GLASS HOUSES YA by Rachel Caine

Glass Houses YA (Morganville Vampires #1) by Rachel Caine

This is the first book in the Morganville Vampire series. It centers around Claire Danvers, a 16 year old genius whose parents wouldn’t let her go out of state for college, but, did allow her to go to a state university in Morganville, which is close to home. If her parents only knew……..

Claire moves to Morganville and lives in the dorm on campus. She almost immediately gets on the wrong side of Monica, the resident “mean girl”, and is harassed initially and then almost killed. Claire is frantically searching the roommate wanted ads when she finds one that looks promising. Glass House.
Claire goes to the house and meets Eve, one of the three residents of Glass House. She takes Claire in to meet Shane and Michael Glass, the owner of Glass House. Michael, the oldest, is against Claire moving in, due to her age, but eventually gives in.

Claire thought her troubles were over, but, they were really just beginning. She eventually noticed that Michael was not around during the daytime, and, if you’re thinking he’s a vampire, you’re sorely mistaken………….. for now. Eve is a Goth chick down to her core, but very kind hearted, as long as she likes you. Shane, whom is attracted to Claire and vice versa, has a good heart, but a mean streak too. And a wicked sense of humor. And, to say he has daddy issues would be an understatement.

Claire soon learns that the town is run by vampires, and that they literally control everyone in the town. Each citizen is “protected” by a vamp due to “donating” at the local blood bank. Each citizen wears a bracelet so that everyone knows who their protector is. There is a definite, different kind of hierarchy that plays out during the story, that to be honest, was a whole new concept for me, and I loved it. Claire also learns that Glass House is one of the Founder’s homes and it has powers all its own, protecting the ones who live there. Claire, of course, finds herself in dangerous situations often. The others tell her what she needs to do, what to avoid in order to stay safe. Does she listen? Um…..no. Initially, you are kind of caught trying to figure out who the good guys are and who the bad guys are, and that line is blurred CONSTANTLY. And with her intelligence, endless spunk, and, dare I say bravery, Claire pops up on everyone’s radar.

There is a scene that totally surprises me in the first half of the book, concerning Michael, and that doesn’t happen very often for me. I always look forward to the next book to see what going on. Once you get through this book, with the groundwork laid, the rest of the series flows. And, I will say that one of my all time favorite characters, of any series, appears in this series. Myrnin, the whacky crazy vampire scientist, who has a whacky over the top way of “containing” the citizens of Morganville and running the town for the Founder. And Claire ends up working for him.

I will admit that this book was not my favorite in the series, but, I loooove this series. Yes, it’s YA and I’m 47 years old, but I love it!!! It has “classic” vampires, good versus evil and a lot of action. I’ll say again, yes it’s YA, but it such a pleasant departure from other series that I read. I don’t understand when someone reads a YA paranormal series and says “it’s not realistic”. Psssttt……… Vampires aren’t real!!! LOL!!! But, you will fall in love with these characters. Enjoy the story that Rachel Caine has written, in my opinion, brilliantly!

Reviewed by Vickie M.