven't bought yourself a copy of this book, then do it NOW. It's AWESOME!!

10 likes · like · see review

May 18, 2011 Shalini Boland rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

Shelves: young-adult, teen, paranormal-romance, vampire, ya, ya-lit, vampire-romance, teen-romance, urban-fantasy

An epic romantic paranormal adventure that ramps up to an explosive ending.

Merged review:

An epic paranormal romance that ramps up to an explosive ending.

8 likes · like · see review

Mar 26, 2011 Faye Meredith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, ya, ya-lit, teen, teen-romance, vampire-romance, favourite

There's something deliciously dark in the cellar of a creepy old house that hoodie tearaway Madison Greene inherits. Bricked up behind a centuries-old wall, she discovers room full of vampires. That alone would be enough, but Shalini Boland packs so much intrigue into this book I found it unputdownable. It's got romance, genuine terror and a breathtaking pace which makes you feel you're in a blockbuster rather than a book. Consequently, I spent many a late night immersed in Madison's world when...more

5 likes · like · see review

May 13, 2011 Julie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, owned-books, on-my-kindle

This is a Wow!!! story. A must read. Can't wait for the next book.

3 likes · like · see review

Mar 25, 2011 Jules rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fantastic

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Mar 27, 2011 B. Lloyd rated it 5 of 5 stars

Vampires, an inheritance with a secret, archaeology, scary men in white coats : all classic ingredients in this upbeat retelling of the vampyr legend.

HIDDEN breaks with Transylvanian tradition by placing the vampires deep under the soil of Cappadocia where two archaeologists take their families excavating in 1881, triggering off a series of terrifying adventures.
In this timespill narrative, the lives of 19th century Alexandre and 21st century Maddy cross over in a tantalizing weave, rushing he...more Vampires, an inheritance with a secret, archaeology, scary men in white coats : all classic ingredients in this upbeat retelling of the vampyr legend.

HIDDEN breaks with Transylvanian tradition by placing the vampires deep under the soil of Cappadocia where two archaeologists take their families excavating in 1881, triggering off a series of terrifying adventures.
In this timespill narrative, the lives of 19th century Alexandre and 21st century Maddy cross over in a tantalizing weave, rushing headlong towards an uncertain future.

Here is a book crammed with colour: Byzantine imagery, Victorian charm and a Thoroughly Modern Milly - that is, Maddy, an orphaned teenager in the 21st century who suddenly comes into an inheritance. She and her brother move into Marchwood House and begin exploring, only(as might be expected in a paranormal story) nothing is quite as it seems. An iron door in the cellar hides secrets over a hundred years old and through a series of chilling events, the story of the Cappadocian expedition is pieced together along with its impact on Maddy and Alexandre's lives.

The image of the vampire has haunted many cultures, both East and West, yet curiously there is little reference to them in Turkish folklore - although there is an interesting connection :Vlad Tepes, later Dracula, grew up during a period of semi-fealty to Turkey when his father paid tribute to the Sultan. Bloodthirsty reprisals illustrate most of Vlad's life in his efforts to free his country and he passed into legend as a hero to his own people, until Bram Stoker came across his name in a Whitby library book and spawned a literary genre that is flourishing healthily today.

HIDDEN is a new-comer to this tradition and is the first of a trilogy : it is a fast paced, lively narrative, a fun, imaginative YA read (and quite likely to appeal to other audiences), with some unusual twists and turns. Very visual writing (I can imagine this being televised), with the potential to develop quite a following.

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Jun 04, 2011 Rachael Cox rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I absolutely loved this book. I was completely hooked, captivated from beginning to end! I love the way that both of the stories develop and draw you into the mystery, both are told in such an engaging and interesting way that they really held me. I loved the characters and their escapades, the depth of relationships and the absolute "edge of the seat" suspense. Brilliant! I could confidently say that once you start reading Hidden you will not want to put it down!

