{ Torment by Lauren Kate }

Torment by Lauren Kate

September 2010 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

From Goodreads:

Hell on Earth. That's what it's like for Luce to be apart from her fallen angel boyfriend, Daniel. It took them an eternity to find one another, but now he has told her he must go away. Just long enough to hunt down the Outcasts - immortals who want to kill Luce. Daniel hides Luce at Shoreline, on the rocky California coast with unusually gifted students - Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans.

At Shoreline, Luce learns what the Shadows are, and how she can use them as windows to her previous lives. Yet the more Luce learns, the more she suspects that Daniel hasn't told her everything. He's hiding something - something dangerous. What if Daniels version of the past isn't actually true? What if Luce is really meant to be with someone else? The second novel in the addictive FALLEN series...where love never dies.

Review: *Note: May contain small spoilers *

Lets start with some positives. First off, I love the cover. A beautiful cover with a true feel for the title. I like the idea, the foundation of this story at it's core. A true love story. Yet, a story of how we sometimes let love swallow us whole. Forgetting who we are.

The setting for this second installment was beautiful. The extreme opposite from the first book. Shoreline, Luce's new 'school' is very cool. However, I did not find it all that believable. The whole idea of 'normal' kids together with the Nephilim kids is almost laughable. Are you telling me none of the 'normal' kids even once get a glimpse of a set of wings or anything else remotely odd? However, I guess I can over look it.

What I can not over look, however, is these two main characters. Luce and Daniel both are excruciatingly annoying. Honestly, I just wanted to shake them both and maybe a good smack to the head for good measure. I don't remember the last time I had so little attachment to a main character. I honestly could care less what happens to these two. The whole - hot one minute cold the next thing between these two was extremely drawn out and annoying. I understand where Lauren Kate, the author, was going with it, but it was just not played out well.

What was played well however, were most of the secondary characters. Shelby and Miles are new additions to the story and very likable. Miles was a great 'guy next door' and I found myself rooting for him more and more. Using his 'special' talent to save Luce in the final battle scene was a highlight. Shelby was a great character. Sarcastic, no nonsense kinda girl. Love her!

It all comes down to this. Would I recommend this book? I suppose. If you read Fallen and enjoyed it, then yes. If not, then no, probably not. I will probably read Passion, the third installment when it comes out this year. Why? To see if Lauren Kate can finally make me love Luce and Daniel.

Rating: 2 1/2 stars