Review - Betrayal (Haunting Emma, #2) by Lee Nichols

Title: Betrayal

Author: Lee Nichols

Series: 2nd (Deception)

Pages: 288

Published:  March 1st 2011 by Bloomsbury USA 

ISBN: 9781599904221

Source: Personal Copy

Description: Emma Vaile is the most powerful ghostkeeper in centuries. Which is great when she's battling the wraith-master Neos, but terrible when she's flirting with fellow ghostkeeper (and soul mate) Bennett. When ghostkeepers fall in love, the weaker one loses all power, and that's not something Bennett can handle. Heartbroken and alone, Emma tries to lose herself in school with fellow ghostkeeper, Natalie. When a new team of ghostkeepers arrive-one a snarky teen boy, the other a British scholar-Emma finds solace in training for the battle against Neos. But as the team grows stronger, they are threatened by an unknown force. One they thought was good. As chilling and page-turning as Deception, this sequel will grab readers and hold them to the last page. No one is safe from suspicion as Emma closes in on the traitor.

I Give This ...

What's frustrating is when you read the first book in a series and you love it, then wait way to long to read the next one.  You build up the first book for so long, that the second is a let down.  I think that's what happened here.

I do want to be clear and say the Betrayal is in no way a bad read.  I enjoyed it.  But, it lacked the spark that the first book had for me.  Emma is really lost without Bennett in this story.  I don't mind when a character depends on another to a certain degree, but I thought this was kind of ridiculous.  I did like the new ghostkeepers that were brought into the mix.  They added a different dimension to the story.  

I feel like I learned quite about more about Neos this time around.  He doesn't get much face time, but his character is very important what's going to happen in the end.  I also enjoyed the mysteries surrounding Emma's parents and her brother.  I'm still not sure I fully understand why the up and deserted their teenage daughter, but at least they aren't completely out of the picture.

I think the most interesting thing was the idea that there is a drug that ghostkeepers can take to make them more powerful.  It's also extremely addicting, and leaves its mark on the user.  I'm curious how this will play out in the end.

I will read the next one.  This wasn't too much of a disappointment to cause me to stop.  Plus, it's only a trilogy.