Everything burns in Pandemonium, a city in Hell made of chrome and steel, where there is no future and life is an expanse of frozen time. That’s where Daphne lives.

The daughter of a demon and a fallen angel, she wonders what lies in store for her. Will she become a soulless demon like her sisters? Or follow in the footsteps of her brother Obie, whose life is devoted to saving lost souls on Earth? All she wants is to find a place where she belongs.

When Obie saves a bleeding, broken boy named Truman from the brink of death and then suddenly goes missing, Daphne runs away to Earth to find him. But on Earth, everything is colder and more terrifying, and Daphne struggles between her demon instincts and her growing—yet achingly unfamiliar—feelings for Truman. As Daphne and Truman search for Obie, they must navigate the jealousies and alliances of the violent archangels who stand in their way. But Daphne also discovers, unexpectedly, what it means to love and be human in a world where human is the hardest thing to be.

Paperback, Australia and United Kingdom, 368 pages

Published January 5th 2012 by Simon & Schuster UK

ISBN 0857070789 (ISBN13: 9780857070784)

Belinda:

Cover

Krista and Lisa have (as far as I know) the US version of this book, the title is different and so is the cover art.

On the UK / Australian version, Smoulder is the title and the cover is reminiscent of the metal garden Lilith is in, in every scene. In the background, is the depiction of Pandemonium; a blazing city. There is also a pleasant looking girl glancing to her right wearing a pink dress. I would assume this is Daphne.

Characters

I was not overly fond of the characters in this book. There seemed to be an overabundance of nasty characters and too few relatable ones I could learn to like.

Favourite

Petra. She’s kind to Daphne and is given hell for it. In an environment so full of nastiness and evil, the kindness is a nice change.

Least Favourite

Beelzebub. Mainly because he knew stuff, and though he thought his actions were deeply rooted in love, the actions, however, are really rotten.

Beginning

Daphne’s brother, Obie, leaves Pandemonium to live on Earth to be with the love of his life Elizabeth.

Storyline

Lilith loses her psychic connection with Obie and the duty of finding him falls on Daphne.

Ending

Daphne must find Truman, one of the only people she knows who may know of the whereabouts of Obie. But finding Obie isn’t the only challenge ahead of her.

Thoughts

It was difficult to get into this novel to begin with. Trying to imagine places that were a little too far out of the reach of my mind and trying to feel compassion for a character I really didn’t give two hoots about made for some slow reading.

When the child, Raymie, came into the mix, I was finally brought into the plot in a way I could grasp, and the storyline picked up the pace.

This wasn’t my favourite book of the year so far; but it wasn’t a complete waste of time. I’m interested enough see what would happen if there is a second book.

Quotes

“Not God,” the baby whispers in a weird, creaking voice, dusty like the room. “I’m Raymie.”

Krista:

Cover

The US cover has a beautiful maroon/reddish coloring and the silver flourish is all raised. I have to say that the cover appealed to me immediately before I read the summary. Gorgeous, and fits the mood of the story.

Characters

Mostly recognizable names from religions and myths. Stories of Adam and Eve, heavenly angels and Lucifer himself.

Favourite

Daphne is my favorite character because she never put on a front. She was always true to who she was, although at times confused. The emotions that humans feel are new to her and she has a hard time understanding what they are. But in the end, she is bold, determined and stands up for what she feels is the right thing to be doing. Raymie was a very close second favorite!

Least Favourite

It is always difficult to find a character that I don’t like unless they stand out. I had a hard time trying to figure this one out in this book and even though he is such a minor character I would have to choose Adam. For turning away his son.

Beginning

The unique setting of Pandemonium in the beginning of the story, really does set the mood of the novel with the stories behind daily routines, and a feeling of unending monotony. It surprised me that Earth could be considered scarier than Hell. I began to wonder how the rest of the story is going to go when the main character would prefer to stay in Hell than experience Earth.

Storyline

Daphne is the half-demon, half-fallen angel daughter of Lucifer and Lilith. When her brother Obie is kidnapped,  Daphne realizes she may be partially responsible. Determined to find him, Daphne travels from her home in Pandemonium to Earth. With the help of Truman, the human boy she believes was the last person to see her brother alive, Daphne discovers clues to Obie’s whereabouts. As she delves deeper into her demonic powers, she also discovers, unexpectedly, what it means to love and be human.

Ending

The ending was a perfect match for this book. I was happy to see a stand alone book that wrapped up well with an ending that made me feel content.

