For a year she believe she was a backpacker chilling out in Pandanus Beach. Working at the library. Getting over the accident that killed her twin brother.
Then Rafa came to find her and Gaby discovered her true identity as Gabe: one of the Rephaim. Over a hundred years old. Half angel, half human, all demon-smiting badass and hopelessly attracted to the infuriating Rafa.
Now she knows who faked her memories, and how—and why it’s all hurtling towards a massive showdown between the forces of heaven and hell.
More importantly, she remembers why she’s spent the last ten years wanting to seriously damage Rafa.
Enjoyable, epic and vividly realised, Burn is a satisfying conclusion to the Rephaim series; a series which, I believe, has become stronger with every instalment. It takes well-worn concepts in paranormal fiction (there are a lot of fallen angels in YA) but still manages to offer a fresh perspective and solid mythology. I think the setting in particular is wonderful in this novel; it incorporates international locations while still having a distinctly Australian edge.
I have a little trouble reviewing paranormal fiction, largely due to the fact that I read a great deal more on the contemporary end of the spectrum and tend to prefer stories set in the real(er) world; I worry that I am not, perhaps, the ideal audience, due to my low tolerance level for melodramatic supernatural creatures and over-long series. I need not have worried this would be the case with Burn; this novel is fast-paced and melodrama is kept to a minimum. Nothing is excruciatingly drawn-out as I think can be a temptation for writers with series that feature extensive casts of characters with complex histories. The ending is hopeful, and though a bit sentimental for my tastes, it's a fitting conclusion.
If you enjoy paranormal YA/novels about fallen angels, and are looking for your new favourite series, this one is well worth checking out. (Now that the final novel has been published, there's no painful wait for the next instalment - nothing to stop you from binge-reading the entire series in one go, if you like.) If you read the first book in the Rephaim series and aren't sure whether to pick up the next, do. Burn is my favourite novel in the series; I especially loved the cinematic battle scenes toward the end. This is exactly the sort of paranormal YA I love, and I look forward to seeing what Paula Weston writes next.
Burn on the publisher's website.
