UPDATE on my current read: Poison Princess

The Arcana Chronicles 1: Poison Princess 

She could save the world—or destroy it. 

Sixteen-year-old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life—until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, killing everyone she loves, Evie realizes her hallucinations were visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can’t do either alone. 

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally trust Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him? 

Who can Evie trust? 

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophecy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side . . . In Poison Princess, New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole introduces a dark and intriguing world, full of unspeakable danger and irresistible romance. 

I do not like Poison Princess so far guys. I'm at 60% on my Kindle and listening to the audio. I don't like thinking the characters on Tarot Cards are real. Elma Galvin and Keith Nobbs are both excellent narrators, though. I don't like reading about apocalyptic survival. It is brutal. I also dislike classrooms, school hallways, and high school drama. The story is also a little nucking futs regarding Evie's visions or whatever the hell they are. The only thing that is making me continue is Jack Deveaux. So ya. Do I dare hope it gets better?
UPDATE: I finished and gave it three stars in the end. I liked it when Evangeline finally accepts her powers. It made it all the more glorious when she earns her first badge by making her first kill. To think she has to kill 21 more players. If it is as exhausting as this was? I don't know if I can continue. I just hope it doesn't take a whole book just to kill off one player. Couillon! I look forward to reading Endless Knight, and I might have to buy all the books!
Evangeline Greene is the Poison Princess aka Empress. Her powers are to lure people to come and touch her only there is a price to pay. She has claws like needles that are poisonous and vines that can wrap around you strangling and snapping you in half. It's cool but so are the other Arcana. Selene is an Archer, Matthew can see things before they happen, Finn is the magician, and Jack hasn't been established as a player in this book, only that he is Evie's heartthrob. The romance between these two is a giant roller coaster ride, not to mention his Ducati is very sexy.
The moments I liked best were when Jack had found Evie a safe place from Baggers/zombies, unexpecting to find clean clothes, food, electricity, beer in an ice box and a swimming pool with salt water in it just waiting for them. The mansion belonged to Selene. She wasn't a threat to them, just to Evie maybe because of her looks.

credits