Book Review: Guardian of Secrets (Library Jumpers #2) by Brenda Drake
Guardian of Secrets (Library Jumpers #2) by Brenda Drake (2017)
Genre: YA, Fiction, Fantasy
Page Length: 353 pages (hardcover edition)
Synopsis:
Being a Sentinel isn’t all fairytales and secret gardens.
Sure, jumping through books into the world’s most beautiful libraries to protect humans from mystical creatures is awesome. No one knows that better than Gia Kearns, but she could do without the part where people are always trying to kill her. Oh, and the fact that Pop and her had to move away from her friends and life as she knew it.
And if that isn’t enough, her boyfriend, Arik, is acting strangely. Like, maybe she should be calling him “ex,” since he’s so into another girl. But she doesn’t have time to be mad or even jealous, because someone has to save the world from the upcoming apocalypse, and it looks like that’s going to be Gia.
Maybe. If she survives. (description from Goodreads)
Review:
*To see my review of book one, click here.
The second book in the Library Jumpers series kicks off where Gia is still adjusting to her new life after the battle with Conemar. She severely misses her old life, friends, and family and spends her days training and learning more magic skills in order to become a stronger sentinel. Gia’s relationship with Arik continues to bloom but now she starts to question if it’s lust or love, as she finds out that they really don’t have much in common after all. Their relationship is also tested as Gia’s rival Emily flirts with Arik at school and their busy sentinel life keeps them separated. Gia’s friend Nick is also struggling with his powers and keeping his emotions in check, and as a result it’s damaging his relationship with others.
I liked seeing Gia being able to have a deeper bond with her sentinel friends and that she has someone to rely on/spend time with since everything that is familiar to her is so far away.. Like book one, Gia faces even more obstacles and hits a crossroad: who does she love, who is the real enemy, and what secrets lie in the past. Gia also became more likable to me as her character becomes more grounded; not as boy crazy, is finding her own, and is more focused on becoming a stronger sentinel ( think her “truth globe” power is amazing).
I definitely feel that the second book is stronger than the first installment in the series. Now that the basic world building is set up, it’s easier to focus on the characters and the magical terms that are thrown around the text.The mystic world continues to develop and danger is on the horizon with magical items (chiave) go missing and the reappearance of The Red, a notorious laniar. The battle scenes in this book will have you on edge as they are so intense. The lines between good and evil are blurred in the heat of the moment, and readers wonder who can you trust?
Overall, the plot pacing was smooth and the climax had some shockers that I didn’t see coming at all. I’m patiently awaiting the next installment in series!
Final Verdict:
