Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins

Sweet #2

     "Sweet Peril, the second book in this hot YA trilogy, focuses on the battle between light and dark, good and evil, within Anna Whitt, the child of a guardian angel mother and a demon father. Anna promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a claim. Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. And all the while there’s gorgeous bad-boy Kaidan Rowe, the son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

     Anna discovers it is her fate to banish demons from the earth, and save the other Nephilim from their dark destiny. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?"

The sequel to Sweet Evil was a far better book. The character development and story arch was very engaging. Anna struggling with the changes she had to go through, half-ass working for her father, the Duke of Substance abuse. She had to become a party girl. Cutting her long hair, getting piercings and changing how she dressed. All while still carrying a torch for Kaidan, the son of the Duke of Lust.

And might I say that Kaidan got even hotter in this book. I know it maybe silly of me to proclaim something like that about a character from a book. But I mean seriously, he is the embodiment of lust, so he would have to be hot. And on top of that, he's English. His character development is quite possibly the best. Although I can't help but wonder if he is faking his feelings for Anna, at least a little bit. I only question it because of what he said to her in the first book about what he would have to do to get her in bed, would make her believe the he loved her. But at the same time, I don't really see him pulling that long of a game to get one Neph girl in bed, while not doing his duties as the Son of a Duke.

Anna's character development was also very well done. Even though she had to start working, she still kept her good nature and caring heart. It was actually nice to see her come into her own and tell Kai "no" when her heart wanted her to say "yes". I wonder where the story is going to in the third and final book. I liked seeing her growing relationship with the other Nephilim and with her father. Anna has a kind of strength and compassion that is often left out of female characters. She's smart, strong, brave, compassionate, and even a little deceptive. And she tries to stay true to herself in spite of all the dangers around her.

The path that this book has set for the third book makes me eager for the book. I read the book summary of the third book, there was a passage that mentions that Kaidan was sent by his father to work against her. And I really hope that he doesn't betray her, but that there is some super secret cloak and dagger double agent stuff that goes on instead.