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Haunting Emma #3
Surrender
After a devastating battle at headquarters in New York, the ghostkeeping world is in shambles. When Emma and Bennett return home, they are determined to defeat the wraithmaster, Neos, forever. But it's not going to be easy. Bennett's parents kick him out when they realize he is still using drugs to enhance his powers. Emma is convinced her aunt has come back from the dead to warn her of a new threat. And worst of all, Neos is using wraiths to possess the students at Thatcher Academy. If the ghosts manage to take over the entire school, even Emma won't be strong enough to stop them. But if either she or Bennett sacrifice his or her powers, they might be able to save the ghostkeeping world once and for all-and break the "ghostkeepers lose their powers when they fall in love" curse. The question is: who will be the one to surrender all power?
Fast-paced and romantic, this conclusion to the Haunting Emma trilogy will thrill readers as it brings the ghostly mystery to a close.
Fast-paced and romantic, this conclusion to the Haunting Emma trilogy will thrill readers as it brings the ghostly mystery to a close.
258 pages, Paperback
First published December 6, 2011
20 people are currently reading
1632 people want to read
About the author
Lee Nichols
24 books376 followersLee Nichols is the author of five novels for adults, including the bestselling TALES OF A DRAMA QUEEN. She'll be making her YA debut in 2010 with DECEPTION: A Haunting Emma Novel. Follow her on Twitter at LeeXNichols or Friend her on Facebook at Lee Nichols. http://www.leenicholsbooks.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
April 24, 2012
I’ve been a huge fan of Lee Nichols’s Haunting Emma series since the start and I have to say, finishing this book – Surrender; which is the third and final book in the series, was a sad moment for me because, even though this book was so, so good I’m still not ready to leave these characters behind but of course, Lee Nichols’s ends it with a bang and it was PURE-AWESOME!
This time around we see Emma and the gang trying to deal with the aftermath after the battle at the Knell; the ghost-keepers headquarters in New York. Everyone is unsure of what to do next and people are more afraid then ever. But Emma is more determined then ever to banish Neos forever. To do that, she needs to allocate his ashes which are hidden in Thatcher Academy somewhere and she really needs the help from her friends more than ever but that’s easier said than done. Bennett’s parents arrive home and kick him out when they realise he is still addicted to a drug that enhances his powers and Emma’s friends are all wrapped up in their own problem. But Neos won’t wait forever….and soon the fight it bought to them. Can Emma defeat Neos once and for all? And can she save the one she loves the most before he destroys himself?
Surrender is a fantastic finale! Lee Nichols’s definitely left this series on a high note and I have to say it’s definitely my favourite out of all three books. From start to end, it’s fast paced, exciting and full of danger. And of course, the romance is hotter than EVER! And this is why I loved this story so much because we got to see Emma and Bennett really be a couple. Their scenes with each other was so sweet and beautiful and yes, they do have their up’s and down’s but it’s nothing they can’t overcome together.
I adore all the characters especially Emma, Bennett, Lukas and Harry but I’m glad to see they all go the ending they deserved. I have to say, even Bennett’s parents grew on me and I was glad we got to get to know Emma’s brother too.
Overall, Surrender did not disappoint at all and if you’re looking for a spooky ghost story, full of laughs and romance then this is the series for you. Highly recommended!
A huge thank you Bloomsbury UK for giving me the opportunity to review this book
This time around we see Emma and the gang trying to deal with the aftermath after the battle at the Knell; the ghost-keepers headquarters in New York. Everyone is unsure of what to do next and people are more afraid then ever. But Emma is more determined then ever to banish Neos forever. To do that, she needs to allocate his ashes which are hidden in Thatcher Academy somewhere and she really needs the help from her friends more than ever but that’s easier said than done. Bennett’s parents arrive home and kick him out when they realise he is still addicted to a drug that enhances his powers and Emma’s friends are all wrapped up in their own problem. But Neos won’t wait forever….and soon the fight it bought to them. Can Emma defeat Neos once and for all? And can she save the one she loves the most before he destroys himself?
Surrender is a fantastic finale! Lee Nichols’s definitely left this series on a high note and I have to say it’s definitely my favourite out of all three books. From start to end, it’s fast paced, exciting and full of danger. And of course, the romance is hotter than EVER! And this is why I loved this story so much because we got to see Emma and Bennett really be a couple. Their scenes with each other was so sweet and beautiful and yes, they do have their up’s and down’s but it’s nothing they can’t overcome together.
I adore all the characters especially Emma, Bennett, Lukas and Harry but I’m glad to see they all go the ending they deserved. I have to say, even Bennett’s parents grew on me and I was glad we got to get to know Emma’s brother too.
Overall, Surrender did not disappoint at all and if you’re looking for a spooky ghost story, full of laughs and romance then this is the series for you. Highly recommended!
A huge thank you Bloomsbury UK for giving me the opportunity to review this book
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February 25, 2024Originally posted to Once Upon A Time.
Surrender was never released in the UK and as such, we Brits had to accept that our Haunting Emma collections would look something like this:
Thankfully, it is a trilogy worth making do with mismatched covers as it’s a delight to read. And I did spend a fair while making bets with myself over the colour of book three. I think I went with orange but I guess we’ll never know!
It had been a long while since I’d read Betrayal, book two of the trilogy, and so it took me a while to work out who was who, who was where, and what was going on and get back into the narrative style all over again and I didn’t feel as though previous events were re-explained very well so I do think this series works much better if you read all three in one sitting. I also found it funny reading this as I was in more of an adult chick lit mood, whereas reading the first two I was in the mood for this kind of series so the teenage angst bothered me so much more this time around but it’s still a good read.
Aside from the masses of angst and the assumption that you have a photographic memory, I also noticed an awful lot of moments in which the characters proved themselves to be glaringly oblivious. There were things that had me screaming at the book in a, “They’re behind you you dolt!” kind of style. But I felt that the fun of reading Surrender overrode my annoyances.
The Haunting Emma trilogy is the kind of series you read when you don’t want to think. You want to sit and enjoy your fantasy world and have a well resolved ending. It feels comfortable to read, the battles are fast-paced and just a little epic, and the characters are loveable and fun. It is certainly worth reading even if just the once.
Surrender was never released in the UK and as such, we Brits had to accept that our Haunting Emma collections would look something like this:
Thankfully, it is a trilogy worth making do with mismatched covers as it’s a delight to read. And I did spend a fair while making bets with myself over the colour of book three. I think I went with orange but I guess we’ll never know!
It had been a long while since I’d read Betrayal, book two of the trilogy, and so it took me a while to work out who was who, who was where, and what was going on and get back into the narrative style all over again and I didn’t feel as though previous events were re-explained very well so I do think this series works much better if you read all three in one sitting. I also found it funny reading this as I was in more of an adult chick lit mood, whereas reading the first two I was in the mood for this kind of series so the teenage angst bothered me so much more this time around but it’s still a good read.
Aside from the masses of angst and the assumption that you have a photographic memory, I also noticed an awful lot of moments in which the characters proved themselves to be glaringly oblivious. There were things that had me screaming at the book in a, “They’re behind you you dolt!” kind of style. But I felt that the fun of reading Surrender overrode my annoyances.
The Haunting Emma trilogy is the kind of series you read when you don’t want to think. You want to sit and enjoy your fantasy world and have a well resolved ending. It feels comfortable to read, the battles are fast-paced and just a little epic, and the characters are loveable and fun. It is certainly worth reading even if just the once.
August 1, 2013
Book 3 concludes the Haunting Emma series, and what a boring series it was. Truthfully, it shouldn’t have been a series at all. The story had some good things but they were very diluted by scenes that often went nowhere and conflicts that were extended way, way beyond their shelf life.
The beginning of book 3 was slow, so slow that it should have been condensed to a few chapters and started towards the middle of the book. The middle was better but useless chapters still plagued it. Consequently, I skimmed because my patience was gone. I couldn’t be bothered to wait any second longer for the characters to finally deal with Neos.
+ the characters
You would think massive time and energy would be spent in preparation for the fight against the ultimate villain of the series, but no. The characters were winging things. I was shocked and angered by how the characters failed to make defeating Neos their fucking priority. Really? A psychopath from the fucking grave was on the loose and boy troubles were their main concern? REALLY?!
The one character who showed any commitment and serious preparation to defeat Neos was Bennett, which was good... if only he wasn’t using a highly-addictive, highly-hazardous power-boosting drug to do it. *facepalm* Boy was more likely to drop dead before he could do anything.
I was vexed at how Emma ignored and enabled Bennett’s drug habit. She spent more time thinking about how she could get some decent alone time to make out with her boyfriend than she did about the fact that her boyfriend was a junkie and she should help him. I was already struggling with the fact that she picked the “bad boy” over the good boy, Simon. It was not until in the middle of the book did she finally recognize Bennett’s drug problem, but to make matters worse, she helped shit and they broke up. Stupid teenagers.
You ask where are the parents? Well, Bennett’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Stern, kicked Bennett out of the house in the beginning of the book and were useless as could be. They were only there to look after the kids, which they did a horrible job of. Emma’s parents, while they finally came back and stayed with Emma, were almost as terrible parents as the Stern’s were. They did little parenting, and none of it showed me that the characters truly took the issues seriously. We finally get some needed parental presence in the story and it turned out to be flaccid. Four parents, all of them fucking useless!
So I put my final hope with Max, Emma’s older brother. I had hoped when he came back in the middle of the book he would finally bring Emma to proper sense and purpose but, alas, no. I foolishly thought optimistically.
+ the ending
After several listless chapters and characters, Neos finally showed up at the end. I was disappointed how it was the only the time in book 3 he showed up, how his appearance barely lasted for a few scenes, and how utterly weak his presence was compared to the previous books. It was the final showdown yet the ultimate villain got treated like an uber tired loose end.
I hurt my eyes from rolling so much from how it all depended on Emma, the special snowflake, to defeat Neos. If this book had any sense of realism, the silly girl would have been dead in the beginning... of the series.
The only solace I found with the ending was that everyone fought and survived and that the romance between Emma and Bennett, despite a few deus ex machina, resolved satisfactory. I may have been frustrated with the characters but not so much that I wanted any of them to suffer tragic fates, which is the greatest compliment I can give to them. Seriously with sincerity. I even got a little sad for the few characters who died in the previous books.
In Conclusion
I rate Surrender 2-stars for it was okay. If you plan to pick up this boring cliché trilogy, read the books back to back. This is a series where it’s hard to remain invested and remember things if you don’t. I only recommend picking up this series if your library has nothing better at the moment for you to read.
The beginning of book 3 was slow, so slow that it should have been condensed to a few chapters and started towards the middle of the book. The middle was better but useless chapters still plagued it. Consequently, I skimmed because my patience was gone. I couldn’t be bothered to wait any second longer for the characters to finally deal with Neos.
+ the characters
You would think massive time and energy would be spent in preparation for the fight against the ultimate villain of the series, but no. The characters were winging things. I was shocked and angered by how the characters failed to make defeating Neos their fucking priority. Really? A psychopath from the fucking grave was on the loose and boy troubles were their main concern? REALLY?!
