Rising From the Depths Below

Expected Publication:  January 16th, 2015
Hellhole
By: Gina Damico
HMH Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13:  9780544307100

A devil is a bad influence...

There was a time when geeky, squeaky-clean Max Kilgore would never lie or steal or even think about murder.

Then he accidentally unearths a devil, and Max's choices are no longer his own.  The big red guy has a penchant for couch-surfing and junk food -- and you should never underestimate evil on a sugar high.  With the help of Lore, a former goth girl who knows a thing or two about the dark side, Max is racing against the clock to get rid of the houseguest from hell before time -- and all the Flamin' Hot Cheetos this side of the fiery abyss -- run out.

Review

     Dark humor is something I tend to enjoy as a reader, and Gina Damico's sense of humor tends to run that vein.  I enjoyed her first novel, Croak, and was disappointed not to enjoy the two subsequent sequels nearly as much.  But this was supposed to be a stand-alone novel, so my grabby hands and my sense of faith both made an appearance!  I have somewhat mixed feelings on this book though.  I enjoyed it overall, but wasn't in love with it by the end.  It's definitely not a re-read for me personally.  This is a story about Max Kilgore, a shy, skinny geek kid obsessed with dinosaurs (paleontology).  The only things that he has in life besides his job at the convenience store, paleontology club, and videos games is his best friend Audie - and his Mom, who is in desperate need of a new heart and unable to help with anything.  Max is barely able to keep them afloat and the bills are coming due.  Then he does something stupid, and steals an ugly cat knick-knack from work.  A devil named Burg is summoned and shoves his way into every aspect of Max's life, making it worse and worse.  With the help of a (possible) demon worshipping girl named Lore, can they send Burg back to Hell before anyone gets hurt?

     What to say about Max?  He's barely coherent around other human beings, can't tell a lie to save his life and has a tendency to ramble.  Except for the one petty theft, he's basically a good person.  He just has no filter and needs some socialization - and more friends than just Audie.  Lore seems pretty stand-offish and downright bitchy at first, but as I got to know her better I liked her.  The trailer-trash parents who didn't care, unlikely job at a craft store, and her own checkered past made her the perfect accomplice for Max in getting rid of his devil infestation.  Then there's Burg (a.k.a. Burgandy Cluttermuck), one of many devils, and a complete asshole.  He loves video games, junk food of any kind and reality television.  He wants Max to acquire him a house and refuses to leave till then.  My favorite parts involved him turning into a Llyod Dobler look-alike so he could romance Max's mom and the scene where he gets Max drunk, with a running commentary on a fashion t.v. show!  It got slightly off-focus and confused for awhile in terms of plot, but wrapped up nicely near the end.  I just really hope this stays a single novel.  I recommend it to anyone who enjoys some humor, pop culture references and fluffy reading.

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

**I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication date is January 16th, 2015.**

Summoning Forces Beyond Your Control

Expected Publication:  June 24th, 2014

Summoned (Redemption's Heir #1)

By: Anne M. Pillsworth

Tor Teen

ISBN-13:  9780765335890

When the Elder Gods extend an invitation, be wary of the strings attached.

While browsing in a rare book store in Arkham, Sean finds an occult book with an ad seeking an apprentice sorcerer, from a newspaper dated March 21, 1895.  Even more intriguing, the ad specifically requests that applicants reply by email.

Sean's always been interested in magic, particularly the Lovecraftian dark mythology.  Against his best friend Edna's ("call-me-Eddy-or-else") advice, he decides to answer the ad, figuring it's a clever hoax, but hoping that it won't be.  The advertiser, Reverend Redemption Orne, claims to be a master of the occult born more than 300 years ago.  To prove his legitimacy, Orne gives Sean instructions to summon a harmless by useful familiar -- but Sean's ceremony takes a dark turn, and instead he accidentally beckons a bloodthirsty servant to the Cthulhu Mythos god Nyarlathotep.  The ritual is preemptively broken, and now Sean must find and bind the servitor, before it grows too strong to contain.  But strange things are already happening in the town of Arkham.....

Review

     I thought that the premise of this one sounded pretty cool.  A boy answers an ad for a wizard's apprentice, to find out the secret behind the authentically aged piece of newspaper containing it.  The mystery is there, because the ad mentions email which was not invented until over 100 years after the ad was taken out!  I thought to myself, okay, here we go.  A book with some humor and mostly about a modern teenage boy training to become a wizard's apprentice.  I even speculated that it involved time travel (that interesting me slightly more than just a wizard character who is centuries old), which would have been spectacular.  I was unfamiliar with the term "Cthulhu Mythos god" and was sincerely hoping that I would have it explained to my satisfaction, or be so minor to the plot that it didn't matter what it was.  None of my expectations were met in a way that I wanted them to be.

     Being that I am not really a horror aficionado, I can't really compare the mythology in this book to that in the stories of H.P. Lovecraft.  But I can tell that the author draws heavily from him, on the basis that in her book's world, Lovecraft was part of a secret society in the know and just writing the truth.  That is a cool concept and I would have loved it - had I already been a Lovecraft fan, and been in on the history.  The whole plot of this book relies on prior knowledge of terminology and ideas from a mythology that I was not the least bit familiar with (at least in my opinion and reading experience)  and it wasn't really fleshed out in the novel.  I felt like it assumed prior knowledge, and because of that the terminology was vague to me - something that I was never really able to picture all that well in my mind.  Something that might have made this book a better experience for me would have been highly developed and sound characters.  I love characters that are so real they could walk off the page and share a drink with me at the local coffee shop.  That, or a plot that surpasses my need for intimate connections with the main characters (it takes an extremely special kind of book to accomplish this feat).  Keeping that in mind, me being on the outskirts of this very plot driven novel, with characters whose whole lives seem to revolve around the plot, it never really connected.  

