BkRv: The grass may be deadlier on the other side

Book Review: The Swiss Courier by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey

Historical

First Line: He hoped his accent wouldn't give him away.









At first glance, Gabi Mueller will appear to be just another blonde bombshell, but give her ample time and opportunity, she can also prove her usefulness when it comes to cracking codes and safes.

From page 51
Gabi refused to rub the lump on the back of her head despite the low-level throbbing. Refused to roll up the white sleeves of her blouse inspite of the sun's rays falling on her shoulders, lest the curious gazes of her co-workers look too closely. The woman who'd dared to break into a safe, to put up a fight against a man twice her size, seemed like someone in a dream. Were it not for the bruised evidence from the man's hands, Gabi would think the spy in the night was someone other than herself.

Which she does for the benefit of the American Office of Strategic Services in Switzerland in hopes of defeating Germany. However, these talents hardly prepare her to rescue a hunted German scientist from the Gestapo who are determined to weed out everyone with remote Jewish connections. With Europe torn apart by soldiers, spies, and double-crossers, Gabi must rely on her guts to tell her whom she can trust - including those she calls family.

The Swiss Courier was not as exciting as I thought it would be. It bounced from one character to another - German, Swiss, and American - and I felt that it spoiled some of the surprise in certain circumstances such as when the double-crosser shows his true color to the reader. Then it was a matter of how long it took for Gabi to discover his true colors. That said, there was still a surprise at the end that I found delightful - and I'm not quite sure if it should have been something I could have figured out earlier. I doubt it - the surprise was pretty well put-together!

I did find the process of weeding out Jews horrific, especially when it was obvious that the Gestapo simply twisted truth to fit into the paranoia. The German scientist on the run was a young man who worked with Dr. Heisenberg on developing the bomb, but he had the misfortune of being born Jewish - although he had been adopted and knew nothing about such heritage. However, the Gestapo did not care whether he knew or not and decided to arrest him.

While I may not have been too enthralled with the story, I will admit that The Swiss Courier does an excellent job of bringing history to life. It has been a while since I read any World War II stories where I am knee-deep in the war zone. It was interesting to read about Switzerland's position during the WWII, since it was so close to Germany. I did not realize how dangerous it was! Not that there was a lot of war happening in this story, but the espionage had been critical in discovering what the Germans were up to and how paranoid and cruel they were. Gabi may have been in over her head, but she proved to have a good head on her shoulders under pressure and I am glad that she prevailed.
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Disclosure: PUBLISHER > LitFuse Blog Tour

Teasing you with...FADE

From page 58 of FADE by Lisa McMann

Janie wanders up and down the street, looking for Miss Stubin, but the street is vacant. Janie sits on the bench where she sat before.

Waits.

Wonders.

Recalls the previous conversation.

"When you have questions about my notes, return here," Miss Stubin had said.

Janie slaps her hand to her forehead and the dream fades.

This Teaser Tuesday meme is courtesy of MizB @ Should Be Reading

BkRv: She ain't nothing but a hound dog

Book Review: The Princess And The Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison

YA | Fantasy

First Line: Prince George could not remember seeing his father without the crown on his head, except perhaps in bed, and even then the imprint on his temples was clear enough. But the crown could have been melted down or stolen away, and it would not have mattered. George could see kingship in every movement his father made.







A rather unusual fairy tale.

People fear what they do not understand, and what is not understand is oftentimes quite misunderstood as in the case of animal magic. Those with such magic are usually hunted down and burned without mercy, so unsurprisingly they try to keep their talents on the downlow. Little does the kingdom know that their young Prince George is among the to-be-feared, and little can George do to change his people's prejudiced minds as he prepares to fill in his father's great kingly shoes.

From page 56
He even missed the temptation of thinking that his magic was something great and important and that only he could do what was meant to be done with it. Because he was great and important too.

But he was not. He was only Prince George, quiet and obedient and pitied by all who knew him, because of his mother's death and his father's neglect. Prince George could hardly be trusted to put his shirt on the right way around, let alone change the world with his magic.

