This was a coming-of-age story. And it was about vampires. I found it on a bargain rack somewhere so I picked it up. It is a YA novel.

It was pretty good. Nothing too great. I do believe it is a series, but I probably will not read any more. Not that they are not worth reading. I just have a lot of books to read. Any pre-teen/teen involved in the current vampire craze would like the book. Definately better writing than the Twilight series. It is not as sappy. Deals with loneliness. ( )

In a surprising deviation from conventional vampire lore, Susan Hubbard has created a coming of age novel that is elegantly written and lingers long after the last page has turned. But if readers are expecting the typical tale of lusty vampires mired in melancholia, then the unraveling journey of young Ariella Montero might prove a bit tame.

The Society of S evolves meticulously to chronicle the quest of 13-year-old Ariella who endeavors to solve the mystery surrounding the disappearance of her mother. But every clue brings her closer to discovering her own true nature-an identity that her father has strangely suppressed.

Issues begin to plague her beyond normal teenage angst-why is her mirror image always skewed? Why can't her father be photographed? Why is she always anemic? Who is watching her in the shadows? What is going on in the basement with her father's research with Seradrone? Something is churning in the depths of her that she doesn't recognize-something not entirely human. And it wants out.

As these permutations unveil in their gloomy Saratoga Springs manse, her research scientist father observes the ultimate experiment in his daughter, with a curious detached fascination-determined that nature take its course without interference. Has he begat a predator, a distinctive "other", or an ordinary mortal?

Hubbard cautiously skirts around the issue, as if not ready to let go of the secret of Ariella and her father. There is no exclamatory "a ha!" once the secret is revealed. Strangely devoid of the passion that makes vampire mythology so enticing, Hubbard engages in subtlety. There are no vampires morphing into bats, or lashing out in dramatic fights with antique Valenciennes lace at their necks.

While it may not be a "Hollywood" or "Bram Stoker" vision, or even resemble anything closely to Anne Rice, the Society of S begs to challenge the reader by analyzing what it means to be immortal through the eyes of literature. Clearly the pursuit of knowledge is the theme throughout the book and a worthy occupation for the undead.

Readers will be strangely riveted by Hubbard's take on the modern vampire, despite the apparent mundane suburban feel within the fabric of the plot. But the novel captures an indefinable something that makes it appealing as well. Worth the read to discover that the journey is just as important as the destination.Copyright(c)Nicola Mattos ( )

Ariella lives with her father, she's homeschooled, and her life is quite regimented. When she's exposed to her housekeeper's family she discovers love and friendship and starts to question her life and lifestyle. Those questions bring up some issues that she is unsure if the answers aren't a bit out of whack.

It's not a bad read but it really didn't capture my imagination. I would have believed it better if the character was older when she began her road trip to find her mother. Not a bad read but not really for me. ( )

The Society of S follows the story of young Ariella Montero, who lives with her single father in New York. Ariella’s mother disappeared the day she was born, and many questions remain as to why. Ariella is unusually intelligent for her age, probably a result of having been homeschooled by her father.

Ariella’s is prompted to take a journey to find her mother after a series of mysterious events. On her trip, she goes through many trials associated with coming of age, though the author took a creative liberty and added a supernatural spin on things. Ariella finds out that she is a vampire, and that she can choose to be mortal like her mother, or a vampire like her father. This decision, among many others, drives the action in the novel.

Personally, I really enjoyed The Society of S. Even though the narrator is a young teenager, I feel like this book was written with more mature audiences in mind (not that younger readers wouldn’t enjoy it) because the writing wasn’t the typical super-romantic, angsty writing that usually accompanies teen characters (not that I don’t love that kind of writing!). I felt that the author’s tone voice was unique and had just the right amount of description and imagery. Overall, the book was well-written, and had enough suspense and mystery to keep me turning pages.

As a sidenote, Hubbards has recently released a sequel to this book, called The Year of Disappearances. It’s on my reading list, and I’ll have a review of it once I’ve acquired the book and read it! ( )

I enjoyed this book.Was a very different vampire story than Twilight.Even though the heroine is a young girl it doesn't have the teen angst which I found refreshing.Am definatly looking forward to the next book! ( )

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...? ( )

Interesting take on vampires from 12 year old Ari's perspective who slowly discovers that her father isn't what he seems and perhaps nothing about her family is true. A bit slow, but a good book nonetheless. ( )

