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Fallen Angels #1
After Eden
Devi knows she shouldn’t trust the new employee at her favorite used bookstore. Sure, he’s funny, smart and hands down the sexiest guy she’s ever met, but something dark lurks behind his unassuming smile and sinful green eyes.
Still, a girl can’t always afford to be picky. When an angel abducts your twin brother it should come as no surprise that the one person who can help you get him back is a demon–and only if you’re willing to pay his price.
Still, a girl can’t always afford to be picky. When an angel abducts your twin brother it should come as no surprise that the one person who can help you get him back is a demon–and only if you’re willing to pay his price.
277 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 9, 2011
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3454 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
December 28, 2015
**NOTE: I am updating my reviews. Y'know: older, wiser, more eloquent.**
I don't know what possessed me to read this book. The summary seems intriguing enough, but after reading it… let's just chalk it up to a momentary lapse in judgement.
In terms of plot, this book is all over the place. It reads like Katherine Pine never devised a plot, or a reference sheet or anything else she could use to keep this book consistent. Because it is all over the place. This is what I will henceforth refer to as an "OH YEAH!" moment. Whenever I use this, you can assume that the author has made no previous mention of this information, although it may seem imperative.
So, the main character, Devi, is a lonely secluded girl who doesn't have any meaningful relationships. Like at all. Not even her family: she can't look at her mom without being reminded of her missing brother and dead father. What she does have, is one pseudo-friend named Kim who is Vietnamese, and treats Devi so horribly, which conveniently furthers her isolation. This trope is not uncommon, but usually the isolation is not having absolutely no friends whatsoever, but more feeling out of place in your social group and/or family. Devi takes it to a whole new level, the level on which I would keep an eye on her so she doesn't come to class one day with an Uzi. Complete isolation.
**SIDENOTE, skip this if you are triggered by death, suicide, murder, or really creepy stuff** Devi mentions that her father shot himself on their couch and she used to sleep on the blood stain and stroke it.. That is not sentimental or sad, only creepy and very, very gross. Also, I think it's technically impossible because the police and forensics would need at least a day to make sure he really shot himself, and he wasn't murdered. Because they do that with every case in a shooting. So Devi wouldn't be allowed anywhere near the bloodstain for at least a day, and maybe not at all, because I'd imagine they'd get rid of it for, y'know sanitary reasons. Nobody needs a bloodstained couch and that's gross.
OH YEAH! I get migraines so bad everyone thinks I have epilepsy! Oh, okay. So Devi is prone to seizures. What triggers her? No idea! This is brought up and dropped so quick, and is never mentioned again. So we can assume Devi has had a seizure before in public, enough for her to be diagnosed with epilepsy, but there is no further mention of treatment, or self-care. Meaning, Devi never takes care to avoid flashing lights, or swift movements or anything that might cause a seizure. If it's not mentioned again, why is it relevant? Why is it included? Who knows?
OH YEAH! I have an Indian grandmother, and my name comes from the Hindu word for goddess, but this has no relevance to the story or plot. It would be really cool to include this somehow, but it's sort of just kind of there. Oh. Okay, cool. What do I do with this? Why is this here? (I'd also appreciate Hinduism getting the proper respect it deserves if it's going to be mentioned at all)
OH YEAH! I used to be able to see auras, but through the strength of my will I made it go away! Huh? This is said in the middle of the book, and was never mentioned before of after this point, it wasn't in anyway related to the Hindu grandmother. Why is this relevant? It's not mentioned before or after.
At this point the OH YEAH! moments are getting enough to be infuriating but there's still more.
OH YEAH! (This moment comes towards the end of the book so it's particularly frustrating) Remember that brother who went missing? Well he used to have an imaginary friend that he was convinced was real but no one believed him but I lowkey did. Well OH YEAH! turns out imaginary "Cammy" is actually the angel Camael. For some reason when she figures this out she has an emotional outburst and cries forever because she's mad that Camael never revealed himself to anybody else or some obscure reason that is not fully explained.
That's all of the major OH YEAH! moments but there were more that I didn't include because then this would get tedious.
Besides plot holes and discrepancies, the whole concept of the story was executed poorly.
The idea has potential to be intriguing. Pine makes the insinuation that Lucifer Fell not because of Pride but because of Love. Very interesting. This implies that there is more to morality than just a linear scale of good and evil in the supernatural realm. Note, here, Pine is going based on Christian theology in her novel. So this means, that demons have the potential to do good, such as love. Does this mean that they feel the same love that people feel or only the bad types of love like obsession and envy? See? This has potential to be very interesting, but Pine fails to recognize that potential by keeping it a binary scale but flipping the ends, meaning angels are bad and demons are good. It just doesn't make any sense. I mean, it could, but she just doesn't put in the effort to make it work.
For example Cammy/Camael, the imaginary friend/angel has absolutely no range of emotion. Like zero. His full identity and personality are based completely on following orders. I guess it's supposed to create conflict, but it just falls flat. It would be more interesting if he had at least a tiny personality or an emotional range greater than a teaspoon so he could be conflicted with following orders even though he had to follow them, but alas that is not the case. We are stuck with cardboard zero emotion Cam, and it's disappointing.
I did like Oz however. I liked his character and his quirks. I love that he loves pancakes. Very interesting traits for a demon. But the BIGGEST problem I had with this WHOLE book is that Oz has to live in a fake unnatural (for him) body because otherwise Devi won't find him attractive. That is a terrible message, even lowkey to send (it's a tad different because Oz is a demon but it's still a horrible message). I like that he's compassionate, and kind, and goofy. However, having a demon with these traits should add to the plot of a novel that should be about the complexity of good and evil, but instead just adds to the chaos of a book and a mess of a plot.
My recommendation: Skip this book. Give it a pass. It's poorly written, the plot is a mess, and it will leave you frustrated
I don't know what possessed me to read this book. The summary seems intriguing enough, but after reading it… let's just chalk it up to a momentary lapse in judgement.
