Dreams 'n' Whispers

Paranormalcy #2

by Kiersten White

Evie finally has the normal life she's always longed for, but she's shocked to discover that being ordinary can be . . . kind of boring. So when she's given the opportunity to work for the International Paranormal Containment Agency again, she leaps at the chance.

But then Evie's faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears, and tells her that a battle is brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole paranormal world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Vampires, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Supernatural

384 pages, Gebunden

First published June 1, 2011

About the author

Kiersten White is the #1 New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning, and critically acclaimed author of many books for readers of all ages, including the And I Darken trilogy, the Sinister Summer series, the Camelot Rising trilogy, Star Wars: Padawan, Hide, Mister Magic, and Lucy Undying. She also has a very large tortoise named Kimberly, which isn't relevant, but she wanted you to know.

Visit her online at kierstenwhite.com.

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

“My life is a black hole of boredom and despair."
"So basically you've been doing homework."
"Like I said, black hole.”

What a breath of fresh air!

With so many end-all-be-all dystopian apacolypse YA books out there, it's a relief to finally find one that breaks the mold.

Evie was created by the fairies as an "Empty One."

She longs to suck the soul out of anyone supernatural...almost as much as she longs to go on a date with her boyfriend (Lend) or go shopping.

She's finally managed to escape the clutches of the International Paranormal Containment Agency - aka IPCA aka her old job - and is experiencing a "normal" life...which consists of lockers (yay), her boyfriend (double yay!) and...gym class (ugh).

But just when things settle down (aka they get boring), life throws her a curve ball.

IPCA wants needs her back, the supernaturals are acting suspicious, the fairies are downright murderous and she just can't seem to stop lying to Lend.

She feels terrible - especially about Lend - but how exactly do you break the news that your boyfriend is immortal?

"I'd tell him, though. Soon. Soonish.
Eventually."

Just when she thinks she has a handle on everything...life gets even crazier.

Will she ever obtain the normal life she's always longed for? And if she gets it, would she even want it?

I adore this series.

Evie is such a hilarious and vivacious character. She brings this series alive - I love her from her pink-and-sparkly taser ("Tasey") to her butt-kicking attitude:

“Yeah I know you're a creature of the night. Bringer of death, sucker of blood, needer of tans, so on and so forth. And oddly enough, I'm still unimpressed.”

However, Lend's character felt much...dimmer. I really enjoyed the give-and-take between Evie and Lend from the first book. And in this one, he was still a great guy but his personality fizzled into blandness.

I really liked the direction White is taking this novel. The inclusion of Jack and all the other cool details (i.e. fairy slaves or troll towns) really rounded out this world. I absolutely cannot wait for the next one.

"Faeries and vampires were glittery now? Honestly."

Audiobook Comments
The audio delivered. Emily Eiden had the perfect timing and delivery for all of Evie's one-liners - she really took this book to the next level. Loved it!

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[Lore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moves like Buffy
as sung to Lyndsey by Evie, set to Moves like Jagger by Maroon 5

Do you see these scars?
I can go all night
You know in your heart
That you aren't right
I'll take you away
To the IPCA
Yeah, you better behave

You're in my control
So don't fight me
Now let's take a stroll
Don't you bite me
You say I'm a sheep
Well, I think you're a creep
I don't give a BLEEP

And it goes like this...

Take me by the the hand
And I'll go with you
Through the faerie lands
And I'll show

I got them moves like Buffy
I got them MOVES like Buffy
I got them mooo-oo-oo-OOO-oo-oo-oo-ooves like Buffy.

I won't even try to control you
I already know that I'll OWN you

I got them moves like Buffy
I got them MOVES like Buffy
I got them mooo-oo-oo-OOO-oo-oo-oo-ooves like Buffy.

__________________________________

So Evie is back. This time she has all-but-disappeared from the radar of her former employer, the IPCA (International Paranormal Containment Agency), and is now living a semi-normal existence and attending a regular high school. Or so she thought. When unusual activity with paranormals starts cropping up all over the place, they need her to help solve the mystery. She is assigned a new and mysterious escort named Jack who begins to cause all sorts of problems for Evie, even though she already has enough problems of her own, including the relationship with her paranormal boyfriend, Lend. What sorts of surprises does Jack have in store for Evie? Well, apart the fact that he is a complete douche, which isn't really that much of a surprise.

Lend was a refreshing character in the first book and I enjoyed the seemingly natural progression of his relationship with Evie. But, um. *sigh* Well, he's just so.... vanilla. A teeny bit of vanilla can make a drink like Dr Pepper taste THAT much more awesome. But too much vanilla can overpower the rest of the 23 flavors and leave a bitter aftertaste.

So this book, instead of being "bag and tag", was more like "nag and tag". I thought Lend was charming and snarky in the first book. Here, all he does is nag nag, nag. With good reason? Yes. But still. It's no fun to read about someone being tirelessly berated. He was intriguing in Paranormalcy, but in Supernaturally, I just didn't see the appeal.

"Best. Boyfriend. Ever."

No, that wasn't a quote from Sweet Valley High. That was an actual line in the book, Supernaturally, by Evie about Lend. Really, Evie? You just went there.

Where's my Evie? Where is the girl who would have Tasey'd the crap out of this new douchbag Jack?! Where's the girl who would have kicked a troll-kid-killer in the face with her pink leopard print boots?

Overall, this book was less Roswell High more Sweet Valley High. Or I'm assuming, since I never had the pleasure of reading or watching it for myself.

Things this book may have in common with Sweet Valley High:
Annoying blonde guy.
Group sports!
Jealous boys!!
Long distance relationship angst!!!
Characters who can literally suck the soul right out of you. (Wait - that doesn't sound right.... No, actually, I think it still fits)

I think that one of the things I enjoyed so much about Paranormalcy was that it was almost a sort of dystopia with Evie herself being contained at the Center and that mysterious air about the facility and it's goings-ons. I also loved the Whedonesque banter between Evie and her IPCA victims, but that was, sadly, less prevalent in this sequel.

Well, I still love Evie's adventures and will read the next one. I just probably won't be quite as fangirly. Don't get me wrong either: the first book, Paranormalcy, was tons of fun.

The part of this book that I enjoyed the most was near the end when we learn more about the realm of Faerie and the faerie doors... but then I got nostalgic over the Fever series.

Then I remembered that I first read The Fever Series after my friend, Jillian, compared it to Buffy... and then I got nostalgic about Buffy.

Look at me, all nostalgic-y.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 SERIOUSLY SPARKLY STARS.

