by Lola StVil
The last thing I see before I close my eyes are his silver wings coming toward me. He lifts me up and takes me in his arms. While demons hurl fireballs at us from every direction, I study his face. I realize he doesn’t want me to live; he needs me to.
It’s as if his whole existence depends on it…
The Noru series in order:
Book 1: Blue Rose
Book 2: Last Akon
Book 3: Fall Of The Chosen
Product Details
ISBN-13: 9781501409837
Publisher: Lola StVil
Publication date: 7/5/2014
Series: Noru
Free Book!
Review
This story is about half breed, Hybrid, Angels/Demons. A very small group of teenagers who fight off the evil, determined to destroy everything. One Angel Hybrid, Pryor, hell bent on saving her human friend from dying. Did I mention her own mother is the Reaper? Pryor is the leader and the strongest of her group. The plot and story line was great. I especially liked the action scenes. They were full of details, and flowed nicely. The ending is a cliffhanger. The Characters were diverse and complex. It is a little slow paced most of the beginning, but it did pick up. Which is probably setting it up for the next book? There is a chapter with sex in it, not acceptable for younger readers. HOWEVER the author does instruct the younger readers to go to the following chapter. "Mature content. Younger readers please skip to chapter 12B". I don't think that younger readers will actually "skip" the chapter. Maybe make this book in two versions? Overall the scene everyone is going crazy about I didn't find completely horrible. It was between Silver and Ruin. When I read the other reviews it sounded like they thought it was between Pryor and Silver.
Excerpt
“What is it? Why aren’t you guys happy? We just stopped the demons from going to the light,” Randy says.
“Yes, we did. But I closed the Pathway,” I reply softly. “So?” “So, no demons can enter, but no angel can exit.”
“I don’t get it,” Randy admits.
“What Pryor wants to say is that the angels who could protect us, like our parents and the Council, are stuck in the light with no way
to come back,” Swoop replies.
“Wait. Pryor, you mean…?”
“Yes, Randy; we are alone.”
Again Randy wants to come along. However this time I’m able to convince him to stay behind and look after Sam when he wakes up. I assured Randy that although Tony is with my little brother, it would help him to have another familiar face around. There’s another reason I need Randy to stay behind: we got way too close to Randy’s death the last time we encountered demons. Holders are strong, but the blast nearly ripped it open and had it done so, Randy would have been killed. The group and I head to the demon hangout located just outside of Chicago. We land in the alley and scan the area. The streets reek of sewage and decay. Rats scurry to and from nearby trash bins, most of which are overflowing.
“Bex, maybe you and Key should consider this your next ‘date night destination,’” East teases.
“Thanks, but rat droppings don’t really do it for me,” Key replies. “Oh, what does?” East asks flirtatiously.
“East, you are so not ready,” she says, shaking her head playfully.
“Something’s wrong here,” I observe as we head towards the bar.
“Pryor’s right, something’s wrong,” Bex says as he scans the nearly empty street.
“Alright, alright. What is it?” Swoop asks.
“Well this is a demon hangout, right?” I ask. “Yeah.” “So where are the demons?” I reply.
The group takes a second look and from the expressions on their faces, they now understand my alarm.
“Maybe they’re all inside,” Bex suggests.
“Demons don’t do well with limits. They wouldn’t just stick to the bar. They’d have run off the whole neighborhood,” East replies.
“So where are they?” Key asks.
“Let’s go in and find out,” I say to them.
We turn our attention to the red door entrance of Flesh & Fools. There’s a warning carved into the wood. “This establishment is not reasonable for loss of limbs.”
“Charming,” East says.
We enter the bar carefully, not knowing what to expect. The place looks like it’s been trashed. There are broken bar stools throughout the room, shattered glass and demon blood everywhere.
“What the hell happened?” I ask.
“I’ve never been to a demon bar, maybe this is how they all look,” Key says. “I have and they don’t look this bad; something went down,” Swoop says.
“Should I ask what you were doing in a demon bar?” I wonder.
“I wouldn’t,” Bex cautions me.
“Swoop, do demon bars have firework displays?” East asks
“No.” “Then we better get down on the floor,” East says.
“Huh?”
“GET DOWN!” The half angel, half human yells.
We all hit the floor seconds before a raging ball of fire zooms past us. “It’s coming from the back room; cover me,” Bex says as he heads towards the direction of the blaze.
“Bex, no! We don’t know how many of them are back there,” I reason.
A second fireball is launched in our direction.
