Original Sin (The Seven Deadly Sins, #1)

Feb 13, 2010 All Things Urban Fantasy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-abigail

Review courtesy of AllThingsUrbanFantasy.blogspot.com

It’s never a good sign when you start reading a book and seriously think that the printer mixed up the pages, but that was the only conclusion I could come to during the first 60 pages of Original Sin. Come to find out that Allison Brennan actually started this series with a short story DELIVER US FROM EVIL in the 2007 anthology What You Can't See.

If you read this book and find yourself as frustrated with it as I did, consider skipping ahead t...more Review courtesy of AllThingsUrbanFantasy.blogspot.com

It’s never a good sign when you start reading a book and seriously think that the printer mixed up the pages, but that was the only conclusion I could come to during the first 60 pages of Original Sin. Come to find out that Allison Brennan actually started this series with a short story DELIVER US FROM EVIL in the 2007 anthology What You Can't See.

If you read this book and find yourself as frustrated with it as I did, consider skipping ahead to page 60 and read the seven pages of Moira’s flashback explaining her history with her mother and her role in the coven etc. I don’t know why the author didn’t include that passage much earlier in the story as very little makes sense without that background information.

The most powerful witch in the world has spent her life searching for the Book of Knowledge in order to summon the Seven Deadly Sins, embodied by powerful fallen angels, from the bowels of Hell to do her bidding. The only one capable of stopping her is her daughter Moira. Original Sin opens with Moira plagued by horrific nightmares full of human sacrifices and on the run from her mother as she seeks out information to kill her. Aided by the priest who is the closest thing to a father she’s ever known, a demonologist (and his sheriff girlfriend)who blames her for the death of his brother, and the mysterious Rafe, Moira the the only hope the world has left.

I really wanted to like this book. A lot of reviewers who I typically agree with loved it. Me not so much. The writing is fairly generic and the beginning of the book frustratingly unclear in terms of character motivations. But even later on when certain things were explained, the story was needlessly complicated. Fiona, Moira’s mother is constantly talking about killing her daughter, yet when she gets the opportunity she decides to come back later!?!

And as is typical of thrillers, there are a lot of characters and POV’s going on in this book, often several per chapter. Sometimes this works, sometimes not. Guess which one Original Sin is? Perhaps if the characters had been more sharply defined they would have made more of an impact, but I read this entire book in one day yet I couldn’t remember who was who without flipping back again and again.

One unique aspect of the world building in Original Sin is that Magic, in and of itself, is categorically evil. Witches are likewise bad without exception. Well, except for Moira who has shunned her powers.

There is also a lot of Biblical references and Catholic theology tweaked and borrowed from here, as well as the traditional concepts of Heaven and Hell. I’m not a Catholic so I can’t comment on how accurate any of that is.

Overall, Original Sin is a bloated thriller with paranormal trappings and a slew of flat characters. The dialogue is occasionally cringe worthy, the action sequences relentless without seeming to advance the story, and the romance (little that there is) forced. Not exactly a glowing endorsement. I’m giving this book 2 bats out of 5 only because this book qualifies more as ‘not good’ as opposed to simply ‘bad.’

Sexual Content: One vague, brief sex scene. One extended and graphic sex scene

My Rating: 2 out of 5(less)

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Dec 24, 2012 Book Chick City rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-paranormal

Reviewed by Laura for Book Chick City.

'Original Sin' is a black and white tale of good versus evil. The main character is Moira, the daughter of Fiona, a dark and powerful black witch. Seven years ago, Moira escaped her mother's evil coven and found sanctuary in The Order of St Michaels, a worldwide group of monasteries dedicated to fighting evil.

Despite escaping, Moira has never found peace. Trained by the monastery to be a warrior, she is a dedicated servant to their fight. The problem is the...more

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Jan 26, 2010 Sophia (FV) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Moira O’Donnell is a powerful witch who no longer practices witch craft. She was born to an evil magician who dedicated her at birth to evil but wants no part of this life. She is both on the run from and hunting her mother who seeks to use her or kill her. She has trained with Father Philip of St. Michael's Monastery to help fight those like her mother who summon demons from hell by practicing black magic.

Moira discovers her mother and her coven in the small town of Santa Louisa and travels th...more Moira O’Donnell is a powerful witch who no longer practices witch craft. She was born to an evil magician who dedicated her at birth to evil but wants no part of this life. She is both on the run from and hunting her mother who seeks to use her or kill her. She has trained with Father Philip of St. Michael's Monastery to help fight those like her mother who summon demons from hell by practicing black magic.

Moira discovers her mother and her coven in the small town of Santa Louisa and travels there knowing she may die in a confrontation with her. She discovers evidence that her mother and the coven have been conducting rituals drawing evil to this small town.

When Fiona, Moira’s mother, attempts to summon and trap the demons from hell known as the seven deadly sins, something goes terribly wrong and the demons are released on earth to wreak havoc. Moira and her allies may be the only hope in trapping the demons and sending them back to hell.

