ARC Review: Original Sin

Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers
Release Date: July 05, 2011
Published By: Tor Teen
Pages: 398, Paperback
Young Adult
Source: Author (won!) + in exchange for an honest review
Overall: Fabulous!
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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.

This review may contain minor spoilers or story line indication for Personal Demons, book number 1 in this trilogy.

My Thoughts:

Told from three points of view we are reintroduced to Frannie, Luc and Gabriel in Original Sin.  Though I must warn you the three points of view are not that of Frannie, Luc and Gabriel.  The main of the plot is still the same but this time, keep Frannie's soul from being tagged for Hell, and it is layered with several layers of emotions, action and obstacles. I knew there had to be some new situations where Frannie, Luc and Gabriel were concerned but I had no clue that it would be in the form of demons coming out in small but extremely strong and persuasive numbers messing with more than just Frannie.  It seems as if none of our characters went untouched this time around.    

Frannie, our main character who is wanted by both Heaven and Hell, is still the kick-ass, strong willed object she was in Personal Demons.  While I love how strong Frannie is and commend her on her ability to literally kick butt and handle situations beyond her wildest dreams, it seems as if Frannie has become more of an object in this book being tossed between Luc and Gaberiel once again.  While Frannie's love did big things for Luc, literally changing him, I wish her heart would choose between Luc and Gabriel...well more than she has already claimed she has.  It is only book two and I'm already tired of her flip flopping.  She's in love with and lusting over Luc when she's with him but the moment she's with Gabriel her heart is pounding for him and she is lusting just the same.  Her emotions are tiring and slightly contradictory when it comes the two guys.  While I think Frannie is a great main character her indecision and what it is doing to others is slowing wearing on me.  We can only hope Lisa Desrochers doesn't leaving us hanging at the end of book three and all of our love-triangle-woes and put to rest.

Luc is still Luc despite his transformation in Original Sin.  I get the excitement and swooning over Luc's new-found salvation and freedom from his previous life, although he truly never is free of his past, but his true colors do end up showing in Original Sin and I'm glad for that.  I understood the situation for what it was and to Luc's defense not everything is at it seems but even I saw through the situation before we were given much detail about it.  It is still up in the air for me about whether Luc's loyalty is something anyone has beyond Luc himself.  I'm not sure where all of my reluctance comes from regarding look but despite it all and his bad boy image and inability to trust him, especially after Original Sin's ending, I still am able to see through to his personal growth and the heart that he does have even if it is slightly tarnished and bent a little.  I guess though, for a demon, or a was-demon, or a gonna-be-demon (again) that he does pretty well protecting Frannie and attempting to put her best interest at heart.

The story isn't complete without Gabriel.  Gabriel takes a back seat during most of Original Sin.  It is all just too much to bear for him which I totally agree with.  Frannie is stringing the guys along and when you have a heart like Gabriel's I can't imagine it is easy to watch the girl you love throw herself into the arms of a demon, let alone a guy that even if he were a mere mortal he would still be considered a demon by most the population.  In my opinion Gabriel is still the same as he was in Personal Demons but slightly more mature and more considerate and level headed than Frannie and Luc put together.  I'm definitely hoping Gabriel is more of a fixture in the upcoming last book.  For some reason I related to Gabriel the most out of the characters and I am not a guy nor an angel.  I think everyone has their one favorite character and so far Gabriel hasn't given me reason to take the title away from him despite not getting much from him this go around.

To touch on the plot of Original Sin, while it was action packed and at times would make your heart skip a beat, or two, it was slightly predictable where the biblical references came in.  Despite the predictability it didn't seem to deflate the impact that the twists and turns of the story had on me.  I was still clutching the pages tight, reluctant to look up from the book and definitely not wanting to put it down until the end.  

Biblical based or not, Lisa Desrochers' has an ability to make a story her own and with Original Sin, like Personal Demons, she did just that.  Lots of times when I read a story with an angel named Gabriel they all seem to morph into one character that hops from book to book but in the case of the Lisa Desrochers' books that just isn't the case.  The pace, although fast, was pretty consistent as well was the writing.