“Okay, but we can’t just sit here,” Bex says.
“Swoop, Key, and I will go around to the back door, that way we can attack from both sides,” I order.
“How do we even know there’s a back door?” East asks.
“There’s always a back door in these kind of places: in case a demon needs to escape a vengeful boyfriend, flesh-stripping Powerballs, bookies…” Swoop answers.
We enter a long dark hallway with doors on both sides. Straight ahead, we can hear East and Bex battling. I send Key and Swoop to help the guys while I investigate the rooms. I enter with hands out, ready to Pull any demon that jumps out at me. There’s no need to Pull any of the demons in the room because they are all dead. There are nine of them spread throughout the room. Each with gaping wounds and blank stares. I check out the other room across the hall and the same thing.
I head to the front of the bar where the group has killed all but one of the demons that were attacking us. Bex is holding the remaining demon in a headlock.
“This here is Roman. We kept him alive because he seems like a helpful guy. How about it, Roman, you gonna help us out?” Bex says.
“Suck it,” Roman says, filled with venom.
“Roman, you’re a second-rate demon surrounded by Noru. The best you can do is stay alive for another… five minutes.
Those are last words you'll ever speak. Are you sure you want to go ‘Suck it?’ Personally, I’d go with maybe a Shakespeare quote. You know something from Julius Caesar maybe?” East says.
“You have no wings; you can weaken us with a force field but you can’t kill us. You’re not Noru. You’re a freaking Quo; you’re the team’s mascot,”Roman informs East.
Without warning, East yanks the demon from Bex and hurls him across the room. Normally Bex would have been able to hold on to Roman but East caught him totally off guard. The demon crashes onto a nearby table but he continues to laugh at the Quo. Now fully enraged, East places his hands in front of Roman’s face and starts to “hug” him. We watch as the laser lasso emerges from East’s palm and wraps itself around Roman’s head.
“East, stop it; we need him,” Key says.
He pays her no mind. He glares at the demon that is about to lose consciousness.
“It’s okay man, let it go,” Bex pushes.
“YOU DON’T THINK I CAN KILL YOU?” East challenges furiously.
“You have Preschool powers; I’m not afraid of you,” the demon whispers smugly. “East, get away from him,” I order.
He withdraws the lasso and turns his attention to me. The demon, seeing his chance, uses the last bit of strength he has left and crawls out the window. We all go after him. Roman tries to take flight. Luckily Swoop moves like lightning and casts him down to the ground.
“Don’t leave now, Roman, it’s rude,” Swoop informs him. He groans as he hits the ground, hard. I bend down on the ground beside him. I focus and begin toraise his fear level. He starts to squirm and cry out.
“What happened here?” I ask him.
“The new evil has been hunting higher-ranking demons. Taking them out one at a time— please make it stop!” Roman says, too fearful of the visions in his head to go on.
“Where is Oden hiding? We need to find him,” I ask.
“Wait! Wait! There’s a demon I know; he hangs out with Oden a lot. He could tell you where to find him,” Roman begs. “
"What’s his name?”
“ ‘Kill’ or at least that’s what we call him. He was in here before Malakaro sent his team.”
“Does he have a tattoo on his face?” I ask.
“Yes, that’s him,” Roman says, averting his eyes to whatever terror looms in his mind’s eye.
“He’s dead. I saw him in the back room,” I tell the group.
“No, no. Kill is alive. He can regenerate.”
Damn it! I take off like a rocket inside the bar. I head to the back room and kick down the door. Sure enough the demon with the face tattoo is gone. But he’s around here somewhere because I’m reading fear nearby. I head back into the hallway, just in time to see Kill bolt out the back door. I take off after him.He is airborne within seconds. I’m right on his heels. He turns and throws fireballs at me, one after the other. I manage to dodge them.Kill dives towards the ground and lands. I quickly follow but I lose him when he ducks between a row of townhomes. I scan the area in search of the demon but so far, nothing. Then I hear a bloodcurdling scream coming from one of the homes. I run towards the noise. A woman is sprawled out at the front door.none. I run into the house in search of the coward that killed her. There’s no sign of him on the first floor. I run to the second floor and carefully open the door nearest me. Standing across the room is Kill with a fresh ball of flame aimed at his latest victim, who sleeps soundly in her crib.
“It will be the very last thing you do,” I warn the demon.
“I doubt that,” he says with a smirk. Can I get to him before he drops the fireball into her crib?
