Angels
May contain spoilers. Check out my review for Shadows
Haze The Rephaim Book Two
Written by Paula WestonAngels, Romance, Urban Fantasy
Published May 22nd 2013
384 Pages
Purchased / Text Publishing
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★★★★★
Gaby Winters' nightmares have stopped but she still can't remember her old life. Still can't quite believe she is one of the Rephaim, the wingless half angels who can shift from place to place, country to country, in the blink of an eye. That she was once the Rephaim's best fighter. That demons exist. That Rafa has stayed. But most of all, she can't quite believe that her twin brother, Jude, might be alive.And Gaby can't explain the hesitancy that sidetracks the search for him, infuriates Rafa, and sends them, again, into the darkest danger.
Gaby still can't remember her life prior to reuniting with brother Jude. Having spent the last few days coming to terms with being part of the Rephaim. But now along with Rafa, the two believe that Jude may be still alive, a long shot that both plan on exploring. Gaby now realises that someone had given her memories of her time before the accident, her life being based on lies of her time together with Jude. But Gaby's hesitation to search for her brother doesn't go unnoticed, and Rafa can't help but believe something is holding her back. That something is a someone, twelve year old Dani who has the insight to see into the Rephaim, predicting that it may not only be Zarael and his hellions that are seeking to spill angel blood. A cult of southern women who see the wingless race as nothing more than abominations, have found a way to imprison them within a iron room.
As Gaby is navigating her feelings for Rafa while working with the Outcasts, Rafa's life is in danger when he and Taya are captured, injured and barely clinging to life. But will help be too late to arrive?
The Rephaim series is not only engaging, but beautifully written with a touch of Australian thrown in. From the scent of the eucalyptus to the surf coast of Pandanus Beach, there is something mesmerising about an urban fantasy set in your own backyard. Even being supernatural beings, Paula Weston has created the Rephaim as relatable rather than images of perfection we tend to see in most angel themed young adult. Characters are scarred, both physically and emotionally and the lines between good and evil are blurred within their own society. It's also sex positive, which is seemingly rare within young adult. An agitated character has no qualms about swearing when angry, and Paula Weston should be applauded for infusing much needed realism into what is generally a very demure genre.
As Gaby is navigating her feelings for Rafa while working with the Outcasts, Rafa's life is in danger when he and Taya are captured, injured and barely clinging to life. But will help be too late to arrive?
Haze picks up within moments of where Shadows ended, with Gaby clinging to the idea of Jude being alive. Her relationship with Rafa is complicated, the two dancing around unresolved feelings while Rafa shelters her from the secrets of her former life. The memories of Jude she had clung to are all a ruse, someone having implanted a life that was neither true or her own. She's torn between wanting to find her brother and hesitant that he isn't the same Jude her memories paint him as, even if he is alive. But that's the least of her worries when they discover an iron room that is able to trap the Rephaim, losing any advantage against Zarael's army they may have had. Where Shadows introduces the reader to the world of the Rephaim, Haze is explosive. The intensity between Gaby and Rafa, the anticipation of finding Jude, hoping to discover who implanted their memories and allowed both to grieve for the other, the simmering tensions between the Outcasts and Sanctuary and the mystery that surrounds Mya and what she is keeping from her fellow Outcasts.Kelly's Thoughts
The Rephaim series is not only engaging, but beautifully written with a touch of Australian thrown in. From the scent of the eucalyptus to the surf coast of Pandanus Beach, there is something mesmerising about an urban fantasy set in your own backyard. Even being supernatural beings, Paula Weston has created the Rephaim as relatable rather than images of perfection we tend to see in most angel themed young adult. Characters are scarred, both physically and emotionally and the lines between good and evil are blurred within their own society. It's also sex positive, which is seemingly rare within young adult. An agitated character has no qualms about swearing when angry, and Paula Weston should be applauded for infusing much needed realism into what is generally a very demure genre.
