Ninth Key #2 by Meg Cabot

Genre: Ghosts

Paperback: 304 Pages

Published: December 28, 2004

Series: The Mediator

            1. Mediator

            2. Ninth Key

            3. Reunion

            4. Darkst Hour

            5. Haunted

            6. Twilight

Rating:★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Everything is going great for Suze. Her new life in California is a whirlwind of parties and excellent hair days. Tad Beaumont, the hottest boy in town, has even asked Suze out on her very first date. Suze is so excited that she's willing to ignore her misgivings about Tad... particularly the fact that he's not Jesse, whose ghostly status--not to mention apparent disinterest in her--make him unattainable.

What Suze can't ignore, however, is the ghost of a murdered woman whose death seems directly connected to dark secrets hidden in none other than Tad Beaumont's past.

My Review:

            So far the Mediator series has been an entertaining read. I am loving the characters of Suze, her family and Jesse. All the characters were interesting and I didn't feel the need to roll my eyes at them or get annoyed with their behaviors. Cabot created a unique ghost story that was fast paced, mysterious, and a light read. I loved the idea that Suze was a mediator between the dead and living. It made her character stand out more because of this idea that she can communicate with ghosts and they can communicate back.

            So in this second installment Suze is awakened by a screaming female ghost who wants her to deliver a message to "Red," that he didn't kill her. After doing a little digging around Suze discovers a man named Thaddeus "Red" Beaumont who happens to be the father of Tad, a guy Suze danced with at a party. Naturally, Tad becomes Suze's love interest in this book and she manages to get into the Beaumont residence to deliver the message. But things turn for the worse and Suze is in big trouble! However, Jesse is always watching out for Suze and once again he is there to help her. While the interaction between Suze and Tad was nice, I was much more drawn to the scenes with Suze and Jesse.

         There were some unexpected surprises and twists towards the end of this book. I was so excited to read this book that I ended up finishing the entire series. There was just something about the plot, characters, and the story that kept me on the edge of my seat. Plus the romance was slow and sweet. I liked how in the beginning Jesse and Suze didn't acknowledge each other at all, but somehow they managed to be there for each other when they were in danger. Overall, an awesome book to read!