The world is no longer a safe place, something Tiger knows all too well. She's determined to rescue more of the missing children, even when the trail leads to a well-guarded pharmaceutical company. Can Tiger infiltrate the company, rescue the children, and escape with her own life?

WINTER HALO is the second book in the Outcast series and picks up right where the first book ended. You definitely need some familiarity with the events that occurred in CITY OF LIGHT to fully appreciate and understand WINTER HALO. Keri Arthur is continuing to expand her world and the various relationships established, while progressing the ongoing thread involving the dark conspiracy of the rifts.

Tiger is a déchet, a genetically engineered soldier who has a gift for sexually enticing her targets and then mining their memories for the secrets she needs to uncover. Typically, I'd avoid this kind of plot device but Keri Arthur uses Tiger's skills artfully, showing us the dark side of the war that decimated Tiger's world. Besides... I can't help but love Cat and Bear as their relationship with Tiger is a heartwarming glimpse in this hardened world.

The world building in WINTER HALO and the Outcast series continues to amaze me. Keri Arthur does a marvelous job at showing us just how dark and desolate this world is. However, the darkness of the world is lightened by the grit and determination of the characters.

WINTER HALO gives us a deeper appreciation of the characters as we begin to see the things that haunt them in this dark world. Keri Arthur is a master at blending together superb world building and phenomenal character development, and WINTER HALO exemplifies this skill. I can't wait to see what happens next in the Outcast series!