Review: Book 2 is Even Better Than Book 1
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 10, 2014
I received these books from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I'll try to keep spoilers to a minimum.Run to You is a collection of serial novellas, the first YA serial to be released by Harlequin Teen. I like the idea of a serial, reminds me of favorite TV shows we get an episode at a time. But I wasn't sure how that would translate to reading. I hate cliffhanger endings—seriously, they're the bane of my literary existence. Since I received all three books at once, the plan was to read one on Friday, one Saturday, and one Sunday. Each is 90 or so pages, so about an hour of reading time. Didn't happen. Don't know why I thought it would... I read them all back to back and couldn't put them down. They were that good.In Part I, we're introduced to the Carson family who've been on the run for the last eight years. Bad people are after them. They manage to escape right before the monster arrives, a total of thirteen times in eight years. Each new place comes with a new identity for Tessa, brother Logan and sister Jillian. The horrible monster chases them with psychotic relentlessness, creating a terror in Tessa and her siblings akin to the Bogeyman.Even though Part I ends in mid-scene, I liked the cut. It was well done. Part II picks up again mid-scene with Tessa realizing that romantic interest Tristan has wormed his way past her barricades and into her heart. I admit, I fell in love with Tristan too. He's just too good to be true. Tessa begins to open up to Tristan because she hates lying to him. She feels safe with him, especially after he reveals a secret power he possesses. But all good things... well you know the rest.Part II ended with quite the cliffhanger. It was a good thing I had Part III in hand, or I would've been quite disgruntled. I couldn't devour the third part fast enough. So many revelations, lies, secrets, betrayals—it was thrilling. I didn't see it coming, not even once. How fantastic is that? I enjoyed the ending for Part III, it was satisfying enough to make waiting for Parts IV-VI bearable.I loved this series. The characters were well-developed. It was tiny things that connected the reader to the characters: a pair of pointe shoes, a saxophone, missing artwork... Little things that meant the world to three teens whose lives have been anything but normal. It amazed me how I could start out liking a character, only to despise them by the end. Ms. Kensie's writing elicited strong emotions from me—I felt Tessa's emotions right along with her. The pacing of the story was also well done. Like I said earlier, I couldn't put it down.Run To You is an amazing novella series. Part romance, part mystery, part paranormal, and part psychological thriller, it will keep you reading well into the night. I highly recommend adding this series to your TBR list. It's on my rather short list of favorites on Goodreads. It's appropriate for teens, adults and precocious preteens. I can't wait for Parts IV-VI!