Burning Emerald

The Cambion Chronicles #2

by Jaime Reed

Book 2 of The Cambion Chronicles Dating the most popular guy in school is every girl's fantasy. But to Samara Marshall, he's a dangerous force come to rekindle their tangled past. Only it's not her past... Samara faces a challenging senior year. Controlling her inner demon is a struggle, even with help from her Cambion boyfriend, Caleb. But her life takes a turn for the worse when the hottest jock in school begins pursuing her-especially since Malik's anything but what he seems. They share a connection from a forgotten past-a secret that could destroy her and Caleb. As the attraction becomes harder to resist, Samara is now at the mercy of the demon within her. To break free, Sam must fight a battle where she is the enemy and the prize...and victory will come at a deadly price. Praise for Living Violet "Sexy and snarky! I dare you not to laugh while reading this fantastic debut." -Kody Keplinger, author of The Duff and Shut Out "Jaime Reed breathes fresh life into paranormal romance." -Lee Nichols, author of the Haunting Emma series

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Demons

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Author of young adult paranormal series The Cambion Chronicles.

About Me:

I’m a self-proclaimed movie and music snob with a playlist for every occasion in life. I’m freakishly tall with large feet, and I have a slight obsession with the gym, cool 80’s references, and orange soda. My weapon of choice: sarcasm.

Teen fiction always captured my interest and I appreciate the newness of that time, and well, I get nostalgic. Right now I’m on a serious paranormal/ fantasy kick. I’m all about the weird and my stories explore cool mythical creatures not many people have heard about. I try to create characters who are people of color. There aren’t enough of them in young fiction and there should be more heroines of different backgrounds battling the forces of evil. Let’s face it, the extraordinary can happen to anyone.

Reviews

[jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75/5

it's great actually having a girl of color on the cover.
but the cover, unfortunately is horrible well, slightly less horrible than the first one and probably scares away a lot of its potential reader (who'd enjoy it were it not for the cover).
so sad.
but what it lacks in the visual book design department, it makes up with a feisty (finally a non-caucasian!!) female lead and lots of twilight/fallen/hush hush/[etc] bashing.

quotes:

despite the temptation to strangle him right now, i couldn't let a moment go by without touching him, to remind him that his pleasure, as well as his discomfort, was mine also.
i tipped his chin to look at me. "you do realize this is a serious problem in our relationship? i can barely go a day without seeing you, but we're talking long-term commitment here. what if you become a jerk in ten years?
he scowled. "you're one to talk."
"and if i get really nasty and super fat?"
"hey, more cushion for the pushin'." he took a huge bite of his candy.
i rolled my eyes.
(-- %18)

*** ** *** ** *** ** *** ** *** ** *** ** ***


"(..) how long have you been following me?"
"since you left your house this morning. i got bored and wanted to talk to you."
"you know that's called stalking, which is illegal in all 50 states and all u.s. territories, right?"
(-- %43)

*** ** *** ** *** ** *** ** *** ** *** ** ***

i took a moment to observe his appearance, the even brown complexion, the thin layer of waves on top of his head, the broad, slightly flat nose, and the full, sculpted lips. the resemblance was uncanny, and no one could tell the difference. but i know, and i silently grieved for such wasted beauty and unmet potential.
(-- %43)

*** ** *** ** *** ** *** ** *** ** *** ** ***

"i don't think you understand how dangerous it is for us to be together."
"dude, what is your problem? i'm not deaf. i heard you the last 3 times you told me. how about you follow your own advice? stop chasing me around, quit spying on me from across the store, and take your emo ass home! you're not even scheduled to work today. why. are. you. here?"
"i needed to see you," he answered simply.
(-- %88)

*** ** *** ** *** ** *** ** *** ** *** ** ***

[Coranne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cover: What I love most about these covers is that there is no blonde white girl with a flowing dress on. I have read a few books where the main character is not white and yet they are portrayed as white on the cover, and it is annoying. I love the simplicity of these covers, but I could see how they could turn readers off- they really don't say anything about the story.


The Characters: I love Samara (Sam). I think she is a realistic, down to earth character. She is not skinny, she is not considered pretty by her classmates, and yet she still has powers and a wonderful love story. I loved that we got to know Capone and Lillith better in this book- I will that where is is, because I don't want to spoil any of the book. I also loved the introduction of Tobias into the storyline. I love that he is not a "wounded bad boy" but a true bad guy that doesn't want Sam for geniune reasons, rather for sinister reasons.

The Story: I was a little lukewarm about Living Violet (the first book), but I wanted to give this book a try because the storyline is so unique compared to everything else out there right now- I am so glad I did. This book was much more action packed than the last book (and that says something because the first book had a ton of action). I loved the drama and the huge twist the author put at the end of the story- I can't wait to read the third book to see how this all ends!

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the things I liked most about the first book is that there wasn't a second love interest. Book two, enter second love interest. Strangely enough though it was pulled off in a way that isn't the norm in most YA novels lately, and I found myself still eager to keep reading.

I don't want to give anything away, but because of events in the first book, Samara, the main character, doesn't always have full control of what she does. This new love interest (whom Samara wants nothing to do with) is connected to the part of her she can't control, so in a way it is and isn't a new love interest. Samara wants nothing to do with him, but he continues to force himself into her life.

I know, I know, it seems confusing. Read the first book and you'll want to read this one, then it will all make sense, and if you are into paranormal YA novels, you won't regret it because it isn't your average vampire/werewolf/angel YA novel, none of those guys have a place here.

