DEMONKEEPERS

Author: Jessica Andersen ISBN: 9780451229571 4/2010 PARANORMAL Publisher: SIGNET

All his life Lucius has been an outsider. He yearns to be strong, to be a warrior like the Nightkeepers. And when the Prophet's magic begins to change him, Lucius finds himself becoming the sort of man he's always wanted to be. Held back by her lack of a warrior's magic and the strictures of her bloodline, Jade longs to break out of her supporting role. Determined to prove her worth among the Nightkeepers at any cost, she won't let anything stand in her way—especially petty matters like love. When Lucius and Jade are charged with rescuing the Mayan sun god from the underworld, they ignore their growing attraction. But unless they can confront their demons and accept that love isn't a weakness, even destiny might not be able to save them.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

The next installment in Jessica Anderson's The Final Prophecy series, DEMONKEEPERS, doesn't disappoint. It is fast-paced, intense, and pulled me right back into the paranormal world I enjoyed so much in the last book in this series, SKYKEEPERS. I still haven't gotten around to reading the first two books in this Maya, end of the world prophecy series, but now that I've closed this book, I'm even more motivated to begin on the first books. Ms. Anderson knows how to keep a reader on the edge of their seat—and that's a spot I love to occupy!

This installment is similar to the last in that even though its pages are filled with paranormal beings, impossible situations, and sometimes frightening foes, this is essentially a story of good vs. evil. The good guys are an intriguing couple who have a history together. It is something they both struggle to keep firmly in the past, but of course the chemistry between them is hard to ignore. Lucius and Jade complement each other perfectly, showing hidden strengths and highlighting the fact that sometimes two really can become one. This is another instance where the author allows her characters to move forward naturally; their choices, situations, and decisions aren't always instantly on target, but she lets them find their own way. Blood sacrifices, gods of all sorts, and glyphs prophesizing a future—if it's not already too late, that is—are only a few of the intriguing plot points that kept me reading well into the night.

SKYKEEPERS ended on a strong note, and resonated with me long after I'd finished the book. I wouldn't have believed that ending could be topped in this series, but this book does just that. I won't give anything away, but I have to say DEMONKEEPERS ended perfectly. I cannot wait to read the next in this series! Wonderfully well done!

Kay James