3 likes · like · see review

Feb 12, 2013 Chelsea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews-to-do

Updating this (sorry Shalini for the delay)

This was a really great YA Paranormal Romance. It starts out a bit slow because the author is catching you up to how/why it all started so there is some past mixed with the present but the author does a great job. The paranormal part doesn't start right away (maybe halfway through the book?) but you can tell it creeps up on the paranormal aspect from the storyline and what's going on.... you know there's something there but you don't know what. When it...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Mandy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-reviewers-copy, four-stars

WHAT I THOUGHT

Phew, I’m glad I didn’t miss out on this one is what I thought.

I have not read many vampire books and admit they don’t hold a lot of appeal for me. However, I am so happy I accepted to review Shalini Boland’s excellent book Hidden and am grateful for this reading experience I may not have otherwise had.

What can I say? It wasn’t what I expected. I loved it. I was completely sucked in and didn’t want to put it down. One might say I was captivated.

Now, I have to be careful here not...more

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May 01, 2011 Jo Danilo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Hidden is an extremely entertaining read. I don't get a lot of time for reading, but sailed through this. Straight away it grips you with the amazing situation that feisty, rebellious Madison, the heroine, finds herself in when she discovers she is the heir to Marchwood. But it's not just an enormous house that she inherits...

Alexandre is lovely (there's no other word I can think of). He is a vampire, but is essentially still a human, and a very lovely human at that. It's hardly surprising that...more

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Aug 08, 2011 Coral Duran rated it 4 of 5 stars

I would give this 4.5 stars! I absolutely was entranced by this book from the beginning! I couldn't put it down it was so darn good!

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 24, 2012 Mary rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book started out a little slow, but once the vamoires made an appearance, it really picked up. I am really glad I stuck with it instead of putting it down after a few chapters because I ended up really enjoying it. This book is definitely a must read!! I could not put it down. can't wait for book 2!!!

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Dec 01, 2011 BookHookup rated it 3 of 5 stars

I’m torn. This was a book that had me hooked in parts and feeling less enthusiastic in others. Although I enjoyed much of it, there were elements that felt too familiar, like I’d “been there, read that”.

In the beginning, the author does a great job of telling the story as if it were two separate books, using alternating points of view and experiences. She intertwines the past and the present in a very satisfying way, giving each character their fair share of time and attention. Some might feel t...more I’m torn. This was a book that had me hooked in parts and feeling less enthusiastic in others. Although I enjoyed much of it, there were elements that felt too familiar, like I’d “been there, read that”.

In the beginning, the author does a great job of telling the story as if it were two separate books, using alternating points of view and experiences. She intertwines the past and the present in a very satisfying way, giving each character their fair share of time and attention. Some might feel that it takes too long to set up the story, but it was the set up that I found most fascinating. It held my attention and made me want to keep reading.

I felt myself very drawn to Alexandre’s story. His experiences in Paris and on the archaeological expedition in the 19th century were unique. It was a different world, a different time, and it stimulated my imagination. There was drama, mystery and humor, and Alexandre is an intelligent character who is well-rounded and written in a very endearing way. The cast of characters in his world felt very real and their relationships were interesting.

In contrast, Madison’s story felt less believable. Living in modern-day London in foster care, she discovers that a long-lost relative has left her money and a huge home. Now, I can buy that…I’m sure it happens to people…somewhere! But it’s the fact that she moves to this new home alone with her young brother and chooses to quit school that confuses me. She’s 16. How is this allowed to happen? Yes, I know…it’s a book and I should suspend judgement but this part of the plot dampened my enjoyment of the book just a little. Don’t get me wrong, Madison is a spunky character who looks at life in a unique way and stands up for what she believes in. She looks after her brother with motherly care and has a great curiosity about the world. She’s self-sufficient and smart. But she’s still just 16 and I’m not sure her circumstances and decisions are convincing enough for me.

Ultimately, this is a vampire story….well, a vampire love story. I like the fact that this vampire world is different from those I’ve read about lately. These vampires are more traditional in their heritage and characteristics…they’re more mythical and scarier. The love story, however, is not as unique. Usually the romance in a book brings out my girly side and I fall in love with the “falling in love”. However, in this book, this is exactly where I started to see familiar themes and felt a bit let down. Although the romance is well written, it’s just too predictable for me.