The Rephaim series is brilliant, swoon worthy, incredibly captivating and goes from strength to strength with each installment. Paula Weston has crafted the perfect urban fantasy slash paranormal romance series, and I'm completely and utterly smitten.The Final Verdict
Shimmer The Rephaim Series Book Three
Written by Paula Weston
Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Romance
Published July 3rd 2014
393 Pages
Thank you to Text Publishing
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★★★★★
Gaby thought her life couldn’t get more complicated.She’s almost used to the idea that she's not the teenage backpacker she thought she was. She can just about cope with being one of the Rephaim, a 139 year old half angel, whose memories have been stolen. She’s even coming to grips with the fact that Jude, the brother she’s mourned for a year, didn’t die at all.But now Rafa, sexy, infuriating Rafa, is being held, and hurt, by Gatekeeper demons. And Gaby has to get the bitterly divided Rephaim to work together, or Rafa has no chance at all.It’s a race against time, and history. And it may already be too late.
It's been eleven days since Gaby's world was blown apart. She may have twin brother Jude back, but Rafa and Taya have been captured and are at the mercy of Zarael within the iron room, used as bait to capture the twins. Her only chance to save him is to enlist the aid of The Sanctuary and Nathanial, the fallen angel waiting for a sign in order for him to send his Rephaim into battle. Time is ticking away and every moment of indecision, is putting both Rafa and Taya's lives at the mercy of Zarael. Their only connection to the pair comes in the form of twelve year old seer Dani, her insight integral to infiltrating the farm. But with the Outcast and Sanctuary Rephaim all under the one roof once more, tensions are high while the combined forces wait for the Council to come to a decision. A wait that has Gaby highly strung and ready to fight.
But just as the war against Zarael is starting to gather momentum, the two Rephaim sides will come together to fight a common enemy and this time it's personal. The fight is being brought into the human world and Pandanus Beach is set to become a warzone.
But for all their ideals, the Sanctuary isn't the safe haven it claims to be with forces working against the group to drive a wedge between the factions. The twist is deliciously surprising and allows for the loose ends from previous installments to come together before what is forming to be battle between Heaven and Hell on Earth. I love how Shimmer explored character relationships and the difference between Gaby now and her former ego in Gabe, the abrasive and often reckless fighter. Gaby is barely holding it together, only now coming to terms with how she feels about Rafa while she may be on the verge of losing him. Her fragility was so lovely and really endeared me to her character even more so, especially when it's revealed why she chose not to follow Jude when he walked away.
Nathanial was painted as the villain, not wanting to commit to the fight to retrieve Rafa and Taya. His indecisiveness brought together the Sanctuary and Outcasts, all now fighting for a common goal. But the secrets within the walls of the Sanctuary were not only surprising, but added further intensity to a storyline already on the verge of detonating.
But just as the war against Zarael is starting to gather momentum, the two Rephaim sides will come together to fight a common enemy and this time it's personal. The fight is being brought into the human world and Pandanus Beach is set to become a warzone.
Shimmer continues only moments where Haze ended, with Rafa and Taya being imprisoned and Gaby desperate to save them both. Where previous book in the series were fast paced and energetic, Shimmer seems to delve more into it's characters of both the Sanctuary, Outcasts and the hierarchy of Angelic lore. It's the first time the Outcasts have returned to the Sanctuary since the group walked out over ten years ago, leaving their fellow Rephaim and Gaby behind. We finally learn why Jude walked away from his sister and Gaby's history with Rafa, which will no doubt provide readers with much needed answers of why the two always seem to navigate towards one another.Kelly's Thoughts
But for all their ideals, the Sanctuary isn't the safe haven it claims to be with forces working against the group to drive a wedge between the factions. The twist is deliciously surprising and allows for the loose ends from previous installments to come together before what is forming to be battle between Heaven and Hell on Earth. I love how Shimmer explored character relationships and the difference between Gaby now and her former ego in Gabe, the abrasive and often reckless fighter. Gaby is barely holding it together, only now coming to terms with how she feels about Rafa while she may be on the verge of losing him. Her fragility was so lovely and really endeared me to her character even more so, especially when it's revealed why she chose not to follow Jude when he walked away.
Nathanial was painted as the villain, not wanting to commit to the fight to retrieve Rafa and Taya. His indecisiveness brought together the Sanctuary and Outcasts, all now fighting for a common goal. But the secrets within the walls of the Sanctuary were not only surprising, but added further intensity to a storyline already on the verge of detonating.
