Undercurrent (Siren #2) Review

Title: Undercurrent
Author: Tricia Rayburn
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Published: July 12, 2011
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Pages: 352
Source: Publisher

After losing her sister and finding out who- or what- she really is, Vanessa returns home for her senior year. Everyone at Hawthorne Prep has questions about her tragic summer, but knowing who to open up to is impossible. As she walks the halls without Justine for the very first time, Vanessa has more to worry about than just making a new life for herself.

Because the sirens are out for revenge. To protect herself and the ones she loves, Vanessa must call on powers she believes she has but does not know how to use. To learn, she'll have to seek help from the only person who truly knows her. But first, she must admit the truth about her real identity.

The summer's over, and it's back to real life in Boston for Vanessa Sands, but her real life has drastically changed since her sister's death. Joined by her best friend, Paige, Vanessa has returned how to a life of hidden truths, dangerous secrets and a new sense of self that is scarier than she could ever have imagined. She's beginning to question who she really is, who she can really trust and where her place is in the world. But when mysterious deaths begin turning up again, Vanessa and Paige have an idea that it might just be the past summer coming back to haunt them, yet again. Can Vanessa find peace with who she has become, or will it destroy the life she has been clinging so desperately to?

Undercurrent is the second book in the Siren series, after the appropriately-titled first book, Siren. Following in the footsteps of its predecessor, Undercurrent follows the haunting premise and story of Vanessa, your average teenager in every aspect except that she's plagued by Sirens, and yes, we're talking those Sirens from Greek mythology. Tricia Rayburn has spun a sequel filled with angst, terror and self-discovery that's sure to appeal to the fans of book one. With a steady, conversational tone, Tricia writes a steady-paced book without serious plot faults, lags or hiccups, making for an engaging read.

Now, while I enjoyed the writing style of Undercurrent, much like I enjoyed book one, I have to say that I had some issues with book two. Part of what made Siren so great was that it was riddled with mysteries and this dark, underlying issue that kept you guessing until the very last page when it just left you hanging. Undercurrent got off to a bit of a slow start with a very tell-don't-show bit about Vanessa's relationship with Simon. Simon was a great, steady guy, too, but his character building revolved entirely around Vanessa, so I never felt like I got to know him better aside from the few moments when he was with her. Her relationship with him was strained because of her newfound condition, but her endless comments and internal dialogue about having to "wear her hood up to hide her face" or "wearing beige so boys wouldn't swoon" really got to me. I think that the main issue I had with Undercurrent was the continuous hint of tension that never really built until the last 40 pages or so, when the action kicked in. Were there highlights? Of course! I loved the introduction of Parker's character, and I wanted to get to know him more. Willa, too, was a great addition. I guess the problem was that the hints of greatness took too long to swell into a great climax.

Overall, Undercurrent was a good book, and it was definitely a smooth, quick read despite my issues with it. I still really enjoy the author's writing, and I definitely want to read book three based on the ending of the book. I just wanted more from a sequel to a great series start. I give it a 3 out of 5, and I'd recommend it to fans of YA, especially those who enjoy paranormal stories and mythology.

I received this ARC free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.