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28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Lukewarm Love Stories for Tween Paranormal Fans, June 1, 2009
Reprinted into three story volumes, L.J. Smith's Night World series is back for a new audience of paranormal fantasy fans. The first volume collects the stories Secret Vampire, Daughters of Darkness and Spellbinder.
[Secret Vampire] is the tale of Poppy, a teen faced with the sudden diagnoses of a terminal illness. With very little time left, her closest friend James reveals the secret of the Night World risking both their lives to possibly save hers. But will Poppy survive the turning and if she does will James be able to protect her from the Night World?
Call me a big sap but I liked the concept for this story. The idea of a terminally ill person offered the chance to die a painful human death or risk everything to become a vampire is a really fun dilemna. What kind of fell flat for me though was the lack of chemistry between James and Poppy. Their friendship and relationship wasn't very well fleshed out and I didn't find their mutual love for one another to be very believable. On the whole though the story would be perfect for a reader looking for a little soapy drama.
[Daughters of Darkness] centers around three sisters, Rowan, Kestrel and Jade, who are briefly mentioned in the previous story. Tired of the archaic ways of the lamia (vampires who are born not made) the trio escape from their Night World sanctuary to rural Oregon to stay with an outcast aunt. What they expect is for their brother to try and hunt them down. What they don't expect is that someone else might be trying to get rid of them... permanently. When a local human brother and sister's fate becomes intertwined with theirs it can only mean trouble.
A little overloaded with characters to keep track of this story was the slower of the three for me as a reader. The three sisters are definitely a bit strange, making their interactions with their human friends a bit weird but they are each likable in their own way. The mystery of who might being trying to get rid of them isn't completely obvious fortunately, which makes the story jump around from supsect to suspect. The romance angles are a little far-fetched but again, young fans will probably really enjoy that aspect.
[Spellbinder] focuses on a pair of cousins, Thea and Blaise, with a track record of getting booted from schools faster than one can bat an eyelash. Sent to spend the school year with their grandmother in Las Vegas the pair of young witches waste no time getting into new trouble. Both vying for the attentions of Eric, the two let their spell casting get out of hand and the results could endanger not just the local humans, but the secrets of the Night World.
Romantically the more believable story of the three I liked how this one ended a lot. The story had a very different feel from the two vampire tales and gives a glimpse into other parts of the Night World. The cousins are very different from one another and their relationship makes no sense at times but watching them use their different magics is very entertaining. Overall probably the more enjoyable tale of the three this one rounds the book out nicely.
As an adult reader I can't give Night World No. 1 more than an overall "It was okay" rating. Would another adult not like them at all? That I can't honestly say. I found them extremely formulaic and thus they just weren't that exciting or interesting. The romances were the lukewarm sort of stories that lack hero to heroine chemistry that adult romances thrive on. BUT I think this is a perfect book for the tween to teen set, this series is definitely written for kids. Parents looking for something without the coarse language and sensuality should be pleased to note the language here is clean and the most that happens in the stories are kisses. These are stories that work well for a young audience with their adventure, romance and continuity.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Compulsive Reader's Reviews, July 13, 2008
Welcome to the Night World, a treacherous and strict society of Earth's darker species--vampires, witches, shape shifters. There are two rules that must never be forgotten...human knowledge of the Night World is strictly forbidden, and a member of the Night World must never fall in love with a human. Both are punishable by death, and both are broken in L.J. Smith's riveting collection of novels.
When Poppy finds that she has pancreatic cancer, she is devastated that her life is coming to such an abrupt end. But then her best friend James reveals that he is a vampire, and he can offer her a chance to live...forever. But the risks are great. If the Night World were to find about her, it'd be certain death. Poppy must choose in Secret Vampire.
Daughters of Darkness takes us to a small village in Oregon, where human Mary-Lynette harbors suspicions about her elderly neighbor's three nieces. Then a string of brutal murders and baffling happenings occur, coinciding with the mysterious girls' appearance. Things only get more complicated when Mary-Lynette meets their brother, and finds out what they truly are.
In Spellbinder, witch cousins Thea and Blaise have one last chance to get their act together at their new school. Thea is determined not to get expelled this time due to Blaise's actions, but when Blaise begins playing with Thea's new crush, Thea can't help but get sucked it. Soon both girls are in over their heads.
These three novels by L.J. Smith that have been combined and put between one knock out of a new cover will captivate, amaze, and entertain. What you think would be cliché and overworked is unique, innovative, and enrapturing in Smith's voice. All three of the stories are cleverly connected, making them that more enjoyable. Smith's characters are wonderfully imagined and presented in such a fashion to make the readers fall for them and become enraptured in their struggles and triumphs. There's a new twist around every corner and surprising depth and compassion on every page. Though each story was originally published separately, they flow together fluidly to present an enticing, dangerous, and highly appealing look at the Night World.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still my number 1 choice, June 6, 2008
Fans have been waiting, and those unfamiliar should be curious to pick up this novel. HarperTeen has decided to republish L.J. Smith's infamous "Night World" series.
This volume contains the first three novels. At first glance they are stand-alone stories within the same society, but the further you get into it, the more you see familiar characters popping up. This is just the start of a brilliant, intricately woven series of the supernatural.
In Secret Vampire, Poppy learns she's dying of pancreatic cancer. Her best friend, James, figures the only way to help her is to turn her into a vampire. The problem is, the Night World forbids the telling of humans about their society... and especially forbids falling in love with them. The consequence is death. You think that would be bad enough, but interestingly, the conflict comes from Poppy's twin brother, Phillip, and James' reckless cousin. This is a fascinating peek into the series--and if you take note, you'll find at least four characters who will reappear in later novels.
Daughters of Darkness is the second tale. Three beautiful young girls have moved to the desolate town of Briar Creek, Oregon. When Mary-Lynnette discovers they buried something large and disturbingly body-like in the back yard of her next-door neighbor, she's determined to find out who and why. But it ends up dragging her and her younger brother, Mark, in over their heads... especially when the sisters' brother, Ash, shows up and turns Mary-Lynnette's world upside down. The mystery is a little rushed in this one, with not too much suspense, but the ending should surprise you at least a little bit.
Spellbinder is about two witch sisters who have been ordered to live with their grandmother, a high-ranking magic-practitioner in the Night World. Blaise likes to toy with the hearts of human boys, and Thea can't help but try to protect her when she gets in trouble. Things start to get interesting when Thea finds herself involved with a human boy named Eric, and Blaise seems determined to make him her next plaything. But when Thea takes measures to protect Eric, a spell goes wrong and a spirit begins to brutally murder people at the high school.
L.J. Smith introduces readers to not just a new type of vampire, but (especially when it was first published over a decade ago) new kinds of witches, werewolves, and shapeshifters. And love has a whole new meaning in these novels--the concept of soulmates is introduced late in the first book, but carries a strong presence from thereon out.
The stories are short, but the images are vivid, the characters are strong and likeable, and you just can't help falling in love with this mysterious "world within a world." Highly recommended, even after all this time. And old fans should take heart--the final installment has finally, OFFICIALLY from L.J. Smith herself, been promised sometime in 2009.
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