Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: HarperTeen

Pages: 464pgs

The Story

Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things. 

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

The Review

I'm sure many of you were just as excited as I was to read this sequel to Wendy Higgins's awesome and sexy debut novel Sweet Evil. I was so desperate to read this book and after finishing it, I have to say considering it's a a middle book of a trilogy, while it did have its ups and downs, I still found Higgins's writing to be fun, consistent, exciting and smooth, and so, in that particular aspect, I think many readers will continue to enjoy this series and will be gearing up for the final book!

SWEET PERIL continued a great story and I thought every character - whether they were main or supporting characters - really stepped up their game in this sequel. Especially Anna, even though she's still in love sick mode over Kaiden (and really who can blame her?). However, the main reason why I'm rating the book three stars instead of a good old five (which clearly and should have deserved) was because there was something . . . missing. Something to make it shine even more than the first book did and I guess it had a lot to do with the story itself and how little of Kaiden we get to see. I just didn't feel a connection with this book this time round and that's okay because we still got one more book to go, so fingers crossed I fall back in love with this series when it comes to read that third and final installment.

Out of everything, what I loved most was Kopano, the son of Wrath, and even though I know the author said there was no love triangle for Anna in regards to Kopano since she will always be hang up on Kaiden, but I secretly hoped something would happen between her and Kopano. I just adored him! Kaiden was very hot in the first book, but considering he wasn't present for the majority of this book, well my attention was focused more on someone else entirely, so don't blame me when I say I'm team Kopano from now on. He may not be a love interest for Anna which makes me sad, but I'm going to be on his team and I hope he has more of a role in the final book. Sorry Kaiden . . . I didn't like you very much in this book because you were missing and because you were pushing away an amazing girl for no real reason . . . I mean people will know you still love Anna so why not fight to be with her than push her away? Think of your future hormones (you will never stay away from her in the long run) and clealry I'm tired of the whole bad boy routine in the pushing away act. Tired of it.

Overall, SWEET PERIL was a great continuation of the series and even though it wasn't necessarily my favourite book in the series by far, but I'm still looking forward to reading Sweet Reckoning next year! I expect a lot more Kaiden hotness or rather more Kopano hotness. It's guaranteed judging by the ending of this book.

The Rating

3/5 stars

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: HarperTeen

Pages: 464pgs

The Story

What if there were teens whose lives depended on being bad influences?

This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.

Tenderhearted Southern girl, Anna Whitt, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, and inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

The Review

Wow, wow oh my god wow. I have read several reviews for SWEET EVIL over the last few months but never did I expect for it to be so, so good. This debut novelist, Wendy Higgins, is certainly a force to be reckoned with in the angel and demon genre, and while this book is full of teenage angst with some cliche lines in tow, but I didn't care whatsoever because this book had become such a bad influence on me - me of all people - and in the end this book right here is something that sets itself apart from the rest of YA literature . . . which I loved every single bloody freaking moment of!

Our main character, Anna Whitt, is a pretty girl who often keeps to herself. She's the type of girl who is always nice to people. She's the type of girl with a best friend that is always by her side. She's the type of girl that can do no wrong. But unlike other girls she knows . . . she's also the type of girl who can feel and see emotions and remember things when others cannot. Soon Anna will learn about her so-called 'gifts' when she meets the bad boy drummer, Kaidan Rowe, who is about to rock her world forever. Anna doesn't want to fall for his cocky charms nor be one of his casual flings, and yet she can't seem to stay away from him. But whether she likes it or not, Kaidan has all of the questions she's been looking for and soon she'll be sucked into a world full of sin because . . . her life depends on it.

What I loved most about this story was what it lacked in angels and how it focused more on the demon side of things which I'm far more interested in mythology-wise. While I'm usually wary of angel and demon stories, especially in YA fiction since there's so many of them out there, however I have to say I'm really impressed with this title. Really impressed. The concept and the way Wendy Higgins presented each type demon was one of the most creative things I've read in quite some time. Sure, angels are interesting like most mythologies are but there's just something about demons I like and I adored the way sin played a major theme in this book and after all sin is what demons are most brilliant at. We all sin at least once in our lives . . . it's perfect.

Anna was not a perfect girl but I still loved her as our main heroine. There's this somewhat sweet innocence she reflects onto the page that is always tested throughout the entire book and because she's such an interesting character too, I couldn't help but continue to turn those pages just to find out what happens to her next. Some say Anna was just another 'Bella Swan' character but I believe readers are wrong because she's far more than that Twilight girl. She's fun. She's cute. She's pretty. She's witty. But what sets her apart from the other cliche girl characters is that she offers far more to the storyline and she's not that girl who instantly falls in love with a bad boy . . . she's cautious which I love most about her.

As for Anna's potential love interest, Kaiden, which is such a very, very sexy name mind you, he is someone you're supposed to hate right from the beginning. In the though, you cannot help but love him even more and more for being SO BAD. It's his best trait. I mean, being the son of Lust (yes this part is true) there are so many complexities when it comes to Kaidan's character alone and I love those complicated sides to him. Not to mention there's so much sin floating around this hot boy on the block. But when you overlook his bad boy persona and the way he's loves em' and leaves em' and all of those other actions he takes in order to get his sins done (which are hard to read about it at times because he's so infuriating), but deep down inside he's a good guy who is just put in a very difficult situation which of course he can't help. But my god . . . he's one hottie you need to look out for fangals! That is for sure.

Overall, Wendy Higgin's SWEET EVIL is a mind-blowing debut novel! I didn't expect to love it as much as I did nor cradle this book in my arms with a whole lot of Squees! but I loved it and I literally can't wait to read the next installment because I'm sure it's going to make me want to sin after I'm done reading it!

The Rating 5/5 stars