Review: Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Sweet Evil
(The Sweet Trilogy #1)
Wendy Higgins
May 1, 2012
HarperTeen
447 pages

Synopsis:

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 Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. 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?

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Review: 
     I started out absolutely LOVING this book. I finished still really liking it, but having some apprehension about it too. Wish it were the other way around, but OMG, talk about leading someone on!
     This book is one that starts out running. Anna meets Kaiden, sparks fly, and suddenly they are on a road trip across the country together. It was super fast and not at all believable, but somehow I just didn't care as long as we got to see them together. I loved seeing them together - all those scenes in the car and the hotel room with just them...so good. Kaiden is super hot, playing the bad boy role so well, but we know there's something more there. Something sweet and protective that we just start to see glimpses of. But, then BAM, it was like a giant bucket o' ice water gets thrown onto the book just as it was getting steamed up! I didn't enjoy the second half nearly as much as the first, even though it is where most of the mythology action unfolds. But, that's really more because I just loved the first half so much and missed that closeness we saw between Anna and Kaiden on their road trip. I did really enjoy reading Ms. Higgins' fresh take on angels and demons, especially when shown alongside some big questions about free will and fate. But, I also felt like there was so much bad communication, poor choices, and unanswered questions, it became a bit frustrating. And while that can sometimes be a good thing, building up more anticipation for book 2... therein lies the problem. When I checked on goodreads to see when book 2 would be coming out, I find that there might not even be a book 2?!? Well, there is one, but it hasn't been picked up for publication yet.
    With all this series has to offer - angels, demons, love triangles, and the promise of an apocalyptic-type showdown, it would be a shame not to see how it all pans out. So, all I have to say to that is that if for some ungodly reason this book's sequel does not get picked up for publication, I expect Ms. Higgins to self-publish it or I'm going to track her down and demand she let me read it myself!

Sweet Evil: 4/5 stars
Cover 4/5 stars
Audience Rating: PG-13 (mild violence and adult themes: sex, drugs, alcohol)