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Existence #2
Predestined
You would think after helping save her boyfriend from an eternity in Hell that things would go back to normal. Well, as normal as life can be when you can see souls and your boyfriend is Death. But for Pagan Moore, things are just getting weirder.
The high school quarterback and reigning heartthrob, Leif Montgomery, is missing. While the town is in a frenzy of worry, Pagan is a nervous wreck for other reasons. Apparently good ‘ol Leif isn’t your average teenage boy. He isn’t even human. According to Death, Leif doesn’t have a soul. The quarterback may have skipped town but he’s still showing up in Pagan’s dreams... uninvited.
Dank has known from the beginning Leif wasn’t human. But he hadn’t worried about a simple soulless creature. Now, he realizes he made a grave mistake. Pagan’s soul has been marked since birth as a restitution, to a spirit so dark not even Death walks near it. Dank knows saving Pagan’s soul won’t be easy but Pagan is his. And he’s already proven he’ll defy Heaven to keep her. If Hell wants a piece of him too, then bring it on.
The high school quarterback and reigning heartthrob, Leif Montgomery, is missing. While the town is in a frenzy of worry, Pagan is a nervous wreck for other reasons. Apparently good ‘ol Leif isn’t your average teenage boy. He isn’t even human. According to Death, Leif doesn’t have a soul. The quarterback may have skipped town but he’s still showing up in Pagan’s dreams... uninvited.
Dank has known from the beginning Leif wasn’t human. But he hadn’t worried about a simple soulless creature. Now, he realizes he made a grave mistake. Pagan’s soul has been marked since birth as a restitution, to a spirit so dark not even Death walks near it. Dank knows saving Pagan’s soul won’t be easy but Pagan is his. And he’s already proven he’ll defy Heaven to keep her. If Hell wants a piece of him too, then bring it on.
212 pages, Paperback
First published March 26, 2012
762 people are currently reading
12891 people want to read
About the author
Abbi Glines
118 books86.4k followersAbbi Glines is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Smoke, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, Field Party and Existence series. She never cooks unless baking during the Christmas holiday counts. She believes in ghosts and has a habit of asking people if their house is haunted before she goes in it. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British but she now lives in New England and that's as close as it is going to get. When asked how many books she has written she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she is reading, watching Netflix and all the introverted stuff.
You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways. She uses social media to procrastinate.
You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways. She uses social media to procrastinate.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,632 reviews
July 30, 2018
I didn't like Predestine as much as book 1. I didn't like the voodoo lord plot of the story at all. I found it boring and I thought that the bad guys came off lame. I still enjoyed Pagan and Dank. If I didn't like Dank's name in book 1 I hated his full name when we readers find out in this book is Dankmar. My heart broke for Wyatt and his GF Miranda. I hope the next read is better than this one because this one was just okay!
April 1, 2012
I am completely and utterly blown away by this book! It's bloody brilliant and extremely unforgettable. Seriously Abbi Glines you really know how to keep a reader captivated! Ok first of all I have to say that I won this ARC ebook from Abbi Glines herself and I want to thank her for the fantastic gift and opportunity to read it before anyone else ... thank you Abbi :) And secondly, OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!! I sat at my Mac on a stool at the kitchen bench and broke my back and neck until I finished reading it LOL yes pain was endured but it's been well worth it because I could not stop myself from reading this sucker it was that amazing!
The story continues with Pagan and Dank and told in both their POV'S. (Ok, before I say anything else...can I just stop and breathe for a moment so I can catch myself before I SWOON into oblivion...DANK is unbelievably SEXY, INTOXICATING, SENSUAL and one HOT, DAMN HOT [mother fudger] BAD ASS! Seriously the picture of him walking away and all you can think about while reading is his arse all up in those jeans OMG is a good way to die...kill me now I'd gladly go if DEATH looked like that DAMN!!) Excuse my little OUTBURST I found it the perfect time to just VENT that out LOL. Ok, back to the story, now Predestined picked up again with Pagan and Dank enjoying their time together and having some very HOT and STEAMY moments. It was about time they got to be with one another, but as usual things were never going to be in their favour and in walks LEIF...oh how I loathe thee. This guy is such an asshole and all I wanted to do was reach down into the book and fly kick him...arrggghhhh he made me so mad! But we got to find out the truth about who he is and where he comes from, but it still doesn't change the fact that he is one demented and very obsessed BLANK (I'm not going to divulge)...all I can say is that he has played an important part of Pagan's entire life and that we discover so many hidden secrets that really make you say WTF this really couldn't be happening. And that's exactly what I was saying throughout this book...NNOOOO and WTF and having some very LMFAO moments that's for sure. These were due to the constant wit and banter between Dank and Gee (let me just say she is one funny ass gal).
But listen up all, I really don't want to divulge too much cause the book has yet to be released and I'm not one for spoiling it for anyone I sure as hell don't like it but all I can say is that if you loved Existence you WILL L..O..V..E and be totally obsessed about PREDESTINED...and the last line in the book once again is a KILLER!! Just when you think all is well and right in the world....BOOM Abbi goes and throws that in...I'm so going to be waiting on edge and wondering where the HELL is this story going!! Just sheer brilliance on Abbi's part...she really knows what the readers want, love, loathe and obsess over. Great job! All of Abbi's books are totally relatable...especially the use of language...love love love that!!
So, I basically recommend this book to everyone, it's funny, suspenseful, witty, charming, sexy, sensual, full of drama and has so many twists and turns you will be screaming while you read ... cause I sure as HELL DID!!! LOVED IT!!
The story continues with Pagan and Dank and told in both their POV'S. (Ok, before I say anything else...can I just stop and breathe for a moment so I can catch myself before I SWOON into oblivion...DANK is unbelievably SEXY, INTOXICATING, SENSUAL and one HOT, DAMN HOT [mother fudger] BAD ASS! Seriously the picture of him walking away and all you can think about while reading is his arse all up in those jeans OMG is a good way to die...kill me now I'd gladly go if DEATH looked like that DAMN!!) Excuse my little OUTBURST I found it the perfect time to just VENT that out LOL. Ok, back to the story, now Predestined picked up again with Pagan and Dank enjoying their time together and having some very HOT and STEAMY moments. It was about time they got to be with one another, but as usual things were never going to be in their favour and in walks LEIF...oh how I loathe thee. This guy is such an asshole and all I wanted to do was reach down into the book and fly kick him...arrggghhhh he made me so mad! But we got to find out the truth about who he is and where he comes from, but it still doesn't change the fact that he is one demented and very obsessed BLANK (I'm not going to divulge)...all I can say is that he has played an important part of Pagan's entire life and that we discover so many hidden secrets that really make you say WTF this really couldn't be happening. And that's exactly what I was saying throughout this book...NNOOOO and WTF and having some very LMFAO moments that's for sure. These were due to the constant wit and banter between Dank and Gee (let me just say she is one funny ass gal).
But listen up all, I really don't want to divulge too much cause the book has yet to be released and I'm not one for spoiling it for anyone I sure as hell don't like it but all I can say is that if you loved Existence you WILL L..O..V..E and be totally obsessed about PREDESTINED...and the last line in the book once again is a KILLER!! Just when you think all is well and right in the world....BOOM Abbi goes and throws that in...I'm so going to be waiting on edge and wondering where the HELL is this story going!! Just sheer brilliance on Abbi's part...she really knows what the readers want, love, loathe and obsess over. Great job! All of Abbi's books are totally relatable...especially the use of language...love love love that!!
So, I basically recommend this book to everyone, it's funny, suspenseful, witty, charming, sexy, sensual, full of drama and has so many twists and turns you will be screaming while you read ... cause I sure as HELL DID!!! LOVED IT!!
August 20, 2012
Spoilers
After literally going to hell and back, Pagan and Dank are finally together. Pagan and Dank's bliss is short lived when Leif, Pagan's soulless ex-boyfriend returns. Leif reveals that Pagan's soul was promised to him as a child in restitution for saving her life and that now he's back to collect what's his.
-The plot, the main characters and the romance were predictable, cheesy and dull.
-Pagan was a typical boring-weak-I-hate-anything-remotely-feminine-and-I-can-do-anythin-the-boys-can-do type of heroine. I laughed out loud when Pagan said she wasn't weak - she couldn't even handle being without Dank for more than a few hours without breaking down. I hate heroines that act like pathetic, whiny bitches. I hate them even more when everyone around them makes a song and dance about how strong and bwave they are.
On another note, why wasn't Pagan able to recognise Leif as a boy - he couldn't have changed that much. Her inability to put two and two together was fucking annoying.
-Dank was a whiny bitch of a dick. He got angry when he thought Pagan was dressed too sexy because he couldn't handle other guys looking at her - get a fucking grip! What a douche - he was perfectly
ok with Pagan dealing with other girls perving on him - it was all about his pathetic man feelings.
-I noticed that all the evul female characters wore revealing outfits, make up and had big boobs - what's with this fucking shitty stereotype?? What's with painting girls that wear make up and revealing clothes as evul whores. WTF?!
-Leif was a fucking psycho. Yet he still managed to be more charming and sympathetic than Dank and Pagan.