     Eddie was only there to scold Sean for contacting some "creep" on the Internet and to annoy the heck out of him.  To be the one-dimensional best friend (although their strong bond is showcased when later on she knows exactly where to find him when he's missing).  I believe the friendship, but it does nothing for me.  Sean's Dad is the "concerned single parent" who also restores stained glass windows.  That's about all there is to him, other than him being a widower who doesn't date and a skeptic of all things magic/supernatural.  His role is parent and skeptic: check mark.  Most of the other characters are fleeting, just there to move along the plot.  Redemption Orne, arguably the most important character other than Sean, is nothing more than an Internet presence, of someone who might be a mentally deluded weirdo just playacting.  Sean is the typical hero, just goofing off and doing things out of curiosity - until it gets him into real trouble and the shit hits the fan.  I never really got to know him as a character though, outside of his mission to bind the servitor, find out the truth about Redemption and become "serious" in regards to messing with the supernatural.  The message of this book seems to be, don't play with fire unless you're ready to be burned.  And it's not a subtle message, with the very serious consequences of Sean's actions on a pet-killing spree across the neighborhood and sucking his own blood.  The action was spotty, the plot dragged in it's odd pacing and the novel was mostly set up for a series.  The disappearing pharmacy and its quirky pharmacist felt like they belonged in a different novel altogether, the one I had initially thought I was going to read (and its not a coincidence they were my favorite part/little fantasy quirk).

     That said, a lot of people would probably adore this book beyond belief.  I am not by any means stating that this book was bad, or does not have its audience somewhere out there.  Hell, Pillsworth probably has a built in curiosity audience in all the Lovecraft fans lurking out there, waiting for a book like this.  It's modern, approachable for a younger audience and has a very dark, science fiction edge to it.  But as someone who self-proclaimedly prefers fantasy to science fiction it just wasn't the book for me.  I thought it was a fantasy book and was highly disappointed.  But I did finish the book and was interested in the resolution of the whole issue Sean caused, so Pillsworth did manage to draw me in regardless of my slight boredom.  Overall, a decent book but not my thing.  Lovecraftians take notice and add to your to-reads.

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication date is June 24th, 2014.*

Sugar and Spice, but Nothing Is Nice

 

Published:  January 7th, 2014

Salt (Salt #1)

By: Danielle Ellison

Entangled Teen

ISBN-13:  9781622663484

 

Penelope is a witch, part of a secret society protecting humans from demon attacks.  But when she was a child, a demon killed her parents -- and stole her magic.  Since then, she's been pretending to be something she's not, using her sister's magic to hide her own loss, to prevent being sent away.

 

When she's finally given the chance to join the elite demon-hunting force, Penelope thinks that will finally change.  With her sister's help, she can squeeze through the tests and get access to the information she needs to find "her" demon.  To take back what was stolen.

 

Then she meets Carter.  He's cute, smart, and she can borrow his magic, too.  He knows her secret -- but he also has one of his own.

 

Suddenly Penelope's impossible quest becomes far more complicated.  Because Carter's not telling her everything, and it's starting to seem like the demons have their own agenda...and they're far too interested in her.

 

Review

 

     It took me A LONG TIME to become invested in this book.  Probably because Penelope is kind of stubborn, stupid and overall annoying for a great portion of this book!  The whole premise of this one, is that Penelope is a witch (part of a secret community of witches) and her sacred duty is to protect the Nons (humans) from demons.  But when Pen was a young child, her parents were killed by a demon who also took away her essence, leaving her without magic.  It should have killed her, but instead it left Pen almost an ordinary human and only able to do magic with family members around to draw power from.  Penelope is absolutely determined to be one of the elite demon hunters prized by her society, since it will give her access to the ritual she needs to restore her essence.  But one problem - without powers she can't pass the tests!  When mysterious fellow witch Carter comes into her life unexpectedly and she is able to draw magic from him, Pen needs to find out why.  Also why are all these demons after her?  Can they discover the truth before it's too late?

     The very first scene of this book, after us learning how important it is to have salt to fight off demons, is Penelope being cornered by one - without any salt, because she forgot it at home!!!  For someone with absolutely ZERO powers, you'd think she'd have a heck of a lot more common sense.  Also, she has a truly asinine need to join the Enforcers and fight against demons.  Every time her Grandma, Grandpa, or younger sister try to reason with her and get her to come to terms with her lack of magic, Pen basically does everything but actually stomp her feet and throw a fit!  She basically sticks her head in the sand and comes up with stupid plans to "work around it," by using her sister's magic secretly so she can pass her tests.  She doesn't seem to think about what will happen afterwards, when she has no one to draw from out in the field, and has to face a demon on her own!  Her family is made up of pretty flat characters, and her sister is especially a cardboard cutout only there when Pen really needs her.  There's a nice moment near the end, when she's forced to tell her boyfriend Thomas the family secret and he breaks up with her.  Then we see a little more depth to Pen's sister - too little, too late though for the most part.

     The whole family secret thing and speshul snowflake reveal of why Penelope is so different from anyone else with no essence, wasn't really all that surprising.  The reluctance of any adult in this book, EVER to listen to reason and do something about the demon crisis also wasn't surprising.  That's what happens when you write a young adult fiction book with NO strong, sensible, capable adult characters and make the teens the end-all-be-all of you fictional world.  They are the only ones able to clean up the mess, even if all they do is make out with each other and fumble the world saving until they barely squeak by.  Carter was nothing special as heroes go, though he was a likeable protagonist and I liked his backstory much more than Penelope's.  But him saving her stupid ass every five seconds from her own inability to THINK BEFORE ACTING got very old.  I'm glad  I didn't DNF, because I truly hate doing that and I did start enjoying myself later in the book.  Near then end it started getting its act together and the cliffhanger left me genuinely curious.  But all said and done, I don't think I'll be reading any further in this series for one reason alone: Penelope.

 

VERDICT:  2/5  Stars

 

*I received this book from Entangled Teen on NetGalley.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book was published on January 7th, 2014.*

Your Kiss Might Kill Me

Expected Publication:  February 25th, 2014

White Hot Kiss (The Dark Elements #1)

By: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Harlequin Teen

ISBN-13:  9780373211104

One kiss could be the last.

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal.  But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal.  Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.

Raised among the Wardens - a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe - Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most.  Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on forever.

The she meets Roth -- a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets.  Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to -- especially when the whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul.

