Become (Desolation, #1)

Nov 06, 2011 Giselle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ebook, paranormal

Become is not your average YA paranormal. We're thrown into an intense novel about the battle between angels and demons. Lucifer's daughter, Desolation, is our protagonist and against her wishes, she's being sent back to earth Where there are teenagers and people with… feelings.

Desolation has a really unique personality. Being the devil's daughter she's very cautious, socially awkward and a bit of a loner. She doesn't want to fall in her father's footsteps. In fact, she doesn't really like him a...more Become is not your average YA paranormal. We're thrown into an intense novel about the battle between angels and demons. Lucifer's daughter, Desolation, is our protagonist and against her wishes, she's being sent back to earth Where there are teenagers and people with… feelings.

Desolation has a really unique personality. Being the devil's daughter she's very cautious, socially awkward and a bit of a loner. She doesn't want to fall in her father's footsteps. In fact, she doesn't really like him all that much. She also senses that there's something very different about her; As though she doesn't belong in Hell. I had a lot of fun with Desolation. She is very critical of herself, but you can tell that underneath it all she's a great person who is just trying to figure out where she fits in.

I really enjoyed the style of writing throughout the novel. It's very descriptive and sophisticated; I found it highly intense, and with a lot more depth than most. There are strong messages sent throughout the story about finding oneself and, most importantly, good vs evil. The intensity was a bit of a problem when it came to the theology and the myths behind the angel/demon battles. I found myself getting confused during the explanations. My only knowledge of it comes from the show Supernatural, so the elaborate lore were a bit overwhelming. I had to reread a lot of passages to get the gist. For this reason, I couldn't entirely get caught up in the story as much as I had hoped.

Despite the complexity, I still enjoyed the plot. Like i mentioned, it was very intense with a lot of action and battle sequences. I did like getting to know why Desolation was seemingly different from the others. The romance also played a big part in the story which did alleviate the seriousness throughout the book.

As an angel/demon book, don't expect this to be like the popular YA novels such as Hush Hush or Fallen. Become goes right to the core of Norse mythology: Asgard, Loki (Lucifer), Odin, Thor. But even if, like me, you don't know a lot about these myths, it's still a fun read, however I think people versed in it would absolutely enjoy it to it's full potential.

Drop by my blog on Monday (Nov. 7th) for a chance to win a paperback copy of Become: Xpresso Reads (less)

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Nov 29, 2011 C.k. Bryant rated it 5 of 5 stars

Not just the average YA novel with angels and demons, we're talking the devil's daughter here. A phenomenal story of a girl who should, by all accounts, be a bad girl, but wants so desperately to be good. The story of Desolation Black and her trials as a normal teen, while trying to please her father (AKA: Satan) not only kept me on the edge of my seat, but left me questioning how I see the world. If a girl with such darkness in her life, can find a way to do good, then there's hope for the rest...more

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Sep 02, 2012 Kai rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: free-ebook, accidentally-read-published-fanfic, frickin-boring, liked-less-than-i-thought-i-would, trapped-or-stalled-by-bleh, demons-angels, paranormal-type, meh

Okay, fine. I quit. Are you happy?
I guess it was the previous 67% of the book wherein the majourity of what happens is that this chick irritates me with her super whiny, super angsty, super bratty, super emo-ness that kept me from seeing the truth.
Majour, majour spoilers up here, y'all...
(view spoiler)...more Okay, fine. I quit. Are you happy?
I guess it was the previous 67% of the book wherein the majourity of what happens is that this chick irritates me with her super whiny, super angsty, super bratty, super emo-ness that kept me from seeing the truth.
Majour, majour spoilers up here, y'all...
(view spoiler)

Ali Cross isn't a bad writer. Her idea was there, all the rules she learned in English class are pretty much in effect, but these characters and the improbabilities of their insta-relationships, James' sudden turn from being a jackass to being tearfully in lurve with Mimi, paragraph after paragraph of emo... Characters should have feelings, but half the book shouldn't be a freakout over them. Histrionics! Too much for me. The next book in the series might be better; I'd give it a glance to see if these problem areas have been tightened up at least.

I might finish this one sometime. When I come to terms with the fact that I was reading cloaked Buffy-verse without my knowledge. Lord knows there are a million books that are far worse that are far more popular. (less)

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Jan 08, 2012 Canda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Couldn't put it down! I wouldn't think I'd like a book where the main character is Satan's daughter. But I did. It's an incredible tale of love and hope.