The one character who showed any commitment and serious preparation to defeat Neos was Bennett, which was good... if only he wasn’t using a highly-addictive, highly-hazardous power-boosting drug to do it. *facepalm* Boy was more likely to drop dead before he could do anything.
I was vexed at how Emma ignored and enabled Bennett’s drug habit. She spent more time thinking about how she could get some decent alone time to make out with her boyfriend than she did about the fact that her boyfriend was a junkie and she should help him. I was already struggling with the fact that she picked the “bad boy” over the good boy, Simon. It was not until in the middle of the book did she finally recognize Bennett’s drug problem, but to make matters worse, she helped shit and they broke up. Stupid teenagers.
You ask where are the parents? Well, Bennett’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Stern, kicked Bennett out of the house in the beginning of the book and were useless as could be. They were only there to look after the kids, which they did a horrible job of. Emma’s parents, while they finally came back and stayed with Emma, were almost as terrible parents as the Stern’s were. They did little parenting, and none of it showed me that the characters truly took the issues seriously. We finally get some needed parental presence in the story and it turned out to be flaccid. Four parents, all of them fucking useless!
So I put my final hope with Max, Emma’s older brother. I had hoped when he came back in the middle of the book he would finally bring Emma to proper sense and purpose but, alas, no. I foolishly thought optimistically.
+ the ending
After several listless chapters and characters, Neos finally showed up at the end. I was disappointed how it was the only the time in book 3 he showed up, how his appearance barely lasted for a few scenes, and how utterly weak his presence was compared to the previous books. It was the final showdown yet the ultimate villain got treated like an uber tired loose end.
I hurt my eyes from rolling so much from how it all depended on Emma, the special snowflake, to defeat Neos. If this book had any sense of realism, the silly girl would have been dead in the beginning... of the series.
The only solace I found with the ending was that everyone fought and survived and that the romance between Emma and Bennett, despite a few deus ex machina, resolved satisfactory. I may have been frustrated with the characters but not so much that I wanted any of them to suffer tragic fates, which is the greatest compliment I can give to them. Seriously with sincerity. I even got a little sad for the few characters who died in the previous books.
In Conclusion
I rate Surrender 2-stars for it was okay. If you plan to pick up this boring cliché trilogy, read the books back to back. This is a series where it’s hard to remain invested and remember things if you don’t. I only recommend picking up this series if your library has nothing better at the moment for you to read.
May 25, 2012
This series, of which this book is the last, is charming, warm, sweet and funny. Spoilers ahead if you haven't read the others!! This last book starts out with Bennett, her one-time "guardian" and boyfriend hooked on Asarum, an herb that boosts ghostkeeper's abilities. Two ghostkeepers can't be together, as one, the stronger, will drain the other's powers. Emma mother's gave up her powers for her father, and Bennett's dad for his mom. But Bennett believes he needs to be at his most powerful to help fight the evil ghost Neos, so as he and Emma can't stand to be separated, he is taking this drug, which is turning him into an addict. In the very beginning, Bennett's parents arrive home to find them making out in his bedroom, and Bennett an addict. They are not happy, and do not seem fond of Emma. They banish him back to New York, to the headquarters of the Knell,the ghost keeping society, which is decimated after their last battle with Neos. So the Sterns move back into their house, and Simon, their previous guardian in Betrayal goes back to run the Knell with Bennett's help. Lukas stays behind, and she and Natalie, another ghostkeeper whose parents repudiated her, all become nominal wards of the Sterns and return to classes at Thatcher Academy. But they know more than before, and have the help of more earthly and non-earthly beings in their fight against Neos. She brings her "normal" friends into the picture, and they all work on this. By now, her friends have forgiven her for the part she played in their friend Coby's death in Book One, and their subsequent shunning of her for part of book two, and it's all for one, and one for all. Retaining the charm, and quirkiness of the other two books, together all three books make a satisfying concoction, a truffle if you will, made by Anatole, their French chef. Lots of little details help build the characters, and Nichols has a strong hand with that - every person is not cookie cutter, and has problems and baggage of their own. And she understands that some of us want our minor characters to have as well-drawn a character as the main ones. And that is a big plus for me. These are comfort food. My big complaint is that knowing what is on the line - basically the forces of darkness from the Beyond against the normal world, and still Emma can't keep her hands of Bennett, and he off of her, and so he takes the Asarum, and starts doing things he shouldn't. Even knowing all that, she still makes moves on him, and can't keep her hands off him. Makes for a strong love story, but things like that always bother me. I'm like to think I'm the kind of person who would put aside my feelings for the betterment of mankind should it be needed, and the only exception would be my kids who I would die to protect. But I wouldn't make things worse for them or us by continuing behavior that isn't necessary right now. Wait a while until the crisis is resolved. Then decide if you want to proceed with losing powers on one side. But wait a few months? Teen hormones at work.
March 30, 2015
Denne serie har virkelig korte beskrivelser, hvilket egentlig er lidt ærgerligt, fordi det giver ikke en lyst til at læse serien. Tilgengæld er de danske covers meget pænere end de originale! 2’eren var jeg ikke lige så vild med som den første, så jeg var ret spændt på hvordan jeg ville have det med denne. Jeg blev dog en smule skuffet, desværre.
Emma ændre sig ikke rigtig, hvis hun gør har jeg i hvert fald ikke opdaget noget. Bennett er ikke blevet bedre, tværtimod. Derfor er jeg stadig ikke vild med deres kærlighed. Så vidt jeg husker, bruger Emma et udtryk om at det er sand og ægte kærlighed der vil vare for evigt, da hun snakker sammen med Natalie mener jeg (Jeg skrev det ikke ned, men noget i den dur) Det gjorde mig en anelse sur og tvær. Jeg føler ikke deres kærlighed er oprigtig eller længerevarende, men netop er den teenage-forelskelse som Emma påstår det ikke er.
Emma’s forældre er nogle af de værste fiktive forældre jeg er stødt på, og de bliver absolut ikke bedre gennem historien, selvom forfatteren vidst forsøger at få dem til at virke bedre. Jeg kunne næsten skrive en hel roman om hvad der er galt med dem, og hvorfor jeg hader dem.
Celeste, Anatole og Libertineren er dem der trækker historien op, jeg kan virkelig godt lide dem, og ville ønske at de havde fyldt en anelse mere i historien.
Handlingen var kedelig for at sige det ligeud. Det var først ved slutningen at der begyndte at ske lidt, og da der endelig kom lidt fart over feltet sluttede bogen. Slutningen, som der er bygget op til gennem alle tre bøger, var virkelig plat og overfladisk. Forfatteren har brugt mere tid og energi på kærligheden mellem Emma og Bennett (og andre) end det store episke opgør til sidst. Det er virkelig ærgerligt. Det er ikke en serie jeg kommer til at genlæse, for den sidste bog ødelagde det virkelig for mig.
Emma ændre sig ikke rigtig, hvis hun gør har jeg i hvert fald ikke opdaget noget. Bennett er ikke blevet bedre, tværtimod. Derfor er jeg stadig ikke vild med deres kærlighed. Så vidt jeg husker, bruger Emma et udtryk om at det er sand og ægte kærlighed der vil vare for evigt, da hun snakker sammen med Natalie mener jeg (Jeg skrev det ikke ned, men noget i den dur) Det gjorde mig en anelse sur og tvær. Jeg føler ikke deres kærlighed er oprigtig eller længerevarende, men netop er den teenage-forelskelse som Emma påstår det ikke er.
Emma’s forældre er nogle af de værste fiktive forældre jeg er stødt på, og de bliver absolut ikke bedre gennem historien, selvom forfatteren vidst forsøger at få dem til at virke bedre. Jeg kunne næsten skrive en hel roman om hvad der er galt med dem, og hvorfor jeg hader dem.
Celeste, Anatole og Libertineren er dem der trækker historien op, jeg kan virkelig godt lide dem, og ville ønske at de havde fyldt en anelse mere i historien.
Handlingen var kedelig for at sige det ligeud. Det var først ved slutningen at der begyndte at ske lidt, og da der endelig kom lidt fart over feltet sluttede bogen. Slutningen, som der er bygget op til gennem alle tre bøger, var virkelig plat og overfladisk. Forfatteren har brugt mere tid og energi på kærligheden mellem Emma og Bennett (og andre) end det store episke opgør til sidst. Det er virkelig ærgerligt. Det er ikke en serie jeg kommer til at genlæse, for den sidste bog ødelagde det virkelig for mig.
January 31, 2012
Please bear in mind that this is the third book in the series and may therefore contain spoilers for the previous books.
I love this series so much that I couldn't wait for it to be distributed in the UK in April so I bought the US copy. I am so glad I didn't wait.
Surrender picks up from the end of Betrayal perfectly. The ghost keepers are trying to put their world back together following the massacre at The Knell. The shock and despondency of the ghost-keepers at their defeat can be felt from within the narrative. The realization that Neos is just biding his time to gather his strength and that there is a very real possibility that they wont all survive is starkly represented.Confronting their own strengths and weakness is one aspect of the plot, each characters development is enhanced via their group dynamics and the resolution of these issues. Although Emma may have the strongest ghost-keeper powers she wouldn't have the strength of personality, loyalty or love without her friends and Bennett.
Bennett's struggle with the ghost-keeper drug, enhancing his powers in order to help Emma even if it kills him, is an issue with everyone. The understanding of his reasons was a brilliant piece of writing within the plot providing valuable insight and understanding at the conclusion.
The action is as fast paced as ever. The descriptive writing adds to the tension while keeping the pace flowing smoothly. Interspersed with the character relationships, their actions are linked a lot to their emotions, adding to the realism. Especially if like me you are an emotional person, lol. The non-ghost-keeper members of their team, Sara and Harry, show that you don't have to have supernatural powers to be of help. Harry's narrative voice, so full of sarcasm, helped dispel the tension when required.
Emma's plight at having to banish ghosts she cares for is easy to understand and emotionally portrayed within the narrative. Empathy for both sides can be felt, the ghost for not wanting to remain in a state of limbo and Emma for losing these people forever.
The mix of action, character development and of course, romance, brings this series to a wonderful and well rounded conclusion.
I love this series so much that I couldn't wait for it to be distributed in the UK in April so I bought the US copy. I am so glad I didn't wait.
Surrender picks up from the end of Betrayal perfectly. The ghost keepers are trying to put their world back together following the massacre at The Knell. The shock and despondency of the ghost-keepers at their defeat can be felt from within the narrative. The realization that Neos is just biding his time to gather his strength and that there is a very real possibility that they wont all survive is starkly represented.Confronting their own strengths and weakness is one aspect of the plot, each characters development is enhanced via their group dynamics and the resolution of these issues. Although Emma may have the strongest ghost-keeper powers she wouldn't have the strength of personality, loyalty or love without her friends and Bennett.
