The Mesphisto Kiss: Mephisto Covenant Book 2 by Trinity Faegan

****

From Egmont USA:

The eyes never lie. No one’s eyes are darker than Eryx’s. 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 his 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.

A thrilling story of romance, danger, and intrigue, The Mephisto Kiss continues the marvelous mythology that began in The Mephisto Covenant. 

 

Had you asked me last week, I would have ranked The Mephisto Covenant as one of my favorites of 2012 (thus far) and it is still in the running, but may be beaten out by Mephisto Kiss.  I devoured The Mephisto Kiss. Like the first book, Mephisto Kiss is fast paced and full of strife and adventure in the war between Eryx and his brothers.  Jordan, our heroine, struggles with leaving behind her life and boyfriend of two years to find her place and love with the Mephisto. 

 

Again, Trinity Faegan did a fantastic job writing the development of characters and relationships in a realistic way in such a fantastical world.  There was only one part, near the end of the book when I wanted to scream - "Have you heard nothing anyone has said to you in the last 300 pages?" but then I remembered that it was a fictional character, who couldn't actually hear me scream, so I just thought it - a lot.  Did I mention that I stayed up all night reading this book?  Yeah, I was a little nutty by the time I finished.  And if this doesn't tell you all you need to know, I worked 11 hours after just 3 hours of sleep, and I wouldn't have had it any other way because I could not put this book down.  If you enjoy The Mortal Instruments by Cassie Clare and Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, the Mephisto Kiss is a perfect fit for you. 

 

~Shel

Entice by Jessica Shrivington

* * * 1/2

 

Every day Violet Eden wonders whether she made the right choice.

She still doesn't fully understand these powers she's been granted as a half-angel Grigori.  And worse, isn't even sure she's capable of using them. Stab someone through the heart? Really?

No matter how bad things get, though, Violet doesn't run and she doesn't quit. Even if it means she can never allow herself to love the guy she longs for. Even if it means asking her enemy for help. Even if no one is telling her the truth.

The war between Exiles and Angels is on—and she's wanted by both sides.

I'm a little late to the party when it comes to the Embrace series but I'm glad I made it. Looking at this gorgeous cover, it seems like Violet is ready to kick some ass and so I happily devoured this book in a couple of days.

After embracing her angel heritage, Entice takes Violet further into this world that will continually challenge her and make her question her chosen path. Learning to use her powers and how to protect herself against her enemies are a constant source of conflict for her. She also carries quite a burden, still feeling the repercussions of her decision to get close to Phoenix. It's a situation that she deeply regrets and hangs like a very heavy, dark cloud over her relationship with Lincoln. Repairing the rift between them is a priority though they're regularly thwarted by someone else's attempts to drive a wedge between them. And the fact that Violet and Lincoln are off limits to each other only raises the sexual tension quite a few notches. 

Entice also introduces new characters who come to town to assist in tracking down nemsis Phoenix and the the other Exiles. Throwing new people into the mix adds some fun and unpredictability. Fellow angel Spence provides a troublesome distraction for Violet. I have to say that while I got slightly annoyed with Violet's mounting jealousy, I also couldn't blame her. It's got to make a girl crazy watching a hot guy you've been crushing on forever spend more and more time with someone you don't like.  Spence became a  perfect foil for her growing suspicions.

However once Violet and Lincoln get their act together it's game on! Their relationship moves at a heated pace as they work to discover Phoenix's whereabouts and what he intends to do with the Scriptures when he gets his hands on them. Everything about this storyline is screams impending danger. Violet's link to Phoenix gets more suspenseful the closer they get to uncovering the truth. And the hunt for the Scriptures leads Violet on a more disturbing journey to truly come to terms with all the good, the bad and the ugly that she went through when she embraced.

Entice is an addictive good time. Shrivington has added a new twist to the whole angel genre making this book so enjoyable. The few vulnerable moments that Phoenix displays makes me wonder what I can expect in the next book. And readers, many of you know how much I love my bad boys in fiction, however, much to my fellow BiblioJunkie's surprise, I am firmly Team Lincoln. Not only is he the forever boy (literally), his role as protector is just so darn sweet and well, hot. Seeing how he and Violet dance around each other is half the pleasure of reading it and I hope you all enjoy as much!

~ Bel
 

 

Waiting on Wednesday (35)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.

Oh Boy.....could this coming week get any better?


By Rick Riordan
Publication Date: October 2, 2012

Annabeth is terrified. Just when she’s about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo’s fantastical creation doesn’t appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.

