Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as the first but still a Keeper
Review: Tanya Huff has the kind of style in her stories that just glide you through them. Unfortunately, it felt as thought she was struggling with this narrative. Clare and Diana, the mystic sisters, bickered as much, if not more, as they did in the first book and Dean was as stalwart and supportive as always but the book didn't satisfy as 'Summon the Keeper' did. The plot line of setting up the situation, explaining just how things can go horribly wrong in a single instant, investigating what's going on and the resolution marched through just as expected.
This is a fun read, funny episodes, interesting characters, the main characters more fully fleshed out and the world view of 'everything happens for a reason' more firmly supported. I'd love to give this 5 stars 'cause I really enjoyed Tanya's vampire series but the plot line on this one seems a bit forced. Still a good read.
Most definitely read 'Summon the Keeper' prior to reading this one, events are referred to from the first book and while you'll still be able to follow the plot to the successful denouement, it makes it more fun to be in on the jokes.
Rating:
Summary: Not as good as the first but still a Keeper
Review: Tanya Huff has the kind of style in her stories that just glide you through them. Unfortunately, it felt as thought she was struggling with this narrative. Clare and Diana, the mystic sisters, bickered as much, if not more, as they did in the first book and Dean was as stalwart and supportive as always but the book didn't satisfy as 'Summon the Keeper' did. The plot line of setting up the situation, explaining just how things can go horribly wrong in a single instant, investigating what's going on and the resolution marched through just as expected.
This is a fun read, funny episodes, interesting characters, the main characters more fully fleshed out and the world view of 'everything happens for a reason' more firmly supported. I'd love to give this 5 stars 'cause I really enjoyed Tanya's vampire series but the plot line on this one seems a bit forced. Still a good read.
Most definitely read 'Summon the Keeper' prior to reading this one, events are referred to from the first book and while you'll still be able to follow the plot to the successful denouement, it makes it more fun to be in on the jokes.
Rating: 
Summary: One of my favorite books of the year
Review: THE SECOND SUMMONING is a wonderful read. A continuation of the characters that we met in SUMMON THE KEEPER, this sequel has all the excellence and wit I have come to expect of Tanya Huff, who seems able to write just about anything. From an aging talking cat to a teenager who is -- literally -- a demon, the charm of the characters and the wonderful inevitability of the plot made this reader regret reaching the end of the book.
Rating:
Summary: A Teenage Angel ... and Demon
Review: The Second Summoning is the second novel in the Keeper's Chronicles series, following Summon the Keeper. In the previous volume, the Keeper Claire Hansen has been summoned to the Elysian Fields Guest House, where there is a Hell hole in the basement and a failed Keeper, Sara, asleep in Room 6. Claire falls in love with Dean, the handyman and cook, and also befriends Jacques, a ghost. When Sara is awakened by Diana, Claire's sister, they have their hands full preventing Sara from using Dean as a virgin sacrifice in a ritual to control the hole, but Claire, Diana and Jacques prevail and the hole is sealed with Sara on the Hell side.In this novel, Claire has been summoned to a rundown motel room in the States to lay the ghost of a woman who has decided to ignore the double standard on adultry that allows her husband to have numerous affairs. Claire and her cat Austin have taken Dean along with them as chauffeur and companion. The ghost provides a resounding display of explosive temper, which gets Claire to thinking, something she does too often and not very well, so she decides that a Keeper's life is too dangerous for a Bystander such as Dean to tag along with her. As a result, she and Dean separate shortly after they return to Canada and both find themselves to be miserable without the other. Finally, another Keeper takes Claire aside and focuses her attention on the consequences of her unilateral decision, so Claire contacts Dean and they reunite at the house of Claire's parents. The reunion has some definite physical and metaphysical effects -- bright lights in the sky, the Earth moving, the manifestation of an angel and a demon in adolescent human form, etc. -- which they spend the rest of the story cleaning up and living down. This novel is a run around in circles tale, with lots of humor and some romance. Again, this story is mostly about relationships, including those of both the angel and the demon. The finale also shows a degree of compassion, initiated by Diana, who is by no means as rigid a Keeper as Claire tends to be. This story has the added attraction of producing a cat for Diana, who will soon will a full-time Keeper. In the process, one learns that angels resemble cats, but with two legs and forelimbs capable of using a can opener. Highly recommended to Huff fans and to anyone else who enjoys fantasy with a strong vein of humor and a few nuggets of romance.
