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Betrayal (Haunting Emma #2)

by Lee Nichols (Goodreads Author)

3.99 of 5 stars 3.99 · rating details · 1,310 ratings · 165 reviews

Emma Vaile is the most powerful ghostkeeper in centuries. Which is great when she's battling the wraith-master Neos, but terrible when she's flirting with fellow ghostkeeper (and soul mate) Bennett. When ghostkeepers fall in love, the weaker one loses all power, and that's not something Bennett can handle. Heartbroken and alone, Emma tries to lose herself in school with fe...more

Paperback, 288 pages

Published March 1st 2011 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

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May 08, 2012 Karen & Gerard rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, death, fantasy, funny, horror, mystery, relationships, romance, teens, suspense

Betrayal by Lee Nichols continues from where Deception left off and is just as good, if not even better! There is a lot of action fighting ghosts in this book and also her love life with Bennett heats up. Her friendships at school fall apart but then when she finally tells the truth about Coby, they are restored. There is a lot of ghost fighting action in this book and Simon and Lukas are assigned by the Knell to help Emma. The fun and humor continue with Coby in ghost form continuing to hang ou...more

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Apr 03, 2012 Sammee (I Want to Read That) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Having really enjoyed Deception I picked up this one as soon as I'd finished the first one.

Now that Emma knows she is a Ghostkeeper and understands what it means she throws herself into her role. This installment is much more action packed than the first and there is still the romance and mystery element to keep me hooked!

The characters really develop in this one too. Emma becomes much stronger - and more accepting of her abilities. Her relationship with Bennett is still a driving force of the s...more

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Dec 26, 2011 Tasha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Emma is dealing with a whole lot of issues - some more normal than others. She's in love with a boy she can't be with; she doesn't know where her parents are; her friends blame her for Coby's death ... As well as all of this, she's one of the most powerful ghostkeepers there is and so it's down to her to stop Neos, the wraith-master.

This second book continues pretty much right off from where the first one finished. I liked that there was only a small amount of recapping and that the story got go...more

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Aug 25, 2011 Liz rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

4.5/5

Betrayal is a brilliant sequel to the Deception, and the Haunting Emma series is fast become one of my favourites! The book begins soon after the end of Deception, with the funeral of Emma’s friend Coby. Coby’s friends Harry and Sara blame Emma for his death, and refuse to speak to her anymore, and Emma becomes a social outcast in school. Worst of all, things with Bennett, the guy Emma would do anything to be with, are not working out – Bennett doesn’t want to lose his ghostkeeping powers u...more 4.5/5

Betrayal is a brilliant sequel to the Deception, and the Haunting Emma series is fast become one of my favourites! The book begins soon after the end of Deception, with the funeral of Emma’s friend Coby. Coby’s friends Harry and Sara blame Emma for his death, and refuse to speak to her anymore, and Emma becomes a social outcast in school. Worst of all, things with Bennett, the guy Emma would do anything to be with, are not working out – Bennett doesn’t want to lose his ghostkeeping powers until Neos is defeated, but being near Emma puts him in danger of doing exactly that, and he can’t take that risk. So Bennett leaves Emma, with the promise they’ll be together once Neos is gone, but that doesn’t really do much to ease Emma’s mind. She now has a new guardian, Simon, who brings along with him another ghostkeeper called Lukas. With a new team to adjust to and a life-threatening fight to prepare for, Emma is starting to realise the pressure she is under – she may be the most powerful ghostkeeper around, but even she gets scared sometimes.

Betrayal was a great addition to the Haunting Emma series, and I really enjoyed it! Emma had to deal with a lot in this once and I think she coped quite well with it all, even though it made her feel miserable a lot of the time. To have such an amazing time with Bennett to then be separated from him must have been awful, and I think we as readers missed Bennett just as much as Emma did! He popped up here and there though, and while I loved every scene they were in together (and there were some superawesome sexy ones), I did notice him changing as the story progressed. I won’t tell you what happens, because it’s spoilery, but the Bennettt at the end of Betrayal was not the same Bennettt at the end of Deception, and though Emma loved him just as much, she noticed the change in him too, and I’m expecting there to be some conflict in the next book, Surrender.

