Published by Simon & Schuster

In the Society of S, the author - Susan Hubbard - brings the reader a gripping and intriguing coming-of-age story. The main character, Ariella Montero is a twelve year old with much on her mind. She has been raised and home schooled by her father in Saratoga Springs, New York and as a result she has very little experience in the real world. The only other people she has regular contact with are her father's assistant Dennis, and the cook - Mrs. McG.

Ariella is a very bright girl and as she gets older, she realises that not all is what it seems to be in her family. She has so many questions about her mother but all anyone will tell her is that her mother disappeared soon after the birth. When Mrs. McG notices that Ariella seems to be struggling with something, she invites her to come home with her and meet her children, two of which are Michael and Kathleen. Ariella soon feels like she has found a second family and love is blossoming between Ari and Michael. Sadly, tragedy strikes in the form of murder and Ari finds herself with still more questions and the only way to get the answers she seeks, is to find her mother.

This book was actually pretty surprising. Mention vampire books and I can pretty well guarantee that you think of gothic backgrounds, older times, hypnotic scenes, neck biting, fang wearing people who don't come out until dark. Susan Hubbard totally ignores that vampire image and instead creates an updated version. Vampires who can be out in daylight and who have other options when it comes to feeding.

The characters are all well written. Ariella is especially wonderful, for me at least, as we get to see her develop so much when she leaves her sheltered life and bravely searches for answers that she knows may well end life as she knows it. The other characters are equally well written though I didn't get quite as attached to them, the way I did with Ariella. The writing is great, the story draws the reader in and regardless of how much information the author shares, she leaves the reader begging for more. The attention to detail was pleasing to me too. The author manages to share a wealth of detail without bogging the reader down with it.

I am definitely with the countless others who are waiting for a sequel. Great book, a must for any book lover.

Author's website: http://www.susanhubbard.com/ ( )

I found it quite enjoyable. The main character is a twelve-year-old, however she seems more like 20something. I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that the child's father (who is also a vampire) uses Lupus as a medical excuse for his "differences". I have Lupus. I was highly entertained by this. :-) A good read. I intend to start the subsequent book soon. ( )

Ari is a twelve year old girl telling the story of her strange and lonely life.
Her mother disappeared the day she was born and she lives with her father and his
"assistants".There is Dennis who has always been kind and protective, and a woman who is
frightening and unfriendly. Mrs. McG is a housekeeper who has several children of her own,
who takes care of the homeschooled Ari, and makes her odd vegetarian meals. They are always unappealing.

Thanks to Mrs. McG Ari is allowed, for the first time to visit another family, and she becomes friends with the children, particularly Kathleen who is her age. Michael is Kathleen's older brother and he and Ari soon become close as well.

It doesn't take long for Kathleen to notice that Ari's family is unusual. She and Ari both begin to suspect that there is something that Ralph, Ari's dad is not telling. That is when things get interesting.

This is an unusual coming of age novel, that all in all was entertaining and kept my interest. The characters were odd, but Ari herself was quite compelling. I am glad I read it, and will watch to see if a sequel is in the offing. If so I will read it. I do recommend this book for an entertaining read to while away a long afternoon. Especially if one enjoys a vampire story. ( )

Eh. A book about a family of vampires as told by the 12 year old, who seemed like anything but. Arielle starts out in Saratoga and moves on south to Asheville, Savannah and Florida, looking, sometimes, for her mother. The Saratoga section had some minor errors: she names an asylum, it's a state prison. She names a cemetary in Saratoga, it's a famous historic hotel.
Not special. ( )

first line (of the preface): "On a cool spring night in Savannah, my mother is walking."
first line (of the first chapter): "I stood alone outside our house in deep blue twilight."

A book with classic literary themes: coming of age; mother-daughter relationships; vampires....

I was disappointed with the ending until I learned that Hubbard's written a sequel, The Year of Disappearances. I enjoyed the first one, and its interesting take on vampirism, enough that I'll likely pick up the second sometime soon.

I wonder whether this will be a trilogy or an ongoing series...? ( )