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    Devil's Kiss
    Devil's Kiss
    Devil's Kiss
    Audiobook8 hours

    Devil's Kiss

    Written by Sarwat Chadda

    Narrated by Anne Flosnik

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    As the youngest and only female member of the Knights Templar, Bilquis SanGreal grew up knowing she wasn't normal. Instead of hanging out at the mall or going on dates, she spends her time training as a soldier in her order's ancient battle against the Unholy.

    Billi's cloistered life is blasted apart when her childhood friend, Kay, returns from Jerusalem, gorgeous and witha dangerous chip on his shoulder. He's ready to reclaim his place in Billi's life, but she's met someone new: amber-eyed Michael, who seems to understand her like no one else, effortlessly claiming a stake in her heart.

    But the Templars are called to duty before Billi can enjoy the pleasant new twist to her life. ancient enemies has resurfaced, searching for a treasure that the Templars have protected for hundreds of years—a cursed mirror powerful enough to kill all of London's firstborn. To save her city from catastrophe, Billi will have to put her heart aside and make sacrifices greater than any of the Templars could have imagined.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateSep 1, 2009
    ISBN9781441801685
    Devil's Kiss
    Author

    Sarwat Chadda

    Sarwat Chadda has lived and travelled throughout the world, from China to Guatemala. He’s been lost in Mongolia, abandoned at a volcano in Nicaragua and hidden up a tree from a rhino in Nepal. Not to mention being detained by Homeland Security in the US and chased around Tibet by the Chinese. Maybe he just has that sort of face. Anyway, now he’s trying to settle in one place and avoid trouble. Hence his new career as a writer. It’s safe, indoors and avoids any form of physical danger.

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    Reviews for Devil's Kiss

    3.5/5

    126 ratings23 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I really did want to like this but honestly it fell flat for me. The premise sounded good, a secret society that have roots in the Templars and with Arthurian legacies. Fighting demons and saving the world but it has a price and Billi isn't sure she wants to pay it.It won't be a series I will be following any further.
    • 2/5
      I'll definitely rec this to teens, but something about it just didn't resonate with me. I think, maybe, my issue was the frenetic pace of all the action. There's not a lot of downtime in this book, and I wanted some slower spots to really flesh out Billi's world a bit more. Also, the character I most loved ended up with a sword through the chest by the end of the book. BOO!

      That said, there's some deliciously gory imagery, lots of cool action and fight scenes, and a very strong and realistic female hero. The nearest parallel I can think of would be Buffy. Good supernatural action read, if that's your thing.
    • 4/5
      Excellent atmospheric scene setting in modern day London with deeply drawn characters in complex relationships. Fast paced throughout, the hard hitting action scenes whip you through some epic events involving Knights Templar, dark angels and blood suckers!
    • 3/5
      There were a lot of grammatical mistakes in this book that jar the reader out of the book once they notice them. There were, perhaps, a few too many ideas pushed into a two hundred page book. I feel that if some of the ideas had been taken out, this book would have been a much more enjoyable read.
    • 3/5
      The story itself was pretty interesting, going into relatively unexplored territory for young adult literature... instead of the main character Billi being a run of the mill girl who gets thrust into a paranormal world, she is actually a decedent of the Templar Knights tasked with killing the paranormal. They had me at Templar Knights, I mean who doesn't like a shady secret society?The story started out slow, but I understand that they were spending time to flesh out the basic players and the world they lived. I thought the romantic aspect was a little forced - trying to play into the paranormal teen romance but it just didn't seem "organic" to me. At times Billi seemed a little too immature and annoying for a 15 year old - especially in her line of work. But I liked the darkness and overall rather gritty tone to the story.
