Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Abandon by Meg Cabot

Abandon by Meg Cabot.
Reviewed by: Baby Sister Brittany
Release Date: April 26th, 2011 (Get your Pre-Order on, kids)
EDIT: Abandon is an April pick and 45% off on Barnesandnoble.com
The Sisters say: Spooky, Swoon-worthy, and Scintillating

(Summary from goodreads.com)
New from #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, a dark, fantastical story about this world . . . and the underworld.
Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.
But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.
Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.
But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.


Abandon all hope ye who enter here?

 Try abandon those attempts at sleep and read this book in one sitting!

It’s hard to remember the first Young Adult book I read that captured me all those years ago, but I do remember the first YA paranormal romance I ever read, and that was The Mediator series by Meg Cabot. If you have a thing for ghosts, especially swoon-worthy Spanish ones, you should check it out. I feel a little bit as if Meg Cabot has come full circle with her latest book. The Mediator featured ghosts stuck in the world of the living, while Abandon features a young girl, who faces the prospect of being stuck in the Underworld.

Pierce’s story is told in pieces throughout the book with the past and present interwoven, but this much you glean early on—Pierce died, and in the Underworld she attracted the attention of John—the keeper of the Underworld. He’s not quite Hades, but rather has inherited this job. Pierce was determined to get back to her old life, and she succeeded, but John had to pay the price.

Things I loved about the book:
1. Once again… Greek Mythology. In case you can’t tell—we love the Greeks here at YA Sisterhood! When I heard that this book was a re-telling of the Persephone myth, I was a bit reluctant to dive right into it honestly. I’d just read the Goddess Test (See our previous review) and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to read two books with the same plot within a two-week period. But they couldn’t be more different! I would say Abandon is only loosely inspired by the Persephone myth. This story is entirely it’s own.

2. John. I liked scary, keeper of the underworld John. I liked sweet “I talk to children” John.  I liked strong, dangerous “I ride a giant horse, don’t mess with me” John.  And I LOVED “I suffer endlessly because of you, but I don’t care” John. I just loved John. John. John. John. (I’m hoping he’ll be like Beetlejuice and suddenly appear when I say his name three times). John really made this book for me. Pierce was an interesting narrator, and I enjoyed her story, but John had all my attention. He is at once profoundly human and utterly inhuman. He gets the worst of both worlds. He experiences all the pain and suffering of the human world (more so, in fact), but has the detached, hardened emotions of someone who controls where you go in the afterlife.  And he has the immortality of the gods, which only gives him longer to stew in his loneliness. I can’t wait for the next book to learn more about him—how he became the keeper of the Underworld and what he had to go through after Pierce left.


3. The setting in the Florida Keys. When I think Florida Keys—I think sunshine and summer and bikinis and fun. This book had all of that, but it also had a layer of darkness and danger. The setting was lush and decadent and fascinating.  I never for a moment thought—why would the Florida Keys have anything to do with the Underworld? It all just clicks into place perfectly!

4. The twists! Oh, the twists!!! I can’t tell you much more except that it’s pretty… twisted. :)


5. The Supporting Characters! Man does this book have a cast of characters! I loved Pierce's uncle and her cousin. But my absolute favorite-- the old man in charge of the cemetery. SO AWESOME. 

I’ve seen some people complain that the book takes too long to get going. And it’s true, that you don’t really get the full story of what exactly happened to Pierce until fairly late in the book, but I actually liked the mystery. It was like a puzzle—Cabot gives you these little patchwork pieces, and the intensity only builds as the pieces start to fall into place.

I, for one, am ecstatic with Meg Cabot’s return to the Paranormal world. Count me in for the adventure!  Add this to your to-read pile (and while you’re at it, throw The Mediator series on there too). 