Which means denying a part of him that does not quite fit the royal mold and marrying Princess Beatrice of the neighboring kingdom for a political alliance. On the other hand, Beatrice is quite unlike what he expected - or perhaps a little too alike for his comfort. Why does the princess keep a hound always by her side, and why is George so drawn to both princess and hound? Is it possible that this marriage is not another duty and George has found someone to confide in?

The Princess And The Hound is a pleasant fairy tale, though a little slow-paced compared to recently-read Graceling and ICE. The tagline said: "Beauty and the Beast retold - but the Beast is a woman," but do not be fooled. This is so much more - if not, completely different - than any Beauty and the Beast story that I have read. The story actually revolved around George as he came to terms with his kingly responsibilities, the impending marriage, and animal magic. Beatrice and her hound only aided in shaping the king that George will become.

On the other hand, I wished that more time had been spent on Beatrice and her hound. My curiosity got the best of me as I wondered what exactly happened between Beatrice and her hound. Whatever happened made for a confusing mess, and I sympathized with George as he tried to figure it out. Beatrice and her hound seemed very distant with little sense of humor, and George seemed too serious as well although he tried so hard to open up to people. When George finally accepts the crown, I have to admit that he is more than ready to rule his people.

I am interested in reading the companion novel The Princess And The Bear, although it is not about George or Beatrice. I am not sure if they will make any appearance, but I think the story should be rather interesting by itself. Safe to say, I think readers will find the "Princesses" of both books very unusual from other fairy tale princesses. Which may be a good or bad thing, depending on your tastes. I rather liked the different fairy tale flavor, but I wouldn't be surprised if others find this dull or strange.
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Disclosure: BOUGHT

BkRv: Now what's cooler than bein' cool?

Book Review: ICE by Sarah Beth Durst

YA | Fantasy | Fairy Tale

First Line: Cassie killed the snowmobile engine. Total silence, her favorite sound. Ice crystals spun in the Arctic air. Sparkling in the predawn light, they looked like diamond dust. Beneath her ice-encrusted face mask, she smiled. She loved this: just her, the ice, and the bear.








ICE, ICE, baby! ;)

Cassie grows up unlike any other girl - tucked away at an Arctic research station, chasing after polar bears, and believing her mother has been imprisoned by the trolls for upsetting the North Wind for not marrying the Polar Bear King. As any girl who spends her time with facts and scientists, Cassie has outgrown the fairy tale her grandmother would whisper during the bedtime hour and logically believes that it is simply a nice way of saying that her mother died a long time ago, leaving behind a broken-hearted family. But logic does not explain her encounter with a talking polar bear who claims to be the Polar Bear King and has come to marry her as promised.

From page 28
She flinched as she felt his hot breath hot on her frozen face mask. Oh, God, that felt real. That could not have ben her imagination. "I don't believe in talking bears," she said - a whisper.

"You are Gail's daughter," he said. His voice was soft, gentle even.

"You're a scientific impossibility," she said. She could not be seeing this, hearing this. The universe had rules, and they did not allow for talking bears, especially talking bears who knew her mother's name. She swallowed. No one had ever referred to her like that, as her mother's daughter.

Can it be that her life is a fairy tale waiting for its happy ending that includes a long-lost mother and true love - and if so, how far will Cassie go to make it come true?

ICE is a well-crafted fairy tale retelling of East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon that blends together reality and fantasy in a way that left me breathless. I would easily re-read this again to catch the nuances and understand the fairy tale world that Sarah Beth Durst has built from what I assume to be Eskimo mythology. The Polar Bear King is actually a munaqsri, which can be described as a soul caretaker who retrieves souls from the dying and delivers it to the newborn. Every living thing has a munaqsri, but a munaqsri can only do so much and cannot be in all places all the time. Hence, there is always the possibility of losing the soul if you arrive too late at a death or losing a newborn because you do not have any soul to give.