In terms of plot, this book is all over the place. It reads like Katherine Pine never devised a plot, or a reference sheet or anything else she could use to keep this book consistent. Because it is all over the place. This is what I will henceforth refer to as an "OH YEAH!" moment. Whenever I use this, you can assume that the author has made no previous mention of this information, although it may seem imperative.
So, the main character, Devi, is a lonely secluded girl who doesn't have any meaningful relationships. Like at all. Not even her family: she can't look at her mom without being reminded of her missing brother and dead father. What she does have, is one pseudo-friend named Kim who is Vietnamese, and treats Devi so horribly, which conveniently furthers her isolation. This trope is not uncommon, but usually the isolation is not having absolutely no friends whatsoever, but more feeling out of place in your social group and/or family. Devi takes it to a whole new level, the level on which I would keep an eye on her so she doesn't come to class one day with an Uzi. Complete isolation.
**SIDENOTE, skip this if you are triggered by death, suicide, murder, or really creepy stuff** Devi mentions that her father shot himself on their couch and she used to sleep on the blood stain and stroke it.. That is not sentimental or sad, only creepy and very, very gross. Also, I think it's technically impossible because the police and forensics would need at least a day to make sure he really shot himself, and he wasn't murdered. Because they do that with every case in a shooting. So Devi wouldn't be allowed anywhere near the bloodstain for at least a day, and maybe not at all, because I'd imagine they'd get rid of it for, y'know sanitary reasons. Nobody needs a bloodstained couch and that's gross.
OH YEAH! I get migraines so bad everyone thinks I have epilepsy! Oh, okay. So Devi is prone to seizures. What triggers her? No idea! This is brought up and dropped so quick, and is never mentioned again. So we can assume Devi has had a seizure before in public, enough for her to be diagnosed with epilepsy, but there is no further mention of treatment, or self-care. Meaning, Devi never takes care to avoid flashing lights, or swift movements or anything that might cause a seizure. If it's not mentioned again, why is it relevant? Why is it included? Who knows?
OH YEAH! I have an Indian grandmother, and my name comes from the Hindu word for goddess, but this has no relevance to the story or plot. It would be really cool to include this somehow, but it's sort of just kind of there. Oh. Okay, cool. What do I do with this? Why is this here? (I'd also appreciate Hinduism getting the proper respect it deserves if it's going to be mentioned at all)
OH YEAH! I used to be able to see auras, but through the strength of my will I made it go away! Huh? This is said in the middle of the book, and was never mentioned before of after this point, it wasn't in anyway related to the Hindu grandmother. Why is this relevant? It's not mentioned before or after.
At this point the OH YEAH! moments are getting enough to be infuriating but there's still more.
OH YEAH! (This moment comes towards the end of the book so it's particularly frustrating) Remember that brother who went missing? Well he used to have an imaginary friend that he was convinced was real but no one believed him but I lowkey did. Well OH YEAH! turns out imaginary "Cammy" is actually the angel Camael. For some reason when she figures this out she has an emotional outburst and cries forever because she's mad that Camael never revealed himself to anybody else or some obscure reason that is not fully explained.
That's all of the major OH YEAH! moments but there were more that I didn't include because then this would get tedious.
Besides plot holes and discrepancies, the whole concept of the story was executed poorly.
The idea has potential to be intriguing. Pine makes the insinuation that Lucifer Fell not because of Pride but because of Love. Very interesting. This implies that there is more to morality than just a linear scale of good and evil in the supernatural realm. Note, here, Pine is going based on Christian theology in her novel. So this means, that demons have the potential to do good, such as love. Does this mean that they feel the same love that people feel or only the bad types of love like obsession and envy? See? This has potential to be very interesting, but Pine fails to recognize that potential by keeping it a binary scale but flipping the ends, meaning angels are bad and demons are good. It just doesn't make any sense. I mean, it could, but she just doesn't put in the effort to make it work.
For example Cammy/Camael, the imaginary friend/angel has absolutely no range of emotion. Like zero. His full identity and personality are based completely on following orders. I guess it's supposed to create conflict, but it just falls flat. It would be more interesting if he had at least a tiny personality or an emotional range greater than a teaspoon so he could be conflicted with following orders even though he had to follow them, but alas that is not the case. We are stuck with cardboard zero emotion Cam, and it's disappointing.
I did like Oz however. I liked his character and his quirks. I love that he loves pancakes. Very interesting traits for a demon. But the BIGGEST problem I had with this WHOLE book is that Oz has to live in a fake unnatural (for him) body because otherwise Devi won't find him attractive. That is a terrible message, even lowkey to send (it's a tad different because Oz is a demon but it's still a horrible message). I like that he's compassionate, and kind, and goofy. However, having a demon with these traits should add to the plot of a novel that should be about the complexity of good and evil, but instead just adds to the chaos of a book and a mess of a plot.
My recommendation: Skip this book. Give it a pass. It's poorly written, the plot is a mess, and it will leave you frustrated
November 15, 2015
Deze recensie is als eerste geplaatst op Carpe Libra
After Eden start zeer veelbelovend. Onze heldin valt bijna in de armen van onze held (oké ze viel op de harde vloer, hij moet duidelijk nog aan zijn reflexen werken ;) ) en ze voelen zich op de een of andere manier meteen tot elkaar aangetrokken. Ook de flashbacks die Devi ervaart over haar rare broer Kai wekten enorme nieuwsgierigheid op. Een engel die kinderen zou ontvoeren? Behoren zij in alle verhalen tot de good guys? Of gaat het hier om een gevallen engel? Hier moest ik meer over weten!
Maar toen.... begonnen ze met praten en hielden niet meer op. De afwisseling tussen actie en eindeloze conversaties had iets beter verdeeld kunnen worden. Mijn aandacht verslapte gewoon. Alsof mijn broertjes tegen mij over voetbal beginnen te praten, zo saai was het. Ik heb het boek ook verscheidene keren gewoon even moeten wegleggen, aangezien ik merkte dat ik dezelfde zin steeds opnieuw moest lezen. Het verhaal bleef gewoon niet hangen...