    • 3/5
      This is one of those book where I initially wanted to read it because I loved the cover, I know I shouldn’t be like that...but it happens. It ended up being an okay urban fantasy with mythology focused around the Knights Templar. I don’t think I will be reading any more books in the series though.I listened to this on audiobook and wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. The narrator’s voice is very gravely and bothered me. The narrator did a decent job of distinguishing between characters and it was always easy to tell who was talking.Billi is being trained to join the Knights Templar whether she wants to be or not. When an ancient enemy of the Templars shows up seeking a powerful mirror, it is up to the Templars to stop him before he unleashes the tenth plague and kills all of London’s first born children. Billi is forced to face the horrors of being a Templar whether she wants to or not.The idea of a secret group that protects normal humans from the things that go bump in the night is a very common one for urban fantasy. So the premise of this story isn’t anything special. In this book this is all given a religious twist; you have the Knights Templar basically fighting fallen angels and the Devil. While I am not big into religious themed urban fantasy I did enjoy some of the mythology behind this.The thing I really didn’t enjoy was Billi. She is a disaster of a character. She whines constantly about how she hates training to be a Templar and how she wants a normal life. She pretty much whines non-stop. I wanted to slap her and yell “get over it already!” Billi constantly discusses how she’s been trained from a young age to be this deadly fighter. So I was excited to see her in action...that is until I saw her in action. Pretty much every time her skills are put to the test she can’t handle it, screws everything up, and either needs a guy or her dad to come and save her. I mean seriously? This is our kick-butt heroine?The surrounding characters aren’t much better. Billi’s dad is a jerk, although we learn there is a reason for that. Billi’s “kind of” boyfriend isn’t much better. In general the story and characters are spooky and gritty. This is definitely one of the more gritty YA urban fantasies I have read; I wish I had enjoyed the premise behind the story and the characters better because the writing style itself was pretty good. Just a warning to those who are squeamish; there are some pretty yucky scenes in here...think worms eating kids from the inside out stuff like that.Overall this was a so-so read. I liked some of the mythology behind the Templar Knights and I enjoyed the gritty descriptions and writing style. This was more urban fantasy than paranormal romance which I liked; I also enjoyed the London setting. I did not like Billi (she is whiny and incompetent) or any of the other characters. I thought the premise was pretty blah and uncreative. I won’t be reading any more books in this series. Personally I would check out The Demon Trappers series by Jana Oliver instead if you want to read about kick-butt demon slaying in the YA genre.
    • 3/5
      Chadda, S. (2009). Devils' Kiss. New York: Hyperion Books.327 pages.Appetizer: Billi is in training and is being tested to join the Knights Templar. Her father, who is the leader of the secret religious society, has been training her since she was little to be the first female knight. Billi never really got a choice in the matter. At school, Billi is friendless, dateless and has trouble completing all of her assignments due to her training. She regularly has to try to explain away her many bruises and cuts, results from training and battles with werewolves, vampires, ghouls and devils.But all of that is about to change since her old best friend, Kay, has returned from his own special training as an Oracle in Jerusalem. They can't pick up their friendship left off though. Kay seems different and Billi is jealous of the fact that he got to escape for a while. To make matters worse, Billi's father, Arthur, is willing to praise Kay and not her.Now that a fallen angel is threatening to enact the tenth plague and kill all the first born children in London, Billi is going to have to decide what is truly important to her.I enjoyed Devil's Kiss. The fight scenes had a bit of a Buffy-butt-kicking feel to them. I liked Billi as a character, enough that I will probably pick up the sequel, Dark Goddess, pretty soon. But I have to say, I wasn't *in love* with the book. While it's quickly established that Billi is very angsty when it comes to both her dad and Kay, it took me a long time to understand why she felt the way she did. I felt like in the case of her friendship with Kay, I didn't really get what was going on between them until about page 250-ish. And by then, I couldn't really be bothered to care for him any more.As for Billi and her father...well, she has some serious Daddy issues. Ever since his wife's death, Arthur has been cold and distant with his daughter. No praise. No "I love you's" and he makes it clear, if it comes down to saving others or saving her, he'd choose to save others. As with Kay, I had trouble knowing who Billi's father was. Eventually, his motives were revealed, and that was satisfying.The one thing I could seem to get a sense of was the way Devil's Kiss played with religious lore. I liked the survival of the Knights Templar into the present-day. I liked the threat of the plague that paralleled the Biblical plague in Egypt. I thought this was a refreshing twist to presenting creatures like vampires and werewolves within a larger tradition.Dinner Conversation:"Killing him should be easy; he's only six.Then why the bilious, twisting feeling deep in her guts?Why the cold, clammy dampness down her back?He's only six.Billi waded through the spiny grass toward the back of the park. The autumnal night wind whispered to her, down here in The Pit.What a name for a playground." (p. 3)"The Order had been formed to defend the Holy Land, but that battle had been lost long ago. Their war wasn't for Jerusalem, not anymore, but for mankind's soul. Their war was against the supernatural evil that preyed on humanity. A war they called The Dark Conflict.The Bataille Tenebreuse.Their endless, unwinnable war.Billi watched the party head back up to Fleet Street and their waiting bus, all safe in their cocoons of ignorance, unaware of the shadow war being fought around them." (pp. 30-31)"She'd been excited at first, being part of something big, mystical, the stuff of legend. Being part of the Knights Templar and their secret war against the enemies of mankind. The unholy.The beast within: mortals with the heart of the wild.The hungry dead: corpse-eaters and blood-drinkers.The ghosts: spirits of pain.The devils: tempters of humanity.And the Grigori: dark angels. (pp. 32-33)
