The Reaction

In the explosive follow-up to The Catalyst, Rose Elmsworth faces a looming war as the world crumbles around her and shocking secrets come to light.

Fifteen-year-old Rose Elmsworth is alone. Her father, David, has been imprisoned, and a death sentence is almost certain. She has been rejected by the Department, the amoral law-enforcement agency she was groomed for since birth, and lives in fear of the terrible secret that, if exposed, will destroy her. Around Rose, the world is changing. The laws that have maintained peace between those with magic and those without are breaking down, and two rival militias are preparing to fight a war that seems imminent and promises to be devastating. As darker elements of her father’s past emerge, Rose realizes that the rules of good and evil — rules she’s always believed wholeheartedly — will not protect her anymore. In a world of monsters, how long can trust, loyalty, and justice survive? And how much will Rose herself have to change to stay alive? Teen author Helena Coggan weaves a story of power, family, and magic in the thrilling sequel to her first novel.Coggan proves that she is an up-and-coming force in the fantasy genre. Hand to fans of the first entry, or those looking for a new action-fantasy series.
—School Library Journal

The series is a good example of the genre and it appears that kids who read the first book were excited about the second. If this fits your student readers’ interests, I think it would be a good buy.
—School Library Connection Online

Exciting.
—Kirkus ReviewsHelena Coggan has wanted to write stories since she was six, and before that, she wanted to live in one. The Reaction is her second novel. She lives in London with her family.