Review: Glass Houses by Rachel Caine

From the Publisher:

College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation, where the popular girls never let her forget just where she ranks in the school's social scene: somewhere less than zero.

When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life. But they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood.

My Take:

I dove into this book because of my love for vampire and dark fantasy novels. I expected something similar to Twilight, but was pleasantly surprised at something original. I like the idea of vampires ruling the town of Morganville while keeping it secret from the outside world. The author portrays the vampires from a more traditional approach, but adds a few unique powers that make for interesting reading.

You cannot help but fall in love with the main character, Claire. She is an intelligent girl that brings a delightfully innocent perspective to an otherwise gloomy town. I enjoyed learning about the vampires of Morganville through her eyes. The evils that she witnesses and has thrust upon her is offset by her hopeful and optimistic outlook.

The friends that occupy Michael Glass's house quickly become familiar, as if they had been around your whole life. Their differences are great--Eve's goth getup and edgy humor, Shane's immature antics, Michael's father-like leadership, all provide an excellent mix with Claire's intellectualism.

The action is fast paced and the book reads like a thriller. There is quite a bit of dialogue among the characters and this adds to the quick feel of the book. Rachel Caine has the ability to make the reader addicted to this world, even after only a brief visit. I am already a fan of this series and I know I will be tearing through the remaining books in the series.


About the Author:

Rachel Caine is a pen name of Roxanne Longstreet Conrad. Roxanne was born in New Mexico where her father was the "countdown voice" for missile launches. She graduated from Texas Tech University in 1985 with a Bachelor's degree in accounting, with a minor in music. She is an accomplished musician, having performed on clarinet with such famous musicians as Henry Mancini, Peter Nero and John Williams. Roxanne is the author of many novels including the Morganville Vampire series and the Weather Warden series. She lives in west Texas with her husband, artist Cat Conrad.