Marked (House of Night, #1) in Once Upon a Twilight blog

Mar 04, 2010 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it liked it

This is another popular vampire series out there. Unlike Twilight, this series is based on a school called House of Night, on which those who are marked go to.

After she is Marked, 16-year-old Zoey Redbird enters the House of Night and learns that 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, This is another popular vampire series out there. Unlike Twilight, this series is based on a school called House of Night, on which those who are marked go to.

After she is Marked, 16-year-old Zoey Redbird enters the House of Night and learns that 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 mis-using 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."

This book is appealing to those who like the Twilight series. It has everything that a teenager deals with in it. From sex, to homosexuality to foul language to pagan rituals, (which I could do without). Zoey gets marked, and then is forced to leave by her parents to this school. They completely abandon her because she is marked. The only one who stood by her side was Grandma Redbird, who's character I find adoring. Even when all things go bad, this grandma stands tall, helping her granddaughter along the way. There is alot of pop culture references in this books that seems likethe authors are trying too hard to get readers to like the book. While this book was written in good form and captured the teenage voices, I am a little concerned with young readers reading this. I am a mother, and I would not allow my teenage son to read this. (Thank God, he is still a baby) I don't think most parents are aware of what their children are reading. If I found this on a YA shelf, I'm pretty sure some other teenybopper chic will come by, see it and of course beg his/her parents to read it. And of course they will make a reference like," it's just like twilight." when in fact it is not.

The mother/daughter team did a well rounded job on the plot and developing of the story. It did keep me entertained. There was lots of drama, fights, even the leading lady Zoe coming into her destiny. For those who like vampire stories, this is a good book. For young readers, no.
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Apr 04, 2010 OpenBookSociety.com rated it did not like it

Review brought to you by OBS staff member Heidi

Beware of spoilers

This is the first installment of the House of Night series about a boarding school for kids that are in the process of changing into vampyres (yes that’s how they spell it).

Zoey is a 16 year old girl that lives with her mom, preppy cheerleader sister, and her step-father, or as Zoey calls him, step-loser (can’t you feel the love?). Her best friend is egotistical Kayla and Zoey’s boyfriend, Heath, has started drinking lately, causin ...more

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