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Die for Me by Amy Plum

Die For Me by Amy Plum
HarperTeen
Release date: May 10, 2011
Reviewed by: AmyG (big sis)
Sister's Say: Delicious, Daring, Deadly

Bookblurb from goodreads.com

DIE FOR ME is the first of three books about Kate, a sixteen-year-old American who moves to Paris after the death of her parents. It introduces a new version of the undead with revenants, beings who are fated to sacrifice themselves over and over again to save others’ lives. Kate finds herself falling for Vincent, who she discovers is not the typical French teenager he appears: he is something else entirely.

DIE FOR ME presents a new supernatural mythology presented in a city where dreams are sometimes the same as reality.



Let me start by just saying one word, AMAZING!!!! I defy anyone to start this book and actually not read it in one sitting. Amy Plum takes all the aspects of what readers love in a YA paranormal romance, but gives us something completely new and refreshing!

What I loved about this novel?
1. Paris
2. Revenants
3. Hunky boys

During the reading of this novel, I cannot tell you how many times I had to physically restrain myself from driving to the nearest airport and hopping a plane to Paris. The food, the architecture, the art, the streets, the cafes (I could go on for hours), I could literally see, smell, hear, and taste them all. Breathtaking descriptions of the City of Love come to life on the pages, and you can actually see and feel Kate and Vincent fall in love under this backdrop. Thank you Amy for sharing a bit of your love of Paris with us!

Revenants!!! How cool of an idea is this! I'm super jealous of not thinking of it first! As I said earlier, something completely new and absolutely refreshing! If I wasn't married, I would definitely take a revenant boyfriend! I'll leave Vincent for Kate, and I'll kindly take Jules, thank you very much!

And lastly, hunky, hunky boys! Did I mention these hunky boys, constantly sacrifice themselves to save other people like children and elderly women! Seriously, how can you resist that?!?!

Die for Me doesn't come out until May, but go right now and reserve it at your bookstore! I promise you won't be disappointed!!!

Monday, March 28, 2011

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

The Goddess Test
by Aimee Carter
Harlequin Teen
Release Date:
April 26, 2011

Every girl who has taken the test has died.

Now it's Kate's turn.


It's always been just Kate and her mom--and now her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld--and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy--until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

If she fails...


Well, first off let me say that Greek Mythology is the new dystopia in YA literature! (and I could not be more thrilled) I, like my sister mentioned in an earlier post, am also a huge fan of Greek Mythology. I guess all this comes from growing up with an English teacher as a mother. So, bring on the gods and goddesses, I am ready!!!

I started reading this book after I put my kids to bed one night. I read for a couple of hours and could not make myself put this book down. So, I just kept reading. The hours just ticked by and the next thing I know, its 3am, and I am finished! It is that kind of book! I had to know how it ended, and it was worth the pain I would feel the next day just to know what would happen! The only bummer part was that I had no one to talk to about the book in the wee hours of the morning!

These are the things I loved best about The Goddess Test:
1. its a spin-off not a modernization
2. Aimee Carter's grasp and ability to express the emotion especially the grief of her characters
3. James, yes, just James

1. The Goddess Test is connected to the tale of Persephone and Hades. However, even if you know all about Hades and Persephone, you will still not know the plot of this book, as Persephone in this version has fallen in love with a mortal and no longer abides in the Underworld during the winter. Now, Henry (Hades) is left to find a replacement for Persephone, hence the title, The Goddess Test. Whoever can pass this series of tests, will take Persephone's place as the Queen of the Underworld. This is what is so great about this novel! She takes these Greek myths and gives them a spin of her own. Henry is the cannon Hades that we all studied; however, she gives this ruler of the Underworld new dimensions. Instead of this devil-like character that you would normally root against, you start to empathize with Henry. You see this love he has for Persephone and his despair at losing her, and suddenly you find yourself hoping that he will find love again with Kate. Everything that one would traditionally feel when reading a novel about Hades is twisted inside out. It's refreshing to not get just a modernized version of the ancient myth, but a new twist on an old classic.