Thoughts

This story ended up to be more than I expected. It was dark and grim and brimming with legends, beliefs, folklore, myths, tales, and symbolism. The writing was beautiful and the characters pensive and haunting. It’s by far one of my favorites reads of the year.

Quote

“I’ve never been impulsive. It’s always been in my nature to consider things carefully and then decide upon the best solution. Except, sometimes the circumstances change. Sometimes things get so complicated and so bad that your nature just doesn’t matter anymore.”

“It’s not the wisest thing – love – but when it happens, there’s not a lot you can do to stop it. Sometimes you just have to soldier on through.”

Lisa:

Cover

The U.S. of The Space Between is like no other; it’s incomparable! The immense detail put into the foreground (looking closely you can see all of the roses scattered around her, and she is even holding one in her hand!), the blood red back drop, and the pale white girl laying front and center all set the mood for the story. Even though, I’m not the girl for scary or creepy covers, I have to admit, I really like this one!

Characters

I really enjoyed all of the characters, including Daphne (and the way she didn’t want to be, who she is; a demon), Truman (and the way he is broken, just looking for a way out), Lilith (and her tendency not to care about her daughter) and even little baby Raymie (and her intelligence). The Space Between did include A LOT of characters, so I do recommend reading it a bit slower, so things don’t become confusing.

Favorite

This is a hard one, I would have to pick either Raymie or Truman. Truman because of how broken down he is. He lost his mother and only has his step-father left (who by all means is a good guy!), and is looking for a way out of his nightmares. Raymie because she’s just a baby, but yet can talk, communicate and understand everything she is told.

Least Favorite

Lilith = bad mothering.

Beginning

The Space Between was action packed and filled to the brim with information and intensity! The beginning of the story was where we learn about Daphne, who she is, who her mother and sisters are, and what they do – entice humans, and use them for their own good. I feel that The Space Between’s beginning did an awesome job at hooking me into the story and it’s characters. It made me want to read more, and see what happens.

Story Line

Daphne is a demon girl, she isn’t like her other sisters, who go to earth to find and seduce men for their own good. The only reason she wants to go to earth, is to get her only brother back.  On her mission, Daphne looks for clues, and the biggest one, is a suicidal boy named Truman. She denies having feelings for him, not wanting to become like her mother or her sisters, but soon she can’t hide it anymore.

Ending

I know this is going to be such a girly thing to say, but even with all of this action going on with Obie being missing, the demons coming after Truman and Daphne, I was more enticed by their relationship than anything else! So in the ending I was extremely happy to see both Truman and Daphne accepting and pursuing their feelings towards one another!

Overall Thoughts

The Space Between wasn’t originally on my “To Be Read” list, but I’m really glad we decided to put it into our book club. This isn’t really a book for summer, it doesn’t include beaches, or the sun, but if you’re looking for something a bit dark but yet romantic in a way, this is the book 🙂 I hope you guys pick it up and enjoy it as much as I did!)

Having glanced over the blurb of this book, I was expecting to be gently coaxed into a world where angels and demons battle it out for the spoils of Earth. Boy, was I wrong! This book started out fast and only slowed down once – I was well and truly hooked. Yes, we’re dealing with an incredibly complicated premise; post-apocalyptic society based around the mythology of a 2000 year old religion that still dominates much of Western thought, but Simpson doesn’t let that slow the pace of this novel.

Five weeks after the Rapture has taken the faithful to heaven, a teenage boy leaves his home to fulfil the destiny he has been trained for. The Earth has been transformed into a second hell. A thick layer of ash covers everything and demons swarm the towns at night, searching for victims. As a half-demon, Sam finds more comfort in his swords than in the people around him, but he must overcome that if he is to help the innocents left on Earth. Separated from the only family he has ever known, all that he has left is the path that his foster father, Hikari, has prepared for him.

Switching between past and present, Sam’s personality really shines through. He is torn between his human and demon heritage; tethered somewhat precariously to the human side only through the love of his adoptive family. Without Hikari and, his daughter, Aimi’s calming presence, it seems as though nothing will keep Sam grounded. This is a bittersweet read, the past is idyllic and loving while the present cuts out any hope of things remaining that way.

As always, this human side to a worldwide catastrophe is what anchors me to Rapture. Rather than focus on the action, Simpson really works on his characters. Don’t get me wrong, there is action and it is incredibly well-written, but the entire book comes together around Sam. His interactions with characters post-Rapture are appealing, as he’s never had extensive contact with people outside of his family unit and his uncertainty in his new friends is endearing. His attachment to his family too, is interesting, and gives dimension to the internal struggle that plagues Sam.

