by Kristin and P. C. Cast, has a setting in modern day Tulsa, Oklahoma. In this book, the first of the series,vampires not only exist, but are misunderstood, thought of as monsters by some humans when they are not, and live mostly in peace with the humans around them.

Unlike other vampire books and movies, you don’t become a vampire by being bitten by one. You become one by being chosen by the vampire goddess, Nyx, and being marked with a sapphire crescent moon on your forehead.

After someone is chosen, marked, and become a fledgeling, they have to attend the House of Night for four years to go through the Change and become a full vampire.

But not all of those who are chosen make it through the Change, some people’s bodies start to reject the Change and they start to drown in their own blood, but some do make it through and live out the rest of their being as a vampire.

The narrator of the story is a sixteen-year-old girl named Zoey Redbird. Zoey never really fit in the human world, but when she got marked she realized that she wasn’t a regular fledgeling like everyone else either.

She soon realized she was different and specially chosen by Nyx to help her. Unlike the regular fledgelings, Zoey’s moon is filled in, like a full vampire’s.

The main characters of the book are Grandma Redbird, Heath, Stevie Rae, Erin, Shaunee, Damien, Erik, Neferet, and Aphrodite.

Grandma Redbird – Grandma Redbird is Zoey’s Grandmother. With Zoey’s dad leaving when she was little, her mom remarrying to an unlikeable guy, and her mom totally ignoring her, her grandma has been pretty much the only parent figure that cares for her in her life. Grandma Redbird is a Cherokee descendent and is very in-tune with her ancestor’s ways.

Heath – Heath is the star quarterback for Zoey’s old human school as well as Zoey’s human boyfriend. He is very muscular and is very addicted to Zoey. They have been going out since grade school and now since Zoey has been marked, she still likes him but is trying to get him out of her mind.

Stevie Rae – Stevie Rae is a country girl that loves anything and everything country. She mostly wears cowgirl shirts, boots and warn out jeans. She is Zoey’s room mate as well as her best friend. She has curly blonde hair that reaches her shoulders and, as Zoey puts it, “a very okie accent”.

Erin – Erin is part of Zoey’s, very close, group of friends. Even though her and Shaunee aren’t related by blood, they are considered to be twins because of their spiritual bond. They always finish each other’s sentences and rarely leave each other’s sides.

Shaunee – Shaunee is a Jamaican American and also part of their group of friends.

Damien – Damien is the last person that is in their group of friends. He is gay but is accepted for who he is by all of his friends. He is very studious and is never affraid to corect the Twins’s vocabulary.

Erik – Erik is the hottest and most popular guy in school. Just breaking up with Aphrodite, he is now going out with Zoey. As the House of Night would call him he is a sixth former, or a senior in human world, and is one year away from completing the Change and becoming a vampire or rejecting the change and dieing.

Neferet – Neferet is High Priestess of the House of Night. A High Priestess is like a principal only with more power. She is also Zoey’s mentor, which is basically like a person that welcomes a fledgling to the school, shows them around, and helps them out with anything they need.

Aphrodite – Aphrodite is considered the most popular girl in school. Her father is the Governor of Tulsa, she is very rich, and has been spoiled all her life. On top of that she is the leader of the Dark Daughters, an exclusive club only the “best” fledglings get in, and is High Priestess in training.

All through out this book Zoey is trying to fit in at her new school, dealing with liking both Heath and Erik, and battling a very dark presence that is at the school.

This book is a good read for both girls and boys. For the girls, it has romance and friendship trying to over come the darkness and secrets inside the House of Night. For the boys it has action, fighting, and a lot of violence.

This book is filled with something for everyone and I highly recommend giving it a try.