-For an immortal being Dank was a thick fuck. Every time Dank or Gee left Pagan on her own, Leif would show up and try to manipulate Pagan into going to voodoo hell with him. Yet somehow Dank was unable to come to the realisation that Pagan shouldn't be left on her own. What's worse was he then acted all shocked and surprised when Leif kidnapped her..WTF kind of special idiot was he?!
-I was baffled as to why everyone wanted and loved Pagan - Dank, Leif, Jeff, Miranda - she was an utterly unremarkable person. A dead rat would be more intriguing than her.
-The voodoo aspects didn't mesh well with the story AT ALL.
-I didn't appreciate all the pop culture references.
-The writing was rubbish. The speech for the characters involved in the voodoo were written in dialect - it was horrendous.
-I actually liked some of the side characters - Miranda, Wyatt and Gee.
All in all, I hated it. I'll be reading the novella, Leif next since 1) I've already paid for it and 2) Leif was actually an interesting character. I don't have high hopes for it but I'm having one of those rare days where I'm in the mood for reading rubbish.
After literally going to hell and back, Pagan and Dank are finally together. Pagan and Dank's bliss is short lived when Leif, Pagan's soulless ex-boyfriend returns. Leif reveals that Pagan's soul was promised to him as a child in restitution for saving her life and that now he's back to collect what's his.
-The plot, the main characters and the romance were predictable, cheesy and dull.
-Pagan was a typical boring-weak-I-hate-anything-remotely-feminine-and-I-can-do-anythin-the-boys-can-do type of heroine. I laughed out loud when Pagan said she wasn't weak - she couldn't even handle being without Dank for more than a few hours without breaking down. I hate heroines that act like pathetic, whiny bitches. I hate them even more when everyone around them makes a song and dance about how strong and bwave they are.
On another note, why wasn't Pagan able to recognise Leif as a boy - he couldn't have changed that much. Her inability to put two and two together was fucking annoying.
-Dank was a whiny bitch of a dick. He got angry when he thought Pagan was dressed too sexy because he couldn't handle other guys looking at her - get a fucking grip! What a douche - he was perfectly
ok with Pagan dealing with other girls perving on him - it was all about his pathetic man feelings.
-I noticed that all the evul female characters wore revealing outfits, make up and had big boobs - what's with this fucking shitty stereotype?? What's with painting girls that wear make up and revealing clothes as evul whores. WTF?!
-Leif was a fucking psycho. Yet he still managed to be more charming and sympathetic than Dank and Pagan.
-For an immortal being Dank was a thick fuck. Every time Dank or Gee left Pagan on her own, Leif would show up and try to manipulate Pagan into going to voodoo hell with him. Yet somehow Dank was unable to come to the realisation that Pagan shouldn't be left on her own. What's worse was he then acted all shocked and surprised when Leif kidnapped her..WTF kind of special idiot was he?!
-I was baffled as to why everyone wanted and loved Pagan - Dank, Leif, Jeff, Miranda - she was an utterly unremarkable person. A dead rat would be more intriguing than her.
-The voodoo aspects didn't mesh well with the story AT ALL.
-I didn't appreciate all the pop culture references.
-The writing was rubbish. The speech for the characters involved in the voodoo were written in dialect - it was horrendous.
-I actually liked some of the side characters - Miranda, Wyatt and Gee.
All in all, I hated it. I'll be reading the novella, Leif next since 1) I've already paid for it and 2) Leif was actually an interesting character. I don't have high hopes for it but I'm having one of those rare days where I'm in the mood for reading rubbish.
September 2, 2015
3.5 Stars
”What is one dark spirit up against Death?”
After finishing book one of this series and that terrific cliffhanger I immediately jumped into this book. This second installment in the series left me wondering if Abbi purposely missed the “evil mark” with Leif or is it to come in the final book or does he really have a shot?
"You were promised to me. My father's power healed you and in return your mother promised your soul to me."
The story takes a few heartstopping turns (poor Miranda and Wyatt!!) and visit to a pretty creepy underwold run by the Voodoo spirit lord. Leif’s people come into play and a deal that Pagan’s mother made a long time ago. This deal is now being collected on and Dank (Death) plans on fighting and winning.
”Because Pagan Moore was mine. Her life, her soul, her heart it was all mine. Nothing was going to stand in my way. No ancient curse. No soulless boy. And absolutely no Voodoo spirit Lord.”
”What is one dark spirit up against Death?”
After finishing book one of this series and that terrific cliffhanger I immediately jumped into this book. This second installment in the series left me wondering if Abbi purposely missed the “evil mark” with Leif or is it to come in the final book or does he really have a shot?
"You were promised to me. My father's power healed you and in return your mother promised your soul to me."
The story takes a few heartstopping turns (poor Miranda and Wyatt!!) and visit to a pretty creepy underwold run by the Voodoo spirit lord. Leif’s people come into play and a deal that Pagan’s mother made a long time ago. This deal is now being collected on and Dank (Death) plans on fighting and winning.
”Because Pagan Moore was mine. Her life, her soul, her heart it was all mine. Nothing was going to stand in my way. No ancient curse. No soulless boy. And absolutely no Voodoo spirit Lord.”
June 30, 2021
Love story gets complicated!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Narration: 🎙
Romance: 💋💋💋
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📙📕📗📘
World building: 🌎🌏🌍
Character development: 👨🏻👱🏻♀️🧔🏻👩🏻
The heroine: Pagan - she was supposed to die, but Death spared her and it caused all kinds of complications.
The Hero(es): Dank - He is death and is in love with Pagan. However, he isn’t the only one.
The Story: Dank is back as the rockstar and student at Pagan’s school. However, her boyfriend Leif becomes a problem. Leif is the son of a voodoo god, Ged or something like that. Pagan was promised to him when they were children because Pagan had leukemia and was about to die and her mother made a deal with a voodoo priestess.
I liked the story but the triangle was pretty hard to like. In the last book I felt bad for Leif because Pagan kept dating him and using him for comfort even though she didn’t really have romantic feelings for him and had been yearning for Dank the whole time.
This book was even worse. I felt even more sorry for Leif even though he had no soul and was the son of an evil entity. Because Pagan had constant flashbacks to when she was young and Leif would show up and save her or bring her presents or just appear in her life at important times. It was easy to see he had always thought she was his and put a lot of effort into being in her life, then Dank comes in at the last minute and sweeps her off her feet.
Like the last book, I really couldn’t stand the narration. Again, the narrator Ashley Litz has an ok voice for the heroine, Pagan and the guys, but her voices for other girls (Miranda and G) actually hurt my ears. They were high and extremely screeching, absolutely grating. My migraine will prevent me from going further in this series.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Narration: 🎙
Romance: 💋💋💋
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📙📕📗📘
World building: 🌎🌏🌍
Character development: 👨🏻👱🏻♀️🧔🏻👩🏻
The heroine: Pagan - she was supposed to die, but Death spared her and it caused all kinds of complications.
The Hero(es): Dank - He is death and is in love with Pagan. However, he isn’t the only one.
The Story: Dank is back as the rockstar and student at Pagan’s school. However, her boyfriend Leif becomes a problem. Leif is the son of a voodoo god, Ged or something like that. Pagan was promised to him when they were children because Pagan had leukemia and was about to die and her mother made a deal with a voodoo priestess.
I liked the story but the triangle was pretty hard to like. In the last book I felt bad for Leif because Pagan kept dating him and using him for comfort even though she didn’t really have romantic feelings for him and had been yearning for Dank the whole time.
This book was even worse. I felt even more sorry for Leif even though he had no soul and was the son of an evil entity. Because Pagan had constant flashbacks to when she was young and Leif would show up and save her or bring her presents or just appear in her life at important times. It was easy to see he had always thought she was his and put a lot of effort into being in her life, then Dank comes in at the last minute and sweeps her off her feet.
Like the last book, I really couldn’t stand the narration. Again, the narrator Ashley Litz has an ok voice for the heroine, Pagan and the guys, but her voices for other girls (Miranda and G) actually hurt my ears. They were high and extremely screeching, absolutely grating. My migraine will prevent me from going further in this series.
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November 24, 2012
2.5 stars
Okay, Okay. This one was better but only because Pagan wasn't whining about the "hole in her chest".
Don't get me wrong though, there was a permanent scowl on my face the whole time I read this book. The jealousy, Ugh. There was also still a considerable amount of growling thus ruining growling men for me forever. Thank you Abbikins, Thanks a lot...
The Rascillions:
Pagan: Still a super annoying A-hole. I don't understand her complete hatred for Leif. He's still a good guy!! He never once hurt her. He never once even alluded to wanting to hurt her. Shit, the way I read it he was there for her every sad, lonely moment since she was 3 and she still had a nerve to resent him...What? He made sure that she was happy and well taken care of up to the very end while the only fucking thing she could say nonstop was that he was souless. Humph. That was the sweetest, most caring, non-human, souless creature I have ever read. Was I supposed to hate him? Because I'm super not clear on that. He didn't even get all angry and justifiably revengeful for taking care to be there for little brat's whole life just to have Dankmar step in for three whole minutes and steal his thunder. Cuz I hella would have met any aggression on Leif's end with a shrug.