Bennett's struggle with the ghost-keeper drug, enhancing his powers in order to help Emma even if it kills him, is an issue with everyone. The understanding of his reasons was a brilliant piece of writing within the plot providing valuable insight and understanding at the conclusion.
The action is as fast paced as ever. The descriptive writing adds to the tension while keeping the pace flowing smoothly. Interspersed with the character relationships, their actions are linked a lot to their emotions, adding to the realism. Especially if like me you are an emotional person, lol. The non-ghost-keeper members of their team, Sara and Harry, show that you don't have to have supernatural powers to be of help. Harry's narrative voice, so full of sarcasm, helped dispel the tension when required.
Emma's plight at having to banish ghosts she cares for is easy to understand and emotionally portrayed within the narrative. Empathy for both sides can be felt, the ghost for not wanting to remain in a state of limbo and Emma for losing these people forever.
The mix of action, character development and of course, romance, brings this series to a wonderful and well rounded conclusion.
November 6, 2011
Surrender is the third and final book in Lee Nichols series, Haunting Emma, and it does not disappoint! If you have read the first two books in the series, Surrender will answer all of your questions that were left unanswered. I was literally biting my nails with the suspense. I found that Surrender was a lot less predictable than the first two books in the series. I had no idea where the story would go, and how Bennett and Emma would end up. There were times I felt bad for Bennett and wished everyone would cut him some slack, and then there were times that I wanted to reach in the book and slap some sense into him. Towards the end though, you discover Bennett's plan and it leaves you with a big smile on your face. The way Bennett and Emma love each other was very touching. I love their relationship and have since book one, Deception.
Emma's character also stays very consistent throughout the whole series and that is one of the things I really like. I mean, Emma changes a bit, but she changes for the better. She grows up a little and accepts who she is and what she has to do. Emma and her friends are also closer than ever in Surrender. Harry made me laugh out loud so many times throughout the book… I love him! I would love to read a spin off series based on Harry and Sara.
Even though Surrender is the ending to the series, I feel that it was a very complete ending. Everyone gets what they want and we finally get all the answers we had throughout the whole series. Lee Nichols delivers another page-turner with lots of twist and humor and a little mixture of suspense and romance, and that makes it a five star for me. There is never a dull moment! Who knew chasing after ghost can actually be that exciting?
Although the series is over, I cannot wait to see what Nichols has in store for us next. I love her work and I am so happy I got the chance to read this series.
A MUST-READ!
5 out of 5 Stars!
Emma's character also stays very consistent throughout the whole series and that is one of the things I really like. I mean, Emma changes a bit, but she changes for the better. She grows up a little and accepts who she is and what she has to do. Emma and her friends are also closer than ever in Surrender. Harry made me laugh out loud so many times throughout the book… I love him! I would love to read a spin off series based on Harry and Sara.
Even though Surrender is the ending to the series, I feel that it was a very complete ending. Everyone gets what they want and we finally get all the answers we had throughout the whole series. Lee Nichols delivers another page-turner with lots of twist and humor and a little mixture of suspense and romance, and that makes it a five star for me. There is never a dull moment! Who knew chasing after ghost can actually be that exciting?
Although the series is over, I cannot wait to see what Nichols has in store for us next. I love her work and I am so happy I got the chance to read this series.
A MUST-READ!
5 out of 5 Stars!
June 1, 2012
It's been a while since I read the first two books in the Haunting Emma series but when Bloomsbury UK offered me a review copy of Surrender I jumped at the chance! It took me a couple of chapters to get back into the plot and remember who everyone was, but it soon all came flooding back to me!
This is the last book in the series. I put off starting it for a while, because I hate when a book series ends, it's like moving to a new city and leaving friends behind.
This time around Emma and her fellow ghost-keepers are still trying to come to terms with everything that happened battling Neos at headquarters and figuring out what their next move should be.
I don't want to give too much of the plot away, as it is the last book in the trilogy. Let's just say Emma is more determined that ever to get rid of Neos once and for all!
The plot of full of action and suspense, which will keep you on your toes throughout the entire book. To me it was a bit more fast paced than the first two books, which is the only reason it got 4 stars instead of 5 from me. I would have liked to seen a bit more of some of the characters I've grown to know and love throughout this series before having to say goodbye to them.
Surrender is the perfect ending to a brilliant series, full of ups and downs and moments that will make you laugh out loud. It has the perfect mix of everything a good finale book needs!
The ending was brilliant, well thought out and put together. Even though I'm sad to see these characters go, I really don't think it could have ended any differently.
Lee Nichols did a brilliant job on the entire three books, I'm looking forward to reading more of her work in the future.
This is the last book in the series. I put off starting it for a while, because I hate when a book series ends, it's like moving to a new city and leaving friends behind.
This time around Emma and her fellow ghost-keepers are still trying to come to terms with everything that happened battling Neos at headquarters and figuring out what their next move should be.
I don't want to give too much of the plot away, as it is the last book in the trilogy. Let's just say Emma is more determined that ever to get rid of Neos once and for all!
The plot of full of action and suspense, which will keep you on your toes throughout the entire book. To me it was a bit more fast paced than the first two books, which is the only reason it got 4 stars instead of 5 from me. I would have liked to seen a bit more of some of the characters I've grown to know and love throughout this series before having to say goodbye to them.
Surrender is the perfect ending to a brilliant series, full of ups and downs and moments that will make you laugh out loud. It has the perfect mix of everything a good finale book needs!
The ending was brilliant, well thought out and put together. Even though I'm sad to see these characters go, I really don't think it could have ended any differently.
Lee Nichols did a brilliant job on the entire three books, I'm looking forward to reading more of her work in the future.
July 25, 2014
I think this will be short and sweet. It's been way to long since I've read it (the one downfall of a blog hiatus). I'll give it my best shot though!
Bennett was the most interesting character for me. I could not figure out the purpose behind his drug use even if it enhanced his powers. It just didn't seem to fit the character I knew. However, when we finally learn what his true intentions were and how the powerful drug use aided in that, I understood the bigger picture. Nothing he did was for himself, but entirely for Emma and to help her defeat Neos.
Emma was really no nonsense this time around. She was actually quite discouraged anytime the group was idle. She wanted the war with Neos to be over with. I was impressed with how well she kept her head on her shoulders. She may have wanted Neos dead and wanted to be the one to do, but she never acted irrationally.
I was afraid with as much of the book that passed by before our final battle took place, that the end would be short. That really irritates me when the ending is rushed. But, I really felt that the author did the ending justice. I was satisfied with the chain events and how the series came to a close!
September 5, 2012
Wow. Just wow. This is one of the best serieses I've ever read! I'm so sad to see it end but it was a great ending. And beginning. Because I know the end of Neos is just the beginning of the rest of their lives. Lee Nichols wrote one of the best casts of characters ever in this series. I loved them all so much. Sara, Natalie, Lukas, Simon, Max, Harry (oh my gosh Harry really came through in this book! Page 139. That's all I'm gonna say.), Coby (I cried), Edmund, Moorehead, Craven, the Sterns, Emma's parents, Bennett (dont even get me started! *dreamy sigh*), the Rake (again, I cried. And grinned like an idiot), and of course, Emma herself! What an amazing heroine she was! I don't know that she even could have been any better! I wont talk about the plot so i won't give anything away but good golly gosh! Hats off to Ms. Nichols for this amazing trilogy! I absolutely can't wait to see what she does next! This is definitely a series I'll be rereading countless times over the years and I'm so happy to have discovered t and shall now obnoxiously recommend it to every single book lover I meet! Because it really is that good and it's definitely something you need to experience for yourself so I recommend you get out and start reading Haunting Emma straight away! :)
December 7, 2011
SURRENDER is the conclusion to The Haunting Emma Trilogy. Emma started the series thinking she was normal not knowing anything about her powers or the world that she was born into. Throughout DECEPTION and BETRAYAL She has grown into a powerful Ghostkeeper. She has had loyal friends and family behind her, has lost people she cared about and has fought on the side of good.
Emma has been a great strong character throughout the series. She was easy to follow along with and connect to. Emma grew into herself through all the things that were thrown at her and came out ahead even when the odds were against her. Bennett and Emma's relationship has taken the long route but in SURRENDER their emotions and struggles as they fought for each other came through the pages and made the ending of the story that much better.
While SURRENDER did a great job building up suspense and mystery and had some great action thrown into the mix I felt the conclusion of the battles with Neos left me lacking the sense of satisfaction I would have liked to see with its conclusion. The Haunting Emma series was still a great series and I would recommend it to any YA ghost lover.
Emma has been a great strong character throughout the series. She was easy to follow along with and connect to. Emma grew into herself through all the things that were thrown at her and came out ahead even when the odds were against her. Bennett and Emma's relationship has taken the long route but in SURRENDER their emotions and struggles as they fought for each other came through the pages and made the ending of the story that much better.
While SURRENDER did a great job building up suspense and mystery and had some great action thrown into the mix I felt the conclusion of the battles with Neos left me lacking the sense of satisfaction I would have liked to see with its conclusion. The Haunting Emma series was still a great series and I would recommend it to any YA ghost lover.
December 16, 2011
Emma and her fellow ghostkeepers are back in Surrender, the third book in the Haunting Emma trilogy. Surrender starts with the arrival of Bennett's parents who are not pleased to find out that their son is addicted to Asarum (a drug which can increase a ghostkeeper's powers), so they promptly pack him off to get clean, leaving Emma alone.
Emma now under the supervision of Bennett's parents tries to balance school, friends and finding a way to end Neos once and for all. Emma does step up in this book though she has her moments of doubt and sadness without Bennett by her side and when Bennett does pop up he's not himself due to his addiction.
Emma's friends - both living and dead try to support her, even though they have their own issues. I was most interested to find out who would lose their powers at the end - Bennett or Emma, I was happy with who this turned out to be and how it was handled. I did think the end fight with Neos was rushed but apart from that everything wrapped up nicely.
Emma now under the supervision of Bennett's parents tries to balance school, friends and finding a way to end Neos once and for all. Emma does step up in this book though she has her moments of doubt and sadness without Bennett by her side and when Bennett does pop up he's not himself due to his addiction.
Emma's friends - both living and dead try to support her, even though they have their own issues. I was most interested to find out who would lose their powers at the end - Bennett or Emma, I was happy with who this turned out to be and how it was handled. I did think the end fight with Neos was rushed but apart from that everything wrapped up nicely.
December 12, 2011
For a rather short read, this book felt SO long. I really struggled to finish it. I was a bit disappointed there wasn't more action. The book was mainly drama - Emma and Bennett, Emma and her parents, Emma and his parents, Nicole and Lukas, etc. I understand Nichols was trying to build up the suspense until the big blowout, but I was really bored until the last three chapters or so. I figured she would drop a piece of action here or there other than just ghost sightings and short-lived possessions. I just thought it was a bit disappointing for the last book.
November 24, 2019
Such an amazing series, I wish that after the amazing ending though I got to learn more about the future of the characters, I will miss them! But I will definitely be re-reading this series time and time again!
