Chosen

Chosen deepens the supernatural stakes at the Tulsa House of Night. Zoey Redbird grapples with loyalty and love—juggling three crushes—while her best friend Stevie Rae begins a terrifying transformation into something no one recognizes. When “dead” fledglings reappear under Neferet’s unnatural influence, Zoey must decide how far she’ll go to save those she cares about. The authors blend teen realism—jealousy, friendship issues, identity—with the more extreme paranormal threats. The ~760L Lexile and fast-paced, multi-POV chapters make this a solid blend of high-stakes action and emotional complexity.

Here’s how the book got written

PC CAST: Hmmm.. daughter, we need a hero for the book. Main love interest and all, you know. Whom should we choose?

KRISTIN: I know!!! I know!! Let’s choose Heath!

PC CAST: No, he seems kinda.. immature… What about Loren? All that delicious manliness. *drooling*

KRISTIN: No, he seems too mysterious… what about creating a character Eric? Combining the vampire and the manliness?

PC CAST: But we shouldn’t have two main love interests. All the other YA novels are doing that. Disgustingly predictable.

KRISTIN: I know!! I know!! Let’s have all of them!! Yayy!!

(So mother and daughter write the book, first writing all the make out sessions individually, and then realize that they have to have some random show more scenes in between to ‘add to the thrill’ )

PC CAST: Hmmm.. well, we can always come up with a lame ass story. After all, the covers are hot!

(Here’s the story from the protagonist’s point of view)

Z: (Yeah, you got that right.. isn’t ‘Zoey’ such a tongue twister? Why do people keep such names when they know that we have to shorten it for ‘em? )

Z: Ooohhh. I need somebody to kiss! I know! Let’s hit on my third grade boyfriend!! Who cares that he might have a life separate from mine!
*Smooches Heath, grinds on him, plenty of groping and panting*
(AFTERWARDS: Oh no, I was supposed to break up with him!! )

Z: Ooohhh. I need somebody to kiss on campus!! *looks around* Well, the hottest guy on the campus is the only option. After all, Z is the most gifted vampire fledgling ever. No second tier guys for ME!
*Smooches Eric, some heavy petting*
(AFTERWARDS: Oh no, will he put up with knowing that I have Heath as well? Oh, of course he will- I’m constantly kissing him everytime he tries to talk to me about it! )

Z: Ooohhh.. Heath and Eric are cool, but I need a real man! Someone who doesn’t take it slow with me! I know! Let’s hit on Loren! And wait- he’s given me diamond earrings- but me being Z, that’s perfectly acceptable, right? Thank you, Loren!
*Kisses, plenty of tongue, feeling up*
(AFTERWARDS: Oh, that felt GOOD!! Of course, I’m not a ho. I just like variety. )

Z: *thinkin* I really should make up my mind soon. After all, how long can I just keep kissing them?

(Comes up with a plan)

Z: ROUND ONE: Kisses Heath. Check.
Kisses Eric. Check
Kisses Loren. Check
ROUND TWO: Kisses Heath. Feeling up. Check.
Kisses Eric. Feeling up. Check.
Kisses Loren. Feeling up.Check.
ROUND THREE: Kisses Heath. Heavy petting. Check
Kisses Eric. Heavy petting. Check
Kisses Loren. Heavy petting. And oh yeah, am alone with him in my room. Might as well do it. Check
(AFTERWARDS: Oh no, I lost my virginity! )

MY REACTION: Bi*ch please. What did you think was gonna happen? A handshake at the end?

Z: I AM NOT A HO!!!! ( Yeah sure you're not. We all have three boyfriends, unable to make up our minds. *Sad face* )

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is how the story got written. True Story.

THE END

PS: I’m going to be nice and say mum and daughter were drunk out of their minds when they wrote this, and copy-pasted three scenes a hundred times to create the book. show less

Assolutamente entusiasta. Molto probabilmente il mio entusiasmo deriva dal fatto che trovo questa serie molto giovanile, spigliata ed originale.

Tra tante storie di vampiri che ci ripropongono più o meno la stessa solfa imbellettata, le scrittrici ci propongono una nuova 'visione' dell'insieme. Creano un nuovo 'ambiente' nel quale far interagire i loro personaggi.

