Customer Reviews

Turned (The Blood Lily Chronicles, Book 3)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Turned is the third book in the Blood Lily Chronicles. It is impossible to review this book without including spoilers for the previous two books. The plot summary will also make a lot more sense if the reader is familiar with the first two books.

At the opening of this book, Lily Carlyle has obtained the Oris Clef and now faces an agonizing decision about the coming convergence. Should she wield the Oris Clef and become the demon queen (and thereby attempt to avert the apocalypse even though giving herself over to evil) or should she sacrifice herself to an eternity of suffering by throwing herself into the portal to Hell when it opens, which according to the angel Gabriel will permanently seal the portal? Instead, in the days leading up to the portal opening, Lily and Deacon, a demon seeking redemption, search for another legendary key - one that can lock all nine of the portals to Hell.

Deacon saves Lily and Rose, who is now in Kiera's body, from Penemue, his former master, although he has to retake his demon form to do so. Lily is able to talk Deacon back to his human form, and together they go to Father Carleton's (he was a character in the first book) church to see if one of his colleagues has any knowledge of the key. Lily does get a lead from an old monk, and in the days that follow, Lily finds out some shocking information about both Alice's mother and her own father. In the end, she and Deacon face the opening of the portal and overcome the forces of Hell (that shouldn't qualify as a spoiler; it was kind of a given that they would succeed).

I like that facts and elements of the story that were included/revealed in earlier books were relevant to the overall story and were tied into the action in this one. It made for a nice overall cohesive story, that was clearly well-thought out and well-plotted.

I also liked that all three of the female characters - Lily, Rose, and Rachel - faced their personal issues and overcame them during the course of the books. I find strong female characters very appealing.

I did have a slight problem with the consequences of Lily's actions during the final battle; a very similar combination of action/consequence occurred on a popular TV show. While reading up to the final battle, I was really hoping that this book would not take the same route, and unfortunately it did.

I also wish that demon possession was better explained. How can they possess people? Is there any way to resist? There were times when having a demon possess one of the characters (if they could) would have been the smart thing for the demons to do, and yet they didn't do it. They possessed others instead.

Overall, though, I very much enjoyed this book and will definitely be looking for other books by Julie Kenner.

Turned is the third in the Blood Lily Chronicles (and hopefully not the last) I stayed up way past my bedtime last night so that I could finish this book and I was not disappointed. Lily, Rose and Deacon make a great demon butt-kicking team and the fight sequences were exhilarating, fast paced and well thought out. The still evolving relationship between Deacon and Lily reaches a tumultuous climax as the Ninth Gate opens over Zakim bridge with each finally trusting each other and Lily truly having faith in herself. You do need to read the first two books to have any idea what is going on in this book but they are all well worth it! I do hope the author continues on with these characters because they especially spunky Rose are favorites of mine.

Turned: Blood Lily Chronicles Book 3 by Julie Kenner
Amazon Product Description:
When Lily Carlyle died in an act of vengeance, she came back as an assassin for the light. But when she discovered her masters' true darkness, she decided to choose the right side for once... Her own.
With her cover as a double agent inside the forces of evil blown, Lily has no choice but to go underground. She takes along a cadre of warriors: humans, angels, demons, and other trusted creatures. Their only hope is to stop the forces who are attempting to use the Ninth gate as a wedge that will unleash the fury of Hell.

My Thoughts: I chose this book simply because I had read the first two books and I couldn't stand for the story to be over.
What I liked about it: My favorite thing about this book is that I get the answers to all the questions I have been sitting on for the last two books. In this book Lily is forced to look inside herself and search for the kind of person she wants to be. The stakes are huge - the world/Armageddon - sacrifice herself, rule the demon hoards, or find the key and use it. Each of the characters faces their own soul search and we the readers are brought along on their journey as the story continues. My favorite character is still Deacon, has been since book one. His connection with Lily, their struggle to believe in themselves and each other, and the paths they take make for an interesting twist in the story. Without this piece I think the story would feel incomplete. The connections between the characters and the ways that they grow and change are the keys to the storyline and the plot.
I like that the storyline is kept intact in this book as well, the intro makes sure you know what's been going on and you are reminded throughout the story about how things are connected, and then they are wrapped up in this book.
My other favorite things: I cannot share without having this be a spoiler - so you'll have to read them for yourself! I suggest you do.
What I didn't like: Once again - the only thing I didn't like about the book was the ending. This one doesn't end on cliffhanger - demanding the next piece of the story, but it ends in such a way that there is room for more later. I don't think there will be a book four - hopefully I am wrong.
An all-around good read. I read this in one day, so it is a fast read.

This book, like the two before it, is a grab you,
keep you read that you just don't want to put down.
I readily recommend all three of Julie Kenner's Blood Lily Chronicles!