There were a few characters that stood out for me. Moira first of all, was a great heroine. Courageous doesn’t even begin to describe her. She has to face down her own mother, who is a powerful witch hell bent on capturing and using her or destroying her. Not only does Moira face her mother but she battles the most vile demons from hell. Anthony, a demonologist, comes off hard and jaded. He’s angry and doesn’t trust Moira blaming her for the death of his friend and her former lover. Although he distrusts Moira he still works with her for the greater good. Rafe, Moira’s love interest is brother from the Monetary. He was a bit a of a mystery to me and I never really could get a handle on his character. While committed to the cause and key to the plot, he seemed to take a backseat in character. I never really understood where the romantic connection between Rafe and Moira originated or why it evolved though. Fiona is the villain of all villains. She is evil, self centered and worst of all uses her own children in the pursuit of power.

This book was billed as a paranormal romance however the romance was very light taking a backseat to the more prevalent mystery and suspense aspect of the book. If you’re looking for a more traditional paranormal romance then you may be disappointed in Original Sin. Being a romance lover myself, I will say that I didn’t miss the romance angle at all as the plot was strong and the characterization good and I think the tiny bit of romance was not needed at all.

Original Sin worked for me on several different levels. The suspense build-up alone was enough to keep me turning the pages and the mystery held right up until the very end. I will admit, it took me about 6 chapters to really get into it but once the action started I did not want to put this book down.

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Sep 20, 2010 Keri rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, romance-paranormal, supernatural, 2010-read, allison-brennon

At its heart OS is about good vs evil, but it is also about one's will to do something bad or the harder choice to do something good. Moira is now on the hunt for her mother Fiona and they are both powerful witches.

Fiona wants to bring The Seven Sins (fallen angels that make up envy, lust, greed, sloth, pride, gluttony, anger)up from Hell and make them her own pets in order to have all the power on earth in which to rule and reign terror on humans. Moira who has renounced her witchcraft is dete...more

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Mar 08, 2010 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

Last thoughts - Ms. Brennan created quite a stir in me, with Original Sin – rich back story, amazingly strong characters, tons of twists and turns and LOTS of action! I am excited to read the next installment of The Seven Deadly Sins titled, Carnal Sin which is being released June 2010! As well as keep Allison Brennan on my radar, and check out some of her other works! I give Original Sin a 4 mushrooms, if you like fast passed, action, with a paranormal twist – you will LOVE it! I can't wait for...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 1 of 5 stars

Many people don’t know this about me, but there are times when I simply cannot finish a book. Gasp. I said it. There are some books that do not enthrall me. It isn’t the author’s fault (okay, sometimes it is); he or she may have written a really well researched book with unbelievably flowing prose and richly drawn out characters, but somehow I just was not interested. Sometimes a book suffers from the “I just finished an amazing book that is simply beyond compare, and any book that follows up pa...more Many people don’t know this about me, but there are times when I simply cannot finish a book. Gasp. I said it. There are some books that do not enthrall me. It isn’t the author’s fault (okay, sometimes it is); he or she may have written a really well researched book with unbelievably flowing prose and richly drawn out characters, but somehow I just was not interested. Sometimes a book suffers from the “I just finished an amazing book that is simply beyond compare, and any book that follows up pales in comparison” blues. This happened to me a few years ago, I had just finished reading what has become my absolute favorite book (Three Fates by Nora Roberts), and I decided to try Pen Pals by Olivia Goldsmith, which while really good, was very different from the other book. After about 100 pages, I got fed up with it–it seemed to move very slowly. A couple of years later, I decided to try it again because there MUST have been something that made me buy it in the first place. This time, I really liked it (although, the description of the hero’s looks made me think of a smarmy guido–which he wasn’t); the heroine even quoted The Sound of Music (my favorite movie)! After finishing it, I couldn’t believe that I had given up on it before. I came to the conclusion the SOMETIMES you need a break between books because the high that you get from one book may make the slow simmer of another feel like a pot that never boils.

However, sometimes, a book is just bad. For instance, about 2 years ago, I purchased a bunch of Nora Roberts books: Sanctuary, Montana Sky, and Hidden Riches (so bad that i had to google the title because I couldn’t remember it). I read Montana Sky first, and I loved it. Then, I read Sanctuary, and loved it too. However, once I started Hidden Riches, I couldn’t get into it. I thought that the heroine was tstl (too stupid to live) and that the hero was an ex-cop with baggage best revealed to Oprah (or a slew of psychologists). I got about 100 pages into the book and gave up. I was puzzled. How could this be written by the same person who wrote the other two books? Having already come to the conclusion that my enjoyment of the previous books may have biased me against the third, I decided that I would put Hidden Riches aside and pick it up again. Six months later, I tried it again. And hated it even more than i did the first time.

I have recently decided that buying books is a lot like buying lipstick. When you’re in the store, the color looks amazing, but as soon as you get it home, you realize that when wearing it, the color is more neon fuchsia instead of the pretty pink that it appeared to be in the store. Books also suffer from a case of neon fuchsia-itis. In the store, the cover looks pretty and shiny and the synopsis makes it sound amazing. Then, when you get it home and you sit down, wearing your comfy pajamas, the cover is faded and the blood dripping off the vampire’s fangs looks like something an assistant photoshopped into an already cheesy cover. But, you paid for it, and sometimes a cover is not indicative of the contents, then you realize that what’s inside is worse than what is outside, making you wish for some memory erasing flowers or chocolate–SOMETHING to make that monstrosity GO AWAY.

