{Blog Tour} The Liberator by Victoria Scott: Review + Giveaway

So, it probably doesn't seem that long ago that I was excited to introduce you to the fabulous Dante Walker...oh, wait!  That's 'cause it was only April when I was touting that 2013 Belongs to Dante.  Well, he's back, baby, and he is better than ever!  Check out my review of The Liberator and scroll down for a giveaway!

Title: The Liberator
Author: Victoria Scott
Series: Dante Walker, book #2
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication Date: August 27, 2013
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Bad boy, meet bad girl.

Dante has a shiny new cuff wrapped around his ankle, and he doesn't like that mess one bit. His new accessory comes straight from Big Guy himself and marks the former demon as a liberator. Despite his gritty past and bad boy ways, Dante Walker has been granted a second chance.

When Dante is given his first mission as a liberator to save the soul of seventeen-year-old Aspen, he knows he’s got this. But Aspen reminds him of the rebellious life he used to live and is making it difficult to resist sinful temptations. Though Dante is committed to living clean for his girlfriend Charlie, this dude’s been a playboy for far too long…and old demons die hard.

With Charlie becoming the girl she was never able to be pre-makeover and Aspen showing him how delicious it feels to embrace his inner beast, Dante will have to go somewhere he never thought he’d return to in order to accomplish the impossible: save the girl he’s been assigned to, and keep the girl he loves.

Dante's character took a little getting used to in The Collector.  But I grew to love his swagger and his self-absorbed ways.  And he showed tremendous character growth in the first book.  That said, it took a lot to get used to this new and improved Dante in The Liberator.  He's not himself.  He doesn't know how to be a liberator, but he's trying his best.  And yet, this dude stays locked inside his own head for a good portion of the first half of the book.

Talk about a complete 180.  Dante worries -- a lot -- about his relationship with Charlie, about his status as a liberator, and about how he's going to keep Charlie safe.  It was actually kind of cute.  And then he's given this new mission, which takes him away from his beloved Charlie, and he worries even more.  Dante can't fathom how he's supposed to liberate the soul of a girl who is his equal in every way.  It's enough to drive a guy crazy.  But after Dante has his little pity party, he's back to being awesome.  Annoyingly so, but still.  :)

There are quite a few new additions to the cast of characters, as well as the return of some old friends.  ;0) And if you're worried about the possible love triangle hinted at in the synopsis, fret not.  Aspen is awesome and spunky and fierce, but more than anything, she is a friend to Dante and Charlie.  Dante sees some of himself in her, but he never looks at her the way he does Charlie.  Charlie is his world, and that's that.

I was happy to see that the villains were more prevalent and took on a more sinister role this time around. Not that they were non-existent before, but they were lurkers.  In this sequel, those bad guys have upped the ante and have added to their ranks.  This is truly a story of good versus evil, a battle between Heaven and Hell, and the bad guys aren't ready to give up just yet.

The Liberator got off to a bit of a slow start for me, but once it hit its stride, I was reminded of why I enjoyed the first book so much.  This installment is more action-packed and intense, I think, but it also packs a more emotional punch, as everyone seems to be battling their own demons.  I'm really enjoying Victoria Scott's take on angels and demons and what they're ultimately fighting for, and I can't wait to see what else she has in store for us.

Rating:  

About the author:

I’m a teen fiction writer with a die-hard affection for dark and humorous books. My work is represented by Sara Crowe of Harvey Klinger literary agency. I have a master’s degree in marketing, and currently live in Dallas with my husband, Ryan.

My first series started with THE COLLECTOR, and was published by Entangled Teen in April 2013. The second book in the trilogy, THE LIBERATOR, will release August 2013. My next series kicks off with FIRE & FLOOD and is being published by Scholastic, February 2014.

Find Victoria:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Goodreads | Youtube | Dante’s Website

a signed copy of THE LIBERATOR & a signed copy of TWILIGHT, international

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to check out the rest of The Liberator blog tour hosted by YA Bound Book Tours. Click HERE to see the full blog tour schedule!

Thanks for stopping by & happy reading!

Labels: bad boys, blog tour, dante walker, demons, entangled, fun, giveaways, reviews, souls, the collector, tori scott