October 20, 2019
I love this series, but I absolutely dislike how it all ends, unfortunately. I feel like the ending is written fast and in order to wrap it up. Too bad, as the rest of the series is so amazing.
March 15, 2022
3.75
So much better than the 2nd in series. All the elements that I loved in book 1 are present. GREAT ending. Keeping these in my permanent library.
So much better than the 2nd in series. All the elements that I loved in book 1 are present. GREAT ending. Keeping these in my permanent library.
June 17, 2023
3,5
Runder ned pga hun græder ALT for meget over en fyr som ikke er det værd...
Runder ned pga hun græder ALT for meget over en fyr som ikke er det værd...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2011
*Rating* 3.5
*Genre* Young Adult Paranormal
*Review*
*ARC received from the publisher via Netgalley.com*
Surrender is the last book in the Haunting Emma trilogy by Lee Nichols. 17 year old Emma Vaile has become one of the most powerful ghost-keepers in existence. So powerful, in fact, that Neos, the ancient, repulsive old ghost that has haunted Emma since she was a child, is more than a little determined to possess Emma and use her powers to release his horde of ghosts, wraiths, and ghasts and to become whole once again.
Emma, as a ghost-keeper, has all the powers necessary to communicate, read, summon, dispel and compel ghosts, wraiths, and ghasts back to whence they came. She is pretty much the only hope left for defeating Neos who has become a stain on everyone Emma knows especially after the devastation that happened in Betrayal and the shear loss of ghost-keepers lives including those in charge of the Knell.
Neos really wants Emma so badly, that he even gets the former Aunt Rachel, who was a ghost-keeper and was supposedly killed during the events of Betrayal, to do his bidding for him in an attempt to possess her body and become whole again. Of course, Neos has that effect on all the women he comes across including Emma’s own mother.
Meanwhile, Bennett Stern is addicted to Asarum and refuses to stop taking it, even at the risk of losing Emma forever. His parents, themselves Ghost-keepers, arrive home from a trip to Europe and end up kicking him out of the house as an ultimatum to get off Asarum. Bennett doesn’t go far. He is reassigned as a bodyguard to Simon who is now in charge of the Knell.
The usual suspects that being Lukas, Natalie, Cody, Henry and Sara all play their parts in this installment. Celeste and Anatole the Sterns ghost resident cook and housekeepers also are quite entertaining and would not be the same story without them. I don’t mind Henry, but I really got annoyed by the constant references to Emma’s feet. I mean, once or twice if funny. More than that becomes a nuisance and loses its effectiveness.
This book has a lot more surprises, including the fact that Emma’s parents and brother Max finally appear after dropping off the face of the earth at the beginning of book number one leaving Emma in Bennett’s hands and ending up at Thatcher Academy.
As a reader of this series, you have to have some compassion for Bennett, and why he felt it was necessary to take Asarum so that he can protect and help Emma and ensure that she has the strength necessary to defeat Neos.
But, at the same time, you also have to put yourself in Emma’s shoes knowing that Bennett is physically destroying his body, and pushing her away from him, and there’s nothing she can do about it since he won’t tell her the real reason behind his addiction. She does grow up lot more than previous installments, but there is a point where she has to believe that too she has too much responsibilities in not only stopping Neos, but in keeping Bennett from losing his life.
In this series, Ghost-keepers can fall in love, but, one of them will always lose their powers. It happened to Bennett’s parents, as well as Emma’s. The only question is who will be the one to relinquish their powers in order to turn Neos into dust Emma or Bennett?
I absolutely adore Cody and was happy to see how much he plays a part in this storyline.
I recommend that anyone who may be interested in this series, start reading the series from the beginning and in order. The trilogy features Deception, Betrayal, and of course, Surrender.
ARC received 10/19/2011 via NetGalley. Expected publication: December 6th 2011
*Genre* Young Adult Paranormal
*Review*
*ARC received from the publisher via Netgalley.com*
Surrender is the last book in the Haunting Emma trilogy by Lee Nichols. 17 year old Emma Vaile has become one of the most powerful ghost-keepers in existence. So powerful, in fact, that Neos, the ancient, repulsive old ghost that has haunted Emma since she was a child, is more than a little determined to possess Emma and use her powers to release his horde of ghosts, wraiths, and ghasts and to become whole once again.
Emma, as a ghost-keeper, has all the powers necessary to communicate, read, summon, dispel and compel ghosts, wraiths, and ghasts back to whence they came. She is pretty much the only hope left for defeating Neos who has become a stain on everyone Emma knows especially after the devastation that happened in Betrayal and the shear loss of ghost-keepers lives including those in charge of the Knell.
Neos really wants Emma so badly, that he even gets the former Aunt Rachel, who was a ghost-keeper and was supposedly killed during the events of Betrayal, to do his bidding for him in an attempt to possess her body and become whole again. Of course, Neos has that effect on all the women he comes across including Emma’s own mother.
Meanwhile, Bennett Stern is addicted to Asarum and refuses to stop taking it, even at the risk of losing Emma forever. His parents, themselves Ghost-keepers, arrive home from a trip to Europe and end up kicking him out of the house as an ultimatum to get off Asarum. Bennett doesn’t go far. He is reassigned as a bodyguard to Simon who is now in charge of the Knell.
The usual suspects that being Lukas, Natalie, Cody, Henry and Sara all play their parts in this installment. Celeste and Anatole the Sterns ghost resident cook and housekeepers also are quite entertaining and would not be the same story without them. I don’t mind Henry, but I really got annoyed by the constant references to Emma’s feet. I mean, once or twice if funny. More than that becomes a nuisance and loses its effectiveness.
This book has a lot more surprises, including the fact that Emma’s parents and brother Max finally appear after dropping off the face of the earth at the beginning of book number one leaving Emma in Bennett’s hands and ending up at Thatcher Academy.
As a reader of this series, you have to have some compassion for Bennett, and why he felt it was necessary to take Asarum so that he can protect and help Emma and ensure that she has the strength necessary to defeat Neos.
But, at the same time, you also have to put yourself in Emma’s shoes knowing that Bennett is physically destroying his body, and pushing her away from him, and there’s nothing she can do about it since he won’t tell her the real reason behind his addiction. She does grow up lot more than previous installments, but there is a point where she has to believe that too she has too much responsibilities in not only stopping Neos, but in keeping Bennett from losing his life.
In this series, Ghost-keepers can fall in love, but, one of them will always lose their powers. It happened to Bennett’s parents, as well as Emma’s. The only question is who will be the one to relinquish their powers in order to turn Neos into dust Emma or Bennett?
I absolutely adore Cody and was happy to see how much he plays a part in this storyline.
I recommend that anyone who may be interested in this series, start reading the series from the beginning and in order. The trilogy features Deception, Betrayal, and of course, Surrender.
ARC received 10/19/2011 via NetGalley. Expected publication: December 6th 2011
May 4, 2012
4.25/5
Surrender was a great conclusion to the Haunting Emma series. While I wasn’t entirely happy with the ending, I enjoyed it overall, and I’m a little sad the series is over!
Emma was under a lot of pressure in Surrender. Everyone was relying on her to defeat Neos when the time came, and she wasn’t sure she was powerful enough to do it. She kept doubting her abilities and wasn’t confident at all. On top of that, Bennett was getting more addicted to Asarum and was refusing to get off it no matter what anyone told him. Emma knew that Bennett was hiding something from her, that he had some sort of plan, but he wouldn’t tell her what it was. Their relationship was getting more and more strained. Bennett was getting worse every time Emma saw him and it was definitely affecting them both. They clearly loved each other but Emma couldn’t stand to see Bennett hurt himself that way and Bennett wasn’t listening to her. So they definitely had a lot of problems. Despite that though, there were still some awesome EmmaxBennett scenes. And by awesome, I mean hilarious. First Bennett’s parents walked in on the two together, then Emma’s parents walked in on them together. I would have felt bad for them both having to experience such embarrassing situations, but I was too busy laughing. It was just so damn funny! They had the worst luck :P.
I didn’t know what to think about Bennett in this book. To some extent I felt really bad for him because all he wanted to do was protect Emma, and he knew that at some point, to be with her, he’d have to lose his powers. At the same time, however, I thought he was being reckless and stupid, and while things did work out in the end, I didn’t agree with the methods he took to ensure they did. He could still be charming at times though, and I loved his romantic scenes with Emma. I am glad the two got to have a happy ending, even if the bits in between were really messed up.
One thing I loved about Surrender was that even though there was a lot of serious and scary stuff going on, there was also still a lot of humour. Harry was as funny as always and I loved reading the banter between him and Emma. He was one of my favourite characters and I think he was a great friend to Emma (even Bennett said so). The ghosts’ conversations with Emma were great to read about too – and Emma herself said or thought some things that were hilarious! Like at the beginning, when she had this realisation about the greatness of bad boys. I was cracking up! :P
My only complaints are that I felt the whole fight with Neos was a little anticlimactic as things happened so quickly, and the ending seemed a little rushed and unbelievable. I love happy endings, but I felt the ending of Surrender was almost a little too happy? What happened just seemed so convenient, and no-one really had to sacrifice anything. I mean, I still liked it and I was glad most people got to be happy, but it seemed a bit unrealistic that everything would turn out so well. Still, I really enjoyed the book overall! Surrender was never boring and was well-paced, and I loved finding out more about the ghostkeepers (especially the bit at the end with The Rake, which was awesome).
Overall, Surrender was a great, compelling read and a fabulous end to a series. Definitely recommend this trilogy to fans of ghost stories and funny characters.
Surrender was a great conclusion to the Haunting Emma series. While I wasn’t entirely happy with the ending, I enjoyed it overall, and I’m a little sad the series is over!
Emma was under a lot of pressure in Surrender. Everyone was relying on her to defeat Neos when the time came, and she wasn’t sure she was powerful enough to do it. She kept doubting her abilities and wasn’t confident at all. On top of that, Bennett was getting more addicted to Asarum and was refusing to get off it no matter what anyone told him. Emma knew that Bennett was hiding something from her, that he had some sort of plan, but he wouldn’t tell her what it was. Their relationship was getting more and more strained. Bennett was getting worse every time Emma saw him and it was definitely affecting them both. They clearly loved each other but Emma couldn’t stand to see Bennett hurt himself that way and Bennett wasn’t listening to her. So they definitely had a lot of problems. Despite that though, there were still some awesome EmmaxBennett scenes. And by awesome, I mean hilarious. First Bennett’s parents walked in on the two together, then Emma’s parents walked in on them together. I would have felt bad for them both having to experience such embarrassing situations, but I was too busy laughing. It was just so damn funny! They had the worst luck :P.
I didn’t know what to think about Bennett in this book. To some extent I felt really bad for him because all he wanted to do was protect Emma, and he knew that at some point, to be with her, he’d have to lose his powers. At the same time, however, I thought he was being reckless and stupid, and while things did work out in the end, I didn’t agree with the methods he took to ensure they did. He could still be charming at times though, and I loved his romantic scenes with Emma. I am glad the two got to have a happy ending, even if the bits in between were really messed up.
