Evernight - by Claudia Gray

Despite being a little tired of the recent vampire craze started by the over-popular Twilight series, I do still enjoy a good vampire tale. Evernight fit the bill for that periodic craving.

For the most part, Evernight is still your typical sort of vampire novel: moody setting, angsty teen characters, and an intense, forbidden love between vampire and human.

Bianca's teacher parents have moved the family to Evernight, a boarding school where her parents will teach and Bianca will attend. The place is old, fancy and dark, with rich, snobby teens and a deep sense of evil and foreboding lurking in the background. Bianca is mad at her parents for uprooting her from her home and friends, and feels as though she'll never fit in. Until she meets Lucas, a dark and mysterious guy, with whom she feels an instant connection. He warns her about the school and the people there, and, despite a rocky first date, begin falling in love...

But about a third of the way through, while at the Autumn Ball, a kiss and a bite change everything and turn the story on it's head with a twist that I just wasn't expecting. And then, two thirds of the way through, there's another secret revealed that changes everything again, and starts a chain of events leading quickly to the end.

Evernight had a fair amount of your typical teen angst, with lots of "we're destined to be together" and "you lied to me but I still love you" emotions, but the plot twists and writing style pull you along and make this a fun page-turner. I look forward to reading the sequel, Stargazer.