*[Blog Tour Review] Angelguard by Ian Acheson

 

Summary:

 

Within a period of weeks, three horrific bomb blasts devastate areas of London, Los Angeles, and Sydney. No explanation is offered, no victory claimed for these acts of terror. Yet behind the scenes a Machiavellian European businessman, aided by the dark forces to whom he has sold his soul, is planning to bring the richest nations to their knees for his own evil purposes. Jack Haines, an Australian academic, is grieving the loss of wife and children in the Sydney blast. Against his will, he finds himself thrown into a war that transcends the physical world, a conflict in which angelic guards have a special mission for him. But how will Jack respond when angels turn out to be more than precious porcelain statues? And will he accept that he has been chosen to fight for the future of mankind?

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 384 pages (Paperback)

Source: Review Copy

Available Formats: Print/E-book

Publication Date:  February 1st 2013 by Monarch Books      

 

 

I'm always up for giving a new author a try so when the good folks over at Kregel Publications had the sign ups for this book I thought it was a good opportunity to read and review a book that normal would have been passed over by me simply because it's not my typical sort of read.

 

Angelguard was definitely a unique read. I've never read a Christian supernatural thriller before so I'm glad I branched out to read this one and get a taste for the genre. I thought the parts in the book about the Angelic and Demonic realms quite intriguing and was probably my favourite part of the book and I kind of wish the author went into further detail.

 

The plot as a whole was interesting and was very fast paced. There was a lot of action and enough thrills to keep me reading and the battle scenes were definitely adrenaline pumping and had me on the edge of my seat.

 

While I enjoyed the basic plot lines and the action in the novel I found that the characters could have had a little more substance and I thought they were a little outrageous and I thought the dialogue was a little out there and seemed slightly robotic but for a first novel there are bound to be some kinks.

 

Overall, I liked Angelguard. It had a very interesting plot and one that I haven't seen before. While the book could be a wee bit too religious for me in some parts but that's just personal preference. I enjoyed the author's writing style and think that the book was a nice debut and a solid start to a new series. 

 

I would recommend this to fans of Christian Fiction who want to read a fast paced apocalyptic disaster novel with a supernatural twists with Angels, humans, and Demons.

 

 *I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

 

Liked it!
★★★

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Darker Still (Magic Most Foul #1) by Leanna Renee Hieber

Summary:

I was obsessed.

It was as if he called to me, demanding I reach out and touch the brushstrokes of color swirled onto the canvas. It was the most exquisite portrait I'd ever seen--everything about Lord Denbury was unbelievable...utterly breathtaking and eerily lifelike.

There was a reason for that. Because despite what everyone said, Denbury never had committed suicide. He was alive. Trapped within his golden frame.

I've crossed over into his world within the painting, and I've seen what dreams haunt him. They haunt me too. He and I are inextricably linked--bound together to watch the darkness seeping through the gas-lit cobblestone streets of Manhattan. Unless I can free him soon, things will only get Darker Still.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 317 pages (Paperback)

Source: Toronto Public Library

Available Formats: Print/E-book

Publication Date: November 8th 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire

After sitting on my enormous tbr pile since October 2011 I finally had the chance to read Darker Still in January and I am still kicking myself over taking so long to finally read it but at least now I can say I did.

Darker Still is the story about a mute girl named Natalie who by various circumstances comes to meet a cast of characters that alter the course of her life forever and it all starts with a painting of the young and not so deceased Lord Denbury.

Leanna Renee Hieber offered up a wonderful piece of young adult historical fiction with a lot of mystery, a dash of romance and a proper serving of supernatural to make the story one that I found completely addictive. Once I started the book I couldn't stop reading it and stayed up to the wee hours of the early morning to finish it because I could not get enough of the story between Denbury and Natalie and the mysterious forces behind Denbury's imprisonment in his portrait.

I though that the plot was very good. At just over 300 pages long thing flowed quickly and seamlessly without seeming as though the story was rushing. It was perfectly paced and I didn't find myself lulled by a ton of plot filler. I loved the sense of adventure Darker Still gave and it definitely kept me at the edge of my seat. Like the title suggests it is a bit darker but not so much so as to make the book seem dreary.

The characters were wonderful I loved how each of them developed throughout the novel especially Natalie. She's one of my favourite heroines now because she was able to overcome so many obstacles like her selective mutism. She was both serious and funny, grown up and at the same time very much a little girl.