Dankmar: Boy am I glad that we added the 'mar' because now it sounds like a real name...*eyeroll* whatevs. Seriously though, the whole jealousy thing: not attractive. Why does YA seem to think that jealousy is a super ohmygawd hawt trait in a male? A little jealousy? Yes. D-Dawgs epic poportions of jealousy? Hell to the naw. Get outta here with all that. Pagan couldn't have an ex-boyfriend that she remained friends with? Ick. I really got the feeling that we weren't supposed to be head over heels for The Reaps (my cute little nickname for D) this book. Abbikins set the scene for us to love Leif and showcased Dank as some sort of wedding crasher...He "loved" (termed to be used super loosely here, I mean c'mon) Pagan for three days before he saved her from that car accident that completely screwed Leif. That little fact was brought to light many times this book. Why? Also, treating Leif as the black sticky shit at the bottom of the barrel because he didn't have a soul??
Um, Pot meet Kettle.
Are we to believe that Death has a soul? This character that was written as not being able to feel any emotion before Pagan. This character that was also written to bring up many times the fun fact that he didn't have a heart. Yet. Yet, he and Pagan can condemn Leif for the same thing?! Smh.
No sell, Abbikins, no gawddamned sell.
Leif: I love you buddy. I love you. *Tears spring up in my eyes* You were yet again shit on and I don't understand it. Why couldn't you be bad? Just a horrid character that I hated and hated??? Stupid Abbi.
All in All: Boo. The writing is poor, just sooooo poor. It still reads like a 13 yr old's extended dream sequence. Just awful.
P.S. The comment about there being too much teen angst between Stephan and Elena in The Vampire Diaries was a joke, right? You were kidding weren't you Ms. Glines? You had to be because *looks around* I know I just read Existence and I found the teen angst in that installment so overwhelming that I needed the Mental House vacation that Pagan got.
Okay, Okay. This one was better but only because Pagan wasn't whining about the "hole in her chest".
Don't get me wrong though, there was a permanent scowl on my face the whole time I read this book. The jealousy, Ugh. There was also still a considerable amount of growling thus ruining growling men for me forever. Thank you Abbikins, Thanks a lot...
The Rascillions:
Pagan: Still a super annoying A-hole. I don't understand her complete hatred for Leif. He's still a good guy!! He never once hurt her. He never once even alluded to wanting to hurt her. Shit, the way I read it he was there for her every sad, lonely moment since she was 3 and she still had a nerve to resent him...What? He made sure that she was happy and well taken care of up to the very end while the only fucking thing she could say nonstop was that he was souless. Humph. That was the sweetest, most caring, non-human, souless creature I have ever read. Was I supposed to hate him? Because I'm super not clear on that. He didn't even get all angry and justifiably revengeful for taking care to be there for little brat's whole life just to have Dankmar step in for three whole minutes and steal his thunder. Cuz I hella would have met any aggression on Leif's end with a shrug.
Dankmar: Boy am I glad that we added the 'mar' because now it sounds like a real name...*eyeroll* whatevs. Seriously though, the whole jealousy thing: not attractive. Why does YA seem to think that jealousy is a super ohmygawd hawt trait in a male? A little jealousy? Yes. D-Dawgs epic poportions of jealousy? Hell to the naw. Get outta here with all that. Pagan couldn't have an ex-boyfriend that she remained friends with? Ick. I really got the feeling that we weren't supposed to be head over heels for The Reaps (my cute little nickname for D) this book. Abbikins set the scene for us to love Leif and showcased Dank as some sort of wedding crasher...He "loved" (termed to be used super loosely here, I mean c'mon) Pagan for three days before he saved her from that car accident that completely screwed Leif. That little fact was brought to light many times this book. Why? Also, treating Leif as the black sticky shit at the bottom of the barrel because he didn't have a soul??
Um, Pot meet Kettle.
Are we to believe that Death has a soul? This character that was written as not being able to feel any emotion before Pagan. This character that was also written to bring up many times the fun fact that he didn't have a heart. Yet. Yet, he and Pagan can condemn Leif for the same thing?! Smh.
No sell, Abbikins, no gawddamned sell.
Leif: I love you buddy. I love you. *Tears spring up in my eyes* You were yet again shit on and I don't understand it. Why couldn't you be bad? Just a horrid character that I hated and hated??? Stupid Abbi.
All in All: Boo. The writing is poor, just sooooo poor. It still reads like a 13 yr old's extended dream sequence. Just awful.
P.S. The comment about there being too much teen angst between Stephan and Elena in The Vampire Diaries was a joke, right? You were kidding weren't you Ms. Glines? You had to be because *looks around* I know I just read Existence and I found the teen angst in that installment so overwhelming that I needed the Mental House vacation that Pagan got.
June 17, 2012
Oh, COME ON!
The "cliffhanger" from the previous book is that Leif is not human. But better yet, it turns out that Pagan's (ugh) mother basically sold her to Leif's dad in a voodoo leukemia ritual when she was a toddler, so... Something. I don't know. Leif's got dibs.
And this turns Dank in to a raaaaaaaaging arsehole. Seriously, this book turned into Twilight Lite about five pages in. Spot the Cullen trademarks: Dank is able to read Pagan's mind, he ferries her around in his car (including all of the opening-the-door-to-let-her-get-out bullshit), he growls when she's too affectionate with other men, he appreciates the way she looks in sexy clothes but wishes she wouldn't whore it up in public so much (I am paraphrasing), he has access to stuff like a private jet, and then he writes a message to her ex that SHOULD send the ex running to Pagan's mom or the police station or something because it is material creepy stalkers dream of when they build their hidden dungeons. Dank is a horrible boyfriend. He is HORRIBLE.
(And I still don't get the souls-reborn thing, by the way: Dank's said something about souls being reborn into their families, which was eyebrow-raising in its own way, but now he's also implying that there's a soulmate bond as well. Logistically, this doesn't work, or it would mean the same families intermarrying forever. Am I nitpicking? Perhaps. But think your mythology through, people!)
Pagan is a pawn in this book. She is there to be threatened, to kiss until Dank decides it's time to stop because he might lose control (GAG), and to provide internal monologue about how much she needs Dank to swoop in and save her from whatever situation she's currently experiencing. Any minor amount of agency Pagan had is gone, she's just the weird mortal focus of a tug-of-war between Death and the Voodoo King.
Yes. You read that right. Death versus Voodoo King. And when he deals with the lower-caste voodoo folk, Dank starts speaking in a DIALECT. "You might as well git it in dat haid, ah'm not hyah for you jest yet. Ahm not gon leaf befo I get wat I came for." Direct quote, my friends. Can you imagine going to Ireland and speaking in a brogue? Or attempting cockney rhyming slang when speaking to a London cabbie? No. Dialects are not languages. Stop it.
You'll be delighted to hear that this book even has a Twilight-esque confrontation scene: I bring my guys, you bring your guys, we all posture a bit with swords and then everyone basically backs down. Hooray for suspense! So. Since this slew of Damsel-in-Distress YA clearly was spawned by Twilight's popularity, I look forward to whatever murderous, relationship-eschewing characters pop up in Katniss Everdeen's wake. May they arrive sooner rather than later, and may they all actually use their brains and their weapons appropriately.
The "cliffhanger" from the previous book is that Leif is not human. But better yet, it turns out that Pagan's (ugh) mother basically sold her to Leif's dad in a voodoo leukemia ritual when she was a toddler, so... Something. I don't know. Leif's got dibs.
And this turns Dank in to a raaaaaaaaging arsehole. Seriously, this book turned into Twilight Lite about five pages in. Spot the Cullen trademarks: Dank is able to read Pagan's mind, he ferries her around in his car (including all of the opening-the-door-to-let-her-get-out bullshit), he growls when she's too affectionate with other men, he appreciates the way she looks in sexy clothes but wishes she wouldn't whore it up in public so much (I am paraphrasing), he has access to stuff like a private jet, and then he writes a message to her ex that SHOULD send the ex running to Pagan's mom or the police station or something because it is material creepy stalkers dream of when they build their hidden dungeons. Dank is a horrible boyfriend. He is HORRIBLE.
(And I still don't get the souls-reborn thing, by the way: Dank's said something about souls being reborn into their families, which was eyebrow-raising in its own way, but now he's also implying that there's a soulmate bond as well. Logistically, this doesn't work, or it would mean the same families intermarrying forever. Am I nitpicking? Perhaps. But think your mythology through, people!)
Pagan is a pawn in this book. She is there to be threatened, to kiss until Dank decides it's time to stop because he might lose control (GAG), and to provide internal monologue about how much she needs Dank to swoop in and save her from whatever situation she's currently experiencing. Any minor amount of agency Pagan had is gone, she's just the weird mortal focus of a tug-of-war between Death and the Voodoo King.
Yes. You read that right. Death versus Voodoo King. And when he deals with the lower-caste voodoo folk, Dank starts speaking in a DIALECT. "You might as well git it in dat haid, ah'm not hyah for you jest yet. Ahm not gon leaf befo I get wat I came for." Direct quote, my friends. Can you imagine going to Ireland and speaking in a brogue? Or attempting cockney rhyming slang when speaking to a London cabbie? No. Dialects are not languages. Stop it.