And on a side note: AHHH! How can you end a novel that way!!! I'll be biting my nails until Fading Amber is released!


*** I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads ***

[teo :D · Rating 4 out of 5]

i dont wanna explain myself

[The FountainPenDiva, Old school geek chick and lover of teddy bears · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just. Wow.

This was so worth the wait! There's always pressure for the sequel to be even better than its predecessor and here Jaime Reed succeeds fabulously. There are roller-coaster ride novels, then there are bungee jump novels. Burning Emerald is a definite thrill rush and has me fiending for the last book (which won't be out until NEXT YEAR...boo).

One of the tropes in YA books which will either make or break a novel for me is the "love triangle". Whenever I pick up a book and read the back blurb, if there's even a mention of said "love triangle", I drop the book faster than a pissed off rattlesnake. Not to give away too much, but the way Reed handles this trope actually works and there's nothing very "loving" about it.

Newly-made Cambion Samara is literally stuck between dangerous and dangerouser as an incubus with a bad attitude and a refusal to heed the word "no" comes into town and turns her already topsy-turvy world into a nightmare of epic proportions. Unlike some authors, Reed doesn't make her incubus--Tobias--just an irresistable chick magnet who's misunderstood. He's completely and utterly amoral and bent on revenge. He behaves exactly the way a demon of lust and desire should act and doesn't care who gets hurt (or worse). His interactions with Samara are at times cringe-worthy, as they should be for a paranormal creation who isn't bound by human morality.

There are so many reasons why this book needs to be at the TOP of every YA readers' lists. One reason is Samara Marshall herself. She's the kind of independent, smart and realistic heroine the YA genre so desparately needs more of. In spite of her newfound powers as a Cambion, her physical body hasn't changed. There's no magical weight loss, hair straightening or any other epic fail that other authors would commit. Her snarky and humorous observations are a welcome panacea to the "OMG I can't even tie my own shoes without the help of the mysterious-hawt-boy-du-jour" type heroine who seems prevalent in YA paranormal books these days.

Now Samara's a dude magnet because of Lilith, her sentient host. The only physical manifestation of her powers are the uncanny green eyes which all the students at her school assume are contacts. To borrow a line from Spiderman, "with great power comes great responsibility...and a shitload of problems". Samara's powers cause a whole lot of trouble with practically every female at her high school because they all assume she's after their boyfriends. Worse, she's in danger of losing her BFF's Mia and Dougie (who've broken up) because she can't tell them what really happened to her.

Can I say that I LOVE Samara's mom? Unlike most parents in YA fiction who seem utterly oblivious to the fact that their kids have either devloped some strange, mysterious powers or who have attracted those who do, Ms. Marshall is still the overly protective mom for whom Lifetime based-on-a-true-story movies are made for. However, she's also the only one who knows what happened to her daughter and has now become an expert in the care and feeding of Cambions. This is also a woman who sleeps with a .45 under her pillow.

The other reason is this is a book with a diverse and interesting cast. It's obvious Jaime Reed lives in the real world, where most high schools and neighborhoods are integrated. It would be nice if other YA authors could join the 21st century in this way. My other reason, it's an interracial romance as well. Speaking of the romance, there's something sexy about Samara and Caleb, their sweetly geeky but running very hot connection which doesn't feel as if their respective hosts are the sole reason for the attraction. I love it when she calls him "Cake Boy". I love the fact that neither Caleb or Samara are these physically perfect teens--in spite of the paranormal aspect, they feel real--more like quirky best friends than characters in a book.

Lastly, I just love the sly digs at the whole Twilight phenomenon. I wonder if Reed will ever do a spin-off joke sequel called 'Specter'.

My only complaint is that this book felt a little short. Just as I was getting to the good part, I have to wait until next year! Nooooo!

[♡Meme♡Reads love♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well Hot damn that was good so full of action packed angst and draaaamaaa for your momma! I tell you Sam goes through some stuff in this book I felt like I couldn't get a break... well I stayed up reading it till 3 in the morn, yeah I couldn't take a break I needed to know what was going to happen. Then Ms. Reed left me with the mother of all cliffhangers! Oh Caleb, my poor Cake Boy! When Sam's mom held him I cried. This book is amazing. But that great great great grandmother cliffhanger had me....
All like this


To this

Because now Im wanting to pull my hair out with want of the next book. I can't not believe what Ms. Lilith is doing Omg!!! This new turn of events has this book on my mind non stop!! I cant wait, I cant wait Ms. Jaime are you sure your not a cambion because you seriously have sucked all my energy into anticipaiting the next book! LOL, oh and did I mention this was I/R??? woot woot! LOL!

Heres my couple again Caleb and Sam, yes its the same guy as the last. I found an older version of him with stubble on his face cool huh? he's so hot! Song: Breath Me By Sia because it reminds me of Caleb. Happy Reading.. :)

[Naoms · Rating 3 out of 5]

Confessions of an Opinionated Book Geek

3.5 stars

“Burning Emerald,” begins a few weeks after the events of “Living Violet.” Sam is learning that her new life as a Cambion, isn’t the greatest situation in the world. She is a guy magnet and she attends high school. All day she must endure the immature leering of high school boys and the catty jealousy of high school girls. Sam wishes for the days when everyone ignored her, but there is nothing she can do to change her current state. Luckily, she has her slightly older and Cambion experienced boyfriend, Caleb, to help her cope and understand her new existence. Everything seems to be working out for Sam, but this is a book and nothing works out for long. Enter Malik, a boy Sam has known all of her life. Now that Sam is Cambion she notices strange things about Malik that sets her on edge. It doesn’t help that he is always staring at her and spreading rumors around the school that they’re hooking up. It turns out that Sam’s Cambion has a connection to Malik, that no one sees coming and the reveal leads to a story that is frightening, intriguing and very frustrating.