The Rephaim is by far the most engaging, enthralling and intense urban fantasy series in young adult today. Paula Weston is phenomenal and one of the authors setting the new standard in not only Australian young adult fiction, but young adult worldwide.The Final Verdict
Shadows The Rephaim Book One
Written by Paula Weston
Paranormal, Romance
Edition Published June 4th 2015
388 Pages
Purchased
Purchased
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★★★★
★★★★
It’s almost a year since Gaby Winters was in the car crash that killed her twin brother, Jude. Her body has healed in the sunshine of Pandanus Beach, but her grief is raw and constant. It doesn’t help that every night in her dreams she kills demons and other hell spawn.And then Rafa comes to town. Not only does he look exactly like the guy who’s been appearing in Gaby’s dreams, he claims a history with her brother that makes no sense. Gaby is forced to accept that what she thought she knew about herself and her life is only a shadow of the truth, and that the truth is more likely to be found in the shadows of her nightmares.Who is Rafa? Who are the Rephaim? And most importantly, who can she trust?
Twelve months after the accident that changed her life, Gaby is still morning the loss of her twin brother Jude. Gaby calls the small town of Pandanus Beach home, sharing a small bungalow with the effervescent Maggie and working as a part time librarian. But it's her nightmares that plague Gaby's thoughts, monsters and demons that are determined to destroy her, while she watches the mysterious green eyed stranger wielding a sword to protect her life. Hoping to win a short story competition to help make ends meet, Gaby submits a story created from her vivid nightmares... Until the green eyed stranger strolls into town.
Rafa brings stories of the Rephaim, the offspring of the fallen angels who wander the Earth in hiding. Rafa knew Gaby and twin brother Jude before their supposed accident, that her memories have been planted and Gaby isn't the mere mortal she claims to be. But Rafa represents one side of an internal feud between the Rephaim, a rogue group that doesn't believe in the teachings of the angel Nathaniel and have chosen to go their separate ways, the remaining half angels living and training at The Sanctuary.
But is isn't only Rafa who has arrived in Pandanus Beach to find her, those at The Sanctuary are desperate to find out why Gaby's memories have been altered and why she and brother Jude were on the run after a decade apart. None more so than Daniel, a Rephaite who once shared his life with Gaby and has now taken a vested interest in her bond with Rafa.
Why does everyone believe that Gaby should be dead? It seems whoever altered her memories, is trying to hide a secret that threatens to blow their world apart. With a band of demons wanting to capture her, it's not only Gaby's life that's in danger, but a war that will spill into the human world.
Shadows was nothing short of incredible. Mixing the age old angels verses demon mythology, strong and sassy characters and an intense, slow burning romance. Deliciously so. It follows the story of Gaby, mourning the loss of her brother almost a year prior and attempting to find normalcy in the coastal Australian town. Gaby is a brilliant character, relatable, likable and adds sass to the storyline. She and best friend Maggie are a formidable pair and have a wonderful friendship of strength and solidarity. And then Rafa arrives.
I was officially swooning.
Rafa is everything you want in a love interest. The slow burn, the intensity. He smoulders, he'll seduce you and you'll love every moment. Rafa is the reason why we need flame retardant paperbacks. But beyond the intense love slash hate relationship he and Gaby share, they also share a history. One that Gaby can't remember. Not only are her fellow Rephaim accusing her of a crime she can't recall, but a past love in Daniel is leading the charge. Daniel isn't a villain, but a pretentious follower of Nathanial, a fallen angel who is using the Rephaim to cleanse his own sins. He claims to adhere to a higher power that no one has seen, but all follow blindly. It's no wonder Jude had escaped the The Sanctuary ten years prior, scoffing at their beliefs and going rogue along with a small group of Rephaim. Including Rafa.
I loved the inclusion of Angel lore, the Fallen and the angelic hierarchy that Paula Weston infused so beautifully. The history of the Rephaim was scattered throughout, often allowing the reader to learn the story behind the mythology as Gaby herself is taught. My only wish was that Gaby stop describing everything she smelt. Boys rarely smell nice, even angels I suspect. It would have been more convincing has she described Rafa as smelling like feet and farts. Stop sniffing people Gaby, it's creepy and the quickest path to becoming a social pariah.
Rafa brings stories of the Rephaim, the offspring of the fallen angels who wander the Earth in hiding. Rafa knew Gaby and twin brother Jude before their supposed accident, that her memories have been planted and Gaby isn't the mere mortal she claims to be. But Rafa represents one side of an internal feud between the Rephaim, a rogue group that doesn't believe in the teachings of the angel Nathaniel and have chosen to go their separate ways, the remaining half angels living and training at The Sanctuary.