But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne...it could brand her a traitor to her family.  Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

Review

     This just might be my favorite book by JLA now, even more so than Obsidian.  I think Roth has replaced Daemon in my affections!  That said, I know a lot of people awaiting this book are worried that it's going to devolve into juvenile, annoying love triangle territory.  It definitely does NOT go down that road.  It reminded me a lot of her almost-semi-quasi love triangle in her Lux series.  There are a few moments where you think the heroine might really have to make a decision between the two guys.  But then you realize that she is not confused, and knows what she wants.  Layla knows what and who she wants by the time White Hot Kiss ends.  Even if it might be beyond her reach at that point...

     Layla spends a lot of the book at war with herself, and her craving for the souls of others.  Being half gargoyle she doesn't really fit in with the Wardens of Heaven that raised her, due to her demon half which Layla tries to forget exists.  But she knows that she can never be with Zayne, the guy she likes, because of the need to propagate the race of Wardens by breeding full-bloods together.  And she can't even shift like a real gargoyle.  Not to mention, most of the Wardens wish Layla was dead.  Enter in Roth, an Upper Level demon who is all of the sudden one of Layla's classmates at school.  Turns out that someone in Hell is gunning for Layla due to a yen to start the apocalypse.  Her blood opens the door so to speak, and now that she's seventeen it's game on.  Can she trust Roth, who claims to want to prevent the apocalypse?  Or should she confess everything to the Wardens before it's too late?

     The mythology of this book was really well built, and while I myself didn't know it, a friend told me that originally gargoyles were thought to be Wardens of Heaven and protectors of the people.  So there is some basis in history to that particular nugget!  Also, this book had a great secondary cast of characters including Layla's sex-obsessed and boy crazy BFF Stacey.  She absolutely cracked me up!  Sam, another friend, was a font of random knowledge and always said the weirdest stuff, completely out of the blue (which actually works to Layla's advantage later in the book).  Oh and Roth!  Oh my goodness, what a guy!  I loved the fact that his familiars were tattooed on his body (that could come to life).  A killer snake named Bambi, some vicious kittens, and a dragon named THUMPER.  Also, Roth reminded me a lot of supposed "bad-boy" Daemon Black from the Lux series, but he definitely had more of an edge that Daemon did.  Because Roth is a demon from Hell - so he technically is the bad guy!  

     Layla herself was smart, loyal and could kick-ass, even without the ability to access her Warden abilities.  I loved that she refused to let Roth or Zayne (who was seriously overprotective and yo - mixed signals to the max) boss her around.  The revelation of her Mother and Fathers' identities were pretty twisted, especially that of her father.  That one kind of broke me as a reader!  Poor Layla, to have any hope of being wanted shattered was pretty devastating.  The first sixty percent or so of this book though, is more world-building than anything else and moved kind of slow.  But the shit definitely hits the fan at the end!  Overall, I loved it and am super excited to read the next book in the series and maybe get to know Zayne a little bit better.  I highly recommend it if you're looking for something different or are already a fan of JLA.  You won't be disappointed!

VERDICT:  4.5/5 Stars

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie & also from Harlequin Teen on NetGalley.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication date is February 25th, 2014.*

Broken, Not Shattered

Published:  September 24th, 2013

The Mephisto Mark (The Mephisto Covenant #3)

By: Trinity Faegan

Pink Publishing, LLC

ISBN-13:  9781940431031

Raised by abusive relatives in Bucharest, Mariah learned to box up agonizing memories and put them in permanent mental storage.  Now almost nineteen, she's steadily overcoming her past, but when an enigmatic stranger walks into the pub where she works and the trajectory of her life changes yet again, she begins to wonder if she'll run out of mental shelf space.

The only females unafraid of the Mephisto brothers are the extremely rare Anabo, born without Original Sin.  Over one hundred years ago, Phoenix's Anabo was murdered by his oldest brother and enemy, Eryx.  Wrapped up in grief and guilt, Phoenix's only outlet is planning the takedowns of those who have pledged their souls to Eryx.  When Mariah is brought to Mephisto Mountain, he's torn between his instinctive, poweful need to pursue her, and his certainty that he can never have her.

Drawn into the world of the Mephisto, Mariah's mental boxes begin to fly open, and all that keeps her from slipping off the edge is her unlikely, sexually charged friendship with Phoenix.  He's incredibly screwed up; she's completely broken.  It would take a miracle for them to find happiness.  Then Eryx brings the war for Hell to a whole new level, forcing Mariah and Phoenix to make a choice that will bind them together for all eternity, or rip them apart forever.

Review

     I was fairly excited to read this book!  I had picked up the first two books in this series and the mythology has me intrigued.  But there were some issues I had with it as well.  For one, I was kind of disappointed by the fact that the story overlapped with the last book, The Mephisto Kiss.  I felt like it was bit of taking the easy way out, using that on the readers.  It was sucky, because for a new heroine I wanted a completely new story.  And yet, I suppose it was also good in way because it shows the events of the last book from Mariah's point of view - and shows us what a strong, bad-ass girl she is!  The whole story, as usual, centers on one of the Mephisto brothers whohas been waiting with the rest for an Anabo to save him.  The difference being, that Phoenix feels like he already had his chance with an Anabo named Jane and blames himself for her horrific death at the hands of the evil brother Eryx.  In the last book we met Jordan, who was adopted by the President of the U.S. from an orphanage in Romania.  This time around, the Anabo found is her older sister Mariah.  When they were little, Mariah left Jordan at an orphanage to get her away from their abusive Aunt and Uncle, who they were forced to live with after their parents died.  Mariah spent years being abused mentally and physically, with it advancing to sexual abuse when she was a teen.  Escaping when her Uncle died in mysterious circumstances, Mariah has been living on her own and staying away from people - especially men - ever since.

