For those of you who were more than a little disappointed by Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight saga, I think I’ve found the answer. You can still have your insanely attractive vampires, teen girl narrator, and a splash of romance (Ok, so Twilight has more a tidal wave than a splash.)

But, you can exchange the overpowering portion of teen angst, monotonous description, and Bella tunnel vision for a kickass heroine, a hilarious group of friends/sidekicks, and a healthy dose of action.

The House of Night series takes place in a world where vampires are no secret. Select teenagers are “marked” during their adolescence with a giant crescent tattoo in the middle of their forehead. If marked, a teenager must go live at the House of Night, a chain of boarding schools that train fledgling vampires and help them make it through The Change.

Marked begins when Zoey Redbird is chosen to become a vampire and follows her through her time at The House of Night in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

You might think that after Harry Potter and the Gallagher Girls series, the boarding school premise is old hat. But P.C. and Kristin Cast douse it with religion and a matriarchical structure that has Girl Power written all over it and the device comes out shiny new. Plus, let’s be serious–who doesn’t love a good boarding school book?

And, if you were sick of Bella doting on Edward and thinking about him 24 hours a day, you’ll be happy to learn that Zoey Redbird is quite the opposite with her boyfriend(s)–especially in Betrayed.

Finally, one of the things that folks find a bit tedious about Twilight is the tunnel vision. There isn’t a whole lot of character development beyond Bella and Edward. In House of Night, Zoey wants friends and finds excellent ones. And, while I love the Twilight books, I think that that is a better message to be sending young girls.