ARC, 35 pages
Release Date: June 9, 2015Published by: Delacorte PressThe Stars Never Rise, #1Source: #RTDallas 2015For fans of: Religion, Demons, Paranormal, Sparkly Covers, YA
Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she’s too busy trying to actually survive. Her town’s population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago.
When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she’ll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie’s sin has put her in serious trouble.
To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie?
Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can’t survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.
*MY THOUGHTS*
I have to say, this is one of those books where I’m the black sheep. I was definitely left thinking “Maybe I read the book wrong?” Because I LOVE Rachel Vincent and anything paranormal wise. I just hate I was the only one that was less than impressed with this one.
“So what if deception was a sin? You can’t get convicted if you don’t get caught.“
pg. 4
Nina Kane’s entire city is being over run by demons trying to take the souls of every living person. Because of this, New Temperance is going through a shortage of much more than just souls. Nina’s family is poor and she has to do anything she can for her and her sister to survive. But then Nina finds out that Melanie is keeping one huge secret from her. One that can be punishable with death. But then Finn comes along and Nina is opened up to a world she never even knew about.
“Everything worth doing is a sin.“
pg. 27
I decided that I wanted to read this back in 2013, before it even had a synopsis. But then even when it did, the original didn’t say much about “the Church” and all the religion it had. (I think it had one mention of it when the ENTIRE book is about it.) I know because if it did, I probably would have taken it off my TBR and saved myself a low rating of an author I loved. But with all the religion, it took away the coolness factor for me. Why? Because it’s been done so much before, it just got boring to me. It just wasn’t something I would’ve picked to read.
“Strange how life just laughs in your face, isn’t it?“
pg. 92
The only thing that kept me from DNF-ing was the fact that it still had that amazing author tone from Rachel Vincent. Her writing style is still the same and regardless of me not liking the subject, I was still in love with her writing style, descriptions, and her ability to make every ending to a chapter a “cliff-hanger.” It made me want to continue the book and not think about the subject I didn’t like.
“I feel like my life is a book, and someone turned the page before I was ready, and now I can’t follow the story.“
pg. 119
Even though for most of the book I just wanted to be finished, I wanted to finish giving it a try because I felt like I owed it to Vincent since she is one of my favorite authors. Will I read the sequel?I’m not sure I will, but I will be able to say I tried reading this one, but it just wasn’t for me.
Oh bummer. I get what you mean about not enjoying it, but that's still sad to hear! I love Rachel Vincent as well and still need to read this one! I'm looking forward to it, though I too tire of the Church always being some lead factor/bad guy or whatever. Still, very nice review!
Rachel still has another release this year, so maybe that one will be more your style!
Aw sorry this one wasn't a winner for you Nikki. I know the big bad evil church trope has been overdone but I'm still drawn to it! Thanks for your honesty
Oh no!! I was really hopin to love this one! I'm about to read her Menagerie so I'm hoping to love that as well. Can't win them all so it's okay.
❤️Britt @ please feed the bookworm