Mark of Deceit

Authors: Brooke Kennedy & Briana Gaitan

Series: Ethereal Underground

Author Website/Blog: http://etherealunderground.com/wordpress

Publication Date: May? 2014

Summary: She thought that her Elders would welcome her back home with open arms…
He thought that she would stay by his side forever…Now a friend is missing….

They thought the seer’s words were just that…words but not all is as it seems….

Months later, Ash and Annalise have both returned to their separate lives after their adventure in the forbidden layer of Cabalin, Both of them are struggling to move on with their lives. Fighting has kept Ash busy for the most part, but it allows him to release his frustrations and earn some gems to survive. He thought renouncing the keepers would free him, but he ended up losing his way. Annalise is plagued by nightmares and emotions that are even more out of control than before. She is desperate for an answer, desperate for a way out, until the Elders offer her exactly what she needs: a way to break the bond with Ash in return for her compliance with their own mission. (Source of Summary and Book Cover: Goodreads)

Source: Authors in exchange for honest feedback

Rating: 4 Stars 

Review: So many twists, this book was hard to put down.

Now, let me be honest, I was a bit annoyed at first to see that Ash and Anna were apart and acting like such nitwits. But, thankfully Finlay is a good friend to both of them. 

Ash and Anna both grow in this book and have come quite far since the first book. Anna is no longer whiny and annoying; she has grown to understand the changes that have become a part of her and has a better understanding of her feelings. Ash is still strong and focused. I can't really talk about Finlay and Arie without giving things away. We are introduced to a few new characters, and I would really like to see a few of them again; that being said, I'm still not exactly sure what side all these newbies are on.

The plot moves at a good pace. Like I said there are quite a few twists in the story. Also, there are quite a few cliff-hanger-ish elements, leaving me wanting more (but no worries, because a few questions left over from book one were answered).

All in all, I’m excited to see where things go with Anna, Ash, Arie, and Finlay.