Oh, bleep! It was SO. GOOD.

Let me just say I was torn between reading at a crazy, feverish, I-am-consumed-by-this-book pace and slowing down to savor each delicious word and laugh-out-loud line.

As I ended up reading Supernaturally in 3.5 hours, I obviously opted to drink from the fire hose instead of sipping daintily from a tea cup.

Kiersten White, you are the word maestro. You really upped the hilarity quotient in this sequel with your clever turns of phrase and laugh-out-loud lines sprinkled on every page. You know that part where Lend gives Evie a gift (which she loves) and Evie says, "Well, you've set a ridiculously high standard for yourself. Should have started out with something tacky."? That's how I felt after Paranormalcy. You'd set the bar so high for yourself (no short jokes intended). Could you do it again?

My answer is a RESOUNDING YES!

It's been six months since Evie and Lend's escape from the International Paranormal Containment Agency. Evie's finally gotten the "normal" life she's always longed for: high school, a job, an apartment, a locker. But Evie's finding that normal is...kind of boring. So when Raquel and IPCA come calling, swearing they've kind of changed their ways, Evie's drawn back in by the lure of the excitement of her former life (and helping out Raquel). The best part for Evie: no more trips through the faerie paths with psychotic faeries thanks to IPCA's newest teenage phenom, Jack.

Oh, Jack. With your cocky attitude, all-kinds-of-funny wit, and dimpled audacity, you had me laughing from hello. Jack, thy name is Cheeky. (I just had to throw that little ode in to one of my favorite new characters of 2011.)

I don't know if Jack has a real-life inspiration, but if he does, heaven help that boy's poor mother.

Kiersten White knows her stuff. She seems well aware of YA tropes and avoids them at every turn with her refreshing characters, unexpected plot points, and authentic relationships. Kiersten seems to know we're tired of love triangles. And clingy, over-dependent heroines. And cliffhangers. (There is no the-building's-burning-and-we-don't-know-who-gets-out-alive for our Supernaturally ending. *ahem, Demonglass*) Kiersten lovingly pokes fun at many of these well-worn YA tropes and creates something fresh and fun--an absolute pleasure to read.

Each moment where I thought the story could descend into predictability, Kiersten White took it in another direction of total awesomeness.

And Evie. I heart Evie. There are YA heroines I respect. Others with which I sympathize. Some I relate to. But Evie, she's in the very tiny category of YA heroines I'd want to be friends with. SUCH A FRESH VOICE. She's sassy and clever and witty and relatable and sparkly. She's tough yet vulnerable. And she likes pink. Kiersten draws these characters with such a vivid hand.

The pacing? Genius. It was unputdownable. And unforgettable. I've read it three times now because it was that good. There was an "oh my gosh, what's going to happen next" read, an "I am so savoring this" read, and a "good parts--wait that's all the book" read. I am an unabashed fangirl at this point.

Fans of Paranormalcy, start counting down to July 26.


P.S. That cover is all kinds of gorgeous.

P.P.S. And Kiersten, I was waiting to see where you'd fit in the usage of "cleavagization" and now I know. =)

[Cait · Rating 4 out of 5]

You ever read a first book that you just loved and had everything you were looking for: a good MC, no love triangles, action, suspense, not a lot of vanilla characters, was fun, and had an ending that wraps everything neatly with just enough strings left unattached that leaves a smidgen of mystery to rope you into the next book?

Well, for me, that was Paranormalcy, the first book in this series. I just loved it. Evie was smart, badass, had a funny voice, and really good character depth. I totally devoured that book and have re-read it quite a few times; I just wanted to be sucked back into her world that White created so well. After I finished that book I was really excited to read Supernaturally, and waited with baited breath for its release. And you can believe I bought this sucker the second it was on the shelves.

Well, what did I think after such high expectations? I'm going to use another rhetorical question to describe my feelings here:

You ever read the next book of a series and feel like something you thought was indelible is now gone? It was like that for me while reading Paranormalcy. The best way I can explain it is that there was some sort of spark the first book had that was missing here, and I just couldn't connect to Evie, Lend, or really the book as whole as well as I did the first time.

Part of the problem for me, which I thought I'd never say, was Lend. He wasn't in this book nearly as often, and even when he was all he was doing was nagging Evie and not letting her make her own choices (although Evie did tell him off about that when he tried to bring it up, but nonetheless) or his being there was further clouded by Evie worrying about telling him that he was immortal. Bleh. I seriously just wanted to grab her shoulders and shake her! Just freaking tell the man already! He deserves to know something so personal about his own life, dammit! Oh, and did anyone else find that his solution to the problem that he lives forever and Evie could die before she turns 30 was kind of stupid? It wasn't really even a solution. It was just some blanket statement that solved nothing; which wasn't something I expected Lend to come up with, but it seems some of his sense has flown out the window. I mean, how does saying "I'm just going to live my life" solve anything! You're going to live forever, Lend! I'm sorry, but that just sounds like a pussy answer; you can't just put in on the back-burner! Then he never really said anything funny or witty, he just ran around worrying about Evie the whole bleeping time, and that was not cool with me.

And I'm even more shocked to say that some of the reason that the spark was gone was because of Evie. For one, she was so dependent on Lend that she seemed to stop thinking or having many coherent ideas of her own. She even says herself towards the end that she wasn't thinking when she realizes that she could have tried other colleges close to Georgetown in order to be close to Lend only after ignoring 4 other people telling her to do that the whole book! I mean, what!? In the last book, if Evie was in trouble or had a big problem to solve, she figured it out and was smart about it. In Supernaturally, however, she seemed to turn into a bit of a Bella Swan and think that the dangerous, stupid, things were the best way to go, like follow Jack- who she doesn't really even know- and leave Lend. And she was so scared of sharing anything with Lend because he'd be mad at her. That's not the Evie I knew at all. She makes her own choice for what she feels like is best, and if someone doesn't like that well, screw them. I feel like she lost some of that spunk that I've always admired about her character.

I thought that Jack was a nice addition to the story, but not necessarily needed, per-say. I think White could have just stuck with faeries and could have been fine. (with more Reth, another thing I was bothered about; I needed more of the sleezeball!) I think that there were flashes where I could see Jack becoming a good main character, but it just never stayed there and I didn't connect with him. His appearances were a bit too random for me, and I felt like I knew he was seriously screwed up and beyond saving way before Evie even considered he might not be the best person to hang out. In short: he just wasn't Reth. Reth is scary, cunning, devious, and still manages that whole debonair tsk tsk personality without seeming tacky. And Jack was, well, tacky.