De rest van het verhaal werd daardoor een beetje meh. Er waren nog wel leuke stukken hier en daar, maar ik miste het gevoel dat ik aan het begin had. Ook is me nog steeds niet duidelijk wat in dit boek het verschil is tussen een Engel en een Duivel. Logischerwijs moet er een belangrijk en duidelijk verschil tussen zitten, maar dat kon ik niet uit de tekst opmaken. Dit maakte het verhaal een beetje raar in mijn ogen...
Het was een beetje moeilijk om mijn gevoelens over After Eden op een rijtje te krijgen. Er zaten superleuke stukken in (ik kijk tegenwoordig anders tegen maandverband aan ;) ) maar er waren ook stukken waar ik mezelf doorheen moest slepen. Zo saai waren ze. Daarom uiteindelijk toch maar 3 sterren gegeven. Het is leuker dan het gemiddelde boek, maar ook niet veel.
June 13, 2011
I am really enjoying see author think outside the box. Stories are now becoming so much more than what they used to be. One genre that is popular is angels. I love the any story with angels, but when Heaven and Hell go to war, its even better.
Devi is a great character. I loved her personality from the very start. She is a very humbling young lady who is just trying to find answers. I like how both her and her brother had a strong connection to war that is going on. The storyline is not only unique but realistic. Many things in this book have biblical setting. So if you aren't familiar with the bible, you might bot get it. Then again, Ms. Pine made it easy to understand since she did a great job explaining the story to the reader as you unveil each secret. Which was wonderful. I love secrets!!
All the characters in this book played a big role. While they may seem minor, their roles are bigger then what you think. I like how all sides of the story are explain from each character. Things you wouldn't believe happen to them. Each of them have a stake in this war, it is just matter of who gets it first.
My only gripe was the beginning of the story that sort of confused me. It lead me thinking of something else, when it was something entirely different. (Don't want to say to spoil the story.)
If you like angels, biblical history, and a unique storyline read this book. Ms. Pine created such a world that was easy to dive into and stay in. The story flowed just right, as well as the character development. Nothing happen too fast or too slow. The pacing of the story was perfect in revealing the characters, secrets and the war.
Devi is a great character. I loved her personality from the very start. She is a very humbling young lady who is just trying to find answers. I like how both her and her brother had a strong connection to war that is going on. The storyline is not only unique but realistic. Many things in this book have biblical setting. So if you aren't familiar with the bible, you might bot get it. Then again, Ms. Pine made it easy to understand since she did a great job explaining the story to the reader as you unveil each secret. Which was wonderful. I love secrets!!
All the characters in this book played a big role. While they may seem minor, their roles are bigger then what you think. I like how all sides of the story are explain from each character. Things you wouldn't believe happen to them. Each of them have a stake in this war, it is just matter of who gets it first.
My only gripe was the beginning of the story that sort of confused me. It lead me thinking of something else, when it was something entirely different. (Don't want to say to spoil the story.)
If you like angels, biblical history, and a unique storyline read this book. Ms. Pine created such a world that was easy to dive into and stay in. The story flowed just right, as well as the character development. Nothing happen too fast or too slow. The pacing of the story was perfect in revealing the characters, secrets and the war.
August 11, 2017
This was an okay read. At times it was a little slow though. I liked it enough to make the effort to finish it. If the author hadn't mysteriously disappeared from the face of the earth I might have continued this series. However, it seems like it will never be completed so why waste my time.
March 21, 2012
The summary was good and the few first chapters have real potential, I really thought I would enjoy that book but unfortunately the promising start didn’t really deliver.
I know that starts of series might not always seem like the best but this book didn’t manage to capture my interest on any level.
I can’t say the plot is flawed but there is a lot of inconsistencies, the absence of some essential explanation that almost makes me wonder if the author had a define plan when she started to write the story.
I have to say the same about the characters, they are very uni-dimensional, you can’t really feel anything. Where some books make my heart aches for just one hand holding, this one actually bored me while reading the supposedly hot make-out scene.
The writing style itself is not bad but there is quite a few editing errors that might be a concern for readers. English is not my first language and if I noticed quite a lot of them I wonder how native speakers will react.
Honestly there is not much more I can say about this book, it was not completely TERRIBLE but I still thought that it was for a a waste of money and time. It is far from being a YA of quality which also makes me wonder about the author age and writing skills.
I know that starts of series might not always seem like the best but this book didn’t manage to capture my interest on any level.
I can’t say the plot is flawed but there is a lot of inconsistencies, the absence of some essential explanation that almost makes me wonder if the author had a define plan when she started to write the story.
I have to say the same about the characters, they are very uni-dimensional, you can’t really feel anything. Where some books make my heart aches for just one hand holding, this one actually bored me while reading the supposedly hot make-out scene.
The writing style itself is not bad but there is quite a few editing errors that might be a concern for readers. English is not my first language and if I noticed quite a lot of them I wonder how native speakers will react.
Honestly there is not much more I can say about this book, it was not completely TERRIBLE but I still thought that it was for a a waste of money and time. It is far from being a YA of quality which also makes me wonder about the author age and writing skills.
November 24, 2012
Devi is very emotional even though most of the time she does not know why. Devi has missed a part of herself since her brother was stolen & she has never felt whole since. Devi is constantly thinking about her brother & any answers she can get she is willing to pay the price for the answers. Her favorite bookstore is now owned by Oz who is a demon & she is falling in love with. There is a curse on demons (which in this series are fallen angels)& it is related to love which really sucks for both Oz & Devi. Devi also meets a devil who wants to deliver her to hell for his prince (Lucifer). So she needs to survive & escape the devil which is kind of friends with Oz who is protecting her from everyone while trying to be friendly with her guardian angel (Oh yeah that too) who is trained to fight devils & demons. She is mean to the angel for reasons that are completely understandable but once he shows himself she can always see him (I think) & being away from her hurts the angel. I see this becoming a major problem for Devi. I liked the book & will read the next in the series. I am hoping for some more answers to the puzzle. I would like to see how Devi & Oz handle everything & see their relationship progress to the next level.