The relationship between Cassie and Bear was wonderful to watch as they came to terms with each other. Bear always knew he would marry Cassie when she came of age, but he did not anticipate her strong will and stubbornness. On the other hand, Cassie had to accept the fairy tale possibility and also come to terms with marrying a polar bear whose human face she has been forbidden to see. Bear was incredibly patient, and Cassie was very adorably stubborn.

From page 54
"You are like nothing I have ever known," he said. "You are brightness. You are light. You are fire. I come from a world of ice."

She shivered. He sounded like he really meant that. No one had ever said anything like that to her before. She felt unbalanced. "Oh?" she said. "You know what fire and ice make?"

He looked at her with his inscrutable bear eyes. "Tell me."

"Lukewarm water," Cassie said. "I want to go home."

They had great chemistry, and my heart melted when Cassie finally admits that she does indeed love Bear. When she loses Bear to the trolls, Cassie sets out on an impossible rescue mission without knowing where the ends of the world might be or how to even get there.

There is so much packed into ICE that I am actually tempted to re-read it again because I'm getting really excited :D The richness in detail both real and fantastic, the strong heroine who runs to save her love, the supporting cast who brought both humor and terror to the story, the amazing ending that ties everything together in an unexpected way - I highly recommend ICE to any fairy-tale fanatics, especially if you enjoy Robin McKinley's Beauty retellings!
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ICE Blog Tour Participants
Book Chic (Oct 13)|Karin's Book Nook (Oct 14) | Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf (Oct 15) | Books By Their Cover (Oct 16) | Epic Rat (Oct 17) | Sharon Loves Books And Cats (Oct 18) | Ravenous Reader (Oct 19) | Ticket To Anywhere (Oct 20) | The Eclectic Book Lover (Oct 21) | Pop Culture Junkie (Oct 22)

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Disclosure: PUBLISHER > T2T tour

Cover Alert! Nine Rules To Break When Romancing A Rake

The Book: Nine Rules To Break When Romancing A Rake
The Author: Sarah MacLean
The When: April 2010
The What About:

It's a well-known rule that a proper young lady should never steal into the house of a notorious marquess and demand a passionate kiss. But to romance this rake, Lady Calpurnia Hartwell will break all the rules.

My Reaction:

Very white - maybe a little too white for me, but I absolutely love the title even if it does not roll off my tongue like butter. Everything screams historical romance, which is a good thing since I am partial to this genre and don't want to waste time skimming through the paranormal/modern romance titles.

I am totally psyched for Sarah and her romance debutness because this sounds like a worthwhile treat for romance addicts! Her YA debut The Season (review here) was a toned-down romance that left me wanting more goodness, so I cannot wait to experience Sarah's wit and charm in Nine Rules To Break When Romancing A Rake.

P.S. If you have not already seen this (or need a good laugh again), check out this hilarious list 9 Phrases That Don't Belong In A Regency-set Romance that Sarah prepared. It will surely tickle you silly. :)

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Note: I'm not rather good at the Waiting On Wednesday meme (hosted by Jill @ Breaking The Spine) for inability to find upcoming reads , but I do love to spread the joy when authors reveal their initial/finalized covers. So I will attempt to adapt WoW to suit my purposes and call it Cover Alert! since I am such a superficial reader who cannot resist a good cover ;)

Teasing you with...Jessica's Guide To Dating On The Dark Side

From page 192 of Jessica's Guide To Dating On The Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Stupid Romanian bloodsucker. He was lucky I hadn't bestowed another exalted scar on his imperial body. If he ever messed with Jessica Packwood - Anastasia Dragomir - again, he'd really get the royal treatment. Lucius Vladescu could take that to the Bucharest Federal Savings and Loan and bank it - right into his damned trust fund.

This Teaser Tuesday meme is courtesy of MizB @ Should Be Reading

BkRv: Childhood, we're not in Kansas anymore

Book Review: Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert

YA | Girls

First Line: Sirens and lights welcomed me back to the suburbs of Chicago. It seemed fitting since they'd also heralded my exit.