There are unfortunately many books like this. They look pretty in the store, but when you get it home, the apple on the cover is opened to reveal a half eaten worm. A couple of months ago, I bought Original Sin by Allison Brennan (one of my favorite authors). The cover was cute, despite the half cut-off face that seems to be ubiquitous in the romance genre. The back copy–interesting. Moira O’Donnell can’t help remembering her boyfriend’s horrible death at the hands of her EVIL witch of a mother, and sets out to find her, which leads her to THE END OF THE WORLD. She and a small cadre of others must find Moira’s mother Fiona, who is the catalyst to the end.

I got less than 10 pages in before I was ready to give it up. The heroine, Moira, was definitely tstl. She has a nightmare/vision and panics, calling a monk that helped raise her when her mother left her as a child. Okay–cause that’s usually where one ends up when their parents leave–a monastery. Then, she starts thinking about how all the other monks are mad at her for getting her bf killed. How did she do this? She decided that she needed to fight fire with fire, and use her own magic to stop Fiona. When said bf dies, she comes to the conclusion that ALL magic, black and white, is evil–the work of the devil. I could have looked past this, but then the monk got on the phone, and they start talking about Moira’s magic scar that lets her know when danger is afoot. That’s when my spidey-sense went off. Big bad evil. Scar. Seven book series. OMG! Fiona is really Voldemorte! Which means…Moira is Harry Potter! Does this mean…is Allison Brennan really J.K. Rowling?! Unfortunately, what it doesn’t mean is originality. One thing that I like in a paranormal romance is some level of originality–it doesn’t need to invent a new were-species, but it should be based on a NEW idea. Not one stolen from one of the most successful authors of young adult novels. I love Harry Potter, but I do not need to read his story in another format.

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Apr 15, 2010 Donna rated it 2 of 5 stars

I read a review of this book where the reviewer said that it was too religious for her so she had a hard time getting into it. O_o Uh, duh. With a title like Original Sin, part of the Seven Deadly Sins series, it certainly wasn't going to be nondenominational, now was it?

Anyway, have you ever read a book where it feels like you're reading forever and when you go to stop and put the bookmark in, you look at the top of the book to see how much more you have to go before the end and it looks like t...more I read a review of this book where the reviewer said that it was too religious for her so she had a hard time getting into it. O_o Uh, duh. With a title like Original Sin, part of the Seven Deadly Sins series, it certainly wasn't going to be nondenominational, now was it?

Anyway, have you ever read a book where it feels like you're reading forever and when you go to stop and put the bookmark in, you look at the top of the book to see how much more you have to go before the end and it looks like the bookmark hasn't moved at all? That's what this book was like for me. I had a hard time getting into it and staying interested.

It's not that it was bad. There were some parts I enjoyed. One was the execution of the Seven Deadly Sins (not as in their deaths but in how they were used in the story). These are sneaky little bastards that don't need to actually possess a body but they can infect them with their sin of choice with a brush, or even a presence. The sin overwhelms a person, like they lose self control and start acting purely on their id. They feel like they're not acting like themselves but it doesn't feel like a separate entity's invaded their body. I just really like that concept and I really liked how it was played out in the story.

The rest of it . . . meh. I felt the action was cyclical and redundant at times. A lot of the time I felt like I was reading the same thing over and over because it felt like the same action was being replayed, as were the same emotions and the same circumstances. It got old quick and kept me from wanting to read on.

The demon thing overall was just a little too campy for me. It read like something out of a cheesy B horror movie made in the 90s or something. Moira's snarky lines when she was faced with one didn't come off as working but as something contrived. Yeah, because when I'm faced with a demon, I'm going to crack jokes, right? I think it was meant to portray her personality but I didn't think it worked.

I didn't feel any growth for any of the characters at all in the book. Moira, Anthony, even Skye, I felt all stayed the same from beginning to end. I didn't see any of them reaching beyond their character. They all stuck firmly to their roles and didn't branch out. Despite all the demon stuff, it kept the story kind of boring.

I'm also not a fan of the "all magic, black or white, is evil" notion either. Maybe it fits into the plot the story dictates, but it's not something that sits well with me, especially witches actually preferring to be called magicians. Pardon the pun, but not a snowball's chance in hell.

The gratuitous sex scene was interesting. Rather random and unnecessary but there you go. It was a way to wedge the word 'cock' into the manuscript. The story wouldn't have been any less lively without it.

The ending irked me, especially Fiona's too-easy hand-over of the situation. It was like, "You've won this time, but the battle's just begun." Very cliche and the situation was wrapped up way too easily for my liking. I felt Fiona as a whole was just a very cliche villain. Basically she's out for world domination and eternal beauty and youth. Just not very original to me and I didn't find her a very compelling antagonist because of that.