“You can risk it, if you’re feeling lucky but I wouldn’t” he says, as if hearing my thoughts.
He’s right. I could make it in time to save the baby but I could be wrong. I don’t want to take that risk and Kill knows it.
“Leave the baby alone and I won’t chase you,” I inform him.
“You have no idea what he has in store for you,” Kill replies.
“Who?”
“Malakaro. His evil is different. It’s without reason,” he says with delight.
“You sound like a real fan. Too bad he tried to murder you.”
“We don’t have to be friends for me to appreciate his work. Now, be a good angel and introduce yourself to my friend.” I turn around just as a Powerball blasts me from behind. I go flying backwards and slam into the wall. My head hit it so hard, it causes cracks to appear and crawl along the wall like a spider. The pain radiates throughout my head and causes my vision to blur.
“No, don’t kill her yet; I want her to watch this,” Kill says to his demon friend. He then goes over to the crib and sets it on fire. The baby wakes up and starts screaming. But it’s not the scream of someone being set on fire, which means the flames haven’t gotten to her yet. I try to Bind him but I can’t focus long enough to affect his fear level. The two demons grab hold of me and pin me against the wall. Before I can raise my hand, Kill grabs my palms and sandwiches them between his. He then summons up one of his powers. Fire springs from his palms. Kill has set my hands on fire.
Kill leans in a whispers. “There’s only one thing that can put out a blaze from me; and trust me you have no chance of getting it,”
I jerk my body around so violently, I feel my shoulder snap out of place. But that pain is nothing compared to the anguish of my melting fingertips. I drop to the floor of the nursery as if it will somehow save me from suffering; The demons stand above me, laughing as the smell of burning flesh assaults my nose. I writhe in pain and moan as the flames spread to my forearms. I am too weak to stop the blaze from eating me alive. In the background the baby continues to cry out. Just focus long enough to save the baby… I try, but the blaze isn’t only eating away at my body, it’s filling my mind with terror and making it too hard to focus on my powers.
Pry, the baby… get the baby…
I can’t think anymore, let alone move. Shutting down. Eyes… blur. Smoke. Everywhere. Pain. Everywhere.
I’m sorry human; I tried to save you…
Demons lean in to watch me die up close. Just as I’m about to close my eyes for the last time, the baby stops crying.
Dear Omnis, please say it’s the smoke that killed her and not the ruthless flames.
The demons head over to the crib to see what’s happening. I force myself to stay awake for a second longer. However, it’s all in vain. The only thing I can make out is a third figure has joined the party. Kill must have called more demons to come and watch me die. I can’t keep my eyes open long enough to find out. The pain is finally too much for my mind and body. The last thing I see before I close my eyes are silver wings…
END OF EXCERPT
Author Interview
What books have most influenced your life?
Twilight Harry potter & if belle street could talk (James Baldwin)Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Battle scenesI always must ask, If you could pick an actor to portray your Two main characters on the big screen who would it be and why?
Silver -- Jeremy Sumpter -- He just screams silver at me.
Pry-- Karen Gillan -- When I saw her picture I saw her in battle with demons and wings and I just said YES! that's her.
What were your feelings when you first saw the cover of your finished book?
IN LOVE WITH IT, Renu Sharma did a great j0b.If you had a superpower, what would it be?
I'm really jealous of birds, so flight.Where is one place you would like to visit that you haven't been before?
GREECE, & IrelandIf you could have any accent for anywhere in the world, what would you choose?
BritishWhat is something you hope to accomplish before you die?
A traditional publishing deal, Book to movie or book to TV adaption would love to see my characters come to life.Do you have any Strange writing habits?
Writing on wooden surfaces only.Can you Share a little of your current works/ projects with us:
Right now, I just finished book 4 and am planning on book 5 for fall 2015.
Lola Stvil is a NY times and USA Today best selling author. Born in Haiti, Lola was seven when she first came to this country from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. She attended Columbia College in Chicago, where her main focus was creative writing. In addition to plays, she also writes screenplays and short stories.
She has been commissioned to write for ABC, CBS and Princeton University. She won the NAACP award for her play "The Bones of Lesser Men". In addition to being nominated for LA Weekly awards. Her work has also received positive reviews from The LA Times, Variety and LA Weekly. Guardians: The Girl was her first novel. She finished the guardian Series in 2013 and started almost immediately writing the first book of its spinoff, The Noru: Blue Rose. Lola Is also an actress in her spare time, Loves to travel and stay in touch with her readers.
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