Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins
Title: Sweet Evil
Author: Wendy Higgins
Publisher: HarperTeen
Series: The Sweet Trilogy #1
Release Date: May 1st 2012
Pages: 453
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Blurb:
Embrace the Forbidden.
What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?
This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.
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, an 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 willpower 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?
Review:
I actually liked the first half of this book, but after that it went downwards for me.
I liked the concept of the Nephilim. I know it's not a new thing in YA books, but the writer turned it into something very original. The demon fathers or the Dukes are the bosses and the Nephilim have to do their bidding. I did not really understand what their actual jobs were precisely, spread sin or something? That part was a bit vague. The Nephilim have all sorts of cool powers, like seeing auras and super hearing.
The protagonist is Anna, half angel, half demon, which makes her a Nephilim. Her mother was a guardian angel and her father the Duke of substance abuse. I liked Anna up until the roadtrip with Kaidan to California to find her father. After that she became an obsessed teen in love and after Kaidan turned her down, she became whiny and depressed. She reminded me a lot of Bella in New Moon, and no, that is not a positive thing. She just came over as really desperate and weak, I really don't like that in a protagonist. I hope she develops a little self-respect in the sequel.
I'm not really sure what to think about Kaidan. He is your typical YA bad boy. He's a drummer, he has a British accent and he's super hot. His Nephilim job is basically to sleep with as much women as possible. Even when Kaidan and Anna are on their road trip he 'works' and his story about the trafficked women is just sick. I really do not understand how Anna could still fall in love with him when he has a 'job' like that. After reading the Sweet Extras, chapters from Kaidan's POV, I came to respect him a little more, since he does not really like his job and does really like Anna. And what is unique about him as bad boy is that he is actually trying to do the right thing. He and Anna can't be together because of his father and Kaidan's job. And because he cares about Anna he breaks things off, even when Anna basically offers himself to him, he refuses. This made me respect him and made me dislike Anna.
I did not like Anna and Kaidan's 'relationship'. It starts with the insta-love, I'm really not a fan of that. Then started Anna's obsession with Kaidan and him turning her down time after time. Not really a healthy relationship I would root for..
I don't really understand why the writer threw in Kopano as another love interest, it seemed clear from the beginning Anna was only interested in Kaidan. I hope this won't create another unnecessary love triangle, since Kopano actually looks like a great guy and could be a good friend to Anna, just not a love interest.
I liked the other, secondary characters in the book. Anna's normal friends Jay and Veronica seemed like great persons, as well as the other Nephilim. They all had their own story and most got development in the book, which is rare in for secondary characters. I did not like Anna's father. He was nice to her and all, but he is still a demon, and feeding your daughter alcohol and making her sell drugs is just not normal.
I thought Patti, Anna's adoptive mum, was a bit of a hyprocite. In the beginning of the book she's really strict, she calls Anna every second and won't let her go to unsupervised parties. But when Kaiden offers to drive Anna to California, on his own, she suddenly agrees. Two teenages on a roadtrip and one of them is the son of the Duke of Lust.. what mother would agree to that?
The book had good pacing and writing. Although the second part was less interesting, I still was captivated by the story and it did not get boring.
I'm not sure whether to recommend this book. I know many people loved this book, but to me it had many flaws. The first part was interesting, but after Anna got all obsessed and depressed I kind of got irritated with the book.
I liked the concept of the Nephilim. I know it's not a new thing in YA books, but the writer turned it into something very original. The demon fathers or the Dukes are the bosses and the Nephilim have to do their bidding. I did not really understand what their actual jobs were precisely, spread sin or something? That part was a bit vague. The Nephilim have all sorts of cool powers, like seeing auras and super hearing.
The protagonist is Anna, half angel, half demon, which makes her a Nephilim. Her mother was a guardian angel and her father the Duke of substance abuse. I liked Anna up until the roadtrip with Kaidan to California to find her father. After that she became an obsessed teen in love and after Kaidan turned her down, she became whiny and depressed. She reminded me a lot of Bella in New Moon, and no, that is not a positive thing. She just came over as really desperate and weak, I really don't like that in a protagonist. I hope she develops a little self-respect in the sequel.
I'm not really sure what to think about Kaidan. He is your typical YA bad boy. He's a drummer, he has a British accent and he's super hot. His Nephilim job is basically to sleep with as much women as possible. Even when Kaidan and Anna are on their road trip he 'works' and his story about the trafficked women is just sick. I really do not understand how Anna could still fall in love with him when he has a 'job' like that. After reading the Sweet Extras, chapters from Kaidan's POV, I came to respect him a little more, since he does not really like his job and does really like Anna. And what is unique about him as bad boy is that he is actually trying to do the right thing. He and Anna can't be together because of his father and Kaidan's job. And because he cares about Anna he breaks things off, even when Anna basically offers himself to him, he refuses. This made me respect him and made me dislike Anna.
I did not like Anna and Kaidan's 'relationship'. It starts with the insta-love, I'm really not a fan of that. Then started Anna's obsession with Kaidan and him turning her down time after time. Not really a healthy relationship I would root for..
I don't really understand why the writer threw in Kopano as another love interest, it seemed clear from the beginning Anna was only interested in Kaidan. I hope this won't create another unnecessary love triangle, since Kopano actually looks like a great guy and could be a good friend to Anna, just not a love interest.
I liked the other, secondary characters in the book. Anna's normal friends Jay and Veronica seemed like great persons, as well as the other Nephilim. They all had their own story and most got development in the book, which is rare in for secondary characters. I did not like Anna's father. He was nice to her and all, but he is still a demon, and feeding your daughter alcohol and making her sell drugs is just not normal.
I thought Patti, Anna's adoptive mum, was a bit of a hyprocite. In the beginning of the book she's really strict, she calls Anna every second and won't let her go to unsupervised parties. But when Kaiden offers to drive Anna to California, on his own, she suddenly agrees. Two teenages on a roadtrip and one of them is the son of the Duke of Lust.. what mother would agree to that?
The book had good pacing and writing. Although the second part was less interesting, I still was captivated by the story and it did not get boring.
I'm not sure whether to recommend this book. I know many people loved this book, but to me it had many flaws. The first part was interesting, but after Anna got all obsessed and depressed I kind of got irritated with the book.
Oh no! I have heard such great things about this series, I am sad you didn't' love it. I still plan on reading it though just because I want to try it for myself.
ReplyDeleteGood honest review!
I love your reviews. Very honest and your not afraid to state your opinion which is great.
ReplyDeleteIf you didn't like this book, you probably won't like Sweet Peril. Kaidan keeps turning Anna down and she keeps going back for me. Their relationship really bothered me too. It makes a bit more sense in the end after you find out why Kaidan was a continuous jerk.
ReplyDelete