2. The definition of mourning is the expressing of grief. Many people do not have the ability to write or even portray grief or pain accurately. One of the things I most enjoyed about this novel was how accurately Aimee Carter expresses that unbearable grief of losing someone you love either through death or the other person's choice. As Kate is dealing with the terminal illness of her mom, the words she uses are gut wrenching. I can imagine myself saying, thinking, doing all the things that Kate does if I were to lose my mom. Her pain and grief at the idea of moving on without her mom is realistic and horrifying. You are right there suffering right along with Kate. On the other hand, even though Henry doesn't talk much about his pain of losing Persephone, the descriptions of Henry portray him as a severely suffering character. His swiftly shifting moods remind you that even the smallest thing can recall the grief of a particular moment. A great writer draws you in and gives you connections with their characters. When you feel and grieve along side them, you know you've found a memorable character!

3. ***This section will contain slight spoilers, so if you don't want to read this skip to the next section.***

Oh James, where to begin.  In my first reading of this book, not much stuck out to me regarding James. However, as I was rereading it, to prep for this review, James all of he sudden started sneaking into my heart and mind! He has honestly tormented me with questions! Once we find out who exactly James is, I couldn't help but wonder what his role would be in the future novels. Is he really in love with Kate or was it all part of the tests? Is he going to be a possible angle of a love triangle? Was he trying to get Kate not to go with Henry at the beginning because he wants to be the next ruler of the Underworld or because he truly cares for Kate? Questions, questions, questions!!! If any of these questions can be answered with an affirmative, James becomes a much more interesting character. I want to know what his true intentions are!!! Please let January get here quickly!

Now in conclusion, I must state again that I really enjoyed this novel. Its escape reading at its best! What girl doesn't want to be courted by some dark, handsome god! The only thing that bothered me about the novel was the subtlety of the tests. I really wished we as the readers would have been more clued into the tests. I craved for at least one of the tests to be a huge action packed scene where Kate would have to prove herself as being deserving of becoming a goddess. We do get some great action at the end; however, it isn't regarding any of the tests. All in all, there are some great surprises and twists in the novel, and I am eagerly, anxiously awaiting the next novel. You should definitely put this on your "to-read" list! Thanks Ms. Carter for a great read!


Saturday, March 19, 2011

Book in Quotes: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Here's the first in a new series! Periodically, we'll be bringing you some of our favorite books, told only through quotes! For the first, I chose what is in my opinion one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read. If you haven't read The Book Thief, you need to NOW! Though, you should be aware it's one of those rare books that will leave a mark so distinct on you that you'll remember it forever. Without further ado: The Book Thief in Quotes!


"Sometimes you read a book so special that you want to carry it around with you for months after you've finished just to stay near it."

"It’s a small story really, about, among other things:

* A girl
* Some words
* An accordionist
* Some fanatical Germans
* A Jewish fist fighter
* And quite a lot of thievery" -Death

"I have to say that although it broke my heart, I was, and still am, glad I was there." –Death

"It was a year for the ages, like 79, like 1346, to name just a few. Forget the scythe, damn it, I needed a broom or a mop. And I needed a vacation. " –Death

"It kills me sometimes, how people die." –Death

"He does something to me, that boy. Every time. It’s his only detriment. He steps on my heart. He makes me cry." –Death (about Rudy Steiner)


"He was the crazy one who had painted himself black and defeated the world.

She was the book thief without the words.

Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like rain." –Death


"How about a kiss, Saumensch?"

He stood waist-deep in the water for a few moments longer before climbing out and handing her the book. His pants clung to him, and he did not stop walking. In truth, I think he was afraid. Rudy Steiner was scared of the book thief's kiss. He must have longed for it so much. He must have loved her so incredibly hard. So hard that he would never ask for her lips again and would go to his grave without them." –Rudy Steiner and Death

“In the darkness of my dark-beating heart, I know. He'd have loved it all right.
You see?
Even death has a heart." –Death

"It’s the leftover humans. The survivors. They’re the ones I can’t stand to look at, although on many occasions I still fail.” –Death


"I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right." –Liesel Meminger


"I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn’t already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race - that rarely do I even simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant. None of those things, however, came out of my mouth.

