Unraveled

In the second installment of Showalter's Intertwined series, Aden and Mary Ann continue their breathless adventures in a world where, as Aden puts it, all myths are true. Aden has unexpectedly succeeded to the throne of the vampires, which only his vampire girlfriend Victoria seems willing to accept. It's enough to make every fairy in the vicinity want to kill Aden, in fact, despite fairies' natural propensity to protect humans. Meanwhile, Mary Ann is developing confidence in her relationship with werewolf Riley, but a pall is cast over their romance by a witches' death curse scheduled to manifest in five days. These are the simple problems. Showalter layers on complexities, and readers may feel frustrated as she attempts to recap the entire first book while simultaneously launching the next stage of the manifold plot. The frenetic tempo eventually settles, and though readers may have lingering questions about some aspects of the world Showalter constructs, the narrative develops clarity and romantic tension. But not closure: there is, inevitably, a further installment to come. Ages 13–up. (Sept.)