Yep, these books keep getting better and better.
"Spook Squad" was absolutely riveting.
Quite a bit slower than the previous book, introspective and measured, especially during the first half. I've always liked slower-paced books, so that wasn't an issue for me at all. I loved getting a more thoughtful Victor Bayne: he's still completely unhinged and funny as hell, but he's also having to contend with some very dark thoughts and his drug cravings, so he's steadily spiraling out of control. It was horrible to see him so out of control, I really felt for him, but I think it was also kind of necessary for his character arc: his drug addiction hasn't really felt real before now, but with all that happened at the end of book six and also some game-changing realizations about his work as a cop and about all the people around him, he's steadily losing it and his cravings are totally out of hand.
Anyway, I still loved him to bits. He's my favourite and I'm so scared and excited to see what will happen next; I also LOVED that he's getting so much more confident in his powers. He truly is a badass and I loved seeing other people finally realize that too.
Jacob was lovely, even though he's not a huge part of the book, and I loved his interactions with Victor so, so much: they truly are soulmates. I (surprisingly) loved the whole FPMP squad: Laura and Bly and even (I'M SHOCKED) Con. Lisa appears quite a bit too, and although I know lots of people weren't quite happy with her this time, I understood her character more and I even liked her: she's been keeping secrets and she's not been a really good friend to Victor, even though he totally tries being better for her, but I understood her motivations. Crash, as usual, was a welcome addition and I'm really, really curious to finally read his book and meet the mysterious Red.
The plot was RIVETING and addicting and complex, jam-packed with twist-and-turns and creepy, creepy ghosts. Those last few chapters? I gasped. I'm so, so excited to continue with this series.