Reviewed by Cat for TeensReadToo.com

Stephanie Edgely never could have predicted the death of her beloved Uncle Gordon would lead to her rebirth as Valkyrie Cain, magical apprentice to the world famous skeleton detective Skulduggery Pleasant.

Instead of attending school, doing homework, and spending time with her family like other thirteen-year-old girls, Valkyrie sends her reflection to carry out the mundane duties of everyday life, while she prowls the streets of Dublin with Skulduggery, honing her abilities and hunting down villains by order of The Elders back at Sanctuary.

Skulduggery harbors suspicions about head and (presently) sole council member Thurid Guild, suspicions that only increase when one of the Malevolent's most fanatical, intelligent, and powerful generals, Baron Vengeous, escapes from his secretly located prison. Aided by the vampire Dusk and razor-blade wielding U.S. import Billy-Ray Sanguine, Vengeous plans to complete a mission Lord Vile set in motion years ago.

With the help of China Sorrows and Tanith Low, Skulduggery and Valkyrie must put together the various pieces of the Baron's plot before he resurrects the Grotesquery (a monster assembled from the most fearsome beasts of legend) and brings the Faceless Ones back to life.

PLAYING WITH FIRE is a swiftly paced novel that delivers adventure and suspense without sacrificing character and relationship development. The relationships between Valkyrie and her mentors have deepened in this second novel, yet we also see a distance being created from her family and old life.

Readers will be satisfied with the novel's plot wrap-up, yet still hunger for the next installment thanks to Derek Landy's overarching hints and teases of a much larger conspiracy. To sum up, PLAYING WITH FIRE is a clever, snarky, satisfying read. ( )

This book is a fast read with a couple of good twists. There's plenty of action, not too many details to keep track of, and I love the sense of humor. ( )

Funny and exciting ( )

I think this book is very good and exciting ( )

It's very interesting and exciting ( )