Rating:
Summary: A Teenage Angel ... and Demon
Review: The Second Summoning is the second novel in the Keeper's Chronicles series, following Summon the Keeper. In the previous volume, the Keeper Claire Hansen has been summoned to the Elysian Fields Guest House, where there is a Hell hole in the basement and a failed Keeper, Sara, asleep in Room 6. Claire falls in love with Dean, the handyman and cook, and also befriends Jacques, a ghost. When Sara is awakened by Diana, Claire's sister, they have their hands full preventing Sara from using Dean as a virgin sacrifice in a ritual to control the hole, but Claire, Diana and Jacques prevail and the hole is sealed with Sara on the Hell side. In this novel, Claire has been summoned to a rundown motel room in the States to lay the ghost of a woman who has decided to ignore the double standard on adultry that allows her husband to have numerous affairs. Claire and her cat Austin have taken Dean along with them as chauffeur and companion. The ghost provides a resounding display of explosive temper, which gets Claire to thinking, something she does too often and not very well, so she decides that a Keeper's life is too dangerous for a Bystander such as Dean to tag along with her. As a result, she and Dean separate shortly after they return to Canada and both find themselves to be miserable without the other. Finally, another Keeper takes Claire aside and focuses her attention on the consequences of her unilateral decision, so Claire contacts Dean and they reunite at the house of Claire's parents. The reunion has some definite physical and metaphysical effects -- bright lights in the sky, the Earth moving, the manifestation of an angel and a demon in adolescent human form, etc. -- which they spend the rest of the story cleaning up and living down. This novel is a run around in circles tale, with lots of humor and some romance. Again, this story is mostly about relationships, including those of both the angel and the demon. The finale also shows a degree of compassion, initiated by Diana, who is by no means as rigid a Keeper as Claire tends to be. This story has the added attraction of producing a cat for Diana, who will soon will a full-time Keeper. In the process, one learns that angels resemble cats, but with two legs and forelimbs capable of using a can opener. Highly recommended to Huff fans and to anyone else who enjoys fantasy with a strong vein of humor and a few nuggets of romance.
Rating:
Summary: THE BELLY LAUGHS JUST KEEP ON COMING
Review: THE SECOND SUMMONING may not be quite as funny as SUMMON THE KEEPER but the only reason it isn't is the fact that Hell doesn't get as much play time in this sequel, and of course everybody knows nothing is funnier than Hell! But Ms. Huff sure tries. The cat is even more catlike than before, the younger sister even more obnoxious (yes it is possible!) Dean is still the embodiment of NICE (and maybe not quite so much of a wuss,) and even Claire, the hardheaded holier-than-thou Keeper realizes that even with the danger love is still worth it. Additionally you get to meet an angel summoned from the light, coming complete with genitalia (not standard equipment on angels) and a demon created to balances his good with her evil... If you liked SUMMON THE KEEPER I guarantee you are going to like THE SECOND SUMMONING. Just an ol' fashion hot steamy romance inter-dispersed with sidesplitting humor, and no I'm not going to tell you which is which. What I will tell you is I highly RECOMMEND this one. Read on and have fun!
Rating: 
Summary: Good, not great
Review: This book is funny and cute, good escapist entertainment. I did like the first book in the series, Summon the Keeper, better. I thought this one seemed a bit stretched in the plot department. But it's still interesting.
Rating: 
Summary: No More Sequels, Please
Review: This is one of the few sequel books that I thought would actually be good! I mean, the whole book (Summon the Keeper), right down to the way it ended, was ripe for a sequel that would make me laugh and cry just as hard as Summon the Keeper... But no. Again the universal truth that sequels are never as good as the first book has been proved. Less is More, sometimes, and Huff would have done better to keep the humor level a bit lower--as it is, the book is filled to the brim with jokes that are, well, just plain not funny. And Dean--Dean isn't your solid Virgin-Even-Though-He's-Twenty anymore. He plays Jacques' game but of course he's much worse at it. What's more is, the new characters-- Diane (she's not new, but she became the protagonist), the Angel, the Demoness--are in dire need of some volume (don't mean that in the physical way). Card board cut outs, and not even funny like Claire or Austin. So, in short, old characters who stopped being who they were, and new characters that are much too uninteresting. To tell the truth, it's not as bad as I make it sound--in fact, if it hadn't been the sequel of Summon the Keeper I'd have said that it's an unenjoyable but okay read--but hey! It IS the sequel of Summon the Keeper, and reading it will just tarnish good memories of a wonderful time. Go find something else to read.
Rating:
Summary: Light, funny, fantasy read. Great book!!
Review: This is the 2nd book in the Keeper series. I liked it because in reintroduced the characters from the first book without bogging them down with backfill. It also concentrated on Diane's character filling her out more. She is a typical teenager with atypical Keeper powers. Claire, Dean, and Austin the cat are back and busy closing the metaphysical holes all over Canada.
The angel and demon in this book are sooooooo funny. It is hilarious how they become more human with all its hormonal baggage. This book was really funny and I laughed so hard reading it my husband couldn't go to sleep. The third book in this series comes out in May 2003 and I will be buying it.
Rating:
Summary: Light, funny, fantasy read. Great book!!
Review: This is the 2nd book in the Keeper series. I liked it because in reintroduced the characters from the first book without bogging them down with backfill. It also concentrated on Diane's character filling her out more. She is a typical teenager with atypical Keeper powers. Claire, Dean, and Austin the cat are back and busy closing the metaphysical holes all over Canada.
The angel and demon in this book are sooooooo funny. It is hilarious how they become more human with all its hormonal baggage. This book was really funny and I laughed so hard reading it my husband couldn't go to sleep. The third book in this series comes out in May 2003 and I will be buying it.
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