Torment (Fallen, #2)

by Lauren Kate

[Jo]

In "Torment", fallen angel Daniel and his mortal love Lucinda think they are safe but evil forces are massing against them. As Luce learns more about her past, and discovers that the lives she's already lived hold the key to her future happiness; she starts to wonder if Daniel has told her the whole truth. What if his version of events isn't the way things happened? What if that means that she's really meant to be with someone else? From Amazon UK

I fell in love with Luce and Daniel's story in Fallen, and was beyond excited and frustrated when I finished the book; excited because it was just so wow, frustrated because I had so many questions and had to wait so long for Torment! So I ws thrilled when the lovely ladies of Random House UK handed out bound manuscripts of Torment as gifts to the bloggers who came to the Book Bloggers Meet Up in May. And now I've read it, all I can say is OH MY GOD!

I am reeling with amazement as I write this at how incredible Torment is! The writing skill Kate just blows me away. We have a whole slew of new characters who are just so real they could jump out of the page, a plot that is just so believable, a rollercoaster of emotions that will tug at the heart strings, and so much excitement you won't be able to sit still!

You know those questions I mentioned earlier that were left over from Fallen? Well now I have a whole lot more to add to the list. Kate has this brilliant way of just scratching the surface of what's going on, giving you - and Luce - just a glimpse of what is the heart of, well, everything that makes this story, without really answering any questions, yet keeping you turning the pages like your life depended on it. I can't tell you how maddening - in a good way - it is to still not know what's going on! Kate drops hints throughout, and I have my theories, but who knows if they're right? It's just fantastic, I am completely gripped by this story!

We have a few new characters who make an entrance in Torment. Shelby, Luce's roommate at her new school, is great; she's sarcastic, she's a little rough sometimes, but altogether someone you would enjoy being around. Jasmine and Dawn are brilliant, both really sweet and excitable - Dawn especially, just the cutest thing ever. Then there's Miles, the sweetest, loveliest guy! Just adorable! They're all brilliant!

The love between Luce and Daniel is just so wow. I am unable to describe it eloquently. It's this big, wonderful, scary thing that is just overwhelming to read about. It's huge, it's poweful, it's endless - and it's really quite beautiful. Kate's may be some of, if not the best descriptions of all encompassing love I have ever read. It really is amazing how brilliantly Kate puts something so undescribable into words. It's one of the things that makes me love this series so much; not only is the plot exciting and intriguing, the love is just so real it's almost palpable.

The main action, like in Fallen, comes right at the end. There are smaller action scenes throughout the book, but the main event is towards the very end. Luce gets to see more this time round than in Fallen, and it's just awesome to see the angels at work. Really impressive, really exciting, really worrying! I loved it!

The ending! Oh my god, the ending! Such a cliffhanger, with all those added questions! I am dying to find out what will happen, but the next book in the series, Passion, who's publication date is yet to be announced, covers Luce's past lives, so is more of a prequel than a sequel. I cannot wait for the next two books, the wait for them is going to be torture! If you haven't already, you really need to start this series, it's so far beyond amazing there are no words!

From Once Upon a Bookcase - YA book blog.