After a devastating battle at headquarters in New York, the ghostkeeping world is in shambles. When Emma and Bennett return home, they are determined to defeat the wraithmaster, Neos, forever. But it's not going to be easy. Bennett's parents kick him out when they realize he is still using drugs to enhance his powers. Emma is convinced her aunt has come back from the dead to warn her of a new threat. And worst of all, Neos is using wraiths to possess the students at Thatcher Academy. If the ghosts manage to take over the entire school, even Emma won't be strong enough to stop them. But if either she or Bennett sacrifice his or her powers, they might be able to save the ghostkeeping world once and for all-and break the "ghostkeepers lose their powers when they fall in love" curse. The question is: who will be the one to surrender all power?
Fast-paced and romantic, this conclusion to the Haunting Emma trilogy will thrill readers as it brings the ghostly mystery to a close.
Review
Warning: This is the third book in a series so this review is likely to have spoilers for the previous two books. You've been warned :)
Emma's life is never simple and since finding out about her powers to dispel ghosts and just how far back her legacy goes she's not had much of a break. She's had her life turned upside down and her only saving grace has been her friends at school and Bennett. Now Neos threatens them all as the Wraith out to destroy her and she has to protect her friends while trying to stop Neos before his plans come together. If that wasn't enough Bennett, her true love, has become addicted to a herbal ghostkeeper drug that means he is growing weaker physically but absorbing powers from others to try and aid Emma when the final battle arrives. Emma wants it all over and some sort of normal life but will it ever end and who will survive once it's all said and done.
Firstly please ignore the covers of this book and the previous two books. They are quite naff but the books are addictive and fun so this is very much a 'don't judge a book by its cover' situation. I read the first two books a while ago and couldn't put them down. Emma is a wonderful character and her relationship with Bennett has grown over the two books that I couldn't wait to get back into the tangled love affair and see how it would all end.
I found Surrender a fitting ending for the Haunting Emma series and even though it wasn't a big 5 star hitter for me I think that is just because I'm one of those readers that loves the chase of relationships and is often disappointed when the guy and girl get together and becomes all about "them". Characters lose their identity and it annoys me but I think Lee Nichols held Emma and Bennett together well and forced them to find themselves separately as Bennett was off with his addiction and Emma had to learn to cope without him and find her own strength.
My favourite part of these books has been Emma's friends because they all had their own little stories going on with Harry's drinking problem and Natalie and Lukas' attraction and they were their own people within Emma's story and this made the book more interesting and rounded to read for me. You became part of the story because it wasn't a flat tale about a girl fighting a bad guy.
Dark and scary and proof that girls can fight the good fight on their own or in a relationship. Haunting Emma is an hidden gem in the paranormal YA genre and I'd say it's worth a look if you've read all the big names and want something more.
Published by Bloomsbury and is available here and bookshops now
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