And that’s only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close— the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?

Annabeth’s biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he’s now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.

Narrated by four different demigods, The Mark of Athena is an unforgettable journey across land and sea to Rome, where important discoveries, surprising sacrifices, and unspeakable horrors await. Climb aboard the Argo II, if you dare. . . .

In The Son of Neptune, Percy, Hazel, and Frank met in Camp Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of Camp Halfblood, and traveled to the land beyond the gods to complete a dangerous quest. The third book in the Heroes of Olympus series will unite them with Jason, Piper, and Leo. But they number only six--who will complete the Prophecy of Seven?


The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land to find the Doors of Death. What exactly are the Doors of Death? Much of the prophesy remains a mystery. . . . With old friends and new friends joining forces, a marvelous ship, fearsome foes, and an exotic setting, The Mark of Athena promises to be another unforgettable adventure by master storyteller Rick Riordan.




By Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton and Brenna Yovanoff
Publication Date: October 1, 2012

From acclaimed YA authors Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton, and Brenna Yovanoff comes The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories.

- A vampire locked in a cage in the basement, for good luck.
- Bad guys, clever girls, and the various reasons why the guys have to stop breathing.
- A world where fires never go out (with references to vanilla ice cream).

These are but a few of the curiosities collected in this volume of short stories by three acclaimed practitioners of paranormal fiction.

But The Curiosities is more than the stories. Since 2008, Maggie, Tessa, and Brenna have posted more than 250 works of short fiction to their website merryfates.com. Their goal was simple: create a space for experimentation and improvisation in their writing—all in public and without a backspace key. In that spirit, The Curiosities includes the stories and each author's comments, critiques, and kudos in the margins. Think of it as a guided tour of the creative processes of three acclaimed authors.

So, are you curious now?


By Amy Lane
Publication Date:  October 1, 2012

Ten years ago David Worral had plans to go to college and the potential for a beautiful future in front of him. One tragic accident later, he fled to California and reinvented himself as Dex, top porn model of Johnnies.

Dex’s life is a tangled mess now, but the guys he works with only see the man who makes them believe even porn stars can lead normal lives. When Kane, one of Dex’s coworkers, gets kicked out of his house, the least Dex can do is give him a place to stay. Kane may be a hyperactive muscle-bound psycho, but he’s also a really nice guy. What could be the harm?

Except nothing is simple—not sex, not love, and not the goofy kid with the big dick and bigger heart who moves his life into Dex’s guest room. When they start negotiating fractured pasts and broken friends, Dex wonders if Kane’s honest nature can untangle the sadness that stalled his once-promising future. With Kane by his side, Dex just might be able to reclaim the boy he once was—and if he can do that, he can give Kane the home and the family he deserves.(

The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories by Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton and Brenna Yovanoff

* * * *

From acclaimed YA authors Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton, and Brenna Yovanoff comes The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories.

- A vampire locked in a cage in the basement, for good luck.
- Bad guys, clever girls, and the various reasons why the guys have to stop breathing.
- A world where fires never go out (with references to vanilla ice cream).

These are but a few of the curiosities collected in this volume of short stories by three acclaimed practitioners of paranormal fiction.

But The Curiosities is more than the stories. Since 2008, Maggie, Tessa, and Brenna have posted more than 250 works of short fiction to their website merryfates.com. Their goal was simple: create a space for experimentation and improvisation in their writing—all in public and without a backspace key. In that spirit, The Curiosities includes the stories and each author's comments, critiques, and kudos in the margins. Think of it as a guided tour of the creative processes of three acclaimed authors.

So, are you curious now?

  

I have mentioned multiple times that I am not a fan of short stories.  But two out of three anthologies I have read this year have blown me away.  This is one of them*.  I initially requested this from Netgalley because it contained one name that is an auto-read for me – my girl crush,Maggie Stiefvater. 

But here is the kicker.  I requested this book because I was excited to read Maggie.  And now that I have finished?  I can’t wait to read Tessa Gratton and Brenna Yovanoff. 

Holy Smokes are these ladies crazy talented.  This is an amazing collection of stories that cover everything from vampires to zombies to fey to Vikings to straight up crazy murderous humans.   There wasn’t a single story that I did not enjoy.  Each one sucks you in and then spits you out.  Sometimes it’s enjoyable and other times you are left gaping at your Nook wondering if it’s worth the cost of replacement if you vented your frustration by throwing it across the room. 

