Review of 'Rage and Ruin'

Synopsis

Half-angel Trinity and her bonded gargoyle protector, Zayne, have been working with demons to stop the apocalypse while avoiding falling in love. The Harbinger is coming...but who or what is it? All of humankind may fall if Trinity and Zayne can't win the race against time as dark forces gather.

As tensions rise, they must stay close together and patrol the DC streets at night, seeking signs of the Harbinger, an entity that is killing Wardens and demons with no seeming rhyme or reason. Forbidden to be with each other, Zayne and Trinity fight their feelings and turn to unusual sources for help--the demon Roth and his cohorts. But as deaths pile up and they uncover a sinister plot involving the local high school and endangering someone dear to Zayne, Trin realizes she is being led...herded...played for some unknown end. As anger builds and feelings spiral out of control, it becomes clear that rage may be the ruin of them all.

Review

Excellent sequel! Rage and Ruin is an incredible novel by Jennifer L. Armentrout that continues the Harbinger series, giving it more momentum and passion.

Every Page is Engaging

Rage and Ruin picks up not too long after Storm and Fury, following Trinity and Zayne as they try to navigate their new bond.

First and foremost, the story is impressive. It delves into the past of the demons, the angels, and the gargoyles interestingly and uniquely. It is still reminiscent of Gargoyles but in such a fresh and inventive way. By bringing all these fantastical elements together, Armentrout gives readers a high tension, fast-paced story that glues the reader to the pages.

There is something to be said about the pacing of the story. It moves at such a quick pace, but the dialogue, the narratives, the detail, hook the reader into the story. A lot is happening in some of those more action-packed scenes, but they do not lack for detail. Armentrout’s attention to detail grounds the reader in the story and the action and her compelling narrative just works to engage the reader further.

Trinity and Zayne

Trinity and Zayne are amazing. Armentrout does an excellent job of giving her female characters attitude and power. In this novel, Trinity recognizes that her retinitis pigmentosa is a disability and it is nice to see that work used. It is nice because Armentrout is highlighting the fact that her main character is a disabled person and yet she is not weaker for it. It does bring to life some of the real-world belittling inflicted upon disabled people through Trinity’s perspective. The reader gets to see that a disability does not make a person any less than someone without a disability.

It is a refreshing outlook and delves more into the emotional spectrum of Trinity. There is much tension between her and Zayne, and exploring that tension, growing out these characters, is just addicting to read. They have depth, personality, and life to them, and their growing dynamic is pulse-pumping. It is incredible to see these characters grow together, to see them flourish into something more and it creates just the right amount of tension and drama without being overbearing.

Final Thoughts

Rage and Ruin is an incredible sequel. It continues to amazing readers with fantastic storytelling, great characters, unpredictable plot twists, and marvelous tension.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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About the Author

Cynthia Bujnicki graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. She has always loved to read since she was a child. A contributing writer for YA Fantasy Addicts, she is also the Editor-in-Chief for Cyn's Workshop. She lives in sunny South Florida with her husband and son and their two cats, Mr. J the Kitten and Nyx.