Title: Rage & Ruin
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Synopsis: Half-angel Trinity and her bonded gargoyle protector, Zayne, have been working with demons to stop the apocalypse while avoiding falling in love. The Harbinger is coming…but who or what is it? All of humankind may fall if Trinity and Zayne can’t win the race against time as dark forces gather. As tensions rise, they must stay close together and patrol the DC streets at night, seeking signs of the Harbinger, an entity that is killing Wardens and demons with no seeming rhyme or reason. Forbidden to be with each other, Zayne and Trinity fight their feelings and turn to unusual sources for help—the demon Roth and his cohorts. But as deaths pile up and they uncover a sinister plot involving the local high school and endangering someone dear to Zayne, Trin realizes she is being led…herded…played for some unknown end. As anger builds and feelings spiral out of control, it becomes clear that rage may be the ruin of them all.
Review: SPOILER WARNINGS
I thought Rage & Ruin deserved a solid four star until the last fifty pages. I adore Jennifer L. Armentrout’s writing but this book was overly predictable, lacked the mystery of book one, Storm & Fury, and twisted classic biblical teachings. Here’s the thing, I’m not a religious person, but I believe in God. Viewing him as a man, sitting in heaven, making human-like decisions was laughable if not ridiculous. Painting arch angels as villains was equally silly. I can’t count the number of times my eyes rolled at the end of this book. Lucifer will save the day. Um…no thank you. I literally cackled when the author unveiled that twist.
The other thing that bothered me was the sudden obsession Zayne and Trinity had for each other after having sex. I get it, they’re young and in love but their vow to sacrifice anything and everything to find one another after death was cringe worthy. The Twilight vibes came on strong toward the ending—too strong. Considering they had just met with the Senator and witnessed what happened when harbored grief turns into desperation, their obsessive devotion to each other felt out of character.
And what about their bond? I thought if one died, the other went too. Perhaps I misunderstood. I was so confused when Zayne passed. I expected Trinity to meet him in the afterlife.
I enjoyed the sexual tension and banter between Zayne and Trinity at the beginning of the book. Armentrout’s writing is easy reading. Her books are good pallet cleansers after finishing a dense fantasy novel. I just didn’t love this one.
I’m not sure if I want to continue the series. The twisted view on God really bothered me. I enjoy books with valuable life lessons, and this one left me with zero takeaways.
Triggers/Warnings: violence, some language, adult content
Plot: 3/5
Pacing: 4/5
Escapism Factor: 3/5
Emotional Connection: 3/5
Character Development: 3/5
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Completed Read: March 2021
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