    • 5/5
      I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up Devil's Kiss. I'd heard widely varied reviews, but I was intrigued nonetheless. I've always loved fantastical stories that are rooted in truth and I was even more intrigued by the fact that the main character was female.Devil's Kiss pulled me in right from the beginning. While I had a pretty good idea of who the villain would be, it wasn't definite, the story could have progressed in a couple different ways. I liked that it wasn't completely obvious. I really enjoyed Billi as a protagonist. I could understand how she felt pulled towards being a participant in this epic battle between good and evil and, at the same time, her deep resentment toward the life she had been raised to lead. I felt that her relationship with her father was written particularly well. As the reasons behind her father's actions and demeanor were further explored, I really grew to like him - which I didn't think would happen when first intruduced to his character.Devil's Kiss moved at a quick pace and I was interested throughout. I felt like, at some points, the plot could have slowed down a bit and Chadda could have added a bit more detail. Especially when it came to historical information about the Knights Templar and monsters they battle.Always a romantic, I loved the relationship between Billi and Kay. I'm a fan of plot lines where friends turn to into more and I felt that Chadda wrote that aspect of the novel well.My one complaint was the ending of the novel. I can't say more than that it left me disappointed without spoilers. I could see the ending like that of Devil's Kiss as necessary in some novels, but I didn't feel that it was for this particular novel. I kept hoping for some type of loop hole, but none appeared. I'm hopeful that the next book will bring some type of twist to change the ending in some way or another.I'd definitely recommend Devil's Kiss. I feel that it would appeal to readers who liked Rampant, as I felt that Devil's Kiss had a similar tone and feel. I can't wait to see what happens next to Billi... and I'm hoping for that twist!
    • 3/5
      Billi’s mother died defending her from the evil her father and the other remaining Knights Templar have fought all their lives. Now her father seems interested only in turning her into the perfect werewolf- and ghul-fighting soldier, despite the resistance of the other Templars to having a girl—and a notional Muslim, at that—in the Templars. Then the psychic friend of her childhood returns, mostly grown up, and a new young man is also nosing around, but he’s not what he seems. My reaction was basically that, had Billi been a white guy (and the love interests girls), this would have been an entirely typical coming of age story; this is in no way a bad book, but its surprises are tightly tied to the gender reversal. I didn’t love it, but I’d give it to someone who wanted paranormal YA.
    • 5/5
      This book held me and didn’t let me go the ride was full of twist, turns, and emotional upheaval. As a teenager your emotions are everywhere, this is the time in your life when you are trying to figure out who you are, it’s complicated enough without adding the fact that you’re training to become a Knight of the Templar. Billi is only 15 and lives a life unlike anything you can imagine, she spends hours fight training, learning Latin, folk lore as well attending school and trying to pretend to be a normal teenager. To top all of this off her only friend, is thousands of miles away in Jerusalem and she hasn’t seen Kay in a year, she feels abandoned and alone. In the beginning you might see Billi as a little whiny but what can you expect, she’s only 15 and she has this huge responsibility sitting on her shoulders. She deals with things the best way she knows how, and throughout the book you watch her grow. Sometimes you forget that this is a YA story because of the style in which it was written. The description of the Temple where Billi spends all of her time was so descriptive that I felt like I was standing outside a window peeking through. The story of the Knights of Templar and their history was intricately woven throughout the book as your watched Billi on her journey to Knighthood as she deals with the card she’s been dealt. From the first line “Killing him should be easy; he’s only six” till the last I was captivated and eagerly turning the pages to find out more. I stayed up late at night depriving myself of sleep just so I can finish the story; I was hooked and couldn’t put it down until I devoured the last word. I have no clue why I haven’t heard about this series before, it is brilliantly written and I would recommend that everyone run out and purchase it. Mr. Chadda you have definitely made me a fan for life. Can’t wait to read Dark Goddess. Favorite Quotes:“There’s so few of us, but we keep the darkness at bay. Why? Because we’re ruthless. We bring nightmares to the monsters.” He leaned closer so he could whisper it. “Fear is a powerful weapon.” “Billi, without a soul we lose that one part of us that’s divine, the breath of God.”
