ARC Review : The Reckoning by Alma Katsu

Title : The Reckoning (Book 2 of the Taker Trilogy)
Author : Alma Katsu
Expected publication: June 19th 2012 by Gallery Books

*ARC provided by Anneliese from Simon & Schuster Canada*



The Reckoning picks up where The Taker leaves off. Centuries ago, Lanny imprisoned Adair the alchemist responsible for her immortality inside the walls of his home. She never wanted his love and his powers terrified her. Now he has escaped and seeks Lanny for revenge. Adair will stop at nothing to find her. As soon as he gets his hands on his long lost potion books he's unstoppable. He'll even bring back the dead and kill who's in the way of finding Lanny. She leaves Luke her mortal lover behind for fear of putting him and his daughters in jeopardy. Alone and in danger, Lanny requests the help of a few old immortal friends but Lanny must first confess to them what she did to Adair two hundred years ago. Will they help her or are they still on Adair's side? Will he capture Lanny before she finds a way to destroy him?


Lanny is still the very smart and courageous woman she was in The Taker. I was a bit sad when she left Luke behind but I understood she didn't want to put him, his two little girls and his ex-wife in danger.  It's very thoughtful and brave of her. She's now alone and looking over her shoulder all the time. She thinks she can trust Adair's minions but can she really?

In The Taker, Adair was plain evil but in this book we see a different side of him. We learn a few of his secrets like how he was created. Even though he's angry and wants revenge it's easy to see he loves and cares for Lanny very much. The same can't be said for her. She cares for Luke and will do everything she can to protect him even if it means returning to her old life and never seeing him again. Adair is a terrifying master of alchemy and he's capable of pure evil. In order to find Lanny he'll try a very dangerous spell to raise the dead. He's the only one able to take away Lanny's immortality. He's not afraid to rape and murder his victims but the author managed for us to be able to feel sympathy for him. I still can't believe what he did at the end of the book. It was totally unexpected! I can't wait to read more about him and the secrets he has yet to reveal.


The Reckoning alternates between the past and the present. In the past we learn more about the relationship between Jonathan and Lanny and Adair's life.  In the present it alternates between Adair searching for Lanny and Lanny running away. Even with different time periods the plot flows effortlessly.


Alma Katsu has an incredible talent of storytelling. She put together a hauntingly beautiful tale of evil and romance. I can't stop thinking about this book. It is so wonderfully written and the story so captivating that I want to read it over and over again.


The Reckoning is without a doubt one of the top books on my list of favorite reads of 2012. I don't know how the author did it but this second installment is even more breathtaking and mesmerizing.

6 out of 5 stars