Book Blurb:
“Her mouth parted slightly, waiting for Seth to breathe life into her own body, just like in the story. She wanted him to awaken her senses.”
Their worlds collide in California’s high desert.
The last thing Natara “Natti” Stone wants to do is to start anew at Setemple High School. She wished she had never left London. Yet the brutal murder of her maternal grandmother has made her life very complicated. The only clue related to her murder is an ancient, encrypted necklace Natti discovered after her grandmother’s death. And if trying to adjust to American life is not enough, Natti is being stalked by a mysterious, charming high school senior, Seth O’Keefe, who is annoyingly persistent in his attempts at seduction.
Seth O’Keefe is secretly a member of the Sons of Set, an order that worships the Egyptian god of chaos. Seth’s blessing from Set, his “charm,” never failed, except with one person: Natti Stone. Her ability to elude him infatuates and infuriates him, and he becomes obsessed with the chase. But the closer he gets to her, the more his emotions take a dangerous turn, and he risks breaking one of the most valued covenants of his order. The punishment for which is a fate worse than death.
The adventure this unlikely couple becomes engulfed in could cost them their lives and their souls.
My Review:
3 Out Of 5 Ankhs
Genre: Royal-Court, Supernatural--
Natti has been forced to move from her beloved London to a tiny town somewhere in the American desert after her Grandmother was murdered during a robbery attempt. To say the least, she is not enthused about it at all. To make matters worse, Natti is being pursued by a boy at her new high school who has a harem of girls that jump at the chance to be another notch on his belt. Natti finds him attractive, but there is something off about him and his charm, something that causes her to go against her instincts to stay away from him, something compulsive. Natti wants to be left alone, yet Seth won't give up causing her to realize that she may be in the middle of something way over her head.
When I started this book I was expecting some fun mystery with an Egyptian theme, but that is not really what I got. Instead, the book mainly deals with Natti at school and the sexual advances that Seth makes. Wow, was the plot heavily centered on the sexual gratification that Seth got from the many admirers around him. And the mystery aspect I was looking for did not exist. The reader learns within the first 50 pages who the evil-doer is and why and how. I guess Natti doesn't understand what is going on, but the reader knows and then has to watch her try and figure things out. I did find the story interesting that it was about the cult of Set, who I had read about recently in another book, so it was nice to get another look at the myth behind it.
The book is narrated by Natti and Seth, alternating view points at each chapter. I really liked Natti as the story started but soon ended up losing confidence in her as a character. She began the book as a bold independent girl who was smart and made great choices. But then she turned into the completely willing plaything of Seth, and I could not stand it. Natti was aware that something strange was going on and that Seth was involved, yet she still would engage him in small talk, have a coffee date and give him touches. He had a freaking harem of girls that Natti inadvertently watched him sex up repeatedly and yet she still wanted him! No, I am not ok with it. She became his plaything despite everything and it made me really bummed about the book. I was unhappy with her potential new friends, who continuously made bets about her abilities to hold out to Seth, but it seemed that they were right about her. Let me be perfectly honest and say that I hated Seth. I thought he made an interesting villain character but I did not like him as a person, as Natti’s love interest, or as a main character. I thought he was a bad person who did bad things to people and himself and had no remorse. Blah, blah, he is forced to, blah magic powers, but still I hated him. He used girls for sex against their will because he could manipulate them into thinking they wanted him. So basically he was a magical raper. Yeah, great guy. I found nothing redeeming about him and could not believe Natti wanted him.
Overall, I thought the plot had potential and I loved the Egyptian cult idea, but I did not like the characters. For me to be in love with a book, I need both likeable characters and interesting plot. So, I will have to just say that this book was ok and I am not certain if I will read more in what is very obviously the first in a series.
I received this title in exchange for my honest review.
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