Original Sin

By Allison Brennan

Haunted by chilling memories of demonic possession and murder, Moira O’Donnell has spent seven years hunting down her mother, Fiona, whose command of black magic has granted her unprecedented control of the underworld. Now Moira’s global search has led her to a small California town that’s about to become hell on earth.

Tormented by his own terrifying past and driven by powers he can’t explain, ex-seminarian Rafe Cooper joins Moira’s dangerous quest. But Fiona is one devilish step ahead. Hungry for greater power, eternal youth, and stunning beauty, the sorceress is unleashing upon the mortal world the living incarnations of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Together with a demonologist, a tough female sheriff, and a pair of star-crossed teenagers, Moira and Rafe are humanity’s last chance to snatch salvation from the howling jaws of damnation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Jan 26, 2010
• ISBN: 9780345519160

Allison Brennan

ALLISON BRENNAN is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of over forty-five novels. She has been nominated for Best Paperback Original Thriller by International Thriller Writers and the Daphne du Maurier Award. A former consultant in the California State Legislature, Allison lives in Arizona with her husband, five kids and assorted pets.

Reviews for Original Sin

[amy_j-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you take away one thing from this book, it's that nothing is black & white. The saga that unfolds on these pages lives deep inside the many shades of gray. I was grabbed by this story from very early on and stayed hooked until the very last word.*I received this free as a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for a review*

[jguidry-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Paranormal romance is not my usual cup of tea, but this one was pretty good for me. I thought it was very well-researched and had a lot of background on witchcraft and magicians. The beginning was rather choppy and almost lost me with the prologue. Also, chapter one starts after some of the action had already happened. Once I was able to figure out what the beginning was all about, I really began to get into the story. I will warn that this is a cliffhanger book. The main action was resolved, but it definitely leads straight into book 2, which I will pick up and read.

[m0vingon · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a recommendation from a co-worker. While the story was, in some aspects, romance-novel predictable, I was still drawn in and unable to put it down. The main character is powerful, yet weakened by her fear of her mother and her devotion to her estranged sister. The power of the rivalry between daughter and mother is compelling. This book is the first of a series and though I tried to read the second, it wasn't working for me and I have yet to finish it. Original Sin may be the only book of the series that i will read, but it's good enough to stand alone.

[thelibraryhag · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Moira is a strong witch but she can not use her magic because in this world all magic results in evil. She has joined forces with a secret order of the Catholic Church to battle the most powerful witch in the world, her mother.This was a very good book. The lines between good and evil are clearly drawn. The characters both good and evil are so well drawn. The concept of the series is very interesting. I am interested to see where this is going. There is a bit of romance and a bit of sex. I really enjoyed Brennan's writing style. She keeps the action going while taking time to let you get to know the characters.

[fantasydreamer_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When I first heard about Original Sin by Allison Brennan I was intrigued by it but I wasn't prepared to be blown away. There are two primary things that can keep me glued to a book, one the story revolves around the paranormal and two there is enough mystery to keep me to locked in suspense. Original Sin by Allison Brennan did both. If I could have read this book in one sitting, I would have.This book had a very different view on witches then what you ordinarily see in Urban Fantasy. There are no good witches. The premise here is that any magic is bad and there is no such thing as good magic. And so the suspense starts to build from the very beginning because how is an ex-witch suppose to battle her super powerful, wicked witch of a mom without magic? What can Moira use to stop her mother Fiona from opening the gates of Hell and save the world from the Seven Deadly Sins?What made this story click for me was the building suspense as I read, the realistic characters and the men of St. Michael's Monastery. Moira seems liked damaged goods with need to atone for the past but she is resilient and strong. Rafe has an air of strength and mystery about him while at the same time he seems vulnerable. Anthony comes across as a hard-case, not willing to give Moira the benefit of the doubt because as far as he's concerned once a witch always a witch. Skye is tough and dogs the witches' evil plans right along with Moira, Rafe and Anthony. Then there's Fiona and the minions of her coven. I found Fiona to be a treacherously, evil character and her diabolical plans had me gripping the book tight as I read.I mentioned the men of St. Michael's Monastery as being one of the high point for me, the reason being it's been awhile since I've read a story where supposedly ordinary men, who were not a super-being such as a vamp or a shapeshifter, has captured my attention. Both Rafe and Anthony are men of St. Michael's Monastery. Ms. Brennan has weaved such a strong air of mystery around these men that I'm dying to know more about them. They each seem to possess qualities of being more than just ordinary but it's just not blatantly obvious what it is.Original Sin by Allison Brennan was a terrific mixture of suspense, mystery and a lot of action with a hint of romance told from the different characters' perspectives. I found myself repeatedly surprised by the turns in the plot. I have definitely been pulled into the world of the Seven Deadly Sins and I cannot wait until Cardinal Sin releases later this year.