Natalie was even better in this book. She was a great friend to Emma, and tried to cheer her up, and she also defended her when Harry and Sara were shouting abuse or whenever someone was being nasty. She knew Emma well, and was the type of friend I think everyone wished they had – loyal, kind, funny and trustworthy. As for Harry and Sara – I could understand that they were going through a very tough time, losing such an important person to them, but I do think they were a little too harsh on Emma. Coby wanted Emma to talk to them and explain what happened, but Harry had started drinking again and Sara refused to listen, so Emma was put in a very difficult position. She still cared about her old friends, though, despite what they thought of her, and I think in the end, she did what was right, and I’m glad things worked out the way they did.

The newcomers, Simon and Lukas, were both very interesting characters. Simon was the oldest, and took on the guardian role – he was very strict and snappy a lot of the time, but I do think he cared about Emma and everyone and tried his best to protect them. He also knew a lot about ghostkeeping, and I have a feeling he actually knew a lot more than he let on about a few things, and while not very powerful, he was definitely a great ghostkeeper. He even made a joke or two, and I liked reading about him. Lukas seemed almost the opposite of Simon – he loved the ladies, and never missed the chance to flirt outrageously with Natalie, or make some funny comments about Emma. He injected some fun and light-heartedness into the story, and made a great addition to the ghostkeeping team, I think.

I really liked the ending of Betrayal, and felt it set up the next book perfectly - leaving you curious but not frustrated. There was actually a little extract of book three, Surrender, at the back of Betrayal, and after reading it, I’ve gotta say I’m really excited about the next book, and I can’t wait to read it! It looks like it’s going to be another awesome read.

Overall, Betrayal was an excellent, fast-paced read, and these books, in my opinion, are some of the best ghost stories around in the YA genre. Highly recommended.
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Aug 16, 2011 Dark Readers rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Back to the awesome ghost hunting world of the Deception series and Boy what a awesome ride it is.

I couldn't wait to read the next book and as soon as I opened the page I felt like I was home. Home in Emma and Bennett heatrenching love story and the jump out of your seat ghostly action

Two new characters have joined the gang this time around. Lukas the rebellious ladies man ghost keeper who loves pushing emmas buttons I think he is an awesome assest to this novel as there is no character like him...more

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Jul 30, 2011 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: advisory-2011-2012

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Betrayal by Lee Nichols is the second book of Deception and it is equally as interesting. The title “Betrayal” really fit’s the book because the story reveals big betrayals made by not the important characters, but the minor characters and that is what shocked me within this story. Betrayal is one interesting paranormal story to read. It starts off intensely and is full of action. It is an action packed book with many new secrets revealed and twists that come midway making the story more and mor...more Betrayal by Lee Nichols is the second book of Deception and it is equally as interesting. The title “Betrayal” really fit’s the book because the story reveals big betrayals made by not the important characters, but the minor characters and that is what shocked me within this story. Betrayal is one interesting paranormal story to read. It starts off intensely and is full of action. It is an action packed book with many new secrets revealed and twists that come midway making the story more and more interesting.
This story picked up where the last one ended off. Coby’s spirit is risen from his dead body by Emma Vaile, the most powerful ghost keeper within centuries. Coby was her classmate that was killed by Neos, the one that is coming to kill Emma. It turns out that Neos has something to do with her mother and that is why he is targeting Emma. With Neos stronger than before and army of wraiths, Emma has to start training harder to defeat Neos once and for all before more people die. Besides dealing with the fact of getting rid of Neos, Emma, like your typical teenager has to deal with school and relationship problems. After the death of Coby, people are hating on Emma and Coby’s best friends are blaming Emma for his death, causing her life to be worse then the hell she is already living in. Bennett, the love of Emma’s life, even though as much as he loves her, he can’t be with her since two ghost keepers in love means they both will lose their powers. He chooses his power over her and leaves her alone. Like is everything is not bad enough, Emma deals with a traitor who is helping out Neos and that happens to be Nicholas, the little ghost boy whom Emma trust and treats like a little brother. Nicholas’s betrayal puts them into a bigger disadvantage, but with the help of her friends, Emma was able to destroy Neos, or at least put him back to where he belongs for a long while With that problem solved another arises as Bennett is obsess with the drug Asarum and it changed him into a different person.
I didn’t like Emma’s personality as much as I did in the first book because of the fact that she doesn’t stand up for herself and she is gullible at times. When people are hating on her for killing someone she didn’t kill she couldn’t do anything about it, her friend, Natalie had to stand up for her and fight her battles. She is also easily tricked especially by the enemy and still loves Nicholas even after his betrayal for his own benefit which I don’t get why. I dislike the fact that she sulks over Bennett who is gone instead of focusing on her job. I don’t think that the relationship between her and Bennett is relevant in this story. They clearly love each other, but there isn’t really anything special about their love. Their love never seemed to progress on, they still stayed at the “friend stage“. However on the upside, the suspense packed into a 304 page book is something worth checking out because drives you off the edge of your seat.(less)

