Now Audrey knows the truth: her mom doesn't fight crime at night. She fights Harrowers--livid, merciless beings who were trapped Beneath eons ago. Yet some have managed to escape. And they want Audrey dead, just because of who she is: one of the Kin.
To survive, Audrey will need to sharpen the powers she has always had. When she gets close to someone, dark corners of the person's memories become her own, and she sometimes even glimpses the future. If Audrey could only get close to Patrick Tigue, a powerful Harrower masquerading as human, she could use her Knowing to discover the Harrowers' next move. But Leon, her mother's bossy, infuriatingly attractive sidekick, has other ideas. Lately, he won't let Audrey out of his sight. When an unthinkable betrayal puts Minneapolis in terrible danger, Audrey discovers a wild, untamed power within herself. It may be the key to saving her herself, her family, and her city. Or it may be the force that destroys everything--and everyone--she loves. (From Goodreads)
Superheroes. in. Minneapolis. OMG. It's about time someone recognized Minneapolis for superhero setting potential. Plus. Plus! It mentions my hometown. You have no idea how happy this makes me - because people who LIVE in Minnesota vary rarely have actually heard of my hometown. So awesome.
Oh yeah, the book itself. Blew me away. Because not only does it have an awesome setting, but the story and the characters are pretty epic as well. When you have a superhero for a mother, of course nothing is normal - but then you throw in some demons and family heritage, then things start getting crazy. I love that Audrey isn't normal, she has a talent (seeing the future), but she isn't the most powerful. She's still super important and a kick-ass heroine. It is so easy to root for Audrey and the cast of characters that surround her are incredible. Her mom is strong, even if she's a little absent (hey, keeping Minneapolis safe is an around the clock job). Her best friends are great - a girl with a blond pixie cut who wears a lot of glitter, nicknamed Tink and Gideon the super-energetic best friend.
Ohhhkay, and LEON. The boy has teleportation powers. And he uses them so adorably. It's great at building tension and frustration - he disappears when things escalate (fights, potential romantic moments, etc...) which is annoying, but in a good way. Not to mention - there's a baking fight in which his teleportation is used very effectively. Of course, this works well the other way around - he's very good at popping in at the best moments. Not to mention he's adorable. It was precious watching him and Audrey's relationship evolve.
The superhero lore, the group that supports the superheroes, and the superheroes themselves were all handled very well. This alternate reality of Minneapolis felt so real and it was so easy to fall into this story. I loved their history and the way that Audrey fit into the group dynamic. She's figuring out where she fits in the grand scheme of things, all the while coming to terms with who she is and who her family is. Very true to teenage drama. But with magical twists, everything is so much more intense.
If you can't tell, I'm all gushy over this book. Reading it on the train was rather difficult, because it was hard not to paint my emotions all over my face while reading it. It gets kind of embarrassing to grin like an idiot or have your eyes wide in horror, for no good reason. But oh well. So worth it. I love this books so much. I was sold on Minneapolis, completely excited when my hometown was mentioned, but the rest of it just made me fall hopelessly. Don't miss this amazing book!