This is the last book in the Lily Carlyle trilogy. I strongly suggest you read the two previous books (Tainted and Torn) before reading this book.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a super fast read for me, solely because Lily dispensed an excessive amount of internal-dialogue. There are very few authors who can successfully carry-out continual internal-dialogue throughout a novel and still keep my attention. However, having skipped through much of the internal-dialogue scenes didn't make this book any less enjoyable for me.

The story was chock-full of danger and excitement, a plethora of twists and turns, an abundance of intense action/fighting scenes and edge-of-your-seat apocalyptic events. Besides the internal-dialogue sections, this book didn't have a second to waste! Lily's dominating character is passionate, loyal, strong and fierce. This alpha-female literally has the weight of the world on her shoulders. She walks a fine line and fights a constant battle between reveling and surrendering to the darkness and cruelty of the powerful all consuming demon essence inside her; in contrary to her determination to achieve the aspirations for righteousness in her heart and her perpetual desire for ascension to be unsullied and virtuous.

This last installment did wrap up the series but it also left a window for future books, if the powers-that-be decide to expand this series. This trilogy was my first exposure to Julie Kenner. Although, I won't be reading her Tales of a Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series, however, in the future, if Julie put out another trilogy such as this one, in all likelihood I would probably read it.

As I've mentioned in my review of book one of this trilogy, I still didn't particularly care for this books affirmation of the Christianity version of faith and god. I don't usually read books that affirm any one particular religion; however, regardless of the non-preachy religious aspect, I still enjoyed this trilogy. I highly recommend this trilogy to fellow dark urban fantasy readers.

I also recommend:
Scorched: The Dark Forgotten
Beneath the Skin: Book Three of The Maker's Song
Soul Catcher (The Outsider Series)
Personal Demons
The Devil Inside (Morgan Kingsley, Exorcist, Book 1)

In Boston, Lily Carlyle had died in an act of vengeance. She came back, in Alice's body, believing herself to be an assassin for the light side, Heaven. When she discovered that her master was of the dark, Lily changed sides. Lily is the Prophecy Girl with the power to open or close the Ninth Gate. She can either cause or prevent Armageddon.

To keep it from demons, Lily wears the Oris Clef around her neck. Its dark power gives her two choices. Lily can let the gate open, allowing millions of demons to cross into our dimension, and be their queen or she can throw herself in the portal, save the world, and be subjected to an eternity of pain and suffering. Lily hopes she can resist the former option. After all, being a demon queen with ultimate power sounds better than being tormented for eternity.

There is one other way to avoid having to choose. Lily and her allies must find the last key and lock the Ninth Gate forever. Problem is that the key is only a rumor and may not really exist at all. Even if it is real, Lily has no idea of where to search for it. Oh, and there is one more tiny problem: three master demons and most all of the demons already in our dimension, are trying to kill her.


**** FOUR STARS! If you have not read the first two books then run, don't walk, to the nearest book store and buy them. Not only are they MORE than worth your time and money to read, but those who have not read them may be confused as to exactly what is going on.

The author did an amazing job, especially on Lily's character. The tale is so well written that I could easily understand the turmoil Lily must be going through by having to choose between two, equally awful, choices. Fabulous Dark Drama is Julie Kenner's epithet! ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

I was distinctly hampered, reading Turned, as it's book 3 in the Blood Lily Chronicles and I haven't read books 1-2. This meant that there was a large cast of characters and a lot of back information which it was difficult to get my head round. It also meant that character development took second place to plot, an increasingly complicated plot where our heroine, Lily, needs to save the world (of course) but knows that there are other options as well.

As the story progressed I started to work out what was going on. The oddly named Deacon is the love interest hero, although he's a bit unheroic in this story, as well as absent most of the time. Lily's sister Rose is apparently of first importance to Lily; I found Lily's continual shouts of 'Rose! Run!' rather wearing.

Although Lily seems to care for her sister (if a bit irritatingly), she doesn't seem to care much about anyone else. We learn that she's responsible for lots of deaths - collateral damage in her quest to save the world. Still it rather turned me against this heroine, especially as she seems to mourn little for those who die, even those who have been close friends.

The book was energetic with Lily constantly rushing around looking for salvation. The occasional appearances of the Angel Gabriel didn't really shed much light on the story to me and I found myself a bit bored at times reading this. I imagine the story would have been much more enjoyable if I were familiar with this series, but as it is I found it a bit of a trial to get through and it was too obviously one instalment in a long series.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2010

I just have to say this series just pulled me in and I finished the first 3 books very fast. Cannot wait till another comes out.

Lily Carlyle and her sister Rose are about to die because of a portal from Hell that Lily opened where the demon Penemue is trying to break through. He wants to control all the demons on the Earth that have crossed over, as well as ruling the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, where untold demons would then cover the Earth. It's up to Lily to stop him, and as long as she has the Oris Clef, the key to lock the Ninth Gate of Hell, she can succeed. But Lily also has the choice to become the queen of all the demons on Earth. This unholy urge builds steadily inside of her to the point she wants to give in.