One thing I loved about Surrender was that even though there was a lot of serious and scary stuff going on, there was also still a lot of humour. Harry was as funny as always and I loved reading the banter between him and Emma. He was one of my favourite characters and I think he was a great friend to Emma (even Bennett said so). The ghosts’ conversations with Emma were great to read about too – and Emma herself said or thought some things that were hilarious! Like at the beginning, when she had this realisation about the greatness of bad boys. I was cracking up! :P
My only complaints are that I felt the whole fight with Neos was a little anticlimactic as things happened so quickly, and the ending seemed a little rushed and unbelievable. I love happy endings, but I felt the ending of Surrender was almost a little too happy? What happened just seemed so convenient, and no-one really had to sacrifice anything. I mean, I still liked it and I was glad most people got to be happy, but it seemed a bit unrealistic that everything would turn out so well. Still, I really enjoyed the book overall! Surrender was never boring and was well-paced, and I loved finding out more about the ghostkeepers (especially the bit at the end with The Rake, which was awesome).
Overall, Surrender was a great, compelling read and a fabulous end to a series. Definitely recommend this trilogy to fans of ghost stories and funny characters.
December 12, 2011
Surrender by Lee Nichols is the final novel in the Haunting Emma series. I read the last two books- Deception and Betrayal in March so I had a little trouble remembering what was going on in Surrender. Becuase I didn't want to spend my winter break re-reading books in lieu of the hulking pile of my TBR list, I had to rely on Surrender's back story. Unfortunately, whereas it seems like all these other books have lengthy (sometimes too lengthy) back story, Surrender barely had any. I had to rely on the Goodreads' reviews of the two previous books to get me started.
I really wanted to love this series. Who wouldn't want to read about a kick-ass ghost hunting chick with a surplus of ghostkeeper superpowers? MEMEMEME! The chick in question (Emma), however, sort of put a damper on my enthusiasm in Surrender. I'm assuming I liked her in the other two books (I say "assuming" because as previously mentioned, I can't quite remember the first two books) but in this book, I found her supremely annoying. She's turned into one of those whiny girls who constantly relies on other people even though she supposedly has ALL THIS POWER! I found that a little confusing. And oh my goodness, don't even get me started on BENNET!
So sure, Bennet is only taking the drug because he needs to in order to help Emma defeat Neos and stay with Emma. But what I don't understand, is how Emma justifies it to herself! She apparently doesn't care that the love of her life is taking drugs and wasting away in front of her eyes? What kind of message does that send? The only redeeming quality of this relationship is the fact that there isn't a love triangle. A love triangle would just have made it all more unbearable.
I find it necessary to mention that I actually found the majority of the characters rather infuriating. My favorite characters were Harry and Sara-they have the best scenes in the book.
Now let's talk about Neos. So the entire book, all Emma does is worry about what she's going to do about the whole Neos issue but
In the end, I gave this book 3 stars because it was just that- "just okay". I won't read it again but I appreciate the potential in the story line and I liked Deception and Betrayal better than Surrender.
One last thing, it there a particular reason why authors (no offense to Lee Nichols because she's definitely not the only culprit)like to brand-drop? I feel like mentioning things like iPhones and Prius' just end up taking away from the story-they don't really do anything for me. Every time Emma picked up her iPhone (many times, actually), I did the same thing!
Fact: Ignoring all beverage cookbooks out there, Emma takes the award for the highest number of times that the word "chai" can be mentioned in any one book...ever...
I really wanted to love this series. Who wouldn't want to read about a kick-ass ghost hunting chick with a surplus of ghostkeeper superpowers? MEMEMEME! The chick in question (Emma), however, sort of put a damper on my enthusiasm in Surrender. I'm assuming I liked her in the other two books (I say "assuming" because as previously mentioned, I can't quite remember the first two books) but in this book, I found her supremely annoying. She's turned into one of those whiny girls who constantly relies on other people even though she supposedly has ALL THIS POWER! I found that a little confusing. And oh my goodness, don't even get me started on BENNET!
So sure, Bennet is only taking the drug because he needs to in order to help Emma defeat Neos and stay with Emma. But what I don't understand, is how Emma justifies it to herself! She apparently doesn't care that the love of her life is taking drugs and wasting away in front of her eyes? What kind of message does that send? The only redeeming quality of this relationship is the fact that there isn't a love triangle. A love triangle would just have made it all more unbearable.
I find it necessary to mention that I actually found the majority of the characters rather infuriating. My favorite characters were Harry and Sara-they have the best scenes in the book.
Now let's talk about Neos. So the entire book, all Emma does is worry about what she's going to do about the whole Neos issue but
In the end, I gave this book 3 stars because it was just that- "just okay". I won't read it again but I appreciate the potential in the story line and I liked Deception and Betrayal better than Surrender.
One last thing, it there a particular reason why authors (no offense to Lee Nichols because she's definitely not the only culprit)like to brand-drop? I feel like mentioning things like iPhones and Prius' just end up taking away from the story-they don't really do anything for me. Every time Emma picked up her iPhone (many times, actually), I did the same thing!
Fact: Ignoring all beverage cookbooks out there, Emma takes the award for the highest number of times that the word "chai" can be mentioned in any one book...ever...
April 14, 2012
Surrender is the third and last book in Lee Nichols' Haunting Emma trilogy and it really sends the series out with a bang. The story picks up right after the ending of Betrayal with Emma and the rest of the ghostkeepers all reeling from Neos's latest attack. They know that Neos is gaining power with every day that passes and that Emma has the best chance of defeating him but just how much will she have to give up in order to beat him?
This has been a really enjoyable series and as much as I'm a little sad to see it end I was pleased with the resolution to things. Emma has really grown as a character since the first book, she is much stronger now that she has learnt to use her abilities and I've enjoyed seeing her find out about the ghostkeepers and their history. I did expect that we would learn more about the Knell in this book and was surprised that they didn't seem to have much of a role to play in the story - particularly since Simon was sent back to headquarters to help them rebuild. It was a shame to break up the ghostkeeper team from the last book but at least Emma still had Natalie and Lukas to rely on for help.
In Betrayal I had missed the interaction between Emma and Bennett so I was pleased that he had a bigger role in this book and they got to spend a bit more time together. I wasn't happy about his continued use of drugs to keep him strong enough to fight Neos but as much as I didn't agree with his actions I could understand why he felt he had no other choice. He loved Emma and didn't want to avoid being with her but he also felt that he needed to be strong enough to protect her and he couldn't see any other option.
I enjoyed seeing more of Sara, Harry and Coby and it was great that they have resolved their issues from the last book and are back in Emma's corner again. I also loved seeing more of the ghostly jocks that have been plaguing Emma since the first book, at least this time they finally offer her some assistance. It was interesting to have the added dynamic of both Emma and Bennett's parents in the story since they have been so conspicuously absent throughout the series. I know Emma's family have tried to explain their actions but personally I haven't forgiven them and I thought it was quite amusing that they felt they had the rights to waltz back in and expect to tell Emma what to do. I thought both families reactions to Emma and Bennett's relationship were realistic but ridiculous considering they had practically abandoned the pair of them!
I was slightly disappointed with the final showdown with Neos because it seemed to be a bit too quick and easy but overall I was pleased with the story. The action towards the end sucked me in and was impossible to put down and there were a couple of twists that I hadn't expected but I would have liked to have felt a bit more risk for Emma and her friends. Overall I've really enjoyed the Haunting Emma series and would definitely recommend it to paranormal fans who like their ghost stories to include romance, action and interesting mythology. I'm looking forward to seeing what Lee Nichols comes up with next!
This has been a really enjoyable series and as much as I'm a little sad to see it end I was pleased with the resolution to things. Emma has really grown as a character since the first book, she is much stronger now that she has learnt to use her abilities and I've enjoyed seeing her find out about the ghostkeepers and their history. I did expect that we would learn more about the Knell in this book and was surprised that they didn't seem to have much of a role to play in the story - particularly since Simon was sent back to headquarters to help them rebuild. It was a shame to break up the ghostkeeper team from the last book but at least Emma still had Natalie and Lukas to rely on for help.
In Betrayal I had missed the interaction between Emma and Bennett so I was pleased that he had a bigger role in this book and they got to spend a bit more time together. I wasn't happy about his continued use of drugs to keep him strong enough to fight Neos but as much as I didn't agree with his actions I could understand why he felt he had no other choice. He loved Emma and didn't want to avoid being with her but he also felt that he needed to be strong enough to protect her and he couldn't see any other option.
I enjoyed seeing more of Sara, Harry and Coby and it was great that they have resolved their issues from the last book and are back in Emma's corner again. I also loved seeing more of the ghostly jocks that have been plaguing Emma since the first book, at least this time they finally offer her some assistance. It was interesting to have the added dynamic of both Emma and Bennett's parents in the story since they have been so conspicuously absent throughout the series. I know Emma's family have tried to explain their actions but personally I haven't forgiven them and I thought it was quite amusing that they felt they had the rights to waltz back in and expect to tell Emma what to do. I thought both families reactions to Emma and Bennett's relationship were realistic but ridiculous considering they had practically abandoned the pair of them!
I was slightly disappointed with the final showdown with Neos because it seemed to be a bit too quick and easy but overall I was pleased with the story. The action towards the end sucked me in and was impossible to put down and there were a couple of twists that I hadn't expected but I would have liked to have felt a bit more risk for Emma and her friends. Overall I've really enjoyed the Haunting Emma series and would definitely recommend it to paranormal fans who like their ghost stories to include romance, action and interesting mythology. I'm looking forward to seeing what Lee Nichols comes up with next!
July 18, 2014
Åh, jeg forelskede mig hovedkulds i Emma i den første bog. Jeg knuselskede hende, og var dybt grebet af historien. Derfor smertede det mig også at se at serien afsluttes så vattet og tyndt, som den desværre gør, i mine øjne. Meget af den ros, som jeg har hørt andre give dette tredje bind, er slet ikke noget jeg kan genkende. Æv.
Overgivelse starter umiddelbart efter sin forgænger. Emma og de andre er vendt tilbage New York, og er fast besluttede på at få hævn over Neos og slå ham én gang for alle. Koste hvad det vil. Det er en yderst heltemodig og ganske logisk færd de vil kaste sig ud i, men dét taget i betragtning så undre det mig at det ligesom hele tiden sættes i baggrunden, for alt muligt andet.
Bogen glider kun utrolig langsomt fremad. De første 90 % af siderne sker der så godt som intet, lige med undtagelse af et par enkelte tilfælde, der strækker sig over en side eller to. Vi hører hele tiden om at Emma vil have hævn, at de skal finde Neos aske. Og vi høre hele tiden om … Tjah … Hvad egentlig? Nu efter at have læst bogen, har jeg faktisk ret svært ved at fortælle hvad de første 90 % gik med. Det er altså et dårligt tegn, når man ellers starter med at være så glad for en serie!