I mean, it's not a bad book. The writing's okay but the overall story really isn't for me. I like a certain kind of cheese but this isn't it. I think it might be just a little too much for me. But it's supernatural and it does have some interesting takes on the ways of demons. I think it'd make a decent beach read but it'd be a one time thing and then just pass on the book or donate it to the library or something.(less)

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Mar 31, 2010 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Original Sin by Allison Brennan started off slow and was a bit overwhelming for the first 100 pages or so. I was unsure if this was a series I would stick with after the beginning, but I'm glad I finished it. I'm positive that it started off slow because Brennan was busy creating an elaborate new world for her characters. The story was different from most of the paranormal books I've read, which was refreshing.

The heroine, Moira, is brilliant. She is tough but has a past that makes her vulnerabl...more Original Sin by Allison Brennan started off slow and was a bit overwhelming for the first 100 pages or so. I was unsure if this was a series I would stick with after the beginning, but I'm glad I finished it. I'm positive that it started off slow because Brennan was busy creating an elaborate new world for her characters. The story was different from most of the paranormal books I've read, which was refreshing.

The heroine, Moira, is brilliant. She is tough but has a past that makes her vulnerable. She is a powerful witch that no longer practices the craft. She has some major mommy issues, I mean, she's on the run from AND hunting her mother. Courageous doesn't even cover it, she is trained to fight those that summon demons from hell with black magic. Tackling that and your own mother? This is one strong woman. And it is up to her and her allies to stop the seven deadly sins and send them back to hell after they've been released to distribute chaos everywhere.

Now, secondary characters. Whoo, Fiona- Moira's mother- villain of all villains. She makes Cruella DeVil look like a puppy. This awful, self centered, evil woman uses her own children to pursue power. Who covets power over their own children? We also have Angry Anthony the demonologist and Rafe, Moira's love interest. I couldn't quite get a grip on Rafe, he wasn't around that much. It was hard to swallow the evolution of Moira and Rafe's connection but it was there nevertheless. Being dubbed a paranormal romance, I was surprised at the love connection taking such a backseat in the plot. This doesn't bug me out, I don't need romance to be at the forefront, a little light connection like the one here is sufficient enough for me! I think even those of you who love a traditional romance won't be put off due to great characters and an intense plot.

After I got through the initial start to the story, the suspense kept me going. I love good suspense. So, give this book a try- even if the first couple chapters are frustrating, it is worth it in the end. Great mystery and suspense. I recommend this book to those who love the paranormal, but if you're new to the genre don't start with this one. Save it for later :)

PS- I actually posted this as 3.5 out of 5 stars, but no halves here! www.rexrobotreviews.com (less)

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Feb 28, 2010 Brande Waldron rated it 4 of 5 stars

In Allison Brennan's first book in the 7 Deadly Sins Series, Original Sin, Moira is a witch, or was rather, because Moira O'Donnell has rebuffed the fact that she is a witch. Witches in her world are evil, there are no two ways about it. Case in point her mother Fiona is the worst of her kind. Spending most of her life searching for the Book of Knowledge so she can summon the evil demons from hell, the 7 Deadly Sins. But something goes terribly wrong and the portal is open, it is a cataclysm and...more

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Jan 18, 2010 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, 2010-read

When I first heard about Original Sin by Allison Brennan I was intrigued by it but I wasn't prepared to be blown away. There are two primary things that can keep me glued to a book, one the story revolves around the paranormal and two there is enough mystery to keep me to locked in suspense. Original Sin by Allison Brennan did both. If I could have read this book in one sitting, I would have.

This book had a very different view on witches then what you ordinarily see in Urban Fantasy. There are n

...more

When I first heard about Original Sin by Allison Brennan I was intrigued by it but I wasn't prepared to be blown away. There are two primary things that can keep me glued to a book, one the story revolves around the paranormal and two there is enough mystery to keep me to locked in suspense. Original Sin by Allison Brennan did both. If I could have read this book in one sitting, I would have.

This book had a very different view on witches then what you ordinarily see in Urban Fantasy. There are no good witches. The premise here is that any magic is bad and there is no such thing as good magic. And so the suspense starts to build from the very beginning because how is an ex-witch suppose to battle her super powerful, wicked witch of a mom without magic? What can Moira use to stop her mother Fiona from opening the gates of Hell and save the world from the Seven Deadly Sins?

What made this story click for me was the building suspense as I read, the realistic characters and the men of St. Michael's Monastery. Moira seems liked damaged goods with need to atone for the past but she is resilient and strong. Rafe has an air of strength and mystery about him while at the same time he seems vulnerable. Anthony comes across as a hard-case, not willing to give Moira the benefit of the doubt because as far as he's concerned once a witch always a witch. Skye is tough and dogs the witches' evil plans right along with Moira, Rafe and Anthony. Then there's Fiona and the minions of her coven. I found Fiona to be a treacherously, evil character and her diabolical plans had me gripping the book tight as I read.

I mentioned the men of St. Michael's Monastery as being one of the high point for me, the reason being it's been awhile since I've read a story where supposedly ordinary men, who were not a super-being such as a vamp or a shapeshifter, has captured my attention. Both Rafe and Anthony are men of St. Michael's Monastery. Ms. Brennan has weaved such a strong air of mystery around these men that I'm dying to know more about them. They each seem to possess qualities of being more than just ordinary but it's just not blatantly obvious what it is.

