Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Lexie

The first time I read Glass Houses was as an e-book a friend had sent me along with Book 2, Dead Girls' Dance.
I had only read Rachel Caine once previously, one of her Weather Warden
books, but hadn't been fully engaged by that book to warrent looking
for others she had written. My friend was convinced however that I
would love this series (it was just after I had lent her Twilight and began my young adult paranormal craze...that's still going on).

Love
is perhaps too strong a word for how I feel about the Morganville
Vampires series, but I definitely enjoy the books immensely. They're
just the shade of different from other YA vampire series that make them
pure entertaining fun.

Let's face it Claire has the rough
end of the stick in just about every single way possible. She's
(probably) the youngest student at TPU, hundreds of miles from anybody
who knows her, too smart for the general student body's tastes and
somehow managed to land in the one town that should have had neon signs
on it warning folks away. Worse her social awkwardness makes her easy
prey for vicious animals like Monica, thereby sealing her fate in
Morganville. For the first fifty pages or so I was ready to take up
arms against Monica on Claire's behalf--she was just...EVIL. I mean
truly. Not a single redeeming feature at all. I wouldn't put it past
her to kick little old ladies in the middle of the street if it struck
her fancy or punt babies for a laugh.

Michael, Shane and Eve are
the sort of friends every outsider desperately wants. They're almost
too perfect in that regard. Shane and Michael are hotties--the fact
that they are outsider hotties doesn't diminish a single speck of their
hotness. Well maybe Michael's condition might, but he's a musician so
it kind of makes up for it. Almost at least. Eve--despite her goth
look--is a bubbly, loyal best friend ever sort of girl. Always got your
back, always knows what to say to make things seem better. The three of
them would more then likely be the popular crowds kings and queen in
any other town in America.

I admit to leaning towards
Michael/Claire in the beginning. Shane had to grow on me and with all
that Michael/Claire share together I thought it was a shoo-in. Except
that well Claire is still technically 16 years old and while
Michael/Eve/Shane are only 18 years old, and in most states (that I
know of) its completely legal for an 18 year old to date a 16 year old,
Morganville is a special special place with lots of nasty rules and
expectations and laws.

Also ending a book on a cliffhanger,
an unavoidable cliffhanger no less, great way to hook readers. As long
as the next book is forthcoming in a timely manner (which thankfully
the books seem to come out at a regular clip).