I admit it. I have a soft spot for vampire lore. Sadly, the Twilight books are not my cup of tea (the wolf boy sub-plot did not intrigue me), so I was extra pleased to find another coming of age vampire series: Susan Hubbard's Society of S.
In Hubbard's world vampires live among us. They're sensitive to sun, but not necessarily flammable; they can't fly; crosses and holy water don't harm them, and a stake through the heart does not turn them to dust. Some have even divided into a sect of ecologically minded, morally obligated creatures -- synthesetes who see in color and communicate with animals.
There are even warm, kind, and loving vamps. Who knew?
Ari, the fourteen year old narrator, lives a secluded life with her father. She's a home schooled vegetarian with a missing mother and the suspicion her dad might be a creature of the night (how boring the book would be if her instincts were wrong!). It's creepy, sexy, fun (and fast)! The abrupt ending would have frustrated me to no end if the second book in the series wasn't already available. Now I just need to find a libray who carries it. Recommended to anyone who crushed on Lestat, Spike or Angel, and is still in touch with their inner reader.**

**Your inner reader is the part of you who falls in love with books the way you did when you were a kid: largely oblivious to the pressures of a job, family, reality, or the books you're supposed to be reading as opposed to the ones you feel like reading. Your inner reader is also willing to read books you would have loved when you were younger, and embrace them for the love that could have been and kinda is. ( )

"My mother disappeared after my birth and had not been seen by us since." Haunting words from a thirteen year-old girl who will soon come to a very transforming time in her life. Mariella Montero lives with her father Raphael in a large Victorian house in Saratoga Springs, NY. The morning hours are spent alone or with the housekeeper, the sweet natured Ms McGarritt. The afternoons are devoted to lessons taught by Raphael that entail wide ranging subjects of literature (Poe is a favorite), mathematics, physics, philosophy. Ari, as her father calls her, receives strong intellectual stimulation from her scholar/ scientist father. Most mornings he spends with his assistants in a basement laboratory. Nothing terribly sinister going on here, but it is mysterious. Ari knows instinctively not to invade that space.

After so many years of deep curiosity Ari finally finds out some answers about her mother and the nature of her father. Ari is aware that she is the daughter of a vampire father and a mortal mother. Such a disturbing revelation raises other questions many of which her father cannot answer. What caused her mother's disappearance? Will Ari be human or vampire? In this regard Raphael believes she is more like him than her mother, but it is not yet clear. At some future time Ari herself must choose. And while trying to absorb this new found knowledge Ari suffers the loss of her only friend. Kathleen, the daughter of Mrs McGarritt, is murdered. There is severe blood loss and mutilation. The police and FBI investigate thoroughly but identify no suspects. Ari cannot help wondering if her father or either of his assistants might be involved. The thought horrifies her. Still it persists.

Eventually she decides she must leave Raphael's house to find out things for herself. Her first task is to find out what happened to her mother. Ari sets out alone and without telling anyone.

This is a brilliant novel, so poetically written. I hung on every word.

In May, 2008 a sequel, The Year of Disappearances, was published. I haven't read it yet, but I will. ( )

Great vacation reading! ( )

I have never read a vampire book before, and I was a little nervous about reading this one, I am easily spooked. I loved this book though, it was such a great read. Ari, is trying to figure out who she is, her father has always done strange things, and cannot go outside in the daytime, but what about her? Up until now she has not been affected by these strange habits and is quite normal, in the Society of S she finds out who she really is and what that means for her future. Susan Hubbard does an incredible job of telling a tale in which vampires are trying to cope with life, and learn to live with humans. Interested in how that goes for them? Read it!! It is not a blood-sucking gore of a book, but one that develops the characters, lets you feel for them and allows room for wiggle, and in the case of Ari that gives way to hopes and dreams that she longs to reach for.

I think I loved this book because it was so different than anything else I had read before. But also because Ari loves reading, education and is very mature for her age. It is well written, and just takes you in and asks you to have a seat (and stay for a long, long time!). ( )

I really wasn't expecting too much from this book since it was a Bargain Priced book at Barnes and Noble however, I was quite surprised. This is a story of a girl who's whole world is turned upside down, nothing is as it seems and she is forced to question everything she knows. A good coming of age story revolving around a teenager, the narrator seemed much older than the age mentioned in the book though, it is an interesting twist on the typical vampire story. ( )

Reminds me a bit of Special Topics in Calamity Physics, and I'm not 100% sure why. Yet, where Special Topics was way too proud of itself, The Society of S was interesting, entertaining and not pretentious at all. Plus, it had vampires. It was a suprisingly good read. ( )

I must say I was reluctant to read this book. It was recommended by a fellow co worker. I was glad that I read it and I cant wait to get the second book, The Year of Disappearances.

The Society of S, was beautifully written and the author really made you feel like you knew that characters personally. The way that they characters talked to you and asked you questions, which I normally don't like but they were well done.

The self realization that the character went through to find her self, her mother and bring her family together was well done and kept me wanting to read the book even when I was at work!