    • 2/5
      I am not even sure where to begin this review. As you can see, from the very low rating, I did not enjoy this book. In fact it was actually quite a frustrating book to read. The thing that most aggravated me about Devil’s Kiss was that the villain was annoying. And by annoying I do not mean annoyingly evil, but annoying as in a “can’t someone kill this idiot already?” kind of way. First, it was obvious from the beginning that he was a villain. Secondly, whenever he came into the story again he would always say something that was supposed to be scary, but would come across as totally lame and cheesy. I do not know about you guys, but expect a fallen angel to be scary and not lame. This fallen angel was just annoying and if I ever ran into him I would be more angry than scared. One other thing that bothered me about Devil’s Kiss was how the real world was handled. Billi would show up to school all beat up and aside from some strange looks no one really reacted much. You would think that someone who comes to school bruised and beat up would attract more attention from child welfare people. It just bothered me so much that there were no real world consequences for any of their actions. It was like The Knights Templar was the only thing that mattered in Billi’s world, which I sort of get, but I would have liked to see more of a reaction from outsiders. The last 30 pages or so showed a lot of promise. The pace picked up a bit and there were some plot twists reveled that I did not see coming. I am pretty sure that there will be other books in this series. I would definitely wait to take the sequel out of the library instead of buying it. The ending was enough to keep me wondering what was going to happen in the next, book but not enough for me to spend money on it.
    • 4/5
      This book took me a couple tries to get into since I think I just wasn't in the right frame of mind the first few times I tried to read it. Once I did get into it it was a mesmerizing story and although I never truly liked Billi, I appreciated the complex character she was. She's grown up being trained to become a warrior despite wishing to live a life of a normal teenage girl. Her mother died when she was only 5 and her father is a total ass to her. She's an outcast in school and her grades are falling because it's more important to her father that she train and go out on hunts rather than do homework. So while I found her to be somewhat whiny it is hard to blame her. Who wouldn't be whiny living the life she is forced to live. One tiny problem I had with her character was she was trained to be this kick butt warrior but she always seems to be getting beaten down and rescued by others. I would have liked to see her live up a little more to whole Templar soldier ideal.What was fresh about this story for me was that yes there were angels which as we know is all the rage right now but it wasn't one of those girl meets angel, falls in love with angel and they risk all to be together. This angel definitely had issues and he and Billi are obviously on two opposite sides from each other. The other nice thing was the story doesn't revolve around a romance. Yes, there are some hints of a budding romance but that is not the main story line. It's refreshing to not have two teens who immediately fall madly in love with each other and have to surmount all sorts of obstacles to be together. Instead this story focuses on the battle between the Templars and the evil that threatens man kind.The reason I did not give this a higher rating is I wish some of the secondary characters were fleshed out just a bit more. There were also a couple pieces of the story that did not quite make sense to me. They were minor things like there's mention of how often Billi went to school with cuts and bruises and had to make excuses for where they came from. I don't see why the school didn't call child services and investigate what was going on. I also didn't get why Kay never kept in touch with Billi while he was away on training. She's very bitter about that so I thought they might talk more about it. There were a few other things like that which don't negatively affect the story but would have been nice to have an explanation for. Still a refreshing and exciting read.