The characters are well developed. Lucy will step from the pages to hug you. You'll want to jump in to do the same for Miri. Michael seems like a flat character until his true nature is revealed then wow--great choice for a hero. And Desi pulls you through sorrow, love, fear, despair, revulsion, apathy and hope. Most of all hope! Several others...more

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Feb 19, 2013 Penny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

***I received this book from a Goodreads First-Reads Giveaway***

I was lucky enough to get this book and the rest of the series signed by the author and for that I am extremely greatful!! I probably would not have picked this series up on my own because I swore off supernatural romances for a bit; they were all starting to blend together and the stories were just not dynamic enough. I did take a chance and I have to say that I'm glad that I did. Desolation is a main character that I can really ge...more ***I received this book from a Goodreads First-Reads Giveaway***

I was lucky enough to get this book and the rest of the series signed by the author and for that I am extremely greatful!! I probably would not have picked this series up on my own because I swore off supernatural romances for a bit; they were all starting to blend together and the stories were just not dynamic enough. I did take a chance and I have to say that I'm glad that I did. Desolation is a main character that I can really get behind. I love that she is constantly struggling with herself and with her nature throughout the entire book, even after she meets Michael. Usually in supernatural romances, the main character struggles until she magically meets THE ONE and then everything fixes itself. Her struggles really made me care about her character and is propelling me to read the next two books in the series. The romance also didn't bog down the narrative, which is wonderful in my opinion. Desi's choice between the light and the dark is at the forefront of the novel and the romance is at the fringes, popping up once or twice when it is important. While I did expect the ending, it was still a great twist that makes the reader want to read the next book. I also liked the mixture of Norse and traditionally Christian ideas in the story; it set it apart from the other books about fallen angels and the battle against Lucifer. The author's language should also get its due as well. It is very lyrical and descriptive, which sucked me into the details of the story. I particularly liked the descriptors of hell, rather than just a pit full of fire, it is cold and depressing, which makes more sense.

While I could continue to praise the book, there are also some glaring faults that I really should address. The first one has to be its spotty characterization. While characters like Desi and Lucy were beautifully described, other characters like Lucifer, James, and even Miri drew a huge blank for me. The author really needs to describe the characters rather than makes allusions to popular culture. I want hard descriptors of Lucifer, not that he looks a little like Hugh Jackman. Not only did it cause me to imagine him as Hugh throughout the entire story, but it made me laugh at the intense battle scenes because I couldn't imagine him as this fierce, commanding devil. James was another problem entirely. His character is compared to some guy from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and because I haven't seen that show I have no idea what James should look like. Until I remember to look up an image, I won't ever know what the author envisioned him to be. The use of a flashback at the beginning to establish the importance of Aaron, Lucy, and James as characters also was kind of a fail. It prevented me from really knowing the characters and connecting with them. A extra 50 pages or so in the place of the flashback would have been perfect. Despite these problems, I would still recommend this to readers of young adult fiction and those who enjoy a good paranormal romance now and again.

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Jan 12, 2013 Eric Townsend rated it 4 of 5 stars

I wasn’t really sure what to expect from Become, though I knew it would have some spiritual elements to it, I certainly wasn’t prepared for a full frontal assault of them in quite the way that Become delivers. I won’t spoil all of the reveals that are contained in the story, but suffice it to say that you are in for plenty of surprises throughout. However, if you can’t handle reading something with clear spiritual elements in it then this isn’t the story for you.

I want to touch on the writing fi...more I wasn’t really sure what to expect from Become, though I knew it would have some spiritual elements to it, I certainly wasn’t prepared for a full frontal assault of them in quite the way that Become delivers. I won’t spoil all of the reveals that are contained in the story, but suffice it to say that you are in for plenty of surprises throughout. However, if you can’t handle reading something with clear spiritual elements in it then this isn’t the story for you.

I want to touch on the writing first here because the style is the most important in deciding whether or not you will enjoy Become. I already mentioned the clear spiritual elements, but it goes beyond that. Whether it is capitalization of certain words such as with “Remembering” or “Become”, the idea of combining Norse and Abrahamic religions in a variety of ways, or just the constant reminder of Desi’s sins, Cross makes her presence felt. Sometimes that can fray the nerves a bit while at other times it seems to fit perfectly, but you are going to have strong feelings one way or another.

I separated the spiritual from the story itself enough so that I could try and examine the quality of Become without prejudice. What I found was an enjoyable, if slightly repetitious read that will leave you with a burning desire to find out what happens next and what Desi will eventually “become” if you’ll pardon the pun. Desi is a pretty likable character in the way that a puppy might be, you want to give them affection and whenever they are sad hold them until they feel better. The character that stands out though, and that makes this piece a good one, is James. He seems like a secondary character that got fleshed out and changed so much, seemingly by his own will power, that he became a primary one. He felt the most real, you could imagine his transformation and his struggle between fighting his inner demons and allowing himself to love another. James stands out and I’m so glad that he does.

