The initial world-building and setup is behind us in the first book of the series, THE DEVOURING, and thus in SOULSTICE we are able to concentrate on much more important things: the development of plot and fear. SOULSTICE is a far scarier read than the first book, and that's a good thing.
SOULSTICE is mostly action, which I appreciated. Through tense and terrifying scenes, we are actually better able to understand the characters than any long-winded explanatory conversations they might've had in THE DEVOURING. The story also becomes more intricate, delightfully complicating the characters and raising the stakes. I flew through this book, hardly able to put it down, unable to breathe out of my desire to simultaneously know what's going on and to hide from the increasing suspense and horror.
SOULSTICE ends with a bang that will keep readers of the series still immersed and waiting anxiously for the third book. It is a marked improvement from the first book and will definitely expand the readership to more than just younger readers looking for a Goosebumps-like scare.
SOULSTICE is mostly action, which I appreciated. Through tense and terrifying scenes, we are actually better able to understand the characters than any long-winded explanatory conversations they might've had in THE DEVOURING. The story also becomes more intricate, delightfully complicating the characters and raising the stakes. I flew through this book, hardly able to put it down, unable to breathe out of my desire to simultaneously know what's going on and to hide from the increasing suspense and horror.
SOULSTICE ends with a bang that will keep readers of the series still immersed and waiting anxiously for the third book. It is a marked improvement from the first book and will definitely expand the readership to more than just younger readers looking for a Goosebumps-like scare.
Reviewed by Samantha Clanton, aka "Harlequin Twilight" for TeensReadToo.com
Six months. That's how long it's been since Reggie found Macie's journal and since Reggie freed her brother, Henry, from the Vour that had taken him. That also means it's been six months since Quinn Waters has been missing.
In those six months a lot has happened, but the Vours have also gone dormant - except in Reggie's dreams. The Vours still haunt her there, until one night when an unexpected visitor becomes not a nightmare, but a reality.
Even though the Vour that had taken over Henry is gone, he still has nightmares, and he is now stronger than he was before. Reggie has also stopped trying to protect him all the time and finally begins being somewhat honest with him.
But what Reggie and Aaron, her best friend, don't realize is there are more of these Vours than they ever thought possible in their little town. And once they find out that Henry and Quinn weren't the only ones Vourized, it becomes clear that things aren't always how they seem, and that you better be careful who you put your trust in. You never know who might be a Vour, and who isn't.
There was no loss in the creepiness from THE DEVOURING to SOULSTICE. Unlike most sequels, SOULSTICE did not succumb to the "sophomore slump." SOULSTICE not only held strong, but it also held its own fabulous story. There's plenty of the same action and twists that you fell in love with while reading THE DEVOURING.
I must admit though, that SOULSTICE definitely ups the creep factor and imagery that once again puts you in a hell that is not your own, but that is even more twisted than you can imagine. Despite it being a sequel, SOULSTICE could easily stand on its own. While skipping THE DEVOURING would, in my opinion, be a mistake since you would miss out on a lot of important story points, SOULSTICE does cover enough background information that you could still read it without reading book one.
Needless to say, this definitely lives up to its horror classification. I wouldn't exactly call it "bedtime reading," since when I tried that I lay in bed for an hour with the images of demonic creatures running through my head. But despite the creepiness, I loved every page! I found it to be totally fascinating and absolutely un-put-downable! And now, I can't wait for the third book in the series. I need to know where Reggie's next adventure takes her, and us as readers.
Six months. That's how long it's been since Reggie found Macie's journal and since Reggie freed her brother, Henry, from the Vour that had taken him. That also means it's been six months since Quinn Waters has been missing.
In those six months a lot has happened, but the Vours have also gone dormant - except in Reggie's dreams. The Vours still haunt her there, until one night when an unexpected visitor becomes not a nightmare, but a reality.
Even though the Vour that had taken over Henry is gone, he still has nightmares, and he is now stronger than he was before. Reggie has also stopped trying to protect him all the time and finally begins being somewhat honest with him.
But what Reggie and Aaron, her best friend, don't realize is there are more of these Vours than they ever thought possible in their little town. And once they find out that Henry and Quinn weren't the only ones Vourized, it becomes clear that things aren't always how they seem, and that you better be careful who you put your trust in. You never know who might be a Vour, and who isn't.
There was no loss in the creepiness from THE DEVOURING to SOULSTICE. Unlike most sequels, SOULSTICE did not succumb to the "sophomore slump." SOULSTICE not only held strong, but it also held its own fabulous story. There's plenty of the same action and twists that you fell in love with while reading THE DEVOURING.
I must admit though, that SOULSTICE definitely ups the creep factor and imagery that once again puts you in a hell that is not your own, but that is even more twisted than you can imagine. Despite it being a sequel, SOULSTICE could easily stand on its own. While skipping THE DEVOURING would, in my opinion, be a mistake since you would miss out on a lot of important story points, SOULSTICE does cover enough background information that you could still read it without reading book one.
Needless to say, this definitely lives up to its horror classification. I wouldn't exactly call it "bedtime reading," since when I tried that I lay in bed for an hour with the images of demonic creatures running through my head. But despite the creepiness, I loved every page! I found it to be totally fascinating and absolutely un-put-downable! And now, I can't wait for the third book in the series. I need to know where Reggie's next adventure takes her, and us as readers.
