"Original Sin" by Lisa Desrochers

From Goodreads: "Luc Cain was born and raised in Hell, but he isn’t feeling as demonic as usual lately—thanks to Frannie Cavanaugh and the unique power she never realized she had. But you can’t desert Hell without consequences, and suddenly Frannie and Luc find themselves targeted by the same demons who used to be Luc’s allies.

Left with few options, Frannie and Luc accept the protection of Heaven and one of its most powerful angels, Gabe. Unfortunately, Luc isn’t the only one affected by Frannie, and it isn’t long before Gabe realizes that being around her is too…tempting. Rather than risk losing his wings, he leaves Frannie and Luc under the protection of her recently-acquired guardian angel.

Which would be fine, but Gabe is barely out the door before an assortment of demons appears—and they’re not leaving without dragging Luc back to Hell with them. Hell won’t give up and Heaven won’t give in. Frannie’s guardian exercises all the power he has to keep them away, but the demons are willing to hurt anyone close to Frannie in order to get what they want. It will take everything she has and then some to stay out of Hell’s grasp.

And not everyone will get out of it alive."

"Personal Demons", the first book in Lisa Desrochers' series of the same name, completely blew me away. It is a book that I know that I will come back to again and again and one that I will never tire of. However, I must admit that "Original Sin" didn't do as much for me as "Personal Demons" did- that is not to say that it is a bad book, it isn't- it is still better than the vast majority of YA paranormal books.

I think that why this book wasn't quite as successful as the previous is because where "Personal Demons" was entirely unique and truly marched to the beat of its own drum, this book seemed to more so follow the stereotypical YA storyline (ie. a seemingly perfect relationship does a complete 180 when somewhat random plot elements are thrown in for the sake of creating conflict). Furthermore, I felt that the new characters introduced in this book were a bit difficult to connect to (I am talking to you Lili, you sketchy-from-the-get-go-chick and you Matt, you-selfish-boy-who-blames-others-for-your-mistakes) when compared to the original book's characters.

Despite my criticisms I did grow to love the original characters more (well more so Luc and Frannie since Gabe made only a brief appearance at the end of the novel). While I had thought that Frannie had been totally kick-ass in the previous book, it was nothing when compared to this book- her continuously breaking out the Judo? Amazeballs! Ditto for her teaching it to Luc! As for Luc, believe it or not but he was even more so emotional in this book than the last (and as such, even more swoon-worthy).

All in all, while this book did not fully live up to my expectations I still believe it to be an amazing book. This book is a perfect combination of romance and (fast-paced) action/ adventure and I highly recommend it- especially to YA readers who are sick of sparkly vampires and underage werewolves ;). I cannot wait to see what Lisa has in store for us next!

Rating: 9.5/10

Memorable lines from the book:

"I thought that I had these human teenage hormones figured out" (pg. 101). 

"After seven thousand years, I thought that I knew all there was to know... I didn't know this was possible... I never imagined needing anything... anyone... so thoroughly. I... God, you're my everything" (pg. 116). 

"... but I can't have you. You belong with Luc" (pg, 290).

"Personal Demons" by Lisa Desrochers

From Goodreads: "Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She has spent years keeping everyone at a distance---even her closest friends---and it seems as if her senior year is going to be more of the same . . . until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can’t seem to stay away from him.

What she doesn’t know is that Luc is on a mission. He’s been sent from Hell itself to claim Frannie’s soul. It should be easy---all he has to do is get her to sin, and Luc is as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance. But he has to work fast, because if the infernals are after her, the celestials can’t be far behind. And sure enough, it’s not long before the angel Gabriel shows up, willing to do anything to keep Luc from getting what he came for. It isn’t long before they find themselves fighting for more than just Frannie’s soul.

But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay . . . for all of them."

While I had seen this book here and there in the blogosphere world for some silly reason I never had any inclination to read it, however when I saw Rachel's (of Fiktshun) glowing review of both it and its sequel a few weeks back I was convinced. And now after having read it, I can only shake my head at my earlier stupidity. This book exceeded all of my expectations and is hands down one of the most satisfying books I have read in quite some time. 