Original Sin by Allison Brennan was a terrific mixture of suspense, mystery and a lot of action with a hint of romance told from the different characters' perspectives. I found myself repeatedly surprised by the turns in the plot. I have definitely been pulled into the world of the Seven Deadly Sins and I cannot wait until Cardinal Sin releases later this year.

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Feb 17, 2010 Caitlin Peterson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow! Original Sin is an intense read. Allison Brennan created a frightening thrill ride of a story, with never a moment to let us breathe before moving onto the next major event. The whole idea of seven, incredibly evil demons unleashed on the world is scary in itself. Combine that with the also incredibly evil witches/magicians who summoned them.. we have ourselves on whopper of a problem.

The book started off slow for me, honestly. There was a lot of build-up and background, and it wasn't unti...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Nenia Campbell rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: x-2010s, x-series-bk-1, i-burn-i-pine-i-perish, urbane-fantasies, witches-not-bitches, demons, cool-idea-poorly-executed, drink-the-punch-or-die, psychics, reviewed, specialsnowflakes, the-butler-did-it

You can read more reviews at my blog, The Armchair Librarian!

First, let me say that I am not actively religious, so this book review is being written from that perspective. I don't normally broadcast my religious views, but since christian theology plays a pretty heavy role in this book in this case I feel it is relevant.

Original Sin was an interesting book. I actually considered buying it before because of the intriguing title and cover, but ended up dismissing it after reading the back. Of cou...more

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Feb 28, 2010 Cheryl "Mash" rated it 4 of 5 stars

Synopsis: Moira O'Donnell conceived, for the sole purpose to become a human sacrifice for the underworld, flees from her mother's grasp. She finds refuge in the hills of Ireland learning the ways to stop this demonic state that her mother controls. She also learns and now knows the danger that mankind will experience if her mother isn't stopped Moira spends seven years traveling the world to locate her mother. There is only way to stop Fiona ODonnell, and that is murder. Along her travels, she...more

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Feb 12, 2010 Brenda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, romance

Original Sin started off a little slow, and didn't really grab me up front. When I was about 100 pages in or so, I started feeling like there must be a previous book with some of these characters, because events kept being eluded to in such a way that it seemed like there had been another book. So I looked online, but there wasn't. I guess it's just the author's style in giving backstory, just different than I'm used to.

But then things started picking up, and I got very interested in what was go...more

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Jan 06, 2011 Susan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Moira is a powerful witch who is on a hunt to find her evil mother, Fiona. To point out a couple of key characters from the sleuth of characters — we have the angry demonologist, Anthony — he irks me with his blind hatred. The dark and mysterious Rafe and his connection with Moira is quite intense.

A very slow start, that I almost had to put the book down a few times. I finally worked my way through and ended up enjoying the story. I understand that Allison Brennan have to build up the world and...more

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May 27, 2010 Lori rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was my first book by Allison Brennan and she has hooked me for life. In simple terms, I loved this book. Loved it! I found the perfect balance of a supernatural storyline (witches and demons, anyone?) with a touch of romance, all helmed by a strong, independent and very likable heroine. What could possibly be wrong with it?

While Original Sin was full of supernatural themes, witchery and demonology I found it more suspenseful than terrifying (and I mean that as a compliment). There were mor...more This was my first book by Allison Brennan and she has hooked me for life. In simple terms, I loved this book. Loved it! I found the perfect balance of a supernatural storyline (witches and demons, anyone?) with a touch of romance, all helmed by a strong, independent and very likable heroine. What could possibly be wrong with it?

While Original Sin was full of supernatural themes, witchery and demonology I found it more suspenseful than terrifying (and I mean that as a compliment). There were more than a few lunch hours that I stretched out because I simply did not want to put the book down, so engrossed with Moira, Fiona, Serena, Rafe and Anthony I had become. I was both impatient to get to the end of the book and dreaded turning that final page.

Ms. Brennan's writing is crisp, descriptive and draws the reader in quickly. I could picture not only the characters but the targeted town of Santa Louisa, as well as the demons and demonic creatures that were peppered throughout the novel.

Moira was perhaps one of the best heroines I have recently had the pleasure of meeting through reading. She's strong and determined and can take care of herself without benefit of a man just fine, thank you. What a nice surprise to have a heroine who doesn't fall apart at the first sign of trouble or danger!

Original Sin certainly isn't the first book to use the Seven Deadly Sins as its basis, nor will it be the last, but how much worse a villain could there be but Satan? I found the central Satan/Seven Deadly Sins storyline fascinating enough but Moira's backstory of being born for a purpose, running from her dangerous mother for seven years and a lost fiance were the blood red cherry on top of this paranormal sundae.

As much as I hated for this book to end, I took some consolation in knowing that Original Sin is but the first book in a three book series. I simply cannot wait for the next book to be released so I can catch up with Moira in her quest to fight off demonic forces.

