The Flame Never Dies by Rachel Vincent

Series: Well of Souls (bk. 2) Duology likely, final book

Genera(s): Dystopian/Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Subjects: supernatural, demons, demonology, exorcists, abilities, magic, souls, possession

Setting: Badlands of Oklahoma?, Kansas, Colorado

POV/Tense: 1st person, past tense: Nina Kane

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 342 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Summary/ product description: “Nina Kane was born to be an exorcist. And since uncovering the horrifying truth—that the war against demons is far from over—seventeen-year-old Nina and her pregnant younger sister, Mellie, have been on the run, incinerating the remains of the demon horde as they go.

In the badlands, Nina, Mellie, and Finn, the fugitive and rogue exorcist who saved her life, find allies in a group of freedom fighters. They also face a new threat: Pandemonia, a city full of demons. But this fresh new hell is the least of Nina’s worries. The well of souls ran dry more than a century ago, drained by the demons secretly living among humans, and without a donor soul, Mellie’s child will die within hours of its birth.

Nina isn’t about to let that happen…even if it means she has to make the ultimate sacrifice.”

My Review:  The Flame Never Dies is the sequel to The Stars Never Rise. The author had said this is a duology, so I guess this was the final book. I feel like this series could have been longer. The author’s Soul Screamers series lasted seven books, but a trilogy would have been nice at least.

If you have not read this series I recommend it to those who enjoyed The Demon Trapper’s Daughter series, Incarnate by Jodi Meadows, Unbreakable by Kami Garcia and urban fantasy books.

It’s written in first person point of view and the main character Nina Kane is a natural born exorcist. She can send demons back to Hell with the holy fire she can conjure from her hands. Demon eat the souls of those they posses and when exorcised the host body dies because there is nothing to occupy the body and there’s a bid burning hole in the chest. If a demon is in a body too long it starts to degenerate and become twisted. If you have not read the first book, then spoilers are ahead.

Nina, Melanie, Maddox, Finn, Devi, Reese, Grayson, and Anabelle are in the badlands (not the South Dakota one, but Oklahoma or Kansas) trying to survive, hiding from the Church. In the previous book Nina discovered the Church was ran by demons and that her mother was a demon possessing a human body. Nina is public enemy number one and a demon named Kastor wants her as a host.

Finn, a soul who doesn’t have a corporeal form, is possessing a guard temporarily. Nina is in love with Finn, no matter what body he’s in. Melanie is still pregnant and due in about a month, and since souls are hard to come by, it’s possible the baby won’t last an hour after it’s born. Nina plans on sacrificing her own soul for the baby if it comes to it.

The something unexpected happens that changes everything and sets Nina on a course for revenge and for an even more meaningful sacrifice. Can she and her friends save humanity from the demons who are destroying it?

So, this was a great sequel. I wish it was longer or that there was a third book. I really love it when there’s an interesting cast of characters, but I feel like some of them were under-used. I wanted more dialogue from them. And I wanted more romance. Despite that, it was a good sequel. Action and paranormal stuff and cool discoveries and scary twists. I enjoy the way Rachel Vincent writes. She has complex narrators that face terrible dilemmas, interesting love interests (both Todd and Finn were incorporeal most of the time), interesting world building and humor. I will miss the characters.

There was a moment I considered this being set in the same world as Soul Screamers, but in the future and that the demons were hellions, since both could posses people, but the demons in this book don’t have a natural shape in Hell, and the hellions did in the Netherworld. So that theory didn’t last long.

Cover Art Review: Beautiful cover. Too bad it’s not metallic. I love the feather, but there are no angels in this book. The title treatment is cool.

Riders by Veronica Rossi

Series: Riders Duology (bk. 1)

Genera(s): Paranormal Romance/Thriller

Subjects: supernatural, demons, angels, magic, horses, apocalypse

Setting: California, Rome, Italy, Norway

POV/Tense: 1^st person POV, past tense: Gideon Blake

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 362 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: Macmillan: TorTeen

Summary/ product description: “Nothing but death can keep eighteen-year-old Gideon Blake from achieving his goal of becoming a U.S. Army Ranger. As it turns out, it does.

While recovering from the accident that most definitely killed him, Gideon finds himself with strange new powers and a bizarre cuff he can’t remove. His death has brought to life his real destiny. He has become War, one of the legendary four horsemen of the apocalypse.

Over the coming weeks, he and the other horsemen—Conquest, Famine, and Death—are brought together by a beautiful but frustratingly secretive girl to help save humanity from an ancient evil on the emergence.

They fail.

Now—bound, bloodied, and drugged—Gideon is interrogated by the authorities about his role in a battle that has become an international incident. If he stands any chance of saving his friends and the girl he’s fallen for—not to mention all of humankind—he needs to convince the skeptical government officials the world is in imminent danger.

But will anyone believe him?”

My Review:  Riders is a pretty good series opener. The beginning of the book starts weeks after the fact, and Gideon is telling his story to a woman named Natalie Cordero, who’s possibly a psychologist or interrogator with a government agency. There are some interruptions when she asks him questions. She seems skeptical of his story, but also seems to put on an act of believing him.

