Review: Scorch

Scorch (Croak #2) by Gina Damico
Release Date ~September 25, 2012
Graphia ~ HMH 
ISBN13: 9780547624570
Review copy received from Thomas Allen & Son Ltd. 

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby is a teenage grim reaper with the bizarre ability to damn souls. That makes her pretty scary, even to fellow Grims. But after inadvertently transferring her ability to Zara, a murderous outlaw, Lex is a pariah in Croak, the little town she calls home.
To escape the townspeople’s wrath, she and her friends embark on a wild road trip to DeMyse. Though this sparkling desert oasis is full of luxuries and amusements, it feels like a prison to Lex. Her best chance at escape would be to stop Zara once and for all—but how can she do that from DeMyse, where the Grims seem mysteriously oblivious to Zara’s killing spree?

Croak was one of those books that I stumbled upon rather accidentally last year, decided to give it a go and absolutely fell in love. I really feel that this is one of the most underrated series out there, and that more people should read it because so many other people will love it. So if it’s been sitting on your bookshelf, pick it up tonight, and sit down with a cup of tea and thank me when you’re finished ;) 

Combining dry humour with likable characters and a thoroughly creative storyline is a winning combination. But Scorch has that same feel that Goblet of Fire has for Harry Potter fans – it’s when we finally realize that it isn’t all just fun and games, and that the stakes are very high. Too high. 

1. Lex is a witty and lovable as ever:
   
   Lex is one of those characters I want to be BFFs with. She’s funny as can be, a little rough around the edges but with the BIGGEST HEART. She’s always getting into some sort of trouble or another, but does her absolute best to keep those she loves safe. And she isn’t constantly whining or being ridiculous. She’s brave, and I love her sense of justice because we totally have that in common. Guys, I can't even begin to describe how funny Gina's writing is when she's writing as Lex. I'm just not funny enough to make you understand.
   
2. And we get to see more of the super cool Reaper world!:
   
   I love the way Gina Damico has imagined Reapers in the Croak series! It’s so much fun and totally different, and I enjoyed getting a look at some of the other Reaper towns in the world aside from Croak. I think it’s really neat that they each have their own sort of “personalities” too.
   
3. Some things are gained. Others are lost:
   
   Gina doesn’t back down from making things not quite as bad as they seem... yet still hard. If I’m being honest, I don’t always want to read a book that’s going to break me and shatter my heart into a thousand little shards. I like that silver lining on a cloud, and I think Gina nails that really well in these books. Yes, things sometimes turn out terribly wrong. But there’s this little seed of optimism that means it isn’t what you expected or wanted – but it isn’t entirely lost either. And that’s okay. I think that’s a lot like real life. 

These books are so much fun, but not at all forgettable. They almost feel like light, fun books but they really aren’t. They delve into some deeper issues and don’t shy away from tackling problems. 

And it’s hard for me to put my finger on it, but Scorch didn’t quite have the same charm that Croak had for me. It’s like a certain je ne sais quoi, but I think part of it was sequels are always suffering a little bit from trying to live up to the first. It’s all a little bit less magical and amazing. Or maybe some of my bitterness about the bad things that happen is seeping in here. That could be it too. I mean, bad stuff is good because it’s real and makes for good character growth but it doesn’t mean I need to like it. NOPE. 

Also, as a sidenote I really love Lex and Driggs. I think they're one of the best YA couples out there. They have super cute kissing scenes and I just adore them and their sneaky ways trying to get around Uncle Mort's rules.