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Jul 22, 2011 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 3-5-stars

Plot: 3 Stars
This novel picked up right where Deception left off, but it could've used a bit more recap considering almost a year passed between each book being released. It felt kinda like when you miss a days worth of notes in class as I was reading the first couple chapters. It felt like I was missing something because I hadn't read the first book since last summer. Usually I can jump right back into a series without much of a problem. But after a couple more chapters, it all started coming b...more Plot: 3 Stars
This novel picked up right where Deception left off, but it could've used a bit more recap considering almost a year passed between each book being released. It felt kinda like when you miss a days worth of notes in class as I was reading the first couple chapters. It felt like I was missing something because I hadn't read the first book since last summer. Usually I can jump right back into a series without much of a problem. But after a couple more chapters, it all started coming back to me as the past events were touched on a little more. This book also felt a lot like many YA novels that have fallen into a rut. It felt a lot like New Moon in that the mysterious love interest disappeared in order to "help" the main character.

Pace: 3.5 Stars
This was one of those novels that started off on the slow side, but picked up momentum as the story unfolded. The events in the beginning of the novel were on the slow side, but nothing to make me put the novel down (on vacation, no less). As the events of the novel continued to unfold and become more complex, the pace picked up as well. By the end of the novel, it felt like I was reading at the same frantic pace as the characters were rushing to beat the bad guy. It kept me on the edge of my seat.

Characters: 4 Stars
Although Bennett disappearing for most of the novel was disappointing, I felt like it gave me a chance to connect more with the rest of the characters as well as the new characters that were introduced. Emma and her powers continued to grow while dealing with both school and ghostkeeping. I liked that she didn't whine and complain about Bennett being gone the entire time. Emma, along with her friends, deal with the events from the previous novel that involved Coby in their own ways, which was interesting to read. Natalie grew on me throughout this novel. I remember not liking her as much while reading the first novel. This novel also introduced a number of new ghostkeepers, which was great because it meant more information about ghostkeepers and their powers.

Cover: 3.5 Stars
Although I like the continuity of using the same cover model, this cover isn't as strong as its predecessor, Deception. The angle of the cover model's head is a little strange, and her hair is hanging almost too straight to be natural. My favorite part of this cover is the color scheme. I like how the blue is very monochromatic around the cover model, while she gets to have more color. And the green title works very well against the blue. My least favorite part of the cover is the boy lurking in the background. He comes across very stalkerish, especially with his brooding facial expression. The background image of tree branches and parts of a cemetery give the cover a creepy feel that works even without the stalkerish boy.

Overall: 3.5 Stars

Disclosure: I borrowed this novel from the local library. (less)

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Jun 11, 2011 Carlene rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Okay, let me get this straight. When the Betrayal synopsis said “Heartbroken and alone” it’s not like Bennett said “Uh, yeah, Emma? We gotta break up ‘cause I need as much power as I can get right now”. Well, actually that’s pretty close to what happened, but Bennett’s version is so much hotter and not an official break up. ‘Sides, if Bennett did that, Emma would haunt the hell out of him.

