Ascendant
Astrid Llewelyn is now a
fully trained unicorn hunter, but she can't solve all her problems with
just a bow and arrow. Her boyfriend, Giovanni, has decided to leave
Rome, the Cloisters is in dire financial straits, her best friend's
powers seem to be mysteriously disintegrating, and Astrid can't help but
feel that school, home, and her hopes of becoming a scientist are
nothing but impossible dreams.
So when she's given the opportunity to leave the Cloisters and put her skills to use as part of a scientific quest to discover the Remedy, Astrid leaps at the chance. Finally, she can have exactly what she want--or can she? At Gordian headquarters, deep in the French countryside, Astrid begins to question everything she thought she believed: her love for Giovanni, her loyalty to the Cloisters, and most of all her duty as a hunter. Should Astrid be saving the world from killer unicorns, or saving the unicorns from the world?
So when she's given the opportunity to leave the Cloisters and put her skills to use as part of a scientific quest to discover the Remedy, Astrid leaps at the chance. Finally, she can have exactly what she want--or can she? At Gordian headquarters, deep in the French countryside, Astrid begins to question everything she thought she believed: her love for Giovanni, her loyalty to the Cloisters, and most of all her duty as a hunter. Should Astrid be saving the world from killer unicorns, or saving the unicorns from the world?
(summary from goodreads.com)
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Second Book Syndrome, meet Ascendant. Ascendant, meet Second Book Syndrome. What? You say you've already met? Well OBVIOUSLY.
So, this book. Do I still like our heroine? Yes. Is her life completely and thoroughly messed up due to the plot progression in this book? YES. Did the plot at least actually progress? Admittedly yes, hugely. Will I read the third book? Absolutely. Was I disgusted at several (most) of the things that happened in this book? Yes. Is our "happy at the end of the last book couple" still happy? NO. Were they EVER happy in this book? Of course not, this is a 2nd book. Did I still cry (and laugh) at the "sacrifice" scene that finally happened between our heroine and her "hero", even though the whole scene was horrible and I hated it? YES.
So, my advice is the same for all books that succumb to Second Book Syndrome, just wait until the 3rd book is out before you read this one. Seriously.
So, this book. Do I still like our heroine? Yes. Is her life completely and thoroughly messed up due to the plot progression in this book? YES. Did the plot at least actually progress? Admittedly yes, hugely. Will I read the third book? Absolutely. Was I disgusted at several (most) of the things that happened in this book? Yes. Is our "happy at the end of the last book couple" still happy? NO. Were they EVER happy in this book? Of course not, this is a 2nd book. Did I still cry (and laugh) at the "sacrifice" scene that finally happened between our heroine and her "hero", even though the whole scene was horrible and I hated it? YES.
So, my advice is the same for all books that succumb to Second Book Syndrome, just wait until the 3rd book is out before you read this one. Seriously.
Mom note: As
a mother of readers, I also
want to make a note to myself (and others if they care)
why I would or
would not have my children read this book, because honestly, sometimes I
forget. This is a YA book, so everything is within YA strictures.
Violence: heavy; Profanity: no; Sex: discussion (unicorn hunters are all virgins) but no action
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