Review

[book rating=3.5/5]

I reviewed the inimitable Lovely Vicious back in December. One of those books that comes out of nowhere and bowls you over with interesting characters that quickly ingrain themselves in your psyche. I thought of that book often and was chomping at the bit to get the sequel.  Isis Blake the wise-cracking, acid tongued girl with the purple streaks in her hair literally (and to quote Miley Cyrus) came in like a wrecking ball on the first page and won me over. However, as I moved through Savage Delight  I found myself getting a bit worn out from the sarcasm and constant biting comebacks that she would fling out as easy as she’d take a breath. What makes Isis such an interesting character is her layers. She’s damaged, tough, and in possession of a tenderness that she stomps on and keeps hidden away for fear of ever being hurt again. However, I wanted Isis to grow in this book and although her biting comebacks, and constant put downs of herself were endearing in the first book, in this book it had her come off as more of a brat than anything else. Isis is unlike any young adult character I’ve come across. She’s weird, funny, and self deprecating to a fault. You want to shake her to tell her she’s worthy, you want to tell her to put a sock in it and shut up and you want her to be your friend. I’m hoping in book three that Isis matures and grows a bit. Some of her antics in this book crossed the line and I am hoping she reigns in her impulsiveness.

What made Lovely Vicious such a delight was the tension and underlining passion that simmered below the surface every time Isis interacted with the wickedly handsome Jack Hunter (even if she herself didn’t know she was passionate about him). I wanted more of that in this book, in fact I was craving it. I know that Isis was at a disadvantage (spoiler) due to her amnesia but I felt that it set the book back a bit because their relationship didn’t progress.  Still, true to form, the dialogue between Isis and Jack, filled with snarky and downright mean jabs, still belied the intense attraction that makes these two characters just work. And of course as a reader has you rooting for them with all your might. I really felt for Jack in this book. He’s handling things no teenager should have to deal with and on top of it the girl he cares for is treating him like the scum on her shoe. Even after he literally saved her life. I wanted to scream at Isis, damn it give this boy a break! If you’re in need of a book boyfriend I highly recommend the devilishly handsome, shrewdly smart, and devoted Jack Hunter.

For a short book, it managed to pack in a ton of plot and the revelation of two new mysteries kept me turning the pages faster than my e-reader could keep up.  The ending completely stunned me, like mouth hanging open, you don’t know if you want to scream or cry type of ending. It’s intense and unexpected, much like this series in general. I have to hold on to something that the author said at the end of the book, “there will be a happy ending…”  After that cliffhanger, I’m going to hold her to that.