August 25, 2011
This was a good story and I am looking forward to the next book. I do have one issue with this book that made me give it a lower rating. This may be a spoiler so be forewarned!
I was extremely disappointed with Devi's treatment of Camael. I frankly didn't understand why she was so hostile and cruel to him. I don't care that Camael technically doesn't have feelings, but seriously, it's human decency to not be so uncaring. It confused me that Devi was upset over the bug that flew into the flames, and was concerned about Forneus a few times after he was a jerk and had intentions to kill her. However, she couldn't bring herself to be decent and forgiving of Camael after learning he didn't have a choice taking her brother. He even tried to prolong taking Kai for her sake, and then stayed with Devi to watch over her. I mean seriously her behavior is just retarded and hypocritical. I sincerely hope the author changes Devi's attitude in the next book for it to be more consistent behavior. I greatly disliked Devi as soon as she didn't move past her attitude towards Camael. In fact my thoughts on Devi were akin to disappointment.
I was extremely disappointed with Devi's treatment of Camael. I frankly didn't understand why she was so hostile and cruel to him. I don't care that Camael technically doesn't have feelings, but seriously, it's human decency to not be so uncaring. It confused me that Devi was upset over the bug that flew into the flames, and was concerned about Forneus a few times after he was a jerk and had intentions to kill her. However, she couldn't bring herself to be decent and forgiving of Camael after learning he didn't have a choice taking her brother. He even tried to prolong taking Kai for her sake, and then stayed with Devi to watch over her. I mean seriously her behavior is just retarded and hypocritical. I sincerely hope the author changes Devi's attitude in the next book for it to be more consistent behavior. I greatly disliked Devi as soon as she didn't move past her attitude towards Camael. In fact my thoughts on Devi were akin to disappointment.
May 17, 2011
4½
I was asked by the author, Katherine Pine, to review After Eden. Well, with angels, dark romance, demons and the paranormal, this book sounded like my idea of heaven (no pun intended, there). I had even been planning on buying it, before Katherine offered it to me. And, after finishing, I can honestly tell you all that I loved this book! Thank you Katherine, so, so much!
There was something very addictive about After Eden, right from the beginning. The prologue was simply amazing, about how close Devi and her twin brother, Kai, were. In it, the two are playing The Snow Queen, and she promises that she will always find him. And then she wonders that if her name were Greta (the girl in The Snow Queen) she would be able to save her brother and find him, regardless.
“But I’d been named Devi, and so after he was stolen I couldn’t find him, no matter how hard I tried.”
Devi’s suffered lots of losses in her life: her brother’s abduction, her father’s suicide, part of her mother got lost along the way and part of herself disappeared when her brother did. When she meets Oz, she knows he’s different, but then again, she’s used to different. Because an angel took her brother...
There was something about Devi that drew me in. She was almost socially awkward, and damaged after her brother’s disappearance. Just... different. More mature, but she was also able to laugh easier than most. Smart, intuitive, emotional and brave, Devi was just easily likeable. Then there were all the little mysteries about her: the sudden headaches she’d get for no obvious reason, the circumstances in which her brother disappeared... She was an amazing protagonist, and so strong after all she’d been through.
Oz, our love interest, I loved. He was funny, cute, with a punk-rocker-slash-artsy-type look. I’m not a big fan of the love-at-first-sight, but I could get why Devi was so drawn to Oz. He was mysterious, sweet and... well, perfect. What I loved most was the fact that he wasn’t one of those overly-brooding male leads: he was witty, hilarious and his personality was really addictive. Plus, he had a few tricks up his sleeve...
Devi’s best friend, Kim, was brilliant: and completely insane. Oz’s friend Forneus was an odd character: one minute I hated him, the next I liked him, the next I hated him again. But... he cared about Oz. Even though he was mean.
Devi and Oz’s relationship was completely believable, even with the first-sight aspect. The two of them just went together, perfectly. And when they were together, more often than not I ended up laughing at one thing or another.
What I liked most about this book was the mythology: it was incredible, and obviously very well thought out. The writing was brilliant, although there were a few minor grammatical mistakes. The hints were dropped, the twists revealed slowly, teasingly, until I finally understood: by then, the book had finished, and I hadn’t put it down in hours. And the characters were amazingly real, and I actually felt like I got to know them as I read. I recommend this to all paranormal romance readers: it’s a new twist on the genre, in my opinion anyway.
After Eden was insanely hard to put down, and once I finished, I found myself thinking of the story and characters. I was also left with a strong urge to go back into the world. I can’t wait until the sequel comes out! Because, right at the end, the ultimate piece of information was revealed...
I was asked by the author, Katherine Pine, to review After Eden. Well, with angels, dark romance, demons and the paranormal, this book sounded like my idea of heaven (no pun intended, there). I had even been planning on buying it, before Katherine offered it to me. And, after finishing, I can honestly tell you all that I loved this book! Thank you Katherine, so, so much!
There was something very addictive about After Eden, right from the beginning. The prologue was simply amazing, about how close Devi and her twin brother, Kai, were. In it, the two are playing The Snow Queen, and she promises that she will always find him. And then she wonders that if her name were Greta (the girl in The Snow Queen) she would be able to save her brother and find him, regardless.
“But I’d been named Devi, and so after he was stolen I couldn’t find him, no matter how hard I tried.”
Devi’s suffered lots of losses in her life: her brother’s abduction, her father’s suicide, part of her mother got lost along the way and part of herself disappeared when her brother did. When she meets Oz, she knows he’s different, but then again, she’s used to different. Because an angel took her brother...