But is isn't only Rafa who has arrived in Pandanus Beach to find her, those at The Sanctuary are desperate to find out why Gaby's memories have been altered and why she and brother Jude were on the run after a decade apart. None more so than Daniel, a Rephaite who once shared his life with Gaby and has now taken a vested interest in her bond with Rafa.
Why does everyone believe that Gaby should be dead? It seems whoever altered her memories, is trying to hide a secret that threatens to blow their world apart. With a band of demons wanting to capture her, it's not only Gaby's life that's in danger, but a war that will spill into the human world.
Wow. Just wow.Kelly's Thoughts
Shadows was nothing short of incredible. Mixing the age old angels verses demon mythology, strong and sassy characters and an intense, slow burning romance. Deliciously so. It follows the story of Gaby, mourning the loss of her brother almost a year prior and attempting to find normalcy in the coastal Australian town. Gaby is a brilliant character, relatable, likable and adds sass to the storyline. She and best friend Maggie are a formidable pair and have a wonderful friendship of strength and solidarity. And then Rafa arrives.
Rafa is everything you want in a love interest. The slow burn, the intensity. He smoulders, he'll seduce you and you'll love every moment. Rafa is the reason why we need flame retardant paperbacks. But beyond the intense love slash hate relationship he and Gaby share, they also share a history. One that Gaby can't remember. Not only are her fellow Rephaim accusing her of a crime she can't recall, but a past love in Daniel is leading the charge. Daniel isn't a villain, but a pretentious follower of Nathanial, a fallen angel who is using the Rephaim to cleanse his own sins. He claims to adhere to a higher power that no one has seen, but all follow blindly. It's no wonder Jude had escaped the The Sanctuary ten years prior, scoffing at their beliefs and going rogue along with a small group of Rephaim. Including Rafa.
I loved the inclusion of Angel lore, the Fallen and the angelic hierarchy that Paula Weston infused so beautifully. The history of the Rephaim was scattered throughout, often allowing the reader to learn the story behind the mythology as Gaby herself is taught. My only wish was that Gaby stop describing everything she smelt. Boys rarely smell nice, even angels I suspect. It would have been more convincing has she described Rafa as smelling like feet and farts. Stop sniffing people Gaby, it's creepy and the quickest path to becoming a social pariah.
I loved it and considering that paranormal romance isn't my genre of choice, I was thrown into a world that excited, engaged and enthralled me. From page one. Now with all four titles in the series out now, it's the perfect time to binge read. I've flown through the series, having already read the first three in only four days. And for a reader who tends not to finish many series', that's a testament to how incredible Paula Weston's vision is. READ. IT.The Final Verdict
Written by Tonya Alexandra
Published in Australia February 1st 2014
432 Pages
Thank you to Walker Books Australia
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★★★☆
An idyllic Greek island. Obsessed demigods. A fallen nymph. A mortal boy. Merope, a beautiful but faded star nymph, is banished to Earth for displeasing the gods. She tries to fit in, go to school and live a normal "human" life.And then she meets Lukas - but relationships between men and goddesses are forbidden. Will their love grow? Or will Merope and Lukas feel the wrath of the gods?
Merope is a Star Nymph that has been promised to the heavenly tyrant Orion, an aggressive demigod that will stop at nothing until he has her firmly in his grasp. Merope's only escape is to hide on Earth among mortals. Aalong with her Uncle and guardian Prometheus, the two settle among the natives on the small Greek island, banished by Zeus as a consequence of not accepting her role as consort.
Earth is a new and dangerous world, where Merope finds herself choosing to live in solace. Human's have always been strange creatures, unattractive and emotional beyond comprehension compared to the heavenly beings that Merope has spent centuries in the company of. So when local boy Lukas breezes into her life, Merope realises that she's been severely misinformed. Her instant attraction to Lukas is pulverising, and a chance meeting on the beach now consumes her thoughts. But the distraction has cost her dearly, with Orion and Heracles having tracked her down. But thankfully the heavens have allowed Merope to stay on Earth, much to Orion's disgust. He has proclaimed that she shall have three months to decide her fate, and only then will he return to force her home.