Il vampirismo è riconosciuto, i vampiri adulti sono affascinanti ma mai banali ne tantomeno addomesticati, e noi, leggendo, riusciamo a percepire lo smarrimento dei nuovi adepti che si trovano a dover affrontare una trasformazione. La 'figosità' della situazione è stata smorzata: potrebbero morire tutti, nessuno sa chi arriverà in fondo al processo.

Un saga giovanile, ma show more mai scontata, dove il bene ed il male non sempre coincidono e dove, gli elementi piccanti non mancano mai!

PEr ora è proprio questo terzo volume il più piccante. Zy è oberata di problemi e, nonostante sia stata baciata dalla Dea, commette degli errori. Più o meno reparabili lo scopriremo nel prossimo libro, spero.

L'eroina è... umana, con tutta la sua assoluta atraordinarietà. E' farcità di numerosi poteri, senza dubbio, ma le concrete difficoltà della sua situazione non vengono risolte con uno schiocco di dita. Sbaglia, cade e si rialza.
Mi piace questo particolare, è sì dotata di grandi poteri, ma come questo libro mette ben in chiaro più volte, deve a sua volta farsi carico di responsabilità. Il potere non è tutto e, spesso, non è sufficiente per risolvere tutte le situazioni.

Mi piace, mi piace la concretezza con la quale queste scrittrici hanno elevato questo mondo fantastico.
Ovviamente non vedo l'ora di leggere il 4° volume... Voglio proprio vedere come continuerà la situazione. Soprattutto ora che i ruoli di ciascun personaggio è più confuso che mai! show less

I first read the back of this book while standing in line at a drug store checkout, and had rolled my eyes at the mention of Zoey's "three boyfriends." A powerful vampire who's all that and has guys fawning over her and it's oh so hard to choose between then... Blech. Pass!

Then I read the first book. And the second. And now, as I end the third novel of the House of Night series, I am amused at how much my initial reaction echoes the major theme of this book: things are not always as they seem.

The plot gets deeper, darker, and much more interesting. The first half was a little slow to get going, and the by the middle of the book everything exploded into a torrent of suspense and action and intruige. Some things I had suspected in show more advance. Others hit my like a ton of bricks.

And as always, I was impressed by just how adult a YA novel can be, and as tired as I am of some of the attitudes portrayed, I do have to give the authors credit for treating their readers like mature intelligent people and not trying to hide the gritty facts of life or sanitize anything. The world is messy and painful and full of swearing and sex and betrayal. Once more, this series proves that it's capable of being real without wallowing in darkness like it's going out of style.

I'm definitely looking forward to reading book 4! show less

This third installment of the House of Night series starts to feel a little preachy in its declaration of the heroine's personal values and opinions: I have, after all, listened to the exact same sentiments for three freaking books now. For much the same reason---that is, my experience of the previous two books---my tolerance for the heroine's idiotic decisions and lovelorn melodrama began to wear thin.

Yes, I know you're a teenager, Zoey, and yes, I know the plot requires some stupidity on your part to move forward, but really? Do I have to keep reading as you willfully indulge in all manner of selfish vanity and lust? Have you no self control? Maybe not. And maybe that's okay, but it definitely doesn't make me care what happens to show more you.

And yet somehow by the end of the book, once Zoey Got Hers, I found myself still caring enough about the other characters to want to read the next book. I'm just hoping that next book brings something a little new to the table. show less

Chosen

There's something about 'House of Night' that's so strangely addictive and while it would appear by my reviews so far that I'm not overly fond of the writing style and many of the characters, I can't seem to put these books down. 'Chosen', the third book in the series, is no exception and it, quite frankly, is the best so far.

We kick off 'Chosen' with Zoey lamenting her Christmas Eve Birthday. Sucks to be Zoey Redbird marked with the affinity for ALL THE ELEMENTS. Zoey is reminded of how well her friends don't know her and everyone is feeling pretty low about themselves. She meets with her Grandma and we get the customary three pages of Step Loser cramming his beliefs into Zoey's ears. It's the usual Harry Potteresque beginning, show more hanging out with the verbally abusive parents that I've become used to over the three books. She accepts her Grandma's presents heartfully, because Grandma knows best, but shuns her mother’s gift of the Faiths Bible complete with the family tree. Honestly, despite the whole religious undertone, I found the whole 'You're still part of the family' thing touching, right up until Zoey storms out of the coffee shop to confront her 'Step Loser' and throws the gift in his face.

