Mirage

March 1, 2013

Gr 9 Up-Cook's unique twist on the vampire story definitely works in this sequel to Haven (S & S, 2011). Life at Winterhaven, a boarding school for "gifted" supernaturals, is never uneventful, but senior year for Violet McKenna and her friends quickly spins out of control. As Violet learns more about being a Sabbat/vampire hunter, her love and commitment to Aidan, her vampire boyfriend, only becomes stronger. Aidan's determination to find a cure for vampirism borders on obsession as he injects a "breakthrough serum" that has unpredictable side effects. At the same time Violet works with a new teacher to harness her psychic gift and make sense of her increasingly disturbing and violent visions. To complicate matters, a vampire serial killer is on the loose and rumors questioning Aidan's innocence begin to spread. As events unfold not all is what it seems and loyalties hang in the balance. The cast of well-defined characters is mysterious and intriguing and will keep readers guessing as the plot thickens, and the intense cliff-hanger ending will leave them on edge and thirsting for more. A great addition to libraries with a paranormal fan base.-Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY

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