I must say that I was surprised by the ending! It was very unexpected…bringing back the uniqueness of the first half of the book. It definitely makes me curious about where the author will take the story next.(less)

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Mar 29, 2013 Zili rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-ya, vamps-ya

As a big fan of anything vampire and history related this was right up my street. Like so many kids I was obsessed with Room 13 (where an evil vampire lives in a hidden room, in a creepy old hotel).

Hidden tells the duel stories of modern day British teenager Madison, and of Alexandre, a French teenager living in the 1800s. Shalini cleverly weaves both stories together until Maddy and Alex eventually meet. Alex and his family leave France to hunt for a lost Turkish village where they face a trag...more As a big fan of anything vampire and history related this was right up my street. Like so many kids I was obsessed with Room 13 (where an evil vampire lives in a hidden room, in a creepy old hotel).

Hidden tells the duel stories of modern day British teenager Madison, and of Alexandre, a French teenager living in the 1800s. Shalini cleverly weaves both stories together until Maddy and Alex eventually meet. Alex and his family leave France to hunt for a lost Turkish village where they face a tragedy which spans the years and miles into modern England. Having spent years living in foster care, Maddy and her brother Ben inherit the huge Marchwood estate (and £61 million). Whilst Ben goes to school, the now rich Maddy investigates the house, finding a hidden door in the basement which holds many dark secrets. I really enjoyed Shalini's twist on the vampire legend (coming from Turkey not Transylvania) and her detailed descriptions of both nineteenth century and modern life. There were times when I wanted the narrative to get a move on so Maddy and Alex could meet.

Maddy is sassy and forward, but at times she is immature and bratty. Shalini does however manage to make her likeable and interesting. Maddy is totally different from the reserved ladylike girls from Alex's time, but they find each other fascinating and so the story works. The romance is kept to kissing and cuddling, to the point where I felt that we had another Meyer on our hands. I may be cynical but I find it hard to believe that beautiful teenagers living together in modern times away from the constraints of courtly love, with no adult supervision or rules would stick to cuddling. I suppose that the point though is that in Alex's time he causes a scandal from just kissing a girl.

My Aunt lived in a huge ancient house complete with hidden rooms, stairs, trapdoors and like in Hidden; a secret door in the basement. I've never forgotten that secret door and Hidden had me hooked from the off (I never did manage to open the door)! Hidden is the first in a trilogy, with the next instalment Thicker Than Blood already released.

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Jan 22, 2013 Poppet rated it 4 of 5 stars

Hidden is an unusual hybrid of period drama and modern drama. At first it feels as if you are reading two different books, but this method works.

It was a delight to read convincing details of life in the 1800's, Indie Jones style danger, ancient legends and mysterious caverns become a dramatic thriller threaded with poetic melancholy sadness.

The modern saga is so well told, Maddy and Ben being orphaned, and having the conflicts and struggles of teenage life, until living the impossible dream of...more

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Dec 10, 2011 Books rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

As the first book in the Marchwood Vampire series, "Hidden" is the perfect introduction to a new series. The author masterfully balances captivating storytelling, adventure and tender moments throughout the story. Often you will ask yourself who you should trust and who not as some secrets are diligently kept for a surprise ending

There are a rather large number of important characters in “Hidden”. Introduced and developed in such a skillful manner, there is no danger of the reader getting them...more As the first book in the Marchwood Vampire series, "Hidden" is the perfect introduction to a new series. The author masterfully balances captivating storytelling, adventure and tender moments throughout the story. Often you will ask yourself who you should trust and who not as some secrets are diligently kept for a surprise ending

There are a rather large number of important characters in “Hidden”. Introduced and developed in such a skillful manner, there is no danger of the reader getting them confused. Although the narrative switches back and forth between events in modern day England and the back story in the nineteenth century, I found it easy to keep track of and understand where I was in the story. The vivid and detailed descriptions of nineteenth century France and Turkey makes you feel as though you are there, experiencing the events along with the archaeologists and their families. From the underground city in ancient Cappadocia to rural England, we are taken on an unforgettable journey of adventure, suspense and romance.