She makes amends with her friends, on her Grandma's advice, all of who she kind of offended at the start of the book and Zoey and Erik share a private moment where they make out and he feels her breast. I find it interesting she'll only use her 'big girl words' when she's sexually liberating herself. Like when she's with Loren she's feeling turned on or attracted to him, she'll admit to feeling womanly, grown up and sure of herself, able to flirt with the best of them until he walks away and she's back to saying 'Boobie' and 'Poopie'.

Speaking of Loren We get to meet up with our poet again, who flirts shamelessly with Zoey, admits he 'came home for her birthday' and the two have a make out session and thus officially begins the start of boyfriend number 3.

We're treated to more banter between the group of friends and you can feel the growing rift between them, Zoey just feels so empty when conversing with them. This seems to drives herself closer to Aphrodite who she fully confides in about the whole Stevie Rae thing. Aphrodite really grows on me in this novel, becoming the ONLY person willing to stand as a decent foil to Zoey, actually seeming to ground that large ego Zoey has. even if it's jealousy, she's quick to point out that Zoey still has A LOT to learn and it's evident in all the relationships Zoey has with friends, teachers and everyone she plays off of.

I'll bring this up now. It's said that Neferet can read minds, much like every other full-fledged Vampyre. If not read minds, then have a very strong intuition when it comes to their students, I've read it hinting at both. The only two people Neferet can't read are Zoey and Aphrodite so it sort of sticks them on the same sinking ship. If Zoey or Aphrodite relate what’s going on to anyone, the gig is up as Neferet can just read the minds of their friends. In short, we're supposed to believe that Zoey was doing the right thing by keeping them ignorant to what was going on and in truth, Zoey did make a wise choice, but if I were in any of her friends shoes I'd be pretty pissed too. Forgiveness wouldn't be far out of reach, really, with some explaining, but I wouldn't be completely understanding when finally being told what was happening.

The rest of the story seals Neferet as the greater evil here. A teacher is killed. Neferet reveals her evil intentions and tries to start a war between humans and vampyres while copping an attitude similar to the teens. Erik changes to full on vampyre. Its revealed Neferet is working with Loren and the two form a plan to isolate Zoey by, get this, making Zoey fall madly in love with Loren who will then ditch her, SCANDEL. Zoey has been debating the whole boyfriend thing for the last three books and keeps telling herself that 'Loren is too old; Heath is too human, Erik is the right choice.' But we're focusing on Loren here, so her and Loren wind up in bed together and Zoey decides 'this must be love!' There’s a messy bit involving her friends, Neferet being more evil and Zoey being 'FOREVER ALONE'. The book ends with Zoey counting her loses: her friends, her boyfriends, her mentor. Over all, the feel is rather grim as we've just spent three books with a steady incline with Zoey in the hot seat.


Character Round Up

Something I'd like to bring up, finally, after reading three full books from this series.

As I’ve said in my 'Marked' Review, I didn't feel as if I could genuinely make an opinion of a character on my own. I had to think of Aphrodite as a slut because the characters kept jamming the word down my throat. When it comes to Damien, it feels like 'Stereotypically Gay' is all there is to his character.

When I think of Stevie Rae, I think of her love of all things country and her momma bearness. When I think of Aphrodite, I think of a girl who's comfortable with her sexuality and a little misunderstood, despite what the other characters have told me. Zoey Redbird is just coming into her powers of sorts and is very confused of almost everything but loves her grandma. Even though I've said that I feel like I'm not allowed to form an opinion on the cast, I clearly just did. However, as Most of the characters do follow a set cut-out, all I feel or think about Damien is that he's nothing more than the resident homosexual. It's a 'Show Not Tell' thing when you boil it down. Very rarely do you see him reacting like a 'boyfriend' to his boyfriend, who's only purpose seems to be verbally reminding people that 'Yeah, we're gay' and to provide the group with tech support for ceremonies. All I'm getting is this mindless banter between the twins and Damien. I get it; the boy is gay, move along. Also a nit pick in the Damien department, I fail to see his vocabulary as anything special. The words he chooses don't seem poetic or out of range for a 17 year old, like saying 'Flatulent' instead of 'Gas', just seems like the boy got hold of a thesaurus because other than a word that seems 'out there' his sentences are rather basic and common for a teenager.