Anyway, in Deception, we meet Emma, our super-awesome, ghost busting, compassionate and complacent-ish ghost...more

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Apr 10, 2011 Megan B. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Betrayal doesn’t start with a whimper, but with a BANG. It’s action and angst packed, chock full of ghosts and bad guys (or should I says bad ghosts?) The sequel to Deception gives the reader a better understanding of Emma and her strengths and weaknesses. Unlike some YA romances- when Bennett is MIA for a while, Emma doesn’t mope around all the time and go into a sort of stupor (Twilight). She’s sad but she still gets up everyday and realizes she has more to live for than just Bennett. The read...more

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Mar 27, 2011 Brenda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Betrayal was a really great second-in-a-series book. It picked up right where Deception left off and was excellent at giving us little reminders of things that happened in Deception. (a necessary evil for those of us who read hundreds of books between a series and have trouble remembering..) This story continued with a kick butt heroine who doesn't just sit around feeling sorry for herself. Enter the Siren. She tries her hardest to make Emma feel weak, unloved and abandoned. I loved the idea of...more

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Mar 04, 2011 Brob rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was really excited for the continuation of Emma’s story. The plot was still amazing in this book as Nichols has brought a whole new concept to the paranormal genre. I love the world that she has created with the different types of ghostkeepers. The reason Emma is so impressive is that she has all the powers that everyone else has independently and then some. In the second book her powers continue to grow exponentially and she proves what a loyal and protective person she is.

There are several...more

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May 25, 2012 Kristin Lundgren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-paranormal, ghosts

Book two in this slight, but charming series. Once again I find that they could have been one book, but they are broken into discrete books, and although this one is sandwiched, it does stand on its own, although not as well. Warning: Spoilers if you haven't read book two. When the story opens, Emma is now a full fledged Ghostkeeper, and attending a prestigious private school in Massachusetts. It is the funeral of the boy she had been dating, who died trying to save her from the evil ghost Neos....more

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Aug 26, 2011 Kayleigh {K-Books} rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Posted on K-Books
http://k-booksxo.blogspot.com/2011/08...

Firstly, I wanna say a big thank you to Bloomsbury for sending me a review copy of this book. I received this along with the first book in the series Deception and as soon as I finished Deception I couldn't wait to start this one.

I really liked this book more than the first one, there's a lot more action than the first one and I loved that.
Betrayal starts right where Deception finished. Emma is the most powerful Ghostkeeper and is put with...more Posted on K-Books
http://k-booksxo.blogspot.com/2011/08...

Firstly, I wanna say a big thank you to Bloomsbury for sending me a review copy of this book. I received this along with the first book in the series Deception and as soon as I finished Deception I couldn't wait to start this one.

I really liked this book more than the first one, there's a lot more action than the first one and I loved that.
Betrayal starts right where Deception finished. Emma is the most powerful Ghostkeeper and is put with a team of other ghostkeepers where they must train to fight Neos. Distraught by Bennett's sudden departure she throws herself into training, little does she know there is a traitor in her midst and Neos knows every move she and the team are making. With her guards up until the traitor is found, Emma becomes more and more determined to defeat Neos but will she be able to when some ghosts are messing with her mind making her believe her closest allies may be her closest enemies.

I really loved this instalment of the Haunting Emma series and I was on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. I love action in books so I really loved that this book was filled with action and the reader was constantly left in suspense wondering who the traitor was and what was going to happen. I really loved Emma in this book, in Deception you saw her vulnerable as she discovered what she was while in this one you saw her grow stronger, both emotionally and physically as she embraced her heritage and became determined to fight and save those she loves. She really grew up a lot in this book and I really loved that. I loved how she wouldn't sit around moping when Bennett left as some heroine's in books do but took it all in her stride as she trained.

I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for the third book and find out how it all ends, I prey they'll finally be able to defeat Neos and that her and Bennett will find a way to be together. A great instalment to a great series, I'm really excited to find out how the series will end.(less)

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Aug 19, 2011 Natframpton rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Betrayal was everything I hoped it would be. The series continues right where it left off. Emma has come to terms with being a ghostkeeper and having the lovely Bennet at her side. The story revolves around trying to defeat Neos the wreath master the strongest wreath anyone has ever come across.