     I enjoyed the fact that the author portrayed Mariah as being a strong, decisive person who could take care of herself.  Abuse victims are not necessarily completely broken and unable to function as almost or completely normal (even if only on the surface).  Passing me on the street, you'd never know that I spent three years as the victim of sexual abuse as a child.  So it was gratifying to see that while Mariah has serious issues with men, sex, touching of any kind and personal boundaries/intimacy, that didn't completely define her as a person.  Mariah is a smart, willful, loyal, strong woman who takes no prisoners and doesn't tolerate anyone trying to bullshit her!  In fact, her and Phoenix spend most of the time butting head as she calls him on being a self-pitying, whiny crybaby (maybe not in quite those words).  It was however, devastating to see Mariah dealing with her issues of completely demolished self-esteem, and her attitude towards sex was also pretty harsh/depressing.  Watching her try to overcome those feelings and realize there could be good men in the world as she interacted with the brothers almost broke me sometimes!  That said, the whole thing with Mariah reading romance novels was adorable but I didn't like that it was a segue in the forward motion of her relationship with Phoenix.  Chick reads romance novels and they transform her attitude toward sex, after years of abuse?  Yeah, I could so see that happening (infer my sarcasm here).  

     The revelations of why Phoenix's relationship with Jane, his last Anabo, ended so tragically were pretty interesting.  I was not AT ALL expecting her to include Zee and Denys (two of the other brothers) in it and make it a case of mistaken identity!  That one definitely surprised me.  Probably the thing that disappointed me the most about this book, was the lack of interaction between Mariah and Jordan.  The scenes that they did have were interesting and played with my emotions, but for a book that started out focused on their relationship and shared past, it really didn't bother going in that direction at all.  It could have added more meat to the story, other than just a romance (as good as it was most of the time).  Also, the whole thing with Mariah, Jordan and Eryx near the end was just REALLY over the top to me.  And Jordan, who acted somewhat like a dumbass got away without any real consequences!  Mariah was the one who did all the suffering.  Overall, I think that Trinity did an extremely good (if graphic and somewhat uncomfortable) job of portraying the effects of abuse on a former victim.  The healing wasn't quite as realistic to me, but still okay.  I enjoyed the book and feel like it was good addition to the series, even with the issues I had while reading it.  Recommended if you're a fan already and have read the other two books.  It could stand alone, but might be slightly confusing.

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, Pink Publishing, LLC via NetGalley.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book was published September 24th, 2013.*

Sweet Hitchhiker

 

Published:  October 1st, 2013

The Beautiful and the Damned

By: Jessica Verday

Simon Pulse

ISBN-13:  9781442488359

 

Cyn’s blackouts have deadly consequences in this sexy, suspenseful spinoff to the New York Times bestselling Hollow series.Cyn and Avian are far from a perfect match. She’s a witch who casts spells on men so she can steal their cars. He spends his time being judge, jury, and executioner to the truly evil in the supernatural realm.

When the blackouts Cyn’s been having ever since her time in Sleepy Hollow start escalating, she finds herself unable to remember where she’s been or what she’s been doing. Frightened, she seeks guidance at a local church, and it’s there she meets Avian.

The unlikely pair soon discovers that her blackouts are a side effect of what she truly is—an Echo—a conduit for souls of the dead. The only way to prevent Cyn from losing complete control is to return to Sleepy Hollow and vanquish the source of her power—but she may not survive the process. And if she does? She won’t ever be the same...

 

Review

 

     Cyn is on the run from her life right now, starting over with a new identity.  If only she wasn't blacking out and losing chunks of time where someone else has control of her body, using it to do horrifying things.  What is sharing Cyn's body?  And did it cause her to kill her boyfriend Hunter, the love of her life?  Maybe with the help of Avian, also known as Thirteen, who is a Revenant and belongs in neither Heaven or Hell.  Half angel and half demon, Avian no longer wants to get mixed up with Echoes (people possessed with souls of the deceased, sharing their bodies) and at first avoids Cyn at all costs.  But when Father Montgomery, the priest helping them both, is murdered and Cyn gets in over her head he decides to try and bail her out.  Is it too late, or can Cyn be saved from the monsters within?

     I originally was a pretty large fan of the initial Hollow trilogy.  At least until the third book, when I feel like the series completely fell apart.  I don't even know why I decided to read this one, seeing as I honestly didn't enjoy numbers 2 or 3 in the last series and its a companion novel.  I was intrigued though, so I decided to read it anyways.  I was not very impressed to say the least.  I felt like while the action kept the plot moving along fairly well, that the world-building didn't allow for newcomers to really understand everything that was happening.  I enjoyed the cameo with Abbey and Caspian near the end of the book, when Cyn and Avian head back to Sleepy Hollow but I felt like it was kind of cheesy all the same. 

     I am not a very big fan of undying, clichéd romantic relationships so I wasn't all that invested in Cyn and Avian's slow burn for each other.  I did like that they weren't involved with one another right away though, as insta-love would have been ten times worse.  The coolest part of this book was the mystery behind whether or not Cyn was being possessed and what it meant to be an Echo sharing a body with the soul of a Revenant, especially since the Revenant was trying to kill her.  I did like Cyn for the most part, but I felt like I didn't get to know her all that well either.  This book was kind of short for any in depth character development, or real backstory on what makes her tick.  And the conclusion about Avian's dead girlfriend's soul made me roll my eyes.  I found myself skimming pages and just trying to get finished.  So in the end, all I can really say is that this definitely was NOT the book for me personally.  Maybe the whole angel/demon thing would appeal more to someone else and make up for the pretty weak writing in this one.

 

VERDICT:  2/5  Stars

 

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book was published October 1st, 2013.*

The Demon Mistress (Eva Prim #1) Blog Tour - Review, Eva's Perspective, & Giveaway!!!

What’s a girl to do when she discovers her husband, who happens to be the Master Vampire for the New England Region, has been lying to her for, oh, say a hundred and eighty years? 

Well, it all depends. If she’s accidentally released forty demons from some creepy old book, unintentionally announced the existence of vampires on The Internet, kidnapped a werewolf, enraged a lovesick vampire by stealing his approved mate, and attracted the attention of The High Commander for The Vampire Federation, not to mention gotten stoned and mastered the forbidden art of demon calling, she might be willing to call it even.

Or, she might plead her case at an Inquisition and hope like all hell, she isn’t staked before sunrise. Eh, a slightly busier night than usual, but nothing Eva Prim can’t handle.

About the Author

Jordan loves vampires. But if you know anything about Jordan, you already knew that detail. What you didn’t know was it wasn’t long ago that she began writing about them. 