The plot is intriguing if a bit obvious. When Lucifer is involved you can kinda see where the story is heading, but the combination of Norse and Abrahamic spirituality keeps it fresh and allows for different pairings and underlying stories to emerge. The pacing is mostly good, though it does feel like the characters are going in circles at times because of all of the “Remembering”. You want to see what will happen next, but maybe a bit faster then you do.

Overall this was a solid read. I wanted to branch out into new genres and I certainly was able to with Become, and if you are looking to do the same then this is definitely a fine choice.

Rating 4/5(less)

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Aug 15, 2012 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Gosh, "Become" is such a hard book to describe. It was a book I loved to hate.

Allow me to explain. It gripped me from the first page. I read it in a day, I was very captivated by it, and really wanted to see what happened. In that sense, I loved it.

Much of the book takes place in Desi's head. On one hand, I have to say that Desi's voice was strong, and well developed. On the other hand, her head is a wild place to be. She is very repetitive, thinks the same things a lot - "I was the devil's da...more Gosh, "Become" is such a hard book to describe. It was a book I loved to hate.

Allow me to explain. It gripped me from the first page. I read it in a day, I was very captivated by it, and really wanted to see what happened. In that sense, I loved it.

Much of the book takes place in Desi's head. On one hand, I have to say that Desi's voice was strong, and well developed. On the other hand, her head is a wild place to be. She is very repetitive, thinks the same things a lot - "I was the devil's daughter..." Yup got it. Don't need to hear it thought over and over.

She frequently feels the need to justify her behavior and thoughts and feelings by reminding us just who she is. And that was where my hate came in. By halfway in, I knew the character pretty well, I didn't need all the constant extra explaining.

The pace was fantastic. It moved fast and never got dull or boring.

The editing was clean. A few small formatting issues - extra spaces. But absolutely nothing that interfered with readability.

This book, all in all, is an example of a self published title well done. The cover is breathtaking, and the interior design is done very well too.

But then we come to the end. I don't mind cliffhangers - to some extent. This one though, left me feeling very unsatisfied. I fully expect the first book in a series to leave me with questions and wanting more. This though, left me feeling like "what was the point?"

From one standpoint, I can see that the conclusion was more in her emotional journey, and that part was at least a bit satisfying.

I really believe that a cliffhanger, done well, should at least leave a character and by proxy the reader, on a high note. - This book failed to deliver that.

If it weren't for the ending, I would have likely given 4 stars, even if the repeated thoughts did get a bit annoying, so you may like this book better than I did if cliffhangers don't bother you.

I haven't made up my mind yet if I will get the sequel. It's my understanding that as of right now, the 3rd book isn't out yet, and I suspect the second book will be just as much of a cliffhanger from the reviews I have read on it. I will probably wait until the author concludes the series, and then consider finishing it. (less)

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Aug 12, 2012 Jennie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Huh?
Huh?
Nonononono!

Those were about the only thoughts I had while reading Become. I'm gonna let you read other reviews to find out what it's about, but I just had to rant a little bit about how confused I was during the whole story. There were parts that really didn't make a whole lot of sense. I won't go into it because I don't want to give it away, but expect to be confused. It doesn't get fully explained until right towards the very end, and when it is the lightbulb just blazes on, but I thin...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Liberty Ann (SnifferWalkBooks) Ireland rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: YA Paranormal, Good vs. Evil

Shelves: paranormal, young-adult-fiction, angels-fallen-angels, strong-heroine, romance, favorites, fantasy

Sixteen-year old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it’s cold and lonely and totally predictable. Instead, she’s sent back to Earth where she must face the evil she despises and the good she always feared.

When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is finding a reason to change—something she’s never had...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Arla (Leave Mommy Alone) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Thank you to Ali Cross for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review...

I looked at the cover of this book and thought, "Pleasepleaseplease, let this book be as good as it looks on the cover." The cover is so telling. You see beauty, power, sadness, heartache and desperation. You look closer still and you see light mixed with darkness, fierceness mixed with frailty, Heaven mixed with Hell. Like I said, telling - because this is what you'll find in the story as well.

Th...more Thank you to Ali Cross for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review...

I looked at the cover of this book and thought, "Pleasepleaseplease, let this book be as good as it looks on the cover." The cover is so telling. You see beauty, power, sadness, heartache and desperation. You look closer still and you see light mixed with darkness, fierceness mixed with frailty, Heaven mixed with Hell. Like I said, telling - because this is what you'll find in the story as well.

