LitPick Review
River of Wrath by Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor is the sequel to River of Ashes. Leslie is now free from Beau Devereux, but not from his ghost and not from his father. She is also not free from the tragic loss of her dear sister nor from the pallor that her sister's death has cast over her family, especially her mother. Her bond to new friends isn't quite enough to replace the relationship she's lost with her boyfriend. River of Wrath delves deeper into St. Benedict and the history of the town as well as the characters at play. Everyone knew the Devereuxs had a long, sordid history, but no one seems to know how long or how sordid. With some plot twists, and a mysterious and new character, River of Wrath leaves the reader eager to read the follow-up.
Opinion:
River of Wrath begins right where it should: Leslie's dissatisfaction with getting revenge. It has filled her with regrets, anxiety, fear, and her relationships with her friends and boyfriend have all suffered because of it. Furthermore, she's now in debt to Gage Devereaux. Who knows what affect he might have on her life! And she knows one of his secrets, which also might not work out well for her. This books shows Leslie growing into the understanding that the truth will set you free. Derek can be a good help to her, if they are both willing to do some hard things and deal with some hard truths. Gage Devereux might also learn that the truth can set you free, but it will be more costly for him. If there is a curse on the Devereux family, only the truth and a genuine pursuit of justice will be able to break it. But indulging further into their sins is the easier course by far, and it promises plenty of reward if they can all get away with it. That's always the temptation. But in the end, the truth is the only thing that can set a person free.