A few years back Jordan received a copy of Twilight from her husband as part of her anniversary gift. By the end of that week she’d read the entire series and moved onto Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles. Eight weeks and eighteen vampire books later the idea for her first book, Perpetual Light came to her followed very quickly by Eva Prim. 

In October of 2013 The Demon Mistress, the first Eva Prim Novel is available along with four short stories. For continual updates on Eva please join the Snack Of The Week Club at www.evaprim.com. 

Coming November 2013 Black Magic Rose, Book One of The Alliance Series. Join Jordan’s newsletter for updates.  

Jordan is a member of the national Romance Writers of America organization and several chapters. 

When she’s not writing about one vampire or another Jordan enjoys spending time with her husband, Ken and their lovable Labrador, Dino on the beautiful beaches of New England.  

Find Jordan on her website at www.jordankrose.com

Review

     So can I say in all honesty that if the synopsis hadn't convinced me to read this book, the website that accompanied definitely would have.  Eva Prim has her own Snack of the Week Club online, courtesy of Jordan K. Rose!  Anyone who knows me at all realizes how much I love to laugh and how important a good sense of humor is to me in a book.  When I started reading this it was a bit of a slow starter.  I thought Eva was a pushover, with bubbles for brains who was going to wear on my last nerve.  Boy was I WRONG!  Once the book picked up, I couldn't put it down!  Eva is actually an alias for Chrysanthemum "Chrissie" Mildred Papadapoulos, who is the wife of a Master Vampire in the New England region.  And since they got together almost 200 years ago, she's done nothing but cause trouble!  The last time Chrissie tried to 'help' she set 40 demons free from a forbidden book.  Now being shut in the house and lonely, she starts an advice blog for vampires under the alias Eva Prim - and she ends up outing vampires on the Internet, accidentally stealing another vamp's mate, become a demon master, eaten a stoner and managed to get called before the Inquisitor.  Can Chrissie work her way out of this one, or will she really be executed this time?  And just what secrets has her husband Stefan been keeping from her all this time?

     I loved that I was thrown into this book, but that I could actually follow what was happening.  I never got confused as to who was who and how they were all intertwined in the main plot.  The whole mess starts because Chrissie wants some friends and isn't allowed to leave the house.  So of course, when demented vampire Cletus is on the loose causing havoc and one of her blog friends is hiding from his advances, Chrissie just has to rescue her!  All the encounters with the other commenters on the blog were making me laugh so hard!  When they all team up with a couple of the demons from the book, Cynthia and Jackson, to rescue Goldenrae from Cletus things only got even funnier.  Add in a stoner who works at the burger restaurant and goes from quick snack to friend really fast, plus all the complications with Stefan (who was something else before he was a vamp), and the High Commander's bounty on Eva for exposing them and it's almost like reading a supernaturally infused version of Pineapple Express - only it's actually funny!  I'm probably not doing a super great job explaining this book, but I don't want to give too much away.  Let's just say Chrissie/Eva's balance of personal growth and constancy throughout the book were very well written.  I feel like all the characters had well fleshed out personalities and the end of the book left things open for more Eva Prim craziness, of which I hope there is lots.  Thanks to Jordan for requesting a review!  So glad I read this one and I highly recommend it to anyone who'd like to be pleasantly surprised and has a sense of humor.

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

*I received an E-book Copy from the author.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book was published October 1st, 2013.*

Favorite Quotes:

 1)    "She's pressing a cold apple cider compress to my head and you're wondering if it's helping?"  I sit up.  Either I just received two of the dumbest demons on the planet or the world's assessement of demons as evil, terrifying monsters is completely wrong.  They're morons.

     "It works on humans," Cynthia says.  "Pressing apple cider to a human's head works for what?"

"It makes them feel better," she answers.  "Apple cider?"  I'm so confused.  I don't know what she's talking about.  

2)  "I don't like the hat," she calls as I run back to the desk to get Goldenrae's address.  "And I don't want to wear a coat," Jack complains.

      "This must be what motherhood is like."  I grab my car keys from the table and slide them into my jacket.

3)  She's right.  Cletus will need an army to defeat Stefan.  A Cletus-Loving-Army-of-Peons.  The CLAP.  Just what I need.

Eva's Perspective (with Intro from Jordan)

It’s so nice to be at Diamonds & Coal book Reviews. Thank you Anna for hosting Eva and me. On this blog tour Eva, who loves to blog has taken over. (It’s been a bumpy ride, but fun just the same!) Today she’ll blog about her perspective on demons. This ought to be good!

Demons

Anna, thanks for having me. As you and your readers may or may not know I accidentally set loose a few demons. It was unintentional, of course. I mean who in her right mind sets loose a bunch of demons? Uh, no one.

Anyway, 40 got out. 28 were recaptured.

2 were given to me as friends. 1 came back when I called him. And 9 are still on the run. So that brings you up to speed on my demon issue. However, what you don’t realize is that demons aren’t what you’d expect.

Um, well, so far they’re not really scary. At least, not to me. And maybe being a vampire makes a difference seeing as I can’t be possessed. I mean they do scare the werewolves. You know the possession thing is freaky. 

But other than that, demons aren’t so scary. They’re…sort of…well…I’m going to first, say I don’t mean to insult any of my demons or any other demons thinking of coming around or any demons who might somehow become insulted and then act out. So lets just hold off on any responses to what I’m about to say. Agreed? I’ll take demon silence as a yes.

So demons are sort of like dumbasses. They take everything literally. They never know when to keep a secret. They just basically can’t be trusted. They’re physically exhausting. Some are very nice or they try to be.

Hey, demons, don’t get agitated. They say knowing is half the battle. If more demons accepted their shortcomings, they’d be better equipped to handle life, er death or whatever it’s called.

You see…I…wait…what was that?

Ah, well, great. Just great. My demons have left the building. Big babies.

Have you ever noticed how some people just can’t handle the truth?

Today’s US prize on the blog hop is a little something to relax everyone. A teacup, some tea and some Vampire’s Kiss Truffles from the www.cocoashak.com. Sometimes you just need a little alone time to sip tea and eat a truffle. For international  winners the prize will be a $10 Amazon gift certificate. Get some tea, maybe some biscuits, something to relax those jumpy nerves. Leave a comment. Maybe win a prize. 

