This book begins where the first left of and, just like the initial installment, it gets better as the story progresses. I was glued to each page, enjoying the story and falling in love with the characters all over again! Although there is some action, the focus here is on relationships, character development and preparing the reader for what will undoubtedly be an action-packed third book. The characters are wonderful...they let us in on their thoughts and we learn what makes them tick. I love Violet and her fun internal monologue. She's smart, sassy and strong. Her graduation means going out into the real world and determining what the future will hold, but, as always, it's not as easy as it may seem. We see an entirely new side of Ryn and may I just say....sigh! The banter between Vi and Ryn feels so natural and the adventures they find themselves in are great. I enjoyed the descriptions of the magic, the gadgets and of Creepy Hollow tremendously. There's so much creativity in these books! The bad guys are even meaner this time, the mysteries are greater and the ending...oh, the ending. I found myself staring at the last page not believing it was over. I can't wait to see where the author takes us next! What a great series!