Glass Houses (Morganville Vampires 1) by Rachel Caine

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From the author of the popular Weather Warden series. Welcome to Morganville, Texas. Just don't stay out after dark. This is the first book in the Morganville Vampires series. Morganville is a small college town filled with quirky characters. But when the sun goes down, the bad comes... read more

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ln Glass Houses, the first installment in the Morganville Vampires series, Clare Danvers, an exceptionally gifted sixteen year old, enrols at Texas Prairie University in Morganville and falls foul of Monica Morrell, daughter of the Morganville Mayor when she unwittingly makes her look stupid in front of her friends. After a beating in which Clare is thrown down some stairs, she's warned, "Tonight. You'll get what's coming to you, you freak. I'm going to make sure," Realising that the threat is not an idle one and unable to return to her dorm, Claire looks for off campus accommodation and answers an advert in the paper for a room-to-let in an imposing old house shared by three others. She is welcomed by goth girl Eve and laid back Shane who are shocked by the black eye she's sporting. However, the owner Michael, is less keen as she's underaged and allows her to stay on a temporary basis until she can make alternative arrangements.

Clare finds her roommates odd in that Michael is a complete night owl. In fact, nobody has ever seen him during the day. Ever. Shane doesn't do anything much all day apart from make chilli and kill zombies whilst playing computer games and Eve, who works at the local coffee shop and whom Clare suspects is crazy, claims the town is run by vampires. Her new roommates are the best thing about living in Morganville because, as it turns out, Eve isn’t crazy and the town is run by vampires. In Morganville you have two choices - you either work for the vampires and have their protection (those of which are identified by a bracelet that they wear) or you are fair game.

It’s only a matter of time before the vampires of Morganville notice Claire. Unfortunately being Monica’s enemy has already brought her under their scrutiny, one a particularly nasty piece of work named Brandon whom even Eve is fearful of. Clare finds an ally in Eve's enigmatic boss, Oliver, who intervenes when things get out of hand. Claire learns that Monica was responsible for the death of Shane's younger sister, Allysa, when she set fire to Shane's family home. Shane left Morganville not long after and has only recently returned at Michael's request. Clare is stunned when she learns the reason for Michael's lack of presence during the day - he's a ghost. Michael tells Clare that a vampire tried to turn him but something went wrong and his soul became trapped in Glass House as a result. He can only manifest during the night and he can never leave Glass House. As long as Michael remains in residence, vampires cannot enter without an invitation. Michael asks Clare not to tell Shane and Eve about his condition.

When Clare has acid thrown on her back in her chemistry class a shaken Shane meets with Brandon at Oliver's Common Ground coffee shop to make a deal. He agrees to allow Brandon to feed from him in return that Clare is left alone. Clare, Eve and Michael are appalled and Clare refuses to let Shane be humiliated. Clare wonders if they can offer a trade in return for Brandon leaving Shane alone and learns that the vampires have been searching for a secret book for centuaries which due to a spell placed on it's cover, they are unable to read. Clare inadvertently discovers the book and using Oliver to act as a go between, offers to trade the book to whoever is in charge of the vampire hierarchy, in return for protection for her and her friends.

Clare is later approached by the mysterious Amelie, the vampire founder of the town of Morganville, who questions her about the book. Clare is not sure who to trust when Glass House comes under attack from Oliver and his vampire goons who want the book. It also transpires that Oliver was the vampire who tried to turn Michael and that he is also the head of the second vampire faction in opposition to Amelie's. Oliver's onslaught continues until the first rays of the sun appear and Shane and Eve are shocked when Michael starts to fade before their very eyes. Unable to hold off the vampires and protect Clare and Eve, Shane phones his father for help. Monica and her brother Richard break into Glass House and Shane gives them the book so that the vampire's will finally leave which they do.

As the trio clear up the debris left by the vampires, they are surprised by a knock on the door. It's none other than Amelie who has come to bargain for the book. It transpires that Shane only gave the cover of the real book to Oliver and kept the writing in his pocket. The book is important as it contains classified information on how to turn a human into a vampire - knowledge which has been lost for centuries. If they hand over the book, Amelie promises to destroy it so that the secret remains safe forever and ensures Amelia's enemies i.e Oliver, do not attempt to move against her. In return Amelia will give them Protection which will cancel out their agreement with Oliver and Brandon. The trio are appalled to learn that Oliver was Brandon's boss all along. They agree to hand the book over to Amelie who warns them that they must not further disrupt the peace or she will withdraw her Protection.