For updates on my books, me, my short stories and loads of other valuable items join my Snack of the Week Club at http://evaprim.com/snackofWeek.html. I’d love to have you! (in the club, not just as a snack.)

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We Will Probably Break Up Someday...But This Was Fun!

 

Expected Publication:  October 1st, 2013

Unbreakable (The Legion # 1)

By: Kami Garcia

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

ISBN-13:  9780316210171

 

Supernatural meets The Da Vinci Code in this action-packed paranormal thriller, the first book in a new series from New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia.

I never believed in ghosts. Until one tried to kill me.When Kennedy Waters finds her mother dead, her world begins to unravel. She doesn’t know that paranormal forces in a much darker world are the ones pulling the strings. Not until identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into Kennedy’s room and destroy a dangerous spirit sent to kill her. The brothers reveal that her mother was part of an ancient secret society responsible for protecting the world from a vengeful demon — a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night.

Now Kennedy has to take her mother’s place in the Legion if she wants to uncover the truth and stay alive. Along with new Legion members Priest and Alara, the teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon — battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way.

 

Review

 

     It's just been Kennedy and her Mom, ever since she was a little girl.  Then when she's out one night, Kennedy comes home only to find her Mother dead under suspicious circumstances.  This is just a couple days after she thought she saw a ghost in the cemetery.  It turns out what she saw was a spirit.  It had been sent to kill her Mom and now it's after Kennedy.  Twin brothers Jared and Lucas mysteriously appear and take Kennedy on a mission with them.  It turns out her Mom was part of something called the 'Legion,' a secret organization that fights an evil demon who wants to take over and destroy the Earth.  It's up to Kennedy, Jared, Lucas and two other teens, Alara and Priest, to take on the evil and banish it once and for all - before it completely devours them for good.  With all five of the adult legion members dead on the same night, the task will definitely not be an easy one.  And with each evil sprit they face and each puzzle they solve, the kids get closer & closer to either losing it all, or saving the world.  But which decision leads to the right outcome?

      I will say one important thing before starting this review in earnest: this book is complete and utter brain candy.  Reading this is more like getting a peek at a Supernatural episode script, rather than a YA book.  Sometimes this worked in it's favor and other times it didn't.  The action-packed pacing, tantalizing hints of romance between Kennedy and Jared, and the snarky banter/intense dramatic moments between all the characters definitely made it an enjoyable read.  I loved the scenes when the kids are searching for pieces of the puzzle (that's all I'm going to say about it!) and they are ghost hunting.  The scenes are believably terrifying and sent chills up my spine.  Especially with the dead Mother and Son in the well.  *Shivers*  But probably the worst part about this book being non-stop action was that we were given the bare minimum of character description/back story/development in this book.  Just enough to keep me, someone who prefers character-centric reading, to stay involved.  But I always felt like I was lacking a certain something I can't do without for very long. 

     Sometimes the interactions (especially the romantic ones of Kennedy and Jared) come across as melodramatic and bordering on ridiculous.  Kennedy's 'problems with trust' due to her cheating boyfriend seemed out of proportion to me.  She seems a lot more focused on that than her murdered Mother as well, in my opinion.  And Jared letting go to 'protect' her (while not fighting her right to ghost hunt with them all) comes across as stupid and doesn't make much sense in the context.  Kami Garcia definitely knows how to write a cliffhanger though, and I will be picking up the second book.  While it wasn't the best piece of literature ever, it was still fun and gave me enough action to satisfy me on some level.  That's all I need in a book sometimes, a little bit of fun.  Go in expecting that and you won't be disappointed! :)

 

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

 

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication is October 1st, 2013.*



Working Like a Dog

Published:  December 21st, 2012
Hard Day's Knight (The Black Knight Chronicles # 1)
By: John G. Hartness
Bell Bridge Books
ISBN-13:  9781611941678

Lots of Vampires. No Sparkles. Serious Snark.
Children are missing.
The police are stumped.
Halloween is coming, and an ancient evil is on the horizon.
The vampires are the good guys.

This is not your ordinary fall weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina. Vampire private detectives Jimmy Black and Greg Knightwood have been hired to save a client from being cursed for all eternity, but end up in a bigger mess than they ever imagined.

Suddenly trapped in the middle of a serial kidnapping case, Jimmy and Greg uncover a plot to bring forth an ancient evil. Soon, they've enlisted the help of a police detective, a priest, a witch, a fallen angel and a strip club proprietor to save the world. This unlikely band of heroes battles zombies, witches, neuroses and sunburn while cracking jokes and looking for the perfect bag of O-negative.

Review

 

     Jimmy Black doesn't know how he let himself get caught by some scrawny, geek teenager.  But he knows one thing - he sure as Hell isn't changing him into a vampire!  When the kid tells him about a witch cursing his entire family, Jimmy can't help but be curious enough to get involved, and drag his partner Greg into it right beside him.  Pretty soon the guys are using all their combined vampire detective skills and snark to help solve the case of a bunch of missing kids.  But things might even be too complicated and dangerous for a couple creatures of the night with a demon bent on starting the apocalypse as the Big Bad.  Maybe with the help of a confused and bitchy police detective, a fallen angel, a priest and a witch they can solve the case and stop the world from ending.  Who knows, maybe they'll get a little lovin' in the bargain too!