You'll be delighted to hear that this book even has a Twilight-esque confrontation scene: I bring my guys, you bring your guys, we all posture a bit with swords and then everyone basically backs down. Hooray for suspense! So. Since this slew of Damsel-in-Distress YA clearly was spawned by Twilight's popularity, I look forward to whatever murderous, relationship-eschewing characters pop up in Katniss Everdeen's wake. May they arrive sooner rather than later, and may they all actually use their brains and their weapons appropriately.
May 13, 2015
Well, this was good though I liked the first one more but yup My Dank was still his wonderful and perfect self. My only concern was it was rather resolved easily (how Dank got Pagan from Leif) and there was no explanation on what really happened when Dank talked to Pagan's mother. So I guess I wanted more action and probably some fight scenes with Leif and Dank.
April 4, 2012
It was such an incredibly long and painful wait to get my hands on this sequel, and I literally bought it the second I knew it was out on amazon!! I'm a huge fan of all of Abbi Glines' books, but the Existence Trilogy has always stood out as the one that really got to me. I could NOT wait to dive back into Dank and Pagan's story, and once again Abbi did not disappoint!!
Predestined begins with Pagan and Dank finally free to be together. They may seem like the typical teen couple on the outside, but of course Dank is busy handling his job being Death, having to leave and deal with the souls on a regular basis. And Pagan is still trying to figure out why no one seems to care about or remember Leif, who has suddenly just disappeared. Just when they think the danger is behind them, Pagan suddenly starts having her lost memories resurface in her dreams and hearing a voice tell her it's almost time. She calls on Dank to figure out what's going on, and they discover a secret that her mother has kept from her all along. Pagan's soul may be Dank's to love, but a dark spirit is staking a claim on it that he may not be able to fight. When Leif is suddenly back in Pagan's life and admitting that his father had him choose her for himself many years ago, will Dank be able to undo something that is beyond his control?
Pagan definitely shows growth in Predestined; where in Existence she was so madly in love that she could hardly function without Dank, she is stronger and more self-reliant here. She's confident in his love for her, and she knows that he'll do anything to protect her, so there's a sense of independence for her character. I must admit, I loved the all-encompasing love aspect in Existence, but she needed to be stronger and become her own person, too. As she started realizing that her dreams were memories, the missing pieces to the puzzle all started coming together. Ultimately, it came down to Pagan making the most difficult decision she'd ever faced, and she's left heartbroken and feeling more alone than ever. I loved that she was strong enough to make the stand on her own, it made her character even more awesome!!
I was so excited to have more of Dank, he's like the uber-hot fantasy story bad-boy!! I can't get enough of this growling, possessive, incredibly sexy guy. The way Abbi describes him with his perfect rear end that's filling out his jeans just right.... *swoons*. He and Pagan of course have some steamy scenes again (you'll have to be patient, but you'll be rewarded towards the end of the book...), and I just can't get enough of them together!! I love that he lays his claim on Pagan's heart and soul, and he showed so much more emotion in this book. Getting to see him have to carry out his role as Death was so sad, and one scene very early on brought tears to my eyes it was so heartbreaking. Dank has opened himself up to so much by falling for Pagan, and every feeling he has is so much stronger because he'd never experienced them before. In this book, he really takes a beating when it comes to his emotions, and I love him even more after seeing him so battered and bruised in the heart but still determined to win Pagan.
I knew Leif was going to be a wild card in this book, because I ended up just loving his character at the end of Existence, too. I didn't want him with Pagan, but I felt so sorry for him because he obviously fell for her so hard. I couldn't wait to see what Abbi would do with his character in the sequel, and I definitely never expected this!! Oh, my heart still goes out to the poor guy, and when we find out who his father is and what it means for Pagan, it just threw me. Lordy, this was a heartbreaking story for all three of them, and between the love triangle, the twists, and the new characters, I feel like I've been torn in twenty different directions! Abbi Glines, what you put us through for our favorites!!!
I was so happy with the way things ended in this book. Abbi always has a way of wrapping things up neatly to give us what we need, but then leaving the bait for the next one dangling out there for us to grab!! I will never have enough of Dank and Pagan, and the next book can't get here fast enough, but I absolutely loved Predestined and so will any fan of this series!
Predestined begins with Pagan and Dank finally free to be together. They may seem like the typical teen couple on the outside, but of course Dank is busy handling his job being Death, having to leave and deal with the souls on a regular basis. And Pagan is still trying to figure out why no one seems to care about or remember Leif, who has suddenly just disappeared. Just when they think the danger is behind them, Pagan suddenly starts having her lost memories resurface in her dreams and hearing a voice tell her it's almost time. She calls on Dank to figure out what's going on, and they discover a secret that her mother has kept from her all along. Pagan's soul may be Dank's to love, but a dark spirit is staking a claim on it that he may not be able to fight. When Leif is suddenly back in Pagan's life and admitting that his father had him choose her for himself many years ago, will Dank be able to undo something that is beyond his control?
Pagan definitely shows growth in Predestined; where in Existence she was so madly in love that she could hardly function without Dank, she is stronger and more self-reliant here. She's confident in his love for her, and she knows that he'll do anything to protect her, so there's a sense of independence for her character. I must admit, I loved the all-encompasing love aspect in Existence, but she needed to be stronger and become her own person, too. As she started realizing that her dreams were memories, the missing pieces to the puzzle all started coming together. Ultimately, it came down to Pagan making the most difficult decision she'd ever faced, and she's left heartbroken and feeling more alone than ever. I loved that she was strong enough to make the stand on her own, it made her character even more awesome!!
I was so excited to have more of Dank, he's like the uber-hot fantasy story bad-boy!! I can't get enough of this growling, possessive, incredibly sexy guy. The way Abbi describes him with his perfect rear end that's filling out his jeans just right.... *swoons*. He and Pagan of course have some steamy scenes again (you'll have to be patient, but you'll be rewarded towards the end of the book...), and I just can't get enough of them together!! I love that he lays his claim on Pagan's heart and soul, and he showed so much more emotion in this book. Getting to see him have to carry out his role as Death was so sad, and one scene very early on brought tears to my eyes it was so heartbreaking. Dank has opened himself up to so much by falling for Pagan, and every feeling he has is so much stronger because he'd never experienced them before. In this book, he really takes a beating when it comes to his emotions, and I love him even more after seeing him so battered and bruised in the heart but still determined to win Pagan.
I knew Leif was going to be a wild card in this book, because I ended up just loving his character at the end of Existence, too. I didn't want him with Pagan, but I felt so sorry for him because he obviously fell for her so hard. I couldn't wait to see what Abbi would do with his character in the sequel, and I definitely never expected this!! Oh, my heart still goes out to the poor guy, and when we find out who his father is and what it means for Pagan, it just threw me. Lordy, this was a heartbreaking story for all three of them, and between the love triangle, the twists, and the new characters, I feel like I've been torn in twenty different directions! Abbi Glines, what you put us through for our favorites!!!
I was so happy with the way things ended in this book. Abbi always has a way of wrapping things up neatly to give us what we need, but then leaving the bait for the next one dangling out there for us to grab!! I will never have enough of Dank and Pagan, and the next book can't get here fast enough, but I absolutely loved Predestined and so will any fan of this series!
July 12, 2012
Much better than book 1. I'm going to tread lightly with this review. I need to write everything out quickly before some undetected annoyance triggers jump out from the shadows of my mind and manage to get me. As of right now, I don't recall coming across any in this book.
Praise be! It's an early Christmas miracle!
No sarcasm intended. I think I have less to complain about with this book than any other story I've encountered from this author. This was a nice little read.
However, I'm still sticking with a solid 3 stars. The book was entertaining and didn't annoy me the way that Existence did but it still wasn't a "wow" read. Predestined was good enough for me to want to check out the next book, so hey, I'm fine with that.
Okay, so the voodoo priest lingo was riotously funny in a massive cheese fest kind of way but I don't hang out with many voodoo high spirits either (unless you count one brief encounter with a troll in World of Warcraft). For all I know, Ms. Glines might be friends with the secret underground voodoo overlords of the caribbean and all of the dialect was 100% accurate. My very brief experience with fake spiritist tourist traps in the south means that I'm definitely no hoodoo voodoo (I'm now singing *you do!* out loud in true Labyrinth fashion) expert. What I can confirm though is that I now have an itching to go watch the movie The Skeleton Key over again because that movie creeped me the hell out in such a major way that I wasn't bothered by this book's version of voodoo at all.
Honestly, other than my "all in good fun" joking around, I don't really have any complaints about the book. Oh wait...never mind. One small, itty-bitty complaint. I really wish that Dank was not a rock star and that the high school was not called Breeze. It reminds me too much of Sea Breeze book 1's character and setting.
