Uninvited

November 1, 2007
Gr 9 Up-Jordan is a wreck. Toying with the need for rehab, she is coming to terms with the fact that she is becoming known as the school slut when under the influence. To make matters worse, she spends her nights awake in her bedroom, terrified because her dead ex-boyfriendnow a vampireis outside begging to be invited in. Her self-esteem drops low enough that she actually weighs the merits of joining the ranks of the undead. Vampire novels have timeless appeal for teens, and, without being heavy-handed or didactic, Marrone raises the bar by creating a protagonist who has an effective self-realization of moral issues. "Uninvited" is a fast-paced vampire novel with soul."Leah Krippner, Harlem High School, Machesney Park, IL"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2008
Marrones character-driven novel uses the vampire curse as a metaphor for the difficult issues teens grapple with in high schooldrug addiction, bulimia, alcoholismall 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 copeuntil her behavior and her ex-boyfriend (a vampire) come back to haunt her. Fear of her undead ex curtailsafter-school or after-hours shenanigans, forcing her to reflect on the poor choices she has been making.Inexpected fashion, Jordainsinner turmoil and conflictswith her parents and friendsare resolved, butthe bookwill still pull a chunk of readers whose tastes run tostereotypical high-school dramas and vampire-boyfriend stories. For a slightly different take on vampires, send readersto Stephenie Meyers vampire-romancenovels.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)