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Dark Flame: The Immortals    by Alyson Noel Amazon.com order for
Dark Flame
by Alyson Noel
Order:  USA  Can
Griffin, 2010 (2010)
Hardcover, CD, e-Book
* * *   Reviewed by Hilary Williamson

Dark Flame is the fourth (following Evermore, Blue Moon and Shadowland) in Alyson Noel's paranormal YA series, The Immortals.

In Evermore, after a car crash that killed the rest of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever began to read minds and see auras. Sent to live with her aunt Sabine in Laguna Beach, California, Ever was considered a freak at school until her soul mate Damen Auguste showed up and changed her life.

In Blue Moon, Ever joined Damen as an immortal. He taught her how to control her new powers and told her about their past lives together. After rogue immortal Roman showed up, Damen changed and Ever sought answers in Summerland.

In Shadowland, Ever learned of the dark side of her renewed life, and that death for her will mean sharing Damen's dire destiny in the Shadowland. After taking a job with Jude (another past life associate) at Mystics and Moonbeams, Ever began to recklessly delve into witchcraft.

Now, as Dark Flame opens, Ever struggles with both her relationship with her friend Haven (whom she made immortal to save Haven's life), and with the unexpected consequences of her attempts at witchcraft. Haven revels in her new looks and vitality and is soon close to Roman, despite Ever's warnings about him. Haven accuses Ever of jealousy. And, instead of giving her influence over Roman, Ever's spell rebounds to make her obsessed with him.

Ever also discovers (by almost killing him) that Jude is not one of Roman's cohorts, and they renew their friendship, though Jude would still like more from Ever as he has through their past lives. He gives good advice, which Ever ignores as she digs herself deeper and deeper into karmic trouble.

How is it resolved? You'll have to read Dark Flame to find out, but it's one of the better episodes in this unusual series. It ends on a cliffhanger, in which Ever faces a new - and vengeful - immortal enemy. I look forward to reading what comes next in Night Star.

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