     I wasn't sure what to expect from two vampire private detectives, but I got more than I even subconsciously thought I would!  Jimmy and Greg are two snarky, nerdy vampires who still look exactly the same as they did before they were changed - in other words they're not sex gods like vamps are supposed to be.  Jimmy likes watching Buffy and Dexter and is the brawns of the operation.  Greg is the computer hacker/genius and is eternally unlucky in love.  I hadn't read the synopsis too closely and was surprised at the major role demons and fallen angels played in the story.  Reading this book was like watching an episode of Supernatural.  The priest (whom they call Dad) was a childhood friend and still thinks the boys are worth saving, still good guys (also Father Mike is a total bad-ass, which is awesome).  My favorite thing in this novel was the obvious strength of the relationships between Jimmy, Greg and Father Mike.  The dialogue is a bonus and kept me on my toes.  Jimmy was my favorite character, but I'm guessing that was mostly due to him being the primary narrator of the novel.  The surprise redemption of a not-so-good, but not-so-evil after all character at the end of the novel was a beautifully written scene that had me smiling.  The mystery of the missing children and the demon possessions was well executed, but the ending with Jimmy and the lady police detective felt more than a little clichéd and sort of forced to me as a reader.  All in all it was an interesting book and I will probably be reading the sequel.  I'd recommend it to fans of the T.V. shows Supernatural and Angel, along with a good shot of (and someone out there is gonna kill me for this comparison!) your favorite cozy mystery series.  It just has that slightly formulaic feel to it, but not in a bad way! :)

VERDICT:  4/5  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 was published December 21st, 2012.*

Only Girl In The World...

Published:  April 2nd, 2013
Prophecy Girl (Angel Academy # 1)
By: Cecily White
Entangled
ISBN-13:  9781620612941

Amelie Bennett. . . . Ending the world, one prophecy at a time.

I was born to slay Crossworld demons.
Big black flappy ones, little green squirmy ones. Unfortunately, the only thing getting slain these days is my social life. With my high school under attack, combat classes intensifying, and Academy instructors dropping right and left, I can barely get my homework done, let alone score a bondmate before prom.
Then he shows up.
Jackson Smith-Hailey. Unspeakably hot, hopelessly unattainable, and dangerous in all the right ways. Sure, he’s my trainer. And okay, maybe he hates me. Doesn’t mean I’ll ignore the wicked Guardian chemistry between us. It’s crazy! Every time I’m with him, my powers explode. Awesome, right? Wrong.
Now my teachers think I’m the murderous Graymason destined to bring down our whole race of angelbloods. Everyone in New Orleans is hunting me. The people I trusted want me dead. Jack and I have five days to solve the murders, prevent a vampire uprising, and thwart the pesky prophecy foretelling his death by my hand. Shouldn’t be too difficult.

Getting it done without falling in love. . . that might take a miracle.

Review

 

     Amelie Bennett's biggest goal right now is to finish school, become bonded to a Watcher and begin slaying demons for real as a full-fledged Guardian.  But with her teachers dropping like flies and the paranormal community in uproar over peace tenets that are about to be signed, a normal path to the future is looking highly unlikely.  The scandal involving Amelie's Mom and the questionability of her angel bloodline's origins aren't helping her prospects either.  When Jackson Smith-Hailey is sent to replace one of her newly dead teachers, Amelie feels an instant connection with him and he seems to amplify her powers to unbelievable heights.  When the school is attacked during an assembly, Amelie is blamed and thought to be evil.  So of course her and Jack go on the run to avoid execution and must also prove who the real killer is before a prophecy that says she's going to kill Jack is fulfilled!  All while trying to make sure the peace tenets actually get signed and a war doesn't erupt between the vampire/werewolf races and the Guardians.  Can they manage to save the world and will both of them survive the effort? 

     In general, I am sick of reading the same old paranormal schtick time and time again.  So going into this one I was really hesitant, especially when I read the term 'Watcher,' which has me harking back to the days of my Buffy the Vampire Slayer obsession.  I was pleasantly surprised with the world-building and was particularly glad to not hate it based on its inability to focus on anything but the angel aspect, which I've noticed seems to be a trend in angel-based YA books a lot of times.  There was a coherent plot, and yes the different angel bloodlines and the calling to fight demons were an enormous part of the plot.  But it was more focused on characters and character development then overcomplicated plots/details that make a reader feel lost, like they're missing some important back story or something.  I loved the snarkiness of Amelie and felt like she really came across as a teenager (which she was) instead of some weird adult/teen hybrid, which comes with the territory sometimes.  It's like the authors forget that teens aren't super wise, smart, etc. all the time.  Sometimes they do dumb things, act like brats, or make you have WTF moments.  Amelia had all of those qualities, but also had a gigantic heart and wonderful sense of loyalty that made me want to hug her.  The relationship with Jackson was cute and although in most cases I don't like insta-love, I don't think this really even qualifies as it.  For the simple fact that Amelie is drawn to him (i.e. attracted to him) and he feels familiar to her in a slightly nagging way.  She doesn't even use the word love until over midway through the book, almost near the end.  The banter, arguments and fuzzy moments made me smile.

     The inclusion of the werewolf and vampire races in side-character capacities was interesting and allowed for an important part of the plot involving peace tenets to unfold smoothly and make sense. But they were by no means main characters (at least till Vampire Luc became mega important at the end of the book) and didn't become annoying, or detract from the main plot.  The twist about Amelie's surprise sibling was very movie of the week and not at all shocking.  I thought the revelation of who it actually was happened to be really odd and didn't fit too great with the direction the action took near the final battle.  It seemed to me just a convenient plot twist.  I really wanted it to be someone she'd never met, but alas I wasn't so lucky.  Which sucked because I really liked that character until the truth was revealed!  The likeability of the characters, the witty dialogue and the overall humor of the book were definitely my favorite points.  With the huge twisting cliffhanger at the end I'm intrigued to see how the author spins things in the next book.  Overall a fast paced, funny paranormal read with a lot of heart that I would recommend to fans of Obsidian by: Jennifer Armentrout, The Percy Jackson Series by: Rick Riordan, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

 

VERDICT:  4.5/5  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 was published April 2nd, 2013.*

Kissed By a Cowpoke Angel

Expected Publication:  August 20th, 2013
My Totally Awkward Supernatural Crush
By: Laura Toffler-Corrie
Roaring Brook Press
ISBN-13:  9781596437333

Jenna Bloom is just an average middle school student until her family takes her to her least favorite restaurant for her birthday, where she meets Cowpoke Luke, her waiter and one true love. Oh, and he also happens to be an angel. Jenna can't believe that Luke could actually be interested in her, and yet he is! Unfortunately he's got a demonic foe named Adam who could potentially complicate matters, and when the two boys have a big showdown at the local community theater's performance of Fiddler on the Roof, Jenna is right in the middle of it all.

