Magickeepers #2: The Pyramid of Souls by Erica Kirov

My name is Isabella, and my worst nightmare has reappeared. Maria, daughter of Rasputin, has returned and wants to steal my essence. Nick and I saw her in the stables with a jackal and ravens, and we later saw an evil-looking woman enter our hotel wearing black and a headdress of black feathers. Magicians from all over the world have come to our Las Vegas home for an annual conference, but something terrible just happened. Shadowkeepers stole the Pyramid of Souls, and it's clear Rasputin is behind it. He’ll become even more powerful if he can capture the magical essences, but Nick's destiny is to stop him.

You should probably read the first book, but you can still enjoy The Pyramid of Souls without it. Nick is the main character, and he is learning to master his new-found magical powers. He also has a habit of concealing the truth from Damian and Theo, the powerful leaders of the family, and then getting himself into bigger trouble. Isabella is his cousin and best friend, and he always pulls her into the danger he creates. Theo and Nick have an ability to use crystal balls, and Theo uses his ball to see past events that are relevant to the plot. This book includes flashbacks to Edgar Allan Poe and Alexander the Great to emphasize the danger of the Shadowkeepers, the importance of a special elephant, and the mystery of the raven woman. The book is a quick-read, as the plot moves quickly through the 146 pages. The conflict between Nick and Rasputin carries over from the previous book, and the resolution was similar to book one. Rasputin hints that he will eventually be defeated by Nick, but it turns out not in this book. It looks like this series is a trilogy, so The Chalice of Immortality should wrap everything up. Overall, it's not a fantastic series, but it's entertaining.