A great read for teens and adults! ( )

Sort of an "Interview with a Teenaged Vampire" set today. Myspace, blogs, ipods and role playing games all get a mention. Ariella tells the story of her childhood up until age 13 when she discovers she's a vampire, which she inherited genetically from her father. It is an ok read. I did feel like i was reading a diary. Hubbard does a great job on the atmosphere and characters. As I pulled up the Amazon link for this one I saw that Hubbard has a second novel coming out in May which is a continuation. I would probably get around to reading the next eventually but it isn't super high on my lists. I am going to pass this one to my little sister, so i give it a strong 3. ( )

Ariella finds out when she 13 that her whole life is based on a lie. No one will tell her why her mother left moments after she was born and hasn't been heard from since. After her best friend Kathleen is murdered she sets out to find her mother. What she finds, she is not finds is not quite what she was expecting.
I truly enjoyed the novel and would recommend it to anyone who likes novels about vampires. ( )

Intellectually provocative and absolutely addictive, Susan Hubbard's The Society of S is an intelligent work of fiction that entertains and stimulates the senses! A modern thriller that brilliantly combines an ingenious and intricately layered plot with a haunting portrait of a young girl faced with the realization that everything she knows about her family is a well fabricated lie.

A beautiful, Victorian mansion, in the heart of Saratoga Spings, New York is home to Ariella Montero and her over-protective, eccentric father. Ariella had been content living in semi-seclusion until she was exposed to life outside the mansion by the housekeeper. As Arie's friendship with the housekeeper's daughter grows, so also do the questions about her life and her place in it. The deeper she delves into her family history she discovers everything she held as truth to be lies. Her father was a vampire, her mother, a mortal...what did this mean? Disappearing after Arie was born, her mother had taken the answers she so desperately needed with her and now Arie had to find her. We follow the young Arie as she journeys throughout the south trying to put this new information about the Society of S into perspective within the confines of her own life. These are not typical vampires, they are seamlessly integrated into mainstream life, day walkers, that are as comfortable with vitamin tonics as the historic counterparts were with sinking fangs into flesh.

While twisting the plot into great knots of emotional complexity, Hubbard has crafted a perfect mix of fascinating detail and provocative dilemma. The lyrical voice utilized throughout adds an exceptional quality to this beautifully written, coming of age story that goes inside the questions that have plagued humanity since the dawn of the world. Hubbard explores these with a refreshing eye for detail and patiently allows the character to fulfill her destiny without rushing the story, nor dragging it out with unnecessary wording. Gorgeous settings immerse the reader in a three dimensional environment, populated by believable, well rounded characters that are filled with the emotion and passion that makes mythology so enticing. The indefinable quality within Hubbard's writing that gives it that extra special zing is simply the fluidity with which the characters interact and how easily the reader becomes a part of their world. Ariella's pursuit of knowledge captures the imagination on a basic human level and takes us on a riveting journey that remains in the heart and mind of the reader long after the book has been closed.

This is a wonderful book, don't miss it! The characters and the story have been shaped with just enough mystery in the clues to allow for a sequel! I hope for at least one more installment from Hubbard revolving around these characters.

Happy Reading!
- RJ ( )

A really compelling novel that manages to be eerie but not scary. I think it has definite Gothic overtones. Her take on vampirism has its own spin, particularly the notion that a vampire can not only sire a child but genetically pass on vampirism to his offspring. Hubbard's vampires are also quite able to eat a meal of mixed green salad with wild salmon and a glass of cabernet. In other words, her vampires are quite able to blend in with our society and exist without detection among us. The novel ends with the possibility of a sequel, though I almost hope she doesn't go that route. This is one of those novels that might be better left as a stand-alone. Well worth reading! ( )

Well let's start off with I thought it was a good book, but I think it definately should be in the YA section not in adults fiction.

The book started off interesting, and then got even better. Though its ending had alot to be desired. This author left the book hanging at the end, will there be additional books after this or is it a one time only type book? The way it ended left it way open for another one, though the paticular idea of the story ended...it left you wanting more. So now what?

If this author produces another title I would say it was a good book, if not then I do not like it nearly as much. ( )

This was a surprisingly decent vampire novel. I must admit that I went through a vampire stage when I was in high school and read every fiction novel out there about them. Since then, I haven't been too keen on vampires, other than Twilight by Meyer and Peeps by Westerfeld.

Hubbard has the action move slowly and calmly. I picture the author as someone who speaks deliberately and carefully. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's what I get from reading this author's first novel. Ariella is a 13 year old wise beyond her years. Her handsome father home schools her and she has received quite the classical education. But her young teenage mind knows that something isn't right. She has never met her mother. Her father is weird. She sunburns easily. The mirrors in their old Victorian house don't work. And her father researches blood in the basement of their house. So, she finds out that they are vampires. What I like about this novel is that this discovery is a slow one. And Ariella completes quite the research process to discover what is going on. She begins a quest to find her mother and there is even a few murders thrown in her to leave the reader guessing. All in all, it's a good book. I don't know if I'm wowed by it, but I can give this to Twilight readers and I think they will enjoy it. ( )