Emma and Bennet want to be together but they know it isn't possible whilst Neos is still a threat as Bennet will lose his powers if they are together. It's such a sweet situation and there are some really...more

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Mar 26, 2012 Sarah Simone rated it 3 of 5 stars

So the hardest book in a series is always book 2. I read book 1 in a day, book 2 I read in 4 days. It wasn't as entertaining and I've been trying to decide between 3-4 stars so I'd say a solid 3.5. I do like this series, I really love Emma and Natalie. The characters are great, Coby's ghost was in this one a lot and I really like Coby as well as the jocks who taunt Emma.

There's a little bit of humor for older teens/young adults. In this book Emma is set to fix things with Harry and Sara who have...more

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Jun 05, 2011 Carie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I didn’t like this one as much as the first book, but it did have lots of suspense, scary action, and some big surprises. I liked the humor, too. I’d probably give it 3.5. I didn’t like the absence of Bennett for the majority of the book or the way Emma was treated (especially at school). Seems like she is always beaten down, deserted, and not much goes her way. I like that she still perseveres and doesn’t wallow in despair, but remains positive and moving forward. I would just like her to catch...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Kal-El rated it 3 of 5 stars

Betrayal wasn't a bad book! Not at all actually! It just definitely wasn't as good as the first.Sadly, this has been happening a lot for me lately.

CON'S:
1.You know what really MAJORLY annoyed me?... Emma's constant refusal to kill/hurt anything/anyone who comes after her! Come on girl! Get rid of that conscience and GO! If you don't SPOILER ALERT:Your going to die! Sorry, but if a big man/scary thing comes after me with the intent to KILL me you better believe I won't hesitate to kill him/scary...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Paola rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.75 stars out of 5
Oh my god, more sexiness and drama! Exactly as l like them. This book was better than the previous one, the plot was so good and it kept you wanting to read more and more. Reason why I finished it reading in one day!
So what Nichols brings us with this second book of the Haunting Emma series, it's a mysterious story. After the death of Coby, Emma feels miserable and guilty, since her ex-best-friends are not even glancing her way, so she does what she thinks is the best, she sum...more

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Feb 27, 2011 All Things Urban Fantasy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-abigail

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

If there's something strange in your neighborhood, who you gonna call? – Emma Vaile! She may be only seventeen, but she’s the most powerful ghostkeeper in generations. She can summon, communicate, and dispell ghosts back to the Beyond. She’s like the Buffy version of a ghostbuster, minus all the punning, though she does have a brooding boyfriend and in BETRAYAL, even gets a Giles-like teacher.

Buffy comparisons aside (always a good thing), BETRAYAL does...more Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

If there's something strange in your neighborhood, who you gonna call? – Emma Vaile! She may be only seventeen, but she’s the most powerful ghostkeeper in generations. She can summon, communicate, and dispell ghosts back to the Beyond. She’s like the Buffy version of a ghostbuster, minus all the punning, though she does have a brooding boyfriend and in BETRAYAL, even gets a Giles-like teacher.

Buffy comparisons aside (always a good thing), BETRAYAL does suffer a bit of the sophomore slump as so much of what was intriguing about DECEPTION involved the mystery of finding out about Emma’s ability and introducing her to the world of the ghostkeepers. In BETRAYAL, a lot of that mystery has already been solved. We know what ghostkeepers are, we know what powers Emma has, we know about the Knell and their involvement in Emma’s life. In place of those mysteries, Emma struggles with her relationship with Bennett (if they touch too much, the stronger will absorb the others powers), a brutal hostility from her classmates who now call her QBK—Quarterback killer after her involvement with Coby’s death, and the ongoing hunt to dispel Neos and prevent him from unleashing anymore wraiths.

Emma and her friends are every bit as sharp and fun as in the previous book, specifically Harry and a new character named Lukas. There were moments of levity that felt out of place given grim circumstances or too closely following a tragedy. I understand that the author was trying to keep the story from being too melancholy, but in those instances, their behavior was a little shallow and not at all in keeping with my impression of the characters overall.

The Paranormal YA genre isn’t overflowing with ghost stories, but the Haunting Emma series stands out as one of the best. A great debut, a solid sequel, and hopefully an equally entertaining conclusion when the third book in the series, SURRENDER, comes out in December of 2011.

