Alice Janell

OK, Ann Aguirre, is definitely one of my newest favorite authors. After reading Blue Diablo, I was really excited to start Hell Fire.

Hell Fire finds Corine making good on Chance's promise to her in book one. She helped him, now it's his turn to help her. Corine heads to Kilmer, Georgia, to discover the truth about her mother's death and the origins of her "gift".

But there's something not quite right about the town of Kilmer. For starters, no one outside the town is even away Kilmer exists. It isn't on any map or any website. Inside Kilmer, there are signs of a dark curse that's affecting the town and the people in it. And this dark curse seems to only be satisfied with death.

Though Chance is making good on his promise, he's still trying to win Corine back. His transformation/evolution is brilliant to read as we see the consequences of his gift unfold. There's no luck to be had in Kilmer, not with the curse hanging overhead, and Chance has to learn that luck isn't everything. When Jesse Saldana makes an appearance, Chance really starts feeling as though he's no good to Corine. After all, Jesse can take care of Corine in ways Chance can't.

I really love how believable Aguirre writes romance in her series. Corine has two guys on either side of her, and she recognizes both their strong and weak points. With Chance, Corine has history, but his luck puts her at a risk. Jess, on the other hand, is an all around good guy, but his protective nature is suffocating at times.

I'm looking forward to the next Corine Solomon book, not only for Aguirre's brilliant writing, but watch Corine grow and decide who (if either of them) she wants to be with.

Hell Fire reintroduces some of the characters from Blue Diablo, but there are also new faces as well. Namely, Shannon Cheyney, an eighteen year old Kilmer native, who wants nothing more than to put as many miles between her and Kilmer as possible. After learning that Shannon is gifted, Corine becomes her mentor, and seems to fall easily into a big sister role.

Aguirre blends the grit of urban fantasy with just enough of a touch of horror that kept me up at night. Hell Fire is spooky and gives you chills.

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