Devil's Kiss

Chadda, Sarwat. (2009). Devil's kiss. New York: Hyperion.  Billi SanGreal has always known she isn't like the other youngsters in her town. She has no time to socialize or shop at the mall. Instead, she spends her time training as a warrior. Her father, Arthur, is one of the leaders of a band charged with waging a battle against all that is considered unholy--vampires, werewolves, and that sort of thing. The Knights Templar, to whom Billi owes allegiance, rely on their weapons, hours of punishing physical training that leaves them bruised, and the fact that they are on the side of right to aid them in their constant battle.

Billi rarely receives affection from her father, and she isn't sure what the point of all this fighting really is. Sometimes, the battles seem pointless to her, and she'd rather succumb to more earthy pleasures such as choosing between her childhood friend Kay (with his psychic abilities) or Mike (with his charm and ability to understand her the way no one else can do). In the end Billi makes difficult choices.

The fast pace of this book and its interesting heroine kept me turning the pages as fast as possible and left me sad to leave Billi's world. This title provided food for the mind and for the heart and left me pondering a lot of possibilities raised by the author.

Favorite Line:

"He was tall with raptor's eyes, slanted and amber almost, half hidden under unkempt black hair" (p. 73).