....really bad. ( )

I didn't really remember much from Haven except that I enjoyed Violet's character, I was in love with her boyfriend Aidan and the story swept me away. Getting back into the Winterhaven world was easy though. There was enough recap to catch me up but not take away from the story.
It continues on as the new school year is starting, and keeps dealing with the issue of the cure, and other plotlines from Haven.
There are some steamy moments with Aiden and Violet and I loved those. There was also reasonable doubt placed in Violet's head, and I like that she pushes for the truth despite the consequences, and that she loves and accepts even when she finds out the truth.
There were some new characters and also some rocking returning secondary characters, and I also enjoyed getting to know them better in this one.
There are hints at a love triangle/square thing, and a bit of flirting going on, but I am glad that it didn't go beyond those hints. But I am glad that it explored that line with boy and girl friendships and how those work, and can be confusing and cause serious jealousy.
I really enjoyed this sequel and flew through it.

Bottom Line: Great sequel. Loved being in Violet's head again, and swooning over Aiden. ( )

Library Summary: “Seventeen-year-old Violet McKenna, back for her senior year at Winterhaven, finds her friends in danger, a mysterious new teacher as her psychic coach, and her Sabbat tendencies threatening her relationship with Aidan.”

I personally think that this is ten times better than Haven! It has way more romance and mystery!

I really like Violet. She’s not one of those girls who can’t survive without the love of her life. I bet you anything that if Aiden left her the way Edward left Bella in New Moon, she would just go on with her life. I mean, sure she’d miss him with all of her heart, but she wouldn't do what I like to call “pulling a Bella Swan” (Which is sit in her room for months, crying about how she misses him).

I also really like Aiden. He’s the kind of guy that trusts his girlfriend to take care of herself. Sure he wants to keep her safe but, like he says in Haven, he doesn’t want to treat her like a fragile flower. He knows that she can take care of herself and he lets her do just that.

Overall, I think this book is really good and I recommend it to all fans of Paranormal Romance books. ( )

Read this one awhile ago and don't remember why I did not review. A good sequel and a reminder of how this story is similar to other genres, such as Buffy, X-Men, and more. The school of Winterhaven and ther overall cast of characters are fun and interesting- a whole lot more so than the Fallen series in my opinion. While the storyline between Violet and Aiden and the other cast may be a bit cliche, it is still a fun read and I am anticipating the next one! A good read overall. ( )

As Posted on TheReaderBee.com.

Mirage is the much anticipated follow up to Kristi Cook’s captivating debut novel, Haven. I was so excited to finally get my hands on a copy of this book, and to also participate in the blog tour for the book! I just couldn’t wait to read it. I remember in my review for Haven that I mentioned that the book and characters reminded me of The X-Men meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer. When I met the characters once again in Mirage, it felt exactly the same way!

Mirage picks up a few weeks after Haven leaves off. It’s now senior year for Violet and the crew, and Violet wants nothing more than to see Aidan again after their long summer break apart. But their last year of school is not going as smoothly as they hoped. A rouge vampire is on the loose, killing innocent people, friends are pulling away from the each other, and people prove to be not at all what they seem.

I love the characters in this series SO much. Violet is such a strong character. I love the relationship between her and Aidan. Ah, Aiden... He’s one of the very first male protagonists that I fell in love when I started reading YA books. He’s so mysterious and alluring; I just can’t get enough of him. Together, these two make a great couple. They definitely have their trials in Mirage, but their love is still strong.

Violet also has some really great friends that we get to meet again in Mirage. I love Kate, Sophie, Whitney and Cece. Although there is quite a bit of drama between them, they are all such great friends to Violet. We are also introduced to some new characters along the way, on in particular that I’m still quite unsure about. I’m definitely hoping that we will learn a bit more in the next book.

The storyline was very well thought out, and the pacing for the book was just right. I flew through this book in just a few hours time. The book ends on a pretty big cliffhanger, and I’m dying to get my hands on the next book just to figure out what exactly is going to happen next! (Oh, the agnoy!)

Overall, if you enjoyed reading Haven, you’re definitely going to enjoy reading Mirage! This series just gets better and better. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

Happy Reading!