Consider me a groupie for life!

When she left suburbia, Kara refused to look back in fear of once more following that yellow-bricked road laced with drugs and drenched in booze and blood.

From page 89
So I retreated in my room and got out my knife. I drew blood for my mother, sleeping alone and angry on the couch. I drew blood for Liam, who'd had to seek shelter in his room alone and angry yet again. I drew blood because I was the one who'd abandoned him. I drew blood because my father didn't care about any of us. I drew blood because I hated myself for cutting. It didn't fix anything or make me feel any less guilty.

Now that she's returned after 4 years of absence, and seeing old friends and remnants of her pain-filled past reminds Kara that it is time to face the music and make something beautiful out of that misery. And so she begins to write her story about her childhood, combining it with her friends' self-portraits about their desperate search for love, acceptance, hope, family, worthy heroes, their true selves, and an escape route to better tomorrows.

I seriously loved I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone (review here), but my reaction after reading Ballads Of Suburbia makes Stephanie Kuehnert's debut a silly infatuation. Seriously. Stephanie has taken the rockstar elements of I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone and brought it to new heights in this latest release as her teenaged characters poured their heart and soul into music and drugs as a way to replace the hopelessness that they face every day. If I had to describe Ballads Of Suburbia using one word, it would be Raw with a capital R. Filled to the brink on emotions, I found the "ballads" (confessions) of each character powerful and believably honest.

From page 101
Before my parents split, I got high sometimes, partied a little bit, but was still basically a good kid. After my family disintegrated, I lived my life as loud, fast, and angry as the music I listened to. The songs I adored warned me about addiction and love that was no good. But I didn't care what happened in the long run. I focused on escaping the pain one night at a time.

Back then, I didn't tell anyone what I was running from, but now I want to make it clear: my self-destruction started with the divorce, not with Adrian Matthews like everyone thought.

Kara proves to be such a heartbreakingly shy main character who has to find her backbone and learn not depend on a razor blade, pot, parents, best friends who ditch you or don't take your side, and most importantly anyone with a Y chromosome (including those who say "I love you" but hurt you; and those who don't say it back when you do). It was rewarding to watch her gain confidence, then lose it, only to bounce back stronger, then lose it even harder, and finally finally manage to climb out from rock bottom.

From page 7
It would be so easy to be the person I used to be. My life was like a song. L.A., working my ass off to do well in college and be a "healthy person," just a verse, and the chorus was coming up again, the part where I fucked up the same as I always did.

What is more amazing is when I realized that her climb has only begun - she may have won the battle, but the war is far from over. Every day, every second, she has to make a conscious effort to not fall back into old patterns - and when she returns to her hometown, seeing her old friends up to their old tricks test her resolve.

Ballads Of Suburbia has a more serious vibe than I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone, and it felt so beautifully real that I never knew what to expect, sometimes fearing that Kara was in way over her head, upset when the boys acted stupid (will they never learn?!), and holding my breath as life unfolded into utter chaos. Readers of the debut will surely find Ballads Of Suburbia to far exceed all expectations already set by I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone and for the next Stephanie Kuehnert project (which, for the record, sounds amazing - and I love the working title: Anarchists, Soap Stars, And Regulars, though it will probably change).

The cover is a little quirky - that smile on the duck borders on Joker-spooky - but I think it totally goes well with the story since Kara and her friends frequently met at the park. Ironically, not to play on the playground, but play with other things of an addictive sort. If you feel like you don't know what the story is about from the cover or the book summary, don't be alarmed. Both are merely tips of the iceberg. To be honest, my own summary above hardly does Ballads Of Suburbia any justice. Trust me when I say that whatever you find within that iceberg will make you glad that you took that leap of faith!

Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway!), Ballads Of Suburbia makes it official: Stephanie Kuehnert is a literary goddess of rock music and soul!
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Disclosure 10/12/09: LIBRARY

BkRv: A bridge I'd jump off again with glee

Book Review: going too far by Jennifer Echols

YA | Girls

First Line: "That's the worst idea I ever heard," I told Eric. Then I took another sip of beer and swallowed. "Let's do it."








Too far gone into awesomeness!

Meg is always looking for the next greatest adventure - the more illegal, the better - so call it no surprise when she and her friend-with-benefits gets caught in flagrante by the cops on the railroad tracks where teens have died before.

From page 3
As the only teenager with blue hair, I was everybody's go-to girl for bad behavior. Tonight I wore a low-cut T-shirt that said Peer Pressure in the hope of luring Eric into another sexcapade. As if he needed any luring. He was pretty much self-luring.

No big deal really. She'll spend time in the small-town jail, her parents will refuse to bail her out as always, she'll slave at her parents' diner without pay, put on repeat and onto the next crazy joyride. However, Officer John decides to teach Meg a lesson about courting danger and forces her to shadow him on night duty instead of enjoying the beach during spring break. Little do they know, but they will push each other's limits to the brink - one to figure out why she continues to dance with trouble as if she's invincible, the other to find out why anyone who graduated high school with top honors would want to stay in this podunk town to ruin all the fun.

From page 109
He gaped at me in disbelief. I felt myself cringe under that dark, hard gaze. "Meg, you were drunk, stoned, letting Eric Wexler feel you up, and five minutes from getting hit by a train."

I rolled my eyes. "I suppose I should point out to you yet again that I did not get hit by a train. I made a mistake. If I turn in my proposal to the Powers That Be, everything will work out fine. I think you're scared to live life, and you're putting that on me."

"Just the opposite. You feel guilty for planning to leave town. You're trying to turn it around and make me feel like an idiot for staying."

I have been itching to read going too far since spring, and every time I entered the bookstore, I would always fail to remember who wrote the book and the exact title. Each time I would revisit Books By Their Cover to find the book again and vow to remember it for next time. This might have happened about 10 times before I actually got my hands on the book - and can I say that the cover sends shivers down my spine because it's so hauntingly beautiful? I'm not sure what it has to do with the story, but it definitely stands out for me!

To be honest, it was Yan's review that got me excited for this book (because Yan's a tough critic and I trust her...so far), and I can die happy after reading it. Meg was such a lovable main character with brilliant blue hair, priceless supply of sarcasm, and a tough-on-the-outside-but-marshmallow-on-the-inside personality. Not to mention that John played off her so well as the newly-instated officer, too serious for his age, and adorably sweet when he tries. I loved how they pushed each other's buttons, daring the other to flip out and walk away. The tension between them was electric - like Perfect Chemistry electric, but perhaps even more so.

The best way to describe going too far is likening it to that secret stash of chocolate you have tucked inside your nightstand. The writing is superb, the emotions intense, the characters both flawed yet endearing - all ingredients that made this an amazing read that tugged at my heartstrings and left me sighing happily.
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Disclosure 10/10/09: BOUGHT

BkRv: Fortune cookie says: Something fairy comes this way

Book Review: FAIRY TALE by Cyn Balog

YA | Fairy

First Line: People call me spooky. Maybe because by eleven o'clock on that day, I'd already told Ariana Miles she'd starve to death in Hollywood, Erica Fuentes she'd bomb history, and Wendell Marks that he would never, ever be a part of the A-list, no matter how hard he tried.







Lust or not to lust, regardless quite a fairy confusion as love triangles tend to go

Sixteen is supposed to be the magical age when girls get to be a fairy princess and throw the most outrageous birthday parties, and what makes Morgan's sweeter than most is that her super, amazing boyfriend Cam (whom she has known forever) shares the same birthday. What more can a girl ask for? Well, for starters, how about not finding out that your boyfriend is an abandoned fairy prince and now has to return to the Otherworld when he turns 16?

From page 63
He'st staring at me, and I know exactly what he's thinking: I just found out I'm not human, and you're worried about your sweet sixteen?

