Audiobook Review: Angelfall by Susan Ee

Title: Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days #1)
Author: Susan EE
Narrator: Caitlin Davies
Publisher: Feral Dream & Brilliance Audio
Acquired Via: Personal Collection
Release Date: May 21, 2011
It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

My Review

Angelfall by Susan Ee has been on my radar for a few years now, but I avoided it because I haven't had a lot of luck with self-published novels. Honestly, I probably would have taken my time in getting around to reading it, despite the fact that I owned it on Kindle and Audible, if not for many reviewers that I trust raving about it in anticipation of its sequel, World After.

I'm so glad that I got off of my ass and read it.

Leap into Books Giveaway Hop #2 (INT)

Welcome to my stop on the Leap into Books Giveaway Hop. This hop is co-hosted by Kathy at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Jinky at Jinky is Reading.

What You Can Win

Angelfall and World After are two of the best books that I've read this year (maybe even last year, too!), and they gave me major book hangovers. While the situations in them are not anything that I would necessarily like to "leap into", they are most certainly books that I got lost in. I'll probably leap into rereading them before book #3 comes out, which is not anywhere near soon enough.


Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days #1)
World After (Penryn & the End of Days #2)
Penryn is trying to survive. Because after the angels came to destroy the modern world there are no rules. Streets are ruled by gangs and angels are hunting for humans. When her sister is kidnapped Penryn will do everything she can to find her even if it means working with the enemy. Everything could happen in this new dangerous world.


Giveaway

Cover Reveal: Milayna by Michelle K. Pickett

Title: Milayna
Author: Michelle K. Pickett
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Cover Reveal Organizer: YA Bound Book Tours
Release Date: December 2, 2014
From the bestselling author of PODs comes an unforgettable tale of action, intrigue, and following your heart in the midst of betrayal.

It’s hard being good all the time. Everyone needs to be bad once in a while. But for seventeen-year-old Milayna, being good isn’t a choice. It’s a job requirement. And it’s a job she can’t quit. Born a demi-angel, Milayna steps in when danger and demons threaten the people around her, but being half angel isn’t all halos and happiness. Azazel, Hell’s demon, wants Milayna’s power and he’ll do anything to get it. But he only has until her eighteenth birthday, after which she becomes untouchable.

With the help of other demi-angels, Milayna thwarts the trouble Azazel sends her way. Fighting with her is Chay. He’s a demi-angel who's sinfully gorgeous and Milayna falls hard. But is Chay her true love...or her nemesis in disguise?

Because when she learns of a traitor in her group, there’s no one she can trust…not even the one she loves.

Buy Links
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Amazon


ARCs: If you’d like to request an ARC, please use the reviewer form on Spencer Hill Press's website. ARCs will ship several months before the release date.

About Michelle K. Pickett

Review (Epic Recs): Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans

Earlier this month, I told you about doing Epic Recs and being paired with Becca of I'm Lost in Books. I made it through Level 2 last minute (this morning), and my review follows!



Title: Level 2 or The Memory of After (The Memory Chronicles #1)
Author: Lenore Appelhans
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Acquired Via: Personal Collection
Release Date: January 15, 2013
In this gripping exploration of a futuristic afterlife, a teen discovers that death is just the beginning.

Since her untimely death the day before her eighteenth birthday, Felicia Ward has been trapped in Level 2, a stark white afterlife located between our world and the next. Along with her fellow drones, Felicia passes the endless hours reliving memories of her time on Earth and mourning what she’s lost—family, friends, and Neil, the boy she loved.

Then a girl in a neighboring chamber is found dead, and nobody but Felicia recalls that she existed in the first place. When Julian—a dangerously charming guy Felicia knew in life—comes to offer Felicia a way out, Felicia learns the truth: If she joins the rebellion to overthrow the Morati, the angel guardians of Level 2, she can be with Neil again.