I would recommend this book to any reader who enjoys supernatural, horror or thriller genres. For readers who appreciate a lot of romance, Original Sin may not be your cup of tea. By the same token, if you are easily offended by crude language and/or scenes of a sexual nature, you might be more offended than interested. I would also recommend to any television or film producer looking for a good project to look no further - - Original Sin would make a fantastic movie!
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Aug 06, 2012 Samantha rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is not the first book in the series. I found out about halfway through it that Ms. Brennan had written a short story based on Anthony and the St. Michael's crew. It would have helped explain the first 100 pages. During the 100 pages, I felt lost like I was supposed to have a clue what was going on but didn't. Slowly through flashbacks you can figure most of it out, but it doesn't leave you satisfied. I felt the character were really shallow and were on one track. The switching of points of...more

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Dec 18, 2012 Morana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, paranormal, urban-fantasy, witches, demons

If you watched Supernatural, you wouldn't find anything new in this book. The main idea is no matter the intentions, practising magic is evil. So we have witches, demons and such on one side, the cliché of Roman-Catholic hunters/warriors on the other and our main character, a former witch, somewhere in the middle.
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Dec 09, 2011 Invisibleink rated it 2 of 5 stars

I debated on whether I should give this one or two stars. I decided on two based on the fact that the book started out with what could have been an interesting storyline which unfortunately, it unraveled a bit at the end. There were more than a few technical things that repeatedly pulled me out of the story, including the continual head-hopping and info-dumpy flashbacks (I actually went online to make sure I hadn't accidentally picked the second or third book in the series since there was so man...more

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Feb 12, 2010 Tori smexys_sidekick rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-for-smexybooks

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Breenan's newest series-Original Sins deals with the premise that the seven deadly sins are fallen angels/demons that are set to be released on Earth.
Moira O'Donnell is a witch who was conceived and raised with the sole purpose of being a demon mediator (vessel) by her mother Fiona, a powerful witch and coven leader.
Moira refused her heritage and escaped with her life barely intact.
She ends up at the Order of St. Michaels under the tutelage of Father Phillip. St Michaels is one of many orders t...more Breenan's newest series-Original Sins deals with the premise that the seven deadly sins are fallen angels/demons that are set to be released on Earth.
Moira O'Donnell is a witch who was conceived and raised with the sole purpose of being a demon mediator (vessel) by her mother Fiona, a powerful witch and coven leader.
Moira refused her heritage and escaped with her life barely intact.
She ends up at the Order of St. Michaels under the tutelage of Father Phillip. St Michaels is one of many orders that are fighting the evil that Fiona is trying to unleash upon the Earth.
The order trains demon fighters and they take Moira in to their fold even though they do not trust her as she is a witch and considered the enemy.

Moira learns that Fiona is in Saint Lucie and heads there to try to stop her. Moira arrives to late; but learns that the summoning was interrupted.
As Moira searches the town for Fiona she is helped by Anthony and Skye. Anthony works for the order as a demonologist and despises Moira.
Anthony blames Moira for the death of his best friend, Phillip. Skye is the local Sheriff and Anthony's lover.
Though Skye is human, you are informed she has been through something similar with Anthony and keeps an open mind.
Moira and Anthony soon learn that Rafe is the one who disrupted the summoning.
As you head to the showdown between Fiona and the Order you are led through many twists and turns that leave you breathless and intrigued.

Having always been a HUGE fan of Allison Brennan's romantic suspense novels I was thrilled to learn she was divulging into the paranormal.
This book reads like a roller coaster ride. Your dipped and twirled through the air only to suddenly drop 100 feet and hang on for dear life.
The story reads beautifully with enough background information to keep you in the loop without you having to keep flipping back saying, "Huh?".
Though toted as a Paranormal romance, the romance plays second to the main plot and seemed more as an place marker for future books in this series.
The villains are deliciously evil and the heros are humanly flawed.
At the end you are left with enough open end questions that'll have me definitely buying the next in this series.(less)

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Mar 30, 2010 Leslie (That Chick That Reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Two words. Awesome and suprising! It took me a couple of chapters to really get into it but once the initial info was said and done, then came all of the action packed excitement! It had an amazingly fast paced plot, detailed writing and well developed characters. My favorite by far has to be Moira because she is so full of courage! I know that if I had to face demons from hell, I would’ve so not had the strength and courage that she did while fighting them and I admired her for that. The novel...more

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Feb 26, 2010 Kelly rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: wtf-is-going-on, where-is-my-red-pen, futile-attempt-to-save-my-soul

Original Sin is a hot mess, and I’m not quite sure where to start.

Allison Brennan may not have known where to start, either. The early chapters jump around in time to a head-spinning degree. There are so many flashbacks to years ago, and references to events of weeks ago, that Original Sin gives the impression of beginning in the wrong place. If the monastery murders and fire are so important, why not put them in the novel? Well, it turns out they occurred in a previously published short story....more

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Feb 28, 2010 Peace Love and Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars

I wasn't really sure if I was going to finish the book. Not just because the first 50 pages was a bit on the frustrating side, it was also because I wasn't sure how I feel about Moira and because I felt a bit lost. But then Anthony, the demonologist showed up. His snide comments made him look like such a douchebag that I started liking Moira, especially when he decked him. LOL. We'll get into that in a sec.