    • 2/5
      Review courtesy of All Things Urban FantasyThis book is not at all what I expected. The cover is the first thing that threw me. It’s beautiful, but I assumed that DEVIL’S KISS was a historical YA. It’s not. Why they have Billi dressed like that I have no idea. This is a Paranormal YA set in modern day England. After hearing about the premise for this book, which involves the only female member of the dwindling Knights Templar and their never ending war against the Unholy (vampires, ghosts, fallen angels etc.), I expected DEVIL’S KISS to be a slam dunk favorite. I love it when an author draws from relatively untapped sources for their worlds and gives us a fresh mythology to play with. And it was apparent from the first page that the writing was excellent. Unfortunately, those were the only two things that worked for me in this book. My overall disappointment with DEVIL’S KISS is largely due to the main character. Billi is just not sympathetic, and given her life, she should be. Her mother was murdered, her father is at best indifferent to her, she has no choice in the life she must live, and she can never indulge in normal teenage frivolity. But apart from the opening scene where she is undergoing her final Ordeal to become a Templar, I didn’t ever sympathize with her. She’s too hard, jaded and sulky for most of the book. Then there’s the story itself. The description implies a heavy romantic subplot that barely registers in the book. The character of Michael doesn’t show up until the second half, and the romantic tension between Billi and Kay is about as compelling as a phone book. I did like the semi surprise twist at the end, and I always appreciate it when an author makes hard choices for their characters, but this was just not the story I wanted it to be.Sexual Content: Kissing. References to teen pregnancy
    • 4/5
      People who love reading books that keep you on the edge and is action-packed, this is the book you're looking for!Billi Sangreal is NOT your average teenage girl. She is trained and now a member of the Knights Templar, an order that hunts down the Unholy. However, all she really wanted to be, was a normal, teen, but she already knows that, that will never happen because her dad is the leader of the Knights Templar. And they don't' have the best father - daughter relationship. Then, to add on to the bad relationship with her dad, Kay, her childhood friend returns from his training in Jerusalem and she gets mixed feelings about him, until she meets the dark, and mysterious Mike. Then, to add on to all THAT, there is danger lurking in London and the Knights Templar are faced with a threat from a powerful enemy. The enemy is looking for something- something that can effect the lives of many children.The theme of this book is "you can't always get what you want" because in the book, Billi wanted a lot of things, she wanted to be a normal teenager, she wanted a boyfriend, she wanted a mom, she wanted a dad that cared for her, she wanted a normal life in general. She realizes this and she thinks that life is just unfair. Another theme is family, because in the book, you start to realize that the whole Knights Templar is like a family, and how they all take care of each other like how a family should and also because Billi has problems with her Dad and she misses her mom. I think another theme is that is that everything/everyone is not always what they seems. Just take Mike for example. He seemed to be a mysterious, but nice guy. But he isn't... Knights, angels/demons and religion were also the themes of the book because the whole story was about knights slaying the Unholy. Devil's Kiss is not getting the attention it deserves. I mean if a book like Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick was a New York Bestseller, then this should have been a New York Bestseller the moment it came out, cause no offense to anyone, but Hush, Hush was definitely not as good as Devil's Kiss. When Sarwat Chadda is describing the streets of London, you feel like your in London, And when he's describing the way a character is feeling, you will feel for the character and plus, this is one of the books that ACTUALLY has a main character that IS a GIRL that is not weak and does not NOT whine every single second. I mean sure Billi whines about not getting attention and the love she wants from her father but thats much more reasonable then a girl whining cause a guy rejected her or something. Plus, when Billi IS whining, you can feel how she is feeling and you sympathize for her.I recommend this book to teenagers to young adults and beyond that, because this book is definitely not appropriate to children and preteens, even some teenagers cause this was a violent book. It could be disturbing to some people too. I think that boys will actually like this book as well as girls because well boys don't really like romance and stuff, right? And this doesn't have a whole lot of it and its not like those really sappy ones. Also, boys and girls will like this because it's not a book "more for" this gender or this gender. It's suspenseful, violent, interesting, and well written. What could be better then that?Sarwat Chadda's "Devil's Kiss" is an exciting, violent book that will leave you wanting more and more!!
    • 3/5
      Great beginning – the first chapter definitely brings the intrigue. And the whole things move quick and draws the reader along. And Billi is a bona-fide ass-kicker. And yet… just didn’t make me care as much as I wanted to. Can’t put my finger on why.