One thing I thought I would never do in a review is compare anything to the Fallen series (I'm so not a Fallen fangirl) but here goes : remember how in book 1 of Fallen, where you realized that Cam was far more interesting than Daniel (or at least most people did)? Well...sigh. I think this happened to me with book 2. I liked Dank in the first book. He sort of lost me in book 2. Leif all of a sudden SHOWED UP. I didn't even like Leif in book 1 iirc because he was a blowfish. Plus there was the entire fact that Dank was all sexy and rock star-ish and forbidden. Fast forward to book 2 and now Dank is just there...the still hot boyfriend who didn't really do much other than collect souls and follow Pagan around when she got in trouble. There's nothing wrong with that but then Leif came along and was like (I'm picturing a 70's suave voice in my head), "Hey you fine young thing. Look what I've done for you all of these years. I want to be a contender. I'm only being a douche because I have to - but if you let me in, I'll show you how I can rock your world." He even brought the looks and the voice and the shiver-inducing nearness factor (okay, so that was kind of a bad thing but go with me on this...).
WTF LEIF?!? I wasn't supposed to like you. Bastard.
However, I'm still sticking with a solid 3 stars. The book was entertaining and didn't annoy me the way that Existence did but it still wasn't a "wow" read. Predestined was good enough for me to want to check out the next book, so hey, I'm fine with that.
Okay, so the voodoo priest lingo was riotously funny in a massive cheese fest kind of way but I don't hang out with many voodoo high spirits either (unless you count one brief encounter with a troll in World of Warcraft). For all I know, Ms. Glines might be friends with the secret underground voodoo overlords of the caribbean and all of the dialect was 100% accurate. My very brief experience with fake spiritist tourist traps in the south means that I'm definitely no hoodoo voodoo (I'm now singing *you do!* out loud in true Labyrinth fashion) expert. What I can confirm though is that I now have an itching to go watch the movie The Skeleton Key over again because that movie creeped me the hell out in such a major way that I wasn't bothered by this book's version of voodoo at all.
Honestly, other than my "all in good fun" joking around, I don't really have any complaints about the book. Oh wait...never mind. One small, itty-bitty complaint. I really wish that Dank was not a rock star and that the high school was not called Breeze. It reminds me too much of Sea Breeze book 1's character and setting.
One thing I thought I would never do in a review is compare anything to the Fallen series (I'm so not a Fallen fangirl) but here goes : remember how in book 1 of Fallen, where you realized that Cam was far more interesting than Daniel (or at least most people did)? Well...sigh. I think this happened to me with book 2. I liked Dank in the first book. He sort of lost me in book 2. Leif all of a sudden SHOWED UP. I didn't even like Leif in book 1 iirc because he was a blowfish. Plus there was the entire fact that Dank was all sexy and rock star-ish and forbidden. Fast forward to book 2 and now Dank is just there...the still hot boyfriend who didn't really do much other than collect souls and follow Pagan around when she got in trouble. There's nothing wrong with that but then Leif came along and was like (I'm picturing a 70's suave voice in my head), "Hey you fine young thing. Look what I've done for you all of these years. I want to be a contender. I'm only being a douche because I have to - but if you let me in, I'll show you how I can rock your world." He even brought the looks and the voice and the shiver-inducing nearness factor (okay, so that was kind of a bad thing but go with me on this...).
WTF LEIF?!? I wasn't supposed to like you. Bastard.
September 13, 2020
.
This one had more stuff going on. But it was much the same as the first book.
Pagan is still a damsel in distress who runs off to boohoo rather than stand her ground and get Dank's side of things. I still don't see what he sees in her...
Dank is still about as believable as a God as the rest of theholy hole filled plot.
Lief actually ends up having more depth and interest as a character than any of the others.
There's a history between Pagan and Lief that comes to light. Pagan's love for Dank is tested when confronted by the reality of his job. Miranda is still annoying. But we do get more answers in this one, which unfortunately just highlights how weak the world-building is.
Pagan and Dank still can't do more than brief kisses (conveniently until she graduates high school *roll eyes*).
I skimmed a lot through the last 3rd.
The most interesting it got was at Lief's Daddy's dinner party.
Kendra who?
Anyways,
I don't really care enough to listen to the 3rd book.
This one had more stuff going on. But it was much the same as the first book.
Pagan is still a damsel in distress who runs off to boohoo rather than stand her ground and get Dank's side of things. I still don't see what he sees in her...
Dank is still about as believable as a God as the rest of the
Lief actually ends up having more depth and interest as a character than any of the others.
There's a history between Pagan and Lief that comes to light. Pagan's love for Dank is tested when confronted by the reality of his job. Miranda is still annoying. But we do get more answers in this one, which unfortunately just highlights how weak the world-building is.
Pagan and Dank still can't do more than brief kisses (conveniently until she graduates high school *roll eyes*).
I skimmed a lot through the last 3rd.
The most interesting it got was at Lief's Daddy's dinner party.
Kendra who?
Anyways,
I don't really care enough to listen to the 3rd book.
June 26, 2020
i'm so annoyed by this series so i'm glad i finished this one. will not be finishing the series as it runs in circles, has no plot, and i can't stand both characters.
June 6, 2015
Awesome sequel! There was never a low moment in Predestined. I think I’m more in love with Dank then I was after Existence.
September 28, 2023
Madre mía, me siento totalmente loca con la cantidad de sentimientos que me produjo este libro.
Era fiel en odiar a Leif pero hay momentos, pequeños momentos en los que te da muchísima pena. El amor a veces es una perra y sobre todo cuando no es correspondido ni es buscado de la manera correcta, en este caso.
Amo a Dank, en serio, mi fascinación por este hombre hace tiempo que dejó de ser normal. Su forma de luchar por Pagan es tan 😍 que me muero de envidia y celos.
Me encanta Gee por cierto, es la leche esa mujer y me hace reír un montón.
Ahora, lo casi segundo mejor del libro va a ser esa nueva relación de Miranda ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ me da tanta pena por ella pero estoy emocionada también! Voy a por el siguiente, y por desgracia, último libro.
Era fiel en odiar a Leif pero hay momentos, pequeños momentos en los que te da muchísima pena. El amor a veces es una perra y sobre todo cuando no es correspondido ni es buscado de la manera correcta, en este caso.
Amo a Dank, en serio, mi fascinación por este hombre hace tiempo que dejó de ser normal. Su forma de luchar por Pagan es tan 😍 que me muero de envidia y celos.
Me encanta Gee por cierto, es la leche esa mujer y me hace reír un montón.
Ahora, lo casi segundo mejor del libro va a ser esa nueva relación de Miranda ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ me da tanta pena por ella pero estoy emocionada también! Voy a por el siguiente, y por desgracia, último libro.
May 9, 2012
and the second book was just as good as the first.... It's an adventure I haven't taken before and I simply love this storyline..
The twists and turns in the book were unexpected, some good surprises, some bad (where I wanted to hurl a few thumps)... but all leading to an excellent sequel to Existence..
I love Dank and Gee, of course Pagan is fantastic too and the path they have lead this time has left me wondering what on earth will happen in the final book... I can't wait!!!
The twists and turns in the book were unexpected, some good surprises, some bad (where I wanted to hurl a few thumps)... but all leading to an excellent sequel to Existence..
I love Dank and Gee, of course Pagan is fantastic too and the path they have lead this time has left me wondering what on earth will happen in the final book... I can't wait!!!
March 29, 2012
Predestined by Abbi Glines is a sequel even better than the first. It’s edgier, sexier and will definitely take you by surprise at every turn. Predestined takes place a month after the ending to Existence where Abbi drops the biggest bomb on her readers. In this book, the decisions that the characters make will have devastating consequences that will change Pagan’s life forever.
I was so glad to be back into Pagan and Dank’s world. It was like a breath of fresh air that I hadn’t been able to take in for a very long time. I was more than happy to see that this time around the book is split into the perspectives of Pagan and Dank. I love Pagan to death (no pun intended, lol) but it’s so nice to be able to see things through Dank’s eyes. I really got to know him better and was able to see the depth of his love and concern for Pagan. Dank’s love for her really shows in everything that he does. I was also able to understand more of what he does as Death. It was endearing to see Dank vulnerable and to show such deep emotion and care towards the souls. It was a whole other side of him that I loved reading about. I love Abbi even more for doing this. I can never get enough of Dank.
In Predestined, Pagan and Dank’s relationship evolve from Existence and it continues to grow in strength throughout the book. I love how unbreakable and strong their love is to the point where they really go through Hell to stay together. Pagan and Dank’s love knows no bounds and is a force to be reckoned with. The moments that they have together will definitely melt any heart. I couldn’t help but love both of them more than I ever did before.
I was especially excited to see that Leif was back in Predestined. After that hair-pulling reaction I got from the ending of Existence, it had me questioning everything I knew about Leif. To find out the truth about him and why he’s a soulless creature was a complete shock. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but I never did see it coming and I thought it was brilliant Abbi weaved that aspect into Pagan’s life. It made the story even more exciting and thrilling. It’s such a refreshing and interesting idea that made me admire Abbi’s creativity even further.