There was something about Devi that drew me in. She was almost socially awkward, and damaged after her brother’s disappearance. Just... different. More mature, but she was also able to laugh easier than most. Smart, intuitive, emotional and brave, Devi was just easily likeable. Then there were all the little mysteries about her: the sudden headaches she’d get for no obvious reason, the circumstances in which her brother disappeared... She was an amazing protagonist, and so strong after all she’d been through.
Oz, our love interest, I loved. He was funny, cute, with a punk-rocker-slash-artsy-type look. I’m not a big fan of the love-at-first-sight, but I could get why Devi was so drawn to Oz. He was mysterious, sweet and... well, perfect. What I loved most was the fact that he wasn’t one of those overly-brooding male leads: he was witty, hilarious and his personality was really addictive. Plus, he had a few tricks up his sleeve...
Devi’s best friend, Kim, was brilliant: and completely insane. Oz’s friend Forneus was an odd character: one minute I hated him, the next I liked him, the next I hated him again. But... he cared about Oz. Even though he was mean.
Devi and Oz’s relationship was completely believable, even with the first-sight aspect. The two of them just went together, perfectly. And when they were together, more often than not I ended up laughing at one thing or another.
What I liked most about this book was the mythology: it was incredible, and obviously very well thought out. The writing was brilliant, although there were a few minor grammatical mistakes. The hints were dropped, the twists revealed slowly, teasingly, until I finally understood: by then, the book had finished, and I hadn’t put it down in hours. And the characters were amazingly real, and I actually felt like I got to know them as I read. I recommend this to all paranormal romance readers: it’s a new twist on the genre, in my opinion anyway.
After Eden was insanely hard to put down, and once I finished, I found myself thinking of the story and characters. I was also left with a strong urge to go back into the world. I can’t wait until the sequel comes out! Because, right at the end, the ultimate piece of information was revealed...
May 28, 2012
I'll call this one really more like 2.5 stars. It's better than a 2 but not as good as a 3...so yeah, 2.5
What I like:
- The world. I liked the potential here - the demons, the angel hierarchy, the devils, the spiritless, the soulless, etc. It's a pretty nifty idea.
- I also like the conflict presented with Devi (main character) and her brother and how they fit into this particular world. I also like the separate romantic conflict between Devi and Azazel/aka Oz (conflict meaning she's destined to kill him).
- I like Azazel/Oz. He's a nice mix of bad ass and sweet. I'd have liked to have seen more of him / his powers.
- *sometimes* I like Devi. At points, she was a sympathetic lead, but other times... honestly? Kind of weak.
- More below on the negative side, but I like Forneus.
- I like Camael's (Devi's angel guardian) characterization quite a bit. The author has done a fine job showing the difference between the earthbound and the angels. Unlike other "angel" books out there, this one makes the angels less... human. It's an interesting approach.
- Thank you, no love triangle. A+ on that.
- *sometimes* the chemistry between Devi and Oz works. Sometimes, to be frank, it's too far, too fast, to the point it's not believable.
What I don't like:
- For lack of better terms, the lack of story organization is my biggest beef. More than once I found myself shaking my head and thinking that this story couldn't possibly have a solid (or logical) outline. It was disjointed and, really, in places just poorly set up. There's not enough information early enough. There's too much information without prior hints too late. Sometimes it seems like "stuff" just randomly happens. More background on the world and more importantly on the rules of it is needed. And it needs to be laid out in a more orderly fashion. Also, there are segments that really are just not needed at all, plot-wise - i.e. the entire chapter devoted to "padding" James's car.
- The secondaries need a lot of work. I like Forneus, but furthering the point immediately preceding this one, I don't get him. He's not nearly developed enough if he's going to be such an important character in the story. Kim, Devi's best friends is a waste of text. One, she's not important to the story, and two, she's very unlikable.
- The appearance of the villain and the climax itself. No lie, I was going, "HUH? Where did she come from????" And too, how Forneus "saved" her...just no. That wasn't hinted at or alluded to at all. Really, that whole scene made little sense. More background was needed ahead of time. As is, it was just... illogical and too unexpected to be believable in the world.
- As mentioned above, Devi and her chemistry with Oz needs work. At times, it's just... not believable. She's also sometimes just... not really compelling as a lead.
I'll probably read the second book in the series because I've found that often series such as this (first time and self pub'd) improve as they progress. I'm hoping some of the issues resolve. We'll see. Either way, it's a fast read, so not too much time invested.
I can't say I'd recommend it highly or broadly. But if you really like the "angel" YA subgenre, you might give it a shot just to see.
What I like:
- The world. I liked the potential here - the demons, the angel hierarchy, the devils, the spiritless, the soulless, etc. It's a pretty nifty idea.
- I also like the conflict presented with Devi (main character) and her brother and how they fit into this particular world. I also like the separate romantic conflict between Devi and Azazel/aka Oz (conflict meaning she's destined to kill him).
- I like Azazel/Oz. He's a nice mix of bad ass and sweet. I'd have liked to have seen more of him / his powers.
- *sometimes* I like Devi. At points, she was a sympathetic lead, but other times... honestly? Kind of weak.
- More below on the negative side, but I like Forneus.
- I like Camael's (Devi's angel guardian) characterization quite a bit. The author has done a fine job showing the difference between the earthbound and the angels. Unlike other "angel" books out there, this one makes the angels less... human. It's an interesting approach.
- Thank you, no love triangle. A+ on that.
- *sometimes* the chemistry between Devi and Oz works. Sometimes, to be frank, it's too far, too fast, to the point it's not believable.
What I don't like:
- For lack of better terms, the lack of story organization is my biggest beef. More than once I found myself shaking my head and thinking that this story couldn't possibly have a solid (or logical) outline. It was disjointed and, really, in places just poorly set up. There's not enough information early enough. There's too much information without prior hints too late. Sometimes it seems like "stuff" just randomly happens. More background on the world and more importantly on the rules of it is needed. And it needs to be laid out in a more orderly fashion. Also, there are segments that really are just not needed at all, plot-wise - i.e. the entire chapter devoted to "padding" James's car.