I enjoyed the second installment of the “Cambion Chronicles” a lot more than its predecessor. The writing is smoother, the story more focused and the action sequences had me on the edge of my seat. I really enjoyed where Jaimie Reed took us and was absolutely shocked by the end of the story. Not so much the events, but the fact that she left us with such a huge cliffhanger. The story ended and I wanted to scream “NOOOO! I WANT MORE!”
The saving grace of “Living Violet,” is Sam. She was smart, assertive and not quick to trust Caleb and his strangeness. I opened “Burning Emerald,” with the anticipation of loving Sam more. Unfortunately, halfway through I realized that I lost my love for Sam. Lost it. Sam lost her independence, her smart no nonsense attitude and her assertive behavior. She went from a lioness to a lamb. Her behavior and choices were extremely difficult to swallow. I could not believe how self-absorbed and out of touch she became with the people around her.
I understand that the plot has to keep moving and evolving, but she did not spend nearly enough time thinking about Caleb. She becomes so obsessed with Malik. There is this pretext that she is protecting Caleb and that Lilith is actually the one obsessed with the other guy, but Sam should have been feeding images of Caleb and Capone to her roommate. Sam just seemed flighty and fickle; like she latches on to every mysterious and dangerous guy she meets.
When everything hits the fan, Sam takes a downward spiral. In “Living Violet” she demanded Caleb take responsibility for all of his actions. In “Burning Emerald,” Sam spends half the book moaning it isn’t her fault and that it’s all beyond her control. It really got sickening how Sam lets things spiral out of control. She is the one who kept quiet. She is the one that opened a door for Malik to walk through. Her inability to claim responsibility for her actions really weakened her as a character and made it difficult for me to root for her in any capacity.

I was unimpressed by Caleb in the first book, but I absolutely fell in love with him in “Burning Emerald.” I’m not sure if it’s because Malik was the other option, or because of Capone’s influence, but I love Caleb. So much so that every stupid choice Sam made infuriated me. I felt like a mistress watching the wife mess up. I was all “Why does he love her?!” and “Caleb, you deserve so much better!” Yea it’s a bit overdramatic, but really Caleb deserved better!

Sam completely ignores her friends, evades Caleb and continuously lies or omits important information from her friends. Mia, Sam’s best friend, is obviously having some kind of Dougie related meltdown. Every time that relationship is mentioned, it’s because Mia reaches a new level of crazy and melodrama. Sure, Sam is dealing with her own crap, but this is her closest friend! Sam could not be bothered to take an interest in anyone beside herself.

Then there is the story with Malik. I believed it and found it very interesting, but boy did I hate that character. Malik spreads disgusting rumors about Sam. He follows her around, hints that Sam should not be dating a guy of another race and continuously makes her uncomfortable by staring. If that isn’t enough, Malik cages Sam behind the bleachers, calls her a tease and then proceeds to attack her! This is the guy that Sam and Lilith spend so much time obsessing over. This guy who breaks into the house unannounced and is so focused on Lilith he could careless about Sam. I don’t think that the reader is supposed to root for Malik in anyway and I don’t believe there is supposed to be a legitimate love triangle. Still, Sam spends a lot of time thinking about Malik and it really made it difficult to like her. Caleb spends a lot of this book in real jeopardy and it’s amazing to me that Sam let another guy get into her head when her boyfriend needed her.

My issues with Sam aside, this is a much stronger book than “Living Violet.” The characters were better flushed out and I felt like the world became wider and even more interesting. Again, the ending is a cliffhanger and keeps you wanting more. Luckily the third book in the series, “Fading Amber,” is released this Monday, December. 24, 2012.

[Wanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars



Burning Emerald was a good read but it didn't lure me in like Living Violet. With Living Violet, I couldn't wait to finish reading the book. But with this novel, it took me more than a few days, which isn't usually the case. But I'm one of those girls that once I invested time into a series, I need to see it all the way through. So regardless how empty Burning Emerald left me, I will go forward and read her next novel Fading Amber. Which also sounds promising, so let's see.

In this novel you learn a lot more about "Lilith" the demon inside Samara. And you also get to meet "Capone" Caleb's demon. That's where the book got interesting. They kept me reading. They are not pretty. These demons are greedy little things, so when their claws are out. No one is safe. Samara goes through a lot with her demon inside. Also you get to meet a new character who turns out to be very complex. I wasn't sure what to think of him. So that was really interesting.

Ms. Reed wrote a good story. But it fell a bit short for me. I can't really say where it fell short because I'll be spoiling it. However, I do like the way she writes her characters. Especially Samara, she's a really strong character with an awesome personality. I give this book a 3 stars out of 5. Overall, I do recommend this series to those readers who are into demons, incubus' and succubus. So if that's your thing then I hope you enjoy this series.

http://www.goodchoicereading.com/2012...

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't believe how she ended this book! Unbelievable! Loving this series. I can't imagine how it will end. Liked Tobias, but unfortunately I believe he is very bad. Ms. Reed's imagination is very interesting. I can't believe the love triangle, she has created. If someone wins, someone will die. Wow. Will be reading number 3 real soon.