Pagan’s dreams that seem to center around Leif was another mystery that gets unveiled that really touched my heart and made me ache for Leif. I couldn’t bring myself to hate him in any way. Soulless or not, I really do like Leif. I believed he really does love Pagan and cares for her more than anything. However, I was disappointed in him with some of the decisions he made when it came to Pagan. I found him to be a little selfish, but I knew he meant well.
I loved Predestined even more because of the immense amount of humor that was put into the book especially with Gee’s character. I really loved Gee in Existence so I was more than ecstatic to see her back with Pagan and Dank. Their banter really light up the dark parts of the book.
I must say that Pagan continued to impress me in Predestined. Her strength, courage and willingness to sacrifice herself for her loved ones is immense and very admiring. In the book, Pagan says she’s not selfless, but to me she is. She’s amazing.
Overall, Predestined is astounding. The pacing to the book is perfect and there was never any dull moments at all. Abbi was able to surprise the heck out of me and add in some really creepy and sinister aspects into the book. She had me engaged through it all, left me speechless long before the end, and kept me from ever forgetting such an incredible story.
Abbi will surely have her readers (including me) begging for more.
5 out of 5 stars
*A big THANK YOU to Abbi for sending me an eARC of Predestined. In no way does Abbi have any influence over my opinion/review of this book. It is solely my own.
More Reviews on my blog: Words, Pages, and Books
I was so glad to be back into Pagan and Dank’s world. It was like a breath of fresh air that I hadn’t been able to take in for a very long time. I was more than happy to see that this time around the book is split into the perspectives of Pagan and Dank. I love Pagan to death (no pun intended, lol) but it’s so nice to be able to see things through Dank’s eyes. I really got to know him better and was able to see the depth of his love and concern for Pagan. Dank’s love for her really shows in everything that he does. I was also able to understand more of what he does as Death. It was endearing to see Dank vulnerable and to show such deep emotion and care towards the souls. It was a whole other side of him that I loved reading about. I love Abbi even more for doing this. I can never get enough of Dank.
In Predestined, Pagan and Dank’s relationship evolve from Existence and it continues to grow in strength throughout the book. I love how unbreakable and strong their love is to the point where they really go through Hell to stay together. Pagan and Dank’s love knows no bounds and is a force to be reckoned with. The moments that they have together will definitely melt any heart. I couldn’t help but love both of them more than I ever did before.
I was especially excited to see that Leif was back in Predestined. After that hair-pulling reaction I got from the ending of Existence, it had me questioning everything I knew about Leif. To find out the truth about him and why he’s a soulless creature was a complete shock. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but I never did see it coming and I thought it was brilliant Abbi weaved that aspect into Pagan’s life. It made the story even more exciting and thrilling. It’s such a refreshing and interesting idea that made me admire Abbi’s creativity even further.
Pagan’s dreams that seem to center around Leif was another mystery that gets unveiled that really touched my heart and made me ache for Leif. I couldn’t bring myself to hate him in any way. Soulless or not, I really do like Leif. I believed he really does love Pagan and cares for her more than anything. However, I was disappointed in him with some of the decisions he made when it came to Pagan. I found him to be a little selfish, but I knew he meant well.
I loved Predestined even more because of the immense amount of humor that was put into the book especially with Gee’s character. I really loved Gee in Existence so I was more than ecstatic to see her back with Pagan and Dank. Their banter really light up the dark parts of the book.
I must say that Pagan continued to impress me in Predestined. Her strength, courage and willingness to sacrifice herself for her loved ones is immense and very admiring. In the book, Pagan says she’s not selfless, but to me she is. She’s amazing.
Overall, Predestined is astounding. The pacing to the book is perfect and there was never any dull moments at all. Abbi was able to surprise the heck out of me and add in some really creepy and sinister aspects into the book. She had me engaged through it all, left me speechless long before the end, and kept me from ever forgetting such an incredible story.
Abbi will surely have her readers (including me) begging for more.
5 out of 5 stars
*A big THANK YOU to Abbi for sending me an eARC of Predestined. In no way does Abbi have any influence over my opinion/review of this book. It is solely my own.
More Reviews on my blog: Words, Pages, and Books
April 11, 2012
After reading the first book, and really, really enjoying it, I had a lot of expectations for this book to be just as good. Well, boy was I disappointed.
On a good note, the story line was definitely nothing that I've read before. There were plenty of aspects to it that were interesting, but I just found myself not loving it as much as the first one for a variety of reasons.
The first thing I want to complain about is the dreams that Pagan kept having frequently throughout the book. I hated reading them. Yes, I understand that they were memories from the past, but did they have to be written like a five year old was talking? It bugged the hell out of me!
The next thing I want to complain about is the relationship. What the hell happened to all the sexual tension and excitement? It was like Dank went from mysterious, sexy Death to a whiny, constantly growling (which I thought was weird) lap dog. Listening to the book through his point of view I think is what ruined it for me. In the first book, he was this puzzling being who seemed to act of his own accord and I liked not being able to figure out what his rationale was or what he was thinking. But in this book it's like I got into the head of a teenage girl when reading through his point-of-view, and I just found myself enjoying them being together less and less. Especially when Dank started acting annoyingly protective like when he first meets Pagan's ex at the funeral and again all his growling at people was just weird. I usually have a problem when I read a book through the guy's point of view when the author is female just because this girly-ness is what usually happens because, lets face it, we have no idea what's going on in a guy's head.
And then there's the whole thing with Leif. He's supposed to be being portrayed as the bad-guy in this situation, but I find myself getting mad at Pagan for the way that she is acting instead of disliking him. This isn't really a complaint on the book or the writing of it, it's just more of a complaint in general. I couldn't like Pagan and Dank's relationship as much when I couldn't hate Leif like I was supposed to (especially when I was beginning to dislike Dank).
Towards the end, I started to get excited when there was a bunch of build-up around the predicament that Pagan gets herself into, but I felt a little disappointed with how easily it was all concluded. Like i felt there was literally no actual struggle just a build up and then when the moment came for the two sides to confront each other, it was like the bad guys just decided they didn't feel like trying anymore even after all their struggle for Pagan before. I'm sure that the next book will probably reopen some of issues in this book again, but I just ended up feeling a little disappointed when I finished this book.
On a good note, the story line was definitely nothing that I've read before. There were plenty of aspects to it that were interesting, but I just found myself not loving it as much as the first one for a variety of reasons.
The first thing I want to complain about is the dreams that Pagan kept having frequently throughout the book. I hated reading them. Yes, I understand that they were memories from the past, but did they have to be written like a five year old was talking? It bugged the hell out of me!
The next thing I want to complain about is the relationship. What the hell happened to all the sexual tension and excitement? It was like Dank went from mysterious, sexy Death to a whiny, constantly growling (which I thought was weird) lap dog. Listening to the book through his point of view I think is what ruined it for me. In the first book, he was this puzzling being who seemed to act of his own accord and I liked not being able to figure out what his rationale was or what he was thinking. But in this book it's like I got into the head of a teenage girl when reading through his point-of-view, and I just found myself enjoying them being together less and less. Especially when Dank started acting annoyingly protective like when he first meets Pagan's ex at the funeral and again all his growling at people was just weird. I usually have a problem when I read a book through the guy's point of view when the author is female just because this girly-ness is what usually happens because, lets face it, we have no idea what's going on in a guy's head.
And then there's the whole thing with Leif. He's supposed to be being portrayed as the bad-guy in this situation, but I find myself getting mad at Pagan for the way that she is acting instead of disliking him. This isn't really a complaint on the book or the writing of it, it's just more of a complaint in general. I couldn't like Pagan and Dank's relationship as much when I couldn't hate Leif like I was supposed to (especially when I was beginning to dislike Dank).
Towards the end, I started to get excited when there was a bunch of build-up around the predicament that Pagan gets herself into, but I felt a little disappointed with how easily it was all concluded. Like i felt there was literally no actual struggle just a build up and then when the moment came for the two sides to confront each other, it was like the bad guys just decided they didn't feel like trying anymore even after all their struggle for Pagan before. I'm sure that the next book will probably reopen some of issues in this book again, but I just ended up feeling a little disappointed when I finished this book.
April 3, 2012
4.5-4.75 Stars
I really enjoyed this follow up to Existence. In fact, its pretty safe to say that I liked it a heck of a lot more. Lots of the questions I had after Book #1 were answered and for that I'm extremely grateful. Ok....So, before I continue with my review, I would like to take this moment to say that I have formed a heavy infatuation with Dank (a.k.a. Death). I've gotten over my dislike of his name and I am crushing on him. I want nothing more than for him and Pagan to find their HEA. No worries though, this story does have a HEA.
