{Product Details}
- Title: The Soulstealer's Child
- Author: Brandon Gray
- Genre: YA Fantasy
- Print Length: 340 pages
- Publisher: Mockingbird Cottage Press (November 15, 2016)
- Publication Date: November 15, 2016
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
- Language: English
- ASIN: B01N0DYFQA
- FTC, FYI: I received a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
{Book Details}
Can a human heart overcome a demon soul?
When soul-eating demons overrun his world, Kaelis, a young seraph warrior, uses the Queen’s ring
to open a portal in space and flee with the infant heir to the throne, landing on earth. Unbeknownst to him, the demon leader, Nsark, follows through the portal, determined to devour the soul of every last seraph, especially the Queen’s heir. After Kaelis hides the baby, Nsark creates the ultimate weapon by fathering a half-human, half-demon: a soul-stealer’s child.
Sixteen years later, an attractive but awkward teen named James struggles to fit in with his peers. In a last-ditch effort, he
joins the school play, where he meets Lucy. Something deep draws them together, and their friendship reveals their hidden pasts: one is an angel, one is half-demon. Lucy and James find themselves pulled into an age-old war between their peoples. Hunted by relentless enemies, and grappling with deep-seated instincts and strange new powers, they must fight for their lives, their souls, and each other.
Can they overcome who they were born to be, or will one of them have to make the ultimate sacrifice for the other to survive?
*********************
{Excerpt}
James walked across the balcony. He gestured and the the French doors flew open. Thick mist crept inside, silent tendrils slithering across the floor of the bedroom.
Lucinda lay still on her bed, almost glowing in a brilliant white nightgown. Her fire-gold hair spilled all over the bed, framing her small, pale face.
I have hunted you for a very long time, James thought. And now here you are, alone and asleep.
Lucinda’s eyes fluttered, and James froze. When he felt sure she was asleep, he wrapped his black cloak around him and glided towards the bed. At last, it was time to savor the sweetness of her soul.
Beneath him, Lucinda’s chest rose, then fell in a relaxed, unconscious rhythm. He almost laughed aloud as the triumph welled inside him. And yet, deep down, he felt a tiny pang of regret. She was so beautiful. So peaceful. Like a slumbering angel.
He pushed aside the lingering doubts that flowed from his remaining tatters of humanity. Your soul will be mine.
Shivering with excitement, James bent over her bed, moving fast enough that his black curls fell across his face. He bared his fangs, hovering close enough to smell the sweet scent of her hair, her spicy perfume. Close enough to feel the warm breath wafting between her full, red lips. Close enough to devour her soul.
Lucinda’s eyes flicked open and met his. Dark emeralds, they glowed all the brighter against the pale silk of her skin.
A silent cry parted her lips and her eyes flared wide open, pupils darting back and forth. As confusion resolved into recognition, her eyes met his. The air between them seemed to crackle. A warm current shot from her eyes to his, and James felt a jolt somewhere inside.
**********************
{My Review}Angels vs. Demons has been a big thing in literature the past few years. This everlasting battle between good and evil always makes for an interesting story. In The Soulstealer's Child, we have this battle going on first in another world that then switches to Earth.
The book starts with huge action scenes that pull the reader in instantly. The book is divided into four parts, some with more action than others. After Part One that almost has non-stop action, Part Two goes into a slower section where the two main characters are introduced, who happen to be high school students. We get to know James and Lucinda whose attraction to each other seems ethereal, which indeed turns out to be exactly that. Without giving it away, one is the child of the royal Queen of the Seraphs, where the other is the child of a demon and a human. Soon their attraction turns volatile and they are on the run from the demons who have entered our world.
This book is full of supernatural things and also things that keep the reader guessing. There is a lot of teenage angst, so be forewarned if you don't like that sort of thing. This book has two teens that are plunged into an adventure where they "thought" they were normal, but soon find out they are anything "But" normal. I liked the way the author has James and Lucinda grow up and learn to love and take care of others beside themselves. They also get a huge dose of humility and sacrifice as the story continues. Kudos to the author for writing such great parents for both James and Lucinda. They are portrayed as normal, loving parents that would do, and will do everything in their power to help their children. So often in YA books we don't see parents like this and it was very refreshing to me.
Overall, readers of fantasy, the supernatural and anything having to do with battles between Angels and Demons will like reading The Soulstealer's Child. The author has said on Goodreads that there will be another book in this series to help resolve the story because it was left with a little cliffhanger. I'll be anxiously waiting to read what happens to James and Lucy.
You can purchase the book at any of these locations:
{Meet Author: Brandon Gray}
Brandon Gray is the pen name of Braden Bell (Brandon writes YA fiction; Braden writes for middle grades). Braden holds a Ph.D. from New York University. He and his family live on a quiet, wooded lot in Tennessee, where he teaches middle school theatre and music. An experienced performer, Braden enjoys reading, gardening, and long summer afternoons writing in his hammock. His most notable skill is being able to eat a full rack of BBQ ribs with one hand on long drives.
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