The other lovely thing about this book is that each short story is preceded by an introduction from the author as to where the idea for the story came from.  Then another of the three authors weighs in with their opinion on the story too.  Don’t worry. There are no spoilers in these introductions.  On top of the introductions there are handwritten notes through out the stories.  Some notes explain the creative process.  Other notes allow the reader to see how these authors help each other through encouragement and humor.  These intros and notes were a lot of fun to read and I can only imagine will be super informative and encouraging to young writers.  

As I said, I enjoyed every story in this book but here are some that stood out for me:

Scheherazade by Brenna Yovanoff – A girl walks into her home and is assaulted by a young man.  Let’s just say the evening doesn’t end the way he thinks it will.   

The Bone-Tender by Brenna Yovanoff – A boy has the power to heal broken bones.  But according to Brenna, all magic – even the good - comes with a price. 

The Madness of Lancelot by Brenna – This story is about a boy thinking he has found someone that understands his loss only to find that what she feels isn’t the same.  Brenna ends each section with telling us what the story is by saying that it isn’t.  Complete genius in my opinion.   

Death Ship by Tessa Gratton – A young woman learns that her husband has died at sea.  Nightly she visits the stone ships to mourn his death.  Until an unlikely person reminds her that she has to decide if she will go on living or die from grief.   

Ash-Tree Spell to Break Your Heart by Tessa Gratton – A magician creates a girl and sends her to his rival and commands her to rip out his heart.  A truly heartbreaking story.   

The Deadlier of the Species by Maggie Stiefvater – I hate zombie movies and stories.  Okay.  That’s not true. I am fascinated by them but I stopped watching years ago because they are the only kind of story that gives me nightmares.  This one is scary and funny and does not have a happy ending yet I loved it anyway.  AND I didn’t have any nightmares.  WIN! 

Heart Shaped Box by Maggie Stiefvater – This is full of the angst that Maggie does so well.  York St. James is sick and the only cure is contained in the silver boxes that are sold on the street.  But is it worth the money and guilt to take advantage of what those boxes contain?

So the consensus?  Yep, you guessed it.  I highly recommend that you buy this book.   

The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories will be released on October 1, 2012

*The other is Boys of Summer.

Nat

Andy Squared by Jennifer Lavoie

* * * 1/2

Seventeen-year-old twins, Andrew and Andrea Morris, have always been close. They share everything—from their friends to a room—and they both enjoy star positions on their high school’s soccer teams. All’s right with the twins...or is it?

When new student Ryder Coltrane moves from Texas to their small New York town, he spins Andrew’s world upside down. All of Andrew’s past relationship troubles begin to make sense and his true feelings start to click into place after Ryder comes out to him. His friendship with Ryder turns secretively romantic, but secrets, they soon find out, are hard to keep. Once rumors start to fly, so-called friends turn on them, and the boys’ relationship turns into a bomb about to explode. But Andrew never expected it would be his own twin, Andrea, holding a lighter to ignite it.

  

 

Review:

Andy has a reputation for dating girls and then quickly breaking up with them.  He keeps up the cycle because his classmates expect it from him.  But he is feeling unsatisfied and he has no idea why.  Enter new student Ryder Coltrane.  Andy is physically attracted to Ryder the first moment he sees him.  But he doesn’t recognize the physical attraction for what it is and chooses to write it off as nothing important.  Andy and Ryder quickly become inseparable and before long Ryder is coming out to Andy.  The conversation leads to Andy’s first kiss with a guy and the story takes off.  We see two boys struggle with being in the closet, being outed without their permission and the aftermath they have to deal with in regards to friends, family and classmates. 

 

This was a good story.  The subject matter was delivered with care without pulling any punches.  It was also fast paced.  I finished this one quickly which is always a good sign as it means I didn’t want to put it down.  The only complaint I have is that the writing seemed a bit…distant.  The story is told in the 3^rd person.  And although it was told from Andy’s POV, I got the impression that I was hearing the story from an outsider looking in and not really from Andy at all.  I think this maybe would have been different had it been written in first person but it is hard to say.  In the end that doesn’t outweigh the positives of this book.  This is a story that I will recommend to anyone at almost any age that is looking for a introduction to the m/m sub-genre.   

 

Thank you Jennifer Lavoie and Bold Strokes Books for yet another great title. 

 

Nat

Waiting on Wednesday (34)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.

