Review: The Cracks in the Kingdom by Jaclyn Morarity

Time slides around the world so strangely ...

It's not easy being Princess Ko.

Her family is missing, taken to the World through cracks in the Kingdom, which were then sealed tightly behind them.

Now Princess Ko is running the Kingdom, and war is looming.

To help her find her family, she gathers a special group of teens, including Elliot Baranski of the Farms. He's been writing secret letters to a Girl-in-the World named Madeleine Tully - and now the Kingdom needs her help.

Madeleine and Elliot must locate the missing royals, convince them of their true identities, and figure out how to unlock the dangerous cracks between the Kingdom and the World.

All before their enemies can stop them

Have you ever imagined if there could be another world parallel to own? Whether there could be just a crack in the distance that would split each of the worlds. This is the case for Madeline and Elliot, who live in different worlds; but yet only a crack away from touching.

The way Jaclyn has created this story is just so unlike anything I've ever heard it. It brings something new and special to the table.  A world so enticing, and adventurous that all you want to do is know more about it.
This is the second book to this thrilling saga and Jaclyn does not pull any punches in terms of surprises and unexpected twists.  Elliot and Madeline find themselves teaming up to stretch their little crack a bit further in an attempt to basically break it open.  Elliot has been given the task in helping to find the missing royal family, who is in the normal world but yet have no idea who they are and whether they are from someplace else.

That's not the only thing Elliot has on his hands, because on top of finding the Royal Family, he is also working on finding his father, who has also disappeared. The two mysteries become even more interesting as the story unfolds. He is a young boy with so much to deal with... is there a point where it could all become too much?  It certainly would be understandable if he decides he can't do both things without unravelling himself.

Madeline's life hasn't become any easier either. Between her friends, who discover the secret she and Elliot share, to her relationship with her mother, whom has basically come back from the brink of death.  The letters she and Elliot continue to pass between one another seems to be the only thing keeping them together.  Although, even that simple thing gets a bit too much for them both when the situation with the Royal Family arises to be a bit too much to handle... can their friendship survive, or were they always meant to part ways when they no longer needed one another?

This was a thrilling installment, which might be even better than the first. It brings in friendship, secrets, drama, action and heartbreak.
The friendship between our two characters seem to be changing every time, and it's a matter of how much they are willing to go on until everything is changed to the point of no return.

I absolutely love this story and cannot wait until the third, next year!  Oh why do we have to wait so long? I don't do well with waiting.

A BIG thank you to Pan Macmillian Australia for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.  I must apologise for the delay... it seems I had to take a break in regards to blogging for a while.. but hopefully I am back now.