Seduction

Gr 8 Up—In this sequel to Legacy (S. & S., 2011), teen witch Katy has traded her magical Massachusetts town and fights with boyfriend (now practicing Alchemist) Peter for a rundown Paris flat and a cooking school with less-than-appetizing lessons. Fate leads Katy and Peter (working for his uncle) to a Parisian "abbey" with magical roots, whose stunning inhabitants are corrupted by vanity and greed. The connection between Peter and Katy sadly lacks the depth of other YA supernatural romances. Older and edgier Belmondo might come close to seducing Katy; however, readers will suss out his true identity and nefarious intentions. Stumbling through the sewers one night, Katy meets elderly Azrael, a man with a mysterious past documented in a journal Katy borrows under the guise of repairing it. Their two stories converge in an action-packed climax leaving several casualties. Pacing is interrupted occasionally by Legacy's backstory and the present-day story suffers more "tell" than "show." Azrael's tale via journal entries proves more engrossing. Cochran's bewitching world is interesting, and the bones of this title are solid; unfortunately, the incongruous or melodramatic dialogue and underdeveloped characters suffer from shallowness.—Danielle Serra, Cliffside Park Public Library, NJ