By Jocelyn Davies
Publication Date:  September 25, 2012

When she wakes up in unfamiliar surroundings, Skye knows something terrible has happened to her. It's not until she hears Asher, the dark, rebellious angel she fell in love with, that the memories come flooding back. She tries to put the past behind her, but she knows she'll be forever haunted by the ruthless betrayal that almost took her life.

Skye returns home, but with the knowledge of who she really is, nothing can ever be the same. As she tests the limits of her newfound powers, Skye discovers that she's capable of far more than anyone could have imagined. Both the Order and the Rebellion want her for their side as war between the factions looms. She can't forget the terrifying truth she now knows about the Order, but something holds her back from embracing the Rebellion.

"A Fractured Light" picks up right after "A Beautiful Dark"'s shocking cliffhanger ending and is perfect for fans of Lauren Kate's "Fallen" and Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush saga.

Unspoken (The Lynburn Legacy #1) by Sarah Rees Brennan

* * * *

 

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

 

If you have read my reviews you will not find it a surprise that I am drawn to books that pull me in emotionally.  I thrive on angst (well at least in my imaginary worlds; I don’t have much time for it in my actual life).  So how happy was I to read Unspoken.  A book with the perfect amount of angst tempered with a decent amount of snark.

I immediately fell in love with Kami Glass.  She is one of the most emotionally strong female characters I have read.  She is determined, a bit pushy and very protective of herself.  She is always taking charge and is constantly cracking jokes.  The utter ridiculous banter that she and her father serve up is creative and hilarious.   

Then there is our bad boy hero, Jared.  Jared is an unfriendly jerk that rides a motorcycle which he has crashed at least 50 times.  But as is often the case, this bad boy is using his jerk-like tendencies as a cover for his sadness and insecurities.     

Kami and Jared have known each other for years.  They are mentally linked and have been each other’s “imaginary” friend since birth.  They were never quite sure if the other was real until Jared moves to Sorry-in-the-Vale.  Many authors would have taken that defining moment and used it to begin a grand romance.  Sarah Rees Brennan takes the more “realistic” route.  Both of them are scared.  They have never been sure if the other was real.  Now that the one friend that knew everything about them is a flesh and blood person the reality of how much power they have over each other is overwhelming and frightening.  They both find themselves cautiously testing each other’s boundaries but at the same time putting up more walls to protect themselves.   

But that is only part of the story.  There is plenty of mystery in Sorry-in-the-Vale ever since Jared and his family have moved back.  Strange things are happening in the woods and everyone s acting strangely now that the Lynburns are back in town.  Kami is determined to find out what is going on and she has recruited her friends to help her.   

This story is fast moving and full of intrigue and action.  Oh, and the ending.  I haven’t wanted to throw a book across the room so much since that cliffhanger Cassandra Clare threw at us at the end of City of Fallen Angels.  Thank you, Sarah Rees Brennan for making me happy, sad and angry all at the same time.  Yet again I lament that I have to wait a WHOLE YEAR for the next installment in a series.  But I can’t complain too much because that means I have found another book to love which in my opinion is a total win. 

 

Nat

A Peek in the Biblio Bin (39)

Welcome to our Stacking the Shelves post! Stacking the Shelves (or as we like to call it, A Peek in the Biblio-Bin) has been created by the lovely ladies at Tynga Reviews.

Stacking the Shelves is a way for bloggers to share what books they have won, received for review, bought from the bookstore, borrowed from the library or friend, etc.

This is what we have in our bin this week. Tell us what's in your Biblio-bin!

For Review
No Quest for the Wicked by Shanna Swendson


Bought
Hidden by Sophie Jordan
Partials by Dan Wells
Tithe by Holly Black
Ninth Grade Slays (Vladimir Chronicles #2) by Heather Brewer. 



 

Waiting on Wednesday (33)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.


By Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
Publication Date: September 18, 2012

BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY...
THEY GET EVEN.

Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.

Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay.

Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him.

Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste.




By Karen Hesse
Publication Date:  September 18, 2012

Radley just wants to get home to her parents in Vermont. While she was volunteering abroad, the American People's Party took power; the new president was assassinated; and the government cracked down on citizens. Travel restrictions are worse than ever, and when her plane finally lands in New Hampshire, Radley’s parents aren’t there.

Exhausted; her phone dead; her credit cards worthless: Radley starts walking.

Girl in the Clockwork Collar (The Steampunk Chronicles #2) by Kady Cross

* * *

 

In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling - or dangerous.

Sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne and her "straynge band of mysfits" have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper, hauled off by bounty hunters. But Jasper is in the clutches of a devious former friend demanding a trade-the dangerous device Jasper stole from him...for the life of the girl Jasper loves.

One false move from Jasper and the strange clockwork collar around Mei's neck tightens. And tightens.

 

As in the The Girl in the Steel Corset, the characters were my favorite part of this book.  We had many of the same characters as last time – Griffin, Emily, Finley, Sam and Jasper.  And we met some new characters too.  Dalton - our overly good looking evil crime lord.  Mei – the love of Jasper’s life and the bargaining tool Dalton uses to keep Jasper in his service.  Then there is the introduction of the infamous Nikola Tesla.  I think we will definitely be seeing more of him in the next book. 

There are a number of love stories taking place in this book.  First there is Emily and Sam - an odd but cute couple that comes across as very comfortable. Then there is Griffin and Finley.  Personally, I am not feeling the emotion between.  It just doesn’t work for me.  I wish I could pinpoint why.  What did work for me?  The relationship between Jasper and Mei.  It’s imperfect and realistic.  Their relationship was the one love story that held my attention and engaged me emotionally.  

What this book really delivers on is the action.  I really hope that this series will someday be made into a movie.  It would be full of action packed, steampunk fun.   

Although I preferred the first book in this series, this is still a fun sequel that I would recommend to lovers of the Steampunk genre. 

 

Nat

Waiting on Wednesday (32)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.



By Sarah Rees Brennan
Publication Date:  September 11, 2012

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

Redemption by Véronique Launier (Hearts of Stone #1)

* * *

Guillaume: For five hundred years I've existed as a gargoyle. Perched atop an old Montreal church, I've watched idly as humanity wanders by. With the witch Marguerite gone, there is no one left to protect, nothing to care about. I never planned to feel again. But then a girl released me from my stone restraints, allowing me to return as a seventeen-year-old human boy. I must find out all I can about this girl's power . . .

Aude: Getting attacked twice in as many days is strange in itself, but even stranger is the intriguing guy I keep running into. There's something so familiar about him, like a primal drum rhythm from my dreams. But spending time together only raises more questions--about my heritage, a native Mohawk prophecy . . . and an unearthly magic threatening our city..

Redemption’s premise about gargoyles and native culture and legend captured my attention. It’s an irresistible mix that Launier paced with a steady mix of mystery and tension.

It’s from Guillaume’s point of view that we first meet Aude as she’s being attacked by complete strangers. Guillaume perched high above the cathedral witnesses this horror but also something stranger. Somehow this girl is able to ward off her attackers and in the process releases him and his brothers from their gargoyle form.  Aude’s power is of great concern to them because if she is who they thinks she is, then she is the key to their survival.

Aude would rather just pretend that it all never happened.  She throws all her focus and energy into her band Lucid Pill. Guillaume is never far behind though as he befriends her and learns more about her. It’s just Aude and her mother; her father is a non-factor. But her ancestry is what intrigues Guillaume and his brothers.  When they learn that she is descended from a powerful line of witches whom Guillaume and his brothers have sworn to protect, Aude’s world gets more complicated.  Everything that was “normal” begins to change. Aude can’t pretend she’s a regular kid anymore.  Now she must learn how to harness her power and most importantly learn who she can trust.

I’ll admit, it took me a while to get into Redemption but that's because I was going through an annoying reading funk. While I liked the idea, I was feeling rather impatient for the story to move forward. So I decided to leave the book for a week and when I picked it up again, I did so with renewed enthusiasm. I began to appreciate how all the pieces were coming together and I felt chills when Aude and Guillaume discovered her heritage.

Launier telling the story from both perspectives helps to understand the confusion and apprehension that both of them feel throughout the book.  Aude is so used to being independent and being strong for her mother. Her single-mindedness about her band si what fuels her sense of purpose. So when Guillaume comes along, she’s hesitant about trusting him and leaning on him for support. Guillaume for his part has a past that’s weighed down by guilt and loss. In light of their discovery about her family, his problem becomes discerning if his attachment to Aude is love or obligation. Regardless, watching these two together is half the thrill in reading Redemption.

I think with its different locale and reference to the Iroquois culture and its Seventh Generation prophecy, Redemption adds a new flavor to the paranormal genre. It’s definitely worth the read. And after Aude and Guillaume have overcome their first hurdle, it's only a matter of time before things escalate. I’m looking forward to what’s next for this  new life Aude has entered in to.

~ Bel