Review--Sea Glass

"I can drain a magician of his powers. All I need is a glass orb in my hands..."

Student glass magician Opal Cowan's newfound ability to steal a magician's powers makes her too powerful. Ordered to house arrest by the Council, Opal dares defy them, traveling to the Moon Clan's lands in search of Ulrick, the man she thinks she loves. Thinks because another man--now her prisoner--claims Ulrick's desire for blood magic has eclipsed his passion for her.

In hostile territory, without proof or allies, Opal isn't sure whom to trust. She can't forget Kade, the handsome Stormdancer who doesn't want to let her get close. And now everyone is after Opal's special powers for their own deadly gain...

Three words: I. Loved. It. Of course since it's a book by Maria, I am bound to love it anyway! Maria is a fabulous writer! A Fan-tab-u-lous writer!! Maria's books takes you into a whole other world where magic exists and is feared by some and desired by others, and sometimes their desire turns deadly! Oh yes! Magic can be used for good or evil, as we all know.

Sea Glass picks right up where Storm Glass left off and wow! It was just amazing! I can't say it enough how much I love Maria's books! Her characters are so refreshing and funny and lovable. I fell in love with her Study series and now I am doing the same with the Glass series! Many of the same characters from Storm Glass return, which means we've seen and loved them in the Study series. Janco, is by far one of my all time favorites and he is back with his witty retorts and mannerisms and all his jokes! Janco always makes me LOL--seriously! He just says the funniest things in the perfect moments.

Opal has more trouble to deal with since Ulrick and Devlen are still in the wrong bodies, she sets out to find Devlen's body that contains Ulrick's soul, while the counterpart travels with her and Janco, but trouble continually finds them and sets them off course.

But that is only the beginning! Oh the details I wish I could indulge you in, but I don't want to give it away! There's love, action--plenty of fight scenes, betrayals, lies, assassination attempts! Oh there is just so much that happens in the story, that I cannot wait to read the next one! Since Maria says the publisher made a goof on that date, I'm not sure when the next one comes out. I do believe Maria has a new YA line that she is working on that releases in 2010, which is the reason for the delay.

Opal will have to face many problems, the Master Magicians along with several others, still want to control her abilities with her glass creations. Her family and friends also bring in more problems. Opal tries to tell them "what's going on" [a spoiler], but no one believes her, no one. Not even Yelena. Opal has never felt so alone, before even with her "lover" at her side. [another spoiler, but a pretty easy guess]

More of the events from Storm Glass that brought up problems are resolved in Sea Glass, but there are still more to come. Naturally. The third and final book in this series, is untitled for now, but will be released, as I said, in Fall 2011. Oh the agony!