Familiar Strangers by Evelyn Burdette

Familiar Strangers (Forbidden Bloods #2) by Evelyn Burdette

YA/Fantasy

Rating: 4 Starts

The past can change you...

The past proved to be too difficult for identical twins Claudia and Melina Grimwood. After dealing face-to-face with Rebels in brutal situations a mere month ago, the girls are finally able to take a break and fly back home to California. It's here where both girls truly begin to struggle internally with overcoming their past and their new personalities begin to surface.

If inner battles weren't enough for the twins, both girls develop strange feelings of being watched and once back in Shukova, they begin finding creepy notes hidden amongst their belongings. All proves too much for Melina, who finds rebelling with one of the school's biggest troublemakers comforting. And as Claudia tries to get her sister back on track, she finds herself becoming less and less like herself. While the twins struggle against their true identities and their past, the problem worsens and they find themselves fighting another brutal battle full of mysteries and sinister situations. This is the exciting second installment in the Forbidden Bloods Series.

First Thoughts: I knew this book was coming out but when I was talking to Evelyn one day she told me that she was sending me a copy. I was so happy because, at the time, I didn't have extra money to buy the book. The thing that got me even happier was Evelyn mentions me in the acknowledgments in the beginning of the book. She thanks me for advertising her page on my House of Night page. I was glad to do it and I didn't need to free book or my name in the book but it was a wonderful gesture and I was super excited to see it. Okay, so time for the serious part. I have to admit I was disappointed with the cover. Evelyn makes fantastic covers and I wonder if she will ever consider redoing this one. The cat and bird are just so boring. Covers are meant to grab people but this one looks like a children's book. The synopsis is great though, if someone looked passed the cover and read the back cover they most likely would have bought it.

Writing Style: Yay!! This one was just written by Evelyn. Nothing against Grace, but I really wasn't a fan for her writing in Silent Screams. Evelyn seems to be doing so much better on her own this time. She was able to channel Melina from the first book and actually make her character more believable and likable this time through.

Characters: Claudia is pretty much the same. She was changed a bit because of the trauma from the first book but she was starting to get back to normal. Until the parts with Melina. Melina starts to channel her inner Claudia and begins to start acting rebellious which is totally a Claudia thing. It's nice seeing Melina as a person and not the stereotypical goody goody who seemed fake.

Final Thoughts: This one is so much better than the first book. Silent Screams was good but I think it being written with a co-writer set it up for destruction. You had two different people writing and two different writing styles. To me, it didn't work. This one is so much better. It does make me think though. If Grace came up with her own book 2, would I feel the same way for that one as I do this one? Probably not. I think I prefer Evelyn's way of creating characters. This is a great book. It ends pretty good letting you know there is more to come but I haven't heard anything about a book 3 from Evie. Which makes me sad...ah well, maybe someday.