Reading the second one first didn't make much difference to me but I wouldn't recommend that people bothered by spoilers do this.

Good read, by time you finish reading book one you will be feening for this one....

** spoiler alert ** I had a much harder time getting into this book than the first. Though it shares that musical tone of the first book, the pacing is much slower and the relationship between Fox and Layla was much more the focus of the book than the happenings with Twisse and the upcoming seven.

While I know the book is a romance and I enjoy the romantic interaction of the the two characters I find I like Roberts work much better when she focuses more on the outside plot, that of the the mysterious an...more I had a much harder time getting into this book than the first. Though it shares that musical tone of the first book, the pacing is much slower and the relationship between Fox and Layla was much more the focus of the book than the happenings with Twisse and the upcoming seven.

While I know the book is a romance and I enjoy the romantic interaction of the the two characters I find I like Roberts work much better when she focuses more on the outside plot, that of the the mysterious and paranormal than on just the romance.

The book does distinguish Fox and Layla more as individuals than the last book did. While in the first novel Cal and Fox seemed very similar in commentary and actions this book definitely distinguishes Fox as a separate character with different motivations and actions. He has a very different personality than Cal in this book which was not shown as well in the first books.

Some of the problems I had with this story were one the relationship between Fox and Layla was very slow going, very sensual loves scenes but none of the fast paced excitement in their relationship that Quinn and Cal had. I liked how the previous couple had that perfect mix of slow sensual and hot and racy, but didn't find that in this particular relationship. While I guess it's realistic because every relationship doesn't form or flow in the same way as another I'm a big fan of the unexpected racy heat so when I don't get that in a romance I'm a little disappointed. Also a lot of their relationship seemed like a cat and mouse game with Fox chasing and Layla hiding or running. While he's an easy going sort of character he mostly ran the show in their relationship and it's coming to be.

Layla herself was also a lot of the problem I had with the book because I had a lot of trouble relating to her as a character. I will give Roberts that throughout the book Layla shows a lot of character growth, becoming more courageous and risky, becoming more prepared for the upcoming threat it's hard for me to relate to a character that initially mousy. She's got all that New York Style and flair from the short hair cut to the trendy clothes which tells me from appearance this is going to be a confident, don't mess with me character but then you get to know her and it's more she's pushed into the situation and takes forever to even be sure she wants to be there. In one scene she becomes so frightened by images of snakes appearing in her shower that she passes out. So her appearance says one thing, but her actions say another which just doesn't really work for me as a reader. Her natural response seems to be flight instead of fight which make me feel as a reader that this character is not at all prepared to face the oncoming threat of the seven. Even with all of her growth in the book and she does make tremendous growth in the book I still have trouble believing that this character is really ready to fight an ageless demon. She tries to organizes and compartmentalize everything, and seems to think a battle with a demon can be won with colored coded note cards. This personality trait of hers as well I find a little annoying.

My final issue with the book is the flash back to Carly, a fiance of Fox's who killed herself during the last seven while she was under possession of the demon. Now the idea of this is really wonderful in that is helps to show why Fox is the way he is, trying to put himself in front of the girl or the others protecting them before himself. It's an excellent idea in that way, but the dreams, the mention of this really personality shaping part of his history doesn't even occur until the middle of the book. It comes out of no where. And much of his behavior previous to this being mentioned doesn't really illustrate how this affected him. It shows after she mentioned it but as it's not really a new thing for him in the beginning of the book just new to the reader in the middle it should have been demonstrated through out the book and mentioned in the prologue when we flash back to a different seven, though not the same seven as when this occurred. The seven we should have seen through Fox was the third seven, the seven where he lost someone so dear to him. Another thing that bothers me about this is the Layla helps to discover that the reason Carly was so susceptible even though she was an outsider is that she was a decedent of the relationship between Hester Deale and Twisse. Okay if she's easy to manipulate because of that why aren't Quinn, Layla and Cybil since they are descendants as well?

I still give the book four stars because one the overall series is a page turner and it does include some scenes, the ones where she deals with the overall rather than the individual that have you unable to put this books down. The ending where they reunite the three piece of the stone into one is definitely much more fulfilling than the ending of the first book where you're left thinking okay? What's next? She also continues to engage in the other characters in the series lives during this books as well. You start to see things heating up between Gage and Cybil through heated arguments and a passionate kiss in the middle of danger. You get the opportunity to join Quinn as she hunts for a wedding dress. There is also an exciting scene where each character is attacked individually simultaneously which leaves you wondering if any of them are ready to face the approaching threat. While not the best book in the series, it's still worth reading, if only to follow the battle between demon and guardian which continues throughout the trilogy. ( )

BOOKLIST REVIEW: Every seven years for seven days the citizens of Hawkins Hollow go crazy. It all began 21 years earlier when three friends—Fox O'Dell, Caleb Hawkins, and Gage Turner—spilled their own blood on the Pagan Stone and released the demon once known as Lazarus Twisse. Ever since then, the three have worked together to limit the damage Twisse causes during his week long reign of terror. Recently, three women—Layla Darnell, Quinn, and Cybil Kinski—have joined their battle against Twisse, but it is going to take everything the six have if they are ever going to eliminate once and for all the evil that threatens Hawkins Hollow. After introducing her new paranormal-tinged series with Blood Brothers (2007)—the story of Cal and Quinn—Roberts cleverly continues her deliciously chilling Sign of Seven trilogy with a riveting story that focuses on Fox and Layla, both of whose gift for reading other people's minds plays a key role in the six's demon-defeating plans.

The time of their shared birthday was nearing (July 7, 1977) and each of them hoped that this would be the one that would end the nightmares that Caleb Hawkins, Fox O'Dell and Gage Turner had been living every 7 years for 7 days since they had made a blood brother pack on their 10th birthday out at the Pagan Stone. Now with the help of Quinn Black (reporter & Cal's fiance), Layla Darnell, and Cybil Kinski (a paranormal researcher) they may finally find the direction that they needed to stop this evil that has been terrorized Hawkins Hollow for 20 years. After finding a diary of a distant ancestor of the boys (Cal, Fox and Gage), the girls (Quinn, Layla and Cybil) believe that the clues to defeating this evil could come from her but with only the one diary it wasn't enough. The search takes the group to find more diaries and then using the information, mixed with speculations, they return to the Pagan stone to in the hopes of gaining even more information or tools to help them defeat this evil and who has been a part of each of their lives for longer than they knew.

Book 2 .... The characters are great, as with most of Nora Roberts series. The different aspects of each one of these six gives the reader the chance to connect with each of them together as a team, as couples and as individuals. The spook end is minor but the relationships make up for it. It is a supernatural experience that they are going through and that is sometimes hard to pull of without being on the edge of horror. This one is more mystery, suspense and romance. With the pairing of the six in a natural order. Quinn is still a whirlwind, Layla is a bit more timid than the rest and Cybil, she is leaving me wanting to know more (always a good sign for a series). I am eager to see Gage and Cybils' story, and the conclusion of this trilogy with "The Pagan Stone" ( )