[Kaela Spencer · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 44%

I will not be finishing this series.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much better than the first one! I have been amazed at how much I appreciate this author and can fall into her stories.

Not only that, I am in love with the fact that she doesn’t make Caleb seem like the worlds most amazing, buff, piece of man meat there is! She has mentioned several times throughout her novels that there are others more attractive but it only emphasizes that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I love it!

I appreciate that the main character is not the super skinny, pretty but doesn’t know it type of girl. It feels real, I can relate to the characters in how they look and feel about others.

It was an easy, carefree, chuckle worthy read and I appreciate the authors way of writing probably more than the story itself.

[Isabella Ney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Personen werden sehr unglaubwürdig dargestellt

Samara ist nun ein Cambion wie Caleb. Schule, Freund und Arbeit sind unter einen Hut zu bringen.
Ihr Schulfreund Malik scheint nun total auf Samara zu stehen und Samara kann ihn nur schwer abschütteln.

Die Handlung ist sehr langatmig und das Verhalten der Personen extrem sprunghaft. In einem Absatz ist man traurig, im nächsten böse und im Folgesatz liegt man sich in den Armen.

Generell verhalten sich die Personen unglaubwürdig und nicht altergerecht. Samara soll 18 sein agiert jedoch wie eine 14-jährige und wird von ihren Eltern wie 12 behandelt. Das stört die Handlung und auch den Lesefluss

[Luckaaa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good. Read this book on my friend's recommendations and I don't know. It wasn't bad, it definitely wasn't and I can see why so many people love it, I guess it just wasn't for me. Still planning on reading the last book though.

More like 3.5.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

[Andrea Clavon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good book

I have all 3 of these books and I am constantly reading them and rereading them It's a great story

[Fangs for the Fantasy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sam is adapting slowly to having Lillith, to being a Cambion, but it isn’t easy. Her new powers of attraction are alienating her friends and a considerable number of her school peers and Caleb’s draw on her is growing to almost ridiculous degrees. Her own draw is attracting a lot of unwanted attention from men – one man in particular.

Malik, he never had time for her before, but now he’s paying far more attention to her. Far too much and he’s not taking no for an answer. With her new Cambion powers, Sam has an answer to that – but that just opens up a whole new secret she never imagined – and a secret that is tied heavily to Nadine’s – and Lillith’s – past.

Sam is now torn between what she wants and what Lillith wants and fighting to protect both the man she loves and the life she has, as the Cambions encroach more and more.


This is the second book in the series and has continued the pattern of taking us right to the edge of a trope and then completely subverting it. I see the trope approaching, I’m poised to skewer it and then – last second – we pull back from it and expose it as ridiculous as it is.

This time I thought we were going to have a love triangle. It had all the hallmarks. Here is the evil hot guy to counteract Caleb’s nicer-guyness. Evil Hot Love Interest is physically much sexier than Caleb, Evil Hot Love Interest embraces his evil predatory nature while Caleb fights it, Evil Hot Love Interest is more powerful – it’s a classic YA love triangle we’ve seen repeated over and over (usually with fangs and lots of moping and, as the author wonderfully skewers, with the CW logo in the corner). So I braced myself, I gritted my teeth aaand…

Subversion! I am debating needing a spoiler warning here, but it’s not really a spoiler – or is only a spoiler because this whole book genre has convinced us that super-powerful hot guys who kill people and stalk you are zomg so sexy! Sam appreciates that Tobias is a very attractive man, and there it ends. She doesn’t consensually work with him, he pushed and manipulates and it’s not a sign of twu luv and devotion, it’s a sign of predatory behaviour and Sam treats him (almost) accordingly.


Does that mean I’m generally happy with Sam this book? Not so much. In the last book I liked Sam’s common sense, I liked her strong determination to do what she needed to do. I liked that she could look past emotion and woo-woo and see the truth. I liked her practicality, her intelligence and general avoidance of so many of the tropes that have become staple in the genre. This time she did things that individually probably wouldn’t have bothered me – but collectively reduce the character.

She is being stalked by EHLI and instead of actually telling people with the power/insight to do something about it she tries to make deals with him instead. She makes deals that involve her cutting off Caleb when she knows he’s dependent on her – which sends him on the rampage. She guards her house against him then lets him in. She wanders off with him on occasion despite his behaviour suggesting she should be screaming and dialling 911. It just doesn’t work for me – she treats him like the villain he is some of the time and then extends considerable unworthy trust to him the others.

I also don’t like how much she’s letting slide. One thing Sam had going for her was her sense of priorities - focusing on her own goals and school work and not letting romance drop them. But this book her grades drop, she spends no time with her friends (both of whom now seriously dislike her and I’m not entirely sure why) and less time with Caleb… so what is she actually doing? Is it just down to stress of the whole situation? If so that needed more overtly labelling, because she seemed to be spending less time with Caleb, less time at school, less time socialising and, because of her mother’s deeply creepy GPS, less time away from home – so what is she spending time on?

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me, upon learning that I had gotten a signed copy of this book via Goodreads First Reads:



My love knows no bounds for this series. I was so lucky and excited to have won a signed copy via the Goodreads First Reads program. Thank you, Jaime!! I could rave about how amazing Burning Emerald was until I’m blue in the face, but the only way to know it for yourself is to read it! Ignore the dorky cover and focus on the amazing plot, which picks up after Living Violet picks off… WARNING: SPOILERS from here on out!

