MY OWN LIGHTNING

MY OWN LIGHTNING (SEQUEL TO WOLF HOLLOW) by Lauren Wolk

My Own Lightning by Lauren Wolk, sequel to Wolf Hollow is a book that takes a little different twist than its predecessor, but still evokes elements that get under your skin.

Picking up soon after the ending of Wolf Hollow, Annabelle McBride is still trying to heal from the traumatic events that happened. Staying after school one afternoon to assist her teacher, an unexpected, vicious storm pops up, and Annabelle hurries home as fast as she can. As she reaches the crest of the hill, almost home, the air around her is suddenly charged. (Wolk's description is amazing!) Unexpectedly she is struck by a bolt of lightning so strong it stops her heart. She awakes to someone pounding on her chest, but the darkness keeps the person's identity from being revealed.

In the meantime dogs are disappearing around Wolf Hollow. Gone without a trace. A strange man is in the area hunting for one, and somehow, a strange, reclusive father and daughter seem to be tied into the mix somehow. As she hunts for the missing dogs, Annabelle realizes that she has been gifted from the lightning strike with the ability to know what dogs are feeling. This new ability makes her aware that some dogs in the area are being used for some very terrible reasons.

In the middle of all of this is Andy Woodberry. Annabelle struggles with how to interact with him after everything that happened in the past. There is no forgetting or pretending about the part he played. Then one day she gets a peek into Andy's home life and the ongoing abuse he deals with. Annabelle realizes that dogs aren't the only things that need rescuing in Wolf Hollow.

HEADS UP- SPOILER ALERT This book is squeaky clean but deals with dog fighting, physical abuse, and the death of a person in a train accident. Details are not gory, and while the book does deal with traumatic situations, overall the emotional tone is a step down from Wolf Hollow.