Stargazer by Claudia Gray

Stargazer (Evernight Novels 2)
Free from the Jefferson Parish Library
Author web site

PJV's Quickie POV: An excellent follow-up to Evernight. Stargazer continues the story of the star-crossed-lovers Bianca and Lucas. A play on the Romeo and Juliet story, the second installment of the Evernight Novels delivers a more grown-up version of the first novel. The suspense of the last minute reveal from Evernight is lost, but other secrets are to be found out, so it still possess that dark flavor that was so prevalent in the first novel. I was very pleased with this novel, and am looking forward to reading Hourglass.

Review: What would happen if Romeo and Juliet didn't kill themselves, but instead just lied to their parents that they weren't seeing each other anymore? What if Juliet was a vampire and Romeo was a vampire hunter? What if Paris was really hot, and really nice and Romeo was a bit grumpy and aggressive? Well, that would be Stargazer.

Bianca is back for another year at Evernight Academy, this time sans her love Lucas.  In fact everyone is under the impression that Lucas and Bianca are old news and Bianca has kicked Lucas to the curb, what any self-respecting vamp would do when they found out their boyfriend was a secret spy for the deadly Black Cross. Yet, Lucas and Bianca are above labels, Lucas doesn't care that Bianca is a vampire, and Bianca looks passed the fact that Lucas kills her own kind for a living, or do they?  With time, seperation and a truck full of bias between the two of them, can Lucas and Bianca's love survive.

Then to top it all off, there is something that is hunting Bianca, and stalking Evernight Academy.  Something that everyone seems to be afraid of, yet knowledgeable about, but Bianca has no clue.  Her parents are lying to her again, even the head mistress seems to know what is going on, but no one will tell Bianca.  The only saving grace is Balthazar, his support and friendship is what is keeping Bianca going. Yet, as Lucas and Bianca's relationship becomes more strained...and Balthazar makes more and more overtures of his interest in Bianca...can this be the end of something and the beginning of another?

Once again excellent second installment. In Stargazer the characters have matured a bit, leading to a more dramatic and deeper story-line. The writing was done well and the suspenseful plot was very hard to figure out just like in the first novel. Characters are expanded on and I found myself really enjoying Balthazar, in fact I was pretty much rooting for him instead of Lucas.  This is a first, I usually stick with numero uno, the only other time I've jumped ship from number 1 was with the Sookie Stackhouse series - not a fan of Bill.  All in all good novel, I definitely recommend this series.

Recommendations: Older teens and adults.  Fans of Twilight, House of Night and Vampire Academy will love this book. There are some mature interactions, but nothing actually occurs, so I would put this as 15+.