10
Apr252010
House of Night Week – BOOK REVIEW: Untamed by P. C. & Kristin Cast
by Carolyn • Posted in 3.5 Star Reviews, Atom, Book Reviews, Fantasy, House of Night Week, P. C. Cast, Young Adult
Title: Untamed (HoN #4)
Author: P. C. & Kristin Cast
Publisher: Atom
Publications Date: August 2009
Paperback: 411 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Rating: 7/10
Goodreads Summary:
Life sucks when your friends are pissed at you. Just ask Zoey Redbird; she’s become an expert on suckiness. In one week she has gone from having three boyfriends to having none, and from having a close group of friends who trusted and supported her, to being an outcast. Speaking of friends, the only two Zoey has left are undead and unMarked. And Neferet has declared war on humans, which Zoey knows in her heart is wrong. But will anyone listen to her? Zoey’s adventures at vampyre finishing school take a wild and dangerous turn as loyalties are tested, shocking true intentions come to light, and an ancient evil is awakened in PC and Kristin Cast’s spellbinding fourth House of Night novel.
Review:
Untamed follows on from where Chosen left off and Zoey is still trying to find a way to stop Neferet and her evil plans. In Untamed we are introduced to a new evil disguised as ravens and Zoey soon realises that there’s a bigger evil than Neferet she has to prevent from rising.
Zoey is burdened with many secrets, which she has to keep to herself, and because of this Zoey has lost her friends as they see her as a liar, when in reality she’s keeping secrets to keep them safe. The only one she can talk to is Aphrodite, who knows the secrets that haunt her and completely understands.
Over the last two books Aphrodite has grown on me. Her bitchiness is a breath of fresh air amongst all the loving that goes on between Zoey and her friends. But Aphrodite is also showing a more human, caring side to her nature and when called upon she is strong and completely focused. Of course, she’s still as catty as ever, but wonderfully so. She is slowly becoming my favourite character.
Zoey is realising that there is more to Aphrodite too and they are slowly becoming unlikely friends, to the astonishment of those around them. It takes Zoey’s friends a little longer to see Aphrodite as part of their inner circle, but once they realise that she’s there to help, they begin to treat her a little better – not that Aphrodite cares of course!
In Marked, the first book of the series, we saw Zoey’s disgust for Aphrodite regarding her actions with Erik in the hallway at House of Night, and because of it Zoey and her friends have continued to call Aphrodite names. However, Zoey has become boy-mad! At least Aphrodite was only interested in the one!
Zoey never seems happy with just one and always seems to want to complicate her life further by adding another. This time it’s Stark, a mysterious boy Zoey feels herself drawn to, who’s been transferred from another House of Night. So that makes three boys and one man, in what is only a few months! And she thought Aphrodite was the “ho”! 
When it comes to boys this is where my love for Zoey diminishes slightly. Four boys in a few months is a lot for any girl to handle, and falling in and out of love with all of them alternately and thinking of one boy after just kissing another, makes her seem shallow and, in my opinion, not very likeable. These are traits I don’t particularly want to see in my heroine. Putting her boy issues aside I like Zoey and think she’s a strong character, most of the time. Her actions speak volumes when she’s trying to save the lives of her friends and family and wants to do the right thing by Nyx, her Goddess.
Moving away from Zoey’s love life, there’s a lot of great story telling. Zoey finally reveals what has been going on with Neferet to her friends and they all band together to help Zoey and protect her, even Erik wants to help despite the pain he’s feeling due to her betrayal. Aphrodite is still having scary visions and the plot unfolds further with the introduction of Shekinah, the High Priestess of all vampyres, The Sons of Erebus, warriors with vast skills, and a terrifying new evil. We also see a lot more of Zoey’s Grandma and I really enjoy the inclusion of Cherokee myths and legends, but we are left worrying about her life due to terrible accident…
Verdict:
I am really enjoying this series. The prose flows easily and the world of House of Night is written very well to the point I could almost be there, but it’s the fast-paced plot which is really the core of the series and which makes me reach excitedly for the next book. As with all the books in the series so far, Untamed is a great read. It’s not as good as Chosen but it still kept my attention from beginning to end and I can’t wait to read Hunted! These books are seriously addictive!
Source: Thank you to Atom for sending me this book to review.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
You can find out more about the author here:
Here are my reviews to each book in the series:
1. Marked
2. Betrayed
3. Chosen
4. Untamed
5. Hunted
6. Tempted
7. Burned
10 Comments
Awesome review! You are making me really excited to read the newest book!
Reply
Oh Eric… I want to punch him =P
But Aphrodite is my fvorite character, too! ^-^ hehe Great Review!
Reply
Oh boy, your reviews of the books make me want to read them again before I go on to the book 7. They are really great reading.
And I completely agree on how Aphrodite seems to grow on you and I totally like her. How in the world did that happen?!
Reply
I love Aphrodite, shes so sassy and outspoken, im nearly finished with book 6 and i like how the story is going. Cant wait for 7.
Reply
great reviews of a great series, i love these books and have found them all very difficult to put down, can't wait for the next one.
Reply
This is where I am at in the series. I so need to pick up this book to read! Nice review.
Reply
Oh, could I give you some juicy details on what to expect, but I won't. Like you I love this series and have read them all and am waiting with bated breath for BURNED to be released tomorrow. Can't wait.
Reply
Elizabeth – Thanks! I'm glad you are getting excited about this series as it is really good
Ale – LOL! I can't help but like Aphrodite, she's such a great character
Ines – Yes, how did that happen? She's so bitchy, but it's actually what I like about her – her catty remarks are just so funny *dorkamese twins* LOL
Sparklybeary – I can't wait for Burned either.. getting quite excited!
Mel – Thanks! I'm glad you are enjoying them. I agree, they are difficult to put down, very addictive indeed!
Melissa – Yes, keep going!
Kathy – Hehe, I'm SO looking forward to Burned!
Reply
Great Review! I think the books got better as the series progressed (that is saying alot since I think they were great to begin with)!
Reply
I haven't read this one yet – this is where I'm up to.
Reply