Monday, August 3, 2009

The Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda + Contest!

Pub date - September 1, 2009

Bilqis Sangreal always knew that being a Knight Templar required the complete sacrifice of normalcy. Instead of hanging out with friends or flirting with boys, she spends her time in the darkest corners of London's underworld, battling the Unholy in a centuries-old war for mankind's soul.

Even though she's been solitary for years, Billi's lone-wolf attitude is challenged when her childhood friend and fellow knight, Kay, returns from Jerusalem with a new radiance and a dangerous chip on his shoulder. Kay is ready to reclaim his place by Billi's side, but she's skeptical. While Billi was risking her neck fighting werewolves and vampires, Kay wa
s reading auras in the lap of luxury. Now he spends his time showing off his new powers, cultivating the admiration of the other knights, and teasing Billi. It's all too much to bear . . . until Billi meets Michael, a disturbingly handsome guy who understands her like no one else, effortlessly staking a claim on her heart.

Kay wastes no time in complicating Billi's life just as it's starting to improve. In a moment of bravado, Kay uses the last of the Templars' treasures, King Solomon's Cursed Mirror, to look into the Ethereal Realm, drawing the attention of the Angel of Death. Even though Kay is the most powerful psychic the Templars have seen in centuries, he's no match for the dark angel responsible for the plague that killed every firstborn
child in Egypt so long ago.

The Knights know that the angel needs the mirror in order to unleash the Tenth Plague again, but keeping it from him will be nearly impossible. To win this battle and save the lives of millions of children, the Templars will have to find renewed strength, and Billi will have to make sacrifices greater than she'd ever imagined.
(book back blurb)

That has got to be the longest blurb ever to grace the back of a book. Personally I don't think it being that long is all that necessary but that's just me.

Anyway, it was alright. I didn't dislike it but I wasn't ecstatic about it either. The writing was good. Nothing really to complain about there but just the overall effect of the book . . . eh, I wasn't thrilled with it. I read it once and I'm good for a while. Might read a sequel if there is one.

I liked Billi a lot. Nothing says awesome author like one who can kick the crap out of his characters to make them who they are. The dynamic between Billi and her father is, for most of the book, "WTF is his problem?" but in the end, it rips your heart out a little. I really liked that relationship, for all the problems that are there. And that's not to mention the shit that gets kicked out of Billi on every freaking page. It's awesome! Well, not for her but I like seeing authors not be gentle with their characters. And yay for it not being her with the Special Child Syndrome which automatically negates such a syndrome.

I don't want to give it away but there are two twists in the book. One I think is fairly obvious from the second it appears on the page. I knew there was something not right - I just couldn't pinpoint what kind of not right it was. And the second one I figured out not too long before it actually happened. So that doesn't really count but that second twist is by far more convincing as twisting than the first.

I liked mixing the Old Testament type of stuff in the modern world. Not exactly original but I liked the way it played out in this book. I liked how the Knights Templar weren't defenders of the Holy Grail but of the people from otherworldly beings. It makes for a more exciting story! At least this one had fangs. I also liked being able to see the sickness for what it really was although that's not a pretty sight at all. Downright gross is more like it. But again, it shows that Chadda is not shy about what he writes, which is always a good thing.

I wasn't too fond of the protection that Billi got at the end. Granted she'd suffered more than enough and could have used a little bit of help, but it allowed her to pass through all of the sickness to fulfill the prophesy set out for her (ok, so she has some Special Child Syndrome but it's really watered down and really palatable). I could have lived without that. Or seen a little more struggle. What can I say, I'm a sadist.

Yeah, there are a lot of good things about this book but at the end of the day, it's one of those that just didn't tickle me the right way, or in the right spot. I'm not going to deny it the praise it deserves but I'm just not going to rave about it either. I didn't feel that way about the book. Really no good explanation or excuse for it. It just is. But I would definitely recommend this to people to read, especially if you're into the whole Knights Templar business and London. I loved how London was woven into the storyline and became part of the story. I've been to Temple Church and I could picture everything Billi was talking about.

So aside from the fact that the girl on the cover doesn't match the ethnicity of the girl in the book (white versus Pakistani), which isn't the author's fault, I liked it but wasn't in love with it. But I'm sure many people will be.



CONTEST TIME!!!

I have two ARCs of this book to give away. You want one? Just read the directions and enter in.

Leave a comment with your email address answering this question to enter -

"Which supernatural being do you think you'd stand a chance against in a fight?"

You MUST (hopefully I made that big enough) answer the question in order for your entry to count. If you don't, none of the extra stuff will count and your entry will be disqualified. I can't stress that enough.

+1 for new followers
+2 for current followers
+2 for linking (up to 3 links for 2 points each to equal 6 extra points)

Contest will end August 24th and midnight EST and open to US residents only. Good luck!