    • 5/5
      I bought this books a while back but I was never really interested in it until I started this blog. I read the premise and I thought "Eh, nothing special." I have no idea what I was thinking, though! I picked up this book and was immediately caught by surprise.Sarwat Chadda writes an incredible story about a young, 15 year old girl trapped within her own family. Since she was born, Billie was meant to be apart of the modern day's Knight Templar, something she never wanted. She has been training all her life for that moment to be accepted but it something she doesn't want to be apart of. She tries desperately to get out but her dad - tall, dark, and cold-hearted - is set on her becoming a member. Not only does she have to worry about that but her long time best friend returns from Jerusalem and she is conflicted about her feelings.This novel was just phenomenal. I read it and loved it. Chadda writes in a way that keeps you on your toes. Not only did he write from a girl's perspective but he also got the elements of a teenage girl right, even if she wasn't normal. I thought Chadda's writing was flawless and his novel is cleverly written. The plot line was understanable and the plot twists were amazing. Chadda writes about all supernatural creatures in their fiercest moments. It's up to Billie SanGreal, the incredibly talented herione, to save what is left of humanity.Sarwat Chadda is brilliant and his book was just amazing. I can't wait for the sequel.I rate this novel Five Stars.
    • 4/5
      Devil's Kiss, by Sarwat ChaddaWhen I read the book jacket, I feared "Devil's Kiss" would be another yet young adult book full of romance and low on plot, but I was pleasantly surprised and went on to gobble up the entire book in one night. Fifteen-year-old Billi, the protagonist, is the only female in the order of the Templar Knights. Once the medieval protectors of Christianity, the modern Templars are now engaged in a never-ending battle against the dark forces: vampires, werewolves, devils, etc, in London, England. There are precious few of them left - only a handful of men and one girl. And so rather than spending her teen years going on dates and daydreaming in school, Billi's life is a constant whirl of fighting, training, fighting, and training, with a father who doesn't care about her, and an annoying school-life surrounded by rumors and jeers. And to top it off, Billi never wanted to be a Templar, but didn't have a choice. Her desire for a life outside of her duty leads her to Michael, a gorgeous guy who seems to understand her right away, and isn't frightened off by her unsocial father. Billi's Templar friend Kay comes back into her life as well, having spent the past year in Jerusalem learning to control his mental powers. When her father finally pushes her too hard, Michael is there for Billi...but she quickly finds out that he's not what he seems. Michael is the Angel of Death, and the epitome of everything the Templars battle against. "Devil's Kiss" is an interesting mix of Templar lore, history and modern day life. Swords cross with text messages. Ancient relics are kept in a junk loaded pawnshop. A time or two the plot got predictable, but Chadda had plenty of twists to keep things unique. Also a few things were a little Harry Potter-esqe, but I don't want to say exactly what to avoid giving too many spoilers. I was very pleased with this book. The love triangle mentioned on the book jacket is barely there, and is instead part of the plot rather than the entire plot. The action is very fast, and at times I think the author could have slowed down a little and given more detail on the characters, or more history on the Templars. Something I like a lot is the way the author writes some action scenes, focusing on a word such as warmth or agony and expanding on those sensations, each word leading to the next. Overall, a good debut novel, and I'm looking forward to the next chapter in Billi's adventures. Billi herself is an endearing character, as she develops from an angry girl fighting against everyone and herself, to a girl who learns the importance of doing the right thing, and learning just what is the right thing to do. Sometimes Billi got a little too full of angst, but then she's fifteen, so it did fit, but thankfully it wasn't overpowering. If you're looking for a paranormal tale without a heavy helping of romance, or just enjoy a good story, "Devil's Kiss" is likely for you. 4/5.
