So. I just got done reading Conspiracy Game by Christine Feehan. This is one of those rare books that I don't have strong opinions on by her.
A thought though: What the hell kind of obsession does Christine Feehan have with everyone ending up pregnant in her books? I KNOW she writes romance, but it just bugs me that every. Single. Person. In her books has to want babies. It's ridiculous. And no one every really talks about it, just because the guy (or whoever) want a child, their partner is 1000% okay with it. I suspect even Flame-who's sterile because of cancer treatments-will end up pregnant. Cause an ending can't be happy if the woman has no spawn on the way.
It's not helped that one of the primary antagonists, Dr. Whitney, is responsible for most of the character's troubles in the Ghost Walker books. The women-when they were babies, toddlers, etc he bought them from orphanages in 3rd world countries and experimented on them, making their psychic talents stronger. And tampering with their genes. (Hence Flame's cancer... he did to work out a better treatment for cancer... but also because he didn't like her, and he ensured the cancer would return. So if she wanted to live she'd have to crawl back to him.) He also enhanced their physical capabilities. He's repeated that over the years, after 'adopting out' the girls; his latest attempt has been using soldiers from various branches of the US Armed Forces.
(He also faked his death so he could get that batch of Ghost Walkers free; they ended up in his mansion with the one girl he kept-Lily. Since he has back doors into the computer systems at said mansion, he can keep track of them.)
AND instituted a breeding program, using pheromones;  each Ghost Walker has an opposite number s/he is attracted to, thanks to those pheromones. He wants the babies in one of his labs so he can train and manipulate those babies-turn them into supersoldiers.
So what's the Ghost Walkers' solutions? Have tons of babies when you find your mate! Never mind the fact the woman can't fight well in later stages of pregnancy, or that she'll have a baby to protect. Or that she'll be weakened after birth; babies make everything better! With a rich megalomaniac (who has allies in all sorts of governments and has tons of resources) after those children, what could possibly go wrong?

'Course, maybe I'm the one in the wrong, trying to apply logic or pointing out gaps in books. Especially something like paranormal romance. *thinks* Naaaaw. It's my journal, I can post whatever bugs me.

Cross posted at my livejournal. (By the way? I just posted the link so no one would stumble upon this later and be all 'PLAGIARIST!' Otherwise I'd really keep the 2 of these separate and will continue to treat them as such.)

Marked, Chapter 7

Marked
Chapter 7

'Kay, I'm back now. Parts of this chapter made me twitch, so.

Neferet and Zoey leave the infirmary and Neferet explains some of the basics of living at the House of Night. Classes run from 8:00 p.m. to 3:30 a.m.; teachers are available for an extra 30 minutes if any students need help. Eventually vampi-er, vampyres are able to develop a timesense-like a watch. That could be useful.

Neferet also mentions her gifts-she has a strong affinity for cats and a healing ability, which was why she knew Zoey was healing so well. They're pretty much why Neferet's the High Priestess. And cats are the ones who choose their people, not the other way around. (Happens a lot in RL too, not just with cats. Sometimes animals *know* who's a good match for them.) Cats apparently have been associated with vampyres in this series for a long time. (I still want to type vampire, not vampyre.)

Let's see... Neferet gets called back to the infirmary to deal with a student and her broken leg so Zoey has to go on alone. She stumbles upon a couple in a quiet alcove and the girl's about to give the guy a blowjob, in spite of the guy not wanting it. Zoey's nearly discovered and she runs, then gives a rant about how giving blowjobs is demeaning and "it's not cool to be used like that" RE: the girls who give do such things. Uh... what? IF both parties are willing it's not being used or demeaning. Duh. Honestly? She probably should've been more upset over the guy-he clearly told the girl he didn't want it and kept pushing her away.

SO. Neferet catches up with Zoey and does something for Zoey's new headache. Then they leave for Zoey's new room. On the way there they walk into a large courtyard-which fronts the school. A statue of Nyx helps decorate the courtyard. The other people in said courtyard are really interested in Zoey's filled in Mark and she thinks she's starting her new year here well-she's an anomaly.

Aaaaaaaand that's where this chapter ends. And this recap so far.

Next couple of chapters of Marked

Marked

Chapter 5

Yet more snotting and coughing here; didn't Zoey ever hear of Kleenex? Probably wouldn't have hurt to pick up some.

