The Stars Never Rise

A century ago, demons declared war on humanity and devoured so many souls that the human population could no longer sustain itself. Now Nina, at 17, has only a year left before she dedicates her life to the tyrannical Unified Church that came to power after the war. In New Temperance, joining their holy order is Nina’s only option to feed herself and her sin-prone sister, Melanie, while their mother wastes away in a drugged stupor. When a demon attack brings Nina’s life crashing down, help comes not from the church’s exorcists but from a fugitive named Finn, who has the power to cast demons back to Hell. Nina’s confusing feelings for Finn take a back burner as she joins him and his friends on the run, fighting both the church and demons to keep her family safe. First in a series, this book sometimes runs heavy on exposition, but Vincent (the Soul Screamers series) carves out an intriguing niche in the post-apocalyptic landscape. Unresolved plotlines leave plenty of reasons for readers to look forward to the next installment. Ages 12–up. Agent: Merrilee Heifetz, Writers House. (June)