[lorihedgpeth · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was my first book by Allison Brennan and she has hooked me for life. In simple terms, I loved this book. Loved it! I found the perfect balance of a supernatural storyline (witches and demons, anyone?) with a touch of romance, all helmed by a strong, independent and very likable heroine. What could possibly be wrong with it? While Original Sin was full of supernatural themes, witchery and demonology I found it more suspenseful than terrifying (and I mean that as a compliment). There were more than a few lunch hours that I stretched out because I simply did not want to put the book down, so engrossed with Moira, Fiona, Serena, Rafe and Anthony I had become. I was both impatient to get to the end of the book and dreaded turning that final page. Ms. Brennan's writing is crisp, descriptive and draws the reader in quickly. I could picture not only the characters but the targeted town of Santa Louisa, as well as the demons and demonic creatures that were peppered throughout the novel. Moira was perhaps one of the best heroines I have recently had the pleasure of meeting through reading. She's strong and determined and can take care of herself without benefit of a man just fine, thank you. What a nice surprise to have a heroine who doesn't fall apart at the first sign of trouble or danger!Original Sin certainly isn't the first book to use the Seven Deadly Sins as its basis, nor will it be the last, but how much worse a villain could there be but Satan? I found the central Satan/Seven Deadly Sins storyline fascinating enough but Moira's backstory of being born for a purpose, running from her dangerous mother for seven years and a lost fiance were the blood red cherry on top of this paranormal sundae.As much as I hated for this book to end, I took some consolation in knowing that Original Sin is but the first book in a three book series. I simply cannot wait for the next book to be released so I can catch up with Moira in her quest to fight off demonic forces. I would recommend this book to any reader who enjoys supernatural, horror or thriller genres. For readers who appreciate a lot of romance, Original Sin may not be your cup of tea. By the same token, if you are easily offended by crude language and/or scenes of a sexual nature, you might be more offended than interested. I would also recommend to any television or film producer looking for a good project to look no further - - Original Sin would make a fantastic movie!

[vividconfusion · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Although the story in this book is relatively well crafted, I found the concepts of the story rather offensive. The author has used this book as a platform to vilify all non-Christian beliefs, regardless of the intent or actions of the characters with those beliefs. Wicca, psychic phenomena, and any form of magical practice are portrayed as inherently evil and the people with these abilities demonized. This vilification isn't limited to the obviously evil actions of the very stereotypical villains, but also to anyone and everything related to these other religions, no matter the intent or actions being portrayed. Only the female protagonist seems to have redeeming qualities. The remainder of the characters are reprehensible to varying degrees, persecuting the protagonist simply because of her family and how she was raised, regardless of her current actions. In short, this book has come across to me as the author's hate-speech against any non-Christian belief hidden within the guise of fiction. Brennan gets 1 1/2 Stars only because of her decent writing ability. No matter how well crafted, such hateful intolerance of other religions is still just offensive.

[vampiregirl76 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Original Sin was a smooth read. Not bogged down by unnecessary description. It was a fast, intriguing read full of suspense and danger. A spellbinding novel of good vs. evil. I definitely recommended checking this book out.Allison Brennan is an author I don't usually read, mainly because I'm not a big fan of romantic suspense. But her latest book, Original Sin caught my eye. It was a delight to read, I'm glad I got the chance to read it. The author weaves the paranormal and suspense brilliantly. Ms. Brennan is certainly a mistress of suspense. There were a few times that I found myself on the edge of my seat.The publisher has this labeled as a Paranormal Romance, to me it seemed more of an Urban Fantasy. But I think fans of both genres will enjoy this book.

[peaceloveandpat_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I wasn't really sure if I was going to finish the book. Not just because the first 50 pages was a bit on the frustrating side, it was also because I wasn't sure how I feel about Moira and because I felt a bit lost. But then Anthony, the demonologist showed up. His snide comments made him look like such a douchebag that I started liking Moira, especially when he decked him. LOL. We'll get into that in a sec.I love the concept of this book. Seven Deadly sins, unleashed in our world by a power hunger magician and Moira's mother named Fiona. That wasn't her original intention though, she was going to use an arca (which I think means vessel) in the form of a virgin teenager to serve as her most powerful soldier but then a mysterious guy named Rafe Cooper showed up and did something profoundly awesome. I was still lost in all this but after that everything started to make sense. Like I said, the first 50 pages were a bit frustrating. One of them was a mention of a guy named Peter. I was not really clear who Peter was and I started to think that maybe there was a pre-quel that I should read first to understand how he was related to Moira's past, a few chapters later his role came to light. So that issue was solved. I also like that I finally got a clue on Moira's history. Her role in her mother's coven how she escaped how she met Father Philip, her training with Rico, Anthony's animosity towards her, up until the time Peter died. But I still don't understand how she's seeing this visions from the underworld? I have my possible scenarios and I got one right so I wasn't as shock when I found out.My favorite character was Rafe, his character was the most intriguing. Sure it was probably his fault that Fiona sic the Seven but still... I remember thinking, what is he? how did he wake up on a magical induced coma? and who is backing him up? I kept reading until I found the answer and I like what I got. This is only the first of the series, so I'll give the next book a chance maybe that one won't have too many point of views.

[bookscookslooks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is the second in a series and while it did take me a bit to catch on to the story I am very glad that I did. This was a real page turner! The demon/supernatural thriller genre is a new type of book for me and I have to say that I have enjoyed the books I have read with these themes.Moira is a good girl searching for truly the mother from Hell. Fiona wants to gather all of the evil power she can to take over the world. Will Moira be able to stop her? Well, you don't find out in this book! But the getting there is sure to thrill. I would not suggest reading this right before trying to get to sleep. Fiona is one evil woman and she stays with you even after you put the book down. Moira suffers at her hands yet keeps fighting the good fight to destroy her evil. Will she succeed? My hope is yes but there are quite a few deadly sins to get through.....If you are looking for a page turning thriller with a pitched battle between good and evil with some romance mixed in well then, this book will give it to you. I now have to go find the first one so I can really learn the whole back story and then keep up as the other books come out.