Dark Flame (The Immortals)

By Alyson Noel
Griffin, $17.99, 336 pages

In this fourth book in Alyson Noel’s The Immortals series, 17-year-old Ever is pretty much in the same predicament as always: She and Damen would like to consummate their love of many lifetimes.  However, “rogue immortals” keep getting in their way.

In the case of  Dark Flame, villain Roman, having coerced Ever in book two into giving Damen a drink that keeps them from being able to “exchange bodily fluids” (eww!), is oddly the object of Ever’s unwitting affections. Now she must figure out how to stop it — and get Roman to give her the antidote to the drink. Her best friend, Haven, is also causing problems, abusing the powers she gained when Ever made her an immortal in book three.

For those who have lapped up the whole Immortals series, Dark Flame will be more of the same. Unfortunately, the same goes for those who grew tired of the series in book two, a group that includes me. The books have grown annoying. The fact that the plot revolves around two teens (well, technically one teen and one 600-year-old boy) planning to have sex just makes it that much worse. I find it irresponsible of Noel to encourage teen readers in this activity.

Reviewed by Cathy Carmode Lim