But she needs to immerse herself within the community, blending into everyday life as a teen at school. Despite her protests, Prometheus arranges for a guided tour with local girl Eleni. Merope carefully navigates living as a mortal, but she can't escape the attention of Lukas. Law states that Nymphs cannot engage in human relations with mortals, with a forbidden romance promising more than just banishment. But as she spends more time in the company of the sweet and kind hearted boy, Merope finds herself struggling to resist him.
While pushing Lukas away, Merope needs to evade her new minder, Heracles, who's on a mission to watch over the fallen Star Nymph. At home, Heracles barely noticed the meek and shy girl, preferring to spend his days charming more attractive beings, but here on Earth he might just be beginning to see why the mortal is so enamoured with her. But as the tensions begins to build between friends, mortals and beings, cracks begin to form and Merope may have just blown their cover. Suddenly three months on Earth doesn't seem long enough.
Kelly's Thoughts
Nymph, book one in The Love Oracles series, is an easy mix of forbidden love, mythology and navigating a world that isn't your own. Merope is a Star Nymph who isn't the fragile and agreeable servant that her counterparts are. Rejecting the advances of Orion, a demigod who loves the thrill of the chase, she is sent to Earth... And the results are entertaining to say the least. Thank goodness for Eleni, without her guidance Merope would have been a social outcast. Her misfortunes are hilarious, I really enjoyed how author Tonya Alexandra created what seemed to be a perfect being, but thrust into a world where she's not overly popular, intelligent or excels beyond the teens she's trying to emulate. Although she's bound by the laws of her own world, being out of her element makes Merope more human that you'd expect.
The star of Nymph is Heracles, a chauvinistic, fashion conscious god who is sent by Orion to keep an eye on the sassy and unpredictable Star Nymph. But slowly by surely, he starts to warm to Merope where someone is bound to have their feelings hurt. Fans of Becca Fitzpatrick will enjoy The Love Oracles series, Nymph reminded me of the hugely popular Hush Hush but targeted at the larger audience. I really enjoyed the mythology aspects and seeing what are generally immaculate gods as nothing more than chauvinistic and controlling rulers that flaunt their double standards and see the race of Nymphs as nothing more than servants.
Nymph is perfect for the teen audience or those looking for a fun, flirty read.
Bad boy, meet bad girl.
Dante has a shiny new cuff wrapped around his ankle, and he doesn't like that mess one bit. His new accessory comes straight from Big Guy himself and marks the former demon as a liberator. Despite his gritty past and bad boy ways, Dante Walker has been granted a second chance.
When Dante is given his first mission as a liberator to save the soul of seventeen year old Aspen, he knows he’s got this. But Aspen reminds him of the rebellious life he used to live and is making it difficult to resist sinful temptations. Though Dante is committed to living clean for his girlfriend Charlie, this dude’s been a playboy for far too long… And old demons die hard.
With Charlie becoming the girl she was never able to be pre-makeover and Aspen showing him how delicious it feels to embrace his inner beast, Dante will have to go somewhere he never thought he’d return to in order to accomplish the impossible: save the girl he’s been assigned to, and keep the girl he loves.
Bad boy Dante is now a Liberator, previously working for lord of the Underworld, burdened with the task of collecting, now girlfriend, Charlie's soul. Instead, Dante fell in love, and now he'll do anything to keep her safe. He has just been given his first assignment as a newly fledged angel, liberating Aspen's soul. Leaving Charlie is torturous, but it's her soul that the Underworld are after, and Dante has it in possession. Leaving Charlie may just keep her safe, but it seems not from brothers Salem and Easton, the brothers that have moved next door.
As Dante arrives to liberate Aspen, he's immediately on the attack when an attempt is made on his life, and Dante Walker never walks away from a fight. As his road rage attacker flees, his only clue to his identity is a strange tattoo on his assailants arm. Clearly liberating Aspen isn't as easy as he thought. Seventeen year old Aspen is a party girl with issues. Dante's mission is to help Aspen onto the path to redemption, to secure her soul. Aspen has it all, wealth, beauty and attitude, but behind her green eyes... She's empty. She binge drinks to lose herself, allowing everyone to have a piece of her, her friend Lincoln the only one that seems to care about the cold and distant girl.
But while the cat's away... It seems Charlie finds herself being influenced by the new neighbours. Charlie is distant, morphing into someone else entirely. It seems the girl that is destined to change the world through her humanity and charity, is now only interested in partying, drinking and putting herself in danger. Dante can feel that Charlie is playing with fire, but the sooner he can change Aspen's life, the sooner he leaves Detroit and home to Charlie.
