Well, I didn't see that coming! I love when books get better as a series progresses and, for me, this is happening here. I enjoyed book 1 but I must say that this book had me glued to the pages. The speed with which this book moves, its twists (that seemingly come out of nowhere) and the additional mystery all added up to an even more captivating story. There is good character development here as well. The reader is treated to some tidbits of information about Noah and his past which helps us better understand his motives. Mara continues to learn about herself and her past. And we also meet a new, varied and somewhat unusual band of characters, all with their unique personalities and contributions to the story. Of course, as in the first book, we're given more mystery to deal with but this time we get some answers (see my first sentence). We still need to know WHY and HOW and WHAT this is all about...but at least we know WHO...or we think we do anyway! Looking forward to the third installment!