Invision by Sherrilyn Kenyon – a Review

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Description:
***Please note if you haven’t read Instinct, there could be spoilers in the synopsis below.

One boy . . .Many demons.

Think there’s a lot of pressure on your shoulders? Nick Gautier was born to bring about the end of the world . . . it’s not easy being the heir of a demon overlord.

But Nick is determined to thwart his destiny and get into a good college. To be more than his genetics and prophecy foretell. No one is ever going to tell this stubborn Cajun who and what he really is. Or how to live his life.

Not even the Fates of the Universe. But now that he and his team of ancient gods and demons have claimed the Eye of Ananke and he sees the missteps of the future, he has to battle the demons within that are far deadlier and more treacherous than any he’s battled before. All the while his arch nemesis is back and determined to reclaim his place as the harbinger for Armageddon. Even if it means killing Nick and barbecuing everyone he loves to do so.

Review:

OMG, my head is spinning, don’t know which way is up or down, I feel like I’m on some funky acid trip right now.  That is the only way I can sum up Invision by Sherrilyn Kenyon for you. It’s a wild, crazy, information overload adventure filled with our favourite characters and Kenyon’s overly imaginative mind.  My note taking skills were seriously put to task in this one.  In true Kenyon fashion she continues her CON series by answering questions from the past book, creating new questions and dropping bombs on us we don’t see coming. These bombs leave our head spinning, jaw hanging open, and in the words of Achmed the Dead Terrorist yelling out Holy Crap!!!  I don’t know how many times I said that, along with my other favourites I tend to shout out; ‘No way!, Oh come on, seriously???? I thought my jaw was going to come unhinged by books end from all the shock factor she generates in Invision.  However, as much as Kenyon drove me crazy and made me feel like this book should’ve been longer for all the information she tossed my way, I did love this addition to her CON series.  There was never a dull moment in this one. 

Speaking of which, the information comes at us fast and furious and there really are moments when you will find yourself re-reading a paragraph or page 2 or 3 times to make sure you read that right. The bombs Kenyon drops on us are mind-boggling and you’ll just have to read this one to find out what they are, because as you all know I don’t like to spoil plot lines and those types of reveals.  I prefer to let you experience those reveals as I did, and enjoy Kenyon’s gift for wowing the audience.  Some of these bomb drops include;

-learning more about Cherise and Kody and just what they mean to Nick and his Malachai
-the reveal of Xev and Caleb’s dad and their connection to Nick, yes Xev and Caleb are half siblings
-the reveal of who Jared’s parents are and his connection to Nick
-the reveal of Xev’s mom
-we finally learn just who and what Verlyn is
-Nick’s connection to M’adoc the Dream warrior, and what it would mean should Nick fall before having a son
-Apollymi’s brother is…thus connecting her to her Nick as well

These reveals left me shocked and sputtering and needing to remember to breath!!!!  One event Kenyon finally explains and I don’t feel I’m spoiling anything for you if I tell is how the first Malachai – Monakribos came into existence.  It’s no wonder the Malachai is one pissed off preternatural being.  Monakribos was in love with Rhubati, but he was tricked into killing her by Grimm and Laguerre because they drugged him.  Once the drugs wore off, he saw what he’d done and went crazy, took her blood and painted the Malachai symbols on his body and using magic damned all the world and everyone in it to hell until they fixed the wrong done to him.  Hell I’d be pissed too if that was done to me, and you can’t help but feel for the guy and see where he’s coming from.  We also learn that from Rhubati’s death Bathymaas springs forth from her body at the moment, but is a shell of Rhubati because she’s missing her heart.  It’s not until Bethany is reborn from Bathymaas, and Styxx falls in love with her giving her back her heart that Rhubati is finally complete. So this is why Kody has felt connected to Nick from the very beginning of the series.

We also learn more about the Eye of Ananke and just what it does.  It shows you the ‘why of the matter or person’ and it can’t lie or distort the truth.  What you see has either happened or will come into being.  Thanks to the eye Nick keeps having these visions of events past(Monakribos/Rhubati), and events to come.  With events to come Kenyon launches us into the far future where we meet everyone’s grown kids; Kyrian’s, Nick’s, Simi’s, etc, all doing battle against the Malachai Ciprian.  Ciprian has freed Noir and Azuza by opening the Gates to Azmodea, and we also learn that Simi’s son Lucien is in love with Nick’s daughter Charity, but never find out who the father of Simi’s kids are because Kody says it would’ve altered the future if Nick had learned that tidbit.  Now I really want to know that answer, but in true Kenyon form she doesn’t speak of it again, arrrrr, so frustrating!!!!  I guess we just keep reading the series.  By books end another bombshell is dropped as we learn Ciprian is Nick’s kid as well, but I was completely stunned and pissed off by the reveal of his mother.  There’s no way Nick would get together with this female if she were the last female standing.  I’m thinking he had to have been tricked like Monakribos was before becoming the Malachai.  I really wish the next book were released already. Why must Kenyon make me wait another year to find out more about this reveal and everything else she dropped on my head in Invision.  

Oops, before I forget, one little tidbit we find out that is funny, but answers a few questions about our zombie hunting fave Bubba, his dad is actually a former Hellchaser, but that part of Bubba’s blood is dormant and his father never told him about it, but feels guilty because one of his dad’s enemies is the one responsible for Bubba’s wife and son’s death.  His dad feels guilty over it and keeps a close watch on his son now.  No wonder Nick and Bubba hit it off so well and why Bubba is attracted to Nick’s mom.  Yes, once again the plot thickens.  No wonder the guy is a little cooky, but we love him all the same.  That part of the book had me howling with laughter along with many others parts of Invision.

As I said at the beginning of my review, I felt like I was on some crazy acid trip by the time I was finished this one.  Invision is everything you come to expect from a Kenyon novel; well developed characters you can’t help but come to love, humour and sarcasm in bundles, twists and turns you never see coming, and reveals about characters that leave you stunned speechless, or yelling like a loon at you Kobo e-reader. I don’t know how Kenyon plans to pull everything together past, present and future by the time this series ends, and we get Nick’s adult DH book, but one thing we can count on, we’ll be in for a wild ride to get there. For all you Menyon and CON fans out there Invision is a must read and great installment to the series.

Until next time my fellow Menyon fans, happy reading, and I’m off to try and find my  zen again, LOL!!!

Reviewed by Marcie