BURN (Book 3 Celestra Series) by Addison Moore
BURN is the 3rd story in Addison Moore's Young Adult Celestra series. Focusing on the life of 16 year old Skyla Messenger and her friends & family of Angels and Demons, Addison continues her series, delving deeper into the darkside of a YA paranormal adventure. Once again the cast of characters range from the angelic Celestra, the evil demon Fems, the Countenance (enemy) and Marshall Dudley-the all encompassing Sector.
BURN is a much darker novel than the previous 2 books, so much so that I was hoping it was all a dream-that the `heroine' Skyla, would wake up and everything would be back to normal. But this particular storyline revolves around revenge and hatred. Skyla is seeking those who murdered her father 2 years prior, and like the previous 2 instalments, she is still refusing to listen to reason and continues her Light travel through time. Her headstrong and take no prisoners attitude, escalates into a killing spree around the world, where she is aided by Gage, with his need to protect her at all costs.
There are several murders and attempted murders throughout the storyline. Skyla is sexually attacked and in self-defense, murders the young man thinking he was one of the Countenance. But when it is revealed that he truly was an enemy of the Celestra, it is only the beginning of Skyla's murderous rampage on those hoping to claim her blood. A near fatal throat slashing, a car accident where a ghostly apparition gains control of the vehicle, and several attacks by the demon Fems, would be enough to send any normal teenager into a headlong case of psychosis. But Skyla Messenger takes it all in stride, knowing that one day-she will make a difference (right or wrong) in everybody's life. And to further add irony to her already crazed life, Skyla is occasionally possessed by one of her victims.
Skyla's desire to `reanimate' Chloe, pushes her further into the world of the past, but there is a price to pay, when one meddles with the creation or re-creation of life. Thinking Chloe has the answers to all of her questions, she inadvertently crosses a threshold of no return. Her weekly donation of `angel' blood is so powerful, that the past will meet in the present much quicker than anyone had realized. But Chloe has other plans, and it is within the pages of Chloe's diary, that Skyla's looks at the future, that had already been written in the past.
Gage and Logan continue their `wooing' of Skyla, knowing she loves both young men equally. But Logan's altruism pushes Skyla deeper into the arms of Gage, even though she is well aware that her feelings for Logan will never change. Hoping to keep their relationship platonic, Logan and Skyla agree to disagree about the arrangements. But Gage's declaration of love sends Logan spiraling slowly out of their lives.
Marshall Dudley, or Studley-Dudley, the resident math teacher, continues his seduction of the female population. But it is Skyla in whom his sights have been set. We are not sure at this point, whether Marshall the Sector is good or evil. He genuinely aids Skyla with her discovery of the many Counts living on Paragon Island, but every time he reveals the true nature of the population, Skyla must pay. Although his desires for Skyla seem genuine, what is not apparent are his reasons. And to complicate the scenario, Marshall has a propensity for having intercourse with many of the young female students and his fertility factor runs high.
Skyla's mother Lizbeth and step-father Tad are continuously at odds about how to handle their teenage delinquent. As far as Tad is concerned, Skyla is a walking disaster, but her mother is hoping that this is only an awkward stage in her daughter's young life. But there is something about Tad's aggression towards his step-daughter, that at times you wonder, if he is truly human. And like many parents of rebellious teens, they appear to have lost control.
Skyla's group of cheerleading frenemies continue to provoke and attack at every chance. She has become the target of not just the Fems and the Countenance, but also the `mean-girl' pep squad and their family of gossip girls and neighbors.
Overall, BURN is an adventure worthy of a crime-story episode. There are enough murders, missing people, accidents and blood spillage that the local authorities should be a bit more concerned about the strange happenings occurring on the island of Paragon. But on the evening of Skyla's 17th birthday party more surprises are revealed and Marshall Dudley may have shown Skyla more information than she had ever wanted to know. What would it be like to know-your entire family may just be your worst enemy?
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