Review: Marked by Kristin Cast and P.C Cast

Goodreads synopsis:
The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed.  In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire -- that is, if she makes it through the Change.  Not all of those who are chosen do.  It's tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds 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 misusing 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


Release Date: May 1, 2007
Pages: 306 (Paperback)
Series? #1
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

LONG STORY SHORT:
Despite all the hype I haven't read any House of Night book yet and I wasn't even planning to do it, because
a) I usually don't care that much for vampyres
b) the whole thing seemed very fake to me
It was. Kind of fake, I mean. But in a good, enjoyable way.
So if you're able to ignore certain elements that may not be as unique in this book and are up to a light, entertaining story, I'd recommend you pick up Marked!

REVIEW:
I've heard a lot of things about the House of Night Series,but given my relatively short time of blogging, only about the latest installments and it all went pretty much like "It' s my guilty pleasure series" or "I only read it because I want to know what happens next".
But I mean there had to be reason why the series sky-rocketed in the first place so I needed to start reading it and the first book just had me in me after a few pages.

The protagonist is pretty hilarious. And by pretty I mean, very snarky and sarcastic - it's just a bit too much sometimes, there were passages I didn't find very teenager-authentic. However, the narrator is actually a plus because the book just never gets boring.

The set-up kind of feeling - sadly - joined me throughout the whole book. Zoey's situation at home and at school was cliche most of the time, the setting - especially the House of Night setting seemed just too perfect for me to be true.

Leaving all of this behind let's focus on why I am addicted to this series now:
First of all - boarding school. I'm a sucker for boarding schools, always have been! And as soon as you forget that the House of Night is way too stereotypical and unrealistic it becomes the best school you could think of! I wanna have Zoey's classes and her room and the cafeteria and their mini kitchen and all that stuff!! Also, her group of friends is way cool and not even as cliche as you would think they were.

And then, there is of course the suspense. That feeling that you just don't know who to trust. It drives me crazy and is the main reason why I need to have the second book! And the third! And all the others.

So, overall Marked is not a brilliant high-fantasy novel. But it sure comes with a ton of magical boarding school fun!

RATING: 3 out of 3 Smarties