I love the concept of this book. Seven Deadly sins, unleashed in our world by a power hung...more I wasn't really sure if I was going to finish the book. Not just because the first 50 pages was a bit on the frustrating side, it was also because I wasn't sure how I feel about Moira and because I felt a bit lost. But then Anthony, the demonologist showed up. His snide comments made him look like such a douchebag that I started liking Moira, especially when he decked him. LOL. We'll get into that in a sec.

I love the concept of this book. Seven Deadly sins, unleashed in our world by a power hunger magician and Moira's mother named Fiona. That wasn't her original intention though, she was going to use an arca (which I think means vessel) in the form of a virgin teenager to serve as her most powerful soldier but then a mysterious guy named Rafe Cooper showed up and did something profoundly awesome. I was still lost in all this but after that everything started to make sense. Like I said, the first 50 pages were a bit frustrating. One of them was a mention of a guy named Peter. I was not really clear who Peter was and I started to think that maybe there was a pre-quel that I should read first to understand how he was related to Moira's past, a few chapters later his role came to light. So that issue was solved. I also like that I finally got a clue on Moira's history. Her role in her mother's coven how she escaped how she met Father Philip, her training with Rico, Anthony's animosity towards her, up until the time Peter died. But I still don't understand how she's seeing this visions from the underworld? I have my possible scenarios and I got one right so I wasn't as shock when I found out.

My favorite character was Rafe, his character was the most intriguing. Sure it was probably his fault that Fiona sic the Seven but still... I remember thinking, what is he? how did he wake up on a magical induced coma? and who is backing him up? I kept reading until I found the answer and I like what I got. This is only the first of the series, so I'll give the next book a chance maybe that one won't have too many point of views.(less)

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Jan 29, 2010 Bridget rated it 4 of 5 stars

Moira hasn't had an easy life. After being possessed by a sadistic demon and witnessing brutal murder, she is now searching for her mother, Fiona. Having a hell raising mother hasn't been easy for Moira, but she isn't letting that stand in her way. Moira is determined to stop her mothers evil deeds at any cost. The problem is, her mother is using the seven deadly sins to her advantage. Will Moira be able to stop her mothers destruction or will mankind cease to be?

My heart about beat out of my ch...more

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Mar 23, 2010 Cindi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Allison Brennan is one of my must-read authors of suspense; this book is the first time she's tried PNR. I finished it last night but today still haven't quite wrapped myself around the story enough to judge it correctly.

There was a lot of effort put into the world-building but not much effort to bring the reader up to date on the events and people described. I kept thinking, "was so & so mentioned in another book?" because of all the references. Very uncomfortable.

There was so much going o...more

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Mar 03, 2010 Lori rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, read-in-2010, feb-2010, rom-suspense, march-2010

I’m not sure where to start on this review. I had a very difficult time getting through this one. My disclaimer up front, as anyone who reads this blog already knows, is that I’m not a big fan of the paranormal or supernatural. But I was approached to review a copy of this book, and being a huge Allison Brennan fan, I was hopeful that I would enjoy it like I’ve enjoyed paranormals from some of my other favorite authors. I don’t *think* that was the case here.

I expected a paranormal, but I also w...more I’m not sure where to start on this review. I had a very difficult time getting through this one. My disclaimer up front, as anyone who reads this blog already knows, is that I’m not a big fan of the paranormal or supernatural. But I was approached to review a copy of this book, and being a huge Allison Brennan fan, I was hopeful that I would enjoy it like I’ve enjoyed paranormals from some of my other favorite authors. I don’t *think* that was the case here.

I expected a paranormal, but I also was waiting for Allison Brennan’s voice to shine through. I think there was so much worldbuilding to do and so much backstory to fill that I didn’t get that voice until about 2/3 of the way through the book. Having said that, I can objectively say that this book was well-written, well constructed, and I imagine that fans of the supernatural, witches, demons, etc will eat this one up. Had the subject matter interested me, I can imagine that I would have been riveted.

Moira is an excellent heroine – tough yet vulnerable, strong but with past hurts that haunt her. She knows who she is, and accepts her past wrongdoings. Given the back blurb, I expected to see a lot more of Rafe. But there didn’t seem to be a lot of facetime for him. What I did see showed me a sensitive soul, but a man willing and able to stand up and protect what he believes in and those he loves. I felt as though there was more relationship building between Moira and Anthony, the hero of the 2nd couple, and brother to the man that Moira loved and tragically lost than between Moira and Rafe, but that was likely due to the lack of facetime for Rafe and Moira and Anthony coming to terms with their past.

The plethora of religious undertones in this novel lessened my enjoyment of it; I found myself skimming over portions in order to avoid lengthy explanations. But I think that’s my own personal prejudice. The subject matter of this book (see blurb) combined with the necessity for extended religious & explanatory scenes (and yes they were a necessity) made this one of my least favorite books I’ve read. And how it pains me to say that, because I likely won’t be reading the rest of the series – at least not as it comes out. On the objective note, I gave it a 3 on Goodreads because of how well done it is. I applaud Brennan for writing something totally creative and different, and doing it well, while at the same time I want to hate her because I didn’t care for book 1 of a long series. Of course I don’t hate her; it’s my selfish desire for books written in the Allison Brennan format that I love so much.