Now, I did rate this book four stars, so I still did like it and White's writing was fine, Evie still had her moments, and there was a nice suspense and plot. I will read the last book in the series; maybe with not nearly as much fan-girl action as I had before, but hopefully this is just a common case of MBS (middle book syndrome) and it will go back to the series I adored with her last installment.

[imts · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actual rating: 2.5 stars

"My life is a black hole of boredom and despair."
"So basically you've been doing homework."
"Like I said, black hole."

Is it a bad thing that I saw that plot twist coming half a book before it actually happened? Technically, it wasn't even a plot twist for me because I was just waiting for the author to 'reveal' that fact.

I'm still wondering what I saw in book one to make me give it four stars. I mean, Evie having a taser called - get this - Tasey is now getting on my nerves; I thought a badass main character who still liked hot pink and sparkly dresses was cool, but now it just seems overdone; Raquel's various types of sighs used to be funny, but now they aren't. Lend was still cool, though, and Reth was... well, not nice in the least, but compare him to a couple of the other characters, and he's almost a saint.

Almost.

[Jillian -always aspiring- · Rating 3 out of 5]

With some trepidation do I start this review of Supernaturally, sequel to 2010's Paranormalcy. Now, I liked Paranormalcy well enough because of its heroine, Evie, and the story's tendency to poke fun at the paranormal craze. Whatever flaws the story had, the novel had charm in a world of YA books gone shallow and insipid, unrelatable and inane, and I was hopeful to read the next installment even if I thought that Evie's story could have stayed open-ended with readers imagining what her future might hold after she has gained some semblance of normalcy. In truth...I think it might have been better to leave the story open-ended since Supernaturally doesn't have quite the same amount of charm that its predecessor had.

Supernaturally suffers from the "sequel slump," a common occurrence among many, many trilogies to be found in the young adult section. Most YA novels that expand into trilogies quite honestly could have stayed standalone novels, but nowadays the bigger publishers bank on trilogies instead of standalone novels. And that's fine. However, when you have a debut author who has likely only written a handful of novel drafts (if that) prior to a publishing deal, you have to take into consideration whether or not the author has the experience to undertake a trilogy. Will the author be able to handle an overarching plot that hangs as an umbrella over all three novels and then the individual novel plot problems and predicaments? Will the author potentially be able to make the novels tied up plot-wise on their own so that any reader can feel satisfied by finishing one novel without needing to read the rest? (Yes, that can be a pro and a con, but then you have the other end of the spectrum: cliffhangers that leave frayed threads of plot just hanging where you NEED the next book even if only to satisfy your curiosity. Now, which would readers rather have: books that can stand on their own or ones that thrive off cliffhanger central? I would guess the former before the latter.)

Kiersten White falls somewhere in the middle: though her novels have their own individual plots and then hints of an overarching plot across all three books, they aren't the kind of novels that leave off on cliffhangers (think The Hunger Games) that leave you wanting more, nor are they completely individual on their own (though, to be fair, YA novels that are a part of trilogies/series rarely are this sort). So what is Supernaturally? It's a novel caught in that place where no novel wants to be: too reliant on its predecessor to be a companion or standalone novel yet not fulfilling enough as a sequel to the original.

Supernaturally begins with Evie where she has always dreamed of being: living the normal life of a teenage girl. Sure, her boyfriend Lend may be away at college, and she may still have more questions than answers about her supernatural heritage...but life is good. Of course, this is Evie, so things are never quite so normal as she may think. After a series of strange occurrences, Evie finds herself working for IPCA again, but her jobs aren't solo anymore: this time, she's working with a trickster-like boy named Jack, a human who has the power to walk the Faerie Paths.

While Supernaturally did offer some smiles and just good-natured fun to me, it really didn't have oomph. One problem is that it was too easy for me to put the book down; when I'm reading a book, I should always feel the need to know more, more, more and keep flipping those pages. Time should be a void while I read -- to the point that when I look up from the book I'm shocked to find that hours have passed since I started reading. With Supernaturally, there was no pull for me. I slogged through the book over the course of a few weeks, and everything -- Evie, Lend, even the paranormal world around them -- didn't seem to have the same charm that I remembered it having in Paranormalcy. The need for conflict and plot motion gave way to stupid character decisions and unnecessary angst, and all of it left me feeling rather lukewarm.

However much Supernaturally was a mixed reading experience for me, I will be reading the final book, Endlessly, because I have hope that Kiersten White will manage to wow me with the finale. Though I can't wholeheartedly recommend Supernaturally on its own, I do think Paranormalcy is worth reading. I may not have been a fan of the second installment, but that doesn't mean that everyone will feel the same way I do. So...read at your own discretion.

[Stephanie (Bookfever) · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all, I have to say that I'm a huge Kiersten White fan and I loved Paranormalcy so it really pains me to have to write a rather negative review for Supernaturally. I just thought the book fell a little flat for me. It was just okay for me and nothing more.

So like I said I loved the first book. I really did. The reason why I didn't like this one was that it was rather boring (I'm so sorry, Kiersten!). I hate to say this but it's just the way I felt. I felt like nothing really happened. Nothing too major anyway. And maybe it was just me but I felt that Evie was so freaking whiny in this book and if there's one thing I can't stand it's whiny heroines. The sad thing is, I liked her a lot in Paranormalcy. *sad face*

There were a few good points though that I think I should mention. One of these points are all the unique paranormal creatures. This book is full of them and that was probably the thing I liked best. I always love books that have several creatures that are either unique or unknown to me. So bonus points for that. Also, I love the faeries. I know they're kind of shady in this series but I can't help myself, I love faeries. And Reth, I love him too. Don't judge me.

The other characters weren't too eye-catching, however. I used to think Lend was adorable but now I'm rather "meh" about him. Jack, though, was pretty interesting. At first he seemed like this real happy-go-lucky guy but turns out he had a hidden agenda. I can't say I blame him, though. He went through pretty shitty things with the faeries.

Supernaturally was not a good sequel to Paranormalcy in my eyes. It was pretty dull with a very whiny main character and nothing too major happening. I did read it super fast, however and it's easy to get into a book by Kiersten White. I really like her writing, even in this book. Will I read the final book? Probably but I'm not in any hurry to buy it right away.

[Aggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first time heard about Kiersten White I was about 16-17 years old. I saw “Paranormalcy” accidentally on book store with good price, so I bought it. It was fantasy genre and I didn’t care about the details at the moment. And I have to say that I really enjoyed first book and I couldn’t wait for opportunity to read the second one. However, it took me about even 3 or 4 years to get a chance for that. Again, before taking “Supernaturally” from library I didn’t thought twice. I loved first book and I felt sure that this one will be even better. Sadly, because I had my expectations pretty high I felt quite disappointed.

To know why I felt disappointed - check my blog: https://gutreadingtime.wordpress.com/... ;)

[Brittany McCann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Please only experience this one in physical form, unless you like valley girl shrieking and super annoying overacting. I regret the audio experience on this one SO much.

I am not sure that I can really rate this one without bias as I wanted to rip the headphones from my head and throw them at my coworker to stop the noise...

I DID like the content of the first book, but I just wanted this one to end and would have to listen in short bursts to make it through as I needed this book for a challenge.

I am giving this book the benefit of the doubt with a 2 star instead of the 1 the audio deserves.

[✨ Helena ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books are so much fun. I’m having an absolute blast with Evie and Lend. They’re such a cute couple and really relatable and hilarious characters. I can’t wait to see what adventures the finale will hold...onto the next! 😉

[Penny Well Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

I forgot I was reading it...

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have lost some respect for myself.

Why, you may ask? It's because I now have the shameful task of eating my own words. It's very degrading.

Anyway, the point of this wallowing is this: I now prefer Reth to Lend.

....crap.

If you're confused about why typing this makes me practically want to cry, see for yourself in my review of the first book. I mean, that's a lot of hatred to take back. I kinda wish the earth would swallow me up right now, my pride is so wounded.

Anyway.

The general review atmosphere I have seen about Supernaturally is disappointment. People loved the first book and feel this one was missing that same spark. I personally didn't notice any substantial dip in quality, but that's just me. (Also, I'm exceedingly grateful to Kiersten White for providing me with the first book I've read in weeks that I actually tore through instead of that painful plodding process where I have to put it down every three chapters.)

Basically, Evie's new life in the normal human world is not as charming as she had imagined. She's no longer special, no longer useful, now that she doesn't work for IPCA. But she's given a chance to get her old life back when Racquel enlists her help in combatting some especially strange problems in the paranormal world.

One problem is that there's this obnoxious kid (Jack) who shows up in Evie's life and apparently feels the need to keep showing up in every dang chapter. Doing backflips and making weird innuendo-laced comments that are just plain irritating the whole time. He's also the speaker of the currently most-liked quote of this book on GR, the one that's really long and stupid. I am not twelve and no longer believe that obnoxious = hilarious, so I read that whole scene wishing I was somewhere else.

But honestly, Jack grew on me throughout the book. I thought his past was interesting and made him a sympathetic character without resorting to cheap emotional manipulation. Props to Kiersten White.

And as for Evie's relationship with Lend, it's still going strong, but suffering. All of these problems are due to her inability to communicate. Sigh. And while I appreciate Ms. White's efforts to put a healthy relationship at the center of a paranormal book - seriously, thanks - I think that at times it was sort of bland. Not to mention that Lend came off as a little too protective, but maybe that's just me.

My one other complaint is that the "plot twist" was obvious to the point that I couldn't even fathom how none of the characters (none!) saw it coming. "This came out of NOWHERE! If by nowhere you mean there were blatant clues dropped every chapter!" Yeesh. But while it's true I knew Jack was the one setting up Evie with all those monsters, I completely misinterpreted the motivation behind his actions. I expected him to be doing it under orders from his faery masters, against his will; but nope, he was acting independently in a sick attempt to send all the faeries to hell! So while the twist was sort of a duh moment, it also managed to shock me at the same time.

Even though the overall plot goes into darker places than its predecesor, I think Supernaturally still retained the light humor that characterized Paranormalcy. My favorite part may have been when Evie was trying to neutralize a very interesting vampire. It contained the same humor I mentioned before, but also showed Evie's struggle to resist her soul-stealing abilities, not to mention I thought the vampire was a great character. Here's my favorite part of that scene:

He threw back his head and laughed. I felt like I'd walked into some cheesy vampire movie. Finally done with his little show of sinister confidence, he focused on my eyes. "You will take me back to the trolls."

Vampire mind tricks are dependent on their glamour, and with my nice view straight to his white corpse eyes, he just looked silly. I let my face go blank and nodded slowly. "Yes. The trolls. Back. With me. Cannot form. Complete sentences." I shook my head. "Yeah, so not happening."

Tee hee.

Overall: I liked it about the same as the first book, Paranormalcy... which is a lot. It was a bundle of fun to read. But because it's written more as a fun, guilty pleasure book than as hard-hitting, emotional literature (not to mention the juvenile characters and plot issues I mentioned), I don't think I can give it more than 3 stars. But it's a high three.

[~Tina~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, quirky, energetic, amusing and highly entertaining!

Supernaturally is just as great as the first book. And if you thought Evie was a hOOt then ya'll are gonna love Jack! Despite all things he's such a crazy-fun character who will have you laughing out loud the minute you meet him. And lets not forget about Lead, He's just as irresistible and adorable as ever. Love him!!
If your looking for a break from the more serious paranormal reads then look no further. This book is the perfect combination of easy going-happy go lucky with a lot of fun mishaps along the way.
Pure smile-worthy!

[Misty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, I know this is random, but best acknowledgements section ever.

Anywho:
I started off my year with Kiersten White's debut, Paranormalcy, and I said in my review that it was the perfect funk-breaker and way to start the year.  I've been recommending it heartily ever since.  And so, though I don't usually actively pursue review books, the sequel, Supernaturally, was one I was bound and determined to get my hands on.  (As politely and professionally as possible, of course... ;p)  So yes, Misty + ARC of Supernaturally = Pleased As Punch.  I was so, so ready to slip back into Evie's world and have her funny, effervescent voice back in my head.

Supernaturally picks up a few months after the events of Paranormalcy, with Evie settled into the normal life she's always craved - and she's quickly learning that normal's not all it's cracked up to be.  I mean, she's even beginning to lose her enthusiasm over lockers.  Evie is...sad, but she doesn't quite realize it yet.  I kept thinking as I was reading this that the Evie we meet in Supernaturally is going to be hard for some fans of Paranormalcy to swallow.  She is going through some major changes and confronting the facts of her life - no longer a super-special kick-ass IPCA chick, not quite as human as she thought she was, missing her best friend and almost-sister, finding out normal = boring, and relationship slightly on the rocks - and all of this makes for a less likable Evie.  She's not as buoyant and irrepressible; she's sort of angsty and occasionally whiny, and at times, downright sulky.  She's a little hard to bear, and it may well put some fans off.

