Book Nerds Across America

Jacque's Review:

Hell on earth.

That’s what it’s like for Luce to be apart from her fallen angel boyfriend, Daniel.

It took them an eternity to find one another, but now he has told her he must go away. Just long enough to hunt down the Outcasts—immortals who want to kill Luce. Daniel hides Luce at Shoreline, a school on the rocky California coast with unusually gifted students: Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans.

At Shoreline, Luce learns what the Shadows are, and how she can use them as windows to her previous lives. Yet the more Luce learns, the more she suspects that Daniel hasn’t told her everything. He’s hiding something—something dangerous.

What if Daniel’s version of the past isn’t actually true? What if Luce is really meant to be with someone else?

The second novel in the addictive FALLEN series . . . where love never dies. (Goodreads Overview)

I wasn't planning on reading Torment this soon, but I had an unplanned 16 hour drive to Florida due to the cancellation of my flight.  I decided I needed something to listen to for the drive.  I'm not usually one for audio books, but I listened to Fallen while on a road trip and really enjoyed the narration.  I was nervous about this selection since Flo was lukewarm on the book, but I actually enjoyed it even more than Fallen. 

Torment starts out pretty much where Fallen left off.  Daniel and Cam made a truce and decide to hide Luce at a protected school for Nephilim children in California.  This is actually a HUGE improvement from her last school.  Luce's teachers are angels and demons and the classes are related to their LONG history, which Luce has been trying to learn on her own.  She learns how to manipulate the shadows and can even see glimpses into scenes from her past lives.  The more she learns, the more she becomes confused about her feelings for Daniel and how their love has effected so many of her past families. 

There was a lot more action in this book and we learned considerably more about the history of the war and how all of the characters fit into the equation.  The love story is still verging on non existent since Daniel and Cam are off fighting the majority of the book.  This leaves Luce to consider what a relationship with a "normal boy" would be like....all be it a Nephilim boy named Miles.  She enjoys the every day interactions they have along with the fact that a relationship with him would not hurt her family and friends like her relationship with Daniel has done for ages.

I am excited to read Passion, the third installment in the series.  I have another 12 hours in the car planned  for next weekend...so I downloaded the audio book.  I am going to be one highly productive Book Nerd next weekend.  I can finish a book while I drive to and from the RT convention,  I get to hang out with my FAVORITE book nerds (with one very sad excetion), and I will meet several authors that I absolutely love.  What could be better than this?

Jacque's Review:

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her. (Goodreads Overview)

When we first meet Luce, she is on her way to Sword & Cross as a last resort.  She was present at the time of a fire that killed Trevor, a student from her previous school, but she cannot recall what caused the fire.  She also has a history of perceived mental illness because she sees unexplainable shadows.  The shadows, along with her inability to explain her lack of involvement in Trevor's death, lands her at this new school.

At Sword & Cross all of the students must wear black, some of the students wear tracking devices that can issue a shock if needed, and they are all under constant surveillance.  The students are allowed one 15 minute phone call per week and the classes are far from typical.  This is the last place Luce wants to be, until she meets Daniel.  There is a bit of a love triangle, but Daniel is the only one Luce is REALLY interested in.  She has an odd feeling that she knows him from somewhere, but she isn't sure why.

It takes Luce the better part of the book to figure everything out, which was a little too much buildup and not enough action for me at times.  I really enjoyed the last third of the book, but I don't think I will rush right into Torment.  While I completely understand the concepts behind Revenants, Demi-Gods, Vampires, Shadowhunters etc...I didn't fully grasp the "shadows", which left me liking this book...but not loving it.  The paranormal elements were interesting and I think there is a lot of potential for this series.  Perhaps with further explanation and understanding from Torment, I will have greater appreciation of the series.