Samara can hardly get used to how different her life is now that she met Caleb, the boy she fell in love with… who also happens to be a supernatural creature that feeds on the energies of other human beings. He’s called a Cambion, a dangerous and alluring soul-sucker that descended from incubi and succubi many years ago. After the harrowing events of the last book, which left a high body count that included Sam’s best friend (and also Cambion) Nadine, Sam finds herself newfound host to Nadine’s hungry Cambion inner demon, nicknamed Lilith. The problem is, Lilith has a dark secret that might just cost Sam Caleb’s life.

Where to start with this epic second installment? From the get-go, the reader hits the ground running. The pacing of this book is breathtaking, and every single chapter is important to the movement of the plot. There’s no filler in this story, and though the back-to-back action might be overwhelming at first, you end up loving it. Speaking from personal experience, it has been quite some time since a book has grabbed and held my interest from first to last line.

Jaime Reed is pitch-perfect as a writer for a teen voice, sprinkling in accurate and witty pop culture references amid snarky one-liners that will have you laughing out loud and wishing you were as sharp as Samara. Speaking of Samara, while in the first book she had quickly become a favorite character of mine, her evolution in this book as she deals with her newfound abilities and the events in her life is a realistic and powerful one, which truly speaks to Reed’s knack for spot-on characterization—it really makes you feel for the character. The antagonist is even more intimidating and fearsome than I expected, as was the true extent of a Cambion’s powers. There is one particularly chilling scene between the baddie, Caleb, and Samara, which involves someone losing control over their Cambion. It was reminiscent of an exorcism scene, and it sent chills down my spine.

I can’t really say much more about this book for fear of giving something away; suffice it to say that if you were a casual fan of the first book, I dare you to not become a complete fangirl/-guy for this series by the time you’re finished reading the second. The cliffhanger is a doozy, and it nearly made me go into cardiac arrest, but I eagerly (and not-so-patiently) await 2013 and the third book in the series. Thank you to Jaime Reed and Goodreads First Reads for giving this lucky reader a chance to read such a fantastic book!
____

For more book reviews, visit my blog The Bookshelf!

[Breana · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cambion Chronicles is one of my all-time favorite paranormal series, yet, oddly enough, I never got around to getting the second book. However, all that has changed. I have finally read the second book, Burning Emerald, and I’ve been thoroughly reminded why I love this series so much. Really, Burning Emerald had a lot going for it, with character and story development that I initially missed. This is just one of those series that kind of requires a full read, or else pieces will be missing.

Also, the writing in this series is just one of my favorite styles. Reed knows what she’s doing, and expertly applied her skills where they were necessary. Reed knows how to write and develop characters. I think that’s one of the reasons why I keep coming back to this series. Samara Marshall is one of my favorite characters for a number of reasons—her resilience, personality, and individuality.

Burning Emerald answered a lot of questions for me, and I am glad that I finally got a copy. After all, finishing The Cambion Chronicles was long overdue on my end.

Review First Posted Here

[Marie-Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Für Samara ist es nicht gerade einfach, mit ihrer Besessenheit klarzukommen. Niemand außer ihrer Mutter und ihrem Freund Caleb darf davon erfahren. Samara entfernt sich immer mehr von ihren Freunden. Als wäre nicht schon alles kompliziert genug, interessiert sich auch noch ihr Schulkamerad Malik für sie. Mehr, als ihr lieb ist. Dabei ist Malik nicht das, was er zu sein scheint …

"Smaragdgrün wie die Dämmerung" ist der zweite Band der "Cambion Chronicles von Jaime Reed.

Zwar kann man diesen zweiten Teil nicht als den typischen Sandwichband beschreiben, dennoch ist er nicht ganz so stark wie der erste Teil. Das liegt unter anderem daran, dass "Smaragdgrün wie die Dämmerung" nicht ganz so tiefschürfend und ausdrucksstark ist wie "Violett wie die Nacht".

Zwar ist dieser Roman einmal mehr spannend und ereignisreich, dennoch fehlte dieser besondere Reiz, den Band eins so ausmachte. Man vermisst irgendetwas, ohne es genau definieren zu können.

Während in Band eins der Fokus auf der Liebesgeschichte lag und dieser daher ungemein romantisch zu lesen war, ist "Smaragdgrün wie die Dämmerung" weitaus düsterer und das nicht nur in seiner Atmosphäre. Romantische Szenen treten vereinzelter auf, dafür finden sich weitaus mehr dramatische und actionreichere Szenen wieder.

Weiterhin taucht man als Leser nun mehr tiefer in die paranormale Materie ein und erfährt mehr über sie, da es diesmal aus erster Hand, in Form von Samara, erzählt wird. Dadurch ergibt sich einiges an Spannungspotential, das sehr gut genutzt wird, um den Verlauf der Handlung in straffem Tempo voranzutreiben.

Aufgrund der stärkeren Düsternis dieses Romans, trifft man nun nicht mehr so häufig auf wortgewandte und sarkastisch ironische Wortgefechte seitens Samaras. Der Witz, der den Leser in Band eins noch so zum Lachen bringen konnte, tritt hierbei ein wenig in den Hintergrund, was einerseits ein Pluspunkt für die Authentizität des Romans, andererseits aber auch ein bisschen Schade ist, da der Humor einen wichtigen Reiz in der Handlung ausgemacht hat.

Ansonsten hat mir dieser Roman wieder gut gefallen, weshalb ich ihn in einem Rutsch durchgelesen habe. Auch wenn er an Band eins nicht ganz heranreichen konnte, hat er mir dennoch unterhaltsame und spannende Lesestunden beschert.

