Daire Santos has saved her grandmother and is more determined than ever to destroy the evil Richter clan, but she must first learn more about her powers. Second in the Soul Seekers series after Fated (2012), this sophomore title both propels the plot and action yet also allows slumping to occur via a lack of deeper characterization of the main players. Daire and love interest Dace, the "light" twin of his evil brother, Cade, alternate chapter point of view while clinging to each other as they face down the potential destruction of the world. New characters are introduced, most notably one named Phyre, whose intentions are unclear until almost the very end. The healthy depictions of sex here are a welcome departure from many YA books, which tend to either entirely avoid or negatively dramatize teen sexuality. However, Noël's unfortunate tendency toward sentence fragments and unnecessary character thoughts that tell the reader what is happening, rather than allowing them to figure it out, detract from the story's momentum. A powerhouse ending sets the scene for the final book to come.

Destined to be together but prophesied to be torn apart, Daire and Dace (Fated) must work separately to hone their abilities in order to protect their community. This means slaying the one who feeds off of their love, Dace's evil twin brother, Cade. Fans of headstrong protagonists and paranormal showdowns will feel right at home in this second book.

Far more romance than paranormal, this second installment of the Soul Seekers series finds its supernaturally endowed young couple struggling to gain enough strength to defeat their demonic foe. Daire loves Dace, despite the fact that Dace is the twin of the completely evil Cade. Dace qualifies as a love interest because his soul is the polar opposite of his brother's. Daire's grandmother continues to teach her how to be a paranormal Seeker; now that Daire and Dace are 16, their powers are emerging. Together and separately they fight, usually losing, against Cade, who is corrupting the Lowerworld, where spirit animals live. As Cade has the ability to transform into a fearsome demon that Daire and Dace insist on fighting before they are remotely strong enough to win, the Lowerworld seems doomed. Despite the paranormal window dressing, this is a full-on romance novel, utilizing standard conventions of the genre. Virtually every character possesses an odd name. Sex scenes steam. Emotional hyperbole runs rampant. Noël's sentence fragments and one-line paragraphs stand out most, rendering her writing clichéd to an eye-rolling extent. When written in common English usage, however, the narrative flows. Noël uses her New Mexico setting to weave in Native American mythology such as spirit animals and skinwalking. An intriguing story, but for confirmed romance fans only. (Paranormal romance. 14 & up)