Uninvited (Paperback)

by Amanda Marrone (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Marrone’s character-driven novel uses the vampire curse as a metaphor for the difficult issues teens grapple with in high school—drug addiction, bulimia, alcoholism—all of which figure prominently in this story. Jordain, a smart, talented girl cursed with low self-esteem and absentee parents, turns toward alcohol and sexual flings to cope—until her behavior and her ex-boyfriend (a vampire) come back to haunt her. Fear of her undead ex curtails after-school or after-hours shenanigans, forcing her to reflect on the poor choices she has been making. In expected fashion, Jordain’s inner turmoil and conflicts with her parents and friends are resolved, but the book will still pull a chunk of  readers whose tastes run to stereotypical high-school dramas and vampire-boyfriend stories. For a slightly different take on vampires, send readers to Stephenie Meyer’s vampire-romance novels. Grades 7-10. --Rebecca Jensen

Product Description
When rejection comes back to bite you...

Jordan's life sucks. Her boyfriend, Michael, dumped her, slept his way through half the student body, and then killed himself. But now, somehow, he appears at her window every night, begging her to let him in.

Jordan can't understand why he wants her, but she feels her resistance wearing down. After all, her life -- once a broken record of boring parties, meaningless hookups, and friends she couldn't relate to -- now consists of her drinking alone in her room as she waits for the sun to go down.

Michael needs to be invited in before he can enter. All Jordan has to do is say the words....

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse (October 23, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416939784
• ISBN-13: 978-1416939788
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #59,984 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, October 10, 2007

By	TeensReadToo.com "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

These days, Jordan's got a lot on her mind. Her social phobias are getting the better of her, she thinks she messed things up with a guy she really connected with... and her ex-boyfriend, popular jock Michael, has been appearing at her bedroom window since the night after his funeral. It seems the rumors that Michael killed himself aren't true -- he was attacked by a vampire, and became one himself. Now he wants Jordan to join him. Every night, he pleads and cajoles and turns on his charm, trying to get her to invite him in, and Jordan's arguments are starting to crumble.

UNINVITED is a tense, scary book that manages to throw in a little humor on the side. Marrone does a superb job of building the suspense about Michael's true intentions and how Jordan will deal with them. Nothing works out quite the way the reader will expect, and Jordan's struggles will have them on the edge of their seats, unable to put the book down. The climax is thrilling and dark, and the ending is hopeful without leaving its heroine unscarred.

It may take readers a little while to warm up to Jordan, whose binge-drinking and pessimistic ways may seem too depressing. But it quickly becomes clear that she has every reason to want to drown out the rest of the world. Her growth as she fights her fears and destructive tendencies is both believable and inspiring. The supporting characters are well-developed as well, from Michael's twisted personality to Jordan's quirky friend, Rachael.

Readers who enjoy books a little out of the ordinary, especially the dark and suspenseful, should run out and grab this one as soon as possible. It takes one of the most familiar creatures of the supernatural genre and manages to tell a story unlike any you've read before.

Reviewed by: Lynn Crow

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Antidote to the Overcrowded Paranormal Scene, December 3, 2007

By	Diana Peterfreund (Washington, D.C.) - See all my reviews

If you like vampire novels, read Uninvited. If you are tired of vampire novels, read Uninvited. If you never thought you'd like a vampire novel, read Uninvited.

This book tears into the common cliches of the other vampire books on the shelves these days. It's realistic, gritty, heart-wrenching, and very exciting. I couldn't put it down!

Jordan, the heroine, is in a state of deep depression after the death of her ex-boyfriend, Michael. Of course, it doesn't help that Michael visits her windowsill every night, moaning about how much they loved one another and begging her to let him in.

This is not a book about vampires, but rather, a book with vampires in it. It has more in common with a book like SPEAK, by Laurie Halse Anderson, in that it focuses intently on the inner life of a troubled adolescent. Highly recommended!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A different take on the y/a vampire book, March 31, 2008

By	MonsterLibrarian.com - See all my reviews

Uninvited is a much darker story than the typical YA vampire fare. Jordan, a troubled teen, is being visited by her ex-boyfriend Michael, now a vampire, who waits outside her window every night begging her to invite him in. This isn't a love story, though. Michael plays the role of a deadly stalker, not a romantic interest. It's pretty clear that even before Michael's undead appearance, Jordan's life was in disarray, and her friends don't seem to be much more stable. Marrone paints a compelling picture of Jordan's further spiral into darkness and depression. As dark as it is, Uninvited has a surprising ending. Recommended for those looking for a slightly different take on the young adult vampire book.