Sexual Content:
Kissing(less)

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Aug 16, 2011 Kirsty (overflowing library) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: review-books

Betrayal is the second book in the hauting Emma series, picking up from where book 1 ends.

I enjoyed this book more than book one because it didn't need all the introductions that book one demanded meaning there was more time from all the action to take place which was good. It meant the book as a whole was more fast paced and therefore more engaging as you got to know even more about the world Emma now lives in and the ways in which are abilities could be used.

As it book one there are loads of t...more

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Dec 30, 2011 Khawla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ghosts

Another great book loving the ghost world more and more lots of interesting stuff happens you get sucked in the moment you start reading you just cant help it.

Emma is much more powerful and there is still much more to learn and powers to discover, Bennett is turning into an addict in order to gain more power so he can revenge the death of his sister but i think he;s loosing himself on the way so I hope he gets help soon I hate to see him gone evil. We'll see what happens with her in the next bo...more

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Mar 12, 2012 Rebecca Alora rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-loved, books-i-own, books-read-in-2012, favorite-series

This was a bangin' follow up to an extremely creative and addictive first novel. Especially for a second book in a series. Usually in a series the second book tends to fall flat, usually somewhat incomparable to the first book. I found that was not the case with this book.

As the relationship between Emma and Bennett grows deeper and stronger they are faced with so many dilemmas, some out of their control and others completely within them. I love that there were conflicts between them and that ev...more This was a bangin' follow up to an extremely creative and addictive first novel. Especially for a second book in a series. Usually in a series the second book tends to fall flat, usually somewhat incomparable to the first book. I found that was not the case with this book.

As the relationship between Emma and Bennett grows deeper and stronger they are faced with so many dilemmas, some out of their control and others completely within them. I love that there were conflicts between them and that everything wasn't perfect. In fact the way he acted the morning after the catastrophe at the ghostkeeper headquarters was a bit reminiscent of another "forbidden" love, it was also something completely different in a way. He did act selfishly in a lot of ways in this book.

I was very excited to see the return of Harry and Sara, even if there was a very bitter conflict to be resolved. I loved how it got resolved again. It once again showed how human Emma was. She wasn't an almighty ghostkeeper in this sense. She was a girl who owed a friend a favor and dragged her heels in doing it because she didn't feel like facing Harry and Sara's ire.

The introduction of Lukas and the other ghostkeeper Simon. It brought some interesting elements into the story, including some interesting insight into ghostkeeper and ghostkeeper relationships.

I loved Natalie's development in this story and the extra elements. Emma isn't the perfect girl that most would assume her to be. She is disabled quite a bit in this story and even her powers cannot completely overcome what is thrown at her. It takes the absolute be all, end all to break a spell put on her.

Neos is as chilling as ever. His quest for power grows ever more gruesome and chilling. The further exploration into Asarum is quite interesting and I have to say that what happens to her Aunt Rachel and the leader of the Knoll is particularly gruesome. I was very surprised at the level of violence in this story, in all of them, but it's actually very refreshing to see something almost on par with pulling punches like The Hunger Games did. BUT do not get me wrong in any way. These are two vastly different genres of novels.

The actual betrayal though. It kind of punched me in the face. I was expecting it in a way and in another way I just didn't understand why they had to go there. Then again, Lee Nichols has been extremely brash in doing whatever she needed to do to drive the plot.

All in all it's a bang up novel.(less)

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Apr 19, 2013 Magdala rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-stars-the-best-books

I loved ths book, I was so captivated by each word I read, n it seemed more upgraded than Deception which is why I liked ths book better. It had I thnk all my interest. It was just to good to be tru. I especially like tht Emma n Bennett r getting closer. Natalie will always be there n I like her attitude. Emma n Natalie r sisters, not blood related but still close to each othr. Thn the new guys Lukas n Simon seems to be trusted. Neos on the othr hand is a lot powerful but whn Emma was fighting h...more

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Feb 23, 2012 Ann rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-list-of-read-books

Yet another wonderful romp in the world of Emma Vaile and her hilarious, interesting companions. I love this series so much and I am sad that the next book is the final one.