Suspended between Heaven and Earth, Felicia finds herself at the center of an age-old struggle between good and evil. As memories from her life come back to haunt her, and as the Morati hunt her down, Felicia will discover it’s not just her own redemption at stake… but the salvation of all mankind.

My Review

First, I want it to be known that the original title of the book, Level 2, works so much better for the story than The Memory of After. You see, the majority of the novel takes place in Level 2, but we'll get to that later. I also want to say in this opening paragraph (I know most of you just skim - I do, too) that this book was yet another victim of the hype monster.

Blog Tour (Spotlight & Giveaway): The Hunted One by Meg Collett

Tour Schedule



Title: The Hunted Ones (End Of Days #1)
Author: Meg Collett
Release Date: January 17, 2014
The fallen have trespassed into Heaven for the first time in eternity. Prepared for battle, Michaela and her Archangels open Heaven’s gates to confront the fallen. Only, Michaela’s Archangels—her brothers and sisters in Heaven—betray her. And when the fallen attack the sanctuary in the skies through the gates Michaela inadvertently left open, the holy angels accuse Michaela of planning the invasion.

One simple mistake with a thousand consequences.

Dragged to Earth by an Archangel turned fallen, Michaela will do anything to return to Heaven and save it. In her fervor, she kills the Archangel—something no angel has ever done before. Wingless, without any hope, Michaela welcomes death when an unlikely human ally, Clark, finds her. With the help of Clark and Gabriel, an innocent Archangel whose friendship deepens into something far more torrid and unexpected on Earth, Michaela must prove the holy angels have their own plan for Heaven, and it is one that may prove to be the End of the Days.

It may be too late to save herself, but Michaela is the only one who knows the truth about the holy angels. If she fails, she may never be able to return to Heaven. But even that may be a hopeless dream.

Buy Your Copy on Amazon!


About the Author

Book Blast (Giveaway): The Watcher by Lisa Voisin

Title: The Watcher
Authors: Lisa Voisin
Blast Organizer: I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
Release Date: February 26, 2013
Millennia ago, he fell from heaven for her.

Can he face her without falling again?

Fascinated with ancient civilizations, seventeen-year-old Mia Crawford dreams of becoming an archaeologist. She also dreams of wings—soft and silent like snow—and somebody trying to steal them.

When a horrible creature appears out of thin air and attacks her, she knows Michael Fontaine is involved, though he claims to know nothing about it. Secretive and aloof, Michael evokes feelings in Mia that she doesn’t understand. Images of another time and place haunt her. She recognizes them—but not from any textbook.

In search of the truth, Mia discovers a past life of forbidden love, jealousy and revenge that tore an angel from Heaven and sent her to an early grave. Now that her soul has returned, does she have a chance at loving that angel again? Or will an age-old nemesis destroy them both? Ancient history is only the beginning.

Praise for The Watcher

“Voisin’s The Watcher blends paranormal mystery and romance into a book that is sure to keep readers turning the pages late into the night.” – Eileen Cook, author of The Almost Truth

“Perfect for fans of angels and demons, Lisa Voisin has created an uplifting tale of redemption, love, and spirituality that gives hope. Never preachy, The Watcher is the perfect answer to critics who claim Young Adult literature is too dark.” – Stephanie Lawton, author of Want and Shrapnel

“The Watcher is stunning! A paranormal romance that you won’t want to put down. Voisin will enthrall you until the very last page.” – Stephanie Keyes, author, The Star Child series

“Grips the reader, pulls them in and leaves them cheering for good!” – InD’tale Magazine

“The Watcher is my favorite angel fiction tale yet.” – Katrina, blogger at Kindred Dreamheart

“This book is phenomenal! I was hooked in right away and didn’t want to stop.” – Michelle, blogger at Michelle’s Paranormal Vault

Book Trailer


Excerpt

Instead of saying more, he brushed his fingertips along my cheek, and his halo glimmered. I could hear the waves slapping the rocks behind us, the wind driving them in. That same wind whipped against my skin, but the touch of his hand on my face was all I could think about. It sent a current through both of us and filled me with longing for something I wasn’t sure I understood.

