House Of Night: Untamed

Untamed:

A House of Night Novel

It's barely been three days since the brutal massacre on campus of the drama teacher, Professor Nolan, and Vampyre Poet Laureate, Loren Blake (who turned out to be a total user jerk!). Headmistress Nepheret cancelled winter break and the students are called back to campus. Loren is dead, Erik Night hates Zoey and the imprint bond Zoey had with Heath was broken during her impromptu fling with Loren Blake. After all the secrets she's been keeping, Damien, Jack and the Twins are still not speaking to Zoey, and her once enemy, Aphrodite, is now her only friend and ally.

That would be okay if a strange, ghoulish creature hadn't just attacked her in the courtyard on her way to the dining hall. No one really seems to care much until she turns to Aphrodite, who shares a vision with Zoey that requires everyone to either pull together and make nice again, or scatter like marbles. When the threat of doom takes the form of a dark angel with a host of demon ravens paving the way, Zoey will not only need to be able to rely on the closeness of her friends, but she'll have to call on her Cherokee heritage to make things right.

The fourth installment in the House of Night Series weaves nicely into this mother/daughter tapestry of teen triumph, adversity and angst. Amidst a world turned asunder, they manage to incorporate realistic human behaviors powerful enough to make the reader laugh and cry alongside the characters. The language is natural and the characters incredibly real. My only complaint is that we now have to wait until March 2009 for Book 5!

Review by Llewellyn McEllis