Darynda Jones – Death, doom and detention

The second book in the Darklight series, published March 5, 2013.
Genre: paranormal Young Adult
Cover: nice



The normal part of Lorelei MacAlister's life didn't just slip away quietly the day Jared Kovach came to town. Nope. The normal part of her life shattered. It exploded. It burst into a gazillion shards of fleeting light.

It went out with a bang.
Goodbye normal.
Hello dark and eerie.

While her best friend, Brooklyn, is focusing all of her energy on helping Lorelei hone her abilities, Lorelei is dealing with the reality that Satan's second in command has taken up residence inside her body. Oh, and the fact that she has a crush on the Angel of Death. But what a beautiful death it is. If those weren't bad enough, something sinister has come to town and it wants nothing more than to hear Lorelei's dying breath as it strangles it out of her. Thank goodness the gang has a supernatural champion. But what happens when the only being who can save them switches sides midstream? How can a group of misfits capture one of the most powerful beings ever created? And will they find out how to bring Jared back to them before it's too late?


It has been a while since I read the first book in this series, but I had no trouble remembering the world and the characters, and I did enjoy it a lot. This is why I bought this second book, even though it is over my usual book price. My stepdaughter also enjoys the books, so I will probably buy the third book as well.

Lorelei is still not convinced she will safe the world because she is an oracle, the last descendant of the great seer Arabeth. She is just a young girl, nothing special really. But not only do her grandparents count on her, the whole Order has faith in her. Her best friends Brooklyn and Glitch spend almost all their time at her place when not at school, and Cameron (who was born for the sole purpose of protecting her!) is guarding her day and night. And then there is Jared, also known as Azrael, the Angel of Death.

Lorelei is still angry at her grandparents for not telling her about her heritage, her parents and all the other secrets they have kept from her all those years. And for telling Jared to back off. She is in love with him! Of course he is dangerous as the Angel of Death, but he will never hurt her!
And now her powers are getting stronger every day, she cannot stop the visions from coming when she accidentally touches another student, and their feelings of despair make her very depressed. She is not just watching while she is having a vision, she is living them. And now she also has a new ability, of sinking into the moments before a photograph is taken. Lorelei is learning more and more about herself and her past, and she is not at all happy with what she has found out. She is directly responsible for getting her own parents killed by the demons. And what to think of the demon living within her?

But then Jared is attacked and goes missing for a few days. And when he finally reappears, he is different. Cameron does not trust him at all. And what about that strange new kid at school, Vincent? Something is fishy about him too. Danger is escalating, and the war is near. And Lorelei sees no way to avoid it, and save the world, when she cannot even save herself.


Lots of things happen to Lorelei, none of them good. Lots of action as well. But Brooklyn and Cameron seem to find each other in this book, which is fun to witness. And Glitch is so jealous of Cameron and keeps prodding him. Which is stupid of course, as Cameron is a Nephilim and can kill Glitch with one hand tied behind his back. Glitch seems to have his own admirer, but of course, as a guy, he is totally oblivious about that.

A great YA series, without the heavy teenage angst or love triangle. I do recommend it to all lovers of YA and snark.

8 stars.

© 2013 Reviews by Aurian