The story is about and told by Desolation Black, daughter of Lucifer. Desolation, or Desi, as she prefers, is a girl who is bound to a destiny dictated by her parentage. A destiny she loathes. Knowing full well who her father is and what his expectations are, she puts up as much resistance as she dares, as she is groomed and trained by her father's most-trusted ally, Akaros. What is she resisting exactly and why? Lucifer and Akaros push Desi to embrace her inner demon and Become, so that she can be used as a instrument to further her father's agenda and bring more souls to Hell. But, Desi finds herself at odds with this. She's resistant and she can't explain why. Why does she care what happens to humans? Why does her conscience bother her?

Life in Hell is cold and lonely, but Desi much prefers it to life on Earth. She had a brief stint on Earth that left her shaken and more damaged than anything she's experienced in Hell. She won't be going back there if she can help it. But thinking she has any choice in the matter is a fantasy. Before she knows what hit her, she finds herself being sent right back. The only thing she may have to look forward to, is the possibility of seeing someone who showed her kindness last time. Other than that, another visit to Earth can only mean pain, sorrow and a massive amount of guilt.......and that's no less than she deserves, if you ask her.

Desi takes up residence, again, with her father's minion, Daniel, and his oh-so-sexy and mysterious son, James. Desi and James have a little thing I like to call C-H-E-M-I-S-T-R-Y. Whew! But, Desi is intuitive and knows she can't and shouldn't trust James, no matter what effect he has on her. He is his father's son, after all. I'll confess right now that James is my favorite character in the book. I found him intriguing. And no, it's not because he's smokin'! He's complex, with some unexplored depth, fighting some of his own figurative demons. James is a definite presence in the book, but I would've liked to have spent a little more time with him, figure out what really makes him tick. There are some GREAT scenes between Desi and James too, ones that will melt your heart. She's also having dreams about another guy, someone she's never met. So why does he feel so familiar?

Ali Cross has a talent for phrasing and description. I found myself sucked in from page one because of lines like this, where Desi is describing her dread and anticipation of seeing James again: "The part where I'd have to see James, and act like his smile didn't feel like a stake through my heart. Or how I'd drive it through my heart myself if only he'd kiss me again." Wow, nailed it! How do I know? Been there. Haven't most of us?? Desi's voice is simple, sarcastic and carries attitude. My kinda girl!

Desi not only finds herself surrounded by the depravity and sin she knows to expect from this world, but also by the best of what humanity has to offer; love and forgiveness. Despite everything she struggles with - her father, Akaros, Daniel, James, Michael, her inner demon, her past, her future - the toughest battle is with herself. Discovering that she is MORE than her father has led on and that she can CHOOSE her own path in life, upsets everything she thought she knew.

A testament to her creativity, the author uses an intricate interfusion of several belief systems (that I could pick out) that work together to support her story and the plight of her characters. She's blended Norse Mythology and Catholicism along with other modern Christian beliefs. My knowledge of mythology is pretty minimal, but I easily kept up. Those of you who are a little more scholarly will probably be able to draw more lines than I was able to. I thought it worked really well together and made the story interesting.

This story is about choice and exercising our free will. Although Desi is Satan's daughter, she's faced with the same conflict humans face on a daily basis. Do we use our power, influence and gifts for good or for evil? That, like the rest of us, she is not entirely bad and not entirely good. It's a decision to made every second of every day.

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Dec 05, 2011 Tammi rated it 5 of 5 stars

In the beginning of this book, you are told the story of when Desolation aka Desi, is born and that her father, Loki or Lucifer came to collect her. Although she is Lucifer’s biological daughter, her mother is not a demon. Being raised in Hell and surrounded by demons her whole life, that is what Desi associates herself with, even though she hides her “spark” from her father and Akaros, her trainer. She thinks that having this “spark” is a weakness.

Desi is given the job of going up to Earth by...more

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Nov 16, 2011 Heather Robbins rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: EVERYONE

Recommended to Heather by: Won

Shelves: e-book

5x5

I was fascinated by the description of this book. I am so glad that I got to read it because I was submurged into Desolation' world. First off...Desolation how cool is that name? She hates it though so she goes by Desi. She is a kick butt MC and doesn't take flak from anyone, even her father, Satan! Throughout the book she has bouts of uncertainty as to who she really is. She has been trained and brought up by the Devil himself and that is all she knows. Yet, she feels the good in people also...more

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Jan 25, 2013 Lilly Cannon rated it 2 of 5 stars

hmmmm..
I'm
Not
Quite
Sure.

i'm neither here nor there with this one... good story line but i would of liked more of the history talked about. And i wanted these people to spit it out! all the hesitation and skirting around stuff, it got too much and i just needed that juicy bit with a vengeance.