Unfortunately, Hikari and Aimi’s characters were not as well-rounded as I would have liked them to be, considering the pivotal role they play in Sam’s development and personality. Both of them are far too perfect, excelling in anything they try. Sam is clearly devoted to them however, and, as much of this book is in his perspective, it’s easy to see how the descriptions could be rose-coloured.

A fast pace combine with compelling characters to make Rapture a great addition to the post-apocalyptic genre. There is a possibility that hard-core Atheists or devout Catholics might be offended by some of the themes but, taken as a flight of fantasy into the Christian mythology, it’s a good, fun ride well-suited to fans of the Percy Jackson series.

Rapture – Phillip W. Simpson

Pear Jam Books Ltd. (October 1, 2011)

ISBN: 9781927182512

Hello Burn Brighters, we have some staff news for you. Sadly one of our most senior reviewers, Cels Jansink, is moving on. While we wave goodbye to Cels with a heavy heart, the smile is back on our face because Bec Stafford rejoins us as chief interviewer. Bec was the original Burn Bright site manager and interviewer and will slot back into her role talking to authors without a blink. YAY!

We wish Cels good luck and don’t forget to keep an eye on her Booky Monster blog.

Marianne x

Bec Stafford

We’ve been promising it and here it is!

Because the Burn Bright Facebook page has reached 1000 LIKES, we’re giving away some awesome jewellery, handmade exclusively for Burn Bright by Belinda Hamilton. Details are below!

First Prize – Tri-Chain  plus signed copy of one of the books plus swag

Second Prize: Celtic Butterfly plus signed copy of one of the books

Third prize: Slave Bracelet plus swag

Now, this is what you have to do to win one of these lovely pieces. You know we’re all about spreading the word about the Night Creatures series. So we want you to woo us with you own unique way of telling the world about [intlink id=”5″ type=”page”]Burn Bright[/intlink], [intlink id=”13″ type=”page”]Angel Arias[/intlink] and [intlink id=”2454″ type=”page”]Shine Light[/intlink]. Marianne and Belinda will judge the entries and allocate prize positions.

So … go crazy with your imagination: make banners, youtube videos, mini book trailers, write blog specials, host Night Ceatures parties and send us the pics – whatever you think will grab our attention and the attention of other readers! When you’ve done your thing, come back here and give us the link, or describe what you’ve done. We will need proof though 🙂

We’ll leave the competition open for ten days, to give you time to get busy. It will close on the 10th July, 2012!  Good luck and spread the word!!!!

Welcome back to the beach – things are about to get even hotter.

Alice is still spending time with her sister on the pristine shores of “Soul Beach”, an online paradise for the young, beautiful and dead. But even paradise can become stifling and after Alice helped a young girl be set free, more and more of the “guests” are looking for her assistance.

If Alice can finally solve the mystery surrounding her sister’s murder than maybe Meggie too can be set free – but will that mean that Alice will lose her all over again? As if the drama on the beach wasn’t enough to deal with, the anniversary of Meggie’s death is fast approaching and it seems her killer has lined up yet another victim. Alice is sure she’s getting closer to uncovering the killer’s identity but the killer is getting closer to Alice too …

“Soul Fire” is the second stunning instalment in Harrison’s first YA trilogy and just as addictive and mind blowing as the first. This is the blend of mystery, paranormal and teen romance that will have readers of all ages utterly spellbound.

As every little piece of the puzzle is discovered, it seems four more turn up in its place and you will find yourself double guessing everyone right along with Alice. In this instalment,we spend more time in the real world and life on the beach takes more of a back seat. But that certainly doesn’t mean the malice and intrigue are any less. Harrison has done a brilliant job at hiding her perp in plain sight and as the cast of secondary characters expand you certainly won’t know who to trust or who to run from.

Not only has Alice matured in this instalment but so has the killer. He or she certainly seem to be getting more adept at completing their ghastly deeds without the authorities even realising, and even the reader starts to wonder just how delusional life on the beach may have made Alice.

“Soul Fire” has left me even more invested in the outcome of Alice and Meggie’s tale and it will be an excruciating wait to finally uncover just what really happened and the true secrets behind the beach.

This is a perfect, adrenalin filled ride and certainly a series to watch. Just make sure you read “Soul Beach” first for the full experience.  Harrison has handled a complex and emotional topic with sensitivity and given it her own fresh new spin. Life on the beach can certainly be addictive.

Soul Fire- Kate Harrison

Orion

399 Pages

ISBN: 9781780620237

Released: 10^th July 2012