Later Michaels reappears and a relieved Eve who is in love with him, embraces him. As Shane and Michael talk, his father and cohorts burst into Glass House and assuming that Michael is a vampire, murder him as a horrified Clare, Shane and Eve look on.

Characters edit see section history

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Claire Danvers: 16 almost 17 year old college freshman who just moved to Morganville. Her parents were not keen on her going to college at her age
Eve Rosser: Gothic chick and roommate of Michael and Shane. Works at Common Grounds coffee house.
Michael Glass: Owner of the Glass House and the oldest of the roomates. A musician.
Shane Collins: Best friend and roommate of Michael Glass. Loves chilli and video games. Inbetween Majors at the moment.
Monica Morrell: Student and Queen Bee at college. Mayor's daughter. Continuously hurts and tourtures Claire. Thinks she better than everyone.
Amelie: Head Vampire Of Morganville. Very old, an original.
Oliver: Eve's boss at the Common Grounds.
Brandon: Shows up in Common Grounds. Vampire.
Miranda: Eve's friend. Dresses in dark clothes. Charles' girlfriend. Says she is psychic. Everyone thinks shes crazy.
Jennifer: One of Monica's followers. Not a nice person. Student at the college
John: Vampire

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Quotes edit see section history

“Yo! Roomies! We've got a live one!”
Eve Rosser
“Where'd you pick up the stray?" "Outside. She came to see the room." "You beat her up first, just to make sure she's tough enough?" "Bite me, chili boy." "Don't mind Eve, she hates working days. She's afraid she'll tan." "Yeah, and Shane just hates working.”
Shane Collins, Eve
“Oh, hey, Claire, where are you going?" "Funeral," "Yeah? Cool! Whose?" "Hers.”
Shane, Eve
“For a smart girl, you do some stupid things. You know that?”
Shane
“Damn, I'm glad I voted somebody in with skills." "I heard that, Shane! Do your own bathroom cleaning this weekend!" Shane winced. "Truce!”
Shane, Eve
“We were just attacked, by a vampire." "Yeah, I saw," "No, you don't understand. We were attacked. By a vampire. Do you know how impossible that is?”
Claire Danvers, Michael Glass
“What exciting classes do we have today?" "You can't go to class with me!" "Hey, you're welcome to knock me out and stop me, but until you do, I'm your date for the day. So what classes?”
Shane, Claire
“We're not exactly going to the wilderness, Shane. You don't have to take everything. There are vending machines." "Yeah? I didn't see any lunch in that schedule. You'll thank me later.”
Claire, Shane
“Damn, Claire. Warn a guy before you do a face-plant on the floor next time. I could have looked all heroic and caught you or something.”
Shane
“How bad is it? I mean is it, like, really gross?" "Unbelievably gross, horror movie gruesome.”
Claire, Shane
“Oh, by the way, I'm fine, thanks for asking. Got chased by some vampires. Business as usual." "Told you not to go,”
Claire, Shane
“Can I have a beer?" "Hell no." "Because I'm sixteen? Come on Shane." "Drinking kills brain cells, dumbass. And besides. If I give you one, that's one less for me. I can do the math.”
Claire, Shane
“Claire wants a beer," "Claire needs to go to bed. Scoot over, man. I don't like you that much." "Dick, that's not what you said last night." "Bite me”
Shane, Michael
“You're still here. No beer. I'm not corrupting a minor." "But you're a minor, at least for beer." "Yeah, and by the way? How much does it suck that I'm an adult if I kill somebody, and not if I want a beer? They're all dicks." "Man, seriously, you are one cheap drunk. Three beers? My junior high girlfriend could hold her liquor better." "Claire, get the hell out of here. You're making me nervous." "Dick!”
Michael, Claire, Shane
“It's-It's in Latin." "So? What does it say?" "I don't read Latin!" "You're kidding. I thought all geniuses read Latin. Isn't that the international language for smart people?”
Claire, Shane
“Is it him? Did he get you into trouble?" "Not me, I've just got that kind of face." "Shut up!”
Les Danvers, Shane, Claire
“That-that shouldn't have happened." "Probably not, but I'm leaving in two days. It'd be stupid if I never even kissed you." "I am so dead,”
Shane, Claire
“You, really pissed me off, fish. I don't forget things like that. Neither does my boyfriend." "Brandon? Jeez, at least get one with a pulse!”
Monica Morrell, Claire
“Hey! Oliver! Get the hell out of our house!" "And by the way? Eve quits.”
Eve, Michael
“Do you have the book?" "Yes." "Please tell me you didn't bring it here." "Well-yes." "Sweet baby Jesus, do you not pay attention to what goes on in this town?”
Michael, Claire
“Hell, I can't hit a girl. Here, Claire. You hit her.”
Shane
“Kid, I am not in the mood. I haven't slept in thirty-six hours, my sister's crazy-" "Hey!" "-and you're not my high school crush-" "He is not my high school crush, Richard!" "The point is, I couldn't give a crap about you, your friends, or your problems, because for me this isn't personal. Monica will kill you because she's nuts. I'll kill you because you make me kill you. Are we straight?”
Richard Morrell, Monica
“You can never tell what Shane puts in the chili. Be afraid.”
Eve
“On the house. Well, actually, on me, because, yikes, boss is right here.”
Eve
“Nobody asks the age of the cow that gave you hamburger.”
“Damn. Damn! Okay... but you know the drill, right? Asses and elbows. Bail!”
Eve
“I'd feel a whole lot better about the two of us if you didn't think I was the go-to guy for breaking and entering.”
Shane
“I always give very clear warnings before I do anything violent.”
Amelie

Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers
“Because they’re evil, soulless, bloodsucking fiends?” “So was my sixth-grade gym teacher, but he wasn’t afraid of a cross.”
Highlighted by 61 Kindle customers
“Run first,” Shane said. “Mourn later.” It was the perfect motto for Morganville.
Highlighted by 51 Kindle customers
“I’d feel a whole lot better about the two of us if you didn’t think I was the go-to guy for breaking and entering.”
Highlighted by 49 Kindle customers
“I don’t read Latin!” “You’re kidding. I thought all geniuses read Latin. Isn’t that the international language for smart people?”
Highlighted by 43 Kindle customers
“Is it him?” Dad asked. “Did he get you into trouble?” “Not me,” Shane said. “I’ve just got that kind of face.”
Highlighted by 41 Kindle customers
“Scoot over, man. I don’t like you that much.” “Dick. That’s not what you said last night.”
Highlighted by 39 Kindle customers
Eve said, in a high, squeaky, airless voice, “The ghost! You’re the ghost Miranda was talking about! Oh my God, Michael, you’re the ghost! You bastard!” He nodded, still concentrating on breathing. Eve got control of her voice and squealed, “That is without a doubt the coolest damn thing I have ever seen in my entire life!”
Highlighted by 36 Kindle customers
“No bacon for you.” “Then no eggs for you. Either of you.” Eve glowered at him. “Prisoner exchange?” They glared at each other, then swapped pans and started scooping.
Highlighted by 34 Kindle customers
“But I called dibs!” he said, and knocked on the door. “Dibs! Damn girls don’t understand the rules….”
Highlighted by 34 Kindle customers
Shane pressed his forehead to hers and sighed. His breath warmed her face, and this time she kissed him, letting her instincts guide her, letting him pull her to her feet. Their hands were clasped, fingers laced, and parts of her—parts she’d only ever warmed up alone—were going full blast.
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Setting & Locations edit see section history

Morganville, TX
Common Grounds: Coffee shop; Owned by Oliver; Neutral ground for humans and vampires

First Sentence edit see section history

On the day Claire became a member of the Glass House, somebody stole her laundry.

Table of Contents edit see section history

Acknowledgments
Chapters 1 - 17
Eve Rosser's Diary
Excerpt from The Dead Girl's Dance

Glossary edit see section history

Monickettes: "Followers" of Monica
Founders: One of the original vampires that created Morganville

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

Vampires: There's evil vampires - as usual

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 1 of 15 in Morganville Vampires. (standard series)

Followed by The Dead Girls' Dance.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

Rachel Caine (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: NAL Jam
Country: United States
Publication Date: October 3, 2006
ISBN: 978-0451219947
Page Count: 361

Classification edit see section history

Library of Congress: CPB Box no. 2689 vol. 11
Dewey: 813.54

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Reading Level: Young Adults

Contains some violent scenes and cursing. Recommended for age +13.

Subjects edit see section history

Books › Teens › Science Fiction & Fantasy › Science Fiction
Books › Teens › Science Fiction & Fantasy › Fantasy

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