For whatever reason, I wasn´t really interested in reading this second book, or the rest of this trilogy, for a long time. Don´t ask me why I can´t really explain it. As a huge fan of the author´s Night Huntress series, this one is slightly different and maybe I needed the right time to get into it again. A few weeks back, I thought, I´d give it another try and asked for the third book of this trilogy, the second was too old to require – and was VERY surprised when I got it. Which brought me in the situation, that I had to get this one first AND read it first of course before I can dig myself into the last one.
The Sweetest Burn*
by Jeaniene FrostBroken Destiny #2
Publisher HQN Books on June 27, 2017
Genre Fantasy
Pages 346
Format Paperback
Source Purchased
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Conquering a supernatural realm turned out to be easier than getting over a broken heart. But her initial victory has made Ivy a target for revenge, forcing her to reunite with the dangerous – and dangerously sexy – Adrian. Ivy isn´t sure which will be harder: finding the hallowed weapon that will repair the crumbling walls between the demon and human realms, or resisting Adrian, who´s decided that come hell or high water, he will make Ivy his.
Story
Ivy is in the middle of a hunt for religious artifacts. Artifacts which are only controllable by her, the last descendant David´s. The only problem, she isn´t ready for the tremendous power they have. And with Adrian, who is desperate to prove to her that they belong together, things aren´t getting easier.
Style
A fast-paced and very entertaining novel, with quick-witted Dialogues, great figures, and a plot that combines the religious world with a reality that isn´t as God-fearing as humankind once has been. At least not in the way, that God was the one and only who could heal or bring peace or whatever it is that you connect with faith. In this book, you´ll find the right mixture of decency, demons, love, and the main figure who uses her brain to get the connections she needs to give everything some kind of sense.
Jeaniene Frost has a hand for dark plots with a hint of hope and the everlasting love. Ivy isn´t like Cat, though both show some commonalities. But both are willing to do what it takes to get the result they want or need. Well, sort of. The author has a great combination of quick-witted dialogues, dry humor, and some very cynical scenes that give you a reading pleasure of the special kind. But that end? Wasn´t that exactly what Adrian had tried to avoid all along?
Characters
While reading this second book I started to feel the same feelings for Ivy´s little sister Jasmine, that I had felt in the other book. That girl is, at least for my taste, way too hysterical, and way too partisan. She does everything to make her elder sister feel guilty. Sorry girl, that´s not how life works. That Ivy has a lot on her plate, and that she hasn´t chosen her role nor the part she has to play to save the world, shows Jeaniene Frost with wonderful words and scenes that show you both sides of the coin.
With her sarcasm-irony-cynical mix, Ivy is the opposite of Cat. Where Cat is the first-hit-then-ask-questions kind of girl, Ivy is more thoughtful and patient. Using her inner radar to get to the items she needs to find, she has to learn that she is dealing with a power that is far beyond everything she´d ever imagined.
Conclusion
Written in the typical Jeaniene Frost style, this novel is a wonderful continuation of the first book. Even with some time between reading them, I was back in the plot very quick, knew what Ivy was talking about, and could easily connect with everything again. And with that end, I am eager to read the next one, that´s for sure.
Happy reading
*This book was published in the German language by Mira TB on August 7, 2017
Jeaniene Frost
Jeaniene Frost is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author whose works include the Night Huntress series, the Night Prince series, and the Broken Destiny series. To date, foreign rights for her novels have sold to twenty different countries. Jeaniene lives in North Carolina with her husband Matthew, who long ago accepted that she rarely cooks and always sleeps in on the weekends. Aside from writing, Jeaniene enjoys reading, poetry, watching movies, exploring old cemeteries, spelunking, and traveling – by car. Airplanes, children, and cookbooks frighten her.