Things got sorta explained at the end but i wanted a more clear outline of the upcoming 'stuff' rather than Desi going off in her own world, being all bitchy to them about how all-powerful her dad is and the...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Autumn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Amazing book! It is filled with emotion, action, love, hope. And the cover looks amazing! This is not your normal YA paranormal book!

Become is a story that deals with good and evil, satan, hell, heaven.
Desi is the daughter of Satan all she has ever known is the coldness of hell and what it is about. Her father sends her to Earth to learn how to Become and pretty much embrace her evil side. But while there she befriends another teenage girl, she finds the guy who she remembers from long ago, an...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

I found this book to have a slow and confusing start. There were a lot of characters to learn about and the names used for Heaven, Hell, and Earth were different and unknown to me. Also, a handful of the characters have several different names which confused me as well.

After getting into the book it was much easier to keep track of the characters and the setting. Desi is a teenage girl who is the daughter of the Devil. She believes she is sent to Earth in order to Become. In her mind Becoming m...more

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Mar 29, 2013 Abbie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-fantasy, ebooks

Become brings an interesting twist to the angels and demons plot. It weaves elements of Norsk mythology and kick-butt action for a creative new paranormal series.

Unfortunately, I didn't like the main character very much. Desolation "Desi" Black is the daughter of Lucifer a.k.a. Loki. She is sent to earth on a mission to retrieve Miri, an alcoholic who has visions of the future. But she doesn't really embody despair and pain; she's very introverted, insecure, and secretly good-hearted -- altho...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Melissa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I plowed through this book, hoping that somewhere it will "perk up". The mood is gloomy, the setting either in dark, creepy hell; or in the dark , present time. To top it all, the main character's name is as cheerless as her situation. She's named Desolation, surnamed Black. A bit of an overkill, I think, even if she is half-demon, the daughter of Lucifer himself. Desolation looks like a 16 year old girl, but has lived in Hell for "countless" centuries. So why does she act like a 16 year old? I...more I plowed through this book, hoping that somewhere it will "perk up". The mood is gloomy, the setting either in dark, creepy hell; or in the dark , present time. To top it all, the main character's name is as cheerless as her situation. She's named Desolation, surnamed Black. A bit of an overkill, I think, even if she is half-demon, the daughter of Lucifer himself. Desolation looks like a 16 year old girl, but has lived in Hell for "countless" centuries. So why does she act like a 16 year old? I find it hard to accept that these "countless" centuries spent in hell and sometimes on earth, failed to have formed a more solid character for Desi, more maturity and confidence. How many more centuries does she need to make up her mind about what she wants, who she is, what she intends to do? Why is she so conflicted of being good or bad, even after "countless" centuries? Is this hell so mild then, that it cannot corrupt her after "countless" centuries of being immersed in it, with the company of evil things that's supposed to populate hell?

I do not like Desi.
She whines too much, doubts too much.
Totally. Annoying.
This is the writing style.
An attempt in prose.
It impresses me a bit.
But then I Remember her.
Desolation. Angsty. Conflicted and silly.

Well, the author's writing is not bad at all. I'm just sad it doesn't do anything to improve the main character. I can't even feel empathy towards her nor her romance with Michael, the Gardian, which she is starting to REMEMBER in snippets and flashbacks. I highlight the word because I think it's so used up in this book that I feel like gagging if I have to read another chapter with That word treated as a proper noun, maddening in its repetition. Aaaahhkk!!!

I do LIKE the book in some places, though. especially the storyline that relies on Nordic background. It is interesting and pleasantly surprising for me to read the parallelism of Odin to God, Lucifer to Loki, the Angels to Gardians, and Heaven and Earth to Asgard & Midgard; while Desolation is a unique and isolated breed: half demon, and half-valkyrie. Half-dark, and half light. Born to be the greatest weapon there is to fight against Loki and his demons. Desi aside, this book actually takes a heavier issue of the constant battle between good and evil. Loki's plans to incite chaos among humans has changed to breaking the balance between all the worlds, to close the gates of Asgard so no one can Ascend, ever. It will be Hell forever on Earth. To stop this, Desi must work closely with the faithful servants of Odin assigned to protect Earth from the Fallen. Desi must also get her act together fast, before Michael's Halo is corrupted as a tortured prisoner in Helheimer.
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May 18, 2012 Kimberly Frost rated it 3 of 5 stars

The idea was intriguing, but I didn't really like the book itself. I felt like the mood of the story and of the characters would change very suddenly and without warning or explanation. It made for a very disorienting and confusing read. I really liked that she used Asgard and Midgard instead of Earth and Heaven--it was different than the regular, run-of-the-mill story, which I really enjoyed. I felt confused about Desi's past and about the roles and abilities of all the characters. I wish that...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Gary rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, kindle, own

Become: A Novel of Desolation is an amazing novel and cover. The only reason I don’t give it 5 out 5 is that it took so long for me to connect with Desi’s story. The elements were sprinkled throughout the beginning. I was more than half way finished when I started to absolutely loved this novel.

