About the Book
-
Author:
- Inara Scott
- Genres:
- Boy-Girl Romance
- Paranormal
- Voices:
- Cis Girl
- White (Non-Specified)
Cover Story: Oh God Please No
BFF Charm: YAY!
Talky Talk: Living In a Grownup’s Paradise
Bonus Factors: Kickass Gram, Friends, Supernatural Boarding School
Relationship Status: Snuggle Buddy
Cover Story: Oh God Please No
[Ed. note: Cover Story was based on the ARC cover.]
Disembodied girl, sinister gates, lightning? Sigh
The Deal:
If you haven’t read the first book in the series, The Candidates — my review here — some spoilers for that book ahead!
After helping Jack escape, Dancia has decided to go back to Delcroix Academy and join The Program to get more training in her Talent (no baton twirling here — Dancia has an affinity for the earth, which at best allows her to move objects with her mind, and at worst can cause the earth to open up and destroy everything in her path).
However, she’s still not certain she trusts The Program, or Mr. Judan and his Watchers, even though her boyfriend Cam assures her that they are the good guys. Question is, would the good guys go around killing anyone who disagreed with them? Determined to find out the truth about what’s really going on at Delcroix, Dancia finds herself alienated at the school, and the only person who seems willing to talk to her is the one person she shouldn’t be in contact with.
BFF Charm: YAY
I REALLY like Dancia. As I said in my review of the first book, she’s super mature and very level-headed, all while dealing with teenage issues and making the mistakes a teenager would make at times — like could you PLEASE tell somebody how much you’re being bullied, girl?!! This makes her a pleasure to read, because I never get annoyed with her.
Swoonworthy Scale: 5
There’s a lot of sweet moments and kissing between Dancia and Cam, but I’ll be honest, I wasn’t rooting for Cam in the first book. I really preferred Jack. So while I still don’t feel like I truly get Cam, his character developed a lot in this book, making it easier to enjoy the swoony times.
Talky Talk: Livin’ In a Grownup’s Paradise
The thing I like most about Inara Scott’s writing, is that it feels like it was written with me in mind. Which is, you know, awesome. I wish all authors knew what I liked and took that into consideration when writing their books. These books enjoy a balance of plot development, characters who evolve throughout the story, and action. They aren’t something you necessarily speed-read, if you’re the type looking for pulse-pounding suspense, but they held my interest throughout, the story unfolding at a nice steady pace.
Bonus Factor: Kickass Gram
Oh Grandma! I love you with your watery eyes and matching pants suits! I think you might know a lot more about what’s going on than you let on, or maybe you’re just super with it, and want your granddaughter to be a strong, independent woman who never drinks the kool-aid of any organization. Either way, I wish I lived next door to you, so I could drive you to your appointments and have you over for tea.
Bonus Factor: Friends
Dancia’s best friends Hennie and Esther might not be perfect, but Inara Scott writes their friendship with perfect realism. There are idiosyncrasies and miscommunications, but when it matters, these girls are a group that I would be proud to share my table in the caf with.
Bonus Factor: Supernatural Boarding School
I know we harp about how much we love boarding school around here, but you guys! Boarding school is so awesome! And if you had asked 12-year old Jenny whether they were also full of supernatural secrets, she would have replied that yes, yes they were. Every single one.
Relationship Status: Snuggle Buddy
I had a lovely affair with this series when the first one came out. It was sweet and real — for an urban fantasy, that is — and our relationship was comfortable. So when it showed back up with this second book, I didn’t bother with asking to meet it out somewhere — just in case it had gotten weird and I needed to make a quick exit –but immediately invited it over to my place, where we sipped tea and nestled on the sofa for the weekend. Our relationship might not be super wild and thrilling, but there’s something to be said for nice and cozy.
FTC Full Disclosure: I received my review copy from the author. I received neither money nor cocktails for this review (damnit!). The Marked is available now.