All i was able to do was turn to Leisel Meminger and tell her the only truth I truly know. I said it to the book thief and I say it now to you.

***A LAST NOTE FROM YOUR NARRATOR***
I am haunted by humans."
-Death

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab



Summary: (from goodreads.com)
The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.
If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.
And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.
But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

The Near Witch
By Victoria Schwab
Release Date: August 2, 2011
Reviewed by: Baby Sister Brittany

The Sisters say: Spooky, Startling, Satisfying.  


This whole book felt like a ghost story told round a campfire in the middle of the night (it probably helped that I pretty much read the whole thing in the middle of the night). It was a familiar story in many ways (very Pied Piper), but just different enough to make it feel fresh and captivating.

Cole is intriguing. Silent and Broody, but for a reason. The broodiness is not contrived solely to give him that dark, misunderstood, bad boy feel that is so popular in YA.

Lexi is strong—an attitude to match the combat boots/hunting knife/dress combination of her wardrobe. Though, I did think that she seemed to lose some of her spunk later in the book, and had to rely on Cole too much. There is a point near the end (don’t worry, no spoilers here) that I just wanted to say, “Come on! Just do it yourself! You don’t need him there with you!” But alas, she was still hardcore enough to be awesome in my book.

Despite having very unrealistic aspects, the world of Near felt very real. The community felt clearly defined. I could feel the connections in the village, and the songs and poems seemed like traditions and tales you might really find in a small town (albeit one that is disconnected from the rest of society. Yes, that means no television, cell phones, etc). Now that I bring up the modern things that were missing, I was left wondering when exactly this story took place. I couldn’t decide whether it was sometime in the past or perhaps a future where society has regressed. Or perhaps, it, like the tale of the Near Witch, is just a story. A cautionary tale about fear, and the things it can drive people to do in the face of change—some deceitful and some heroic—depending on the person.

EDIT: Oh! And one more fantastic thing about The Near Witch-- as far as I can tell, not part of a trilogy! That's right folks! Get the whole story in one book! Enjoy!

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Delirium by Lauren Oliver


Summary (from Amazon.com): Lena Haloway is content in her safe, government-managed society. She feels (mostly) relaxed about the future in which her husband and career will be decided, and looks forward to turning 18, when she’ll be cured of deliria, a.k.a. love. She tries not to think about her mother’s suicide (her last words to Lena were a forbidden “I love you”) or the supposed “Invalid” community made up of the uncured just beyond her Portland, Maine, border. There’s no real point—she believes her government knows how to best protect its people, and should do so at any cost. But 95 days before her cure, Lena meets Alex, a confident and mysterious young man who makes her heart flutter and her skin turn red-hot. As their romance blossoms, Lena begins to doubt the intentions of those in power, and fears that her world will turn gray should she submit to the procedure. In this powerful and beautifully written novel, Lauren Oliver, the bestselling author of Before I Fall, throws readers into a tightly controlled society where options don’t exist, and shows not only the lengths one will go for a chance at freedom, but also the true meaning of sacrifice.


“Ninety-five days, and then I'll be safe. I wonder whether the procedure will hurt. I want to get it over with. It's hard to be patient. It's hard not to be afraid while I'm still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn't touched me yet. Still, I worry. They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness. The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don't.”

Release Date: February 2011 
Reviewed by: Baby Sister Brittany
The Sisters say: Startling. Strong. Succulent.

It’s official. I’ve been infected.

With Amor Deliria Nervosa. Also known as Delirium. Also known as love. 

I loved this book. (Am I allowed to say I loved a book that is about a world where “love” has been deemed a disease?) Ah, who cares! I LOVED THIS BOOK.

