Glass Houses by Rachel Caine

Series: The Morganville Vampires

Author: Rachel Caine

Page Count: 239
Published: October 3rd, 2006

 Publisher: NAL

5 Stars ★★★★★

Claire is sixteen years old, and starting her first year of post-secondary education in Morganville. After angering Monica, one of the popular girls in her college dorm, she finds herself battered, bruised, and desperate. 

While going through advertisements for off-campus housing, she stumbles across the Glass House. Shane, Michael, and Eve are looking for a fourth roommate. They reluctantly allow her to stay, but only temporarily...at least, that was their plan.

Monica is out for revenge, and not only does she have her group of human admirers to assist her, but as Claire soon learns, she has connections with vampires as well. But the worst of it is yet to come; Claire will face shocking revelations, brutal attacks, and life-threatening betrayals.

I was pleasantly surprised by the first installment in The Morganville Vampires series, Glass Houses. The synopsis had me prepared for a stereotypical, potentially cliché YA novel, with brooding vampires and spontaneous love affairs. 

While some of the vampires could be described as brooding, it wasn't a common trait amongst every single one of them. I appreciated that Rachel Caine gave each of the vampires their own unique personalities as opposed to the popular "I'm a self-loathing vampire" trope...it made them seem all the more believable. 

As for the non-vampire characters in this book, I really grew to care about some and loathe others. They were realistic; they had their own strengths and beauty, yet they also had their flaws. The characters were diverse and I felt like they complimented each other well and really added to the story.

The plot and pacing were so incredibly refreshing, especially for a YA novel! Chapters didn't drag on and on, yet they didn't fly by either. I was hooked to the story, and to the mystery and danger Claire had to face throughout the book. As for the romantic aspect, I was greatly impressed. There was no "insta-love", and when characters did become interested in each other it was obvious why (and it wasn't just because of looks, money, or paranormal status). In other words, the romance was meaningful.

I recommend this to fans of vampire fiction and YA fiction,  especially fans of Claudia Gray and Melissa de la Cruz. 

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