The author takes the necessary time to create a believable and realistic background for the existence and very nature of her characters. She allows the characters to grow as the tale progresses: Maddy from a rebellious unhappy foster-care teenager into a responsible young adult and Alexandre Chevalier from a thoughtless Parisian socialite into a man who takes his duties towards his friends and family seriously.

There are also quite a great deal to smile about, as the language barrier is hilarious at times. Imagine a nineteenth century French aristocrat with a command of some formal Victorian English, suddenly catapulted into twenty first century England. Victorian English verses modern slang? Look at this excerpt.
`Do not take it too much to heart,' Alexandre said, watching her pace around the lounge. He stood in front of her and put a hand on her arm. `Your reaction was perfectly normal. Isobel would have screamed the house down and run for her life.' `Yeah, no offence to Isobel, but she's a Victorian chick and I'm supposed to be an enlightened street-wise hard-ass, not a wuss.'
`I maybe understood about three words in that sentence,' Alexandre replied. `Translation I'm embarrassed at being so scared of a skeleton and ashamed I treated Harold like that.' She covered her face and cringed as she remembered her over-reaction to the discovery of the skeleton.(excerpt)

Then there are some humorously presented pearls of wisdom like:
‘You can't start thinking what if. That's a short cut to a shit life.’ (excerpt)

The vampires in the Marchwood universe are also unique. Garlic, crosses, stakes to the heart, even an ax to the neck will not kill them. Oddly enough, the one thing that will is also the cure for the debilitating sleeping disease from which all vampires seem to suffer.

When you get to the last few chapters however, you will not be able to turn the pages fast enough while you sweat and panic towards the suspense-laden conclusion. Add to this some really tasteful romance and beautiful descriptions of nature and you have a book that is an absolute must read with the promise of a fantastic new series in the making. “Hidden” receives two thumbs-up and five well deserved stars! (Ellen Fritz)(less)

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Oct 16, 2011 Evelyn Amaro rated it 4 of 5 stars

Read the full review on Paromantasy.com
This book is riddled with mystery, filled with charming romance, with an extra helping of fun and danger thrown into the mix. It's creepy, it's funny, it's romantic, it's fun, it is a thrill ride - so hang on tight and get ready to be taken for tons of twists, turns and bumps when you read Hidden!

Two stories come together as past meet present, and reality mixes with legend as numerous mysteries unfold with each page turned.

Alexandre who lives in 19th centur...more

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Jul 12, 2011 Rayven rated it 4 of 5 stars

Hidden is the first book in the Marchwood Vampire Series by Shalini Boland. This story is a breath of fresh air in the young adult paranormal genre. Spanning centuries and continents, this lively story takes us on an intriguing journey of discovery and horror that you don't want to end. The story follows Madison Greene and her brother Ben, as their lives take a dramatic turn for the better. Moving out of foster care into their own home and immense wealth. But along with the wealth comes responsi...more Hidden is the first book in the Marchwood Vampire Series by Shalini Boland. This story is a breath of fresh air in the young adult paranormal genre. Spanning centuries and continents, this lively story takes us on an intriguing journey of discovery and horror that you don't want to end. The story follows Madison Greene and her brother Ben, as their lives take a dramatic turn for the better. Moving out of foster care into their own home and immense wealth. But along with the wealth comes responsibility and intrigue. In this tale we see the past merge with the present in a chilling and exciting way, as Madison searches for answers and finds them from the most unexpected person ; Alexander Chevalier whom just happens to be a vampire.

The characters within the novel come to life and jump right off the page, I found myself easily immersed in the story from the late Victorian era of Alexandre's journey to Cappadocia, where he and his family unlock pure evil, then submerged into Madison's world of dealing with the present. The characters have depth and are very well rounded, along with the supporting characters that bring more insights and comical humor to the story. The love story is very well portrayed and done tastefully and well suited for a young adult audience. I found myself once again caught up in the feelings of first love.

This book is extremely well written and I was very impressed with the author's ability to tell two stories in completely different styles of writing; late Victorian for Alexandre's story, and present day for Madison's. She did a fantastic job and both stories flowed well throughout the entire book to merge into a great ending. One of the things I really enjoyed about this novel, was the author's ability to create terrifying and chilling scenes within the book. She led me through my own imagination as my mind brought up images of what was taking place. Much to my surprise I might add since I love gritty detail. The author also had a way with humor as the characters interacted in a truly comical way when Alexandre a Victorian Noble tries to find is way in the modern world.