We all have certain kinds of books we like to read—a literary niche, if you will. And for me, I’ve always drifted towards books dealing with forbidden love. And I don’t just mean “forbidden” in the sense that it’s unusual or improper or even slightly dangerous for the two main characters to be together. I gravitate towards the kind of forbidden love where it is unusual, improper, dangerous, and seemingly impossible for our ingénues to find any kind of happiness.  I want love so forbidden that to choose each other means giving up something else important (perhaps everything else)—a sacrifice of self, family, and possibly sanity (since characters must go against every instinct of self-preservation to choose that kind of love). I want books about the kind of love that most of us would turn down in real life because of the danger, our sense of reason, and plain common sense—the kind of relationships we only ever get to have in our imaginations. And Delirium is just that kind of book!
The relationship that develops between Lena and Alex is not only forbidden because of her uncured status (and the secrets of Alex’s identity), but also because LOVE, itself, is forbidden. Lena lives in a world where even families treat each other with cold detachment. Her mother’s “I love you,” given as a gift in their last moment together, acts as a seed implanted deep in Lena’s mind that blooms gradually and beautifully despite the propaganda that Lena has grown up believing as fact.

Speaking of propaganda—the little tidbits of information at the beginnings of each chapter, ranging from politically-correct love-bashing nursery rhymes to handbooks about the cure, acted as little hooks that reeled me in bit by bit into Oliver’s world. They, along with the rest of the book, are deliciously quotable. After each one, I was itching to call someone and read each little section aloud. Several times I had to stop reading and mark a quote (or enter it as a Facebook status), because they were so provoking that I didn’t want to forget.

I could sit here and wax poetic for several pages about the captivating plot of this book, my affection for the characters, and how completely their world captured me, but I think this book’s strongest attributes speak for themselves. The concept is novel and fascinating, and if you give it a chance—you’ll read with horror and fascination and excitement as the story unfolds.

I will speak briefly about my one issue with the book. While I thought the world-building with respect to the disease and the cure was fascinating and complete, I do think that the world-building was lacking elsewhere. I have trouble believing that people just up and decided love was a disease one day and readily accepted a cure when it became available. I feel like there would have to be some huge inciting incident in order for the love-haters to so outweigh the love-lovers (teehee…). And that’s information that is never revealed. Besides the cure—travel is also restricted in the U.S. and city borders shut down, but besides that—life seems relatively normal.  People go to college, have kids, etc (all according the governments assignments, however). I can’t believe that a society that was willing to be cured of love would be so similar to ours. I wanted to know how lack of love affected the rest of the world—Do people only work for money rather than enjoyment? Are there no more arts? No more entertainment? No more sadness?  If you don’t love anything to begin with—does it hurt to lose it? We see glances of rebellion in the forbidden music that Lena is exposed to, but that is a small percentage of how life was on the whole. Perhaps it’s naïve of me, but I think that so much of life is about love. And so much of the world is about life. So to take love out of the equation, I expected the world to be drastically altered—like a rainbow without colors, a book without words—that to me, is life without love. Looking at the cured characters in the book, they aren’t just cured of love, but most emotions all together. I believe one of the propaganda sections said that the cure cut down on crime (no more crimes of passion), but wouldn’t a world of complete emotional detachment also have its dangers? Can there be guilt when no other emotions are present?

None of this cut down on my enjoyment of the book. On the contrary, the mark of a good book is one that makes you stop and think about the world in which it takes place. I wouldn’t have wasted my time on a lesser book. I was simply so captivated that I wanted to know more. I wanted a finished painting rather that just the main idea.

I look forward to the second book in the series—in the hopes that it will continue to fill in the gaps in this new dystopian world. I’m also dying to know what happens next after the unforgettable, heart-wrenching ending of the first (another literary niche of mine—I love authors brave enough to put twists at the end that aren’t just exciting, but heart-breaking and world-changing).

So, go ahead. Read Delirium. Catch my disease. 