Zoey, having read the note her grandmother left her on the front door, heading the northern lavender field. One the way she sensed Cherokee spirits and ran off in a panic, eventually tripping over a root and knocking herself out. Doing so seems to have freed her spirit and she follows a woman's voice to a cavern-where Nyx is waiting.

They have a conversation, where Zoey's chosen to be Nyx's eyes and ears for this go-round. Nyx kisses Zoey's forehead, where the Mark is and Zoey falls unconscious... again. For about the 3rd or 4th time since the book started.

Chapter 6

Zoey wakes up; her grandmother had found her on the trail and took her to the House of Night. They have a brief talk and Zoey finds out her Mark is completely filled, freaking and saying that's not possible. (Uh, Zoey dear? Nyx kissed you there. A goddess. Of course it's possible.) A woman comes into Zoey's line of sight and also wonders how it happened.

Turns out the woman is Neferet and she's the High Priestess of the House of Night. More discussion; Neferet mentions Zoey's Mark is unusual and asks Zoey what she remember. Zoey tells her everything but omits the part about meeting Nyx.Perhaps it was Nyx herself that told Zoey to be quiet? 

Neferet says since vampyres' healing is faster than humans Zoey can now leave the infirmary. Grandma Redbird is worried, of course, but Neferet insists it's fine and promises to take Zoey under her wing and act as her mentor. That's good enough for Grandma Redbird and says she'll hold Neferet to her promise, then leaves. Neferet asks Zoey if she's ready to begin her new life.

Zoey's not sure but answers Yes. And somewhere in that conversation Zoey was able to change her last name from 'Montgomery' to 'Redbird'.

 Next couple of chapters later.

First post here

And for my first post it's a recap of the first few chapters of Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. There's really not much to snark about in the first couple of chapters, it's mostly introductory. Also? I hate the 'vampyre' spelling. It tries too hard, in a way, to be speshul. Like Zoey!
So, into the recap:

Chapter One

Here we get introduced to Zoey Montgomery, aka Zoey Redbird. She's sick, there are numerous references to her wet coughs as she listens to her friend Kayla. They talk about Zoey's boyfriend Heath, who's on the football team and likes to drink. He's a winner. Zoey gets Marked and we get the first mention of the Change-either her body accepts it and she becomes a vampyre or the Change fails and she dies.

The Tracker is gone and Kayla runs off; Zoey runs to the bathroom and hides for awhile. While there she muses over her Cherokee heritage. 

Chapter Two

When she flees the bathroom for her car, Zoey runs across Heath and two of his friends. They find out about Zoey's Mark and freak, but Heath less than the other two. She gets attracted to Heath's blood, Heath's friends drag him away and she goes home. Once there she tries to get her mom to sympathize with her and not tell her fundamentalist Christian father Zoey'd been marked. Ixnay on that. So her mom calls her stepdad and stepdad comes home, wanting to talk to Zoey.
Somewhere in all that Zoey packs her backpack.

Chapter Three

The inevitable happens: a confrontation between stepdad John and Zoey. John calls her Satan and says it's all her fault she got Marked, instead of it being some sort of biological reaction. (Or magic-stuff, as the meeting with the Tracker implied.) Her mother, of course, doesn't defend Zoey and allows her husband to control her. 

Since John's an Elder in his branch of Christianity and church, he has Linda (Zoey's mom) call and activate the prayer tree, as well as call Dr. Asher-the family shrink. And Zoey actually curses! Page 22-she thinks: Well, hell! Later on the strongest she tends to use are words like 'bull poopie'. In which she sounds all of 2. (Not that one has to curse like a sailor, but she's not going to die if she says a stronger word once in a great while.)

Chapter Four

This chapter's a short one; more mentions of her wet coughs and snotting. Then a light bulb goes on over her head and she think, "Grandma Redbird! I'll go visit. It'll be better than here." She escapes from her house and drives to her grandmother's lavender farm.

That's all for the moment. Next few chapters: evidence of Zoey's potential speshul-snowflakeness, the intro to the actual House of Night, pretty much everyone famous being 'vampyres' and new characters who have one-at most two-personality trait apiece. At least from what I remember-I'm rereading this book and most of it I've blocked out from my mind. What did stick was Zoey being all SPESHUL and Damien's sexuality (he's gay, FWIW) not... being handled well. 

But ANYWAY. It's just the introductory bits, things should start picking up soon and there should be more snarky material.