Sweet Evil [Paperback]

Wendy Higgins (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 1, 2012

Embrace the Forbidden
What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?
This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.
Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.
Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Wendy Higgins is the author of Sweet Evil, the first in the trilogy. She was born in Alaska, grew up an Army brat, and lived on five different military bases across the US, finally settling in the Washington, DC, area. She attended George Mason University for her undergraduate degree in Creative Writing, and Radford University for a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction. A former high school English teacher, Wendy was active in VATE (Virginia Association of Teachers of English). She lives in northern Virginia with her husband and two children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen; Original edition (May 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780062085610
• ISBN-13: 978-0062085610
• ASIN: 0062085611
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 1.1 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (275 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #39,372 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Wendy Higgins is a former High School English teacher living in Northern Virginia with her husband and two children.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 38 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Not as great as expected, but still good May 9, 2012

By Catie Taylor

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I'm really torn about this one. I have been anticipating this book for awhile now and I think I worked myself into such excitement that it was easy to be let down, and for the same reason I continually tried to push my way through the not-so-great parts hoping that my premature fan-girling would be justified. I have seen so many reviewers raving about this book like it's the second coming of the Twilight phenomenon and certainly they are more than entitled to their opinions (that is what we bloggers do right?) but I just didn't get that thrill. Sweet Evil is not by any means a bad read, but it also is not the amazing story I expected it to be. I went into it expecting steamy romance, thrilling action and a gripping, unique plot. I got about half of those things which isn't too bad, but after being so excited to read it, it fell short.

As always let's start with the good (including that absolutely gorgeous cover). Steam. The steaminess of this book cannot be denied. There were certainly times when I felt like I needed to open a window and just cool off for a second. In fact, parts of the book, felt more adult than young adult. This is probably because the main heartthrob of the story, Kaidan Rowe, is the son of the Duke of Lust. He definitely takes after his father. He, naturally, falls for sweet little Anna who never swears, or lies, or drinks and certainly does not do anything Kaidan might have in mind. When the two of them have to travel cross-country alone things really heat up. One of the most redeeming things about the book is the way that Anna and Kaidan change each other throughout the story. Anna lets down her guard a little when she's with Kaidan and he, in turn, allows her to see glimpses of his vulnerability. They really start to love each other, in large part because of Kaidan's damage from never truly having love in his life. One of the sweetest lines in the book comes from Anna's inner dialogue after discussing Kaidan's loveless upbringing:

"I tried to imagine young, inquisitive Kaidan looking up at the demon in his life, desperate for his attention. I wished I could hold that little boy." - Ch. 14

The love between the two of them is what we all like to see in books, raw and real and deep. Another part of the book that I enjoyed was the mythology. Higgins does a great job of setting up the mythology behind the angels and the demons and their children. She also does not have any qualms with being very brutal about the way the demons behave. There are parts of this book that are very hard to get through because they are violent and heart wrenching, which I think is important when we are talking about evil. She really drives the point home.

That's where the love sort of stopped for me. As far as uniqueness goes, I can't really say the plot was all that different from most paranormal romances. Good girl meets bad guy. Girl tries to change guy. Bad guy is still bad, but broken underneath. Girl finds out she has flaws too. They can't be together but probably will, maybe, at some point. It's fun and everything, but I was hoping for more of a different vibe with this one. The only real difference I can see is that Kaidan isn't really the hero type. He has a tendency to stand around and be freaked out when Anna is in mortal peril instead of actually jumping in and doing something about it. And then there's Anna. Don't get me wrong, I liked Anna, but I didn't love her. She seemed weak and scared all the time and she cries almost constantly. I'm a big crier, but Anna put me to shame. I kept wanting to shake her and say "Snap out of it! You have important things to be concentrating on!" Next, there's the resolution problem. I didn't feel like this book had much of a resolution. It is going to be part of a series so obviously they can't explain everything in the first book, but after I finished it I kind of felt jipped. It felt like the entire book was just a prelude to the next one. Finally, I felt like there was a lot of finger wagging going on. I realize it's a book about angels and demons, but I just felt preached to much of the time. It seemed a little judge-y.

Basically, this book was entertaining. And it did keep me reading. Unfortunately I didn't feel like there was a great pay off. I would still recommend this book if you want something to keep you engaged for a few days and I will be reading the next one because I need to know what happens. I just hope that the rest of the series is a little meatier.