Jeg havde utrolig svært ved at acceptere en hel del af de personligheder der dukker op, både nye og gamle. Undervejs bliver det til et gensyn med Emmas forældre, som nok må tage æresprisen for årets dårligste forældre. Hold op, hvor giver de bare ingen mening for mig. Spøgelseskrig eller ej, så tag jer dog lige af jeres afkom! Bennets forældre, Mr. og Mrs. Stern får lov til at overtage tjansen som barnepiger, hvilket de heller ikke klare særlig godt. Tilsyneladende er Emmas verden befolket af dårlige forældre uden moral eller interesse i deres unger. Mr. Stern gjorde dog en undtagelse et par gange, det skal han have ros for. Og resten af bogens bipersoner, som er set tidligere, var i virkeligheden heller ikke særlig heldige i denne omgang. Igen, man står midt i en krig mod et egocentreret, ondsindet spøgelse der vil overtage verden, og ens største bekymring er om ens tøj matcher eller drømmefyren nu kan lide én? I don’t think so.
Da jeg nu havde slæbt mig igennem alle ligegyldighederne og klichéerne, så tænkte jeg at der ville komme et brag af en slutning. I ved, ala Voldemort og Harry historien om igen, hvor det hele bliver drabeligt og alt ender godt til sidst, så man sidder med en tåre på kinden. Tro om igen. Da Neos endelig dukker op holder det kun i et par sider, og kampen er overstået før den næsten er begyndt. I øvrigt på en måde der slet ikke holder vand. Man sidder tilbage med en masse ubesvarede spørgsmål, både hvad angår mange af personerne, men i dén grad sidder jeg også tilbage med et ubesvaret spørgsmål omkring Emmas ring og Neos. Mere vil jeg ikke sige, dét vil trods alt være for stor en spoiler.
Åh, det ærgrer mig sådan at anmelde denne bog. Jeg ville så gerne have at den levede op til den første bog i serien, at jeg kunne knuselske den lige så meget. Jeg ville så gerne have haft en fantastisk afslutning. Det fik jeg bare ikke. Mest af alt var den ”acceptabel”.
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Overgivelse starter umiddelbart efter sin forgænger. Emma og de andre er vendt tilbage New York, og er fast besluttede på at få hævn over Neos og slå ham én gang for alle. Koste hvad det vil. Det er en yderst heltemodig og ganske logisk færd de vil kaste sig ud i, men dét taget i betragtning så undre det mig at det ligesom hele tiden sættes i baggrunden, for alt muligt andet.
Bogen glider kun utrolig langsomt fremad. De første 90 % af siderne sker der så godt som intet, lige med undtagelse af et par enkelte tilfælde, der strækker sig over en side eller to. Vi hører hele tiden om at Emma vil have hævn, at de skal finde Neos aske. Og vi høre hele tiden om … Tjah … Hvad egentlig? Nu efter at have læst bogen, har jeg faktisk ret svært ved at fortælle hvad de første 90 % gik med. Det er altså et dårligt tegn, når man ellers starter med at være så glad for en serie!
Jeg havde utrolig svært ved at acceptere en hel del af de personligheder der dukker op, både nye og gamle. Undervejs bliver det til et gensyn med Emmas forældre, som nok må tage æresprisen for årets dårligste forældre. Hold op, hvor giver de bare ingen mening for mig. Spøgelseskrig eller ej, så tag jer dog lige af jeres afkom! Bennets forældre, Mr. og Mrs. Stern får lov til at overtage tjansen som barnepiger, hvilket de heller ikke klare særlig godt. Tilsyneladende er Emmas verden befolket af dårlige forældre uden moral eller interesse i deres unger. Mr. Stern gjorde dog en undtagelse et par gange, det skal han have ros for. Og resten af bogens bipersoner, som er set tidligere, var i virkeligheden heller ikke særlig heldige i denne omgang. Igen, man står midt i en krig mod et egocentreret, ondsindet spøgelse der vil overtage verden, og ens største bekymring er om ens tøj matcher eller drømmefyren nu kan lide én? I don’t think so.
Da jeg nu havde slæbt mig igennem alle ligegyldighederne og klichéerne, så tænkte jeg at der ville komme et brag af en slutning. I ved, ala Voldemort og Harry historien om igen, hvor det hele bliver drabeligt og alt ender godt til sidst, så man sidder med en tåre på kinden. Tro om igen. Da Neos endelig dukker op holder det kun i et par sider, og kampen er overstået før den næsten er begyndt. I øvrigt på en måde der slet ikke holder vand. Man sidder tilbage med en masse ubesvarede spørgsmål, både hvad angår mange af personerne, men i dén grad sidder jeg også tilbage med et ubesvaret spørgsmål omkring Emmas ring og Neos. Mere vil jeg ikke sige, dét vil trods alt være for stor en spoiler.
Åh, det ærgrer mig sådan at anmelde denne bog. Jeg ville så gerne have at den levede op til den første bog i serien, at jeg kunne knuselske den lige så meget. Jeg ville så gerne have haft en fantastisk afslutning. Det fik jeg bare ikke. Mest af alt var den ”acceptabel”.
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November 5, 2011
After reading both Deception, the first in the Haunting Emma series, and Betrayal, the second, I’ve been dying to read Surrender, the third and final one. I couldn’t wait to see how everything would end. Would Emma and her friends and family finally beat Neos? Would Emma and Bennett find a way to salvage their relationship before it was too late? There were so many questions swirling around in my head, and thankfully, Surrender was able to provided satisfying conclusions to every one of them.
Surrender picks up a little while after Betrayal ended. Emma’s still trying to find a way to defeat Neos, and she’s still dealing with the qualms she feels over Bennett’s addiction to Asarum. However, things are a bit different this time. Simon has left along with Bennett for headquarters, and replacing them is no one other than Bennett’s stony and cold parents, ones who aren’t particularly pleased with Emma, and so begins the third book...Plot wise this book kicked butt! There wasn’t a time when I wasn’t on the edge of my seat, dying to know what would happen next. Would another twist come out of the woodwork and blow everything away again? What was Neo’s big plan? I had to know, and this lead to me finishing this book in record time.
One of the things I loved most about this addition particular, though, was how the characters continued to grow even though this was the last addition. Emma in particular learns a lot in this one not only in making her own choices but as well as being there for the ones she loves. Sara, Natalie, Lukas, Henry, and Coby also get their moments of glory in this one, and believe it or not, even become more lovable, which made me all the more sad to finish Surrender. Last but not least, Bennett…I’ve loved this guy and I’ve hated this guy over the course of this series, because while he is a good guy deep down, his decisions and choices aren’t always the best things out there...However, he did manage to redeem himself quite a bit in this one, even though it did take a while.
Lastly, Lee Nichols’ writing was great in this one. I’ve loved seeing her writing grow as the series progressed, and just like Surrender was the best of the series plot and character wise it was just the same with the writing. She did a fabulous job in evoking and bringing to life the emotions of the characters as well as me, the reader, and I especially loved the ending. It was everything I wanted, but it still contained a taste of bittersweet.
In all, Surrender is a satisfying and amazing conclusion to the Haunting Emma series. I can’t begin to explain how sad I am to see Emma and her friends go, but it’s been quite the ride to say the least, one that I surely won’t forget. :)
Grade: A+
Surrender picks up a little while after Betrayal ended. Emma’s still trying to find a way to defeat Neos, and she’s still dealing with the qualms she feels over Bennett’s addiction to Asarum. However, things are a bit different this time. Simon has left along with Bennett for headquarters, and replacing them is no one other than Bennett’s stony and cold parents, ones who aren’t particularly pleased with Emma, and so begins the third book...Plot wise this book kicked butt! There wasn’t a time when I wasn’t on the edge of my seat, dying to know what would happen next. Would another twist come out of the woodwork and blow everything away again? What was Neo’s big plan? I had to know, and this lead to me finishing this book in record time.
One of the things I loved most about this addition particular, though, was how the characters continued to grow even though this was the last addition. Emma in particular learns a lot in this one not only in making her own choices but as well as being there for the ones she loves. Sara, Natalie, Lukas, Henry, and Coby also get their moments of glory in this one, and believe it or not, even become more lovable, which made me all the more sad to finish Surrender. Last but not least, Bennett…I’ve loved this guy and I’ve hated this guy over the course of this series, because while he is a good guy deep down, his decisions and choices aren’t always the best things out there...However, he did manage to redeem himself quite a bit in this one, even though it did take a while.
Lastly, Lee Nichols’ writing was great in this one. I’ve loved seeing her writing grow as the series progressed, and just like Surrender was the best of the series plot and character wise it was just the same with the writing. She did a fabulous job in evoking and bringing to life the emotions of the characters as well as me, the reader, and I especially loved the ending. It was everything I wanted, but it still contained a taste of bittersweet.
In all, Surrender is a satisfying and amazing conclusion to the Haunting Emma series. I can’t begin to explain how sad I am to see Emma and her friends go, but it’s been quite the ride to say the least, one that I surely won’t forget. :)
Grade: A+
July 18, 2012
Originally posted at Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me
After three books, this much loved series has finally come to a close. The previous book ended with Bennett being addicted to the drug, asarum, and Emma trying to prevent it from tearing apart their relationship. Neos continued on his rampage to destroy the ghostkeepers but the final battle is now just around the corner… I felt that Surrender lacked something I can't put my finger on in the character department, but it still delivered on the humour and entertainment.
It was interesting watching the romance between Emma and Bennett develop over the series. Their love was initially forbidden because Bennett was her brother's best friend, and then because of the fact that only one ghostkeeper in the relationship could keep their powers. It's been an uphill struggle, with some sweet moments thrown in, but things reach the peak of crazy and confusing in Surrender. One minute, they're making out (and continuously getting walked in on by their parents…awkward…) and in the next they're all angsty with the issue of Bennett's drug addiction. I couldn't help but want to smack him in this book! Yes, he had good intentions but his attitude just didn't sit well with me. Now would be the time to growl at asurum's evil side-effects... As it was the last book, I was expecting them to get back together pretty early on but Nichols does a good job at making us wait! I wanted their love to be stronger and more prominent in this story, but overall I'm pleased with how things turned out for them.
The creep factor gets amped up many notches as Neos becomes desperate and steps up his own game. The gang concludes that he's going to go after his remains so that they can't be destroyed by others. When? Where? Who knows! Everyone's on their tippy toes. A race to find them ensues, people get possessed, Emma has strange visions and Bennett begins keeping (more) secrets. What's everyone up to? Of course, I'm not telling you because you deserve to be kept in the dark too! I really enjoyed the final few fight scenes. As always, they were exciting and had great build up.
Surrender's final chapter is beautiful and very satisfying. Every character gets their shining moment, whether it's a bittersweet farewell or a look at the great things awaiting them, and every little end is tied up neatly. Although it's sad for me to let these wonderful characters go, I'm happy to know that they're all in good places now, wherever that may be in the world. I definitely recommend this series to those who want a fun adventure, even though this last book didn't blow me away ;)
After three books, this much loved series has finally come to a close. The previous book ended with Bennett being addicted to the drug, asarum, and Emma trying to prevent it from tearing apart their relationship. Neos continued on his rampage to destroy the ghostkeepers but the final battle is now just around the corner… I felt that Surrender lacked something I can't put my finger on in the character department, but it still delivered on the humour and entertainment.
