The Mephisto Covenant: The Redemption of Ajax

First-time author Faegen spins a familiar story of good versus evil and the mortal girl caught in the middle in this mishmash of mythologies and paranormal romance tropes. When Sasha Annenkova’s mother is deported to Russia, Sasha is sent to Colorado to live with her uncle Tim and his abusive family. There, she runs into the Ravens, a cult dedicated to destroying her, and Ajax, an immortal demon-spawn working to thwart their plans. As an Anabo, a pure soul who can redeem Ajax with the power of her love, Sasha can tip the balance between the factions. While Eryx, the Ravens’ master, works to overthrow Heaven and Hell, only Ajax and his brothers can keep Sasha alive while she masters new powers and chooses her role in the fight. Pacing problems derail this effort from the start, resulting in awkward infodumps that aren’t aided by stilted dialogue. Sasha’s instant, doe-eyed acceptance of major supernatural revelations is only slightly less ridiculous than the speed with which Ajax (immortal, gorgeous, yet weirdly insecure) falls for her. Ages 14–up. (Sept.)■