It's all happening, though Zoey Redbird wishes it wasn't. She has her friends back, which is great. But a dark angel has taken over the House of Night, supported by High Priestess Neferet. Not so great. This leaves Zoey hiding out with the (supposedly friendly) red fledglings in Tulsa's prohibition-era tunnels. The not greatness continues. Zoey has some boy-thoughts to distract her, with a chance to make up with super-hot-ex, Eric. But thoughts of the archer that died, semi-permanently, in her arms also keep distracting her. Then he shows up as Neferet's newest minion. Well, hell. Zoey and friends need a plan to put things right, soon, if she's to keep both head and heart intact.

Reviews

Gr 9 Up-Mother-daughter writing team P.C. and Kristin Cast open up a whole new chapter in Zoey Redbird's complicated life with their fifth "House of Night" novel (St. Martin's Press, 2009). Zoey is a powerful fledging who is training for her conversion to vampyrism at a private boarding school. Zoey and her circle are currently battling evil high priestess Neferet and fallen angel Kalona, who have taken over the Oklahoma House of Night. She is also dealing with power struggles among the other fledglings along with the usual teenage angst that accompanies multiple boyfriends. The plot is zingy and so, for the most part, is the dialogue. The authors go out of their way to recap previous events, which is great for listeners new to the series, but may be annoying to those who already know the back story. They also unnecessarily emphasize gay characters by attaching the adjective "gay" to all of their actions. Narrator Jenna Lamia does a good job, giving each character a distinctive voice and personality, especially Stevie Rae's Oklahoma twang and Aphrodite's very bored delivery. Teens who like vampire stories, romantic triangles, and the backbiting of Gossip Girl will find this title very satisfying.-Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, MI Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

Praise for The House of Night:

"Move over, Stephenie Meyer." -"People" on "Hunted"

"Zoey Redbird's first-person adventures take on added danger and importance in the latest House of Night release. Forced by circumstance to grow up quickly, Zoey's emotional and spiritual evolution is fascinating. The Cast duo breathes life and vibrancy into the characters and makes each one an integral part of the saga. Awesome and unforgettable as always!" --"Romantic Times" (4.5 stars) on "Hunted"

"The Cast duo has done it again! These ladies appear to be an unstoppable force within the world of YA literature... Teenage readers will be drawn to Zoey's everyday, angst-riddled life. Not only does she need to save the world, Zoey needs to solve some major vampyre/human boy drama. These stories are surreal, yet shockingly accurate when it comes to teenagers and their lives." -"TeensReadToo.com" (5 stars) on "Hunted"

"Teenage issues can seem like life or death, but in this haunting series, Ho