It was interesting watching the romance between Emma and Bennett develop over the series. Their love was initially forbidden because Bennett was her brother's best friend, and then because of the fact that only one ghostkeeper in the relationship could keep their powers. It's been an uphill struggle, with some sweet moments thrown in, but things reach the peak of crazy and confusing in Surrender. One minute, they're making out (and continuously getting walked in on by their parents…awkward…) and in the next they're all angsty with the issue of Bennett's drug addiction. I couldn't help but want to smack him in this book! Yes, he had good intentions but his attitude just didn't sit well with me. Now would be the time to growl at asurum's evil side-effects... As it was the last book, I was expecting them to get back together pretty early on but Nichols does a good job at making us wait! I wanted their love to be stronger and more prominent in this story, but overall I'm pleased with how things turned out for them.
The creep factor gets amped up many notches as Neos becomes desperate and steps up his own game. The gang concludes that he's going to go after his remains so that they can't be destroyed by others. When? Where? Who knows! Everyone's on their tippy toes. A race to find them ensues, people get possessed, Emma has strange visions and Bennett begins keeping (more) secrets. What's everyone up to? Of course, I'm not telling you because you deserve to be kept in the dark too! I really enjoyed the final few fight scenes. As always, they were exciting and had great build up.
Surrender's final chapter is beautiful and very satisfying. Every character gets their shining moment, whether it's a bittersweet farewell or a look at the great things awaiting them, and every little end is tied up neatly. Although it's sad for me to let these wonderful characters go, I'm happy to know that they're all in good places now, wherever that may be in the world. I definitely recommend this series to those who want a fun adventure, even though this last book didn't blow me away ;)
December 5, 2011
*Review published on Mundie Moms on 12/5/2011*
How do you end a trilogy where you are anxiously awaiting an epic showdown? We’ve all read those books and I won’t name them here, but you know the ones I’m thinking of, Mundie Moms. Those do or die endings that we all love to read. Lee Nichols has written such a delicious, believable series ending story that I am going to have to be extra cautious about not spoiling a thing.
For me, there’s nothing better than a character driven story and from the beginning, this series has been about Emma’s journey. She’s never a passive bystander. She always seeks answers. And she’s, much like a boy scout, as prepared as she can be. The secret to her strength lies in her friends and family. Lee mirrors real life so well when she shows us Emma’s relationships with her friends and how she maintains trust and loyalty in all who meet her, but how sometimes those same friends and family are not there to help her. It happens to all of us. Emma, though, doesn't wallow in betrayals or absences, she moves on. That characteristic made me love her even more.
Lee is also a master at creating quiet, meaningful moments. One of my favorites, in SURRENDER, occurs when Bennett’s dad spars with Emma. As a reader, I was left with a clear understanding of the similarities (and differences in choices and outcomes) of the three men in Emma’s life: Bennett, his dad and The Rake. Don’t you love moments when suddenly a character’s destiny and a lose-lose outcome seem inevitable? That makes me turn pages faster.
Now onto the romantic pairing of Emma and Bennett. I have to admit to laughing hard not once, or even twice but at least a three times while reading their doomed romantic timing. And while Lee knows how to cool down her reader with some laughs, she also knows how to make us swoon. Let’s just say that if ever my hand is burned while making chai, I will be waiting by the sink for Bennett to look at my burn.
If you haven’t picked up this series, do it now. SURRENDER, the final installment in the series, is released tomorrow, December 6th. I consider it the perfect holiday treat to give yourself, so to help you get started, I’m sponsoring a giveaway (details are on the form) of the first book in the series, DECEPTION. Just fill out the form on Mundie Moms Blog and you’ll see why Emma and Bennett (no, I did NOT just sigh as I said his name…okay, maybe just a little) will make my Top Ten Couples list.
How do you end a trilogy where you are anxiously awaiting an epic showdown? We’ve all read those books and I won’t name them here, but you know the ones I’m thinking of, Mundie Moms. Those do or die endings that we all love to read. Lee Nichols has written such a delicious, believable series ending story that I am going to have to be extra cautious about not spoiling a thing.
For me, there’s nothing better than a character driven story and from the beginning, this series has been about Emma’s journey. She’s never a passive bystander. She always seeks answers. And she’s, much like a boy scout, as prepared as she can be. The secret to her strength lies in her friends and family. Lee mirrors real life so well when she shows us Emma’s relationships with her friends and how she maintains trust and loyalty in all who meet her, but how sometimes those same friends and family are not there to help her. It happens to all of us. Emma, though, doesn't wallow in betrayals or absences, she moves on. That characteristic made me love her even more.
Lee is also a master at creating quiet, meaningful moments. One of my favorites, in SURRENDER, occurs when Bennett’s dad spars with Emma. As a reader, I was left with a clear understanding of the similarities (and differences in choices and outcomes) of the three men in Emma’s life: Bennett, his dad and The Rake. Don’t you love moments when suddenly a character’s destiny and a lose-lose outcome seem inevitable? That makes me turn pages faster.
Now onto the romantic pairing of Emma and Bennett. I have to admit to laughing hard not once, or even twice but at least a three times while reading their doomed romantic timing. And while Lee knows how to cool down her reader with some laughs, she also knows how to make us swoon. Let’s just say that if ever my hand is burned while making chai, I will be waiting by the sink for Bennett to look at my burn.
If you haven’t picked up this series, do it now. SURRENDER, the final installment in the series, is released tomorrow, December 6th. I consider it the perfect holiday treat to give yourself, so to help you get started, I’m sponsoring a giveaway (details are on the form) of the first book in the series, DECEPTION. Just fill out the form on Mundie Moms Blog and you’ll see why Emma and Bennett (no, I did NOT just sigh as I said his name…okay, maybe just a little) will make my Top Ten Couples list.
March 12, 2012
This book was a great end to an outstanding series, but at the same time? It was a little too convenient in some ways. Everything was wrapped up neatly with a little tiny bow. Our characters didn't really have to suffer real losses in their battles, but whatever. It was still a thrilling conclusion.
I'm going to do this review a little backwards in the sense that I have to say the "final battle" was riveting. You genuinely didn't know how Emma was going to win and how she did was definitely a shocker. After everything that the book prepared you for what was done at the end to defeat Neos was not at all what I was expecting.
Something really awesome about this book is that it marks the reappearance of not only Emma's family, but of Bennett's parents as well. And you begin to find out just exactly how much everyone has lost. And that parents, at the end of the day? They act like parents. Both sets reaction to the Emma and Bennett relationship is nigh on perfect. It's exactly how I would expect a concerned and caring parent to act.
The relationship between Lukas, Natalie, and Emma is so solid. They all come from families that, in one way or another, don't really have parents. They have become each other's family, a feeling that is solidified in a major way in this book. I love that they found each other and they have each other to lean on.
There are quite a few surprises and twists in this book that you don't see coming at all. A character's drug addiction is completely disturbing in the way that it seems so real, but once again it's tied up so nicely and neatly in the end that you almost forget how bad it was.
Harry and Sara forever remain such stalwart characters, putting themselves in danger, even when they can't exactly protect themselves, for the sake of their friend's memory and their actual friend. Harry will always be my favorite, amusing me to no end with his crazy and insane antics. I wish I could just hug him to bits...and do expresso shots with him!
Lastly, I love the development of Emma. She goes from being this scared little girl in the first book, to coming into her own finally in this book. She's still scared, she's still a teenage girl, but she grows up a lot. She learns about responsibility and what family really means. All in all these books are about making your own destiny. You are not what they say you are. You are who you are meant to be in your own right. You make your destiny.
I'm going to do this review a little backwards in the sense that I have to say the "final battle" was riveting. You genuinely didn't know how Emma was going to win and how she did was definitely a shocker. After everything that the book prepared you for what was done at the end to defeat Neos was not at all what I was expecting.
Something really awesome about this book is that it marks the reappearance of not only Emma's family, but of Bennett's parents as well. And you begin to find out just exactly how much everyone has lost. And that parents, at the end of the day? They act like parents. Both sets reaction to the Emma and Bennett relationship is nigh on perfect. It's exactly how I would expect a concerned and caring parent to act.
The relationship between Lukas, Natalie, and Emma is so solid. They all come from families that, in one way or another, don't really have parents. They have become each other's family, a feeling that is solidified in a major way in this book. I love that they found each other and they have each other to lean on.
There are quite a few surprises and twists in this book that you don't see coming at all. A character's drug addiction is completely disturbing in the way that it seems so real, but once again it's tied up so nicely and neatly in the end that you almost forget how bad it was.
Harry and Sara forever remain such stalwart characters, putting themselves in danger, even when they can't exactly protect themselves, for the sake of their friend's memory and their actual friend. Harry will always be my favorite, amusing me to no end with his crazy and insane antics. I wish I could just hug him to bits...and do expresso shots with him!
Lastly, I love the development of Emma. She goes from being this scared little girl in the first book, to coming into her own finally in this book. She's still scared, she's still a teenage girl, but she grows up a lot. She learns about responsibility and what family really means. All in all these books are about making your own destiny. You are not what they say you are. You are who you are meant to be in your own right. You make your destiny.
April 1, 2012
I'm a massive fan of the Haunting Emma series by Lee Nichols and have eagerly followed Emma's battle to defeat Neos and win the heart of the gorgeous Bennett. She may have achieved the latter but she still has a fight ahead of her to find Neos's ashes and end his reign once and for all.
Emma's story has had so many ups and downs. She's had to deal head on with tragedy, death and loss and has coped with discovering who she really is, as well as being left by her family and learning how to deal with ghosts who want her dead. Her one constant throughout the trilogy has been the wonderful Bennett. I adore him so much! Left me assure you now that there's plenty to satisfy fans of Bennett and Emma in 'Surrender'. They know they love each other and want to be together forever but to stay together one of them has to lose their powers. If you're hoping for kisses, then yes there are kisses and lots of them! Without trying to give anything away, they also get the most perfect ending which made me so happy to read.
I love Emma's bravery, her determination and her strength. She treats all her friends and family and the ghosts she's surrounded by with respect. She has some tough choices to make in the book but she always tries to do what's right. Her friends are wonderfully characterised too, including Natalie who becomes like a sister to her, as well as Lukas, Sara and Harry. She may not always have her real family by her side but she can always count on her friends to be there.
The final part of the trilogy tied up all the loose ends and concluded the story brilliantly. Pacy, action-packed and a real page turner, I only wish the book has been longer. I literally devoured it in one sitting! There's no doubt that this series really does have it all. An unbreakable love, a fight between good and evil, mystery, adventure, action and romance. I'm sad that a wonderful adventure is over but I'm so excited to see what Lee Nichols will turn her hand to next. You never know - there might even be a Bennett/Emma sequel at some point in the future where we get to see if they really are living out their happy ever after!