38 of 44 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A deliciously wicked, all-consuming and immensely entertaining read May 1, 2012

By Fiktshun

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Anna Whitt always knew she was different. Being able to see and feel the moods and emotions of everyone around her made it pretty hard not to realize just how different she was.

But until the day she met Kaidan Rowe she thought she'd kept her abilities a secret. And yet he knew. With just one look it was as if he was able to see everything she'd been hiding her entire life.

And she wanted answers.

Even if being around him was dangerous. Even if she felt inexplicably drawn to him in a way she had never felt drawn toward anyone else.

And even if it meant losing her heart to someone who didn't ask for it, didn't want it and didn't care if he broke it.

Because finding answers to questions she'd had her entire life seemed worth the risk of a broken heart.

But in her search for answers, the stakes will be raised and she'll be forced to choose between good and evil. And this time it won't be only her heart she could lose, but her life and the lives of those she loves.

***

Perfectly titled, Sweet Evil is exactly that. A deliciously wicked, sinfully good and all-consuming story that readers will devour every morsel of and still be hungry for more.

Author Wendy Higgins' debut novel is absolutely riveting. The introduction is enticing. The story is intense and enthralling. And the characters are alluring, intriguing, lovable, despicable, maddening and totally unforgettable. They're characters readers will want to know and want to know more of.

With every page, the author draws readers deeper into the world of good and evil that she created. A world where demons roam the earth masked in human form, using their offspring to do their bidding - spreading chaos, fear, hatred, lust, envy, violence.

And then there's Anna. A girl who battles against the evil within. Choosing light over darkness. Good over evil. Right over wrong. Until the day she meets Kaidan Rowe and her entire world changes.

Always knowing that she was different, but never really knowing why, Anna hid her abilities from her best friend Jay and from Patti, the only mother she'd ever known. Keeping them in the dark made her feel at least somewhat normal, even if she knew she wasn't.

Yet from the moment Kaidan set eyes on her, he somehow knew she was not like everyone else. He could see what others couldn't. He could sense things about her that she didn't even know about herself. And she was immediately drawn to him.

But learning the true nature of who she is and who he is comes at a price. She will be forced to choose sides. And if she chooses not to embrace her darker nature, she will not only be putting her own life in danger, but the lives of everyone she cares about. Including Kaidan.

Even at nearly five hundred pages, Sweet Evil is an easy one-sit-read. With a blistering pace, an intoxicating storyline, and a fascinating world the author built around her characters, this book will be impossible to put down. Even after the last word on the last page.

It's addictive. It's delectable. It's dangerous. It's sexy. It's dark. It's gorgeous. It's unpredictable. It's torturous. It's pure, sweet evil.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars An AMAZING debut that's more than just another angel book! May 1, 2012

By Mimi Valentine

Format:Paperback

This has to be one of the best angel books to ever hit the shelves! Not just because the angel lore was completely original or because there's a boy with an English accent, but because Wendy Higgins must be an angel in disguise since she writes them so well.

In Sweet Evil, the sole purpose of Nephilim is to be a bad influence to humans. But that's not as easy as it sounds when the angel hierarchy is so complicated. When we learn everything along with Anna in the beginning, it's hard not to say, "Wow!" because the lore is captivating. And the demon action, especially in the end? It will give you chills!

At first I didn't know what to think of Anna. She seemed too good and too sweet at times to be real. But she grew on me so fast and showed how even though she wasn't outwardly bad-ass, she was still one of the strongest, most determined heroines out there. She stood her ground when most girls wouldn't have, and I ended up adoring her completely.

Her romance with the English-accented Kaidan Rowe (son of the demon of Lust) may take front and center once they take off on a road trip together to find out more about Anna's past, but it's in no way overwhelming! It's the sweet, not-so-innocent pull between opposites that will make you grin. Along with the fantastic interactions with their demonic fathers and with their friends, Sweet Evil is filled with well-written relationships.

Both sweet and sensual, Sweet Evil is an angel book that will steal your breath, your heart, and maybe a little bit of your innocence at the exact same time. It took a few chapters to hook me in (although that may have to do with the fact I read it after a particularly epic book), but in the end, it was AWESOME and I'd definitely recommend it!

BUY or BORROW?: English boy fan? Buy it! Angel book fan? Buy it! All-books-in-general fan? Buy it! I think you know where I'm going with this... ;)