Review: Predestined (Existence #2)

Predestined by Abbi Glines

published 3 April 2012

Goodreads synopsis:

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.

My Review:

The story continues! Leif is still missing...but not really. Since he is soulless nobody really forms a bond with him and he is quickly forgotten. However, Pagan and Dank know he is still around and causing problems for them. You see Leif keeps showing up in Pagan's dreams. She starts to remember times in her life that he was always around helping her, comforting her or protecting her. His daddy is the Voodoo lord of the dead who has claimed Pagan's soul for Leif and Leif is ready to claim her. Of course Dank is DEATH and Pagan is his love and NO ONE is taking her away. It quickly becomes a testosterone-fest over who will 'claim' Pagan as their own. Let me just say, Dank starts to get angry and when Pagan is taken from him....oh boy does he pull out his ass kickin' boots!

Pagan truly is a kind soul. I totally see why she is able to charm Death! Even during some stressful situations she manages to put her friends and family before herself and her heart. She makes some true sacrifices to set things right and cause less harm to those she loves. It really is admirable.

I liked the little peeks we get into Dank's job as Death. How he deals with his job of meeting souls as they leave their hosts. He is respectful and concerned for the soul and those they leave behind. I like how he is upset by tragedy, carelessness and war. He remembers souls he has met before and even a soulmate who has moved on 50 years prior. He is a character of great depth and I feel we really get to know him in Predestined.

Gee. Is. Hilarious! She is one of the transporters who usher souls to the Creator after Dank pulls them from their host bodies. I like that we are getting to see her interact with Dankmar (as she loves to call him) and Pagan. She is a riot to have around and I love how she dresses and acts. She is true to herself and doesn't care what people around her think. Very strong indeed.

Abbi manages to rip our heart out at least once in this book. She doesn't just rip to out, she stomps on it a bit! There will be the tissue grabbing moment that we don't see coming BUT (and this is a big BUT...heehee) it is what gives the ending of the book a nice surprise and so much potential for the third and final book Ceaseless.

Predestined was everything I expected it to be. Abbi Glines always writes fascinating books that keep me enthralled from beginning to end. 4.5 STARS!! A big thank you to the author, Abbi Glines, for the ARC of Predestined!!