Emma's story has had so many ups and downs. She's had to deal head on with tragedy, death and loss and has coped with discovering who she really is, as well as being left by her family and learning how to deal with ghosts who want her dead. Her one constant throughout the trilogy has been the wonderful Bennett. I adore him so much! Left me assure you now that there's plenty to satisfy fans of Bennett and Emma in 'Surrender'. They know they love each other and want to be together forever but to stay together one of them has to lose their powers. If you're hoping for kisses, then yes there are kisses and lots of them! Without trying to give anything away, they also get the most perfect ending which made me so happy to read.
I love Emma's bravery, her determination and her strength. She treats all her friends and family and the ghosts she's surrounded by with respect. She has some tough choices to make in the book but she always tries to do what's right. Her friends are wonderfully characterised too, including Natalie who becomes like a sister to her, as well as Lukas, Sara and Harry. She may not always have her real family by her side but she can always count on her friends to be there.
The final part of the trilogy tied up all the loose ends and concluded the story brilliantly. Pacy, action-packed and a real page turner, I only wish the book has been longer. I literally devoured it in one sitting! There's no doubt that this series really does have it all. An unbreakable love, a fight between good and evil, mystery, adventure, action and romance. I'm sad that a wonderful adventure is over but I'm so excited to see what Lee Nichols will turn her hand to next. You never know - there might even be a Bennett/Emma sequel at some point in the future where we get to see if they really are living out their happy ever after!
April 9, 2012
Surrender is book 3 and the final book in the Haunting Emma Saga. And it the best one out all 3 books. I adore these books and Surrender was nothing short of amazing. It's fast paced, action packed with just the right amount of romance that keep me hooked.
Now usually here is where I do a small plot summary but I feel if I do it would end up spoiling the whole series. So I'm leaving it out. If you have read my previous reviews on this series you already know my feelings towards the main character. I think Emma is one of best female characters I've read about in a long time. She is brave, witty and loyal to her friends. Her relationship with Bennett is a rocky one but they are so cute together and in surrender there is a few laugh out load, cringe worthy moments between them.
Deception and Betrayal left a lot of questions hanging in the air with a lot of mystery around some characters and thankfully everything is answered in Surrender. The story that started in Deception comes to a close with dramatic effect and characters that seriously kick ass. I couldn't put the book down even though I didn't want the book to finish the ending was absolutely perfect.
Lee Nichols has create such an amazing series. I haven't read many ghost stories but this is for sure one of my favourites. It's hard not to get sucks into the world of ghostkeepers. There is highs and lows like any series out there. But this book, Surrender 100% perfect. I can't find a fault with it at all.
Sorry if my review is rambling and may not make sense. I just can't really express into words just how much I loved this book. I laughed and cried (oh boy did I cry) I rooted for characters. I invested so much in this book that I felt like I was part of it. That Emma and her gang of friends were my friends. And for an author to be able to create it is something very special.
If you haven't yet started this series please go and try it. It's amazing, quick and full of ghostly action. I can't wait to read more of Lee's work and hope maybe one day there will be more of the ghostkeeper world in the future.
Now usually here is where I do a small plot summary but I feel if I do it would end up spoiling the whole series. So I'm leaving it out. If you have read my previous reviews on this series you already know my feelings towards the main character. I think Emma is one of best female characters I've read about in a long time. She is brave, witty and loyal to her friends. Her relationship with Bennett is a rocky one but they are so cute together and in surrender there is a few laugh out load, cringe worthy moments between them.
Deception and Betrayal left a lot of questions hanging in the air with a lot of mystery around some characters and thankfully everything is answered in Surrender. The story that started in Deception comes to a close with dramatic effect and characters that seriously kick ass. I couldn't put the book down even though I didn't want the book to finish the ending was absolutely perfect.
Lee Nichols has create such an amazing series. I haven't read many ghost stories but this is for sure one of my favourites. It's hard not to get sucks into the world of ghostkeepers. There is highs and lows like any series out there. But this book, Surrender 100% perfect. I can't find a fault with it at all.
Sorry if my review is rambling and may not make sense. I just can't really express into words just how much I loved this book. I laughed and cried (oh boy did I cry) I rooted for characters. I invested so much in this book that I felt like I was part of it. That Emma and her gang of friends were my friends. And for an author to be able to create it is something very special.
If you haven't yet started this series please go and try it. It's amazing, quick and full of ghostly action. I can't wait to read more of Lee's work and hope maybe one day there will be more of the ghostkeeper world in the future.
November 27, 2011
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
With SURRENDER, Lee Nichols concludes her spooky and romantic Haunting Emma trilogy, which overall is one of the better YA ghost series I’ve read due to it’s rather gothic approach to ghost mythology and the fact that it never shied away truly scary elements.
It’s been quite a few months since the previous Haunting Emma book was published so I had forgotten who most of these characters were when I started SURRENDER, and unfortunately there were no helpful reminders to jog my memory. Had I read this trilogy back to back, I’m sure I would have stayed as invested in this cast of characters as I was when I read DECEPTION. But apart from Emma and Bennett, the supporting characters got lost in the sea of names.
What didn’t get lost, and in fact resonated with me more in this book than the previous two, was the high price of romance between ghostkeepers. I think it’s an apt metaphor that captures the idea that in relationships, the weaker personality often gets swallowed up by the stronger. In SURRENDER, the stakes are significantly higher as too much physical contact between ghostkeepers causes the stronger to involuntarily drain the powers of the weaker. It’s the idea that has really driven the series for me and I was glad to see it featured so prominently here. It was terribly romantic to read about one person surrendering something so precious to them in order to gain something they considered infinitely more precious.
Haunting Emma ends with a decent conclusion that nicely addresses all the issues and questions raised throughout the trilogy. While DECEPTION remains the standout book in the series, both BETRAYAL and now SURRENDER retain enough of the debut’s strengths to allow the series overall to feel like one complete and satisfying story. I only wish the same sense of mystery and trepidation had carried over as well the bittersweet romance.
Sexual Content:
Kissing. References to sex
With SURRENDER, Lee Nichols concludes her spooky and romantic Haunting Emma trilogy, which overall is one of the better YA ghost series I’ve read due to it’s rather gothic approach to ghost mythology and the fact that it never shied away truly scary elements.
It’s been quite a few months since the previous Haunting Emma book was published so I had forgotten who most of these characters were when I started SURRENDER, and unfortunately there were no helpful reminders to jog my memory. Had I read this trilogy back to back, I’m sure I would have stayed as invested in this cast of characters as I was when I read DECEPTION. But apart from Emma and Bennett, the supporting characters got lost in the sea of names.
What didn’t get lost, and in fact resonated with me more in this book than the previous two, was the high price of romance between ghostkeepers. I think it’s an apt metaphor that captures the idea that in relationships, the weaker personality often gets swallowed up by the stronger. In SURRENDER, the stakes are significantly higher as too much physical contact between ghostkeepers causes the stronger to involuntarily drain the powers of the weaker. It’s the idea that has really driven the series for me and I was glad to see it featured so prominently here. It was terribly romantic to read about one person surrendering something so precious to them in order to gain something they considered infinitely more precious.
Haunting Emma ends with a decent conclusion that nicely addresses all the issues and questions raised throughout the trilogy. While DECEPTION remains the standout book in the series, both BETRAYAL and now SURRENDER retain enough of the debut’s strengths to allow the series overall to feel like one complete and satisfying story. I only wish the same sense of mystery and trepidation had carried over as well the bittersweet romance.
Sexual Content:
Kissing. References to sex
August 23, 2014
I devoured this in less than 12 hours. I was pleasantly surprised with this series, and admire Lee Nichols for his/her work on these books. Fabulously written, funny, exciting and wonderful characters created with lots of thought.
This book was the least favorite of mine out of the three. That being said, it was not at all bad...just less exciting and much longer than the predecessors.
I love the plot twists, I love Coby, I love Sarah and Harry and Lukas and Natalie and Simon and all the good ghosts and Max as well,
My favourite thing by far is the humour in this book! It was the humour in the entire series! I don't know how Nichols does it, but the jokes are so oddly timed but they are a good way to relieve the tension you know? And it's actually funny! I've seen so many authors try to make jokes in their fantasy/fiction books but they usually fall flat.
Anyways this was a wonderful series, and I highly recommend it to everyone, and I would like to thank Goodreads for recommending it to me.
My favourite lines:
"I have not been acting freakier than normal."
"So you admit you normally act freaky?" Harry asked
"...you're acting all nice. What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I am nice"
"Have you met you?"
[Harry and Sarah are being attacked by a possessed Britta who demands to know where Emma's ring is]
"Tell me. Tell me now, or die."
"She threw it in the fire," Harry said, his voice trembling.
"What?" Britta shrieked. "What fire? Where?"
"Sauron's mountain," Harry said. "After Gandalf told her-"
"You lie!" Britta bellowed.
"...I do love him, but I don't think it's forever. Love's weird that way, you know?"
God. How hard was it to use a telephone? They were like cavemen at an ATM.
Britta was as sneering and mean as ever, completely unchanged, and I wanted to kiss her. I managed to restrain myself.
“It’s Parents’ Night, isn’t it?” Mr. Stern grumbled. “Hate these things.”
“John,” Mrs. Stern said warningly.
He glanced at us apologetically. “Oh, right. Should be fun.”
That's it!!!
This book was the least favorite of mine out of the three. That being said, it was not at all bad...just less exciting and much longer than the predecessors.
I love the plot twists, I love Coby, I love Sarah and Harry and Lukas and Natalie and Simon and all the good ghosts and Max as well,
My favourite thing by far is the humour in this book! It was the humour in the entire series! I don't know how Nichols does it, but the jokes are so oddly timed but they are a good way to relieve the tension you know? And it's actually funny! I've seen so many authors try to make jokes in their fantasy/fiction books but they usually fall flat.
Anyways this was a wonderful series, and I highly recommend it to everyone, and I would like to thank Goodreads for recommending it to me.
My favourite lines:
"I have not been acting freakier than normal."
"So you admit you normally act freaky?" Harry asked
"...you're acting all nice. What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I am nice"
"Have you met you?"
[Harry and Sarah are being attacked by a possessed Britta who demands to know where Emma's ring is]
"Tell me. Tell me now, or die."
"She threw it in the fire," Harry said, his voice trembling.
"What?" Britta shrieked. "What fire? Where?"
"Sauron's mountain," Harry said. "After Gandalf told her-"
"You lie!" Britta bellowed.
"...I do love him, but I don't think it's forever. Love's weird that way, you know?"
God. How hard was it to use a telephone? They were like cavemen at an ATM.
Britta was as sneering and mean as ever, completely unchanged, and I wanted to kiss her. I managed to restrain myself.
“It’s Parents’ Night, isn’t it?” Mr. Stern grumbled. “Hate these things.”
“John,” Mrs. Stern said warningly.
He glanced at us apologetically. “Oh, right. Should be fun.”
That's it!!!
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