But the thing is, I still have to give credit to Kiersten White because I think these changes were honest.  It makes perfect sense that after everything, after losing so much and finding out that her life has always been a lie, that Evie would be reeling and not dealing with it all that well.  Her world has been turned upside down, and she can't trust anything anymore. She's starting from scratch, and the shiny wears off pretty quickly, especially when the only thing you've got to look forward to is a locker.  Not to mention that she's pretty much lived her life in a controlled bubble, so she doesn't necessarily have the coping mechanisms to deal with these huge changes, nor does she have the people in her life that would have been the ones to help her through them.  It's only fitting that this introduce some angst into her life, and that we see her in a rough patch. It wouldn't have been believable to have everything go on smoothly and nonchalantly as before.  But even if it's understandable and even necessary to advance Evie's character, there will be people who just don't have the tolerance for it.  And with a lot less Lend in the story than people are going to be happy with, and most of the cutesy gone, there may be those who were fans of the first book, but heartily dislike the second.

There were times when I was irritated with Evie or the story, but for the most part, even if it lacked a bit of the magic of the first, I enjoyed it pretty thoroughly.  There were some new beings introduced, either briefly or for the long haul, that brought in a lot of the fun I've come to associate with White's writing.  Much of it expanded the world nicely, and some of it was downright hilarious (unicorns!).  One of the new major characters, Jack, was a great deal of fun, very Puckish* and irreverant, and school-boy/smart-ass charming.  He's good, crazy fun.  I mean, don't get me wrong, I saw his storyline coming a mile away, but I still enjoyed getting there, and what he brought out in Evie or allowed to be revealed.

(*I mean that in the old-school sense, not the J. Kagawa sense. Stop squeeing.)

Many of the old characters were there too, even some that you may not have expected to see again.  Raquel is back with her sighs - though less of them, thank god - and we get to know some of the formerly minor characters a little better.  And Reth makes an appearance or three, and I ate up every minute of it.  I love me some Reth, I don't even care.  Say what you want, he may be a Fey dick at times, but I lurve him, and I don't even care to hide it.  One thing I was happiest about, though, was the continuance/resolution to the Vivian storyline.  Vivian is still a part of the story, in her way, and while still just as intriguing, it is a much calmer relationship.  I really like her and the consistency of her character; even when she grows and changes, it's believable, and she facilitates that in Evie, too.  The realities of Evie's struggle and what she and Vivian are paves the way for a great expansion of Evie's history.  There is still so much there to explore, both in the person she is going to become (and I love her struggle, love the temptation and the horror of being what she is), and in the way the other paranormals treat her.

I think, in some ways, this was a book to get through.  I don't mean that it was bad or you have to slog through it, but I think it acts as a necessary bridge between what has happened and the things that need to come into being.  Just as Evie needed to go through these hard, angsty times to come into her own (I hope) and grow, I think there are a lot of things that either happen or are hinted at that give a sense that the story is much bigger.  Something big is brewing, and it always feels as if it's about to explode.  There are things that aren't 100% tied up at the end, and though that may frustrate some, it's doesn't seem done in that false way that's meant to get you to buy another book.  There are just...implications of a bigger picture, hints about the elementals and other beings, of tensions and alliances, and though the main events of this story are wrapped up nicely, you get a sense that it's just the calm before the storm.  And personally, I love storms...

Looking forward to book 3.


Related: If you haven't read the book, here's the trailer.  If you have, this fan-made, Sims-based trailer kills me.  So bleeping funny. [Intenionally or not...]

[Bettina_kPunkt · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5 typischer Zwischenband und super langweilig

[Colleen Houck]

My favorite scene was the march of the Fey heading to the boat. Very Lord of the Rings. I also really love the fairy doors or gateways and the idea of getting lost inside one is terrifying! I like the new paranormal creature additions to the series. Very cool.

[Hayden Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Actual Rating: 3.5 stars)

Wow. I really should've reread Paranormalcy before I started this.
Kiersten White did very little review at the beginning of SUPERNATURALLY, which lead to a very confused Hayden.

This was me:



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I was trepid going into this book. Previous Goodreads reviews shattered all sense of hope I had of this being a good sequel. They said the characters fell flat (specifically Lend) and it suffered from being the middle book in a trilogy. I think those reviewers were wrong, at least in my sense of the experience of reading it. The beginning of the book may have been pretty slow, but once you got going you didn't want to stop. The only thing that stopped me from continuing and finishing this book last night was my need of sleep. I woke up this morning with the book overturned and my bookmark right underneath my hand.

SUPERNATURALLY did have its fair share of differences from PARANORMALCY, a big one being Evie isn't cooped up in the IPCA every minute of every day like she was for the majority of the first book (or at least what I can remember of it). Lend spends most of the time in SUPERNATURALLY away at school, and he seems to take the backburner in this installment, which I don't really mind. A new character is introduced in the book, as well; his name is Jack, and he's a kinda-human that has access to the Faerie Realms. He's really obnoxious, loud and blond, which makes for great fun in Evie's world. At a certain part in SUPERNATURALLY, I was thinking Lend was out of Evie's love triangle and Jack had filled his part, or maybe she'd made it a love rhombus.



For those who have read the book (or those who haven't, but don't mind a minor thing being spoiled), my favorite part of SUPERNATURALLY is when Evie finds out what she is. I think that scene is very intense and dark, and it brings a whole new wavelength to the Paranormalcy Trilogy. I'm really liking the direction the plot is going.

The reason I said I should've reread PARANORMALCY before reading this is because I forgot who some characters were (Vivian, especially), and I forgot what happened in the climax. Gradually, I began to understand more and more as it went on and the characters reviewed it for themselves, but I would've liked to know it beforehand. I have a feeling I would've had a better experience with SUPERNATURALLY had I reread its predecessor.

Overall, SUPERNATURALLY earns a solid 3.5 stars, because I felt the beginning was slow and the ending was rushed (you can just tell when the author can't wait to finish). The storyline is complex, and like Kiersten said, it's very character-driven. In my opinion, Lend doesn't fall flat, but he's as strong and supportive as ever, Reth seems to toughen up as well and become even more intimidating, and Evie is just as spunky as she was in the introduction to PARANORMALCY (entitled OH, BITE ME).

(The Acknowledgments section of SUPERNATURALLY is a riot!)