The instant I finished this novel I wanted to start, Desolate (Desolation 2), the next one in the series. But I’m fully invested now. I have rarely read books that make use of Norse instead of Greek mytho...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Meg - A Bookish Affair rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fiction, paranormal, ya-children

3.5. Desi is a teenager trying to deal with all of the normal teenage trials and tribulations. She's trying to fit in. She's trying to find her place in the world. She's trying to find a couple friends to be on her side. To make matters a little different, she's the daughter of the devil. Desi's story definitely pulled me in! And I loved the fact that the story is loosely based in some of the stories of Norse mythology. Totally cool!

Some of you may realize paranormal is a genre that is a little...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Allie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Full disclosure: I got this book on my Kindle app only because it was a free download.
I didn't expect very much from it.

About twenty pages in, I realized I was in for a SERIOUS treat.

I have never read any books with the angel/demon dynamic--so this was a first in that sub-genre for me. Aaaaaaand I loved it. The mythology of Thor and Loki and Odin was integrated seamlessly with the story of Desolation Black, daughter of Lucifer. She's gone for centuries in Hell knowing that the emptiness of her...more

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Apr 06, 2012 Erin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: angels-demons, ya-paranormal

Originally posted at Riffs and Reviews

Become by Ali Cross left me feeling really conflicted. I came across this book while tripping through various author websites during the YA Scavenger Hunt held this past weekend. The cover grabbed me instantly, and I ended up clicking on it, reading the above description, and purchasing the book since it sounded intriguing. As you know if you follow my blog, I love YA paranormal books and angels/fallen angels have been prevalent in the genre over the last co...more Originally posted at Riffs and Reviews

Become by Ali Cross left me feeling really conflicted. I came across this book while tripping through various author websites during the YA Scavenger Hunt held this past weekend. The cover grabbed me instantly, and I ended up clicking on it, reading the above description, and purchasing the book since it sounded intriguing. As you know if you follow my blog, I love YA paranormal books and angels/fallen angels have been prevalent in the genre over the last couple of years. This looked like a really different take on the theme, with the whole concept of Lucifer’s daughter being our protagonist. It turns out it IS different – so different I’m not really sure what to think.

Author Ali Cross has actually taken Norse gods Odin and Loki and the concept of Valhalla and Helheim and mashed them up with Christianity – Odin is God, Loki has fallen from Asgard and taken the name of Lucifer, Valhalla is an ascension to heaven, while Helheim is definitely Hell. Angels are the Asgardians who are trying to protect Earth (Midgard) and allow humans and Gardians to ascend to Valhalla. Demons are the fallen Asgardians who have followed Loki and look to invoke an apocalypse so they can bring Hell on Earth and take over Valhalla. It is an interesting combination of beliefs. I became very confused, however, by the author’s execution of these ideas.

Desolation, or Desi as she likes to be called, has been sent to Earth to live with one of Lucifer’s minions, Daniel, and his son, James, so she can receive some in-depth training on manipulating and corrupting humans. As part of her assignment, Lucifer orders her to bring him the soul of a young girl named Miri who attends the school Desi is being sent to. When they meet, however, Desi is drawn to Miri more as a friend and confidante than as a corrupter. When she finds out Miri is dating James, Desi tries to get Miri to realize he is not good for her; after all, she has seen his sins first-hand. Desi’s life is further complicated when she finds herself drawn to another student at the school, Michael, who seems very familiar and also seems to recognize her. Will Desi defy Lucifer and help Miri? Why is she so drawn to Michael? And how can she avoid “Becoming” just like her father?

This is billed as a YA paranormal, but I never felt like I was reading about young adults. I kept forgetting the fact that Desi, Miri, Michael, and James were teenagers. Every one of them came across as much older and it was only when their ages were mentioned that I recalled they were supposed to be 16 to 18-year-olds. Even in school sequences, I frequently felt like they were older than they were supposed to be.

I also wasn’t too sure what to make of Desi. She is strong and able to hold her own when fighting, but she is a mass of insecurities She was desperate not to “Become” like her father, but she also wanted to return to Hell and embrace a life of darkness because it would be the easiest thing to do. Desi wants to be loved, but also tries not to get close to anyone because she feels she will destroy them. She was a mass of contradictions that made it difficult for me to feel connected to her, but I was eventually able to get a grasp on her as the different threads of the story wove together and her character grew.