Emma is a heroine who is loyal, fights for those she loves, works hard, yet still has some weaknesses and times when she can't always live up to the name of most awesome ghostkeeper of the century - I love this about her. Emma is a real-life character and one who I can relate to in a lot of ways. She wants to do the right th...more

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Sep 13, 2011 Book Angel Emma rated it 5 of 5 stars

Thank goodness I only have to wait until December for the next book :D

Please remember this is the second book in the series and therefore the review may contain small spoilers for the first book.

You already know I am utterly biased about this series because I really can place myself in the position of the main character, plus her narrative voice is so realistic. Although it is really necessary to read the series in order to understand the intricacies of the plot and interactions, there are nic...more Thank goodness I only have to wait until December for the next book :D

Please remember this is the second book in the series and therefore the review may contain small spoilers for the first book.

You already know I am utterly biased about this series because I really can place myself in the position of the main character, plus her narrative voice is so realistic. Although it is really necessary to read the series in order to understand the intricacies of the plot and interactions, there are nice little recaps placed into the narrative to refresh the memory.

What really stood out for me in this book is how stunning the character development is, even if some of it didn't go the way I would have wanted (lol).

The title is a little trick in itself, as from the start I was questioning the motives and interactions of all the characters. It is easy for me to place myself in Emma's position but my guard was up for her from the start of this book. Not knowing who to trust makes her retreat into herself a bit, plus her relationship with Bennett is a roller-coaster of highs and lows. It is hard to reconcile the 2 halves of Emma's life sometimes, it is easy to forget that she is still a young teenager and not just an all powerful ghost-keeper. The way in which Emma is treated by the Knell is a reflection of this.

Even though the title conveys that there is going to be a betrayal at some point within the plot I have to admit that when the revelation came it really did take me by surprise. I actually shock my head at the book, I just did not want to believe it. Lee Nichols peppers the plot with red herrings and misdirection skilfully. This book certainly is not predictable.

The framework for the plot is set out in the first book Deception the story progresses with dynamic action in Betrayal all the while allowing the characterisations to really shine through.

I have to say I am slightly disappointed in Bennett. Although the obstacles between him and Emma seem insurmountable, I really wish he had chosen a different way to try to overcome them. This maybe a deliberate plot development by Lee Nichols but I really wanted to slap him in this book. Silly boy.

*Semi Spoiler Alert* - I really hope they discover a way to let ghost-keepers be together without one of them losing their powers.

This series is addictive. I am so glad I only have to wait until December for the third book. This series just rocks my socks off and not just because my name is Emma. It blends contemporary issues with paranormal romance *swoon*. Addictive and utterly brilliant. (less)

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Aug 21, 2011 Emma (BelleBooks) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: review-copy

Betrayal is the second book in the Haunting Emma series by Lee Nichols
Betrayal starts up right where we left Emma in the first book Deception and she is still coming to terms with the loss of two of her close friends. She is confused about her and Bennett's relationship, they both want to be together but can't as they are both ghostkeepers and Bennett will lose his powers. So until they find a way to defeat Neo's they both have to keep their distance and their feelings under control.

The story pr...more

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Oct 08, 2011 Kailia rated it 4 of 5 stars

4.5 on blog

As soon as I finished Deception, the first book in this series, I just had to read the next book. I really wanted to know more about Emma, Neos, Bennett and all the other ghosts. Though I felt that this book was somewhat reparative from the first book, I enjoyed it none the less.

After the ending in Deception, Betrayal was going to have some surprises and answers. The plot thickens when new characters come into the picture, Neos gets stronger and Bennett leaves. This is all BTW from t...more

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Dec 31, 2011 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bloomsbury-allen-unwin

Originally posted at Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me

My favourite thing about this series is how the Lee Nichols always manages to weave light-hearted humour in amongst the tense action and suspense. No longer is Emma having fun discovering her powers, but forced to train like a warrior in order to defeat Neos before he overthrows the Knell. As she visits the Knell HQ with Bennett, the two find themselves under a surprise attack and realise everything they've ever believed was false. Not only is the...more Originally posted at Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me

My favourite thing about this series is how the Lee Nichols always manages to weave light-hearted humour in amongst the tense action and suspense. No longer is Emma having fun discovering her powers, but forced to train like a warrior in order to defeat Neos before he overthrows the Knell. As she visits the Knell HQ with Bennett, the two find themselves under a surprise attack and realise everything they've ever believed was false. Not only is the Knell unsafe from their enemies, but ghostkeeping powers are changing, with abilities being able to be used in reverse.