And yes, it may be a little callous of me, but please. A fairy? I know everything about this boy. He's always been completely levelheaded, never one to believe the latest gossip, no matter how true it seems. And there isn't anything about him that is a mystery to me. I know when he's angry, I know when he's nervous, I know when he's...lying.

And looking at him now, I can tell one thing for certain.

He believes every word he is saying.

How about not meeting Pip who had been stolen by fairies to live in the Otherworld and now going to replace your fairy boyfriend? It would have been so much easier to deal with a boyfriend who comes out of the closet than this crazy mess! Morgan may have the uncanny ability to see other people's futures, but she did not see this coming by a long shot.

From page 124
I catch my breath, shocked that he would ask. He has never, ever wanted to know his future before. But maybe that was when my predictions involved who would win the next football game. This is more serious. This is his life. Our life.

Her perfect relationship falls in shambles as Cam undergoes physical changes - wings?! no muscles?! shorter than her shoulders?! - and her sweet planning goes sour. Needless to say, the fairies better be prepared themselves for a war 'cause they should know not to mess with this girl, her true love, and her sweet 16.

FAIRY TALE is one of the most simplistic titles ever, and it probably suits the story somewhat better than the original title FAIRY LUST. No major lusting going about, and I would go as far to say that Morgan definitely harbors a healthy helping of fairy hate. I did not know too much about the story when I finally picked this off the shelf. All I knew was that the cover was lovely, reminding me of a rather pretty Rorschach inkblot test, and the title had changed.

Morgan made for an excellent main character with a great sense of humor, but I feel that she was the only character who left a memorable impression. Everyone else appeared and interacted with her, but I did not feel that anyone but Morgan stood out. It would have been nice to see more of Cam's reactions better as his world turned upside-down. I mean, star football player rapidly diminishing into a fairy? I am sure he would have quite an opinion on the matter. But this was more Morgan's story, which it now strikes me strange that her abilty to see people's futures never was really explained. Plus, I expected more about Pip's story about the Otherworld. The brief glimpse offered made the Otherworld sound rather fascinating - it would be a shame to leave it as is!

FAIRY TALE is exactly that, but I would also add the adjectives "lovely" and "modern" in front of the title. Quite unique since casting a boy as the long-lost fairy would not have been my first instinct, but a nice discovery for those who are looking for more fairy tales.

The writing is excellent and fresh, and this alone makes me hesitate to rate FAIRY TALE as "not spectacular." I don't know if other bloggers thought she overused "teen lingo" or name-dropped like none other, but I thought it was perfect. Some of the little things that Cam and Morgan did as a couple were pretty adorable, and I am sure any die-hard romantic would enjoy FAIRY TALE for their silliness! Cyn Balog had a quirkiness to her writing that I enjoyed, making me curious to watch out for her next project - there better be a next one - and hope that it showcases her writing more!

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Disclosure 10/8/09: LIBRARY

September GRaB Results

Too many books, so little brainpower! Is it just me, or is "tired" and "stress" the new watchwords? Zombie Apprecation seems like ages ago, but I have a whole slew of congratulatory posts to prepare. I believe all zombie gifts have been sent save one (Wendy - Shaun will be on his way once I steal him away from Liz, I promise!), and books have been attacking me left and right. I must be releasing some literary pheromones :)

*THANK YOU* for those who visited in September - I've been trying my best to also visit more blogs when I have time, though I may not be the greatest commentor. But from what I've seen, everyone looks fabulous! :D

The breakdown:

• 13 reviews (though technically 14 books)
• 44 individual participants, 624 entries
• The Book Pixie, elnice, Jenny N, Jo, Llehn, and pepsivanilla all earned an extra 39 entries (13 reviews x3) for being rock-star followers who commented on all my book reviews in September!
• Only 2 New Bloggers On The Block featured this month:

Megan's Book Reviews
J'adore happy endings

• The Forest Of Hands And Teeth was the most-commented review this month, and those who commented earned an extra 10 entries
• Jessica's Guide To Dating On The Dark Side was the randomly-selected review, and those who commented earned an extra 5 entries
• Completely random, but just seeing pepsivanilla among the comments as I was tallying them up made me thirsty :}

And the September GRaB winner is...

