 | Title: Devil’s Kiss Excerpt: Yes
 Kissing. References to teen pregnancy
Okay – Somewhat disappointing with significant flaws. Library/swap/borrow if you want. |
Description
As the youngest and only female member of the Knights Templar,Bilquis SanGreal grew up knowing she wasn't normal. Instead of hanging out at the mall or going on dates, she spends her time training as a soldier in her order's ancient battle against the Unholy.
Billi's cloistered life is blasted apart when her childhood friend, Kay, returns from Jerusalem, gorgeous and with a dangerous chip on his shoulder.He's ready to reclaim his place in Billi's life, but she's met someone new: amber-eyed Michael, who seems to understand her like no one else, effortlessly claiming a stake in her heart.But the Templars are called to duty before Billi can enjoy the pleasant new twist to her life.
One of the order's ancient enemies has resurfaced,searching for a treasure that the Templars have protected for hundreds of years -- a cursed mirror powerful enough to kill all of London's firstborn. To save her city from catastrophe, Billi will have to put her heart aside and make sacrifices greater than any of the Templars could have imagined
Review
This book is not at all what I expected. The cover is the first thing that threw me. It’s beautiful, but I assumed that DEVIL’S KISS was a historical YA. It’s not. Why they have Billi dressed like that I have no idea. This is a Paranormal YA set in modern day England.
After hearing about the premise for this book, which involves the only female member of the dwindling Knights Templar and their never ending war against the Unholy (vampires, ghosts, fallen angels etc.), I expected DEVIL’S KISS to be a slam dunk favorite. I love it when an author draws from relatively untapped sources for their worlds and gives us a fresh mythology to play with. And it was apparent from the first page that the writing was excellent. Unfortunately, those were the only two things that worked for me in this book.
My overall disappointment with DEVIL’S KISS is largely due to the main character. Billi is just not sympathetic, and given her life, she should be. Her mother was murdered, her father is at best indifferent to her, she has no choice in the life she must live, and she can never indulge in normal teenage frivolity. But apart from the opening scene where she is undergoing her final Ordeal to become a Templar, I didn’t ever sympathize with her. She’s too hard, jaded and sulky for most of the book.
Then there’s the story itself. The description implies a heavy romantic subplot that barely registers in the book. The character of Michael doesn’t show up until the second half, and the romantic tension between Billi and Kay is about as compelling as a phone book. I did like the semi surprise twist at the end, and I always appreciate it when an author makes hard choices for their characters, but this was just not the story I wanted it to be.
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While I felt very similar to the way you did about this first book, I really did enjoy the second.
ReplyDeleteCari - I wish I could say the same.
ReplyDeleteTara - My review will be up on Sat, but I didn't like it much better than this one.
man...i love this cover...shame its a dud
ReplyDelete