All Aspen needs is someone to guide her, to show her that she truly is cared for, but how can Dante liberate a girl who lives the only lifestyle that he's ever known? It seems Aspen's life begun spiralling out of control after meeting new friends Cage and Lyra. He can see the way they study her, feeding her alcohol and aiding her lifestyle. When Aspen surprises Dante with a package on the doorstep, Charlie, he didn't expect the accessories to tag along, best friend Annabelle, her new neighbours and a surprise guest that no one could have envisioned.
It seems that both Charlie and Aspen are a target for the Sirens, soulless beings recruited by the Underworld and identifiable by a ritual tattoo. As Dante learns that both girls lives entwine, and Aspen being paramount to Charlie's existence, he has no option than to accept the aid of his fellow Liberator's, including Kraven and train for the fight of his life. But when Aspen doesn't shrink away from fighting alongside the trained Angels, holding her own, Dante wonders who this girl really is.
Charlie and Aspen are part of a plan, far greater than any of the Liberators and Collectors realise, with two ancient scrolls, one belonging to heaven, one belonging to hell, sealing their fate. But will Dante be able to protect both his assignment, and the girl who has stolen his heart?
Dante Walker is one of the hottest male young adult characters, but in The Liberator, he finally meets his match in Aspen. Aspen isn't a love interest, there is no love triangle, which fans will be thankful for. She's a troubled soul who has allowed herself to become influenced by anyone who crosses her path, in the hopes that they'll stay with her. She's feisty with an attitude that will send most young men running, and isn't the least bit impressed by Dante's killer looks and bad boy smile. She couldn't care less. She just needs a friend, someone who won't ask for anything in return. Aspen has nothing left to give.
Charlie felt like an afterthought in The Liberator. She goes through her own journey while Dante is away, all too similar to Aspen. The distance puts a strain on Charlie and Dante's relationship, but their reunion at the hands of Aspen, is all the sweeter. I loved Annabelle and her attitude towards Kraven, who is clearly rattled by her presence. My only complaint is when Dante ventures into cool mode, which almost comes across as the opposite. He is effortlessly cool, only when he isn't trying to be. It's a bit too sleazy.
The Liberator was actually pretty good. I loved Aspen, she wasn't at all what I had expected. The final few chapters have alluded to an epic finale and I'll be either go hard, or go home... And I can't wait.
The Liberator
(Dante Walker: Book Two)
Written By Victoria Scott
Published 27 / 08 / 2013
350 Pages
When Taylor meets
Gabriel at college, she is in awe of the subtle glow that surrounds him.
No one else, not even her best friend, seems to notice.
Something about him scares her.
Is
all as it appears? While Taylor struggles for answers, she finds
herself in the middle of a century old war centered on one miraculous
revelation: evolution.
Taylor isn't superstitious by nature, but still feels the need to search the grounds at The University of Trinton for an elusive four leaved clover. Until Gabriel steals one from under her, literally. A ritual of finding the clover, a supposed sign from her late mother, and being a freshman. In her first week of collage, Taylor needs all the luck fate is willing to send her way. For Taylor and best friend Sam, they intend to share the full collage experience.
Taylor has a vivid reoccurring nightmare, a black snake with piercing red eyes, sinking it's teeth into her flesh. She wakes to cold sweats and blood curdling screams, seeing the snake's razor sharp fangs, dripping gruesome black blood. It isn't until she stumbles across Gabriel, that she remembered the two beings from her nightmare. One ethereal, the other dark and forbidding. Strangely, Gabriel could be the ethereal being... During the dream in which she was tortured.
Gabriel isn't your average collage student, he's on a mission. He's been given the task of finding The One and bringing her to the Council. Gabriel could win the war for his people and change the course of history... Forever. Gabriel arrived at the University three months before Taylor was expected, to prepare for her arrival. Gabriel is an angel, sent to retrieve Taylor and plans to charm her into falling for him, making his task all the more simple. Her aura is a beacon not normally seen in humans, and in a war where angels use light to gain strength, Taylor has it in abundance. But Gabriel isn't the only one searching for Taylor.