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Oh Demonglass, where to begin. First off, I must say that Demonglass is the second book in the Hex Hall series. So, if you haven't read Hex Hall, you might not want to read this review yet, and how dare you, go read it right now!!! With that here's a synopsis of Demonglass from BN.com.

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth. Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers. But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?



Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins


Released: March 1, 2011


Reviewed by: AmyG


The Sister's say: Snarky, Sassy, Superb


Now, on to the review. I have anxiously been waiting for Demonglass for too long now. I loved Hex Hall for so many reasons which all make a reappearance in Hawkin's new novel but namely Archer, Archer, and more Archer. This book was like seeing an old friend I hadn't seen for a long time, whom I had totally forgotten how much i loved! It's so refreshing to be pulled into a 2nd novel in a series just like the 1st.


I'll start with all the lovelies that Demonglass possessed (pun intended).
1. Oh snarkiness, how I love thee
2. Surprises
3. Great set-up for the 3rd novel

1. The absolute most wonderful thing about this series is Sophie's snarkiness! She can manage to make a joke out of any outrageous situation which deserves a lot of props, especially if you know Sophie. With the introduction of Sophie's dad, James Atherton, who happens to be the head of the council of prodigium, we see where Sophie gets her devastating wit. The father/daughter 1, 2 punch combo adds to the overall clever banter that keeps the novel moving at a fast pace.

2. Like most 2nd books, Ms. Hawkins does spend a lot of time building up for the great war of a finale that will be in the 3rd book, but it is refreshing to still be shocked in a 2nd book. The surprises start as early as the 2nd chapter. And for those of you who have already read Demonglass,

***Spoiler alert***
***read at your own risk***Betrothed?!?!?! Really?!?!? I totally did not see that one coming!
***end spoiler***

And, the twists just keep coming. When the book starts, the lines are clearly drawn between The Eye, the Prodigium and the Brannicks, but just when you think you have everything figured out, she throws you another curve ball leaving everything you thought you knew in tatters.

3. Considering the build up mentioned above, I can hardly contain myself with my excitement for Hex Hall 3. The setup for the 3rd novel leaves us with a compelling love triangle, Team Cal or Team Archer, (get your shirts ready) and blurs the lines between friend and foe. There are secrets that have not been revealed yet. Who's on whose side makes for a great puzzle, and the wondering of who will make it out alive keeps me up at night. The book of course ends with a huge cliff hanger, but one thing we do know, we are in for a civil war of epic proportions between prodigium and humans alike.

If I had to pick something that I didn't like and this would be a gun to my head scenario, I'd say that some parts were a bit predictable. From the moment we find out that the Casnoff family used to run the council, but are now 2nd in command; what happens next becomes pretty obvious, cue the melodramatic foreshadowing music. Also, Archer. I loved, loved, loved every inch of mysterious, snarky Archer in Hex Hall. ***slight spoilers*** However, in my heart of hearts, I was hoping that Archer was forced to be in the Eye, that they were holding his beloved little brother or cousin or an African orphan hostage in order to force him to obey their every whim. Sadly, we find out in this novel that that is not the case. Come on Archer, raised by The Eye or not, that was a pretty weak excuse!!! You're a warlock, you should be able to stand up for what is right!!!***spoiler over***

Okay, all that being said, should you read this? HECK YES!!!


Now, let's do a little exercise that is my absolute favorite thing to do while waiting for the next book in YA book series: predicting what's to come!!! I'll give you some questions that are burning a hole in my brain to get us started!

***Questions will contain spoilers***

1. Who are you rooting for, Cal or Archer? (I'm kind of leaning toward Cal unless Archer redeems himself by kicking some serious Eye butt.)

2. Why is Sophie's mom with the Brannick sisters? How long have the known each other? Is she a Brannick?

3. How had James, Sophie's father, preferred the enemy so to say? Which enemy, the Eye or the Brannick sister's?

There's just a few to get us started!