WHITE HOT KISS (THE DARK ELEMENTS #1) - JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT

With a kiss that kills, Layla is anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses. 
Raised among the Wardens - a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons - Layla tries to fit in.  But that means hiding her dark side, especially from Zayne, the off-limits Warden she's crushed on forever. Then she meets Roth - a demon who knows all her secrets. 
When Layla discovers she's the reason for a demon uprising, trusting Roth could be a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

Whatever you do, do not disregard this book because of everything you see above this line - the title, the cover and even the blurb.  I almost did...

When my most trusted friend practically begged for me to open this book and give it a chance I was more than a little uncertain.  I mean, White Hot Kiss...  And the cover!!!  That is not something I feel comfortable taking out in public, or even in front of my parents - you should have seen the looks I got when walking around with this bad boy out...  And finally the blurb.  While, yes it outlines the basics of the story, it puts too much emphasis on the parts of the book that would appeal to the more love-obsessed readers; boys, supernatural element, another guy, the end of the world - that kind of thing. 

To me, the book seemed like it would be some dumb, insipid paranormal book that focuses more on romance than an actual plot.  In some ways, I wasn’t wrong, but there was something more to this book that made me love it.  Either way, I am glad I opened it.

So, Layla is a half demon, half gargoyle teen with the ability to see people's souls and take them from somebody with a single dementor-style kiss-of-death.  Her ambition to live an average life isn't really working out; having to go out every night to mark demons so that her family can kill them all.  No matter how fiercely she strives for normalcy, or as much as she could get living with a family of demon hunting hotties, DNA, inevitably, got in the way.  Demons begin acting more violent than usual and, as things start getting out of hand, Layla is forced to look at the world in a whole new way.

While I can’t quite call Layla a super strong, dependent heroine, she wasn't useless at any point throughout this book, she was never willing to sit back as things went to hell.  She started off cowering behind those with more power than her and I grew a little worried that her inability to stand up for herself would drive me over the edge.  But it was all in vain because I found, as the book went on, she developed as a character and began to comprehend her worth and abilities, showing that she is able to stand on her own for those she believes in.  By the end I was like a proud mama, to this kickass young lady!

With natural and witty dialogue, relatable reactions and a killer ending, this book is all anyone with an impressionable heart and romantic outlook could ask for.  It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, perhaps focusing too much on the unrealistic romance than the action and conflict for some, but I enjoyed it thoroughly and can’t wait to dig into the next book.

Warning: If you abhor love-triangles, avoid!

Rating: 3/5


If you are interested in purchasing this book you can order it on Book Depository here or for an awesome price on Amazon here.