Christopher is a demon. At only nineteen, he's leading the mission to find Taylor, having rising up the ranks of the demon army at alarming speed. Chris planned to slowly ease himself into Taylor's life, striking up a friendship and telling her about the danger that the angels pose, but now he's out of time. Gabriel has moved in on Taylor and Christopher fears that he may be able to bend her to his cause. Chris is instantly taken with Taylor's best friend Sam, the outgoing, but loyal party girl. He just may need to keep her on side, if he is to recruit Taylor to the demon cause.
Gabriel is hiding a secret. He never expected to fall for Taylor, having based their relationship on lies and deceit. Taylor has no other choice but to agree to the terms of the council and donate her life to the cause. But will she be able to live with the consequences?
Gabriel may never have the chance to find out.
Angel Evolution is David Estes first novel, and a unique take on the waging good verses evil. I've found quite a few young adult authors who venture into the concept of supernatural angels and demons, do so with a side of religion, or tend to stay within the general confines of demons being associated with evil, and celestial beings will save humanity. David has rewritten both supernatural stereotypes, and made it that of his own.
I didn't like Gabriel, whatsoever... And rightly so. At the introduction of Chris, I was hoping that he would sweep Taylor off her feet.
Regardless of the characters being slightly older than the typical young adult protagonists, Angel Evolution is more suited to the teen young adult reader, as the relationships between the characters don't stray into adult territory. I must add, it was a tad too young and clean for my own personal taste, but ideal for the younger reader.
Angel Evolution
(Evolution Trilogy: Book One)
Written By David Estes
Published 17 / 10 / 2011
263 Pages
There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.
Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw ups, and security cameras watch every move.
Even Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce, he goes out of his way to make that very clear. But she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, Luce has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret... Even if it kills her.
Lucinda Price sees shadows, wisps of black smoke that have ruined her life. Luce has been uprooted from her elaborate private school education, and sent to the Sword & Cross reform school. The Sword & Cross is reminiscent of a maximum security prison, with the suggestion that Luce is in fact dangerous, and needs to be controlled. Luce isn't a criminal, but finds herself in a precarious position due to the suspicious death of Trevor all those months ago.
With first day nerves in abundance, Lucy finds herself with the slightly crazy, but entertaining Arriane as a personal guide. The school, a former Military academy during the civil war era, hosts only eighty teens, including Daniel Grigori. Luce feels a familiarity with Daniel, if they had almost met before both landing at the Sword & Cross. Daniel is arrogant, oozes charisma and confidence and doesn't seem interested in Luce's unexplained instant infatuation. But new student Cam is. Cam is the polar opposite to Daniel, smooth, sweet, charming and he has his sights set on Luce.
Luce wants to find out more about the aloof and intriguing Daniel and finds new friend Penn, more than willing to abuse her trusted role as school office clerk, for a little detective work. But a late night study session in the library turns fatal, when a spontaneous fire tears through the building, leaving casualties and Luce with the sinking feeling that Trevor's tragic death was no accident. The shadows that Luce cannot escape are becoming more brazen, increasing in intensity and Luce can't shake the feeling that they have been sent to destroy her
The intense battle for Luce's heart causes both Daniel and Cam to abandon all reasoning, and it quickly escalates into a physical altercation. Both boys are playing for keeps. When Luce discovers the Grigory ancestry, historians that specialise in fallen angel folklore, the dreams of a feathered angelic Daniel, take on an eerie meaning far greater than she realised. But Cam won't give Luce up, he wants her and Luce be damned if Cam can't have her... Literally.
Fallen brings out passionate discussions between readers, invoking emotions you perhaps never knew existed... And that isn't due to the book itself. Most readers who have discovered the Fallen series either seem to be delighted or repulsed, and I can safely say that I'm neither. It didn't invoke any emotion apart from a feeling of boredom. To put it in perspective, I would rate it slightly more favorable than Hush Hush, but even Twilight was far more entertaining.
The storyline was not only predictable, it dragged. Against my better judgement, I kept reading, wondering if perhaps there could have been a plot twist on the horizon. Sadly, no. The so called 'reveal' seemed to be what was already blatantly obvious within the first few chapters, and by then, I had no interest in any of the characters or the bizarre love triangle of good and evil.