Denbury was good too. He had his rakish moments in the book but I liked him. As much as he was attracted to Natalie he is trying to do right by her and I find the chivalry and gentlemanly manor he possesses quite refreshing and I really like Natalie and him as a couple.

The side characters whether they were the good or the bad guys were interesting although I wish there was more to learn about the bad guys in Darker Still because I did feel that there could have been more explanation as to them and their origins. However I still liked how the book played out.

Overall, I really enjoyed this first novel in the Magic Most Foul series and I highly recommend it to fans of the young adult genre. If you haven't read it already go get your hands on a copy as soon as you can! It has a lot to offer and it's a very quick read. I think it's one of the better young adult novels I've read and I can definitely see myself reading the author's other books.

Really Liked It!
★★★★

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*[Blog Tour Review] Secrets (Serenity Series, #1) by Dawn Kirby

Summary:

It is said that the truth will set you free, but for Leah it kills.

Leah always knew she was different. From her extreme light sensitivity, to her ability to read people by their auric scent, she kept these differences secret.

Not even Mia, Leah's mother, knew the fullness of her daughter's differences, but she held even greater secrets to Leah's past - the truth about her father and Leah's conception.

With the escape of an old foe, Mia is too late to reveal to her daughter the thrush before Judith can exact her revenge in a wash of blood and death.

Thrown into a world unheard of, Leah discovers that she is not alone in keeping her secrets. That there are people from her parent's past who would die to protect her. If only she knew why.

Raine, placed as her protector, hides deadly secrets of his own. Drawn to each other, Leah and Raine must uncover the truth before one or both are killed.
Summary & Photo provided by Illuminated Tours
Length: 319 pages (E-book)
Source: ARC
Publication Date: July 29th 2012 by Dark Dragon Publishing Company

This was sucha delight to read! Right from the first page the author Dawn Kirby had me hooked. For those who have read it you'll know what I mean when I say the opening scene is rather intense and for those of you who haven't had the pleaure of reading Secrets yet you'll just have to go buy it to find out what I'm talking about.

I really liked how Dawn Kirby wrote Secrets because the whole novel was full of twist and turns as more and more things came to to light and more facts were revealed about Leah and her family. I loved that about the book because it kept me interested. There was always something new that kept me wanting to read more and more.

The characters were also really well contrived and I really liked Leah for the most part but sometimes she got on my nerves a little but thats a good thing. I love when authors give characters traits that evoke feelings you would get for real people. Another thing that I enjoyed about the book was the descriptive way that Dawn Kirby created the whole book.

All in all this was a great book from a new and emerging talent in the writing world. I really enjoyed reading Leah's story and I would have no problem recommending this book to anyone who is a fan of YA romance with a supernatural twist in it. I do have to warn you though that this book is for the older YA readers because of some more mature scenes and subject matter.

For me the book provided a great escape while I was at the cottage this past weekend. If you're looking for a book that will suck you in, this might just be one that you have to check out!

*I recieved a FREE copy of this book in exchange for my FREE and HONEST review.

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Really Liked it!
★ ★ ★ ★

Imprint by Annie Frame

Summary:
This spine chilling book takes the reader into the realms of horror all the more believable because it seems reality not fantasy. The Imprints enter the soul of the narrator with determined power and describe each of their emotions in vivid detail. It is impossible not to be deeply involved, revolted and yet entranced at the same time as the linking of the personalities becomes apparent. Desperation, self destruction and fear are superimposed on the beauty of the rose with its blood red petals. Each bloom shows the astral image of the various characters as their lives have been lived, giving some hope for the future and the lessons offered to the soul as it evolves to enlightenment and bewitching knowledge.
Summary taken from Goodreads.com

Let me say for a 74 page book it was pretty good, there was a lot going on in the book. I can honestly say hat it was very different from anything I have ever read before. It's not really a horror story but it makes you think about souls in a different way.
I think that the author Annie Frame did a good job with this one in my opinion. The story has a lot going on and it is probably best that if you were to read it that you take your time with it. Don't let the length fool you. Go Slow.
I do have some complaints though, I felt that at times there were things missing and that the story could have benefited from being another 10 pages longer. I also think that perhaps there should have been more of an explanation leading into the story.
However, despite those faults I think this is a good book. Perfect for those needing a quicker read perhaps for the commuter and I hope to read her other book she published. 
I'd like to thank Annie Frame who sent me a copy of her book in exchange for my honest review

★ ★ ★