Aufgrund des Endes bin ich nun umso mehr gespannt auf den finalen Teil dieser Trilogie, der einiges an Geschehnissen bereithalten wird und hoffentlich einen zufriedenstellenden und packenden Abschluss bieten wird.

[L.V. Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so the sophomore offering from author Jaime Reed wasn't as funny as her freshman debut, but the story still caught and held my interest. As Samara (my favorite name in the whole world now) learns to control the gift Nadine left her upon her death, she finds there are both perks and drawbacks to being a Cambion (even by assuming someone else's demon). It's a blessing and curse for her. The blessing is her ability to now share intimacies with her boyfriend, Caleb. However, the curse is the attention from other boys and men she receives as a result. Now she knows first hand what Caleb had to endure. However, the good times could only last so long, right?

Enter Malik, handsome basketball star who's never paid her a lick of attention before she assumed her new green eyes and her very own "roommate." Lilith and she get along fabulously in the beginning and she receives some much needed tutelage from Nadine's mother, Evangeline Petrovsky, however, nothing prepares her for being hotly pursued by two young men who want to "bond" with her.

Meanwhile, Caleb succumbs to a mysteriously illness which cripples Samara for a minute, but she recovers. However, all she can think of when she does is Caleb and she keeps up a steady vigil at the hospital with Caleb's brothers until she is warned by the sinister Malik/Not Malik who tells her a secret that Nadine failed to share with her. This secret threatens to destroy Samara and Caleb's relationship.

The conflict in this book was great, however, the build up to the end of this installment didn't come across as intense as the ending in the first book. Despite everyone knowing what was at stake, everyone goes into self-preservation mode or something. One would think that because Samara's mother knows the scoop, and Caleb and his brothers see the danger, and even Evangeline knows the consequences, they all stupidly let Samara go off on her own which set up a doozy of a cliffie, but yeah, I ain't mad at Jaime Reed, because now I want to read book three more than ever!

Anyway, characters do dumb things sometimes, but hey, if they didn't what would be the fun in reading about someone who did everything just right. Conflict is the lifeblood of a good story, so I'm ready to see what happens next!

[Shauna · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Burning Emerald”, what a great book! Great author! A lot
of action, drama and humor. I enjoyed every page of this
amazing book. This book is even better than the first one.
I loved it and the characters are so realistic.

Samara faces a challenging senior year. Controlling her
inner demon is a struggle, even with help from her Cambion
boyfriend, Caleb. But her life takes a turn for the worse
when the hottest jock in school begins pursuing her
especially since Malik's anything but what he seems.
They share a connection from a forgotten past, a secret that
could destroy her and Caleb relationship for ever. As the
attraction between Samara and the hottest jock in the school
becomes harder to resist, Samara is now at the mercy of the
demon within her. To break free, Sam must fight a battle where
she is the enemy and the prize is the life of Caleb and his
brothers.

The second book in this series is way better than the first,
more action, drama and humor. Sometimes I had to just put
down my tablet and just roll over and laugh for awhile.
It was that hilarious. What I like the most of this book is
that the heroine is biracial, she is so realistic and down to
earth. We didn’t “see” the banter between she and Caleb,
and I missed that a lot. I do understand her choices and if
I were in her position, I would of done the same thing.
She doesn’t sit around and whine and she doesn’t wait for
the hero to save her, she is so brave and also a strong
character. I really love Caleb although at times I wanted to
just hurt him. But what I love the most of him is that she
comes first for him, and that’s just so sweet.I have to say
Tobias can be very charming when he wants to. Some of the
scenes of him and Samara were very sweet. He kind of grows
on me. Capone can be very nasty, but I liked! Finally,
Capone came out to play and it made the story more interesting.

I liked the secondary characters from Mia, Dougie to Alicia
and Julie. Michael and Haden Ross, I wish they had a book
in they’re own POV. I love them! Michael intrigues me.

I really hope you enjoy this book because it’s amazing.

[Dom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tuto knihu jsem si bohužel měla možnost přečíst až po roce od prvního dílu. Což způsobilo, že jsem plno věcí zapomněla. Avšak nebylo těžké si je připomenout, tolik se toho zase nestalo. No, i když několik prvních stránek jsem nestačila zírat. Ani nemůžu uvěřit, že jsem zapomněla i ten konec, který jsem v recenzi tolik vychvalovala.
Je sice pravda, že první díl přináší něco nového, ale zase se tolik neliší od jiných knih. Tím mám na mysli pár, kde jeden z dvojice je nadpřirozená bytost a ten druhý se tomu tajemství snaží celý příběh přijít na kloub. Takových už tady bylo hodně, takže to je jeden z důvodů, proč se mi o něco víc než Osudová přitažlivost libí Smrtící pouto. Taky mi přišla o něco méně zdlouhavá, i když tohoto aspektu se u této série asi nezbavím. Ale na druhou stranu měla více akce, i když i tohle bylo na moje poměry jaksi málo. To by dokázala vyvážit jen jedna věc a tou je, že bych si opravdu musela oblíbit postavy. Sice mi vyloženě nelezly na nervy, ale o oblibě se taky mluvit nedá.
Nová postava Tobias je hlavní zápletkou tohoto dílu a musím říct, že celkem vydařenou. Jeho osobnost je hezky vykreslená, občas se dozvíme něco z jeho minulosti a autorka nutí čtenáře mu porozumět. Z mého pohledu má nejlépe povedený charakter z postav vůbec. Dokonce ani u Samary – hlavní postavy, z jejíhož pohledu je příběh vypravován v ich-formě – nejsou její vlastnosti tak propracované jako u Tobiase.
Caleb je naopak v tomto díle vedlejší postavou, autorka se ho téměř na začátku zbavila a zařídila, aby se znovu objevil až na konci knihy. Tenhle fakt občas nabádá přiklánět se k rozhodnutí Lilith a už tolik nestát za přesvědčením Samary. Já osobně jsem Lilith nepodporovala, ale rozhodně by byl vývoj příběhu v takovém případě zajímavější. A jak jsem zjistila, ‚tu zajímavost‘ si autorka schovala do dalšího dílu.
Konec mě dost překvapil, ale hlavně z toho důvodu, že končil tak otevřeně. Vzhledem k Osudové přitažlivosti jsem čekala něco uzavřenějšího, protože i tam se všechno nakonec vyřešilo a pokračování si vzalo pouze Lilith.
Zavěr Kronik si nejspíš přečtu, ale hlavním důvodem bude, že nechci mít v knihovně neúplnou série.