If Luce had a backbone, a personality other than being a boy hungry doormat and stopped flinging herself at anyone who happened to make her feel special, it could have been far easier to read and tolerate. Whinging pyromaniacs who can list their hobbies as stalking, invading others privacy, able to watch fellow students die and feel it's unnecessary to intervene, and still find the time to be the poster girl for a junior Stepford Wife, have no place on my bookshelf.
Fallen
(Fallen: Book One)
Written By Lauren Kate
Published 08 / 12 / 2009
446 Pages
The last thing Laken Stewart remembers is the oncoming car, then bursting through the windshield.
Two
months dissolve without her knowledge and she finds herself in
unfamiliar surroundings with strangers who not only profess to know her
but insist she’s someone else entirely.
Laken discovers her long
dead boyfriend, Wesley, has been thrown into this alternate world as
well. He is quick to inform her she suffered a horrible fall and that
her memory hasn’t fully returned. According to Wesley the other life she
had, her name, her family, they were simply a side effect of her brain
trauma.
In her quest for answers she meets Cooper Flanders, the son of her psychiatrist who readily believes every word she says. Laken Stewart knows she died on that hot July afternoon, but now she’s alive... Or is she?
The last memory Laken has before arriving in Ephemeral Connecticut, is the other car moments before her accident. It seems she's had her name, life and eternal judgement revoked, but still retains her memory when she finds herself at Ephemeral Academy and the newest resident of Austin House. Laken died two months earlier, having flown through her windscreen. It isn't until roommate Casper warns her that this is in fact her new reality. There is no mistake. You can't revolt, don't cause waves, you have no choice, and the penalty for not playing by the rules? Laken will simply disappear.
Laken can remember her life before the accident, Tucker the cheating boyfriend, Wes, the love of her life that drowned in the local lake alongside Laken's brother Fletcher, how she had been irreparable since. According to angel mythology, the Nephilim are the binding cord that has created this surreal Ephemeral reality. Laken's new existence has been programmed for her, from her new friend Carter, to her social status. Not only has Laken's family been recreated, but her deceased brother Fletcher is very much alive... Standing right beside Wes.
But Wes doesn't understand who Laken is, on the cusp of remembering a dream that is just out of reach.
Just outside the grounds at the Academy, savage inhuman beasts called Fems, roam the forest. When roommate Casper is heard screaming after venturing into the unknown woodland, Laken realises there is far more to Ephemeral than she's being told. There is something disturbing about Wes, the boy she once fell in love with, and it isn't just his lack of remembering the life he shared with Laken before his demise. But Wes can't avoid the inevitable and Laken demands answers, if not from Wes then she'll seek the truth from Cooper, who believes her story of the family she's left behind in Kansas, that she couldn't have survived the accident but instead has woken up in a different world. But there is more to Laken than the distorted memory, she's otherworldly.
There are five fractions of angels that have descended from the Nephilim, the most powerful being the Countenance, Celestra whose numbers have dwindled to non existence, the unfriendlies that are Noster, Deorsum who are often mistaken for witches and the boring magicians, the Levatio. Laken, is a Count. The highest level of Nephilim, according to Wes. Laken isn't sure who this new rendition of Wes is, but she knows she saw Casper disappear, that the Fems in the forest tried to kill her and that Cooper wants to help Laken find answers, no matter that Wes tries to convince her otherwise. The only way to find out what he is telling her, is to pledge and infiltrate the Counts. The counts want to control every aspect of her new life, including her reincarnation. When Laken lands in an underground Transfer, the bodies being stored until they can be resurrected, she knows nothing can convince her that she belongs in Ephemeral.
Ephemeral can be considered a sister series to Addison Moore's popular Celestra series, but sadly, it isn't nearly as entertaining. Where Celestra was fluffy and fun, Ephemeral fails to deliver. The main protagonist Laken lacks personality, and isn't given the opportunity for the reader to relate whatsoever. I felt as though the Celestra series gave the reader more of an insight into Wes, and Cooper, although quite likable, was reminiscent of a cardboard cutout and thrown into scenes without any real purpose at times.
Each chapter seems to have begun with a weather forecast, describing how the fog looked that particular day, and each chapter ended with the same rhetorical questions being asked, what was going on, and she sure as hell was going to find out. It's a shame it took over 400 pages. As much as I've enjoyed the Celestra series, I won't be continuing with Countenance.
Ephemeral
(The Countenance: Book One)
Written By Addison Moore
Published 12 / 09 / 2012
412 Pages
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