[Small Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted at Small Review

"The Buffy mark"

There was a blurb on Supernaturally that said something along the lines of “Comes closer than most to hitting the Buffy mark.” Well, Buffy fanatic that I am, any sort of comparison to Buffy usually sets me off…and not in a good way. Because can anything really come close to the awesomeness of Buffy? I didn’t think so.

Now Kiersten White is no Joss Whedon. Her humor is completely different and it isn’t really fair to either of them to try to compare Evie to Buffy. They’re just different. Yet, that blurb is totally spot on.

What Joss Whedon managed to do so perfectly that makes Buffy epic was create a show that had incredible humor, but also incredible depth and seriousness. These aspects are then balanced in a way where both complement and enhance one another. THIS is where Kiersten White nails it. This is how she "hits the Buffy mark."

I love these people

Evie is one of the funniest characters I’ve ever met. Just like in Paranormalcy, the first page--heck, the first line--had me laughing. I knew this book would be awesome by that first sentence alone. Evie's the kind of girl who looks at the world, says exactly what I would be thinking, but does it in a way that’s a million times funnier than I could ever dream of being. The best humor is the kind that resonates, and Evie is so utterly relatable. Whenever I read Evie, all I want to do is make her real and have a million sleepover parties together and buy BFF charm necklaces.

She also so gets my high school gym experience.

And yet…beneath all the cute glitter and pink is a deceptively sad story. It might be easy to get wrapped up in the light tone of the book and believe there is no more here than superficial fun, but that would be a mistake. There’s a darkness here that is breathtakingly tragic.

The characters Kiersten White creates are so real and possess such depth. My heart aches for them. Even the Big Bads are complex people with logical reasons for why they act the way they do. If you’re the type of reader who wants villains that transcend the black and white confines of Good vs Evil, then look no further.

Supernaturally gives greater insight into Paranormalcy’s Big Bad while also introducing a new BB to the mix. While they’re both bad, the funny thing is that I feel protective over them. I like them. Yeah, ok, they’re not good people, but I get them. I see where they’re coming from, even if they’re wrong. I want to cry over their completely heartbreaking stories. The best part is that Evie sees it too, and watching her grapple with the confusion this leads to adds the depth of both character and plot that elevates Kiersten White from “good writer” to “superb writer.”

Middle books are different

I was blown away by Paranormalcy, and while Supernaturally is made of awesome it doesn’t quite hit the same mark Paranormalcy did. The plot of Paranormalcy really grabbed me and took me on a roller coaster of a ride. The impending threat of the Big Bad going around murdering paranormals and the mysterious nature of that BB kept my eyes glued to the pages.

Supernaturally’s Big Bad is a lot more subtle, and, for me, that subtlety lessened my “OHMYBLEEPINGGOSHWE’REALLGOING TODIEEEEE” excitement that I had going with the first book. Don’t get me wrong, the story is still fun and there’s still a mysterious aspect to unravel (which I sadly managed to figure out too soon), but it didn’t have the same edge-of-your-seat feeling that I loved so much.

In some ways Supernaturally is very much a “middle of a trilogy” book, but in this case that isn’t a bad thing. Evie’s life changed completely in Paranormalcy, and Supernaturally shows Evie dealing with all of that fallout. It’s a very character-driven story. Too often major things happen to characters and the impact of those events is glossed over for the sake of advancing the plot. Now, you know me, I have a very short attention span. I want ACTION! So when I say I truly appreciated the time Kiersten White takes here in letting Evie figure everything out, you can be confident that this isn’t a boring filler book.

(To put it in terms Buffy fans will understand, Supernaturally is Buffy’s season six. There isn't really a gigantic Big Bad like in the other seasons. The focus is instead more inward and focuses on the characters themselves. Supernaturally obviously has totally different events, but think the soul searching and character development end of things.)

Unique paranormals (with proper sparkle placement)

There are so many clichés in YA paranormal books right now that complaining about the clichés is practically a cliché in itself. But Kiersten White? I need to create an altar to bow down in front of and give massive thanks for turning paranormal clichés on their heads (but there will be no animal sacrifices at this altar! Will offerings of sparkly things suffice?)

I may need to offer a few sparkly pink taser holsters in penance for ever doubting her, too. Hear me out though, ok? I mean, Paranormalcy was chock full of a whole bunch of paranormals, and they were all totally different from how we’re used to reading about them (noooo pretty vampires here!), but not in ways that are lame (sparkles are for jewelry, not vampires). This was awesome, but I really wasn’t expecting Kiersten to have the imaginative reserves left after all that to create even more unique paranormals and add even more depth to the already established ones. Now having read Supernaturally? Me=IDIOT.

Diana Peterfreund was the sole occupant of my “Authors who make COMPLETELY AWESOME AND ORIGINAL Unicorns” pedestal, but I now need to put in an order for a wider pedestal. Kiersten White is soo getting a spot on it now. I’m not even going to mention the other paranormals so you don’t get spoiled, but I will say this: Reading Kiersten’s books is like taking a stroll through a paranormal amusement park. (That's a good thing).

Crazy for you

I’m so torn on all of the scenes of peril. I want to go running around screaming in fright, giggle like a seven year old listening to a fart joke (um, still do that), and clap my hands in delight over the new spin on the paranormals. So, uh, Kiersten? Thanks for making me look like a COMPLETE LUNATIC when I read your books in public. Ugh, Readers, take it from me and don’t even try to explain to (non-cool) people why the cloud scene in Supernaturally is made of win. (But, seriously Kiersten, thanks. The reading experience is so worth those weird looks).

Final proof that Kiersten White is a genius?

The chapter titled "Sparkles Make Everything Better" Yes they do, Kiersten. YES THEY DO!

Bottom line

If you loved Paranormalcy, then I’m certain you’ll love Supernaturally. Luckily I’m tiny so I can hide from you pretty easily if I’m wrong and you try to hunt me down for misleading you. But I don’t think that’ll happen. You definitely have to read Paranormalcy for Supernaturally to make any kind of sense, but Supernaturally ends nicely without any pull-your-hair-out cliffhangers (Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!). I can’t wait for the third (and final *sniff*) book, but that’s because I just want more.

My only complaint is that there isn’t nearly enough Reth and I really wanted to learn more about him. His scenes are wonderful, but too infrequent and riddled with cryptic clues. *Sigh* That is just so like him.

Originally posted at Small Review

[Lheata · Rating 5 out of 5]

ahhhhhhhhh yay another! i loved the first book it was so different from everything paranormal ive read it was amazing and a half! such a cute relationship between evie and lend please dont let anything happen to them! i love how evie got so excited over lockers in the first book hehe and how she carries around her taser (tasey)! loved!