While this book possesses some characteristics that almost always drive me crazy when reading YA paranormal books (ie. love triangles, the female lead constantly playing with both boys hearts, a somewhat slutty best friend, etc.), I did not find that these bothered me one bit. Why? Because Lisa did everything in an entirely unique and un-cliched way. 

Frannie was such a well-developed character (unlike those mindless female leads which seem to pop-up in YA books more than I would like) and could hold her own (seriously, after reading about her kick-buttness I kinda want to study Judo). As for Luc? Well, I think that he is definitely up there with Jace, Dimitri, and Jay (and I must admit that typically I am all over angel-boys, so to like demon-boy more than angel-boy? Inconceivable!) . I love when male leads are unafraid to show their emotions and boy, was he full of them! 

If I had to pick one thing to criticize about this book it would have to be Gabe's personality. While he did have one, I personally didn't feel that it was quite as developed/ in-your-face as Luc's. I just had a bit of difficulties seeing why Frannie was so attracted to him when, in my opinion, he showed so little of himself.

All in all, this is by far the best YA book I have ever read that involves angels (and let me tell you, I have read quite a few. Angel obsession? You bet!). I cannot express to you how much I loved this book. You must read it (and once you start it I guarantee that it will only take you a few hours to finish because you will be unable to put it down!).

Rating: 10/ 10

Memorable lines from the book: 

"If I didn't know any better, I'd swear I feel a trickle of moisture evaporate into a puff of steam from the corner of my eye. What I'm sure I do feel is my brimstone heart break...  (pg. 208)" 

"That's what you are worried about? For the sin of Satan, Frannie, I am a demon" (pg. 237). 

"He thinks I don't know he's following me all the time. Me knows I want my life, and he's trying so hard to let me have it. I don't want to burst his bubble, so I don't say anything, but, really, I like knowing that he's there" (pg. 302).

Waiting on Wednesday

Title: "Radiant Desire"
Author: Inara Scott
Release Date: October 2011

From Goodreads: "The object of every man’s fantasy just lost her wings…

Kaia Verde is one of the four Faerie Handmaids of Zafira, Queen of the Fey. To redress an ancient wrong done to Zafira by a human king, the Handmaids make sport of mortal men, seducing and humiliating them.

When Kaia sets out to seduce Garrett Jameson, but ends up being the one surrendering to pleasure, Zafira is furious. Kaia’s punishment is simple: make Garrett fall in love with her by the summer solstice, then break his heart, or face eternity without her wings—or her soul. To make the task harder, Zafira tells Kaia she cannot use her faerie magic or charm to lure Garrett into her bed.

... and now she’s losing her heart…

Kaia thinks her task will be relatively easy—as a faerie, she understands lust, and can love be much different? But once she is living among the humans, Kaia discovers the race she once disparaged is far more complex and beautiful than she imagined. She learns before she can break Garrett’s heart, she must find a way to heal it. And eventually, discovers that losing her wings may be a far easier price to pay than losing her heart."

"Destined" by Morgan Rice

From Goodreads: "In DESTINED (Book #4 in the Vampire Journals), Caitlin Paine wakes to discover herself back in time. She finds herself in a cemetery, on the run from a mob of villagers, and seeks refuge in the ancient cloisters of Assisi, in the countryside of Umbria, Italy. There, she learns of her destiny and her mission: to find her father and the ancient vampire Shield needed to save mankind.

But Caitlin's heart still pines for her lost love: Caleb. She desperately needs to know if he has survived their trip back in time. She learns that her mission requires her to go to Florence, but if she wants to pursue matters of the heart, she must go to Venice. She chooses Venice. 

Caitlin is overwhelmed at what she finds. Venice of the eighteenth century is a surreal place, men and women dressed in elaborate costumes and masks, celebrating an endless, lavish party. She is thrilled to discover and reunite with some of her close friends, and to be welcomed back into their coven. And she is excited to join them in Venice's Grand Ball, the most important costume dance of the year, where she hopes, once again, to find Caleb. 

But Caitlin is not the only one who can travel back in time: Kyle soon arrives, too, and is determined to hunt her down and kill her once and for all. Sam, too, arrives, determined to save his sister before it is too late. 

At the Ball, Caitlin searches everywhere, and finds no sign of Caleb. That is, until the very last dance. She dances with a masked man who takes her heart away, and she feels certain that it is him. But as the partners change, she loses him again. Or does she? 