[Bodea · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Burning Emerald picks up just about where the first book left off. Sam is dealing with being a Cambion and all that comes with it. Not to mention, she and Caleb are still getting to know each other. Unfortunately, it's not long before things go south. I enjoyed this book, but the middle was a little slow. The last few chapters make up for that and the ending was a good cliffhanger, but I’m not without my complaints.

First, I still love Sam. I think she’s a funny, tough, vulnerable, and sympathetic character. That’s a big part of why I continue with the series. With that said, I need Sam to come out of her head a little more and interact with those around her. I feel like the plot this book was good, but Sam did a little too much internalizing. I also think there should have been more interaction with Sam and Mia. I missed that.

Next, one thing that continues to annoy me with this series is the lack of Caleb. I like him, but I can't fully assess how much because he comes and then goes for so long. I’d like to see more development with him on his own and with Sam. He’s growing on me slowly, but as soon as something really interesting happens, he’s gone. I appreciate that this series has such a strong, likable female character, but I think Caleb needs some love too. I want to root for he and Sam, but I need them to get more focus. I need to get more of his POV.

With all that said, Burning Emerald was a good addition to the series. I like the new characters that were introduced and I think the plot was pretty solid. The story has a nice tone to it and the writing is good. I particularly enjoyed the stuff going on with Lilith and Sam (poor Capone. She's such a traitor!). I just wish Caleb hadn’t spent so much time MIA. Seriously, I hated that he was in the hospital for so much of this book. Then, when he gets out, he pretty much gives Sam the silent treatment.. Still, I’m looking forward to the next book.

[G. Cribbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much happens in book 2 of the Cambion Chronicles it took me some time after reading to process and percolate on this one. a definitive and well planned cliffhanger rolling into book 3. Well played, Ms. Reed. I was punched in the gut.

If you haven't read this series yet, get ON IT.

If you haven't read book 1, there are spoilers, reading further. Be warned. Samara and Caleb are back and still working the kinks out to their relationship. This time, both Caleb and Samara have inner Cambion demons to satiate and keep happily fed. But what Samara isn't counting on is the new hot guy in school, Malik and the connection he shares with her inner demon. This creates a tangled love triangle that twists and turns through a gripping plot that will keep you turning pages and breathless all at the same time.

Often with second books in a series, the middle one is more of a doorstop than its own wonderful standalone story. You'll enjoy it more if you read book 1 first, but you could essentially pick this one up and read it without a problem. Most of the highlights of book 1 are touched on to refresh your memory if you've forgotten anything. I enjoyed both books equally well, if not even more so with book 2 and all the shocking revelations and surprises along the way. Many of these I did not see coming.

And, as I alluded to above, the ending is such a huge cliffhanger, I'm chomping at the bit to read FADING AMBER to find out how the story concludes. This is by far my favorite paranormal series, with a unique and hilarious voice that kept me reading and wanting more.

Highly, highly recommended. If you haven't read this series, you NEED to read it NOW.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not really sure how to go about reviewing this book. I was able to get into the first book, Living Violet, easily enough. It had a great female character with Samara, and a smoldering guy love interest with Caleb. But it also deals with demons living inside you. One of those paranormal elements that I just don't enjoy, no matter what the story is. However, I was still interested enough to want to read the second book in the Cambion Chronicles. The first book finishes with such a wide-open ending and I was desperate to see what would happen to Sam next.

Unfortunately, Burning Emerald wasn't as good as the first book. It was still very interesting in a few places, such as those scenes where Sam and Caleb are together and reveling in their love, but for the most part I thought it was way too over the top. Again, this is just my personal tastes, but I don't find pleasure in reading about demons inhabiting bodies, or any other incubus-type beings. I just don't find them very alluring or attractive.

Bonus points for Jaime Reed's writing. Sam is a totally geeky female character, who works at a bookstore (although we see less of this in Burning Emerald) and knows all sorts of nerdy pop-culture references. Her dialog sounds the same across all of the characters though, making me quickly bored with the banter.

After this second book, I will not be checking out the third in the series, Fading Amber. But if you're one of those girls that likes Demons in your beautiful men, be sure to include this series in your reading list!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all the books in the series this one provides the most info about Cambions; what they are, how they came into existence etc. We learn that there is always a temptation for Cambions to feed excessively off humans and in doing so they run the risk of losing their humanity and transforming into demons. This is what happened to Caleb's father. They are ruled by powerful families who govern territories all over the world. Samara and Caleb live in the region where the Santiago family are in charge and the family is suspicious of Caleb because of his father. [In Living Violet they sent one of their employees, a private detective called Ruiz, to keep an eye on him and his brothers.]

