Rabid Reading

I'm a hardcore urban fantasy fan. It's hands down my favorite genre. I love the action, the drama, the magic, the variety of supernatural races, the strong characters, and of course the complicated romances that always seem to be under some sort of fire. So it goes without saying that when I stumbled across Linda Poitevin's Grigori Legacy last year, I was hooked. Instantly.

In book one, we were introduced to Alexandra Jarvis, a Canadian detective who is just going along, minding her police business, when she was drawn into an ancient conflict between the forces of Heaven and Hell. Her eyes were ripped wide open, her heart took a severe beating, and now, a book later, all she wants is to get back to her life and put all that angel and doomsday stuff behind her.

But Heaven and Hell are on a collision course, and at the center of it all is Seth Benjamin, the Appointed. As the son of Lucifer and the One, Seth has a choice to make. He can fulfill his sacred duties, or he can pursue the woman he hasn't been able to forget since their paths first crossed in book one. That woman, of course, being Alex. And because no choice would be complete without a little added pressure, Seth's decision may affect the fate of the world itself.

The cast of characters in this series is absolutely terrific. Alex, Aramael and Seth hold center stage, but they're each at a crucial crossroads, facing challenges that are daunting to say the least. There are no easy solutions, no quick victories - and not just for them. Everyone in this book has tough calls to make, even the supporting cast. But the same challenges that make the characters lives so hard are what pulled me deeper into the story and into this wonderful, dark and intelligently-written world Linda Poitevin has created.

As urban fantasy heroines go, Alex is absolutely fantastic. She doesn't pretend to have all the answers, but she will commit to finding them no matter what. She can't leap tall buildings or beat up bad guys one-handed, but she can hold her own and match verbal swords with the best of them. She's a fighter, with a strong spirit and sense of justice - the kind of character you don't have to think about supporting, you just do. And wow, does she go through a lot in this book. A LOT.

The men in Alex's life - Aramael and Seth - are....yeah. You try to choose between them, because I can't. I just can't. On the one hand, there's Aramael, who sacrificed so much for Alex and is so gruff and conflicted, and on the other, there is Seth, who stirs up feelings Alex wasn't sure she could (or should) feel anymore, and who may not be as free to love as he wants to be. I spent most of the book leaning Seth's direction - his story really got to me - but I like Aramael too, dang it! I'm so confused! Which is why you'll have to make up your own mind....and when you do, maybe help me make up mine? Please?

I have to give a quick shout-out to the character of Mika'el, Heaven's greatest warrior and one seriously badass dude. This book marks his first appearance in the series, and all I can say is, MORE PLEASE!

Like its predecessor, Sins of the Son is a gritty, action-packed, page-turning thrill ride. It's a fabulous sequel (none of that silly sophomore slump stuff here, nuh-uh!) that doesn't just move the story forward - it propels it at rocket speed. So much happens! So many twists and turns and OMG moments! I loved it. LOVED IT.