48 comments:

Brooke Reviews said...

lol I'ma go with a zombie! UNLESS it's the 28 days later type of zombie, then I'm probably screwed. :D

I'm a current follower!

bacarleton(at)gmail(dot)com

Yan said...

dude I can so kill a vampire. (in the morning though lol)

I've been following you via google reader :D

The Lovely Reader said...

Can I go up against one of those sparklepires from Twilight? Because I'm sure I could stand a good chance against one of those. But in all seriousness, I think I would be able to battle a phantom, a ghost, something of that nature. I could stand my ground pretty well with one of those, I do believe.

+2 Current follower! If I link later, I'll add another comment with that :)

barbrafl737 (at) yahoo (dot) com

DeNiSe said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeNiSe said...

ehhhhhhhh um let see if I had too waite are faeries supernatural but that as good as I think I could do maybe zombie if no faeries since Zombie are suppose to be all not that smart

Denise Madness
deniseguzman682(at)gmail(dot)com

2 For Followin
2 for Linking http://denisemadness.blogspot.com/

throuthehaze said...

Probably nothing...maybe zombies if they are slow, lumbering, and stupid :)

+2 current follower

throuthehaze at gmail dot com

Steph Su said...

Ah hells. Vampires would flatten my ass, ghosts are invincible, so I'd have to go with zombies, especially those of the slow and decaying kind, even though I'll be hyperventilating with freak-out the entire time I'm beating them to a pulp.

I'm an old follower and I've linked to my sidebar. :) And psst, next time you have such fantastic books that are on my wish list, you should trade with me.. *wink wink*

stephxsu at gmail dot com

Sab H. said...

"Which supernatural being do you think you'd stand a chance against in a fight?"

I'm guessing faeries because they are not really known for strength. But it's a slight chance still! ha!

+2 for current followers
+2 Twitered (SabriHorande)
+2 sidebar:
http://crystalreviews.blogspot.com/

Sab H. said...

Oh.. email: crystalreviews[at]gmail.com

Erica said...

Maybe a dwarf... if he's drunk (Dwarves drink quite a lot) otherwsie I got no shot against anything.

Erica said...

+2 old follower



:) Erica
thebookcellar@wi.rr.com

(forgot in last post, sorry)

Jen said...

That book sounds kinda good! Knights Templar books pwn!

The Book Explorer said...

I think I would only survive a zombie. And that's a maybe. XD

+2 for being an old follower
+2 for posting on sidebar: http://thebookexplorer.blogspot.com

Shayla
PrincessShayla@gmail.com

Emily said...

I think I would do good against a zombie - the 'only after my brains' type. I think I would be able to outsmart them :)

+2 I'm a current follower
+2 linked on my blog (redhousebooks.blogspot.com)

WilowRaven[at]yahoo[dot]com

Thanks!

ReggieWrites said...

I'd go with the vampire but it'd have to be in the morning. They have to be the I-die-in-the-sun type of vampire...haha!

I'm a follower

regietc@gmail.com

Shawna L. said...

Shawna Lewis
weloveourdogs@juno.com

+1 I am a follower

+2 I posted this on twitter

+2 I posted this on Facebook

+2 I posted this on Goodreads

Thanks for this chance to win this book so want to read it!!!

Total 7 points

Sara said...

Thanks for the contest - this book looks awesome!

I think I might be able to take an angry spirit. All I'd have to do is find its remains and burn them... I think I could handle that.... maybe!

+1 new follower
+2 linked to sidebar @
http://thehidingspot.blogspot.com

The Obsessive Reader said...

I don't think I could beat any supernatural being. The one I would have the best chance again would depend on the circumstances. Vampires if they couldn't go in the sun and Faeries if I had some type of iron knife in my hand.
+2 current follower
+2 Goodreads
http://www.goodreads.com/event/show/50124-the-devil-s-kiss-contest
+2 Pulse It
http://pulseit.simonandschuster.com/_Bites-contest/blog/496009/107649.html
+2 My blog on the sidebar
http://theobsessivereader-rachel.blogspot.com/

rconnell94@yahoo.com
Rachel

Danielle J. said...

I'm be killed by any supernatural being because i am the most clumsy person ever, but i could maybe take on a fairy because they are tricky and i could possibly outsmart them.

+1 for new follower
+2 linked it on my twitter: twitter.com/danijohns

djbookworm16@gmail.com

Unknown said...

I think I could take on a Zombie, they are so slow, I'd just kill em' and be done with it!

+2 am a follower!

bookmac13@gmail.com

Valerie Kemp said...

I think I could handle a zombie. They don't move too fast and aren't too smart. That's probably about it. Or maybe a boggart from Harry Potter, as long as I knew that's what it was, and not my worst fear!

