Review: Burned (House of Night #7) By P.C. Cast

Title: Burned
Series: The House of Night

Book #: 100... Fine, 7.
Author: P. C. Cast
Pages: 384
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Reading Level: Young Adult

Rating:

When friends stop trusting each other, Darkness is there to fan the flames... 

Things have turned black at the House of Night. Zoey Redbird’s soul has shattered. With everything she’s ever stood for falling apart, and a broken heart making her want to stay in the Otherworld forever, Zoey’s fading fast. It’s seeming more and more doubtful that she will be able pull herself back together in time to rejoin her friends and set the world to rights. As the only living person who can reach her, Stark must find a way to get to her. But how? He will have to die to do so, the Vampyre High Council stipulates. And then Zoey will give up for sure. There are only 7 days left… 

Enter BFF Stevie Rae. She wants to help Z but she has massive problems of her own. The rogue Red Fledglings are acting up, and this time not even Stevie Rae can protect them from the consequences. Her kinda boyfriend, Dallas, is sweet but too nosy for his own good. The truth is, Stevie Rae’s hiding a secret that might be the key to getting Zoey home but also threatens to explode her whole world.

In the middle of the whole mess is Aphrodite: ex-Fledgling, trust-fund baby, total hag from Hell (and proud of it). She’s always been blessed (if you could call it that) with visions that can reveal the future, but now it seems Nyx has decided to speak through her with the goddess’s own voice, whether she wants it or not. Aphrodite’s loyalty can swing a lot of different ways, but right now Zoey’s fate hangs in the balance. 

Three girls… playing with fire… if they don’t watch out, everyone will get Burned.

Taschima's POV:

Is the House of Night making a comeback?

As you might know, Zoey's soul has shattered. Well, who's soul wouldn't after bearing witness to Kalona kill their love? As Zoey parts to the Otherworld things go into a kind of stalemate on the Earth. No major battles are fought, but smaller and significant battles are on the horizon. Stark, Zoey's warrior, is on the quest to fight to get Zoey's soul together and thus bring her back to earth, but how? Every single warrior that has tried has failed, and every single priestess has died. Things may seem impossible, but apparently nothing can stop the sons and daughters of the night.

And if we get off the Zoey drama, to your left is Stevie Rae. Being the first Red Vampire with an affinity to earth she has become the High Priestess of her people, but how could she handle such responsibility? And how can she be the ruler of her people, when she herself is in such inner turmoil? Not only that, but half her people has chosen Darkness over Light, can she handle it? And what is she going to do about her Raven Mocker?

Aphrodite, though highly amusing, doesn't have much pages on this book, but her role is a mayor one. She is the girl with the visions, and in this book she is MUCH needed. I highly enjoyed her parts, small as they were.

The book seems to concentrate on Stevie Rae more than any other girl. I am starting to believe that that is the reason I liked the book. Reading the book through Stevie Ray's point of view brought back a little of what House of Night was, a tale of choices splashed by darkness with a little romance to the side. Stevie Rae is bringing the House of Night back to life.

If you haven't noticed my opinion of this series has elevated. Last book it took the ending for me to be asking if The House of Night was making a comeback, and this book for me delivered. Not only Stevie Rae's part on the book makes it worth it, but even Zoey's part in the Otherworld. Only Stark annoyed me a bit, and it was because he was just so frecking desperate to get Zoey back ( I was whispering to him, let her stay in the Otherworld, its better for her and the story line!).

Again, pages from this book broke my heart. I wanted to cry. I, it's just, ugh. Heath. That's all I gotta say. I love him. He is my favorite of the guys. Who knew the human would be the one to win my heart.

Although not perfect, and slightly annoying as ever, The House of Night is definitely getting it's groove back! Hurray! No more "ugh, do I have to read another page, seriously?" now is, "WHAT? Finished already? Give me more!"

If you have given up on House of Night, well, get back on the horse partner, cause it can only get better after this one.