- The secondaries need a lot of work. I like Forneus, but furthering the point immediately preceding this one, I don't get him. He's not nearly developed enough if he's going to be such an important character in the story. Kim, Devi's best friends is a waste of text. One, she's not important to the story, and two, she's very unlikable.
- The appearance of the villain and the climax itself. No lie, I was going, "HUH? Where did she come from????" And too, how Forneus "saved" her...just no. That wasn't hinted at or alluded to at all. Really, that whole scene made little sense. More background was needed ahead of time. As is, it was just... illogical and too unexpected to be believable in the world.
- As mentioned above, Devi and her chemistry with Oz needs work. At times, it's just... not believable. She's also sometimes just... not really compelling as a lead.
I'll probably read the second book in the series because I've found that often series such as this (first time and self pub'd) improve as they progress. I'm hoping some of the issues resolve. We'll see. Either way, it's a fast read, so not too much time invested.
I can't say I'd recommend it highly or broadly. But if you really like the "angel" YA subgenre, you might give it a shot just to see.
September 10, 2011
After Eden was easy to read and I liked the story about an outcast Devi, who meets a mysterious guy at her favorite used book store. Devi's twin brother Kai was taken by an Angel when she was 10. She has always felt she was missing something ever since that day. She has been plagued by migraines since his disappearance. Her father commited suicide on their couch because he couldn't stand the loss of his son. Davi's Mom is an alcoholic and more absent than present in her life. When Devi meets Oz, the bookstore guy, he seems to know all about her headaches. She is attracted to him but has been a loner for so long that she keeps him at a distance. It turns out Devi was born without a spirit and therefore when she dies she will cease to be. Apparently this makes her a Demon magnet. Oz protects her and she seems to have an Angel. She wants to make her Angel appear so he can take her to her brother. Oz helps her because he loves her. She doesn't realize his feelings and I often wanted to shake her. I loved Oz even though he was a demon. I wanted her to be with him but it just never really happened. Oz is sexy and saves her more than once.
The book deals with some interesting mythology regarding Angels and Demons. Demons are the Angels that were sent to gaurd and watch over Eden but fell in love with God's creation and therefore were banished from Heaven to life immortally in the creation they loved so much. Oz is one of these Demons. Oz makes being a Demon not seem bad. It is almost as if it wasn't their fault they loved creation so much. Then there are Devils who are the Angels whom were thrown out of Heaven for wanting to become better than God. Lucifer is the Prince of all. Lucifer has sent his Devils to collect Devi as she is the only person who has been born without the spirit in centuries. Then there is Devi's brother Kai who was pure spirit and therefore belonged to Heaven. It was a little like they shouldn't have been 2 people but one. This was a good story and I will definitely read the next one but I do wish Devi would get more together with Oz.
The book deals with some interesting mythology regarding Angels and Demons. Demons are the Angels that were sent to gaurd and watch over Eden but fell in love with God's creation and therefore were banished from Heaven to life immortally in the creation they loved so much. Oz is one of these Demons. Oz makes being a Demon not seem bad. It is almost as if it wasn't their fault they loved creation so much. Then there are Devils who are the Angels whom were thrown out of Heaven for wanting to become better than God. Lucifer is the Prince of all. Lucifer has sent his Devils to collect Devi as she is the only person who has been born without the spirit in centuries. Then there is Devi's brother Kai who was pure spirit and therefore belonged to Heaven. It was a little like they shouldn't have been 2 people but one. This was a good story and I will definitely read the next one but I do wish Devi would get more together with Oz.
March 19, 2012
3.5 This book was surprisingly good for 99c on Amazon!
Meet Devi. Her brother Kai was taken away by a gorgeous angel when they were children, her father committed suicide, and her mother -- who blames herself for all the wrong that has happened to their family -- is a shell of herself. She drinks alcohol and passes out on a couch that is the same model as the one her dead husband shot himself on.
Meet Oz, or Azazel (or Jasmine... more on that to come). He is a fallen angel, or a devil. He owns a bookstore, can shape shift -- into anything, including a female... yes. Hello Jasmine), and has a love for all things -- particularly pancakes from the pot-head hangout next door to his bookstore.
And then there's a cast of other characters such as Forenus, who is a demon and friend of Oz in a love-hate relationship and also wants to bring Devi to his "prince" (I assume Lucifer); Kim, Devi's only friend who is Vietnamese and a sucker for bad men, also a bit shallow as well; "Cammy", the angel watching over Devi; and Onoskeilis, who loves Azazel and is trying to kill Devi to prevent the love of her life from succumbing to God's curse:
I didn't particularly enjoy all the religious bits as I'm not a religious person, but thankfully -- for an angel and demon/devil book -- it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Plus, I was looking for some cheesy/fluffy pnr YA book to read and was mildly entertained by this. I may even get around to reading the sequel.
Meet Devi. Her brother Kai was taken away by a gorgeous angel when they were children, her father committed suicide, and her mother -- who blames herself for all the wrong that has happened to their family -- is a shell of herself. She drinks alcohol and passes out on a couch that is the same model as the one her dead husband shot himself on.
Meet Oz, or Azazel (or Jasmine... more on that to come). He is a fallen angel, or a devil. He owns a bookstore, can shape shift -- into anything, including a female... yes. Hello Jasmine), and has a love for all things -- particularly pancakes from the pot-head hangout next door to his bookstore.
And then there's a cast of other characters such as Forenus, who is a demon and friend of Oz in a love-hate relationship and also wants to bring Devi to his "prince" (I assume Lucifer); Kim, Devi's only friend who is Vietnamese and a sucker for bad men, also a bit shallow as well; "Cammy", the angel watching over Devi; and Onoskeilis, who loves Azazel and is trying to kill Devi to prevent the love of her life from succumbing to God's curse:
I didn't particularly enjoy all the religious bits as I'm not a religious person, but thankfully -- for an angel and demon/devil book -- it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Plus, I was looking for some cheesy/fluffy pnr YA book to read and was mildly entertained by this. I may even get around to reading the sequel.