After Neos killed her friend and sort-of crush, Coby, Emma becomes the school outcast and is blamed for the golden boy's "suicide". If you loved his character in Deception, you'll be over the moon when you see him summoned as a ghost. He's impossibly better looking and even funnier than before! There's just something about being able to fly around and be cheeky all the time.. Along with Coby, Simon and Lukas are new additions to the cast from the Knell, the former acting as their strict trainer and guardian, and the latter as a loveable flirt. Lukas really takes cute to another level. His constant tongue-in-cheek humour will make you giggle and fall in love - I know he's my favourite character!

"Where?” Natalie said. Then she blurted, “Hey! Lukas!”
“Sorry, dude,” he apologized. “I thought you were a street sign.”
“Yeah? Well, it says, ‘No Groping.’ ”
Now I felt like saying “bloody teenagers.

At the beginning of Betrayal, Emma and Bennett are the sweetest couple for miles but things begin falling apart after the attack at HQ. Even though Bennett is willing to give up his ghostkeeping powers to be with Emma, he decides to stay in New York with the Knell, refusing to be with her until they've killed Neos. It was heartbreaking to see them separated because Emma seems alone and lost in thought most of the time, dealing with all of her issues internally. I greatly missed the affection and banter she shared with Bennett, along with their easy closeness. But as the novel progresses, we learn shocking secrets about Bennett…ones that could ruin his life forever. You won't believe your eyes! How will they fix this?

Fans of Deception, you'll love the mystery and fast-paced action of this sequel. Neos plays the characters like puppets and Betrayal is one twist after another. It's got to stop some time, right?? Emma becomes an even stronger character, balancing her need to heal her friends' hearts, look after ghost Coby, save her relationship with Bennett, get into contact with her MIA family, kill Neos and bat away a mind-controlling siren! Her plate is overflowing yet she manages to keep her head and remain focused. With traitors and confusing riddles all around, expect another entertaining novel that will have you extremely excited for the third book!(less)

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Dec 17, 2011 Catarina Alexandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: amazing-love-story, awesome-covers, awesome, battles, best-series-ever, blondie-s, death, favoritos, friends-to-say-the-least, fight-to-the-end, monsters, never-give-up, parent-s-problems, secret-powers, strong-second-characters

I read this book in 4 hours. It was an easy read with a lot of suspense. I got to the end and was surprised when i saw who was the traitor. OMG. Emma is great and i felt that she did grow up in this book and her personality was more exciting. Bennett really disappointed me trough this story; bhla blha can't be in a relationship with you; blah blah but now i changed my mind let´s get married... Seriously? Decide yourself because you're an Idiot.
I was glad when Sara and Harry finally spoke to Emm...more

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Mar 20, 2011 Stefanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a fun, fast read. I am learning about the difference between great YA fiction and just fun stories. My favorite YA books - Hunger Games, Matched, Delirium - tell stories of young girls figuring out who they are and usually involve some kind of romance. This series does too. The difference, though, is that the really good ones also hold up a mirror to our culture and offer some kind of social commentary, whether it's about our taste for violence, the slippery slope of reality television o...more

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About Lee Nichols

Lee Nichols is the author of five novels for adults, including the bestselling TALES OF A DRAMA QUEEN. She'll be making her YA debut in 2010 with DECEPTION: A Haunting Emma Novel. Follow her on Twitter at LeeXNichols or Friend her on Facebook at Lee Nichols. http://www.leenicholsbooks.com/

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Quotes from Betrayal

“Because it's still a heartache. And nothing makes you want to die more than that.” — 24 people liked it

“Lukas grinned at me. "I didn't know how badass you are. That's kind of hot.” — 13 people liked it

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Betrayal (Haunting Emma #2)

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