My thoughts...Cat the Vamp is not your typical young adult vampire novel. This book reaches beyond sparkly vampires and romantic blood exchanges. It is dark and dangerous. Catherine, affectionately known as Cat, is a new vampire. She learns at the young age of 18 that she is being sent off to receive special training so she can learn to about her new life. While there, she makes some new friends, including a very handsome young man named Morgan. Morgan and Cat instantly bond, in a very erotic ceremony, and quickly discover that they crave each other and the very thing that gives them vitality,blood. The desire for blood becomes an addiction and they have to find a way to control themselves and try not to hurt anyone in the process.

The characters in the story were interesting. The author, Christina Martine, did a great job of evolving them through the stages of dependency. The story line kept me interested and turning pages. I found myself gasping on occasion, in complete disbelief at the actions of the characters. While the plot is similar to other YA vampire tales, it had several very unique twists. I enjoyed the setting of the story. The majority of the book takes place in an old castle full of secret passage ways, dark corridors and mysterious rooms. One of my favorite scenes is an initiation ceremony which takes place in the ballroom. The author did a brilliant job of describing the candlelit room full of mysterious people dressed in black capes. The dark side of the story really set it apart from others that I have read.

The cons...I enjoyed the story, but I do believe it should come with a warning. The characters in the story do use some strong language and there is a large amount of drug and alcohol use. Also, there are several graphic sex scenes. Parents of younger readers may want to review this book first or use it as an opportunity to discuss the pressures and issues teens face.