March 21, 2012
I had to give this one up at about 60%. I wanted to check out some independently published books, and this one has a great cover that drew me in, but I was very disappointed.
The premise is not too bad. As far as fallen angels go, it's fairly standard. The twist is that God cursed demons to be killed by any humans they fall in love with. It had potential, but there are several fundamental problems.
First is editing. I can't stress this enough. Everyone needs a professional copy editor at the very least. This book was riddled with errors that even a decent literary minded friend could have caught.
But I would have overlooked a few errors if the basic plot would have made sense. The demon -angel-devil mythology was confusing. The pacing was terrible. There were little snippets of nice writing, but I basically felt like this was just ready to be workshopped rather than published.
I also couldn't forgive the absolutely cheesy Twilight reference to sparkling vampires. I should have given up at that point.
I could say more but none of it would be favorable.
The premise is not too bad. As far as fallen angels go, it's fairly standard. The twist is that God cursed demons to be killed by any humans they fall in love with. It had potential, but there are several fundamental problems.
First is editing. I can't stress this enough. Everyone needs a professional copy editor at the very least. This book was riddled with errors that even a decent literary minded friend could have caught.
But I would have overlooked a few errors if the basic plot would have made sense. The demon -angel-devil mythology was confusing. The pacing was terrible. There were little snippets of nice writing, but I basically felt like this was just ready to be workshopped rather than published.
I also couldn't forgive the absolutely cheesy Twilight reference to sparkling vampires. I should have given up at that point.
I could say more but none of it would be favorable.
August 24, 2011
This book has an interesting plot about demons,devils and angels. Also the characters are unique so it is an enjoyable read. The main character Devi has had a tragic life after the loss of her brother and father. One day she meets a demon and she starts to get closer to discovering what happen to her brother. I will definitely continue to read the series because I want to see what happens next.
September 2, 2011
Can you give negative stars? I honestly had to make new shelves just for this book. The characters were annoying and always crying ( bad boys and girls)??? Seriously? I have a hard time believing that a bad boy demon is a cry baby too! Don't even get me started on the erratic dialogue and complete lack of sense. I definitely would not recommend this book to anyone... There is no real romance and no real story. YA readers.. Don't waste your time.
May 26, 2012
The book was overall good. I liked the pace of story. Th way secrets were reveled! I sometime got emotional which reading the book too! I loved the romance,the excitment, all the characters were well developed!! only thing I dint like was the girl how much ever I liked her she kept on thinking the same thing about her angel but overall it was good!!
December 23, 2014
I remember very little about this book, but past Mary literally wrote "It's over. It's finall over." as her final note in the book.
Which means this book was bad enough that I don't even remember the apparent torture it put me through.
Which means this book was bad enough that I don't even remember the apparent torture it put me through.
September 5, 2011
review to follow shortly
November 10, 2013
Warning: I didn't mean to, but I probably put in some spoilers...Sorry!
The Love
Azazel (commonly known as Oz)
Forneus!
Kim
Camael!! (less commonly known as Cammy, angel, or that thing )
Overall
A misfit girl. A dark love interest. A haunting destiny. This story has all of the base details that a fallen angel story usually has, but I enjoyed it because it changed the idea of your basic "fallen angel" story in a very interesting way. After Eden was a really nice read, and I mostly enjoyed its content. Be warned though, there is a lot of religion mixed throughout the entire story.
The overall plot was good, with a set problem/solution and a good confluence of detail and dialogue. I thought that some of the writing and thought functions could have been tweaked a little better, but the idea of what the writer is trying to get across is understood.
The Love
So, enter Devi, who has a past decorated with darkness and regret, and Oz, who has experienced the same type of sadness and melancholy, but tells her that living in the past and regretting constantly will only ruin her time alive. I thought their meeting was lovely, charming, serendipitous, etc. I think, you'll find, that instead of the angst-y, broody love story that most paranormal romance books give off, After Eden has a very cute and almost childlike love story. It's not bad, but if you like something with a little more love drama, this might not be for you.
This love story really tries to be angry and broody, but falls short. You see, demons have been condemned by God to die by the hand of those they love. And Oz has some really rose-colored glasses on. Not to mention Oz is a very suspicious seemingly twenty-something year old punk guy who owns a bookstore that usually caters to fifty-year old men. Not the most appealing love interest, albeit, but of course Devi is a beautiful teenage girl who doesn't know she's pretty or that she has any attractive qualities. I think writers want their protagonists to seem charming, but reading about Devi and her expressions of love gets to be a little painful. But, you know, Oz is great!
Now...for the characters...
Devi
Let me start with this: the protagonist has the mental strength of a child. There will be no continuation of enjoyment of this character. Devi, I can almost assure you, will make you really angry at some points. She will make you want to roll your eyes and want to shake her, and yell, "Seriously??" Devi's actions are a real turn-off in this book because everything else is really good and enjoyable, but then Devi has to go and give out a really unlikable thought, which I did not like at all.
But here's her story: Devi had a twin brother named Kai (anyone else think about Sweet Evil here?) and Kai, sadly, is taken away by an angel at a young age, which leaves Devi scarred because she did nothing to help him. And then her dear old dad blames her and kills himself in their living room. So now, Devi is an introvert teen girl whose mom has a drinking problem. She goes to her favorite bookstore ( Morrison's ) and *dun dunn dunnn* meets Oz. This is the most anticlimactic love story I have ever read in my life, because seriously, Devi doesn't undergo ANY change. She basically just continues like it's everyday you meet some guy that happens to see your soul. And likes cats. So now Devi finds out she doesn't have a spirit, she does have a sweet angel who protects her, and she hates him. Go figure.
