Book:  The Haunted (The Hollow #2)
Author:  Jessica Verday
Published:  August 31, 2010 from Simon Pulse
My edition/number of pages:  HC/467

Age group:  Young adult
Source:  Borrowed from a friend
Series?:  Yes.  Second book.

An impossible truth. An impossible love.

After a summer spent reclaiming her sanity and trying to forget the boy she fell in love with—the boy who must not exist, cannot exist, because she knows that he is dead—Abbey returns to Sleepy Hollow, ready to leave the ghosts of her past behind. She throws herself into her schoolwork, her perfume-making, and her friendship with Ben, her cute and funny lab partner, who just might be her ticket to getting over Caspian once and for all.

But Abbey can never get over Caspian, and Caspian has no choice but to return to her side, for Caspian is a Shade, and Abbey is his destiny. They are tied not only to each other, but also to the town of Sleepy Hollow, and to the famous legend that binds their fates—a legend whose dark truths they are only beginning to guess….

SPOILER ALERT:  If you have not read The Hollow this review may contain spoilers.

While I thought The Hollow could be improved upon, I felt The Haunted was fabulous just the way it was.  Jessica Verday really stepped up her game with this one and I am now dying to know how the trilogy is going to end.

Abbey finally has some peace in her life.  She is slowly coming to terms with Kristen’s death and she is finally forgetting about Caspian.  All that changes when she returns to Sleepy Hollow and she can’t stop seeing Caspian.  When she finally begins to accept that maybe he is a permanent part of her life things really get crazy.  If they are meant to be together, why is one of them dead?

The story that started with The Hollow really took off in The Haunted.  I can honestly say that I thought the story in this book was ten times better than that of the first.  Caspian and Abbey both developed and so did Ben.  I was also really excited to have some of my questions about Kristen answered.

The best thing about The Haunted though was the writing.  I felt that the writing in The Hollow wasn’t so great and I could really see a difference when I read The Haunted.  It made it so much easier to read and I loved the book.  I think Jessica Verday will have a great finish to this trilogy if it is anything like The Haunted.

Overall, The Haunted has earned an A from me.  I am so glad I finally read it and if you have been skeptical because of the reviews, ignore them.  Read the books and decide for yourself!

First line:  I was so lost when Kristen left.

Writing:  5

Characters:  5

Plot:  5

Ending:  5

Originality:  5

Overall:  25=A++

Cover:  4=B-