    • 2/5
      Modern day Templar’s have fallen on hard times, living in discreet and close to poverty conditions, they train and live by the code. Arthur leader of the Order, demands loyalty along with no encouragement, comfort, or love from his daughter Billi, the only girl ever to become a member of the Templar. Billi, trained in deadly weapons and the occult longs for a simple life, but readers will realize long before Billi does that normal is well outside her reach. Things take a turn for the worse - Armageddon worse - when Kay, the Oracle of the group draws the attention of the Angel of Death. This event leads the Templar in a dangerous race to save Britain from the plaque dating back to Moses time, that threatens to kill all the first born children. Predictable in spots, the writing overall is done well. For fans of this genre, the book has some highly fast moving plot and twists. For Christian readers or people of any faith that Chadda uses in his story- the writing points to something very disturbing and signifies something much deeper than your normal fantasy book. This story is deeply religious and so off the mark on everything the Bible teaches. I have no issue with fantasy or the paranormal realm. In fact, it is my favorite genre. Fantasy realms like that of Twilight, Harry Potter and The Percy Jackson Series for instance, are set in a fictionalized real world but never mixes real sacred religions. This is preferable for me and I’m sure other readers, when we can enjoy a fantasy story without an attack on personal faith. Devil’s Kiss is a representation of modern fantasy set in the real world with a mixture of myth, legend (vampires, werewolves) and religion: the three being Christianity, Islam and Judaism into a vile brew that waters down the three complex religions. I felt the author's writing made faith equivalent to fantasy and fairy tales, something that readers of all religions should be concerned about. This sent up red flags if ever a book I’ve read has….and it points to only one thing………disrespect. The most outrageous themes and far-fetched plot threads start with the characters and end with the terrible theology throughout. First off, the bad guy in the story is Michael, the Archangel of God. In the Bible, Michael makes an appearance in the book of Daniel, (read Daniel Ch.10) where readers get a glimpse of what Michael stands for, what his mission is and who he serves. In Devils Kiss Michael is a rogue fallen angel, ripped of his wings and hell bent on killing children to enter heaven again. Satan later shows up portrayed not good or bad, but the neutralizer, he has the gambling chip that the good guys can defeat Michael with. By far the most offensive: Billi’s father is a Christian, while her mother is Pakistani ….Billi thinks this makes her half-Christian, half-Muslim and believes that Jesus is the other half of Allah…….two Gods mixed as one. This is terribly misleading to an uninformed reader, especially a young person. Because of the ambiguity of myth and religion in the world of the Devil's Kiss, I do not recommend this book to Christian readers. If you do read, I would proceed with caution in what you take for historical and religious truths. Although the story is made-up, impressionable folks could mistake this as factual stories from the Bible, Koran and Torah.
    • 3/5
      I felt that the plots were a little frazzled and that the overall story was rushed. I would of liked to see a little more character and relationship building. I also did not understand the title because no one was ever kissed by a devil in this novel. Overall I enjoyed the history and concepts that built the foundation of the story. I did not think it was bad but would rate it average.
    • 3/5
      there were lots of demons and lots of fighting but it did not have enough plot other than the main character is sad and her father doesn’t care. Didn’t like that this was the entire story.
    • 3/5
      Teen Billi has nowhere near a normal life as the first female member of the dwindling Knights Templar, and spends her nights in modern London fighting undead and unholy monsters. Starting with an action bang, the plot quickly changes to teen angst over life, particularly a demanding father, being unfair. It seems like there will be a love triangle, but it never develops. One of the plot twists is rather obvious, as the character makes his appearance right after Billi's friend Kay uses his psychic powers and accidentally summons the Angel of Death. Myths from all different sorts of religions are mixed with vampires and werewolves. The ending is particularly unsatisfying, as the promised "sacrifice" Billi makes is only so because of her feelings, and the deus ex mechina moment will leave readers wondering why God didn't destroy such an evil doer before. With so many options in the dark teen romance section these days, this one may appeal to those interested in a more spiritually based story, even if the genesis of that spirituality is all over the place.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed Sarwat Chadda's novel Devil Kiss , I thought it was interesting and it even made me curious about the actual Knight Templars. It was well written, fast paced , and I felt like I was Bili herself. The book felt like I was actually watching a movie. Their was never a dull moment in this story which made me happy. I was able to finish this book quickly and with very few complaints. The only complaints I have are: a) I thought the whole relationship between Kay and Bili could have been more developed. I wish Chadda would have written more about Kay's and Bili's history then just them in the present. Especially after Kay returns from Jerusalem. Because that wasn't developed I felt that the whole year away from each other was nothing, I didn't really see the problem. b) the part where Bili dad reveals stuff at the end felt fake and was taken to non-seriously. I felt it was revealed to quickly which made me go wtf. And c) This isn't really a complaint but I want, I want the last chapter to not of happen. I didn't want that to happen. But because it did happen and I'm acting like this show how Chadda was able to make the readers felt like the protagonist. By the ending of the book I was in tears. There has only been two books that have ever made me cry, one is the Book Thief and the second one is this book. This proves that this is a well written story. I highly recommend this story it was fascinating, intriguing, and a book that was worth my time. I'm excited for it's sequel.
    • 3/5
      I liked this one. I enjoyed the twist of having the Knights Templar include a 15 year old girl. I liked the main character's voice. There was a little too much teen angst, but I think that may be because I'm WAY past my teen years. I'm looking forward to the next installment in this series.