Nightshade

Gr 8 Up—In this sequel to The Poison Diaries (HarperCollins, 2011), 16-year-old Jessamine wakes with the knowledge that her true love, Weed, has disappeared. She suspects that her apothecary father, Thomas, might have caused his departure. She begins to look for proof when she discovers her father's writings, confirming her suspicions: Thomas poisoned her mother, tried to poison her, and Weed is next. She must stop her father at any cost. Her actions drive her into hiding and closer to Oleander, the Prince of Poisons. Meanwhile Weed, who has gone into hiding in the forest, discovers Oleander's plot to take possession of Jessamine for his own and will stop at nothing to find her. Jessamine, now darkly wielding both the power to heal and kill, is faced with the question of whether anything is justifiable for love. The continuation of the story once again takes place in late-18th-century England, but Jessamine has become a much darker character, often making the wrong choices. The plot tends to take melodramatic turns at times, verging on the unbelievable. Wood quickly switches between the voices of Jessamine and Weed, which may become confusing to readers at times. Still, "Twilight" fans will like the mix of dramatic love story and the supernatural.—Kimberly Castle-Alberts, Stark County District Library, Canton, OH