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm giving this one 4 1/2 stars, with this book I laughed, I cried, I got mad at Jack when I found out what a jerk he was to Evie but then on the other side of the coin who can blame him? he wanted revenge. I liked Reth a lot more, and Lend: Well he just jumped to the top 10 of great Paranormal boyfriends.

[🇵🇸🇵🇸 hasfia 🇵🇸🇵🇸 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I DONT HAVE TIME TO WRITE A REVIEW IM READING THE LAST BOOK !!!!!

[Danny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my bleeeeep, this was so fanfreakingtastic!

When I read Paranormalcy last year I didn't expect to love it so much - but I did, I fell in love with Evie and her love of pink and with Lend. So of course I couldn't wait to start reading Supernaturally!

Normally, I'm always afraid of second books in a series, they can either life up to the hype generated in the first book, or they leave you disappointed. I'm glad I can tell Supernaturally most definitely delivered!

Evie's life has changed, she now has a locker (..duh), goes to a public school and lives with a Vampire. She's still madly in love with her über-gorgeous shapeshifting boyfriend Lend. But, she misses Raquel - she was the only mother she ever had (which is sad to be honest since Raquel is not the best mother figure...) but Evie misses her and also her old life full of action. Plus, suddenly having a normal life isn't as cool as she imagined and with Lend being in college...

When Raquel asks Evie to help out with some paranormal problems she first hesitates but then can't help herself and takes over some jobs. Needless to say Lend doesn't want to see her in danger which is why Evie keeps is a secret. Oh boy, I don't need to tell you that this wasn't the smartest idea..

Now, Evie not only has to face paranormal problems but also problems with Lend which is just plain heartbreaking and made me tear up quite often. I love those two together but Evie has to learn what it means to have someone to trust.

A new character is introduced to which Evie finds a connection she can share with no one else....

Loved loved LOVED this book, I adore Evie, I'm in love with Lend and I love this unique and fresh world and plot line. Nothing ever is boring! But what I adore most is the incredibly writing style which is unique and can't be compared to anything out there. I found myself smiling so often about phrases and choice of words. It is as you'd read a journal from a Teenie in the perfect way a Teenie would write it herself. It is perfect, simply put like this, it's perfect ina funny and genuine way! Evie has to find her place in the world, she has to find herself and she has to learn not only to trust herself but also the person that love her.

I can only tell you that you shouldn't be afraid of this second book, you won't be disappointed, it is as awesome as Paranormalcy and the ending is wonderfully perfect. No evil cliffhanger that makes your heart ache, a perfect second book in a wonderful and perfect series!

[Amy S · Rating 2 out of 5]

Zzzzzzzzzzzz.

Dear book,

Maybe it's not you. Maybe it's me. I adored your first installation, I really did. But time has passed, we've both changed, and we're just not right for each other anymore. I think it's best if we move on. After all, from the beginning things did not look good. When I picked you up at the library and held you in my slender hands (here's hoping) I noticed that you were playing me with the whole Stephanie-Myers-pretend-big-book-thing. You know, the one where they make the book half the width of a normal book and your REALLY LARGE FONT to make it seem bigger than it is. Also, helpful hint: make your villains actually scary. There was no predicament in any of your pretty little pages that seemed even tense. In fact, if I read the word "liebchen" again I was going to feed myself to the vamp just to be out of misery.

You and I had a good run of it though. I do appreciate the fact that you are sweet still, non-smutty and sometimes the pages that I didn't skim through could have some cute things here and there. Also, let your author know: no more overly cute awknowledgements. Seriously. And for every author of a trilogy. Please do not make book 2 just a mindless exercise in getting to number 3.

Don't worry, I have an 11 year old. Give it a couple of years and she'll be able to appreciate you in ways I never could. Good luck saving the world.

love, me
ps your boyfriend is kind of hot though.

[Lissa]

SIGH.

Actually, I'm NOT going to write an in-depth review.

Mostly because I can't really remember what happens in this book. Mostly nothing. Mostly Evie abruptly going places to do nothing then ending up back right where she started.

White's teenage voice is alarmingly realistic. I'm going to read Mind Games but if it's the same voice, I'll probably stop reading White. It reads like a teenager wrote the book - not enough detail in some places, too much in others, a jarringly abrupt narrative and a lack of logical flow of thought from the protagonist. I've tried telling myself that White is just the most superior writer ever and the only author to ever nail the teenage voice perfectly, but now I'm not sure.

The bad guy? Floating around vaguely threatening but not really, much like Sam in Hallowed.

Oh yeah, and the climax? That was hugely anti-climactic. Not as disappointing as Matched, but up there with crappy endings.

I'm disappointed, and I won't be rushing out to read Endlessly when it's released. It's a pity, because Paranormalcy was for a long time the one book I wanted the most that I couldn't get my hands on.

[Hope Baxter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me and my best friend Tyler ADORE this series. White has such a way of evolving the glamours into thick descriptions, telling us about paranormals we haven't, or have heard about. Jack is hilarious, and absolutely adorable. Lend is..... starting to get boring, as much as I love him. And Reth is.... still up in Evie's face all the time.
I'm more than halfway through it, and can't wait to finish it. I adore this book, no flaws detected!

[Annabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Supernaturally was even better than Paranormalcy. The plot is more defined, although personally I feel like some of the characters don't have enough substance. They're all lovely characters. The problem simply is that many of them have no backgrounds, no likes and dislikes, nothing that binds them to Earth.

Also, I'm not a huge fan of White's writing style. I like hearing Evie's voice, but the way it's written can come across as everything from obnoxious to clueless. I like Evie, but I suffered some serious problems with her in this book. However, since she's pretty awesome, she managed to overcome them. This is why I love Evie.

Ack. The romance. Someone please kill me now. I thought it was sweet it the first book, but in Supernaturally it dominates just a bit too much of the story for my taste. I am so sick of heroines who will "be okay because they have their boyfriends by their side." Real life isn't like that, okay? You need to be strong on your own before you can be strong with someone else. Lend was still a sweet character, and I do like him for Evie. I find him rather bland personally, but he's definitely got some things going for him.

I was happy to see the return of Reth, even if he does have a new name now. I've alway had a thing for bad boys, and Reth satisfies this perfectly. He's never boring and alway manages to show up at the most perfect times in the book. He just has that sexy, mysterious allure.

Several new characters and introduced in this book, but by far the most important is Jack. Jack plays a huge role in this book, although I'll keep my mention of him minimal because I don't want to give anything away.

