Just finished reading . . . Hell Fire by Anne Aguirre [review]

Hell Fire (Corine Solomon series, book 2) by Ann Aguirre

This review cross-posted from Goodreads.
My Goodreads rating: 5 of 5 stars
View all my reviews at Goodreads >>
I won this book in a giveaway on Twitter held by the author.

“I’m still a redhead. Before we left Texas, I touched up the roots, and then I had some tawny apricot highlights put in. I guessed that meant I intended to keep this color for a while. Symbolic—I’d made a commitment, at least to my hair.” As a handler, Corine Solomon can touch any object and know its history. It’s too bad she can’t seem to forget her own. With her ex-boyfriend Chance in tow—lending his particularly supernatural brand of luck—Corine journeys back home to Kilmer, Georgia, in order to discover the truth behind her mother’s death and the origins of her “gift.” But while trying to uncover the secrets in her past, Corine and Chance find that something is rotten in the state of Georgia. Just a few miles away, no one seems to know Kilmer exists. And inside the town borders there are signs of a dark curse affecting the town and all its residents—and it can only be satisfied with death…

While in some ways, Hell Fire didn’t have the same fireworks as book 1 in the series, Blue Diablo (read: no zombie armies) it still was a compelling and exciting read. I didn’t want to put it down, and was anxious to get back to it when I did have to stop reading. (And for those of you who might miss the over the top supernatural events, there are more than enough scary things running through the woods to satisfy.)

In Hell Fire, Corine explores her past in Kilmer, GA and finds out what really happened to her mother. I feel like I learned a lot about her as a character through seeing where she comes from.

The book also furthers her relationships with both Jesse and Chance, and she comes to some necessary insights about them. I love how the author doesn’t come to any easy solutions with regards to the men in Corine’s life, but makes Corine’s decisions based on what’s consistent with (and best for) her character.

Hell Fire introduces a new character, Shannon. She took the story in some intriguing directions, and revealed some interesting things about Corine. Though a well-developed character in her own right, Shannon was able to serve as a reflection of a younger Corine, as well as bring out Corine’s nurturing side.

While the action of the book is plot driven, the characters —especially that of Corine —are incredibly well developed.

I’ve read and enjoyed a number of Ann Aguirre’s books, but with Hell Fire there was a level of confident expertise in writing that I associate with two of my favorite authors, Kelley Armstrong and Jim Butcher.

I can’t wait for Shady Lady, book 3 in the series.

• Ann Aguirre’s site.
• Excerpt for Hell Fire.
• Hell Fire at Goodreads.