Series Review: The Morganville Vampires

NO SPOILERS

The Morganville Vampires (1-11)

by Rachel Caine

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Purchase: Amazon | BookDepository
Release Date: 2006-2011
Publisher: NAL/Penguin
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Source: Library/Ebooks
Rating: Special Shelf

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About the Book:

Summary from Glass House, book one:

From the author of the popular Weather Warden series comes the debut of an exciting new series set in Morganville, Texas, where you would be well advised to avoid being out after dark.

College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation. When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life, but they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood.

First of all, I'd like to hand out a HUGE thank you to Jen from Makeshift Bookmark for convincing me with her persuasive tweets and her ABCs to read this series. Shame on me for being irrationally resistant for so long.

I read all 11 books within a matter of 5 DAYS because I was hopelessly, terminally addicted.

And here are 7 reasons why:

1. The Characters

The Geek, The Rebel, The Protector, The Goth, The Queen Bitch, The CrazyManWiththePants, etc... We've all seen these cookiecutter, flat as paper characters and we've seen the twists and variations throughout YA, but all versions you've come across pale in comparison to CLAIRE, SHANE, Michael, Eve, Monica, MYRNIN... I'm an inborn character girl and every single character I came across grew on me; there's a fascinating unpredictability shadowing all of them. A death plagued me long after I finished an installment, a new addition left me yearning to know more, and I couldn't help but miss everybody to the point of madness once I finished the whole thing.

Claire, Shane, Michael, and Eve are the awesomesauce group of four that swallow most of the pages and they will tangle your emotions; you will cry, laugh, scream, smile beatifically because of them. Sometimes they make stupid decisions, sometimes they are weak, sometimes they get you all warm and fuzzy inside, but NO. MATTER. WHAT. you will love them deeply. There's this irresistible chemistry between them, a connection that was forged long before Claire's arrival and one that has grown so much stronger every day after. The 'click' is almost audible the second Claire sets her feet over the threshold. And just like Claire, there is no going back for you once you're exposed to the dynamic, the love, between these four.

2. The Romance

The romance flourishes beautifully, sensuously slow. There's tension build-up, a slow heat that tingles over the skin and ignites in the heart, exploding in wonderful, melting flashes at the best moments.

• The Sexy Times
*sigh* WOW. I had trouble reading through the steam. I'm sure a special pair of glasses were invented somewhere for just this reason.

3. The Vampires

Need I remind you that this blog is called Paranormal Indulgence?

I heart vampires something fierce. And when they're cold, ruthless, people-eaters with no remorse...well, they're my favorite kind for a reason. Caine is the undisputed Vampire Maker Mastah. It's like she took my image of vampires - atrociously sophisticated killers - and morphed it into something ten times more glorious. The vampires in Morganville are what vampires everywhere should really be like.

4. The Drama

The action is heady and perfect. There's always a mystery, always someone or something to arouse suspicion. People in this town are never what you think. There are rules, rules, rules, which always get broken somehow, crazy dilemmas like stalker vampires, serial killers, technology with mental issues, and Caine knows how to make you twist and squirm in your seat, bracing for the next delightfully horrible surprise.

5. The Humor

To borrow from Jen's ABCs,

Rachel Caine is awesome and hilarious. She writes things that spawn chuckles. And I'm not talking pity laughter, either. I'm talking "holy crap, I would be the coolest person in the universe and possibly President if I were that clever."

There were pages and pages laced with laughter-inducing thoughts and scenes. There were points where I'd just sit there shaking my head fondly, wiping away tears because I laughed so much and oh, did I mention I love these frigging characters?!

6. Quick but Lasting

An 11 book series can be a little bit... daunting. You'd think that reading all of it would take forever. But you couldn't be more wrong. Each one is under 300 pages and slightly over 250 pages. So you gotta RESPECT short books that are so powerful that the intensity, the plot stays with you long after you've finished.

7. They Get Better and Better

Caine's earlier books in the series aren't bad. In fact, they're fabulous. But if you take that initial fabulousness and multiply that by... oh, say, thousands of thousands, the outcome would be the more recent books.


After reading Last Breath, which effed my mind and blew it up into teeny tiny infinitesimal pieces, there's this gnawing yearning inside for Black Dawn. And now I'm DREADING the looming conclusion. With Caine's track record in mind, there's A WHOLE BUNCH OF INSANITY that can take place between now, book 12, to book 15. I'm waiting, waiting, waiting.

Eve was back with her own tray... "Not bad," she finally said. "At least you left out the oh-my-God sauce this time."
"Made myself a batch with it," Shane said. "It's got the biohazard sticker on it in the fridge, so don't bitch if you get flamed. Where'd you pick up the stray?"
"Outside. She came to see the room."
"You beat her up first, just to make sure she's tough enough?"
"Bite me, chili boy."

"Crosses? [Do they work?]"
"Definitely."
"Why?"
"Because they're evil, soulless, bloodsucking fiends?"
"So was my sixth-grade gym teacher, but he wasn't afraid of a cross."

Michael's bedroom door opened, and standing there, smiling, was Monica Morrell. Gina and Jennifer were behind her.
They were all holding knives. Eve got in between Claire and Monica and began backing her away, down the hallway. "Get in your room," Eve said. "Lock the door."
"Won't do you any good," Monica said, leaning around Eve. "Ask me why. Go on, ask me."