Author: Elise Stokes
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Published on: December 4, 2011 by JACE Publishing LLC
An Ancient Secret Has Risen. A World In Peril. Can This Evil Menace Be Stopped?
Two months after being infected with a strange retrovirus, Cassidy Jones continues to live a double life as she struggles to master her astonishing superpowers. School has become the only normal thing left in her life—except for tall, dark, and handsome Emery Phillips, who shadows her every move, ensuring her secret is safe. But when a sleepover at Catamount Mountain Zoo takes a menacing turn, the world hovers on the edge of disaster as Cassidy is drawn into another riveting and perilous mystery that threatens the planet.
Fourteen-year-old superhero Cassidy Jones returns in book two of her series. If you recall, she gained superpowers after a lab accident. The only person Cassidy told about it is a boy named Emery Phillips. He’s the genius son of the scientist who created Formula 10X. With Emery’s help, Cassidy saved Dr. Serena Phillips from a rich megalomaniac. She and her family now live next door to the Joneses. This works well, as it gives Emery a way to keep an eye on Cassidy. He and Serena are still unsure how Cassidy’s powers will keep developing.
Serena is now working on a way to make Cassidy normal again. The latter isn’t sure she wants to be a super-powered mutant for long. During the showdown with the lunatic, Cassidy inexplicably stood back up after his cronies killed her. Cassidy fears the idea of having immortality now. If she really has it, that means her loved ones will eventually die and leave her alone. And this is not the only side effect Cassidy is worrying about. Formula 10X also gave her a prey drive. Early in the book, Cassidy almost chased down a crook who was picking on a homeless man. Fortunately, the man (named Joe) was able to snap Cassidy back to her senses.
With the bad guy from The Secret Formula behind bars, Cassidy can get on with her life. She and Emery volunteer for a camp at a zoo near Seattle. There, the two meet new people, three of which go on to play major roles. Trouble starts when the zoo’s tiger goes loose. After experts fail to recover it, Cassidy and Emery get on the case. They search the forest located near the zoo. Cassidy doesn’t find the tiger, but she stumbles upon an unexpected sight. There’s a man wandering around in a metallic suit of armor. Cassidy confronts him, but the guy proves to be too fast and strong.
The appearance of the Metal Man means trouble for the dynamic duo. Emery isn’t only worried there’s someone out there who can go toe to toe with Cassidy. He feels it’s their duty to make sure the metal suit is in good hands. Emery and Cassidy spend most of the story investigating who has the suit. Apart from suspenseful, this part of the book is also funny. Emery concocts a plan that I’m a little surprised Cassidy went along with. He takes advantage of the aftermath of Cassidy’s skirmish with Metal Man. Emery also hires the hermit next door to help them with their schemes. Cassidy gets a kick out of this, telling Emery he got himself a “henchman.”
As with book one, Cassidy’s superhero self isn’t the only one with an antagonist. At school, she has to contend with your usual teenage issues. Cassidy has a rival, Robin Newton, who’s the queen bee. She doesn’t like Cassidy for some petty reason. Cassidy isn’t fond of Robin either, but she doesn’t go looking for trouble. Also, Cassidy isn’t a loner. She has other good friends besides Emery. Miriam Cohen is the one with the bigger role. She’s smitten with Emery, but he barely pays her much attention. Miriam is quite chipper and flirty, so her feelings aren’t hurt.
I liked Vulcan’s Gift more than the first Cassidy Jones novel. You get to know the characters better, especially the Phillipses. Cassidy is as compelling as she was in book one, too. Gaining incredible power didn’t make her think she’s better than everyone else. Cassidy’s still a normal and relatable girl. I admire the way she is. Emery's also an interesting character. His intelligence and strategic skills make him a great partner for a secret superhero. Vulcan’s Gift also gives Cassidy a worthy opponent. This is the first time she has to use her full strength to fight an enemy. The fight scenes between Cassidy and the metal-suited antagonist were gripping.
My rating: ★★★★
4 stars - Definitely enjoyed it!
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