Smitten by Books

Cheat the Grave
Author: Vicki Pettersson
Publisher: Eos/HarperCollins
Pub. Date: May 25, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0061456770
Retail: $7.99
368 pages

Las Vegas socialite and otherworldly avenger Joanna Archer gave up everything when she embraced mortality – abandoning her powers and altering her destiny to save a child… and a city. Now her former allies are her enemies – and her enemies have nothing to fear.

Yet still she is bound to a prophecy that condemns her to roam a nightmare landscape that ordinary humans cannot see and dare not enter. And a beast is on her trail – an insane killer blinded by bloodlust, who’s determined to rip much more from Janna than merely her now-fragile life. Survival is no longer an option in this dark realm where good and evil have blurred into confusing shades of gray – unless she can gather together an army of onetime foes and destroy everything she once believed in.

~*~*~

Fans of this series will be happy to know that Pettersson successfully brings Joanna back from the devastation that left us hanging almost a year ago. Be warned – this review contains some spoilers, for the series and the fifth installment.

When we last left Joanna/Olivia Archer, all hope seemed lost – along with her superpowers, her troop, the man she loved, and quite nearly her life. But life goes on, and the story picks up with a very human (and understandably bitter) Jo joining in the festivities surrounding the wedding of the century. Suzanne, the stepmother of Olivia’s best friend, is marrying a textile mogul and Olivia’s hotel/casino is putting on the whole affair.

After months of rehab, Jo has come to terms with her new mortality. But while her physical wounds have healed, the scars on her heart and spirit still fester just below the surface. Moving on with her new human life becomes impossible when an old enemy (crazy Mackie, the creepy piano player from Midheaven) has been cut loose to finish her off. Without her powers or the support of her ex-allies in the troop of Light, Joanna is a sitting duck. Yet help comes from the most unlikely places, including former agent of Shadow, Harlan Tripp – also escaped from Midheaven.

While running from her life and seeking the answers to why she’s still a target in immortal power-ball, Joanna unwittingly fulfills the fifth sign of the Zodiac: she joins both Light and Shadow in a troop of rogue agents determined to follow and protect the Kairos (despite her mortal status) and shift the balance of power in the Las Vegas valley.

The first question on my mind when I picked up this book was whether or not Joanna’s ex-lover, Hunter Lorenzo (a.k.a. Jaden Jacks) was going to make an appearance. Let’s get this out in the open right now – he does. In an effort to remain as spoiler-free as possible, let me just say that enough of the story is dedicated to this subplot that we better understand Hunter’s motivation for betraying Jo. I’m a sucker for angst, and Pettersson does it well, but by the end of the story, Joanna is determined to find a way to free him from Midheaven, and I was definitely on board with that plan.

A few other surprises are in store in Cheat the Grave, including the long-awaited introduction of Zoe Archer – Joanna’s mother, who’s been helping her from the sidelines for several books – as well as the deaths of a couple of important characters. The overall feel of this story was heavier and darker, due both to Joanna’s grim outlook and the lack of any real romance subplot. In fact, a good portion of the book is dedicated to Joanna accepting and grieving her losses. Also missing is the normal relief provided by scenes in the comic book store, or during training with the other agents. This book is a run for Joanna’s life, and even the normally vacant blond entourage attached to Olivia is unexpectedly deep and touching…right before they start stuffing their bras with toilet paper.

Perhaps my favorite layer of the story is the theme focused on how deceiving appearances can be. This is something Pettersson has touched on before, but she really nailed it this time. No one in this story is who you expect them to be. Enemies are allies. Allies are enemies. The weak are strong. The invincible fall. And in the middle of it all stands Joanna Archer – not Shadow or Light, human or hero – just a survivor.

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Rating: 7 (Good)

Heat-Level: 0 (None to speak of)