cover image The Beautiful Ashes

The Beautiful Ashes

Jeaniene Frost. HQN, $14.95 trade paper (304p) ISBN 978-0-373-77905-5

Frost's fast-paced paranormal romantic thriller is a pure stunner. Ivy is already overwhelmed by dealing with her parents' death and the disappearance of her sister, Jasmine. The last thing she needs is Adrian, an undeniably handsome stranger, telling her that the visions that she's had since childhood are completely real and Jasmine has been kidnapped by demons. Soon, Ivy is on an epic adventure of Biblical proportions. She comes from the line of King David and can see into demon realms as well as destroy demons. Adrian isn't a demon, but he's the sworn enemy of the Davidians. Nonetheless, the attraction between them is too intense to ignore. As Ivy searches for the one weapon that might let her save her sister, she slowly comes to grips with her place in this archaic and never-ending war. Frost (Once Burned) skillfully balances passion and peril in an attention-grabbing story that's exciting from the first page. The mythos is intriguing and inventive. Readers will hungrily anticipate the next installment. (Sept.)