Caleb is absent for much of this one and his absence was felt. I missed his interaction with Samara, from their verbal sparing to their (reluctant) romantic exchanges. That said, the introduction of Tobias to the story and the challenges he presents for Samara make for an intriguing plot development. But, as a demonic character, Tobias is pretty tame; if he has an evil side I did not read about it. He preferred to take a gentle approach to getting his way and at times showed signs of his humanity (such as his relationship with Malik's little brother, albeit for selfish reasons). In that sense, unlike Caleb's father in Living Violet, I'm not convinced that Reed demonstrated effectively through Tobias' character the difference between a demon and a Cambion.

The story ends on a cliffhanger and I enjoyed it even more the second time around.

Highly recommended.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Burning Emerald is book 2 in The Cambion Chronicles by Jaime Reed. In book one Samara meets Caleb and not only finds out about cambions but also becomes one thanks to her friend Nadine. This book picks up where there left off with Samara trying to come to terms with the "spirit" inside her and coping with Nadine's death. But then strange things start to happen at school surrounding this boy named Malik. When Samara and Caleb fall ill at a party putting Caleb in a coma, things start to unfold into a terrifying new reality for Samara. Malik is no longer the boy she grew up going to school with but is in fact a incubus named Tobias posing as him to get close to Samara or more accurately to get close to Lillith the spirit that now resides inside Samara. Samara belongs with Caleb but Tobias claims Lillith belongs with him, now that Samara and Lillith are a part of each other it becomes a dangerous mess.



I loved Burning Emerald. Just like Living Violet "Burning Emerald" is a real page turner. Although this one has more dangers and twists that make is deliciously tense. It really puts a whole new spin on love triangles with two of them residing in the same body. Not to mention there were some real wow moments in this one that left me reeling and aching to read the next book due in the series "Fading Amber".



I think anyone who likes a great YA paranormal romance will definitely love this one.

[Shannon Rogers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this one much more than I liked the first one... even though I liked it too. This one just had so much more going on in it. There were a lot more subplots and different twists and turns. Samara's relationship with Caleb is sweet and one of the best things about the story... but now we have the entrance of this new character Malik. I'm not sure if I'd characterize this completely as a love triangle. Although Malik is hot, he's a lot more cut and dried bad guy to me. And no, I don't mean bad boy... I mean he resembles a bad guy a little too much for me to really think of him as another leg on the love triangle structure.

I'm still loving Samara. She's a strong, fiesty character and you just have to love her bravery and sass. Her attempting to get used to having Lillith inside her was so entertaining. She's great. Especially when she starts kicking into protective mode over her mom. And that's another interesting element. Her mom is dating, and there's a big question mark over this guy. The only not so great part was how Caleb isn't around very much. We have kind of a New Moon syndrome going on here. But when he's there, it's so worth it.

The writing was just as exciting as in the first book, and I really love where this story is going. A very good sequel!


Great. Loved Samara getting used to Lillith. Ick on Tobias. Caleb gone for most of the book sucked.

[C.penn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just need to say, I have become downright fanatical about this series!!!

Complex, astonishing and dangerous.

Samara knows the death of her friend Nadine has left her with a rather, unusual souvenir--Lillith, the sentient being that once inhabited her friend. What's more is Lillith has a mind, and a very unique and dangerous taste in suitors.

When a fancy parlor trick at a Halloween party goes terribly awry, Samara wakes up in the hospital, and Caleb, her soul mate, has been poisoned and lies unresponsive in a room down the hall.

Her new charm--the draw that comes with succubus spirits--makes her the favourite nemesis of all girls in school as males fall over themselves to be near her, but then the vicious rumours start, and the hall way attacks begin--infuriated and sorrowful over Caleb's condition, Samara unleashes her wrath on a particularly agressive jock--Malik, the school hot shot--and in her vengeful and angry attack, drains him dry. Malik is dead. She can feel his life dancing and feeding her weary body.......

Only moments later, Malik arises....

Gripping, action packed and filled to the brim with inner turmoil, Burning Emerald is the brilliant sequel to Living Violet.

Tired of the standard super natural? This is the book for you, it will take your breath away, among other things. Absolutely loved it, and eagerly awaiting my order for the third book!!!!

[African Americans on the Move Book Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the second in a series (the cambion chronicles) it picks up where the first left off. The character samara is now in a relationship with Caleb. This time around, samara is not the same person she was before she became involved with her boyfriend as her good friend Lilith granted her a gift, a gift for which a battle is being fought. Any reader will be interested from the first page. I don't want to tell too much of the story so as not to take away from it. Anyone that has read the first book knows that samara's boyfriend Caleb is a cambion and needs to "feed" off of the energy of humans to sustain his life. The gift from her friend Lilith brings with it a force that causes samara to have to choose between Caleb and entity named Tobias. Can she or will she choose? If she does what will be her fate? The power of love is tested greatly in this story and samara's heart is at the center of it. Back and forth the tug of war goes on but there can only be one victor. Who will come out on top? The storyline flows smoothly and will keep the reader interested from beginning to end. I couldn't wait to see what the ending would bring and I wasn't disappointed.

Zandra Barnes
AAMBC Reviewer