Rating: 4 1/2 stars (Spotlight Review)

*Do not read this review (or this book) if you have not read Book 1: Promise.

Purpose is the second installment in the Soul Saver series. The first book, Promise had me hooked and anxiously awaiting Purpose’s arrival; now that it is here, Kristie Cook’s wonderful writing and excellent story-telling can continue.

Purpose picks up seven years after the initial attack by the Daemoni and Tristen’s disappearance. Alexis has managed to fight through the darkness of her intense anger and crushing sadness from losing her true love, if only to stay present for her son, Dorian.

Dorian, a child that couldn’t be more loved, is also a daily reminder that the Amadis may end with Alexis; as she failed to produce the prophesized daughter to lead them. Throughout the seven years of Alexis ‘ grief, the Amadis have tried to be understanding, but now they are pushing her to forget Tristan and focus on providing a female heir—despite the fact that no Amadis woman has gotten pregnant more than once.

With no word about her only love, Alexis is fighting to keep Tristan’s memory in her mind’s eye and her love for him burning in her heart. With each passing day it’s getting harder to see Tristan’s face and knowing that she cannot continue to live without him, Alexis just might be ready to give up and join her soul mate in hell.

Though you might be able to understand what’s going on without reading the first book, you’d be doing yourself a disservice. Ms. Cook gives just the right amount of information regarding the past, but without reading Promise, you would be cheating yourself out of not only a fantastic story but, without the emotional investment culled from the first book, you couldn’t fully understand the magnitude of Alexis’ suffering and loss.

As usual, Kristie Cook does an excellent job moving the plot forward at a fairly rapid pace, yet makes it feel languid enough, allowing the reader to savor every moment. Purpose is also excellently structured and, although it gives glimpses into the past, the author doesn’t make the annoying mistake of rehashing the first book—which many authors do in order to hide a lacking plot line or ensure new readers have a full grasp of the story up to this point.

By this point, I don’t think Ms. Cook has to worry about anybody not reading all of the books. It seems that all true Soul Saver series fans would rather square off against the Daemoni than miss a single word written by the fantastic Kristie Cook.

Read the review...