All in all this book was a great read and I recommend it to anyone who loves a good vampire story. This is a unique tale that stands out among the rest due to the author's wonderful storytelling and her fresh new perspective on Vampires. I am looking forward to reading the next book in series "Thicker than Blood, Book 2" I give this book 4.5 Stars!

Reviewed for DarkissReads. www.darkissreads.com (less)

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Jun 21, 2011 Emma Sutherland rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: brilliant

Think about the sheer number of times a book has claimed to be the one you won’t be able to put down against how many times that statement has been correct. Many fall at this hurdle of truth but Shalini Boland’s first novel ‘Hidden’ has every right to possess this lofty claim. The twin tales of present day teenager Madison and the 18th century Alexandre weave their way through many twists and turns in their respective time zones and interlock beautifully (the joining of their stories is the book...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Sarah Dalton rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this, it's just a great, escapist book. When I picked it up I didn't know much about it except that it was about vampires. I didn't realise it was going to be like a mixture of Dracula and Twilight.

This is a new twist on the vampire lore, whilst at the same time maintaining the dark suspense from traditional vampire books. My favourite parts were in Turkey, where there were dark and mysterious moments that are actually quite scary!

Madison is a very cool main character who one...more

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Feb 02, 2012 Kami rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: intriguing, love-stories-romance, vampires

The first 2/3 of this book were phenomenal. I loved the two perspectives of Madie and Alex and found myself riveted to each of thier individual stories and wondering if thier culmination into a single story would be as interesting. The individual points of view were facinating, especially Alex's...the idea of an entire unground vampire civilization was more original than most vampire legends and the description of Cappadocia was amazing...I found I couldn't put the book down when I was reading a...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Mia Darien rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book is very hard for my to rate, mainly because these places won't let my give half stars. I would give this 3.5, I think. As it is, I'll go with three for "liked it" because I can't quite say that I "really liked it."

The pacing of this book felt very weird to me. It didn't feel consistently paced, and it wasn't until after the first hundred pages that I really got into it.

There were elements of the story that I liked. The dual story lines working towards a merging point was good. Madison...more

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Sep 16, 2011 Rea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, young-adult

Full review can be found here.

The story starts out alternating between Alexandre’s story in 1881 and Maddy’s story in the present day until the two inevitably meet some way into the story. Although this worked well and I much preferred this to any other potential setup, I often found myself far more fascinated by one of the storylines than the other (it alternated between the two), so I’d skip chapters in the other PoV and then go back later. This and the ending were stronger than the initial co...more Full review can be found here.

The story starts out alternating between Alexandre’s story in 1881 and Maddy’s story in the present day until the two inevitably meet some way into the story. Although this worked well and I much preferred this to any other potential setup, I often found myself far more fascinated by one of the storylines than the other (it alternated between the two), so I’d skip chapters in the other PoV and then go back later. This and the ending were stronger than the initial convergence when Maddy and Alexandre meet.

Maddy accepts Alexandre far too fast in a bipolar like manner of switching to wanting to kill him to wanting to protect him at all costs with no real period of indecision in-between. The plot got placed on a short hiatus to allow the two characters to become lovey-dovey as well. Proclamations of love came a bit too fast for my taste but I suppose that they do at that age. It also verged on Twilight-esque mentions of Alexandre’s physical beauty – repetitions that I’m really not a fan of. Teens may eat that up, but I prefer not to be reminded of just how physically attractive a character is – I feel like I’m being conditioned to find the character attractive; told the character is beautiful rather than shown. Once the plot started again, though, I enjoyed the conclusion to this first book - the last few chapters, when the antagonist had put in an appearance, were my favourite.

