With their first novel, "Sixteen Moons," Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl achieved an enviable feat: they won over a discerning young adult audience. Competing with the likes of Stephanie Meyer and LJ Smith, authors of the "Twilight" and "The Vampire Diaries" sagas, respectively, the book became a worldwide sensation. About to hit the big screen in a Disney blockbuster, it was named one of the best books of 2009 by Amazon and spent weeks on the New York Times list. Translated into several languages, a bestseller in France, it now has a long-awaited sequel. "Seventeen Moons" shows that there's still originality to be explored in the paranormal romance genre. Besides boasting the curiosity of being co-written, it's narrated by the male character. There are no vampires, nor werewolves, nor angels. But there's no shortage of adventure and romance. Or witches, spirits, and zombies. To achieve the perfect atmosphere for the work, the authors drew inspiration from New Orleans to create the fictional—and gothic—Gatlin. The setting for a story of love and family curses. The plot begins precisely after the events of Sixteen Moons. Ethan Wate and Lena Duchaness narrowly escaped being claimed by the darkness, but their victory was bittersweet. Lena grieves over the death of her uncle Maicon and begins to distance herself from Ethan. Before he can comprehend what is happening, she flees with her cousin Ridley. Aided by his friend Link, Ethan wanders the city's underground tunnels, a secret world hidden from view, determined to save his beloved. As in the first volume of the series, the present is also interspersed with a series of enigmatic visions revealing past events, which provide clues to the future. More secrets are revealed, pieces of a puzzle that connects the entire plot. The relationship between Ethan and Lena is stretched, frayed, and ultimately broken. Only to become stronger. But first, however, the young lovers must go through several trials and adventures.
