Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampires, #1) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Jun 07, 2008 Cindi Kelley rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2008-read

I enjoyed reading it. It was a little action packed, a little sweet, and a little mysterious. And it had a cliffhanger ending!

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Feb 14, 2009 Samantha rated it liked it

Shelves: 2009, ebook-own

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. OK, first I should say that overall this was an enjoyable book that for the most part adds to the YA genre (in the vampire vein, sorry pun intended). Vampires are not portrayed as warm and friendly, which is a refreshing outlook with all the rosy vampire books flooding the market these days. A recommended read.....and I will likely keep reading the series.
With that said I did have significant issues with the story, some that even almost ruined the story for me.

SO FAIR WARNING...SPOILERS (and com OK, first I should say that overall this was an enjoyable book that for the most part adds to the YA genre (in the vampire vein, sorry pun intended). Vampires are not portrayed as warm and friendly, which is a refreshing outlook with all the rosy vampire books flooding the market these days. A recommended read.....and I will likely keep reading the series.
With that said I did have significant issues with the story, some that even almost ruined the story for me.

SO FAIR WARNING...SPOILERS (and complaining) AHEAD!

Claire is smart, apparently really smart. She's attending college two years early and is forced by her protective parents to attend a school nearby that isn't exactly of the scholarly caliber she was looking for. She's 16 and a "nerd" so I get that maybe her sheltered life hasn't exposed her to instances where she just really needs to use her common sense. Places where her common sense would come in handy are scattered through the book and leave me wondering what the Hell is she thinking? I mean really, the crazy popular girl doesn't stop at taunting her, and even "helps" her fall down a flight of stairs and then proceeds with an ominous death threat. What does she do? She doesn't report it to the police and looks for a place to live off campus instead. She was almost killed and she decides to go back to her dorm room (and risk a confrontation by herself) for what she knows is nothing really of value. Surprise, surprise who should she run into to?

Then when she finds out about all the strange things about Morganville she still doesn't want to leave. Why you ask? Because apparently our trusty heroine is stubborn, yes stubborn, and will not quit that school because just of her near death and knowledge of a vampire population. Sometimes it was almost like she's TSTL. Or her sense of self-preservation isn't that strong. I know we wouldn't have a story otherwise, but can't there be a better reason than that...

Then the evil-crazy Monica, wow, just wow. For her and her posse to constantly fixate on Claire is just boring and cliche for the big, bad, bully. If they aren't about to beat Claire with a lead pipe, or one of the henchmen is pouring acid on her back, or kidnapping her in a van in broad daylight to torment her with ideas of being roasted to a crisp, then they're breaking into her house to maim her and set the house on fire. I mean really? I know she's crazy but it gets old!

Three stars...simply for the fact that I will likely read more of the series even with the above mentioned complaints. ...more

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Dec 26, 2010 Marla rated it really liked it

Shelves: zz-2012, vampires, romance, horror, young-adult, with-reservations, series, paranormal, book-about-books, ghosts

3.75 stars. It's just a quick, fun read, but I enjoyed it. Claire Danvers is cute and brainy and in over her head. To escape Monica's wrath, she moves in with 3 older teens who take her in and try to keep her safe.

Update:
Listening to this series after Book #4. It was just more of the same. The characters were a bit 2-dimensional. Claire's naiveté and impulsiveness got old. She is a dumb, smart girl. She is also young and in way over her head. Also the sexual tension between Claire and Shane just ...more

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Apr 06, 2009 Adele rated it really liked it

First of all i'd like to apoligise to those people who have been begging me to read this seies.
you were all right and i was wrong.

Claire is a college student, some sort of genius as she is 16 in a world of 18 year olds.
we meet her during the worst day of her life. no exaggeration here. the poor thing is being bullied, she has her clothes thrown away, is pushed down the stairs... honestly it was like they wanted to kill her!

this book is written from her POV so we get a bit of insight to her life. ...more

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Sep 01, 2009 Carolynn (Molly.Groot) Evans rated it really liked it

Re-read - well, listening to, actually.

These books are good, silly fun with characters who are relatable.

However, the narrator is difficult to listen to. She has wonky pronunciation as well as odd inflections. The Rachel Caine books really deserve better!

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