The second entry in the Youngbloods series continues 15-year-old Cat’s romance with Jesse, her forbidden, almost-a-vampire heartthrob.
Jesse and his parents have become undead, but Jesse won’t become an actual vampire unless he drinks human blood, something he intends never to do. Cat isn’t completely human herself. She’s a reluctant member of the Van Helsing family of legendary vampire hunters and has special powers, as do her brothers, who act as her strict guardians. Cat’s family lives on a horse farm that’s struggling to survive, while Cat gets a job cataloguing a collection of occult books. Jesse assists her, and they learn astounding facts about the library’s owner. Meanwhile, girls who look like Cat begin to disappear from the town. Viehl smoothly brings readers up-to-date even as she keeps momentum going with this new story. Cat, with her love of horses, rebellious spirit and paranormal ability to control felines, stands out as a spunky heroine. Mystery builds as the missing-girls plot heats up, leading to the exciting climax. An affecting subplot about a difficult horse weaves in as a thread that holds it all together. Paranormal-romance fans can get everything they want here, and others will find an exciting story.
Well crafted. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)
