Review: Evernight Series by Claudia Gray

Evernight
Evernight Series, Book 1
Author: Claudia Gray
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen

SUMMARY: Bianca has just left the small town where she's spent her whole life. She's a new student at Evernight Academy, a creepily Gothic boarding school where her classmates are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in. Then she meets Lucas, another loner, who seems fiercely determined not to be the "Evernight type." There's a connection between Bianca and Lucas that can't be denied. She would risk anything to be with him—but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart... and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed to be true.

I bought Evernight because I kept hearing about Claudia Gray and her awesome YA vampire series. I found the first one on sale and picked it up last month. I didn't read any reviews or spoilers of the book itself and I am SO glad I waited until I had read the book. The author completely surprised me. I seriously looked around the room and was like "Oh man, I cannot believe I DID NOT see that coming!". She does such a great job giving hints, building suspense,and telling the reader JUST enough, but not too much before all is revealed.

The characters in Evernight are complex. Even the characters that appear to be superficial have things that end up making their personalities deeper than the reader first thinks. I really enjoyed reading Evernight, and will be picking up the other books in the series. The plot has mystery, romance and suspense. The characters have to face issues such as peer pressure, honesty, loyalty, independence, and doing what is right even when it's almost impossible.

Mom's Notes: For me this was an interesting look at parenting because Bianca's parents have taken overprotection to a new level. There is no doubt of their love for her, but they haven't allowed her to grow and learn on her own. My boys are 15 and 16 and we deal with this on a daily basis as they want to do more and we want them to be safe. Evernight dealt with a lot of great issues for teens, and I was really happy with the way the author presented them.

Evernight Series:
1. Evernight (2008)
2. Stargazer (2008)
3. Hourglass (2010)
4. Afterlife (2011)

The anthology Immortal (2008) has the story "Free" which tells the history of Patrice Devereaux, Bianca's friend and roommate in Evernight.

You can find the author at her website and other social networks:
Claudia Gray's Website

Her LiveJournal

Twitter

Facebook

~Moonsanity