#AmReading YA: The Sequel Edition

Hunting November
Adriana Mather
Series: Killing November, #2
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Mystery
Publisher: Knopf Books FYR
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Surviving a few weeks at the world's most lethal boarding school was one thing. But now comes the real test: Can November Adley find her missing father before her enemies find her? Subterfuge is the name of the game in this thrilling sequel to Killing November, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Hang a Witch.

After surviving a crash course in espionage at the mysterious Academy Absconditi, November has only one purpose: finding her missing father. Along with fellow student (and heartthrob) Ash, November follows the clues that her father left, embarking on the deadliest treasure hunt of her life. The first clue is in her hometown, where old friends beckon and unexpected enemies lurk around every corner. The second clue is in Europe, where revelations about her family's history will plunge her into an international web of deception, lies, and intrigue. The third clue is deep in enemy territory, surrounded by the most skilled assassins and master strategists, and where everyone wants her and her father dead. Can one girl with limited training infiltrate a centuries-old organization that is powerful enough to topple empires? November only knows that she'll do whatever it takes to save her father . . . or die trying.

November scarcely survived the Academy, but now she must embark on a mission to find her father. Will November find him in time, or will they both meet their end?

Killing November was a rock solid hit for me, and I couldn't wait to get back into this world. The sequel was just as jam packed with rapid fire action as its predecessor, but it also took me deeper into the world of the Strategia. I had previously learned a bit about these families, but now I found myself fully immersed in their world. 

As the plot thickened, November found herself taking a deep dive into it all, and I became more and more engrossed by the ways of the Strategia. I devoured every morsel of information Mather fed me about them, and loved trying to put it all together.

In the last book, I saw November honing her skills. Here, I watched as she used her skills to accomplish an important mission. It was interesting seeing her and her companions in a "real" world setting, which was filled with many close calls and heart pounding moments.

Speaking of her companions, I was pleasantly surprised by some of the developments with respect to November's allies. Some were very unexpected, while others stepped up in big ways. It was fantastic seeing them all come together to fight for a common cause. There were some really HUGE reveals towards the end, and even an actual gasp worthy moment. Seriously, I gasped aloud as I read this one part. It was fantastic!

Sequels are always hard to review, because you never want to reveal too much. What I will say is that I loved getting to know November and the rest of the families on a different level, and this book kept me captivated from beginning to end. I am sort of sad this series turned out to only be a duet, because I feel like November has more stories to tell, but I am extremely happy with the ending Mather gave her.

Just a Boy and a Girl in a Little Canoe
Sarah Mlynowski
Series: I See London, I See France, #2
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: HarperTeen
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Sam’s summer isn’t off to a great start. Her boyfriend, Eli, ditched her for a European backpacking trip, and now she’s a counselor at Camp Blue Springs: the summer camp her eleven-year-old self swore never to return to. Sam expects the next seven weeks to be a total disaster.

That is, until she meets Gavin, the camp’s sailing instructor, who turns her expectations upside down. Gavin may have gotten the job just for his abs. Or that smile. Or the way he fills Sam’s free time with thrilling encounters—swimming under a cascade of stars, whispering secrets over s’mores, embarking on one (very precarious) canoe ride after dark.

It’s absurd. After all, Sam loves Eli. But one totally absurd, completely off-the-wall summer may be just what Sam needs. And maybe, just maybe, it will teach her something about what she really wants.

Sam thought she had the perfect boyfriend, and their summer apart would turn out just fine. They would talk every day, he would send postcards. But, as the summer wore on, there were no postcards, and they spoke less and less. She began to analyze their relationship, found some flaws, and wondered if they would still be together at the end of the summer.

I had read the companion of this book, I See London, I See France, and I was interested in learning more about Sam and Gavin after hearing bits and pieces about them. Though it was fun traveling throughout Europe in the last book, I had an even better time at Camp in this book.

Mlynowski did an incredible job immersing me in camp life. I went boating, frog hunting, and even did some arts and crafts. There were pranks, a dance, an overnight, and multiple camp events such as Super Bowl and Color Wars. I really felt like I was living the camp life, and I enjoyed it so much.

I also liked getting to know the campers and the counselors. It was an interesting group, and it was fun, that they shared a history together. In fact, needing a summer job wasn't Sam's only motivation for returning to Camp Blue Springs. She wanted the opportunity to show the others how much she had changed, and to sort of redeem herself from that one summer she had spent there. Sam wobbled a bit, but was determined to become a great counselor, and she did. It was fantastic watching her grow and reclaim confidence in herself.

I know a lot of people took issue with part of this story. Particularly, the relationship that developed between Sam and Gavin. There's no way to sugar coat it. It really comes down to what you deem a dealbreaker. Spoiler (highlight): This book is not for people, who consider cheating a dealbreaker. What I will say is that, though I was disappointed, there was fallout, there were consequences, and I was actually ok with the way things played out. And, well, there was a jump ahead epilogue, which sort of made me a bit giddy.

Overall, I had a fantastic time at Camp Blue Springs. I was both disappointed and proud of Sam. She made some poor choices, but she also learned a lot about herself, and I thought the summer was a really important one for her.

**ARCs received in exchange for honest reviews.

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