I enjoyed following up with the characters from the first book ...
342734
Mermaid Moon is the second installment to the Sunset Cove series. I enjoyed following up with the characters from the first book of the series and enjoyed the new ones, as well. A perfect balance of mystery and suspense with romance, which is expected from Colleen Coble.
Highly recommended
5+ stars
4210999
After reading Me Before You  I was very glad to see there was a continuation to the story. I really wanted to see how Lou moved on after losing Will. It's nice to see Lou get some closure and find her way after such a tragic romance in the first novel. I enjoyed it.
1838811
I really enjoyed how this book picked up right after the other one left off.  I liked it just as much as the first one.  There were a few events that were hard to believe, but it was a nice, cozy visit with our 'old friends' from the first book.  All the old characters are there, with one or two new ones.  It surprised me with a few plot twists as well.  And I found two more books to read from their book recommendations!
3898967
The reason I gave this collection a higher rating is because I wanted to continue to read about the characters that came to life in the first book.  This author kept me interested throughout.  Enjoy
2931875
I expect a lot from sequels. I need them remind me of everything I enjoyed in the first book, but not retread old ground. I need them to give me new likable characters, while allowing me to grow closer to characters Ive already met. I need the events of the previous books to have consequences, and for the actions of the characters to have repercussions. I need higher stakes, deeper world-building, tighter plots, and more satisfying resolutions. Whether its the second or the third or the tenth book in a series, I need each sequel to continue upping its game to keep me invested in the series. Its a tall order that is hard to fill, which is why I often wind up settling for less.

Im pleased to report that no settling was necessary in the case of The Unbound. The narrative picks up shortly after the events of The Archived, with heroine Mackenzie Bishop coping with the trauma of a betrayal that nearly killed her, and the fallout of the decisions she made as a result. In the meantime, her world is broadened by the start of the school year. The story is no longer confined to the halls of the Narrows and the rooms of the hotel-turned-apartment-building that Mackenzie calls home. Now she has to deal with a new school and new friends, and must work constantly to keep the ghosts of her past and the demons in her head quiet  while still proving to the Archive that she is a competent Keeper.

Fortunately, shes not alone. Guyliner-sporting co-Keeper Wesley Ayers is once again by Mackenzies side, livening up her life with sass and sarcasm while also providing the grounding and support that only someone who knows her secrets can. Their relationship grows and deepens as it is tested by both the trials of high school and the string of disappearances that seem tied to Mackenzie. His humor and openness provide a much-needed balance to Mackenzies seriousness and secretiveness. Mackenzie also makes some friends at school, and its fun to see her interact with people her own age who don't share knowledge of the Archive.

The new setting of Hyde School gives The Unbound a freshness that is much appreciated after the purposefully claustrophobic confines of The Archived. With the move into the world outside the hotel, the scope becomes greater and the stakes feel higher. Its interesting how the broadened environment plays with the narrowing walls of Mackenzies mind, as no matter where she goes, she cant escape the haunting memories of the History who terrorized her. He even plagues her dreams, which results in nearly crippling insomnia and the concern that she may be suffering a break from reality. Mackenzies struggles are compounded by the disappearances happening around her, as the lines between reality and the Archived continue to muddle. Its a brilliant balance of internal versus external conflict, with both plotlines weaving together and building on each other as they head toward a conclusion that is both intellectually and emotionally satisfying.

As always, Victorias prose is lovely, a perfect blend of poetry and suspense. It gives the book a visceral quality that makes it easy to picture and hard to put down. There are some authors who have the gift of stories and some who have the gift of words. Its clear in Victorias writing that she has both. Not only are the tales she crafts smart and imaginative and original, but the ways in which she tells them are beautiful.

The Unbound is everything I wanted in a sequel to The Archived. More mystery. More suspense. A greater sense of purpose and consequence and world. Deeper relationships. Higher stakes. And, of course, more Wesley Ayers. If you read The Archived and are wondering if you should pick up the sequel, wonder no more. Go forth, read, and enjoy.
3004874
Even though it's more predictable and over the top then the original book, I still enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed the participation of characters from the previous book. If interested in a fun fast read, this romantic series is a good option. You don't have to read them in sequence but I recommend it.
1857011
I didn't enjoy this as much as the first book in the series, but I read it and finished it anyway.
2979418
Turns out I've already read this, but it is a great follow-up to the original six books.
2444640
Often sequels are not as satisfying as the first book in the series. Republic of Thieves I felt was more enjoyable than the second book in the series, and close to the first in providing more depth, dimension and insights to the characters and the world they inhabit. It was a very fun read.
2406641
A very nice follow on to the first installment of the series. I liked the story line, but also enjoyed the introduction of new characters and the development of established ones. It will be very interesting to see where the story goes in the third book. Overall, a very nice read.
4264805
This is a good follow up to the first book, and sets up a lot of back story for the subsequent books. It's a quick, enjoyable read, not as nuanced as her later work, but still good.
2870325
After reading Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children it was with mixed emotions that I learned there would be a second part to the story. I wondered what further Riggs could bring to the story and was afraid that the author would dilute or destroy the ideas that he presented so well in the first book.

I would have thought it difficult after such an abundance of new ideas presented in "Miss Peregrine..." for Riggs to expand upon his thoughts. But, he manages to do just that.

The second book picks up at the moment the first book left off, with the band of peculiar children fleeing the island sanctuary that they had known for 70 years and the wraiths in hot pursuit. It follows them through new loops and through the meeting of new characters.

All-in-all, I would say, that Riggs did not disappoint. He managed to not only expand upon ideas that he presented earlier but also builds the story to a point of anticipation of a third part and the hope for many additional parts later.

4 STARS
441132
This was a great continuation from the first of the series, now I have to wait for the third book.
1968849
This is a great follow up. I like how things seem to tie in and how the character's are developing.
1413995
Having read the first in this series, I HAD to read the sequel.  I was not disappointed.
2141322
A pretty good continuation of the series  - I really like the characters and the plots/subplots
3553005
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and thought that it was as satisfying as the first part in this series. New characters serve to help the action along; they are appealing and interesting. However, I thought that some characters, such as Mervion and Martin Stalker, should have had more attention payed to them. I eagerly await Reimann's third part to this series. There remain many questions to be answered.