Contributing to my confusion were frequent bouts of Desi “Remembering.” These were scenes where she recalled events that occurred in the past with a young man named Aaron (who she was apparently drawn to on a previous trip to Earth) or events that seemed to occur in Asgard between her, Michael, Loki and his right-hand man/demon Akaros. I kept getting kicked out of the story with the thoughts, “What is going on?” and “How is she remembering this?” I was a little lost in regards to Desi and Michael’s relationship because it never really developed – they just seemed to be rekindling a previous romance.

As I read, it felt like I was being dropped into the middle of the story and not at the beginning of it. When I got to the final chapters, I realized this is exactly what had happened. Desi, Michael, Loki, Akaros – these were all characters who came with a lot of back story (Aaron was a part of Desi’s back story that was still haunting her). Only Miri and James came without this mass of baggage, but since Miri is struggling with a substance abuse problem and James has issues from the way he was raised they obviously have some carry-on luggage of their own. James actually turned out to be the most intriguing character, since there were hints that there were some real feelings buried inside him. Miri, however, is still very much a mystery with a lot of back story to tell.

Ultimately, I did enjoy this book and I want to know what happens next to these characters. Now that the massive world-building has been accomplished, I think Cross will be able to settle in and focus on character and relationship-building in the next book. Desi, Miri, Michael and James all have myriad ways to grow, but I am especially interested in seeing what happens with Michael and James. However, I don’t really know what type of reader to recommend this book to. This is not light reading, it is not the typical angel story, and it had a very adult feel to it. The sin and corruption that Desi and James live with daily gave this story a much darker tone than I am used to in the YA genre.

Become is a complex, unusually mature YA paranormal book which twists the angel concept in new directions. The protagonist, Desi, experiences a lot of growth in this novel, while her friends still remain a bit of a mystery. Now that I have seen how everything in this book ties together, I look forward to seeing where Ali Cross takes these characters and if they can hold back the apocalypse planned by Desi’s father, Lucifer/Loki.(less)

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Oct 09, 2012 Pyxi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-devour

My review for: Become by Ali Cross
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Shanna Roberson

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. Just wow. Ali Cross has created an elaborate world blended from fable and reality with engaging characters that not only stole my heart, but left me wanting more.

Desolation Black is hell spawn and I mean literally as in Lucifer’s daughter. She plays the part as minimally as possible. She tries to appease her father’s wishes, all but one. No matter h...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Heidi Garrett rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Heidi by: FREE Kindle

Shelves: young-adult-fantasy, gritty, fantasy

Become (Desolation #1) by Ali Cross is one of the reasons I love books by Indie Authors. It is edgy and risky. The main character Desolation Black (Desi) is the devil’s daughter. Literally. But, she is more than that. And her struggle with the “more than that” is the gist of the story in this first book of the Desolation series.

I love the themes of Become. Traditional stories have clear-cut lines between good and evil. More and more writers are addressing the truth that that good and evil exists...more

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Dec 20, 2011 Laura Bastian rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. It's a new take on Heaven and Hell, a combination of Christian and Norse gods. Desolation is the daughter of Satan/Lucifer/Loki and is in a unique position to do something great or terrible. She's been living in hell with her father and the description Ali Cross gives of Hell is very interesting and I can totally see how her idea of it could apply to it. She had a different life before being born as the daughter of Satan and had been in love with an Angel. When she me...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

So, when I first agreed to read this book I thought hey cool, another YA supernatural/paranormal story. Just up my alley. Then I realized I'd agreed to read a novel about the Devil and my stomach did a flip-flop. Uh-oh, what did I get myself into. You see, I don't read books that treat satan and evil lightly. I personally feel that's a slippery slope into letting sin into my faith walk. The concept of Hell in this novel takes...more I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

So, when I first agreed to read this book I thought hey cool, another YA supernatural/paranormal story. Just up my alley. Then I realized I'd agreed to read a novel about the Devil and my stomach did a flip-flop. Uh-oh, what did I get myself into. You see, I don't read books that treat satan and evil lightly. I personally feel that's a slippery slope into letting sin into my faith walk. The concept of Hell in this novel takes its description from not only Christianity but from Norse mythology as well.

However, I did agree to read and honestly review this book and I laid aside my initial feelings and started to read. What I found out is that although the devil and his daughter are crucial characters to the story line, the author doesn't glorify them. Instead, Desi, satan's daughter, is a young confused teen who is striving to be something different than what she was born to be. The good vs. evil element is well played out in this book. The first few chapters describe a world of sin, debauchery, and sordidness. It honestly left my skin crawling and my stomach quesy. I realize this is life for a lot of people and one they willingly choose, but oh, if only they could see there is so much more so much better out there for them.