Audiobook Review: Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins

Title: Sweet Peril (The Sweet Trilogy #2)
Author: Wendy Higgins
Publisher: HarperTeen
Acquired Via: Library
Release Date: October 29, 2013
Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things.

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

My Review

I picked up Sweet Peril because I saw it at my library in audiobook format and I remember liking, but not loving, Sweet Evil, so I decided to give it a try.

The narration was decent. I was worried about the southern accent at the beginning, but it smoothed out during the first couple of chapters.

Sins of the Lost Blog Tour (Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway): Sins of the Angels by Linda Poitevin

Tour Schedule
Welcome to my stop on the Sins of the Lost Blog Tour, brought to you by Rockstar Book Tours. Today I will be featuring a guest post by Linda Poitevin about her research for the Grigori Legacy and my review of the first novel in the series, Sins of the Angels.



Title: Sins of the Angels (Grigori Legacy #1)
Author: Linda Poitevin
Publisher: Ace
Acquired Via: Rockstar Book Tours
Release Date: September 27, 2011
A detective with a secret lineage. An undercover Hunter with a bullet-proof soul. And a world made to pay for the sins of an angel...

Homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis answers to no one. Especially not to the new partner assigned to her in the middle of a gruesome serial killer case-a partner who is obstructive, irritatingly magnetic, and arrogant as hell. Aramael is a Power--a hunter of the Fallen Angels. A millennium ago, he sentenced his own brother to eternal exile for crimes against humanity. Now his brother is back and wreaking murderous havoc in the mortal realm. To find him, Aramael must play second to a human police officer who wants nothing to do with him and whose very bloodline threatens both his mission and his soul.

Now, faced with a fallen angel hell-bent on triggering the apocalypse, Alex and Aramael have no choice but to join forces, because only together can they stop the end of days.

Guest Post

The Fascinating World of Angel Mythology
Linda Poitevin

Blog Tour (Spotlight & Giveaway): Prophecy Girl by Cecily White

Title: Prophecy Girl
Author: Cecily White
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release Date: April 2, 2013
Amelie Bennett. . . . Ending the world, one prophecy at a time.

I was born to slay Crossworld demons.

Big black flappy ones, little green squirmy ones. Unfortunately, the only thing getting slain these days is my social life. With my high school under attack, combat classes intensifying, and Academy instructors dropping right and left, I can barely get my homework done, let alone score a bondmate before prom.

Then he shows up.

Jackson Smith-Hailey. Unspeakably hot, hopelessly unattainable, and dangerous in all the right ways. Sure, he’s my trainer. And okay, maybe he hates me. Doesn’t mean I’ll ignore the wicked Guardian chemistry between us. It’s crazy! Every time I’m with him, my powers explode. Awesome, right?

Wrong.

Now my teachers think I’m the murderous Graymason destined to bring down our whole race of angelbloods. Everyone in New Orleans is hunting me. The people I trusted want me dead. Jack and I have five days to solve the murders, prevent a vampire uprising, and thwart the pesky prophecy foretelling his death by my hand. Shouldn’t be too difficult.

Getting it done without falling in love. . . that might take a miracle.

Buy Links
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Fishpond


About the Author

Blog Tour (Guest Post & Giveaway): The Faith and Fate of David Ghent by Maren Dille

Tour Schedule

In the Lucen city dwell the descendants of Righteous and Fallen angels. Kept hidden from the rest of Earth and governed directly by Heaven, each descendant is given a chance to prove themselves loyal to Heaven, and obtain salvation. For most, the task is encouraging and fair, but for David, it’s devastating.

