Review: Can't get enough of Sam Hain!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 6, 2012
Let me start off by saying I'm a 23 year old female and purchased this book for myself.  Prior to reading this, I read the first book in The October Trilogy, Sam I Am, approximately a year ago.  I read a lot, so the details from the previous book are a little fuzzy.  While at times the story did feel to be moving a little slowly/lost my interest, I need to also mention that I read at night before sleeping. That being said -One perk of this book is that readers who are unfamiliar with Secretly Sam's predecessor can jump right in to the book and still find it an enjoyable read.  The key points from the original book are brought up within the context of the story, or relationships that were previously established continue to be built upon.  As it's a trilogy, readers should definitely read Sam I Am first to get the most they can out of the series.(Also, as an additional note, Sam Hain is essentially the ruler of Samhain, which extends throughout October and covers Halloween.  He does not belong in the mortal world.)There are a few key themes within this book that are important to note: the battle between "good" and "evil"; magic; Samhain; romance/desire.  Unlike many other novels in the fantasy genre, the romance part of this book is much more subtle and is well written to match where the involved characters are at in their emotional development. Also somewhat unique is that you are given a chance to see things from characters on the "good" side as well as the "bad". It's enjoyable to have that exposure and allows for readers to side with and root for different characters.  And of course, what book about Halloween would be complete without a little magic involved? Within Secretly Sam, magic serves as a way to complement the story instead of being a major focal point.Secretly Sam serves as a great midpoint in the October trilogy, blending magic with Samhain/Halloween, desire, and a battle between "good" and "evil" as old as time itself.  Whether Sam Hain gets his way in the end remains to be seen in the series finale, and Secretly Sam left me excited to see how everything ends.  I definitely recommend it!