Caitlin soon finds herself torn between the two loves of her life, and discovers that she has to be careful what she wishes for. Her joy at finding what she wants might just come mixed with tragedy and heartbreak. 

In a climactic, action-packed ending, Caitlin finds herself up against true evil, Rome's ancient vampire coven, and the most powerful vampire coven that ever existed. Surviving will demand all her skills, as she finds herself battling for her very life. She will have to sacrifice more than ever, if she is to save the one she loves.... 

DESTINED is Book #4 in the Vampire Journals (following TURNED, LOVED and BETRAYED), and yet it also stands alone as a self-contained novel. DESTINED is over 60,000 words."

It should come as no surprise if you have seen my reviews of the previous books in this series ("Turned", "Loved", and "Betrayed") that once again I find myself conflicted as to how I feel about this book, the fourth book in the series. On the one hand I feel that the premise of the series is quite unique and unlike anything else in the world of YA vampire books, but on the other hand, inconsistencies in the writing and cliched characters frustrate me.

While I had been somewhat frustrated with the 'insta-love' that occurred in the earlier books and I had been somewhat frustrated with Caitlin as a whole, that frustration was nothing compared to what I felt in this book. One minute Caitlin was declaring her undying love for Caleb, the next she was in bed with Blake. One minute she was planning her future with Caleb and their unborn child, the next she was planning the same, though with Blake. One minute she was, well you get the picture... The girl is seriously more boy crazy than Aura was in Jerri-Smith Ready's "Shade" and "Shift" (and at least Logan and Zachary had extremely developed personalities/ some redeeming qualities, Caleb and Blake were basically the same character- quiet, stoic, etc.- save for their looks). And she lacks common sense. She jumps to conclusions (and the wrong ones at that) constantly and these conclusions always have dire consequences (ie. the death of a character, the loss of a relationship, etc.).

However, putting aside my aforementioned frustrations I did like the plot of this book more than any other book in the series. I found it to be similar to that of Lauren Kate's "Torment"- jumping through time and risking everything to save a love. Also, I loved the setting of this book -when I read books like Steph Perkin's "Anna and the French Kiss" or "Die for Me" by Amy Plum I find myself reliving my time spent in France- and that was definitely the case for this book (though in Florence), and as such, I do find it easier to connect to the book overall.

All in all, this series hasn't lived up to my expectations whatsoever. That is not to say that it is terrible series, because it isn't. I think that if you are looking for some really quick and fun reads then these books are perfect, however if you are looking for something a bit deeper or more adult then I wouldn't recommend them.   

Rating: 7.5/10

I received this book from the author to read and honestly review. I was not compensated in any way for said review.

On My Wishlist...

 

On My Wishlist is a great event that Book Chick City runs every Saturday. It's where you list all of the books that you desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. I thought that this was a fantabulous idea so I thought I would join in!
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"Desired" by Morgan Rice

From Goodreads: "In DESIRED (Book #5 in the Vampire Journals), Caitlin Paine wakes to discover that she has once again traveled back in time. This time, she has landed in eighteenth century Paris, an age of great opulence, of kings and queens—but also of revolution.

Reunited with her true love, Caleb, the two of them finally have the quiet, romantic time together that they never had. They spend idyllic time together in the city of Paris, visiting its most romantic sites, as their love grows ever deeper. Caitlin decides to give up the search for her father, so that she can savor this time and place, and spend her life with Caleb. Caleb takes her to his medieval castle, near the ocean, and Caitlin is happier than she ever dreamed.

But their idyllic time together is not destined to last forever, and events intercede that force the two of them apart. Caitlin once again finds herself united with Aiden and his coven, with Polly and with new friends, as she focuses again on her training, and on her mission. She is introduced to the lavish world of Versailles, and encounters outfits and opulence beyond what she ever dreamed. With never ending feasts and parties and concerts, Versailles is a world of its own. She is happily reunited with her bother Sam, who is also back in time, and having dreams of their father, too.

But all is not as well as it seems. Kyle has traveled back in time, too—this time, with his evil sidekick, Sergei—and he is more determined than ever to kill Caitlin. And Sam and Polly each fall ever deeper into toxic relationships, which just might threaten to destroy everything around them.

