Review: Wonderful Sequel to Survival!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 4, 2012
*Received e-book through Read It and Reap program from the Shut Up and Read! Goodreads group from author;**Also posted on SmashwordsResurrection continues the story of Maddie Pearce and Rayn Yarrister from the first book of the Guardians of Vesturon series, Survival. It begins where Survival left off, with the kidnapping and torture of Maddie at the hands of the serial killer, Darryl. As done previously, Hargrove divides the novel into four books, 1) Maddie's rescue by Rayn's brothers and her recuperation, 2) Rayn's trial on Vesturon with the Council of Elders, the discovery of the conspirators, and the revelation of Maddie's heritage, 3) Maddie's exploration of her newfound abilities, and separation from Rayn, 4) Rayn's rescue, the end of the conflict with the Xanthians (another race), and the conclusion of Maddie's and Rayn's relationship.Hargrove definitely improved her writing with this book. Firstly, she stuck with a third person narrative throughout the novel, which made the reading of it more consistent and the plot more streamlined. This was in contrast to Survival, where we had multiple POVs, which confused the reader and resulted in disjointed sections throughout the book. Secondly, the character of Maddie underwent drastic development as she transitioned from a human female saved by Rayn and reliant on his family to becoming a much more independent young woman with her own strengths and point of view (hence the title, Resurrection). It was heartwarming and satisfying to see her lose her clumsiness and shyness and grow into a confident woman who could face obstacles without Rayn's support; e.g. I cheered when she assertively stood up for herself against a bully at the academy and when she made defining decisions in her relationship with Rayn. At the same time, Hargrove managed to maintain Maddie's charm and wholesomeness despite her transformation. Lastly, I appreciated Hargrove's ambitious integration of multiple sub-plots with the introduction of new characters, which further illustrated the inner workings of the Guardians and the dynamics within the Yarrister family.Overall, Resurrection was a delightful sequel, which answered many questions about the Guardians of Vesturon, the relationship between Maddie and Rayn, and Maddie's role in her new home. Hargrove ends the story with an unexpected twist involving Rykerian, enough of a teaser to definitely interest me in reading the third book, as I love his character and believe he deserves a book of his own. I would recommend this to young adult readers, who are fans of Twilight and of the first book, Survival.