However, there were some developments in the book that I found completely pointless. Well, one in particular, but there're more.

In any case, I genuinely enjoyed Supernaturally more than Paranormalcy. I would definitely recommend it, and I'll be counting the days until the release of Endlessly.

[Steffi au Penguinbooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh ... ugh ....

Nervtötendster Charakter ever. Ich fand die Evie im ersten Band ja schon naiv und etwas zu girly, aber ihre kleinen Abenteuer mit ihrem "Tasey" waren schon ganz lustig.

Tja, dieses Mädchen ist weg. Sie ist eins von diesen typischen Mädchen, die ihr Leben einzig und allein auf ihren Kerl ausrichtet. Ihre Naivität und Sturheit waren kaum aushaltbar.

Ich möchte auch gar nicht von den anderen Charakteren anfangen, wie Lend zb. Was aus dem geworden ist ... ugh.

Die Story plätschert nur so vor sich hin, und lediglich die 20-30 Seiten kurz vor dem Ende waren spannend. Oh und noch was - der Plottwist sooo offensichtlich, sodass mir das zusätzlich den Spaß genonmen hat.

Na ja, den letzten Teil werde ich schon noch lesen. Ein bisschen Neugierde habe ich schon.

2.5 Sterne

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this as much as the first book. I wanted more action. It was kinda slow and boring for me. Still it was a fast cute read and I will read the third and final book in this trilogy. Hopefully the third book is more action packed.

[Omaira · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ligeramente más ameno que Paranormal, el primer libro de la trilogía, pero igual de simple. Es una continuación sin grandes sobresaltos y que solo consigue entretener un poco más gracias a la introducción de un personaje que resulta algo gracioso y carismático.

Evie sigue sin brillar como protagonista. En teoría, esta novela tiene como propósito que la veamos plantearse si es feliz teniendo una vida casi normal y si puede afrontar lo que descubrió sobre lo que era capaz de hacer. Sin embargo, apenas se le da emoción al asunto y lo que vemos es a una Evie ahogada por la rutina y haciendo lo que otras personas le dicen que haga. Es más, hasta es llamativa su falta de curiosidad ante su condición especial como paranormal.

La parte del romance es que ni vale la pena describirla. No se ve una evolución en la relación de Lend y Evie porque él rara vez está presente. Y cuando aparece, quiere que Evie se comporte como si no vivieran en un mundo que ambos saben que está lleno de vampiros, hadas y otros seres que parecen estar planeando algo. Dicho de otra forma: Lend es un florero al que es fácil ir ignorando cada vez más. Lo triste es que Reth, que es quien daba la impresión de hacerle la competencia, está muy desaparecido. En su lugar, a quien tenemos es a Jack, alguien capaz de crear puertas para acceder al Camino de las Hadas y que, presuntamente, trabaja ayudando a la Agencia para la que colaboraba Evie. Si no fuera por Jack, la lectura hubiera sido un completo tostón. Tiene escenas buenas y, aunque da la impresión de esconder algo, sabe ejercer un papel activo en la trama y no se limita a estar en modo contemplativo como los demás personajes.

En términos generales, no ocurre nada excesivamente destacable. Las supuestas sorpresas se pueden preveer y no se le saca partido a los descubrimientos que sí que valen la pena. El factor emocional también está desaprovechado porque Evie rara vez muestra auténticas reacciones a lo que le va ocurriendo. En serio, sigue pareciendo una niña pequeña en vez de una adolescente. Cualquier personaje secundario tiene más potencial que ella. Y a eso hay que sumarle que es muy egoísta, por lo que es difícil creerse que alguien le importe de verdad. Es más, no duda en hacerle feos a gente que se preocupa por ella y luego se victimiza a sí misma.

Curiosamente, el final es bastante autoconclusivo a pesar de que éste no es el cierre de la trilogía. Se resuelven los pocos interrogantes que se habían planteado y, realmente, lo único que quedaría pendiente es ver si algún bando se decide a querer actuar. Si todos siguieran como hasta ahora y nadie se empeñara en nada, pues el desenlace te permite imaginar perfectamente cómo será la vida de los personajes. Como todos son tan pasivos, pues yo no esperaría que iniciaran ninguna revolución en el futuro. De todos modos, como el último libro no llegó a ser traducido y la historia no me ha entusiasmado, me planto aquí. Si el 3º es la octava maravilla, pues soportaré vivir sin comprobarlo.

[Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fair warning, there will be a few minor spoilers in this review.

God, this book was so disappointing. I loved the first one, I really did, and I was excited to read book number two. Then I started reading it, and it just... didn't work.

The author herself admits how hard it was to write a squeal in the acknowledgements, and that struggle was easy to see when reading the book. Nothing felt like it was happening for natural reasons - everything was there just to create some kind of story. I found myself infuriated with the book, and most of all, with Evie.

Jesus, Evie in this book... I wanted to punch her in the face. When did she get so stupid? So selfish? Everything was about her, everyone was out to get her, her, her her, all the freaking time. I just couldn't stand the constant lying and justifications she tried to make for stealing souls from paranormals. Somewhere between the first and the second book, she turned into a complete idiot, and the most aggravating part of that was that it was just so Kiersten White had a story to tell.

Yes, towards the end, she does kind of redeem herself by realising what a absolute idiot she's been, but to be honest, at that point I was too angry to even care. It didn't make up for how painfully irritating she'd been through 99% of the book up till that point. Self-awareness does not idiotic behaviour redeem, unfortunately.

The only good thing about this book was that we at least got a a few answers, such as what Evie actually is and where she came from. But that crucial part of the story, the climax of the book, was so rushed and hurried that I barely felt anything at all. It didn't feel like a huge revelation. It was just sort of stuck on there, somehow. That was a feel that permeated the whole book - even from the very first page, the reader is just thrown into things, without any cushioning. The parts that should be more fully explored simply weren't, but we still had to suffer through pages and pages of Kiersten White's quite hilariously inaccurate perception of what Sweden and it's inhabitants are like. I got the feeling that either this book was heavily edited, or White herself just couldn't really be bothered giving it her all. The sad thing is, I'm pretty sure neither of those things are actually the case, which just makes it worse.

What happened to this series? It was so, so disappointing to go from Paranormalcy to Supernaturally. I was expecting something that was just as fun to read as the first one had been, and I was so sad not to get that.

Will I read the third book? Yes, most likely. Will I hope that it's better than the second one? Oh god, please, for all that is holy - please don't make it worse. Don't ruin the whole series. Please.