Marked by P.C. and Kristin Cast

Title: Marked
Authors: P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Series: House of Night (book 1)
Release Date: May, 2007
Summary: The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed.  In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire--that is, if she makes it through the Change.  Not all of those who are chosen do.  It’s tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling.  She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx.  But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers.  When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends

(details above are from Goodreads and the publisher)

Review: This book wasn't exactly what I was expecting! I couldn't relate with the characters from the beginning which is really frustrating since I enjoy a story much more when I can identify myself with its cast.
Some things just didn't seem well, if Zoey couldn't integrate in her school (human regular school) how could she had possibly dated the most popular guy from the school football team?
I kind of liked the idea of Nyx, and the relation that the vampyres had with Nature. In other paranormal and horror books, vampires are always some kind of monsters that aren't part of Nature but in Marked some vampyres are even gifted with elements’ (earth, water, fire and air) control. But I must say that in the beginning I thought the all thing a non-sense (I think reading the second book really helped me to appreciate more the series and the all Nyx thing).
I found really annoying that the word vampire was written vampyre.
I love that one of the characters was gay! I think it's really important the existence of gay characters in YA novels since there are teenagers dealing with sexual orientation problems, and afraid of coming out and tell the society  they are homosexual because of the reactions that they think they will get.
The end was predictable as most of the plot but I continue to turn page after page because, even though I had some ideas about what was going to happened I still was not 100% sure.
The writing is very good and even though it was not my favourite book I bought the second one (and LOVE it - I'll post the review as quickly as I can) .

7/10