Kiss Me In the Milky Twilight

Expected Publication: September 25th, 2012
The Mephisto Kiss (The Mephisto Covenant # 2)
By: Trinity Faegen
Egmont USA
ISBN-13: 9781606841716

The eyes never lie. No one’s eyes are darker than Eryx. Not even the Devil’s.

When Jax and Sasha first see Jordan Ellis, they know she is no ordinary teenager. She’s the daughter of the President after all, but she’s also Anabo – a descendant of Eve.

What they don’t know is that Eryx plans to kidnap Jordan and force President Ellis to pledge his soul. If Eryx’s plot succeeds, the consequences would be catastrophic.

But the Mephisto brothers do know about Jordan’s secret identity. And for one of them, she could be the match that leads to their soul’s salvation.

Now it’s a desperate race against time to save Jordan and prevent Eryx’s haunting eyes from discovering her true identity.

Review

 

   Jordan Ellis is the President's daughter and for quite a few years now has had very little say in her life.  She's used to people making decisions for her and is with her boyfriend Matthew because he doesn't use her for her status.  But in one horrific moment Matthew's life hangs in the balance and Jordan is being taken away by some very bad men to be used as leverage against her Dad.  One of these bad men is Eryx, the ultimate evil who is trying to dethrone the devil and take over control of Hell.  In order to further his goal he needs the President's soul.  But he didn't count on Jordan being Anabo, a descendant of Eve before the introduction of sin.  She is the redemption of one of his Mephisto brothers, if she can be rescued from him in time.  Can Jordan be the one thing that will save Key from himself and the hold Eryx still has over him?  I actually liked this book even more than the first book with Sasha and Jax.  To me Jordan and Key were more normal in an abnormal situation.  I adored the fact that they didn't suffer from a case of insta-love like most YA romances do nowadays.  In other words, Ms. Faegen didn't take the lazy way out.  I thought that Jordan being the President's daughter was a nice touch and added an urgency to the action the was slightly missing from Sasha's background.  I was happy that it seemed like Phoenix will be getting a second chance at romance and redemption, but was slightly dismayed at the cliched way in which it was approached.  I will say no more than that to avoid spoilers.  I also liked getting a look at the relationship between Key and Eryx before the latter turned evil and was cast out by the other brothers.  It gave some insight were there previously wasn't any.  The one thing that truly annoyed me in this book was how whiny and cry-babyish that Sasha seems now that she's part of the Mephisto.  I just wanted to smack her upside the head for most of the book.  Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it didn't seem to suffer sophmore syndrome the way most second books in series do in YA.  I would highly recommend it to fans of the first book.

 

VERDICT:  3.75/5  Stars

 

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is September 25th, 2012.*

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.*