Become

Sixteen-year old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it’s cold and lonely and totally predictable. Instead, she’s sent back to Earth where she must face the evil she despises and the good she always feared.

When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is finding a reason to change—something she’s never had before—a friend.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Ali Cross takes Hell to a whole new level with her novel, Become, focusing around Lucifer's daughter -- Desolation. The story line is a question of when Desi will choose to accept her inner demon, in other words: become. But Desi doesn't like being an evil force. Which definitely produces a problem for dear, old dad. 

Desi was an easy character to like but not an easy one to understand or really form a strong connection with. Her thoughts, hopes, and fears were often jumbled together. I had a hard time discerning what Desi was aiming for in her rebellion. She disliked being evil but still wanted to return to Hell? Huh? 

Though readers will form a basic connection with Desi based on her insecurities and honesty as a teenage girl, I'm unsure if the bond will strengthen throughout the rest of the book.  

The plot line itself was interesting, but still very confusing. Desi travels to Earth in order to "train" in her journey to become a demon. But when it seems that she has, it turns out that she hasn't. She actually has a choice to opt out of demon-ness. Then angels get involved and a tornado of misunderstanding swoops in. The worst thing was the word choice by Cross. Throughout the novel, there are several different names for the same thing and when used interchangeably readers can easily get lost. I know that I did. Often. 

Become has a great story idea and wonderful characters to build upon, but it didn't feel like a final version to me. Cross's creativity was fresh and intriguing. (I did finish the entire book) But, sadly, I don't think I'll be going back for book two. 

Rating: 2/5 cups

Become: a novel of Desolation

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening

A deadly love triangle

Elena: beautiful and popular, the girl who can have any guy she wants.

Stefan: brooding and mysterious, desperately trying to resist his desire for Elena . . . for her own good.

Damon: sexy, dangerous, and driven by an urge for revenge against Stefan, the brother who betrayed him.

Elena finds herself drawn to both brothers . . . who will she choose?

*May Contain Spoilers* 

L.J. Smith brings vampires to the small town of Fells Church, Virginia in The Awakening, a novel that focuses on high school queen, Elena Gilbert. Stefan, the new vampire in town, is immediately drawn to her, as she resembles his first love, Katherine. There ensues a struggle to stay away from her - as she's human, but Elena has already made that decision for him.

Elena isn't exactly a likeable character, but she isn't all bad. She's selfish, egotistical, moody, and at times, very uncaring. But those traits can also be described as self-sufficient, confidant, determined, and resistant. The way Elena is portrayed is up the reader. I personally liked Elena because she spiced things up. However, some readers won't look at her this way.

Stefan is ... a hot vampire from Italy who has his own airplane full of baggage. Which is exactly what every teenage girl wants: a romantic boyfriend who she can save, breaking down the walls of his damaged heart so that she will be the one person he feels close to.

As this is a YA novel, I tried to read the book in that mindset, and it works. Smith had me quickly turning pages, reading it in less than a day.

The plot was rather stretched out, as the story doesn't wrap up. At all. The novel simply ends and, I assume, picks up with the next book in the series. The Awakening sets the stage for what will happen in future books. It has it's own plot with mysterious murders, Stefan and Elena, and Stefan's back-story, but it doesn't conclude anything. So read it with the knowledge that you'll have to keep going.

For a quick Vampire-fix, this novel was perfect. It was easy to read, easy to understand, and enjoyable as long as I thought of it from a younger person's point of view. Can't wait to read the second one.

rating: 3/5 cups

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening

on Amazon