I will say I did enjoy reading this novel. I liked how Ali Cross shows that your birth circumstances and environment don't have to determine who you grow up to be. That despite being born to bad parents, or having a rough upbringing or living in hell, literally in this case, that doesn't mean you have to choose to be evil. There is hope for you, there is hope for something more, something better and you can choose that. Hope is not lost and you are in control of your choices, despite your environment. The last 100 pages of the book really does a good job of playing out this good vs. evil theme in a huge battle that's fought outwardly as well as inwardly.

There is a lot of Norse mythology terminology used and that can get confusing. I found myself getting a little lost on the story line because I didn't recognize the words being used and what they meant. But you can easily look that stuff up on the internet to help assist you.

A tip for parents - don't write off this book as a no-go for your teen because of the book description. Instead, if you have reservations (like me), read it first and then allow your teen to read it and discuss the book with your child. Or read it together with your child, like a book club and then have discussions about it. This novel can be a great gateway into having those tough discussions with your teen about faith and morality. Use it as a learning tool. I assure you there will be some deep and meaningful conversations in your household.

I am planning on reading book 2 in this series and would recommend this series to others. (less)

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Jan 11, 2012 Mia Darien rated it 4 of 5 stars

To be blunt, I found the pacing of the character development and the dramatic moments to be done very heavy-handed. Moments that should have been singular and climatic were repeated till they were over done and things swung between dragging out and being too sudden and motivationally... fuzzy.

I also struggled a little with the main character, finding her inconstancy frustrating. Though I understood the concept of Choice and how that played into it. Still, it was a little extreme for my tastes

HOW...more

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Dec 31, 2011 Angela Brown rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I first decided to read this novel because I loved the premise and the cover. Something wickedly dark about all of it. I wanted to know more.
Plus, the author, Ali Cross, runs a fantastic blog that I enjoy checking out and I love supporting new authors. So I thought, "Give it a try. What could it hurt?"
I'll tell you, it only hurt my soul that I didn't read it the moment I downloaded it. Yes, this book is that good.
Desi Black is no joke. I suppose that comes from being raised the daughter of the d...more

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Nov 04, 2012 Brea Bond rated it 5 of 5 stars

The story of a half-demon struggling between her own superpowers of good and evil should not be an effective allegory for the internal conflicts of a teenage girl...but it is. ;)
In "Become," Desolation Black--the devil's daughter--does exactly that. Cross deviates from much of the angel/demon subgenre by focusing on Desi's emotional journey rather than churning out a series of supernatural action sequences (though there are a few sprinkled in!), which may account for complaints about storyline c...more

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Nov 21, 2011 Idris rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow! Become is not a normal book, not a normal YA book, and after I finished reading it I understood that it's much more complex and much more obscure than others of this genre.

The story talks about Desolation Black, a girl who's name is not the only weird thing in her life. She is Lucifer's daughter. She lives in Hell surrounded by solitude, but at least her life is better than when she is on Earth. Yes, she have been to Earth and it was awful. But now, she needs to come back and face all those...more Wow! Become is not a normal book, not a normal YA book, and after I finished reading it I understood that it's much more complex and much more obscure than others of this genre.

The story talks about Desolation Black, a girl who's name is not the only weird thing in her life. She is Lucifer's daughter. She lives in Hell surrounded by solitude, but at least her life is better than when she is on Earth. Yes, she have been to Earth and it was awful. But now, she needs to come back and face all those things that she wants to forget. Will she be able to do it? Will she find love and friendship, or will she follow her father's steps? Decisions, decisions… too many decisions!!

This book, like I said before, it's dark! really dark! The main character, Desolation (or Desi) is the Devil's daughter, so it's logic that her life is surrounded by sin, lust, and desolation. So, at the moment I started reading I was a little bit shocked for some scenes and some topics. They were too crude for me, too dark and too heart-breaking. But I forgot everything when the story caught my attention, and I couldn't stop reading until I finished. The plot is really well done, and the characters are really nice, Desi is a main character like no other, too dark, too sad, but really strong and in need of love. I loved Lucy, she is warm and lovely and I hated the all the things that happened to her (You need to read the book to understand) and for a moment I was angry to the author for doing -that-, but well, it was necessary to the plot and I was happy to see Desi with Miri, another lovely character that I really liked and… Michael. *sigh* He is awesome!!!

So, what can I say? I consider this book not just a paranormal romance book. I think that it's much more than that. This book talks about decisions and how those decisions can affect the life of more than one person. It also shows how dark and destructive can be the world when you're in bad company or when you're doing wrong. Become is a good book that teaches you the difference between right and wrong. That's why I highly recommend it!

Happy Reading!
(less)

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