I was reading through my review of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Storm and Fury and realized that I did not fangirl nearly as much as I could have. With the sequel, Rage and Ruin, all bets are off. The only thing I can do is fangirl…HARD.
First of all, in this world where all demons should be evil and all angels good, I adore the fact that Ms. Armentrout not only does not dwell in absolutes, she fully challenges them. She specifically calls out the danger that occurs when dealing with such absolutes, something I completely respect. Sure, the story may be about heavenly creatures, but we can still learn from the lessons Trinity faces as she struggles to uncover the end of the world plot about which her father warned her.
Second, I LOVE Trinity. She is feisty and sarcastic but oh-so-vulnerable. She has a disability but never lets it conquer her ability to kick ass – quite literally most of the time. She never waivers from her mistakes either. Sure, she may grumble about admitting them, but she does not shirk from their consequences. She feels so much but never forgets her duty. Responsible but still very much a seventeen-year-old, she is everything I hope my daughter will become – a fighter for others with a tremendous capacity to love.
Speaking of love, can we just take a minute to wipe the drool from our mouths over Zayne? Because HOLY HELL is he one of the hottest characters I have ever met on the page. He is not just a pretty face either. He has a heart of gold and says the most swoon-worthy things. It is tempting to give the book to my husband and tell him to read it and take notes.
Trinity and Zayne together are the sweetest and a fantastic example of what a healthy relationship should be. Their more ***ahem*** romantic scenes are perfection. Steamy without being explicit, these scenes show what such intimacy should be and what it brings to a relationship.
That ending may have taken at least a year off my life. Never have my emotions swung so violently in such a short period of time. With the number of questions I now have, waiting to get answers to those questions may just take another year off my life. Can we please rush the publication of the series finale? Please?
In short, Rage and Ruin is no disappointing sequel. I think it a stronger story overall than the first book in the trilogy with more character growth and more progress of the overarching plot. Zayne and Trinity together are amazing, but the secondary characters are equally fun and complex. The wait for the finale is going to be interminable.
