I am Number Four...and I want a Legacy!

Originally part of my A-Z Reading Challenge, though removed because I was on a long waiting list at the library, Pittacus Lore's I am Number Four was worth the wait.  The story follows the life of Lorien Garde "John Smith" and his Cepan (keeper/trainer), Henri, as they try to evade the Mogadorian race who are hunting the remaining Garde down one by one.

John's been on Earth for ten years after escaping, along with eight other Garde members and their Cepan's, the total annihilation of his planet and has done well staying hidden and blending into society, but when he and Henri move to Paradise, Ohio, things change in unexpected ways.  Having moved constantly since arriving on Earth, John's become socially isolated and doesn't make the effort to meet people when he settles into a new place.  Queue the entrance of Sam and Sarah.

Of course this wouldn't be very entertaining if the novel just followed the nomadic life of John; so he's given a love interest, Sarah, a new friend, Sam, a school bully, Mark, a unique pet, Bernie Kosar, and a fight to survive against the Mogadorians.  There are significant loses that John must deal with throughout the story, one that weighs heavily on both him and the reader, and several that deal with growing up and identity.

The novel left me wanting to know so much.  What's in the letter?  What's in the Loric chest?  Where does John go from here?  What's Six's story?  What role is Sam going to play now?  Will we see Sarah again?  Where are the other members of the Garde?  Needless to say I can't wait for the release of The Power of Six and the continuation of the Lorien Legacies!  Now to see the movie, which stars one of my favorites, Timothy Olyphant!