I received this book via Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
Angelfire by Hanna Peach Series: Dark Angel #1
Published by Gypsy Publishing on November 22, 2012
Length: 295 pages
Reviewing eARC from Author
Rating:
Forget everything you know about angels…
You’ll likely find Alyxandria slicing demons with her blades rather than plucking at harp strings. Whether it's with weapons, unarmed or with the “borrowed magics” of distilled angel-blood tattoos, she trains harder than any other Seraphim warrior to prove she is nothing like her parents who abandoned her to become Rogues.
When Alyx starts displaying the signs of a strange new magic, most don’t believe her and no one has answers for her. She starts to investigate for herself. The web of lies she uncovers will shatter her world and she’ll be forced to risk everything for Israel, a mortal she barely knows.
Alyx and Israel will soon realize that their destinies are inexplicably tied - and that their choices will determine the fate of Earth itself.
It begins in Angelfire.
More than anything the path of destiny takes great courage, not the greatest gifts or skill. -Mayrekk
Angelfire the first book of the Dark Angel series by Hanna Peach took me on such a wonderful adventure, full of suspense, twists and turns, and new romance. This series starts with a demon meeting a seraph in a bar called Purgatory, but they are being watched, spied on by another. This prologue hooked me. Then we are introduced to Alyx, the main character who is a lightwarrior for Michaelea, a seraphim city. Alyx is bonded to a mortal Israel. It is her job to protect him at all costs because a bond such as this means that he is destined for something great. But is Alyx up for the challenge? Who can she trust?
Who was this killer? Who was this Rogue? Why could she now feel his presence with her? Why could she hear the strands of his thoughts on her mind like a ghostly melody? Why was she so damn connected to him?
I must say I loved the characters in this novel. Written in third person limited POV, we get a chance to see not only the main character’s feelings and what she is thinking but also the other characters. The author does a wonderful job of transitioning into these different POVs with chapter breaks and the way in which it is written tells me the author knows her characters because each one has a distinct personality. Not once when I was reading from Israel’s POV did I forget and think I was in Alyx’s POV, the writing is just enough different that it helps to define the characters’ personalities which is a wonderful achievement!
Alyx is our main character and she is a strong-willed, unsanctioned lightwarrior who, by no fault of her own, bounced from home to home until being taken in by her flock leader Symon. Basically she was an orphan and because of this she has many insecurities about herself, mainly around love and people leaving. I loved watching this character’s struggles and I can see just how much she will grow in this series.
Israel is a mortal or is he more? Alyx started having visions, seeing things that Israel was seeing and experiencing as it happened. Israel is a complex character. Also an orphan, he has some of the same insecurities that Alyx has and continually pushes her away when she gets too close.
Not only are the characters great, but the world-building is outstanding! I was sucked right into the Seraphim City, the Purgatory bar, and the mortal world that is caught in-between the demon/seraphim war. Things were described in such detail that I could picture it in my mind. Probably my favorite though is Israel’s home when we first meet him, it is an abandoned theater. The descriptions were so good that I felt like I could smell the musty, rotting seat cushions!
So why four stars and not five? Well after the hook in the prologue, we get dropped right in the middle of a scene with Alyx and Symon and I found myself confused. It wasn’t until three or four chapters later that things became clear for me and I became interested in the story again. However after that initial confusion I was hooked. I spent the entire weekend reading this series and loved every minute of it!
This story has a little of everything. Angels and demons, magic (through their blood ink), pirates (yes and I loved them!!!). Action-packed, suspenseful, and heartbreakingly romantic at times, I can’t wait for the next one!
About Hanna Peach
Hanna is the bestselling author of the Bound romantic suspense series and the Dark Angel fantasy series. Although she writes in more than one genre she can’t write a book without weaving together a complicated plot and filling it with twists. She writes what she believes: good people can do bad things, ordinary people can do great things, and choose love above everything.
Eternally restless, Hanna has lived in Indonesia, Australia, Germany, Scotland, England, Croatia and Ireland – everything she owns fits into one suitcase. She’s planning her next move with her gorgeous (and understanding) partner right now. If not writing, she can be found wandering a dusty market in Marrakesh or trekking a mountain in Peru, often using her travels as settings in her novels.
To WIN a copy of her next release go to www.hannapeach.com/subscribe.
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