 | Title: Original Sin
Sexual Content: Kissing. Scenes of heterosexual and homosexual sensuality. Non graphic sex scene. Pervasive sexual dialog and references. References to rape. Rating:
Okay – A few good points, but with significant flaws. Library/swap/borrow if you want. |
Description
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.
Review
I want to preface this review by saying that I loved PERSONAL DEMONS, the first book in this series. I thought it was deeply romantic and I loved the dichotomy between angel Gabe and demon Luc and how their love for Frannie manifested itself so differently depending on their nature. I even loved how torn Frannie was between them. But ORIGINAL SIN is like a completely different animal, one that I think may need to be put down.
The first half of ORIGINAL SIN is a good, if not great, follow up to PERSONAL DEMONS. Frannie, Luc, and Gabe are still trapped in a rather unconventional love triangle. Frannie has chosen Luc, but part of her still longs for Gabe. Both guys love Frannie, but think—for different reasons—that she’s better off with the other guy. Added into the mix this time is Frannie’s twin brother turned guardian angel Matt. He’s been assigned to protect her from the demons who still want to tag her soul for Hell.
The POVs shift from Luc to Frannie to Matt and in the beginning this works. Matt even gets his own potential romance and has to struggle with what he may loose—his wings—if he pursues it. The same highs and lows from the first book carry over at first. The romantic elements are still strong as is the writing, but the other female characters are likewise still embarrassingly catty and in full blown slut mode 24/7.
But in the second half of the book, the tone, the plot, and the characters all shift into something unsettling and ugly. There are a number of ‘ick’ moments one in particular involving a girl having sex with a father, son, and nearly with a daughter from the same family. A number of situations that could be construed as rape. And several other ugly sexual situations involving teenagers. The sexual content in ORIGINAL SIN is never graphic but it is pervasive both in description and dialogue with several crude innuendos. It’s a far cry from the very sexy, but still romantic vibe from PERSONAL DEMONS.
I also lost my patience with Frannie. She waffles from Luc to Gabe and back again one too many times for my taste. Her behavior with Gabe is especially rankling as he tells her constantly that if she pursues him sexually, he’ll loose his wings but she is literally on him every second they are alone reaching for the button on his jeans until he has to plead with her to stop. And then just pages later it’s almost the exact situation with Luc. How am I supposed to respect a character like that?
I’m so disappointed by how much of a departure ORIGINAL SIN is from PERSONAL DEMONS. I still enjoyed Lisa’s expressive writing and the first half of this book is good with the same passionate romance that made the debut a favorite from last year, it’s the second half that I wish I could unread. The third book in the Personal Demons series is called HELLBENT and will be published in May 2012. I hope it’s more like this first book than this follow-up.
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I haven't read the first book of this series but I do have it on my wishlist. It's a shame this one doesn't live up to the first. Thanks for sharing an honest review.
ReplyDeleteTasha @ A Trillian Books xoxo
I have to confess that after months of excitedly waiting for Personal Demons to be released I was so let down by it. I persevered and read it until the end, but hated it. My problems were the ones you enumerated in your review of Book #2, I found Frannie, despite being a "good Catholic girl" behaving like the worst slut. There is difference between being hormonal and being attracted to two guys at the same time and the way she behaved. I disliked book #1 so much that I knew I wouldn't read book #2, I'm relieved to see I didn't miss much. I'm sorry for your disappointment, it is so frustrating to ahve a sequel disappoint you after you loved the first book :-(
ReplyDeleteTasha - I still think the first book is worth reading. Especially if you enjoy angel/demon YA.
ReplyDeleteStella - I know others felt that way about book #1, but I still enjoyed it overall. Book #2 however made all those issues much more glaring.
I'm just finishing the first one and based on my impressions, and on your review of the second book, I don't know if I want to read book 2 or not. I already found Frannie's waffling between the guys annoying, and though I think the author has a voice that's really easy to read, I don't know that it's enough for me.
ReplyDeleteKay - I enjoyed book one despite the waffling, but if it bothered you in PD, it will drive you mad in OS.
ReplyDelete