Gideon was training for the army to be in the 75^th Ranger Regimen. He has an accident on his 6^th time parachuting and almost dies. He wakes up with a strange red metallic bracelet on his wrist. He’s healing from his injuries mysteriously fast. He goes to a party at his sister’s college and meets a girl that tells him he has to come with her. This girl is Daryn, and claims that she is a Seeker in search of the current incarnations of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, and tells Gideon that he’s War.

Gideon’s in disbelief even after being attacked by the Kindred at the party. They travel across California to find Famine and Death, and eventually Conquest, who’s in Europe. Along the way, they try their best to evade the Kindred, but still some attacks occur. Also the horsemen don’t all get along. Gideon’s got quite the temper sometimes. My favorite character is probably Sebastian (Bas). He’s such a nice guy, doesn’t want to fight. He had dreams of being a famous actor, and Gideon actually met him during Bas’s audition. There’s some romance between Daryn and Gideon. Daryn seems like a cool girl and reminds me of other female characters I’ve read.

I love the horses. I didn’t expect that there would be horses. I thought “horsemen” would just be a title with no actual horses involved. But there are horses! Gideon’s horse is a fiery red stallion. This horse has real flames for its mane and tail, like Ponyta & Rapidash from Pokémon. Also it makes me think of Ghost Rider. Bas’s mare is dark and shadowy, but beautiful. There’s Death’s pale horse, an ashy mare. And Conquest’s glowing white horse. I like the names they each come up with for their horses too.

This was pretty exciting. Can’t wait to see how it ends in the sequel-finale. I recommend this to people who enjoy shows like Supernatural or Messengers (which was cancelled after 1 season) or Constantine. Also fans of paranormal book in general. If you like horses, too.

Cover Art Review: Cool fiery horse!!! Really awesome cover.

Heaven by Alexandra Adornetto

Series: Halo (bk. 3)

Genera(s): Paranormal Romance

Subjects: angels, demons, supernatural, magic, love, college

Setting: Venus Cove, Georgia and Oxford, Mississippi and Heaven

POV/Tense: 1^st person POV, past tense: Bethany

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 417 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover originally, now in Paperback

List Price: $9.99

Publisher: Macmillian: Feiwel & Friends

Summary/ product description: “Heaven must be missing an angel....

The angel Bethany and her mortal love, Xavier, have already pushed the boundaries of Heaven with their relationship. In this conclusion to the Halo trilogy, the two take their love to the next, forbidden, step: They marry.

At a time when they believe nothing will come between them again, they are faced with their most daunting challenge yet: the Sevens, a military order of angels designed to maintain balance in the universe. These soldiers won't stop until their job is done - capture the wayward angel and send her home.

Secrets, exile, and unexpected allies flavor the rest of this intense love story and adventure.

Beth discovers there is only one way back to earth, but the cost is higher than she - and readers - ever imagined. If she can survive, she can prove to Heaven and Earth that there is nothing stronger than the power of love.”

My Review:  I loved this series and now I finally completed it. I feel kind of sad. I’ve been trying to complete all these angel series I’ve loved. Bethany has come a long way. She and Xavier get married and some terrible things start happening. Heaven apparently doesn’t approve of their relationship and there are these warriors that Beth knows as the Sevens a.k.a. the Principalities, who are after them.

Ivy and Gabriel try to hide Beth and Xav, but decide maybe hiding in a crowd is the best option. So, they send Bethany and Xavier to Ole Miss, a university in Mississippi under the guise of brother instead of husband and wife. Things get completed and Beth and Xav try hard to keep their relationship private. Girls are fawning over Xav, including Beth’s roommate, and Beth’s feeling a bit jealous. Beth’s friend Molly appear and she may be in an unhealthy relationship with a super religious guy.

I really enjoyed this book because Bethany stopped feeling like a mary-sue character. In Hades she starts to show some fire, and in Heaven she really seems like more of a fighter. She seemed like a dreamy, love-everyone and be nice kind of girl before. She is guardian angel, after all. Bethany feels more human than ever now.

I love Xavier of course. He’s sweet and has a good sense of humor. He may now be a cowboy, but he is a southern gentle man. He reminds me of Ethan Wate from Beautiful Creatures. If only we got to read from his point-of-view. He found out some things in this book. He had his own self-discovery moments, just like Bethany did.

The Halo series will forever be one of my favorite angel/paranormal series. I still like Unearthly and Hush, Hush more, but I think I liked this better than Fallen. It felt very religious toned or preachy at times, but the story itself is about love. It’s a romance, possibly a Romeo-Juliet kind of romance. If you are a strong Christian though, this book series isn’t offensive in anyway. If you haven’t read the Halo series, you should give it a shot.

Cover Art Review: Beautiful. I love the heart their arms make around the sunlight. It has an uncanny resemblance to Australia, if flipped upside-down and horizontally mirrored. The author in from Australia originally, so maybe this isn’t an accident.