Spectacle by Rachel Vincent

Series: Menagerie #2
432 p.
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Published: 5/30/17
Source: From NetGalley and Publisher for review.

In this riveting sequel to New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent's acclaimed novel Menagerie, Delilah Marlow will discover that there is no crueler cage than the confines of the human mind… 

When their coup of Metzger's Menagerie is discovered, Delilah and her fellow cryptids find their newly won freedom brutally stripped away as they are sold into The Savage Spectacle, a private collection of "exotic wildlife." Specializing in ruthless cryptid cage matches, safari-style creature hunts and living party favors, the Spectacle's owner, Willem Vandekamp, caters to the forbidden fetishes of the wealthy and powerful. At the Spectacle, any wish can be granted—for the right price.

But Vandekamp's closely guarded client list isn't the only secret being kept at the Spectacle. Beneath the beauty and brutality of life in the collection lie much darker truths, and no one is more determined than Delilah to strip the masks from the human monsters and drag all dark things into the light.

My thoughts:

I loved the first book which honestly caught me by surprise. I had high hopes for this one and I was not disappointed. Those worrying about sophomore syndrome need not worry. While our intrepid cryptids find themselves in similar but in some ways more dangerous circumstances, one which none is expected to survive, we find ourselves once again captured (in a good way) by the story and how it all plays out. There is no cliffhanger but there is a huge open ending which will make you salivate for more of the tale. I, for one, cannot wait to read the next book in this series, *grabby hands*, even though it may not be written yet. Yes, you can safely say I really loved this book.

My only niggle would be with Delilah herself. While I feel that she has placed the bulk of the responsibilities on keeping the other cryptids alive, I also feel that she should share in that responsibility. They have as much or more at stake and it is also a bit of an insult to think that they are not capable of the task of at least helping her out as an equal. That is where I felt she sort of resembled her captors, but I do think she made strides in that area a tiny bit. Still, it is a minor niggle.

I do not want to tell too much or I'll spoil the book (or even the one that came before) but I will say this: I feel you need to pay attention to the prologue in the book. I have a feeling it will play an important role in the coming books and not just this story.

In conclusion, I feel that this series needs to be read in order. It makes sense and this one builds on the first book. You get fully introduced to Delilah who is our protagonist and why she is important to the menagerie. I give this book 4 1/2 stars. I highly recommend this series to those that love a good fantasy.

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