Book Review: The Power of Conviction

My rating: 5 resolute stars!!

A grim and bloody tale of faith, forbidden love and revenge, that will have you at the edge of your seat and wishing for more!

The first book in the Prime Series and I believe I found another favorite!

Humanity is threatened by demons! In all shapes and sizes, they keep attacking settlements, leaving nothing but corpses behind. But the Priesthood rises and dares to stand against them. Blessed by the Goddess and trusting in Her divine supremacy, the priests follow with unwavering faith a dedicated path to rid the world of the foul creatures' unholy presence.
Trained in the arts of the Light, the priests walk a bloodied path through the scores of demons. But the fight against demonkind is becoming increasingly perilous, and danger rises to threaten the Priesthood’s very survival.
The orders of the High Priest become more and more gruesome, in an attempt to keep the upper hand. But will his adepts be willing to follow? And is the path as righteous as it seems?

In masterful strokes, Catrin Rusell paints here a compelling picture of a dark world, where faith clashes with reason, dedication blends in with obsession and appearances are never quite as they seem. Honor, ethics, righteousness, justice and morality, they are all beautifully brought into focus and challenged on the background of a sweeping war with demonkind.

How far would you go in doing your duty? How gruesome should an order be before you draw the line and refuse to obey? Would you follow a command through even though the result will make you want to hurl? Or would you stand your ground despite being called a traitor to the cause?
This author here will make you walk a tightrope in between!

Beautifully fleshed-out characters complement this gripping story and you may find it difficult to pick a favorite. They aren't perfect, but just right! Neither too great nor too plain, just human! I for one love them all!!

Anaya, the MC. A badass warrior priestess whom demons learnt to fear!! Strong and brave Anaya; so lonely and guarded; so steadfast in her path and yet so vulnerable and fragile and kind-hearted! You cannot help but stand in her corner and cheer while she questions, doubts and dares the forbidden!

Anaya - by Catrin Russell

Lenda. Sweet and gentle Lenda who would rather heal then hurt! Her kindness and inner light you cannot help but notice! She's the little sister each and everyone of us would do anything to protect.

Lenda- by Catrin Russell

Eden. Brave, honorable and charming! He is every lady's dream. And the man any mother would want for her daughter!

Eden- by Catrin Russell

Edric. Tough, lonely, broken Edric! He is one of those unforgettable characters that will stay with you long after the tale is over. His horrid past. as well as his struggle to mend himself, you cannot but admire!

Edric- by Catrin Russell

Vixen. Tough and sexy commander Vixen, who'll hold her ground with any demon or man alike! She'll throw a solid punch if you piss her off and have you on your back in no time. But you won't find a better match than her, if you want to heal a broken heart.

Vixen- by Catrin Russell

And lastly, Samael. Our Prime predator and kick-ass demon! He'll have his own kind cowering in fear at a mere glance - and that's just in his human form. When his claws come out... you would'n want to piss him off even by chance! And still, I'd have this bad boy savage monster for a book boyfriend any day!! Why you ask?! You're gonna have to read this to find out! :D

Samael- by Catrin Russell

Written in a wonderful, elegant prose, this debut novel has something for everyone.
Love and tenderness enough to make you sigh, for all those in search of great feeling; as well as mystery and suspense to keep you guessing till the very end.

Bloody action scenes are aplenty for those in search of kick-ass fights: 

"The Prime shrieked as the spell enclosed around it, the exoskeleton catching alight. Vixen dared the flames as she hurled herself onto the beast, this time hacking her sword at its neck, reaching deeper with every blow."

As well as gory battles raw enough to fully satisfy: 

"An enormous black and green, heavily scaled tail came swinging through the mist. Cutting through the Light around them, it tore through Scott. It smashed into his body, ripping it apart, his intestines hurtling towards the other priests. In a whoosh of towering mist, a leg came crashing down, crushing Joseph under its weight."

This author doesn't shy away from killing, pain and suffering. She'll give you raw torture scenes that will make you cringe in outrage: 

"The... moved on to the next item on his list. He grabbed a mace leaning up against the wall and swung it at the demon. The boy attempted to remove himself from its path, but the shackles held firm. Crimson and teeth sprayed...."

just as easily as unjust punishments, enough to break a heart: 

"More lashings. Then more. Ceaselessly falling. More and more blood was drawn, as the whip rippled across the man's already raw skin. ... " 

"Mercy has nothing to do with it. All is allowed in war."
And yet,
"I am not heartless." - so our demon says!
Whether both statements stand, remains to be seen.

Note: The Power of Conviction is the first book in The Prime Series and ends in a cliffhanger. You'd do well to keep the sequel close by because you'll definitely want to see what happens next!!

Hope you will love it just as much as I did!
Happy reading! :)

Check out this book and more of Catrin Russell here.