There is one thing about series books that I really do not enjoy and that comes in the form of cliffhangers.  Sometimes I wish that a book would tie up nicely leaving me satisfied yet wanting more.  Unfortunately with Original Sin that is not the case.  We aren't just faced with any cliff hanger, we are faced with a story changing cliff hanger of the biggest sort, twice over, which deserves several reads while you attempt to digest and understand what you just read.  There was absolutely no way after leaving me hanging the way Lisa Desrochers did that I am letting her off of the hook.  I am expecting full on fabulousness from the next book.  With or without the the cliffhanger there really is no way of expecting anything less though after Original Sin.  

Overall, Original Sin is sinfully fabulous making the Personal Demons series one I think just about everyone would enjoy.  It definitely has a little bit of everything for everyone and it has me anxiously anticipating book number three, the last book in the trilogy.  Fast paced and writing that accurately captures the teen voice (especially that of the ever wavering emotions,) and action packed, Original Sin is a great follow up to Personal Demons, one that is a definite must read.

Purchase:
Personal Demons | Amazon |
Original Sin | Amazon |

Review: Anna Dressed in Blood

Anna Dressed in Blood
Kendra Blake
Release Date: August 30, 2011
Publisher: Tor Teen
Young Adult, Hardcover, 316 pages
Source: Kismet Book Tours + Publisher
Overall: Flippin Fabulous!
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Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.
When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.
But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.   Via Goodreads

My Thoughts:


Non-stop action.  Love.  Vengeance.  Ghosts and things that go bite in the night.  Anna Dressed in blood is a brilliantly painted tale of Cas a ghost hunter, Anna a revengeful ghost with a story, and everything that made them who they are.  Anna Dressed in Blood is a story that fully embodies everyone in the tale and will amaze you with its descriptive detail.

I can't remember the last time when I read a book with a protagonist like Cas.  His whole persona was a perfect mixture of witty and strong with a slightly vulnerable edge.  Usually when I come across male main characters their voice isn't very believable or they are beyond cocky with a head bigger than their body.  It was nice following a kick-butt character like Cas around.  His opening scene had me giggling then immediately gasping.  I was able to see what kind of potential Cas held all the while seeing who he really was. I think it is safe to say if I were a ghost I definitely wouldn't want to cross paths with Cas, I might just be heart broken to have finally found someone to listen to me then take me out just as quick.

Anna, our other main character albeit a ghost, was a little more complicated than Cas.  While her intentions were as clear as day there was still a part of her, a reviving quality, that made her not the monster I expected her to be.  Not to mention, she isn't what Cas fully expected either.  He knows who she is, knows what she does, yet there is that quality about her that makes it impossible to look away.  She is a mystery worth solving and worth risking.


Anna and Cas aren't the only characters that built their story.  Our secondary cast of characters all had their moments and their purpose. Thomas.  Carmel.  Morfan.  Cas' mom.  Cas' dad.  Will.  Mike.  They all played a part and had a story of their own which added to the tightly woven threads that brought Anna and Cas together.  Some were likable and others not so much.  The back story of Cas' parents also built this story up and shed light onto the story of what drove Cas, where his passion came from.

Kendare Blake told a fabulously brillant story of love and friendship paired with the chilling truths of loss and revenge.  I can't forget to mention the witty tone of humor that Kendare Blake laced throughout Anna's story that had me giggling even in the most stressful of times.  


If you want to try your hands at a hauntingly creepy tale I suggest you pick up Anna Dressed in Blood.  It is definitely a book worth reading even if it is slightly out of your comfort zone and slightly on the horrific side. It truly is unputadownable and completely re-readable.  


Don't forget to check out my Anna Dressed in Blood Blog Tour post on Tuesday, September 13 to find out more about Anna and have your chance of winning a Kindle3 WiFi complete with Anna Dressed in Blood skin and book.