Antoine Bonner’s Rise of the Hearts: Rebirth gives us an over the shoulder view of Nate and his actions: hunting down cheating lovers. He has recently met Traeh, the deity of love, who has given him the ability to recognize those individuals whom he considers despicable and not worthy of mercy. They are people from varied segments of society, and none is safe once he discovers them and sets his sights on them. Although he feels 100% confident and invulnerable in his new pastime, one day he discovers that he too is vulnerable, and that his time could be short. Despite his dilemma, he discovers allies even though their help comes with a price.

A well-written and imaginative story, Rise of the Hearts: Rebirth is told in the present tense from the point of view of Nate. This is a less commonly used point of view for a narrative, but Antoine Bonner skillfully pulls it off. We readers are taken along on a ride that is at times harrowing and gruesomely straightforward. Nate is an anti-hero; he commits violence against those who cheat or take advantage of others in the game of love. Yet, we care what happens to him, and we feel for him as he struggles to stay alive in a battle against both worldly and otherworldly forces. In the end, though, we find it easier to identify with his internal struggles and his fight to keep his humanity. Nate’s adventures move along quickly and are the first chapter in a continuing and engrossing story.

“About four months ago, I was chosen by the deity of love to do her bidding. She gave me powers you wouldn’t believe: the strength of a hundred men, the speed of a cheetah, the ability to swap bodies with others.” Nathaniel has comfortably familiarized himself with his powers and enjoys killing all the “disloyal cheaters and gold diggers”, with the help of Kim's tracking ability. However, both of them find that it is becoming more difficult to deal with the consequences of using their abilities－their growing inner demons.

Rise of the Hearts: Rebirth by Antoine Bonner is the sequel to its predecessor, Rise of the Hearts. Just like the first book, Bonner’s Rebirth might alienate some readers who are not too keen on the concept, how the plot develops, the dialogue, the skewed characters as well as the unrealistic and the veneer aspects of the story. I still find it hard to fully relate to Nathaniel and Kim, including keeping up with the story line. That said, the drastic changes that they have been through with their powers are reasonably interesting, nonetheless. The peculiarity of the story and my curiosity to find out what will happen next are still the main magnets of Rise of the Hearts. All in all, this second installment is a comme il faut as a continuation for the series from Bonner. It is not a standalone book, though. Readers who are interested in a challenging read might want to give Book 1 a go first.

In Rise of the Hearts: Rebirth by Antoine Bonner, Nate loves his life; he has money, power and women, everything he wished for thanks to his deity, Traeh. Nate has been using his supernatural powers to rid the world of those who cheat and manipulate others for money. When it seems that nothing can stop him in his quest, his past slowly catches up with him. His sister Kim’s behaviour is getting out of control and she risks exposing their gruesome secret. Nate discovers that his future involves his own grisly death, so he must change his ways soon. But first, he cannot resist just one more act of vengeance. Only this time the consequences risk not only the safety of himself and his beloved sister, but everyone he cares about. ‘Accept the fate you created for yourself.’

In Rise of the Hearts: Rebirth by Antoine Bonner, the action begins almost immediately and is continuous throughout. The main characters are strong with dialogue unique to their personalities. The twists in the plot and revelations from the characters kept the story engaging until the climactic end. The cast of strong female characters was refreshing; they were powerful but not to the detriment of their femininity. There is violence depicted in the story, but without it the story line would not have been so believable. There is a subliminal message in this book which is 'be careful what you wish for.' I feel there is another book possible as there is a lot more to discover about Nate’s journey. The relationship between Nate and his sister was superbly written. A great book if you enjoy the paranormal, teleportation, and the supernatural.

Rise of the Hearts: Rebirth is a short, violent work of thriller fiction penned by author Antoine Bonner. Suitable for adults who don’t mind the graphic realities of life, this volume continues Nate’s story after he discovers his incredible powers. Fearful of a prophecy that predicts his own death, Nate shies away from the life that Traeh, deity of love, has shown him, and hangs back on the deeds of vengeance and brutal justice that he’s been engaging in. It’s time to think about his own protection. But in his old company, the inner demons that his lonely previous life bred are ready to come back and haunt him. And an even bigger enemy is about to emerge.

This is a sharp, surreal, cliff-hanger novella series that will be even greater to dive into once it’s all completed as a single work. As a single work, author Antoine Bonner writes with great suspense and paints beautifully violent pictures with his words, those which fans of graphic noir like Sin City and cult classics such as Pulp Fiction are certain to love. There’s some development of Nate’s fragile psyche in this novella, and the author handles the struggle of the inner demon very well. I also found the dialogue to be very engaging and current, and I feel that the fully extended plot, once all the story parts are complete, shows great promise. Overall, I’d recommend Rise of the Hearts: Rebirth to readers looking for quick installments of excitement and bloodlust.