I'll Have a Covenant With You...

Published: September 27th, 2011
The Mephisto Covenant: The Redemption of Ajax (Mephisto Covenant # 1)
By: Trinity Faegen
Egmont USA
ISBN-13: 9781606841709

Sasha is desperate to find out who murdered her father. When getting the answer means pledging her soul to Eryx, she unlocks a secret that puts her in grave danger--she is an Anabo, a daughter of Eve, and Eryx's biggest threat.
A son of Hell, immortal, and bound to Earth forever, Jax looks for redemption in the Mephisto Covenant--God's promise he will find peace in the love of an Anabo. After a thousand years, he's finally found the girl he's been searching for: Sasha.
With the threat of Eryx always looming, Jax knows he has to keep Sasha safe and win her over. But can he? Will Sasha love him and give up her mortal life?

Review

 

   Sasha was devastated when her Dad was murdered while on business in Russia.  She refuses to give up on trying to solve the mystery of who did it and why.  So when a girl from school tells her about a group that follows someone named Eryx and hints that he can give her whatever she wants, Sasha jumps at the chance to attend a meeting.  But what she doesn't know is that information will come at a steep price - her immortal soul.  While at the Ravens meeting, Sasha is savagely beaten and only saved by the interference of Jax, a Mephisto (son of Mephistopheles and an Anabo).  She also finds out that she is Anabo, a descendant of Adam and Eve's daughter Aurora who was born before the fall.  Because of this she has natural goodness and doesn't understand emotions like jealousy or rage.  After Sasha's Mom is deported back to Russia and she's forced to live with her Dad's hateful sister, messed up cousins and beleagured Uncle, Sasha also finds Jax again and is told that he's her soulmate.  Oh yeah, they're also on a mission to stop Eryx from stealing Hell from Lucifer!  Can Sasha reconcile herself to the fact that she has a purpose in life she never counted on?  Will she and Jax be able to connect the way they were meant to and garner redemption for his soul?  And when betrayl hits closer than Sasha ever though was possible, who will live and who will die?  I normally stay as FAR AWAY as possible from books that involve angels, heaven and hell.  It's nothing truly personal belief based, it's just most of those books do absolutely nothing for me.  But I had been curious about this one for awhile and had an ARC for the sequel.  So I figured I would give it a shot.  I read straight through pretty much and didn't want to put it down!  It was by no means perfect and the soulmate thing bothered me quite a bit.  But Sasha is a fairly strong heroine, who goes through some serious shit.  Basically everyone she cares about starts selling their souls to Eryx, she finds out her Dad was a CIA agent and that she is practically an Angel on Earth.  I liked Jax, but was more interested in his brothers by the middle of the book.  Especially Phoenix who has a tragic past and Key who seems pretty dark, but whose silence gives away next to nothing.  My favorite thing however, was that even though they were soulmates it wasn't a case of insta-love for Sasha and Jax.  They worked to fall in love.  That is something that's rare in YA paranormal romance, at least what I've read.  Overall it does drag at some points, there are cliches and some bad writing mixed in with the good.  But it was a mostly compelling read and I have no really major complaints.  Recommended to those who can get over the angelic overtones.

 

VERDICT:  3.75/5  Stars

 

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*