ANNIHILATION

In this paranormal sequel, a teenage angel/demon hybrid and her family clash with hell’s power-hungry queen and her famous dad, Lucifer.

With her father, Lucifer, supposedly dead, Queen Lucinda aspires to be the most powerful figure in hell, tormenting and consuming demon and human souls. World domination is also in reach if she can turn the tide in the imminent Red War between heaven and hell. It seems odd, then, that Lucinda focuses her attention on Crighton, Lucifer’s former soul seeker and a Nephilim (an angel/demon), whom the queen loves. Crighton lives in Middle Earth, a place that’s neither heaven nor hell, with his guardian angel soul mate and their 17-year-old daughter, Samara. But Lucinda has a diabolical plan; she abducts someone in Crighton’s family who’s reputedly the key to destroying heaven in the war. Meanwhile, Lucifer, an angel once more, hijacks a “meat suit” and returns to hell. He aims to seize the throne back from Lucinda while his disturbing obsession with Samara slowly brews. He may be an even bigger threat than his daughter, as he’ll likely use his power to annihilate everything—heaven, hell, and Earth. McFarren’s epic follow-up to Soul Seeker (2020) brims with vivid characters and subplots, fueling the sequel’s impressive pace. For example, Samara’s demon-filled school days culminate in a murder mystery, and disappearing members of Crighton’s family spur several rescue missions. In addition, the author’s pithy details don’t linger excessively on scenes of brutal torture and explicit sex. Much of the cast is gleefully complex, harboring unexpected connections to others, and rarely trustworthy, though Samara is a consistently appealing young protagonist. While Lucinda’s thirst for power drives the story, the lengthy final act swerves drastically, introducing myriad new characters and twists aplenty involving Samara and a weirdly specific prophecy. Still, the doozy of a cliffhanger will surely leave readers yearning for a third series installment.

Supernatural beings propel this intricate, intriguing, and surprisingly energetic tale.