I found Alexandre easier to connect with than Maddy. Maddy just kept making what I consider to be stupid decisions (the party, dropping out of school at barely 16 with no real education, etc.) and isn’t much of a role model for girls – but at least she’s a character with real flaws. Her clothes were frequently described in detail: this is something that a lot of authors tend to do, I’m not sure why. This is another case of a situation where I, as the reader, have been made aware of Maddy’s personality and the styles she prefers and can use my imagination from there on for the most part with only certain necessary exceptions where the clothes she’s wearing are very important. I really enjoyed the portrayal of Alexandre’s adjustment to modern society – his love of certain things, hatred of others – it was all handled very well and gave an amusing side to that stage in the story.

There are some instances of clunkiness in the beginning, especially with dialogue, but this soon improves as the author gets into the flow of the story.

An interesting take on vampires. I felt that this first book was slow in places but a necessary stepping stone to the second book, which I’m hoping will contain a more present antagonist and more of a threat. I suspect that this one will appeal to fans of Twilight.(less)

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Mar 07, 2013 Laila rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: frustrate-much, mixed-feelings-about-it, saw-that-coming, snark-me-some-heroine, something-is-just-missing, bwahahahaha

ERMIGHERD!!!!! Why oh why did this end up like something being twilighted O_o

In the beginning of the story is started with a prologue that is like a mystery to me the first half of the book is an alternating POV between the female protagonist in the present and then switch to the flashback to the past of the the POV of the male protagonist. It was a very slow build up to the somewhat plot of the story. I did like the whole mysterious old mansion so there has to be something else more mysterious...more ERMIGHERD!!!!! Why oh why did this end up like something being twilighted O_o

In the beginning of the story is started with a prologue that is like a mystery to me the first half of the book is an alternating POV between the female protagonist in the present and then switch to the flashback to the past of the the POV of the male protagonist. It was a very slow build up to the somewhat plot of the story. I did like the whole mysterious old mansion so there has to be something else more mysterious down the basement too kind of mystery.

Let me start first with the female protagonist of the story Madison Greene, now at first i thought i will come to love this seemingly misunderstood tough teenage orphan girl of 16...but i was greatly disappointed in the end that she turned out to be a very near relative of Bella Swan. Seriously, she may have been acting rebellious and stubborn most of the time but really she end up being a silly childish girl who got distracted and infatuated with Alexandre who is a vampire that was asleep in cellar in her newly inherited mansion from her rich dead ancestors and accidentally woken him up from his hundred of years of sleep when she tried to destroy him under a sunlight. Guess what? noh? really guess what is predictable? ~ she and her stunning god like literally feels like marble vampire Alexandre fell in love. And a good chunk of the second half of the book was spent describing how they spent their time in each other's company. Not really that interesting to me. Then Madison like Bella became a recluse in her mansion because she got distracted about Alexandre, she hardly connects with her close friends in her old neighborhood, even her new friends in her new neighborhood. It was all about her beloved Alexandre. Ugh! the only good thing i can like about her is that she does take care of her little brother. She didn't go back to school either. What she got more money that she could spend in her lifetime and then education is useless now? She is an essentially selfish jaded character and i really hope she can be redeemed and have better character development in the next installment.

Then we have the male protagonist Alexandre (sorry forgot his family french name), who was born in the 1800s and during in the last expedition with his damily in Turkey i think they discover something that led to the demise of his entire family and of what had become of them. I actually like the flash back story from his POV of this. As a human he was full of life and potential and on the edge of the discovery of a lifetime but all that was cut off short rather brutally. Now as a vampire in the 21st century he had months with Madison to acclimate himself with the new technologies and new rules since he was awaken. His brother, sister and two friends are still in their camatose state and have no idea how to revived them safely. He might be related to dear Edward Cullen as well...he is of a brooding type and over protective and paranoid like him. However, there was no other indication except for one scene that he feed on human blood. The rest of the time it was just alluded to but not explicitly mentioned. I thought he was also going vegetarian too!? But they do have their fangs and cannot stand sunlight nor glitter under them...bohooo! i was hoping they would.hehehehe!

