The Hollow (Sign of Seven Trilogy, Book 2)

Here's a brief background of THE BLOOD BROTHERS, first book in the Sign of Seven Trilogy: Evil has befallen Hawkins Hollow where all hell breaks loose on every seven years, on the seventh day of the seventh month. All because innocently - Caleb, Fox, and Gage - on their tenth birthday, cut their wrist, mixed their blood and made an oath at the Pagan Stone. With that, they have unleashed something evil as well as good. Circumstances also bring three women together: Quinn, Layla, and Cybil. Together they form an important team, with absolute determination to end the recurring problem once and for all. The first book romantically hooks Caleb and Quinn together, and in this instalment, we see Fox and Layla together.

In book two, the nightmare is about to begin. Here Nora Roberts builds on the suspense from the first book. Fox O'Dell practices small-town law with an ability to read minds. Coincidentally, Layla shares the same ability. That explains why she is able to relate and anticipate what her customers fancy at the boutique in New York (before arriving at Hawkins Hollow), but she didn't think much of it at that time. Together, Fox and Layla will be able to use their ability to connect and fight evil. It is not that easy though. Fox is not trusting and Layla is not accepting her gift. Will they overcome the barrier they set for themselves? To win the battle, they know they have to.

Along the way, the group found the journal of Ann Hawkins, an important discovery to unlock the mystery of what is happening to the town. Ann was the lover of Giles Dent and they were the three men's ancestors. Dent was the person responsible for locking evil in its place before it was accidentally released by the boys many years back. The closer they are to solving the problem, the more vicious evil become. This time, it's going at them all at the same time.

I am happy with the book but not crazy about it. This is one of the weaker trilogies in Nora's work but nonetheless, still enjoyable. As usual, humour, romance and thrill maketh a good read, and it's definitely visible in this instalment. Nora succeeds in developing a good plot that encourages me to continue reading to see how the men and women in the story overcome their dilemmas, problems and together, achieve their goal in battling evil. This series does not affect me emotionally like the previous ones, for example the Key Trilogy or the Three Sisters Island Trilogy, but still satisfying. I am waiting in anticipation for the final episode in The Pagan Stone, coming in December 2008.

THE HOLLOW is the second in The Sign of Seven trilogy, BLOOD BROTHERS being the first. PEGAN STONE, the third, is scheduled to be out in December 2008.

By the second book, the reader pretty much knows what's going to happen. Surprise isn't the author's strong point as her novels, at least not in the ones I've read. Her books are character driven. The reader becomes emotionally invested, very much like soap opera fans do. I found myself wanting to talk to my husband about the characters as though each were real.

In my opinion, it's best to start at the beginning of her trilogies with the first book and not jump around. In the first book, three young boys unknowingly set a demon free, but left each with a special ability. From then on, every seven years, this demon plaques the small Maryland town for seven days. The plot isn't anything new or special, and still, I found myself loving this book just as much as the first.

The first book sets up the story up nicely. The second plants the six main characters - Caleb, Fox, Gage, Quinn, Layla and Cybil - deeper into the story as they realize they'll be the key to defeating this demon - or die trying. Both the first and second books have left me wanting to know more. And I am looking forward to December for the final installment of this trilogy!

I must end this on a negative note. My complaint has nothing to do with the author or the book, but with the narrator, Marie Caliendo. Her high-pitched screeches when speaking as Quinn and Layla actually caused me to dislike the characters. Please keep in mind, these are the same characters as in the first book. If Marie Caliendo had been the narrator for the first book, I wouldn't have continued on with the trilogy. Having listened to so many audios, this was the first problem I'd had with a reader. When her voice elevated, it sounded more like a screech. Horrible - seriously horrible.

I hate to be negative and I've tried to like this, but the reader on this audio edition just doesn't do a great job. The intonation she's chosen for the three female main characters jarr the ear and the narration feels flat. I loved the reader of the first book in the series, and had hoped that he would read this one as well.

Roberts once again doesn't disappoint with the second in her Sign of Seven series. Lots of magic (try a demon from Salem, MA trying to wreak havoc on the world every seven years, in the seventh month, beginning on the seventh day), hunky men (can I just say "yum"), and the women who are there to try to stop the evil from overtaking the good. Nothing really thought-provoking here, just lots of good, romantic, fun reading. I am one of many just waiting to see what happens to the demon from hell in book three, The Pagan Stone, due to fly off the bookshelves in November!

I'm a huge fan of Nora Roberts but this novel seemedto be missing something. Was it the lack of a hot and steamy relationship? Was it that it took nearly half the book to finally bring Fox and Layla together? I'm not sure, but I've always been attracted to the way Nora could deliver an exciting romantic romp through a steamy world only she could imagine. Nora Roberts usually writes the best trilogies, yet book two lacks must of what we love about her. Which is a shame since book one offered some very nice promises.

Editor of the highly recommended novel: Fates by Georgiou Tino: Best of 2008