Review

 

     Jenna Bloom is having the worst fourteenth birthday ever.  Instead of having the beautiful, sophisticated dinner she wanted, Jenna is stuck at the steak-house (her least favorite restaurant) with her parents and brother for her birthday - as well as the annoying neighbor boy who won't leave her alone!  So when a hot guy named Luke turns out to be their server things are looking up.  But when Jenna's Mom gives her a truly ugly heirloom necklace as a present, Luke starts acting really weird around her.  Then his archrival Adam shows up and Jenna learns that there really are such things as angels and demons - and they both have different agendas involving Jenna's futures.  When the boys crash the local production of Fiddler on the Roof that Jenna is part of, hilarity and shenanigans ensue.  Throw in the holy terror that Jenna babysits, David, and you have the makings of a supernatural battle to the death.  But who will win, Adam or Luke?  Also, which boy has stolen Jenna's heart? 

     This book is obviously a parody of all the supernatural, young-adult romances and this is made clear from the very beginning.  Jenna is cute, but reads very young.  I did appreciate the non-wavering attitude towards romance on her part.  Even with this book being a parody, there is nothing more annoying than an unnecessary love triangle.  The whole thing with her necklace being the magical key to Adam (the demon) being able to stay on Earth permanently and wreak havoc was such a stock supernatural plot that it made me laugh.  My favorite character through was David, the bratty kid that Jenna babysits for so that she'll have money for clothes that weren't bought in bulk by her Mom.  He was always finding a way to make Jenna's life difficult, but they had a relationship more brother/sister-like than she did with her actual brother.  In particular the part involving him near the end, during the performance of Fiddler on the Roof had me dying laughing!  Obviously there wasn't much character development and the plot wasn't super in depth either.  I found myself wondering what the point was a few times, as the plot wandered aimlessly in circles for a good chunk of time in the middle of the book.  The conclusion was trite and overdone.  I found it slightly funny (for the fact that in ways it reminded me of the stupidity of Twilight) but saw it coming a mile away.  It was like reading a book form of Scary Movie, only a helluva lot more clean and tween friendly.  Overall, a cute read and if you can deal with obvious parody, and serious plot holes (that was probably intentional) you might enjoy this one for what it is: pure fluff!

 

VERDICT:  2.75/5  Stars

 

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie. No favors or money were exchanged for this review. It became available for purchase on August 20th, 2013.*

You Have Drawn Me In

Published:  March 5th, 2013

Infatuate (Gilded Wings # 2)

By: Aimee Agresti

Harcourt Children's Books

ISBN-13:  9780547626154

Haven Terra is still recovering from an internship that brought her literally to the brink of hell when a trip to New Orleans leads to more trouble. Graduating early from high school leaves the spring semester free, so Haven and her friends Dante and Lance head to the Big Easy to volunteer with community service projects. But their true mission becomes clear when they run across an enclave of devils known as the Krewe. New Orleans is a free-for-all for these shape-shifting devils, who are more reckless and vicious than any Haven, Lance, and Dante have encountered. 

And they soon discover their French Quarter housemates are also angels-in-training, and together they must face off with the Krewe in their quest for wings. But Haven’s resolve is tested when Lucian, the repentant devil with whom she was infatuated, resurfaces and asks her for help escaping the underworld. Can he be trusted? Or will aiding him cost Haven her angel wings—and her life? Thrilling, romantic, and full of surprises, this gripping sequel to Illuminate takes the battle of good and evil to the next level.

Review

     Haven Terra and her friends want nothing more than a stress free trip to New Orleans, where they will spend their time volunteering on community service projects and enjoying the local history and attractions.  In other words, voluntourism.  Haven leaves thinking that after everything at the Hotel she and Lance will be closer than ever in their relationship.  She and Dante will be rock solid.  The second assertion yes, the first one not so much.  Lance and Haven are drifting further away from each other than they ever expected and with the demons actively campaigning for their souls, now is not the time to be divided.  Also, their pretty and emotionally wounded housemate Sabine's attention focused on Lance, Haven just might lose him for good.  But when all of the housemates learn they are participating in a secret bootcamp to train as angels, the threat becomes all too real.  As the Krewe, a group of seductive demons, rampages on a murder spree through New Orleans can Haven and her friends come together long enough to defeat them once and for all?  Will all of them still be alive when the dust settles?

     I really enjoyed the first book and it's retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray in a completely new and interesting way I had never encountered before.  This book doesn't manage quite the same feat for Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but it is still well crafted and easy to immerse yourself in while reading.  Haven was still too good for me in this one - even when she's jealous of Sabine and Lance she never once lashes out.  She basically just gives up and doesn't fight for what she wants.  Plus her continued communication with Lucian, who is reaching out from the Underworld just strikes me a s stupid after the experience that she Lance and Dante has at the Hotel during their internships.  I thought that the undercover voluntourism was a nice touch, but I didn't necessarily buy the sudden surge of Haven's powers and the ease with which all the teens learned what they could do.  The idea of Dante as the sage adviser was fun and well written.  He's still Haven's BFF, but has an extra dimension with his very happy romance and place at the head of the class.  I loved his interactions with Voodoo Queen he's apprenticing for as well.  

      The Krewe as the villain seemed very obvious, but at the same time extremely disjointed and I had a difficult time keeping track of who knew what and whether or not someone was really evil.  All of the human sacrifice and murders became repetitive to me as a reader and therefore less effective as plot devices the more they were used.  The final battle seemed kind of played out, but maybe that was because of the way the plot began to drag near the end.  I kept waiting for something to happen and when it did, it was somewhat anticlimactic.  There was some awesome character development and the reconstructing of the relationship between Lance and Haven after it crumbles was very nicely done.  I am interested to read the next book in the series.  I want to know how it will end for the gang, especially after they've suffered so much.  The world building had just enough detail mixed in with mystery to keep me hooked.  Also, Agresti's prose is fairly gorgeous.  Overall, if you're not such a fan of the angel trend (as I am not) I would recommend this book to you as it happens to be mostly character driven, with a pretty well constructed plot.  Not too much religion or flying around talking about Heaven and/or Hell to be interesting.

VERDICT:  4/5  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 was published February 5th, 2013.*