Originally reviewed at Hooked on Books 
 Croak by Gina Damico was one of my surprise favourites earlier this year. It was fun, clever, exciting. A perfect recipe for success. Because of my love for Croak I was a bit nervous going into Scorch.Would it live up to the brilliance of the first book? But I should have known better than to worry. Gina's writing has a way of putting you at ease. Letting you lean back and enjoy the ride as she piles on the crazy. 
 Just like in Croak, the dialogue in this novel was spot on. The conversations felt entirely real and could have easily been happening right in front of me. And because the dialogue was so perfect, the characters really came to life. They had real emotions, relationships and real faults. Even the bad guys were relatable and you just don't see that very often. 
 Even better than the dialogue was the relationship between Lex and Driggs. They have the perfect partnership. Lex doesn't give up who she is to be with Driggs and vice versa. They treat each other as equals and they work together. It's a beautiful thing! It was nice to see a YA relationship where they trust one another and there's no angsty nonsense. I'm not saying things are perfect all of the time, but it is one hundred percent believable that these two are in love. 
 There is a lot more action in this book. Partially because it isn`t completely situated in the town of Croak. And although I loved Croak, this was a nice change of pace. The other reason is that there's a lot more danger in this book. The fear is immediate and some really horrible things happen to beloved characters. Gina Damico obviously wasn't afriad to make some hard decisions while writing this book and that really helped set a dramatic, urgent tone in Scorch. And though some parts broke my heart, or made me throw the book across the room, it was a better novel because of it. 
 Once again Gina Damico has produced a fabulous novel. Funny, creepy, suspensful. An absolute joy to read. If you haven't read this series yet, you're missing out. 
 Final recommendation: A must for those who like a side of humour with their paranormal. Also recommeded for those who enjoyed the show Dead Like Me.