David Ghent has waited twenty-one years to fulfill a prophecy foretelling the destruction of Lucifer’s power on Earth and Heaven, saving himself and the entire world from Hell’s power. His training is complete, the city prepared. As the battle commences, the city’s most beloved daughter, Layla, suddenly appears at the Hellgate. David is then faced with an impossible choice: fulfill the prophecy, or save her life. The consequences David faces after choosing Layla force him to question his entire life, and his loyalty to Heaven. As the aftermath of failure unfolds, David discovers that the real battle against Lucifer has just begun.

The Perfect Cover
by Maren Dille
People ask me what the hardest part of writing is. Most authors say revisions, editing, things that are very tedious and detail-oriented. I’d never say I’m a detail person, but I love revisions and editing—not the mechanics of it, but because it means that I’m done. The story is out, I only have to tweak it. I struggle with other small but very crucial things: the title, the blurb, the cover.

2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge

Yes, I am taking part in yet another reading challenge in 2013. I have found that I do a lot better which a little bit of structure and incentive. (You know, like finishing something.) Unless I'm doing this horribly wrong, I don't have to choose my books yet. I have a list and an embarrassing amount of books cluttering my house, but I want to try to focus on 2013 releases as much as possible since I'll be reading them anyways to be on top of things for work. The very dear Auntie Spinelli Reads and Megan Likes Books are kind enough to host this. Below is some information about the challenge, taken from the sign-up page.

Goal:

To read at least one book featuring each of the following paranormal creatures:

✷ Vampires
✷ Werewolves/Shifters
✷ Fey
✷ Angels/Nephilim
✷ Mermaids
✷ Dragons
✷ Zombies
✷ Demons
✷ Witches/Wizards
✷ Ghosts
✷ Aliens
✷ Other (ie: sirens, unicorns, centaurs, timetravel etc.)

Guidelines:

1. This challenge runs from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013.

2. You must have a blog to able to participate, since reviews must be added to the linky.

3. When you sign up with the linky, please put the link to your post about joining the Paranormal Reading Challenge.

4. You're welcome to list your books beforehand or just add as you go.

5. Sign-ups are open until December 1, 2013 (You can do that HERE.)

6. At the beginning of each month, the blog hosts will post a kick-start post, each month featuring a different category of paranormal creature. This post will also include a linky to include your reviews from that month.

7. Each review you link will qualify you for an entry into the monthy giveaway and if your review includes the feature paranormal creature of that month, you get a bonus entry.

8. Each book can only count for one category, even if it contains more than one paranormal creature. For example, Twilight contains both vampires and werewolves, but you can't use it for both the vampires and werewolves/shifters categories.

9. Everyone who completes the challenge will be entered into a grand prize giveaway at the end of the year.

10. If you read multiple books from one category, feel free to add them to the linkies. Don't stop at just one!

11. Book can count for other challenges.

You should definitely go to the HOSTS' POST on the challenge to find out more information. I'm not the most reliable of sources, no matter how good my intentions may seem. As with the other challenges, leave me a link if you're playing along as well!

Review: A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

Leah Clifford’s A Touch Mortal is a simply wonderful Young Adult novel. The Urban Fantasy genre has gotten quite crowded in the past decade, but Clifford’s debut novel still manages to stand out. She did not choose to go with the ever-popular choice – vampires and werewolves – but chose instead to throw together zombies and angels.

We begin the novel with Eden, our heroine, as a flawed teenager, bored with life and contemplating suicide until she meets the two friends, Az and Gabe. There is something different about the two young men, but then again, she’s not quite normal herself.

The plot twists, turns and flips upside-down as we watch Eden adjust to her new life and fight her inner (and outer?) demons. I read the book in less than a day, and it left me yearning for more. I must also mention that the beautiful cover art by Paul Zakris is genius. I spent probably ten minutes savoring the outside of the book alone. Not only is the young girl on the front cover gorgeous, but what you do not see on the back just catches the essence of the book. A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford is the total package for a good read.

 Originally posted on GoodReads 2/27/11