As Caitlin becomes a true and hardened warrior, she comes closer than ever to finding her father, and the mythical Shield. The climactic, action-packed ending, takes Caitlin through a whirlwind of Paris’ most important medieval locations, on a hunt for clues. But surviving this time will demand skills she never dreamed she had. And reuniting with Caleb will require her to make the hardest choices—and sacrifices—of her life.

DESIRED is Book #5 in the Vampire Journals (following TURNED, LOVED, BETRAYED and DESTINED), and yet it also stands alone as a self-contained novel. DESIRED is 70,000 words."

"Betrayed" by Morgan Rice

From Goodreads: "In BETRAYED (Book #3 in the Vampire Journals), Caitlin Paine awakes from a deep coma to discover she has been turned. Now a true, full-bred vampire, she marvels at her new powers, including her ability to fly, and her superhuman strength. She finds that her true love, Caleb, is still by her side, waiting patiently for her to recover. She has everything she could dream of.

Until it all, suddenly, goes terribly wrong.

Caitlin is horrified to discover Caleb with his ex-wife, Sera, and before Caleb has a chance to explain, Caitlin tells him to leave. Heartbroken, confused, Caitlin wants to curl up and die, her only consolation being in her wolf-pup Rose.

Caitlin also finds consolation in her new surroundings. She finds she has been placed on a hidden island in the Hudson River—Pollepel—amidst an elite coven of teenage vampires, boys and girls alike, 24 in all, including her. She learns that this is a place for outcasts, just like her, and as she meets her new best friend, Polly, and begins her training in elite vampire combat, she realizes that she might finally have a place to call home.

But a major vampire war is looming, and her brother Sam is still out there, kidnapped by Samantha. The evil Kyle, too, now wielding the mythical Sword, is still on the warpath, and he will stop at nothing to wipe out New York. Caitlin, despite her new home, and despite her finding a new love interest in the elusive vampire Blake, knows that she can only stay on this island for so long before her destiny calls. After all, she is still the One, and all eyes still look to her to find her father and the other weapon that might save them all.

Torn between her new friends and her lingering feelings for Caleb, she must come to decide where her true loyalties lie, and whether she is willing to risk it all to try to find Caleb and have him in her life once again….

BETRAYED is Book #3 in the Vampire Journals (following TURNED and LOVED), and yet it also stands alone as a self-contained novel. BETRAYED is over 60,000 words."

Much like with the second book in this series, "Loved", I find myself conflicted about how I truly feel about it. On the one hand I found myself enjoying the (majority of) characters much more in this book than I had in the earlier books (seriously, I never thought that I would find myself sympathizing, let almost actually like Sera, Caitlin's nemesis/ Caleb's ex, but I did- nor did I ever expect to find myself liking Sam once again). However, on the other hand, I found the plot of this book to be be cliched, and dare I say it, "Twilight"-esque (I absolutely hate playing the "Twilight" card, but what transpires at the end of this book is totally reminiscent of "Breaking Dawn"), while in the earlier books the plot had, in my opinion, been quite unique.

As mentioned, I found myself liking the majority of characters much more in this book than the others, however, Caitlin was not one of them. In my review of "Turned" I stated that I believed that Caitlin had the potential to be a really kick-ass female character, much like Merit, Dru, or Rose, however, after having read this book I know that she can never hold her own against those females. Much of what she does she does without any thought (and not even like "Vampire Academy's" Rose who says things without giving them any thought and kicks herself later for it), Caitlin seriously does things with NO. THOUGHT. AT. ALL. (and usually she gives no thought at all to the stupidest/ most common sense things ever- ie. leaving the sword behind, the sword which has the power to basically humankind/ vampirekind FOREVER).

Furthermore, insta-love (or close to it) happens once again in this book (and while I could have maybe accepted it had it been between two newly introduced characters it wasn't. It was between Caitlin and Blake- basically they lock eyes at a distance and she cannot get him out of his mind, even though she is in love with Caleb).  

All in all, I do think that this book's premise does fall a bit flat, however, I am hoping that the series will be able to regain its stride in the next book of the series, "Destined".

Rating: 6.5/10

I received this book from the author to read and honestly review. I was not compensated in any way for said review.