Touching base on the 'Twins' matter, their constant banter is starting to grate on my nerves and other than that, they still seem too in the background for me to care about them otherwise. Whenever a 'fiiiiine' boy walks in, there’s a lot of suggestive grinding and eyebrow wagging. The only other point they serve is to point out the obvious.

Erik. Thank god for an actual decent guy in YA fiction. He could have easily been written off as 'the most understanding guy in the world' when he found out what happened between Loren and Zoey, going back to her after shit hit the fan. Instead, he calls her out on her shit, 'You make Aphrodite look like an angel!'. Slut shaming is bad folks, no matter how you slice it, but Erik had it right when he called Zoey a hypocrite. Even if they get back together in future books, this just proves that he's not willing to stick around with Zoey if she's not ready to commit to him. He points out, right to her face, that Loren was using her and to not come crawling to him when it falls apart. Even when he found out that there was more to the problem then originally stated, he still flat out said 'This changes nothing.'

Conclusion:

You know, I have reason to like this book the best out of the first three. It shows real consequences to common teenager problems. If you constantly shaft your friends, even the ones that stroke your ego ALL the time, they're bound to show some animosity towards you even if your intentions are pure. Your completely understanding boyfriend isn't always going to be around forever when you cheat him for a second or third time. Sometimes the truest and most valuable friends and help come from the most unsuspecting places. Sometimes the wisest people dress in the trashiest clothing. I actually LIKE how Zoey made attempts at standing up for Aphrodite. One could say that it was all forced, but come on, BOTH girls met each other with the same attitudes. I liked how Stevie Rae progressed in her fledgling tattoos, showing that Zoey isn't the only one who deserves congratulatory pats on the ass for being so unique.


Boyfriend Count: 0
Heath: Imprint broken when Zoey made 'love' to Loren.
Erik: Ends things when Zoey made 'love' to Loren.
Loren: 'Love' was all a ploy, died at books resolution.

Tattoo Count: 5 New: Waist
Crescent outline: Appears at school.
Filled in Crescent: Receives later that day at Grandmas
Facial: Appears during Halloween ritual.
Shoulders: Appears during Halloween ritual.
Back: After saving Heath from the underground.
Waist: Acquires after saving Stevie Rae. show less

Zoey's got a whole load of issues to deal with. Not only is she a fledgling vampyre but she also has an undead best friend, two boyfriends, a massive crush on a full adult vampyre and knowledge about what the High Priestess is really up to. To top it all, she can't share most of this with her friends and the only person she can talk to is her sworn enemy.

I really like the plot of the House of Night series and the further into I read the more I want to find out what happens.They're fun and easy to read and have a certain unputdownableness about them. I'm not so keen on the style of writing though. A little bit too much like a thirteen-tear-old's blog for my liking - which is fine on a thirteen-year-olds blog but, in my opinion, not so show more great in books. Still, it's YA/teen fiction and written in the first-person so I can tolerate it.

Some of the things that bugged me in the first few books weren't so bad in this one - namely the overly descriptive details of clothes etc. This was massively toned down which I was pleased about. There were still a few things that annoyed me though. In parts there seemed to be too much repetition, recapping what was in the previous books and on a few occasions what had happened a few pages ago.

The characters are developing well throughtout the series. In parts of this book I did feel like shaking Zoey and telling her to stop being pathetic but I think that was maybe the point. She was dealing with some confusing issues and making the wrong decisions but knowing what the right choice is and picking it are completely different things. We start to see a different side of Aphrodite in this world as well adding another dimension to her character, which is great.

Overall I did really enjoy this book and can't wait to get stuck into the next in the series. show less