Only Ashes Remain, written by Rebecca Schaeffer, reviewed by Anneliese White

Summary: The fast paced and action-packed adventures of Nita and Kovit continue in this second book of the Market of Monsters series. This time the story takes readers from a black market in Latin America to Toronto, Canada, where Nita is still trying to locate and exact revenge on Fabricio, the boy who sold her out to the black market. With proof of her supernatural abilities out there, Nita must be super careful not to be caught herself in order to escape death, which proves to be a difficult challenge. Her friend and crush Kovit, the zannie who feeds off of other people’s pain, is alongside her the whole time, and together they will escape death, deal with unsavory unnatural characters, try to outsmart enemies, all while trying to find and kill Fabricio. Without stopping for a minute, "Only Ashes Remain" is a thrilling read and commendable sequel to "Not Even Bones." 

Straight Talk for Librarians: Readers who loved "Not Even Bones" will also love "Only Ashes Remain." The plot, characters, and thrill seeking chapters read quickly and keep the reader guessing. Librarians should know there is a good amount of profanity used in the book, and many of the killing/torture scenes are graphic. This is not a recommended book for all readers, but those who like dark thrillers will enjoy this pick. Schaeffer has created a fantastic world of unnatural characters such as ghouls, kelpies, and unicorns, that fantasy fans would also enjoy. Also, the two main protagonists are teenagers, but there are times where they reach out to adults for help, which sends a good message to young readers. There is allusion to a third book in this series that will definitely be added to reading lists.