Title: The Chaos Author: Rachel Ward Series: Numbers #2 Cover Art: Christopher Stengel Genre: Paranormal YA Excerpt: Yes Source: Publisher Reviewed by: Abigail Reading level: Young Adult Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: The Chicken House Mar 1, 2011 ISBN-10: 054524269X ISBN-13: 978-0545242691 Sexual Content: Kissing. A scene of sensuality. References to rape and incest. References to prostitution. My Rating: Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend.

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Description

The curse of the NUM8ERS continues in Rachel Ward's CHA0T1C, earth-shattering sequel!

 

Adam has more than inherited his mother's curse: When he looks in someone's eyes, he not only sees the date of their death...he feels the searing, shocking pain of it. Since Jem died, Adam has lived by the sea with his great-grandmother, Val. But when rising tides flood the coast, they return to London. The city is an alien, exciting, frightening place. Most disturbing of all, Adam can't help but clock how many people's numbers are in January 2027; how many are on New Year's Day. What chaos awaits the world? Can he and Sarah stop a catastrophe? Or are they, too, counted among the "twenty-sevens"?

 

Review

THE CHAOS picks up more than a decade after NUMBERS ended.  Both Jem and Spider are dead and their son, Adam, is being raised by Spider’s grandmother.  The heartbreaking ending of NUMBERS confirmed that Adam had indeed inherited his mothers morbid ability of seeing the date of a person’s death in their eyes and the burden of that ‘gift’ has taken its toll.

 

But Adam is not just his mother’s son.  He’s every bit as angry at the world as his father was.  More so.  I could feel his rage boiling under his skin constantly, even the slightest provocation would set him off.   It’s no surprise that he makes a nasty enemy his first day at a new school, but it is surprising when he meets Sarah.  She is the other protagonist in THE CHAOS and gets half the chapters.  Her story is every bit as tragic as Adam’s and his parents, if more insidious.  Like Adam, she’s special, but in a different way.  When she meets Adam for the first time, it’s literally her nightmare come to life.

 

The depiction of London is as vivid as before, both the posh and seedy locations described with equal clarity. The characters are likewise portrayed with complete transparency.  Ward doesn’t shy away from the ugly truth, but neither does she gratuitously exploit her characters.  They are all hard, brash and belligerent, angry at the world and themselves, Adam more so than Sarah.  But I found them both so compelling and realistic that I wasn’t put off by the volatile aspects of their personalities, quite the opposite.  I cared about them desperately.

 

THE CHAOS is a story that demands your complete attention until its over.  I was held captive by this story, these young lovers, the injustice of their lives, and the impossible task set before them.  There is love and hatred, desire and depravity, hope and despair.  All told in beautiful prose by the talented Rachel Ward.  The third Numbers book, INFINITY, will be released on June 6, 2011.  I can only pray that my number is not up before then.

 

Previous Books in Series	Also Reviewed By:
Num8ers	The overflowing library Empire of Books Magic Of Reading

Giveaway provided by Scholastic (via Big Honcho Media)

One (1) winner will receive copies of NUM8ERS and NUM8ERS: THE CHAOS!

 

Giveaway Guidelines

1. Open to US only

2. Leave a comment & A way to contact you if you win

3. Entries must be received by Midnight MST on March 28th.

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