Beg For Mercy Blog Tour: review
Beg for Mercy (Cambion #1) by Shannon Dermott
YA paranormal*e-book, 473 pages*
Published August 7th 2011 by Wicked Truth Publishing
Everyone dreams of that first kiss. Of that magic moment when your lips finally meet those of that special person you’ve waited your whole life for. A little awkward, a little scary, a little hot and every bit amazing. We speculate that the whole world will shake and time will just stop. No one, however, ever imagines that kiss to bring Death himself knocking.
Sixteen year old Mercy Moore's life just got more complicated. The kiss that originally could have meant she would finally have a boyfriend now was the kiss that could have very nearly ended his life. A small detail her mother conveniently never told her will take her life for an abrupt u-turn. Dating, no love, was now completely and utterly impossible. And the boy well, that boy would never be the same.
But life, however cruel, goes on. Far too soon for her taste, Mercy finds herself at a senior party with the elite students of her school and her best friend. And of all things, playing a stupid game that could very well mean the death of someone in that small room. If it were not for her best friend, the hottest guys in school, and a small need to fit in, she may have been able to escape the disaster that was to come. Her worst nightmare, her personal curse, her very life, only gets dangerously worse.
About the author:
Shannon Dermott
Shannon first love was reading, diving into other realities to explore and brave new worlds. To share her writing is the best experience of all. Her first series explores the life and trials of being Mercy Moore, a teenage cambion. When Shannon isn't writing she loves to shop and watch horror movies that make turning out the lights seem like a stupid idea. You can explore more about her at her website. She can also be found on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter.
My thoughts:
I've read stories about succubi in adult paranormal but not many in YA. Shannon Dermott's first book in her Cambion series, Beg For Mercy, is an engrossing exploration as readers are taken on sixteen year old Mercy's journey to find out what she truly is. Mercy is a succubus and with one kiss she can kill a human guy. Since she hasn't been fully informed about her 'ability' by her full fledged succubus mother, Mercy turns to her 'friend' Flynn. Teen angst, identity crisis, self-image awareness, this novel involves these issues and more with a supernatural flair.
What's interesting is how gripping this novel is in the beginning. We see and learn about Mercy through her social activities--parties, school, home life--and meet her closest friends and new set of friends since her best friend is dating a football player. From there, Mercy finds out three guys from school have a thing for her: the hot player Flynn, the adorable Luke and Paul, her best friend. When lifethrows her a curveball, she goes on a family trip only to find out some other guys are also interested in her. Mercy has a lot to deal with: junior year studies, her mom's impending marriage, the guy situations and learning how to keep her boyfriend Luke alive.
As much as I liked and enjoyed the first half, I felt some of the second half seemed to drag in parts. Having so many paranormal guys being attracted to her did seem redundant at times. The characters were well written and I found myself changing opinions on some of the guys throughout my reading. Two guys I really liked reading about were Flynn and Luke (I'll hold off on Sebastian for awhile). They're best friends which adds a nice dynamic to Mercy dating Luke while having her inner succubus desiring Flynn. Mercy herself was a thorough narrator: I always understood what she was going through and thinking while so many of the things she endured (like jealousy over her best friend getting closer to other girls, her feelings for Paul, learning not to care what others thought) were very realistic.
Fans of YA paranormal searching for something out of the para-ordinary will want to give the Cambion series a chance. Shannon Dermott recharges a tired genre with her take on the succubi and adds a healthy does of romance to keep readers enthused in her Cambion series.
Rating: 4
Book source: Purchased.
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