Ok, so with that cleared up, I want to say that I do feel sorry for Leif. I've had a soft spot for him since Book #1. We found out at the end that he was not human. We find out that he is the son of Ghede, Voodoo lord of the dead. Pagan soul belonged to Leif after her mother made a deal to save her life when Pagan was on her deathbed when she was just a child. Leif has always taken care of Pagan. He's shown up in various stages of her life when she needed someone the most. This is where I start feeling for Leif. He's the son of evil and the girl he wants doesn't want him back. Plus he's competing with Death. Poor Leif cannot catch a break. So yeah, I do feel bad for the guy. Don't get me wrong, I do not approve that he kept Pagan against her will, twice. But seriously, is it his fault that his father is sadistic and mad? No. Plus, Leif did redeem himself towards the end. :)
Whew! Yeah, this was good stuff. I'm seriously looking forward to Ceaseless. I can tell from the last pages of this book that I'm gonna love seeing more of Dank & his jealous side. Loved this sequel :)
I really enjoyed this follow up to Existence. In fact, its pretty safe to say that I liked it a heck of a lot more. Lots of the questions I had after Book #1 were answered and for that I'm extremely grateful. Ok....So, before I continue with my review, I would like to take this moment to say that I have formed a heavy infatuation with Dank (a.k.a. Death). I've gotten over my dislike of his name and I am crushing on him. I want nothing more than for him and Pagan to find their HEA. No worries though, this story does have a HEA.
Ok, so with that cleared up, I want to say that I do feel sorry for Leif. I've had a soft spot for him since Book #1. We found out at the end that he was not human. We find out that he is the son of Ghede, Voodoo lord of the dead. Pagan soul belonged to Leif after her mother made a deal to save her life when Pagan was on her deathbed when she was just a child. Leif has always taken care of Pagan. He's shown up in various stages of her life when she needed someone the most. This is where I start feeling for Leif. He's the son of evil and the girl he wants doesn't want him back. Plus he's competing with Death. Poor Leif cannot catch a break. So yeah, I do feel bad for the guy. Don't get me wrong, I do not approve that he kept Pagan against her will, twice. But seriously, is it his fault that his father is sadistic and mad? No. Plus, Leif did redeem himself towards the end. :)
Whew! Yeah, this was good stuff. I'm seriously looking forward to Ceaseless. I can tell from the last pages of this book that I'm gonna love seeing more of Dank & his jealous side. Loved this sequel :)
April 2, 2012
I'd been looking forward to this book - the ending of existence had me screeching "NOOO" along with several expletives - what a cliff hanger!! So not only was I itching for the release of this one, but I also had high expectations.
It didn't disappoint. I actually feel like this one is even better than existence, it really is that good!! Plus I loved the bit where Dank gives the "autograph", laughed like an idiot at the message!!
I don't want to give anything away and ruin it for anyone but I really did not see what was coming with regard to Leif and also Pagan's unknown back story and how the whole thing progressed. Seriously fantastic book.
Story is written as a mixture of first person between Pagan and Dank, which adds to the enjoyment - the rewritten existence scenes from Dank's POV on the Facebook page were awesome. To say he's "death", he's a fantastic character.
Now just have to wait for the third and final book to be released and the short blurb already has me frustrated in anticipation!! Damn you Abbi Glines!! ;-)
It didn't disappoint. I actually feel like this one is even better than existence, it really is that good!! Plus I loved the bit where Dank gives the "autograph", laughed like an idiot at the message!!
I don't want to give anything away and ruin it for anyone but I really did not see what was coming with regard to Leif and also Pagan's unknown back story and how the whole thing progressed. Seriously fantastic book.
Story is written as a mixture of first person between Pagan and Dank, which adds to the enjoyment - the rewritten existence scenes from Dank's POV on the Facebook page were awesome. To say he's "death", he's a fantastic character.
Now just have to wait for the third and final book to be released and the short blurb already has me frustrated in anticipation!! Damn you Abbi Glines!! ;-)
September 26, 2016
Oh to be Pagan. Death loves you. This other guy loves you. Wait...it seems like everyone that runs into Pagan can't help but love her. I think this story alone has at least 3....maybe 4 that do. I think that's my biggest frustration. I just don't understand why everyone likes Pagan so darn much. She's bossy and loudmouth and has a temper. She begs everyone to buy her things, mainly food. She barely ever says thanks. and yet everyone wants her. She isn't described as being drop dead gorgeous....
So this story continues with Pagan prancing around with Dank (I still don't like his name). We learn the story of Leif and why book 1 ended with the ominous words. We also learn more about how things in Dank's world work. It's not pretty and there are things that run in both their lives that Pagan wasn't aware of. Things that are making themselves very known. It's a bit of a messy story but it gets better in the end, when it all comes together.
I'm intrigued enough to read book 3 but only because this book had a teaser that sounded interesting.
So this story continues with Pagan prancing around with Dank (I still don't like his name). We learn the story of Leif and why book 1 ended with the ominous words. We also learn more about how things in Dank's world work. It's not pretty and there are things that run in both their lives that Pagan wasn't aware of. Things that are making themselves very known. It's a bit of a messy story but it gets better in the end, when it all comes together.
I'm intrigued enough to read book 3 but only because this book had a teaser that sounded interesting.
March 20, 2016
Okay Predestined was good but not as good as the first book! I enjoyed it a lot, and I couldnt put it down but it had minor problems that I'm willing to let go (but will of course make it lose a star) because of the wonderful over all story.
Who would have thought Death could be so incredibly sweet?
This book begins with Pagon and Dank finally being together and Leif running of or disappearing. Turns out he is soul-less and is the son of Ghede Voodoo master crap! This book answered the question I had from the first book Existence Why could Pagon see wandering souls?
.
Pagon might be head over heels, madly in love with Dank, but her soul isnt her's to keep! Her eyes going into flames only proves that she cant control what her soul desires!
What can she do to live a normal life without all this supernatural sh*t blowing up in her face? Could this be the end of Dank and Pagon? Would Dank (DEATH) be able to protect Pagon from being controlled by Voodoo dark magic?
I loved so many things about this book, how Pagon agreed to live eternity with Leif someone she doesnt love in order to save the people she truly loves. This shows how much wise and selfless she is which is rare to find. She's brave in so many ways that I wouldn't imagine to be if I were put in a situation as hers. Her life was all built on missing puzzle pieces, and as soon as Leif came back into her life she started having dreams that turned out that they were actually memories. Putting the pieces together she realized that Leif was always there when she needed him. He saved her from falling off a tree, kept her company when she felt lonely, and put a smile on her face when she least wanted too. That broke my heart.... Leif is a good guy, dealt with a sucky hand of cards. He had a crazy father who was plain wackoo!
I loved how Pagon changed Death, how she brought hope back into his life, how she made his job a taking souls harder and not just something he does without thinking and feeling guilty for taking it.
“This is the most precious perfect gift anyone has ever received. You gave me back a memory that I will cherish forever. You gave me something from my grandma I didn’t know I had. And you kept it and it led you back to me. It gave me you.”
I felt a wetness in my eyes and I blinked confused from the strange sensation. A small trickle of water ran down my cheek. I stared into the darkness as I held Pagan in my arms in amazement. Death had just shed a tear.
Dank's jealousy was sooooo cute, I want someone so sexy and drool worthy and jealous as Dank!!!! He fought for Pagon, he built an army to get her back.
"Because Pagan Moore was mine. Her life, her soul, her heart it was all mine. Nothing was going to stand in my way. No ancient curse. No soulless boy. And absolutely no Voodoo spirit Lord.”
I enjoyed Gee's sense of humor and how close she became to Pagon and the need to keep her safe even though she wasn't obliged too
"Deep breaths, Peggy Ann. Take deep breaths. Don’t get his majesty over here raining down hell on all who get in his path because his girl is scared shitless.”
What I disliked was Wyatt's death! How could Leif allow his father to do such a move? Wyatt trusted and befriended him, and I thought that was betrayal!! Leif could have stood up against his father, he should have had his own opinion! I was heartbroken when Wyatt died and how Miranda became lost without him and what actually put the cherry on top was knowing that this life has been his third lifetime and that Miranda's soul was his mate!!!!! Heart breaking I know!!!
I was relieved with how things ended in this book... Prom... Graduating and drum rolllls please!!!!!!
Wyatt returning in another body! I just like happy endings, who doesnt! I have a twinkling feeling that Wyatt or his souls in this new body will fall in love with Miranda again! Aweeeeeeeee
"You’ve claimed me and I don’t care who knows.
You’ve claimed me and I don’t care if it shows.
I’m weakened and I’m strengthened in your arms.
You’ve claimed me and I need to feel you close.”
Who would have thought Death could be so incredibly sweet?
This book begins with Pagon and Dank finally being together and Leif running of or disappearing. Turns out he is soul-less and is the son of Ghede Voodoo master crap! This book answered the question I had from the first book Existence Why could Pagon see wandering souls?
.
Pagon might be head over heels, madly in love with Dank, but her soul isnt her's to keep! Her eyes going into flames only proves that she cant control what her soul desires!
What can she do to live a normal life without all this supernatural sh*t blowing up in her face? Could this be the end of Dank and Pagon? Would Dank (DEATH) be able to protect Pagon from being controlled by Voodoo dark magic?
I loved so many things about this book, how Pagon agreed to live eternity with Leif someone she doesnt love in order to save the people she truly loves. This shows how much wise and selfless she is which is rare to find. She's brave in so many ways that I wouldn't imagine to be if I were put in a situation as hers. Her life was all built on missing puzzle pieces, and as soon as Leif came back into her life she started having dreams that turned out that they were actually memories. Putting the pieces together she realized that Leif was always there when she needed him. He saved her from falling off a tree, kept her company when she felt lonely, and put a smile on her face when she least wanted too. That broke my heart.... Leif is a good guy, dealt with a sucky hand of cards. He had a crazy father who was plain wackoo!