I should reiterate that I can objectively say that it is incredibly well written, well thought out, intense, and gripping. Fans of this type of book should buy it and savor it, because I believe it is an excellent book for fans of the genre. It just wasn’t my cup of tea, unfortunately. Which sucks for me because it means no more Allison Brennan for me for a while. This is book 1 of a 7-book series.(less)

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Feb 27, 2010 Barbara ★ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-witches-wizards, read-2010, first-in-series, paranormal-demons, paranormal-magic, zzcover-white

First of all, this was way religious which I usually don't enjoy. Though I loved the concept of this book, an evil witch (Fiona) trying for immortality, unintentionally releases the seven deadly sins (demons) into the world. She was trying to put them into a vessel that she alone would control but was interrupted by the good guys (Rafe) and chaos now reins. The fight is between the coven (trying to get the demons back) and Saint Michael's Order (a demon hunter group revolving around the Catholic...more

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Feb 08, 2010 Mandi Schreiner rated it 4 of 5 stars

GUEST REVIEWER TORI

Allison Brennan's newest series-Original Sins deals with the premise that the seven deadly sins are fallen angels/demons that are set to be released on Earth.

Moira O'Donnell is a witch who was conceived and raised with the sole purpose of being a demon mediator (vessel) by her mother Fiona, a powerful witch and coven leader. Moira refused her heritage and escaped with her life barely intact.
She ends up at the Order of St. Michaels under the tutelage of Father Phillip. St Mich...more GUEST REVIEWER TORI

Allison Brennan's newest series-Original Sins deals with the premise that the seven deadly sins are fallen angels/demons that are set to be released on Earth.

Moira O'Donnell is a witch who was conceived and raised with the sole purpose of being a demon mediator (vessel) by her mother Fiona, a powerful witch and coven leader. Moira refused her heritage and escaped with her life barely intact.
She ends up at the Order of St. Michaels under the tutelage of Father Phillip. St Michaels is one of many orders that are fighting the evil that Fiona is trying to unleash upon the Earth.

The order trains demon fighters and they take Moira in to their fold even though they do not trust her as she is a witch and considered the enemy. Moira learns that Fiona is in Saint Lucie and heads there to try to stop her. Mioria arrives too late; but learns that the summoning was interrupted. As Moira searches the town for Fiona she is helped by Anthony and Skye. Anthony works for the order as a demonologist and despises Moira. Anthony blames Moira for the death of his best friend, and her lover.

Skye is the local Sheriff and Anthony's lover. Though Skye is human, you are informed she has been through something similar with Anthony and keeps an open mind. Moiria and Anthony soon learn that Rafe, a member of the order who has been incapacitated for weeks, is the one who disrupted the summoning. Unanswered questions about how Rafe escaped and what he is up to helps in building the suspense. As you head to the showdown between Fiona and the Order you are led through many twists and turns that leave you breathless and intrigued.

Having always been a HUGE fan of Allison Brennan's romantic suspense novels I was thrilled to learn she was divulging into the paranormal. Original Sin reads like a roller coaster ride. Your dipped and twirled through the air only to suddenly drop 100 feet and hang on for dear life.

Moira, who is the main protagonist, is well portrayed as the reluctant heroine. She is strong and independent with a vulnerable side. You are able to clearly see how tortured she is by Peter's death and her fear in having to confront her mother.

Fiona is so villainous that you love to hate her. Her scheming and narcissistic nature shocks you yet you can't help but want to see more. The villains are deliciously evil and the heroes are humanly flawed. The story reads smoothly at a fast pace guaranteed to leave you wanting more.

Though toted as a Paranormal romance, the romance plays second to the main plot and seemed more as an place marker for future books in this series. I would place this more into the Urban Fantasy genre. It worked for me on many levels with the allure of the paranormal and the suspense of the plot.

I am looking forward to see more of Moira and Fiona in the second book of this series, Cardinal Sin, due to release later this year.(less)

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Feb 03, 2010 Parajunkee.com rated it 4 of 5 stars

An action packed thriller, filled with demons and evil witches that will have your spine shivering. The novel digs in after a few chapters and doesn't let go, sending you on an adventure that is reminiscent of the final throws of Sunnydale (Buffy the Vampire Slayer). My knuckles were white throughout most of this novel as the protagonist battled demon after demon, fighting for her life and the future of mankind. With each page more and more was revealed as layer upon layer of religious backgroun...more

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Apr 03, 2010 Darren L. rated it 4 of 5 stars

I didn't expect to like this. I'd never heard of the author, never read any of her work, and don't lean towards occult writing usually. An occasional venture into Rice, Hamilton, or so forth, but not as a habit. But Boom! This novel was solid. It moves quickly and makes the impossible seem very real. I loved the characters and her unflinching willingness to let them fight, live, love, and even die in a realistic manner. Bravo! I look forward to the rest. And my only reason for giving this a 4 in...more

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Original Sin (Seven Deadly Sins #1)

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