Lily's world has been turned upside down over the past few months. Not only has she been killed and inhabited a new body, but her sister Rose, who was raped by a demon, is also now living in a new skin. There are not many they can trust, even though Deacon, a demon living as a human wants to help Lily. He also grapples with his dark side and longs to claim Lily as his own. These three team up and hide in the shadows, much like their enemies who stalk them and try to stop Lily from accomplishing her mission.

Time is of the essence and with only hours left until Armageddon arrives, Boston will become a bloody war zone. It all lies on Lily's shoulders to be the ultimate winner. If she loses, not only will her life be forfeit, but billion of lives will also be at sake.

Turned is the third and final book in the Blood Lily Chronicles by Julie Kenner. Fans of the first two books will be anxious to see if the world will be safe from the demons of Hell. There are many supernatural elements, action and fight scenes.

Lily is a very strong willed and mature heroine who has so much to deal with. She tries to take everything in stride but still has doubts about her abilities. She loves dearly, especially her sister Rose who has been damaged in so many ways, but has walked through the fire and has survived.

With that in mind I felt the beginning and end had merit, but the middle sagged in such a way where I was close to not finishing. It felt like Julie was having a hard time trying to keep the momentum going and was backed into a corner trying to figure out that best way to reach the point where the final battle occurs. There is a great deal of dialogue between the characters that tries to explain everything that has happened up to this point, and even though it is needed, I found myself becoming a bit bored by it all. I also felt that the romance between Lily and Deacon was tacked on and the one scene where they have sex was written as an after thought. It just didn't fit and it seemed really out of place. Things do pick up again in the final few chapters but by that point I was very disinterested by it all.

The best word to use when describing Turned is "meh".

This paranormal just didn't work for me. It was okay but didn't have that spark it should have. But again, if you like warrior type heroines with an ends of days scenario, you'll probably enjoy Turned.

Katiebabs

Tainted (THE BLOOD LILY CHRONICLES)
Torn (Blood Lily Chronicles, Book 2)

I'm going to go a little bit against the grain here and give "Turned" a three star rating. While I enjoyed the first book, and the second even more so, this one failed to have the wrap up that I desired. I found that the majority of "Turned" was spent with Lily battling her more inner demon: Whether to choose to continue to find a third key and be able to lock the demon portal shut or become the demon queen and lead all the hoardes or demons, or sacrifice herself to close the portal by spending an eternity in the fire's of hell. While this was certainly an anguished choice and should have been utmost in Lily's thoughts I felt like it was rehashed again and again in the same way. The beginning demon battle, taking up right where the second book left off was exciting, as was a big demon battle scene on a bridge toward the middle of the book. I thought the relationship with Deacon was written solidly and believably as was her relationship with both her real younger sister Rose and Alice's sister Rachel. The book lost me at the end however. I was expecting something more epic and I felt almost like the story took the easy way out. Still this series was entertaining and worth reading. There is just so much available urban fantasy to read and I just don't feel like this trilogy is at the top of the heap. Julie Kenner is an amazing author however and I dont' want to distract from that fact. Her "Demon Hunting Soccer Mom" and "Ghouls" series are top notch.

TURNED is the third, and best, book in Julie Kenner's Blood Lily Chronicles series. The convergence is coming, when hell's gates will open, spilling out hordes of demons onto the Earth. Lily is the linchpin in the schemes of both Good and Evil, the "Prophecy Girl" who must choose between two fates: becoming queen of the demons, or locking the gates at the cost of her own eternal torment. Lily knows which path she must choose, but darned if queendom doesn't sound a lot more appealing than burning in hell forever...

Yet there might be a third way... There are legends of a lost key that could lock the gates without requiring Lily's sacrifice. She's all for this, naturally, and so she searches for it, with the help of her evil-smiting "team": Deacon, Lily's demonic lover; Rose, Lily's sister; and Rachel, Alice Purdue's sister. But our heroes are running out of time.

The plot is filled with suspense and emotion; the reader feels Lily's mounting sense of panic as the time for her terrible choice draws near, and the chaos in the streets of Boston as the demonic legions begin their conquest. Along the way, Kenner incorporates lots of little "Chekhov's Guns" from earlier in the series (remember Alice's knife tattoo?) and ties all of her plot threads together well.

I've thoroughly enjoyed this series, from its twisting plot to its unlikely heroine and the terrible decisions she faces. I don't know if Kenner plans to continue the Blood Lily Chronicles; the ending of TURNED leaves the reader satisfied, but leaves the door open to further stories. I can say, though, that I recommend these three installments to fans of fast-paced urban fantasy with a dark edge.

The prose is uncomplicated, which makes for a quick read. I tend to like it a bit "purpler," but your mileage may vary. And an ornate style probably wouldn't have suited Lily's voice anyway.

And by the way, might I mention an aspect of the romantic subplot that's really refreshing? Lily knows who she wants and loves. Throughout her story, supernatural forces induce her to become attracted to several other characters, but she realizes it's just the magic talking, and that she doesn't have to act on it.