While i do have mixed feelings about this book, i do like how the author took time to build up the back story of the Marchwood Vampires of how they came to be like that and end up in Marchwood Mansion. I also like Ben and his jaded outlook about vampires was funny. Now a days you can barely shock young people anymore.I think i'm liking Morris and Esther they get to be badass towards the end :) maybe they are descendants of Refti.The other Marchwood vampires have been awaken but barely talked about at the conclusion of the book. So definitely we will know more of them in the sequel. I am curious about those ancient vampires that infected Alexandre and his family i feel they have a better story to reveal. For i don't care much of Madison and her now over privilege life. And now she and the vampires are living an idyllic recluse life in their Mansion. The threat is out there but for now they are just probably sitting around hoping something exciting will happen. Seriously, the vampires so far didn't sound so hostile and dangerous enough. Where is the scorching thirst? after hibernating for more than a hundred years i would assume they are going to be acting like rabids at first. Clearly the author is a competent writer just that the main characters did not meet my expectations.

So over all I still like the story enough just not loving it like i hope i would be. I was not really feeling the love chemistry between Madison and Alexandre. They both would have been stuck in their own bubble world till outside threat invaded their idyllic world. I could imagine them making googly eyes with each others and making out a lot but Alex is so proper that he refuses to defile Madison beyond first base....sounds familiar anyone? Like i said ERMIGHERD!!!! WHY OH WHY????

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Jan 20, 2013 Catherine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was really enchanted by this book when I started it. The story jumps back and forth between Maddy and Alexandre, and thus between time periods. I liked most of the characters well enough, but some of them had moments that were just truly frustrating for me. For instance, even after realizing she wasn't responsible enough to make decisions, she ignores good advice and does what she wants anyway, regardless of the potential consequences. BOO for poor decision making skills! Second, for Maddy and...more

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May 28, 2012 Louis Corsair rated it 4 of 5 stars

I wanted to look at a vampire novel titled Hidden, which is the first installment in the Marchwood Vampire Series.

Author: Shalini Boland

Overview:

Sixteen year old Maddy Greene and her younger brother, Ben, are alone in the world and not loving it; the foster parents are not thrilled with rebellious Maddy. When a mysterious solicitor offers them an inheritance that includes millions of (choose your nation's money) and a period property called Marchwood House, the two orphans think their troubles...more

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Mar 23, 2012 Rani rated it 3 of 5 stars

I like the sound of it. Mysterious, dark and has a totally attention grabbing cover. Must read.

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Feb 18, 2013 Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars

I liked Boland's twist on the vampire story and in regards to the "monster" itself. I also like that the main characters were witty and seemed very real. I liked how Boland was able to explain the cultural differences in a way that didn't make you lose interest in the story or forget what was happening in the story. There were some areas in the story that I felt were accepted to quickly by the main characters and so the moment didn't feel real, but overall that didn't deter me from continuing on...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Hunter rated it 5 of 5 stars

Even better the second time!!!

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Mar 19, 2013 Anita rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am surprised that this is only rated at a 3.85 - it definitely deserves better. I truly enjoyed this book, especially how it switched from past to present. The characters are likable and witty and I liked the way they came together. If I had to critique the in some way it would be to point out that the beginning of the book was a bit slow with a great deal of detail while the last 1/3 or so was fast paced, almost rushed. No worries though, it didn't ruin it for me in any way. I'll definitely b...more

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Goodreads Giveaway Winner	2	8	Aug 26, 2012 11:37am
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Genres

Paranormal > Vampires

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Young Adult

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Fantasy > Paranormal

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Romance

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Fantasy

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Romance > Paranormal Romance

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Fantasy > Urban Fantasy

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Historical Fiction

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Young Adult > Teen

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Young Adult > Young Adult Romance

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About Shalini Boland

Shalini lives in Dorset, England with her husband and two noisy boys. Before children, she was signed to Universal Music as a singer songwriter.

Now, writing novels has hijacked her life and she is usually to be found with a laptop welded to her fingers and the house in a permanent state of neglect.

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Thicker Than Blood (Marchwood Vampires, #2)

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title link	preview: Hidden
avg rating	preview: Hidden Goodreads rating: 3.85 (346 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11368591-hidden?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1305755806l/11368591.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11368591-hidden?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Hidden by Shalini Boland[/url]

Hidden (Marchwood Vampires #1)

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