YA Review Time:
The Broken Rivalry
If you read my review of the first book I had loved it but had a couple small hangups with the narrative style's repetition. Book two is way more streamlined, an amazing page tuner. The only issue was I wanted more!
Faye Lithyer is back with her old powers of foreseeing people's deaths and telepathically communicating with others like her, but also a few new ones crop up that are unbelievably strong. It makes sense, as she's a "pure blood," meaning she is descended from two Bloodline Legacy families--a big no-no. The Seekers of Evil who have attacked before are hunting them down and teens with powers start disappearing, including one of her close friends. To save him and the others, hunting down the books of the ancestors has become more important than ever. It is time for them to understand where they came from and why the seekers relentless hunt them down. Can they combine their powers and work together to save others, or will the powers they bear consume the very essence of who they are?
The strength of this book was the plot. Without giving spoilers, the ending conflicted me as it is a bit of a cliffhanger, but Rees knows what she is doing--I NEED the next one now! The pacing of the book is fast, at times slowing down, but these are necessary pit-stops because the plot is wonderfully complex giving a rich history behind the Legacy itself. The conflicts Faye must face with her heart, family, friendships, and her "pure-blood" status makes readers sympathize with how much she must bear. Relationships grow stronger, characterization is taken further, and I absolutely love Ethan and so wish he wasn't a ghost. I think he's my favorite character now. Overall, I love the deeper story behind the witchy historical background, making the idea of what could have possibly happened back in Salem and what the Seekers of Evil are really about, giving me that Puritan vibe. And yet, Rees puts a spin on that to make us wonder after all if the right pressures are put on Faye's kind, will they become the exact evil the Seekers wish to prevent?
I highly recommend this series to teens and adults who enjoy the supernatural entwined in the real world. You'll want to start with book 1 The Hidden Legacy. then grab The Broken Rivalry. You won't regret it.