Lily Carlyle and her sister Rose are about to die because of a portal from Hell that Lily opened. The demon Penemue wants to break through and control all the demons on the Earth that have crossed over and rule the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, where untold demons would then cover the Earth. It's up to Lily to stop him, and as long as she has the Oris Clef, the key to lock the Ninth Gate of Hell, she can succeed. But Lily also has the choice to become the demon queen on Earth where the urge to do so builds inside her.

The past few months have turned Lily's world upside down. Not only has she been killed and inhabited a new body, but her sister Rose, who has been targeted by a demon, is also in a new skin. There are not many they can trust, even though Deacon, a demon living as a human wants to help Lily. He also grapples with his dark side and longs to claim Lily as his own. These three team up and hide in the shadows, much like their enemies who stalk them and try to defeat Lily from accomplishing her mission.

Time is of the essence and with only hours left until Armageddon arrives, Boston will become an unholy war zone. It all lies on Lily's shoulders to be the ultimate winner. If she loses, not only will her life be forfeit, but billion of lives will also be at sake.

TURNED is the third and final book in the Blood Lily Chronicles by Julie Kenner. Fans of the first two books will be on the edge of their seats wondering if the world will be safe from the demons of Hell. There are many supernatural elements, action and fight scenes, as well as a subtle romance between Lily and Deacon that can't be acted upon because of the constant danger.

Lily is a very strong willed and mature heroine who has so much to deal with. She tries to take everything in stride but still has doubts about her abilities. She loves dearly, especially with her sister Rose who has been damaged in so many ways, but has walked through the fire and has survived.

Julie Kenner can write amazing female characters and readers will also enjoy the interactions between Lily and Deacon, where they'll wish for much more between these two that is left open ended. The action is intense throughout, but by the middle of the story things became a bit weak, where it feels like Julie was having a hard time trying to keep the momentum going until the final battle occurs. There is a great deal of dialogue between characters that tries to explain everything that has happened, and even though this is needed, I found myself becoming a bit bored by it all. Things pick up again in the final few chapters.

TURNED is a solid read and should appeal to fans of warrior type heroines with an ends of days scenario.

Book Summary

The horrors of hell draw closer as Lily, scarred both emotionally and physically, finally understands the extent of her role. But finding the courage to do what's right is sometimes harder than hell, especially when the ultimate temptation can be found on the other side of the coin.