I loved how Pagon changed Death, how she brought hope back into his life, how she made his job a taking souls harder and not just something he does without thinking and feeling guilty for taking it.
“This is the most precious perfect gift anyone has ever received. You gave me back a memory that I will cherish forever. You gave me something from my grandma I didn’t know I had. And you kept it and it led you back to me. It gave me you.”
I felt a wetness in my eyes and I blinked confused from the strange sensation. A small trickle of water ran down my cheek. I stared into the darkness as I held Pagan in my arms in amazement. Death had just shed a tear.
Dank's jealousy was sooooo cute, I want someone so sexy and drool worthy and jealous as Dank!!!! He fought for Pagon, he built an army to get her back.
"Because Pagan Moore was mine. Her life, her soul, her heart it was all mine. Nothing was going to stand in my way. No ancient curse. No soulless boy. And absolutely no Voodoo spirit Lord.”
I enjoyed Gee's sense of humor and how close she became to Pagon and the need to keep her safe even though she wasn't obliged too
"Deep breaths, Peggy Ann. Take deep breaths. Don’t get his majesty over here raining down hell on all who get in his path because his girl is scared shitless.”
What I disliked was Wyatt's death! How could Leif allow his father to do such a move? Wyatt trusted and befriended him, and I thought that was betrayal!! Leif could have stood up against his father, he should have had his own opinion! I was heartbroken when Wyatt died and how Miranda became lost without him and what actually put the cherry on top was knowing that this life has been his third lifetime and that Miranda's soul was his mate!!!!! Heart breaking I know!!!
I was relieved with how things ended in this book... Prom... Graduating and drum rolllls please!!!!!!
Wyatt returning in another body! I just like happy endings, who doesnt! I have a twinkling feeling that Wyatt or his souls in this new body will fall in love with Miranda again! Aweeeeeeeee
"You’ve claimed me and I don’t care who knows.
You’ve claimed me and I don’t care if it shows.
I’m weakened and I’m strengthened in your arms.
You’ve claimed me and I need to feel you close.”
April 12, 2012
Ever since I read Existence I had this feeling that Leif would be the good guy he always seemed to be.This book was an incredible sequel to Existence.
When I started reading the book,my first thought was "Wow..Dank seems really possessive."I love how things have progressed between Dank and Pagan and how Dank is reacting to his own feelings,especially jealousy.
Firstly,the book starts with Leif missing and Pagan having nightmares about a boy who was always by her side when she needed someone to comfort her or save her when she was in danger.When Dank finds out about the dreams he knows something is wrong and so the story begins...
The story has a nice flow,scenes to die for,Gee quotes,voodoo stuff and a voodoo Lord Ghede,who is Leif's father and so on.Although the book is great,there was one scene that I wish it hadn't been,but everything turns out good in the end so I'm not going to complain.The book is recommended to everyone who has previously read Existence.Looking forward to reading the next book Ceaseless.
First posted on:
http://sofialovesreading.blogspot.com/
When I started reading the book,my first thought was "Wow..Dank seems really possessive."I love how things have progressed between Dank and Pagan and how Dank is reacting to his own feelings,especially jealousy.
Firstly,the book starts with Leif missing and Pagan having nightmares about a boy who was always by her side when she needed someone to comfort her or save her when she was in danger.When Dank finds out about the dreams he knows something is wrong and so the story begins...
The story has a nice flow,scenes to die for,Gee quotes,voodoo stuff and a voodoo Lord Ghede,who is Leif's father and so on.Although the book is great,there was one scene that I wish it hadn't been,but everything turns out good in the end so I'm not going to complain.The book is recommended to everyone who has previously read Existence.Looking forward to reading the next book Ceaseless.
First posted on:
http://sofialovesreading.blogspot.com/
June 26, 2012
Perhaps 2.5 stars would be a more apropriate rating for Predestined but I just couldn't give it 3 stars. When I read Existence I didn't notice how bad the writing actually was. It's either that or the author suddenly got worse at doing her job. And the names in the Existence Trilogy are just ridiculous. The entire story is actually a little bit ridiculous. I mean, seriously. Death himself is playing in a teenage rock band?! All that aside, I thought Dank (I really hate that name) was kind of hot and the book was interesting enough. But the writing is really, really bad. Maybe some people could ignore that, but I couldn't and I wish I could rate books on a scale of 1-10 because then it would be a lot more fair to some other books which don't deserve to get the same rating as this one.
February 6, 2017
Me gusto más que el primero pero aún siento que algo le falta a esta saga.
July 16, 2022
So this book has taken the series in an interesting turn. I still enjoyed it very much, but the plot twist took the book in a different direction than I was expecting. After that big cliffhanger too I can't wait to see what happens next in the series.
April 13, 2023
PERO QUE FINAL ES ESTEEE?????
October 11, 2012
I reread this book in October 2012 in anticipation for finally finishing off the trilogy, and I freaking loved it!
When the book starts Pagan and Dank are happily in love and living their lives as normally as is possible when one of you is Death. However Pagan is having weird dreams about her past, and then the mysterious Leif returns and things start to get really crazy. Dank goes into protective mode, roping Gee back into the action (which is a good thing because I love her!), and together he and Pagan piece together the puzzle of what happened in her past that could so radically alter her future. But can they do anything to stop it?
I love these characters! Unlike other YA heroines, Pagan is incredibly real and doesn’t whine or moon over her supernatural boyfriend. Yes, she loves him desperately, but she continues to have her own life and maintain relationships with her best friends. She is also very accepting of Dank and all that his supernatural-ness entails. She is incredibly trusting of him, and in return is honest with him as well. She doesn’t try to hide things and therefore go and get herself into stupid situations. And that is incredibly refreshing!!!
Dank is just pure, teenage hotness! And I loved having his POV in this book. Not only to see first-hand his love for Pagan, but also for the little glimpses that we got into his other life as ‘Death’. Watching him take the souls of the deceased was both heartbreaking and inspiring, and I love the way that Glines brought something that is so deeply theological into the story without ramming it down the reader’s throat. I’m still curious as to how Death manages to find time to attend high school, look after his girlfriend and be a famous rock star in addition to his reaping duties, but for the sake of enjoying the story, I just went along with it.
There is quite an intense storyline, and I was excitedly flipping pages (or tapping my kindle screen to be more precise) to see what was going to happen next. There are some very surprising turns to the story, and at one point I actually screamed out ‘Noooooo’, but it’s a sensational ride with a very exciting climax which had Death going all powerfully badass to save his girl. Woohoo!
"This was going to work or I really would charge Vilokan and take down every spirit who stood in my way. They’d asked for my fury; well, now they had it."
This is a fantastically original young adult PNR series. I can’t wait to see how it’s all going to end.
July 16, 2012
No, Just no.
To be fair to anyone who sees this 1 star review, I didn't actually finish reading this book. Truth is, I couldn't. I tried, maybe like 4 times. I just couldn't do it, so I "threw in the towel" and gave up.
After finishing the first book, I couldn't wait until the second one came out. That ending?! Anyone who read the first can agree with me on this one, that was on hell of a cliff-hanger ending. So as soon as I downloaded Predestined I was all about it. Well, I made it to, I'll say 20%, on my Kindle until I put it down. Right now its at 54% and that's where it will stay.
I really can't pin-point the reason why I can't finish this book. I just can't get into it. I hate Pagan's voice. The plot is not bad, but the story sucks....does that make sense?! (It makes sense in my head) Now that I think back, I don't think I really liked the first one's storyline either.
Well, bottom line, I can't get interested in this story therefore I will not be finishing. Maybe others will totally be in love with this book/series, but I am not.
To be fair to anyone who sees this 1 star review, I didn't actually finish reading this book. Truth is, I couldn't. I tried, maybe like 4 times. I just couldn't do it, so I "threw in the towel" and gave up.
After finishing the first book, I couldn't wait until the second one came out. That ending?! Anyone who read the first can agree with me on this one, that was on hell of a cliff-hanger ending. So as soon as I downloaded Predestined I was all about it. Well, I made it to, I'll say 20%, on my Kindle until I put it down. Right now its at 54% and that's where it will stay.
I really can't pin-point the reason why I can't finish this book. I just can't get into it. I hate Pagan's voice. The plot is not bad, but the story sucks....does that make sense?! (It makes sense in my head) Now that I think back, I don't think I really liked the first one's storyline either.
Well, bottom line, I can't get interested in this story therefore I will not be finishing. Maybe others will totally be in love with this book/series, but I am not.
Want to read
February 14, 2012Pagan’s soul has been marked since birth as a restitution, to a spirit so dark not even Death walks near it. Dank knows saving Pagan’s soul won’t be easy but Pagan is his. And he’s already proven he’ll defy Heaven to keep her. If Hell wants a piece of him too, then bring it on.
*swoon.*
I absolutely can't wait for April 4 to come!
*swoon.*
I absolutely can't wait for April 4 to come!
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