+1 for new followers
+2 for linking in my blog's sidebar

shouldbewritingnow AT gmail DOT com

Anonymous said...

I think I could maybe take on a fairy. You know, put it in a jar or something. Most other supernatural creatures would probably beat me up. =)

+2 current follower

libridilectio@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Umm, maybe I'd be able to beat a gnome or maybe a pixie... something really small.

+2 I'm also a follower via Blogger.

Thanks for hosting this giveaway.
jake.lsewhere[at]gmail.com

Book Sp(l)ot said...

Which supernatural being do you think you'd stand a chance against in a fight?
Do the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles count?

and I'm already following...I'll comment again if I get a link up :)

Thanks for letting me know you had the contest!

Liviania said...

I could take an old school, slow moving zombie.


inbedwithbooks AT yahoo DOT com

Anonymous said...

If I had to fight a supernatural being, I would want to fight a faerie because it would be fun, and I would cast the spell of do-good-aroumous. :)

speckldharted22(at)aim(dot)com

Alyssa F said...

I'm pretty much a wimp, so I probably don't have much of a chance against a supernatural being. But if I had to pick one, I'd pick a ghost. Ghosts don't scare me. I could beat a ghost. As long as it wasn't a poltergeist. Then I'd be a wimp again.

+1 I am a new follower through Bloglines
+2 I posted about it here: http://theshadyglade.blogspot.com/2009/08/contest-roundup-august-17th.html
+2 Posted it in my right sidebar: http://theshadyglade.blogspot.com

Purdypirate said...

I'd Kick some zombiw butt. Hands down I know I could do some damage to their population before they took me out. :)

I'm a new follower your blog rocks btw.

Purdypirate@gmail.com

I ♥ Book Gossip said...

I'd eat Zombie brain if it was me against them.

+ 2 for following
+ 2 for linking
http://juniperrbreeeze.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Mary D
zenrei57 (at) hotmail (dot) com

Omg - I think they'd all kick my butt lol, but hmmm....

Maybe a ghost, like a very SMALL ghost, inexperienced, gentle, unassuming,slow moving ....

Unknown said...

I am going to go with zombie, faeries, and dwarfs. I may kick some vampire butt if I am lucky.

+2 for current follower
+2 for linking
http://neverendingshelf.blogspot.com

Kate
neverendingshelf@gmail.com

Misusedinnocence said...

Vampire for sure. :)

I follow.

misusedinnocence@aol.com

~The Book Pixie said...

This is an awesome contest! I think I could definitely kick a vampire's a**. Especially considering all the garlic my family consumes. :P

+2 current follower

+2 Tweeted: http://twitter.com/thebookpixie/status/3422207346

+2 sidebar: http://thebookpixie.blogspot.com/

~Briana :D
thebookpixie(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

I'd stand a chance fighting a zombie.

New follower

Tweet - http://twitter.com/bridget3420/status/3438245540

bjhopper(at)me(dot)com

Unknown said...

Blogged

http://bridget3420.blogspot.com/2009/08/821-book-giveaway-list.html

bjhopper(at)me(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I'd go for the vampire in the daytime :)

Unknown said...

I'm such a weakling the only supernatural demon that I might have a shot at would be Lorne of the Deathwok clan demons on the series Angel. And that is because he is such a sweetie he'd probably feel sorry for me and let me win:)

Unknown said...

I'm a new follower:)

Unknown said...

Tweeted here about the guveaway
https://twitter.com/kdet62/status/3464656599

Unknown said...

Posted a link on Facebook to the giveaway.
http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=675886115&share_id=121584713874&comments=1&ref=nf#s121584713874

Ashley said...

"Which supernatural being do you think you'd stand a chance against in a fight?" A zombie!

+2 Already follow.

+2 Posted on my sidebar at http://booksobsession.blogspot.com

Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I am going to say a vampire. Even though I know I would not be able to win. But I love vampires and if I ever met a vampire and they killed me that would totally be fine. lol

lovestoread0708(at)yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

I am also a new follower

lovestoread0708(at)yahoo.com

Jo said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jo said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jo said...

Q: Which supernatural being do you think you'd stand a chance against in a fight?

A: J.K. Rowling's version of a Boggart. My worst fear is failure and I'm sure I could think of something happy to combat that - I do it every day.

+1 New follower

jump_up_thrice[at]hotmail[dot]com

(Sorry about the deleted comments... I was having issues w/ the email addy thing.

Paradox said...

Which supernatural being do you think you'd stand a chance against in a fight? - Zombies, but not very many of them. Maybe something small like a traditionally-sized fairy.

+2 I'm already a follower.

paradoxrevealed (at) aim (dot) com

L said...

I've never thought about that before. I'm going to say a vampire, though I love vamps and would never kill one =D.

+2 for current followers

lovinfitch(at)aol(dot)com

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