Sara from YA Vampire Books
Selection: Graceling

Congratulations! Book shall be sent when I master the Grace of duct taping!

Rules for October GRaB here
(pretty much the same, I tweaked a couple points)

BkRv: The best part of waking up is ghostlies in my cup!

Book Review: The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

YA | Ghosts | Series Book 2

Review for Book 1: The Summoning here

First Line: When the door to my cell cracked open, the first thought that flitted through my doped-up brain was that Liz had changed her mind and come back. But ghosts don't open doors. They will, on occasion, ask me to open one, so I can raise and interrogate the zombies of supernaturals killed by a mad scientist, but they never need one opened for themselves.







Apparently playing dead, but very much full of life!

At the end of The Summoning, Chloe nearly escapes the evil group home (a.k.a. The Edison Group) with Derek and Simon, but gets betrayed by her well-meaning aunt who turns out to be in league with them.

From page 3
Now, looking back at a life of doing what I was told, I realized I bought into the game. When adults patted me on the head and told me I was so grown-up, what they really meant was that they were glad I wasn't grown-up enough yet to question, to fight back.

Now Chloe has to figure out how to escape (again), meet up with the boys, and then save the world - okay, maybe that last one is a stretch, but they'll figure it as they go. Unsurprisingly, things don't go according to Chloe's new plan - especially as people have change of hearts and her powers to see the dead actually become useful. When she finally reunites with Derek and Simon, they run like hell to the boys' family friend, but no matter how smart they plan it, it seems like the Edison Group is always one step ahead of them...

From page 141
In the movie version of our flight, we'd have run straight into a trap. Everyone would have been taken captive...except me, being the heroine. I'd be smart enough to avoid capture, so I could plot a daring rescue to free my friends. But it wouldn't be easy. Or quiet. Tori and Simon would blow up a city block with magic. Derek would throw a few trucs at our pursuers. I would recruit a platoon of zombies from a conveniently located cemetary.

But as cool as all that would have looked on the big screen, I was really more in the mood for a quiet getaway. And that's exactly what we got. The Edison Group never left the factory yard.

After my last review of The Summoning, several commentors urged me to read the sequel in hopes that I will probably find it much better. I am happy to say that The Awakening really blew me away, and I am all for the upcoming finale when it is released. Not overwhelming in ghosts, but I was more than satisfied with the choice appearances of Liz (one of Chloe's housemates who "went home") and other interesting souls who knew more about what was going on with supernatural powers.

Chloe and her fellow runaways - Derek, Simon, and the newly-added Tori - had a great dynamic that really took off in this sequel. What you know about them - or thought you knew - from The Summoning gets thrown into a loop, but I think a loop for the better. Their escape was not perfect. Their relationships were not perfect. They bickered as much as they tried to work together in their escape route. Call me crazy, but I smell a love triangle about to explode between Chloe, Derek, and Simon - and I hate to say that I am Derek > Simon though Simon has his awesomeness.

Since I tend to overwork my brain sometimes, I tried to figure out why I liked The Awakening better than The Summoning - and I think that the sequel acted more like the "action" part of a movie. I sat through the set-up, had my first impressions of all the characters and crazy goings-on, and now this is the good stuff where everything falls into place and/or falls apart. I assume that The Reckoning will carry on with the action and hopefully answer the many questions left unanswered.

I mentioned in my previous review that you should make sure to have both books on hand since The Summoning left you on a cliff. I stand by that recommendation, especially if you left The Summoning as unimpressed as I did. The Awakening, of course, also leaves you on a cliff - but it does not appear as deep and I am more than excited to wait for the jump that the last book is sure to deliver :)
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Disclosure 10/7/09: LIBRARY