Marked, book 1 of House of Night series by P.C. and Kristin Cast takes a bite out of the competiton

Marked by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

Marked is the first installment of the House of Night series by two very talented Oklahoma writers, P.C. Cast and her daughter Kristin Cast. This ingenious first book follows the tale of a young Cherokee girl who lives in a world where vampyres have always existed. Zoey Redbird’s life is turned upside down the day she discovers she is destined to become a vampyre and has been marked by a vampyre tracker. Her only choice is to join the mysterious House of Night or die of a sickness that comes when fledgling vampyres are not with their own kind. Rejected by her human friends, shunned by her parents, and getting sicker by the moment, Zoey runs to the only person she could still trust, her wise grandmother Redbird. On her way to her grandmother, Zoey is in an accident in which she hits her head  and has a revealing conversation with the vampyre goddess Nyx. When Zoey awakens, she discovers that her grandmother had taken her to The House of Night where Zoey is healed of her sickness and healed of the bump on her head. Zoey is then introduced to her new mentor, Neferet, High Priestess of the House of Night who has vowed to help Zoey through this transitional phase in life. Soon amazing things start to happen to Zoey, and she begins to realize that she is no ordinary vampyre fledgling. She discovers that the mark she bares on her forehead is that of a matured vamp, and with it comes extraordinary abilities given to her by the goddess Nyx. For a teen who only wants to fit in, extraordinary is something Zoey is unprepared to undertake on her own. With the help of new friends, her human ex- boyfriend, and vamp hottie Eric Night, Zoey is determined to find her place in this strange and magical world, and cope with her new found powers.

P.C .Cast along with her daughter Kristin have created a world that is fantastic and very believable. P.C.’s writing style and amazing character development has always given birth to novels that are true to life and dynamic. The Casts have an uncanny ability to make their readers care for their characters, and P.C. has one of the most unique literary voices in literature today. The way she injects humor into her narrative is a phenomenal talent that few authors possess.

Another great thing about this book, as with a few of P.C.’s other works, is that this book is set in Tulsa and surrounding areas. The House of Night is actually set on the campus of Cascia Hall. Zoey, as a human, went to Broken Arrow Intermediate High School, and the fierce rivalry between Broken Arrow and Union football was even mentioned. Also, a P.C. Cast book would not be complete without the customary reference of Cherry Street.

This book is obviously intended for a more mature YA audience. Some themes in this book are sexually explicit. Adult language and use of drugs and alcohol are also prominent in this book, so reader discretion is advised.

Marked, by P. C. and Kristin Cast is a novel that grabs onto the reader and holds him or her in a headlock until the very end. It is fast paced and extremely well written. The atmosphere and specific names and locations used in the story create an extra bit of interest for local readers, though sexual content and bad language may be a turnoff for some.

If you are “dying” to read Marked or any of the other books in the House of Night series prepare to buy the book or put your name on a waiting list at the library because your local Tulsa City County Library system can’t seem to keep these books on their shelves. And, if you’d like to be “Marked” yourself P.C. and Kristin have an excellent interactive website where you can upload a picture of yourself and place a special vampyre mark on your image. The link to the website is provided at the bottom of the page. If you have any questions, comments or just want to comment about the book feel free to comment at the bottom of the page or email me.

www.houseofnightseries.com