The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan

Title: The Demon's Covenant

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Publisher: Simon Pulse
ISBN: 978-1-84738-920-0
Pages: 440
Series: The Demon's Lexicon #2
Type: Young Adult Urban Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Mae's life has spun out of control. Her brother Jamie is a magician and she's horrified to learn he's now meeting with the leader of the Obsidian Circle, the same group who almost got them both killed. When Mae calls in her friends Nick and Alan to save her brother, the last thing she expects is for the Circle to spring a trap...for Nick. Now with brother set against brother Mae is forced to turn to the dangerous and mysterious Goblin Market in hopes of saving them all.

This is the second book in the Demon's Lexicon trilogy and I was really impressed with the first volume The Demon's Lexicon so I was excited to get stuck into this. It picks up a few weeks after the conclusion of the previous book and is told from Mae's perspective which is a nice change. The switch in narrator not only gives us a different perspective, but also allows us to see different parts of Mae's world. As with the previous book the story is well paced and plotted with vivid scenes that really come to life on the page.

In addition to the usual character development, world building and awesome action scenes this book has a more psychological aspect which questions the nature of love, betrayal and trust. It really adds a new layer to the story and really deepens the world giving it a more emotional slant and bringing the humanity of all the characters to the forefront.

In addition to the modern day action, excerpts from Nick and Alan's father's journal are included and I found these sections fascinating. I was glued to the page and loved the revelations of how an adult dealt with the appearance of a demonic baby. I also loved seeing Nick and Alan as little kids before the realities of their lives fighting with magicians set in.

I really liked Mae in this book and it was great to watch her grow in maturity as the story progresses. Where she ends up is completely different to where she began and I loved it. There is a bit of a weird romance situation going on throughout between Mae, her boyfriend Seb and Nick and Alan. Mae takes forever to decide what (and who) she wants and then the decision is almost made for her. I like that the romance isn't the main aspect of these books, but the indecisiveness started to bother me after a while.

Nick is easier to read through Mae's eyes and, given the revelations at the end of the previous book, far more enjoyable this time. His sarcasm and wit shine through along with his quest to become more like a normal human, and I really liked him. Alan has become more stubborn and his choices have left him with some serious angst to brood about. I never really liked Seb, especially how he acts towards Jamie who also experiences some major character growth.

All in all this was an awesome read and I can't wait for the final volume The Demon's Surrender.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 47/50