Torment by Lauren Kate

Synopsis:
How many lives do you need to live before you find someone worth dying for? In the aftermath of what happened at Sword & Cross, Luce has been hidden away by her cursed angelic boyfriend, Daniel, in a new school filled with Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans. Daniel promises she will be safe here, protected from those who would kill her. At the school Luce discovers what the Shadows that have followed her all her life mean - and how to manipulate them to see into her other lives. Yet the more Luce learns about herself, the more she realizes that the past is her only key to unlocking her future...and that Daniel hasn't told her everything. What if his version of the past isn't actually the way things happened...what if Luce was really meant to be with someone else?

My Review:

Loved it! Can we talk about how beautiful the cover is?! I just have to give credit to the cover artist because this one is amazing! The colors and the lighting are just breathe-taking!

This story takes place in California instead of Georgia with Luce attending a new school which is home to both Nephilim and humans and I like that we get a change of scenery. We are introduced to a cast of new characters along with old friends also making an appearance which I loved because I got attached to previous characters. Luce’s roommate Shelby cracked me up with her sarcasm and care-free attitude and I love that she was equally as strong as Luce and not afraid to say what she thinks. I am interested to find out what happened between Shelby and Daniel to make her so afraid of him. We also get an opportunity to see Luce develop her powers with the shadows which are called “The Announcers” which allow her to glimpse some of her past lives.

I will say the second book was not as good as the first one but I feel it was still entertaining and integral to the development of the plot and characters. Luce has strong connection with Daniel that she can’t explain so she also questions her relationship with Daniel because at this point it’s been a famous and epic romance that Luce thinks is right but has no memories to base it off of. I hated it when Daniel would not tell Luce anything about what’s going on with the war and loved her when Luce challenged him about it. I like that Luce is a strong female and does not wait for Daniel to finally decide to tell her what is going on but goes and finds the answers for herself. I think she can handle more than he gives her credit for but I also understand he is treading through waters he is not familiar with since Luce has never survived past age 17.

Either way I can’t wait for book 3 “Passion” to come out next to find out what happens with the war and of course Luce and Daniel! Read it!

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Synopsis:Seventeen-Year-Old Luce is a new student at Sword & Cross, an unwelcoming boarding/reform school in Savannah, Georgia. Luce’s boyfriend died under suspicious circumstances, and now she carries the guilt over his death with her as she navigates the unfriendly halls at Sword & Cross, where every student seems to have an unpleasant—even evil—history.

It’s only when she sees Daniel, a gorgeous fellow student, that Luce feels there’s a reason to be here—though she doesn’t know what it is. And Daniel’s frosty cold demeanor toward her?

"What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours?"

My Review:
Wow, I mean wow! When I first opened this book and began reading the first few chapters I had no idea where the story was going. We meet Lucinda (Luce) who is plopped into reform school which was an interesting setting I thought. Then you meet the cast of colorful characters which I fell in love with because every one of them had a different quirk and personality and seemed confident and strong. Then we meet Daniel who, like the main character Luce, has you in the palm of his hand with the way he stares at Luce and the things he says to her. Then he suddenly acts cold and aloof sending you in the other direction wondering what you ever did wrong yet you still want to be with him. I felt like I connected to Luce and loved that Lauren Kate did not rush through the story to the action and has a gift for subtle build-up. After I finished I wanted to turn back to the beginning and start all over again because I did not want the story and the feeling I got when I read it to end.

There were many times I laughed out loud and found myself smiling like an idiot at some of the things the characters would say. The pacing was great and I loved the storyline and the fact that it’s about angels and mythology, forbidden love, and friendship. Angles will be the next heroes to emerge from the Vampire era, mark my words.

I read this book in 33 hours counting the five hours of restless sleep and all the other things I have to get accomplished during the day. I say restless sleep because I kept dreaming about this book and had to wake up early to continue reading. The fastest read I have ever completed a book was in 30 hours so that is saying something about “Fallen.” This is one of my all time favorite books and I can’t wait until the sequel “Torment” comes out later this year (Ironic title, right?)!!!