Review--Secrets and Shadows by Shannon Delany

Nothing's simple when you run with werewolves. Jess Gillmansen thinks she's seen it all but her eyes are about to be opened to even more danger and a reality far more paranormal than she's suspected. With Jess' realization that the Rusakovas' mother is still alive and imprisoned, the group's choices become harder and trust more important. Lines are drawn and relationships change as the broken Rusakova family struggles to reunite to free their mother - and those who Jess thought to be normal people show themselves to be much, much more...

I received this copy from the publisher for review

Is it any surprise that I have this book finished today on its release day? If you answered yes, you obviously haven't been around at my blog for the past few days and whatnot where I go on about my excitement for the release of Shannon Delany's Secrets and Shadows.

And it was a tremendous followup! I still can't put into words why I am so drawn to this series. Really! I don't know why. I guess there's something about Jess that I see in myself, besides the name. Not that I have the same situations or lifestyle that she has, but I can't quite put how I feel into words.

Anyway, not much time has passed since 13 to Life for Jessie, lucky girl! (I had to wait!!) Jessie is trying to adjust to the fact that werewolves, the CIA, and the Russian mafia are in little old Junction. Not easy, so she seeks help--literally. But the psychiatrist is anything but, she really annoyed me and it was only for a short time in Chapter 1! She seemed very unprofessional for someone in her line of work.

Which brings me to the other members of Junction. No one is who they seem to be at all anymore. There are so many secrets going around that it is insane! My head was spinning and developing theories and yet they weren't ever really answered in plain words, we're led to believe a conclusion on some of the matters, but nothing is ever revealed. 

Quite a bit of the mysteries weren't revealed, which doesn't bother me as much as it should. This is just where the series is going to go eventually, the waiting is what bothers me! 

Several surprising occurrences happen with the students at Jessie's school. Besides the rush of unexplainable suicides that is. People are acting very strangely and differently--there is a fair guess to the cause but it wasn't explored this time around.

One thing that was aggravating was how Jessie and Pietr were having relationship trouble--in that they can't be together. Pietr is acting very distance with Jessie and not really getting to the breakup point with Sarah (hate her!) and Jessie doesn't know what to do. That's when Derek starts taking an extra special interest in her. It seems very unreal to her and she is even more confused than ever.

Secrets between Jessie and her friends Amy and Sophia and the werewolves are determined more than ever to free their mother. This was quite a fast read and the pacing was done remarkably well, even though it spun you in several directions, it was quite the [positive] rush!!

 
Going to stop talking because I really can go all day about the strangeness of what went on. And like I said not everything was solved and it was quite annoying in some ways only because I know that I have to wait til August to try to get more answers and as you know "I hate waiting".

***WHICH was ANOTHER thing! The Princess Bride got intertwined into the story as well near the Halloween party!!!

Okay, going to stop, overall I give it 5/5 stars. Really can't give it anything less!