Review: Betrayed (House of Night #2) by P.C. and Kristin Cast

Synopsis: Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird has managed to settle in at the House of Night. She's come to terms with the vast powers the vampyre goddess, Nyx, has given her, and is getting a handle on being the new Leader of the Dark Daughters. Best of all, Zoey finally feels like she belongs--like she really fits in. She actually has a boyfriend…or two. Then the unthinkable happens: Human teenagers are being killed, and all the evidence points to the House of Night. While danger stalks the humans from Zoey's old life, she begins to realize that the very powers that make her so unique might also threaten those she loves. Then, when she needs her new friends the most, death strikes the House of Night, and Zoey must find the courage to face a betrayal that could break her heart, her soul, and jeopardize the very fabric of her world.

Review

Plot: I was happy to finally continue this series and see if the series would go on a good path that the first book left us off with. I was, however, very disappointed with the second installment. I was hoping that we got to see Zoey grow up to be the Dark Daughers' leader and grow into her own. It was hard to see if any of that was happening with the many immature situations going on. I wanted to like this book as much as I liked the first installment, but I couldn't get over the teen angst that was evident in all of the characters. The plot line was intriguing and is very well-developed. I could definitely see issues that will pop up in the third installment and new tensions forming.

Characters: Zoey - There are so many characters, I'll stick with Zoey for now. I loved Zoey in the first book. She was very feisty and passionate about the ones she loved and helping others. It was nice to see a strong character and comfortable with herself. In this installment, I saw that Zoey start to diminish. She seemed to start lacking maturity or just thinking through her decisions. I'm hoping it will get better as the series goes on, but this book did not do her justice.

Cover: I love the series' covers. The intricate designs and dark hues truly make the reader grab the atmosphere of what House of Night is like. Plus, they do an amazing job with getting the models to look like the actual characters.

Overall Rating: I'm giving this book a two out of four. I couldn't get into it and was questioning almost every action Zoey or someone else made. I wish I could get into this series, but after this book, I don't think I can continue. The Casts do an amazing job with their descriptions and writing, but it wasn't enough to keep me drawn in.

Peace and Fangs,

Alisha