Azazel (commonly known as Oz)
Oz is a straight-up sweetie. He fails being broody and dark, but come on. The guy has a cat named Princess. Can't really be a bad boy when you have a cat with that name. He is super-nice to Devi, super understanding (even when the reader knows she doesn't deserve it), and apparently has really pretty green eyes. Also he is a demon and has a devil employer named Forneus. But yeah, really pretty eyes. I mean, you have to throw in the Emerald City joke here. Oz. Green eyes. Devi. Dorothy. :D All the makings for a great Wizar- I mean fallen angel/ paranormal romance series.
Forneus!
This devil just adds a little citric acid to the story, if you know what I mean. I mean, we can't just have two lovebirds without the condescending chaperone. I think he is hilarious and gives the story a nice little twist because you never know what side he is on. And the meeting between him and Devi is just so elegant and lovely...(sarcasm). But the description of Forneus is a little sketchy. I mean, he's some beautiful guy (of course) who's purple hair and shine and gets all the ladies, but then Devi has very opposite reactions to him, so it's a little hard to picture him with all the contradictions.
Kim
Vietnamese best friend of Devi. Apparently very popular, lots of attitude. Another bundle of contradictions: best friend of an introvert, popular, scholarly but a little promiscuous. Not much thought is really given to her throughout the story, so I can't really say she makes for a strong supporting character.
Camael!! (less commonly known as Cammy, angel, or that thing )
My favorite character by far in this book. Camael is an angel, so he is always "forgiving and understanding". This really means that he is so innocent that it is comical. This guy is hilarious. He does so many things that society definitely defines as "stalker-like behavior". I mean, unless everyone goes around following young girls watching them sleep, shower, change, and basically go through every single human action. It gets a little annoying when Devi freaks out from everything he does. I mean, you're allowed a certain amount of freaking out, and she passed that from the first few chapters. And of course, Camael is a direct contrast from Oz: blond, golden, blue-eyed. Perfection. ;P
Overall
I really enjoyed this book, minus a few dislikes, and I thought the storyline was very interesting and captivating. It was a quick read for me, and I think the whole series, once completed, will be an altogether 3.5 stars. Very uncomplicated, almost predictable plot once you have all the basics down. I'd recommend it to people with open minds and those who won't let it get to their heads too much. It's all good.
March 17, 2021
There were many points where I almost DNF’d this and I’m sad to say even though I finished it I felt like it was a huge waste of time. The pacing was so slow and the plot lacking any excitement. Things *finally* picked up after reading 60%, but even then there were stalling moments that just made me bored. I will not be reading book 2.
September 19, 2017
I honestly couldn't get through the book. I stopped on the second chapter
July 12, 2020
Very interesting
An interesting take on personalized demon, angels and devils... and a spiritless young woman.
Looking forward to book 2. It should be good.
An interesting take on personalized demon, angels and devils... and a spiritless young woman.
Looking forward to book 2. It should be good.
December 28, 2020
i think its one of my favs.
May 20, 2011
Let me start this off by saying Katherine Pine certainly has a remarkable way with words. I adore Pine’s writing style – her descriptions are simply fabulous. From the moment I began the book, I was transported into Devi’s mysterious and vivid world.
Oz, the love interest in After Eden is beyond awesome. Devi describes his look as “beautiful in that indie musician or starving poet kind of way”, which let me be the first to say, yum. But the wonderful thing about Oz, is that he is a complete sweetheart. Honestly, he might just be one of my favorite new young adult studs.
I only had a few issues with After Eden, the main being the fact that the plotline deviated from its original point. The beginning premise of the book, and what is targeted in the summary, is the story of Devi finding her long lost twin brother. While the story eventually returns to that original storyline, it seems to get lost during the bulk of the book. Normally, I would take greater issue with this, but the fact is, I really enjoyed the book in its entirety. Maybe it’s a simple case of the book summary being off; it certainly wouldn’t be the first time. Because honestly, the story arc of Devi finding her missing brother isn’t the main focus – the devils and demons coming after Devi storyline is.
Which, isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Because, man, are those demons and devils ever entertaining. Pine did a great job with creating these villains, because it’s impossible to see them as purely evil. As readers, we often want to label someone as “the bad guy”, when in reality, nobody is ever all bad. The devils and demons (especially the demons), do what they do because they feel too much. How can you really fault someone for that? Let me tell you what - it certainly keeps things interesting.
My only other issue with the book lies with the character of Devi. Let me begin by saying that for 75% of the time, I loved her character. But, there were a few instances, one in particular, when I was left questioning her overall sanity and self-worth. She doesn’t seem to think to highly of herself and she doesn’t come off as a very strong character. I do not want to get too deep into this, because I really don’t want to spoil anything for you guys, but I wish Devi would have shown more backbone throughout the book. Hopefully she will develop more of a spine in the next installment.
There are a few last side notes that I wanted to add before I wrap this one up. First of all, if you are previewing the book (either on your ereader or on link I posted above), be sure you read the first chapter as well as the prologue. Because, honestly, the prologue didn’t really do anything for me. It was the first chapter that really sold me on the book. Between Pine’s wonderful descriptions of Morrison’s and Devi’s first meeting with Oz, I was taken away with the story. So read on my friends. Secondly, I am not sure who is supposed to be on the cover, but it doesn’t look like the Devi I read about. If I remember correctly, she is supposed to be a small curvy, pale girl with black hair and dark brown eyes. So who’s the blonde? I don’t have a clue. And lastly, I had a hard time figuring out her exact age; the time line seemed to be a bit off. I thought her brother disappeared when she was seven (because her headaches began when she was 7 – pg. 22) and then Forenus said he disappeared seven years ago (pg. 33) . So that places her at fourteen. But, then later Devi insinuates that she is somewhere over the age of fifteen, but under eighteen. Which leads me to believe she is suppose to be sixteen or seventeen. Thank you awesome reasoning skills.
Anyways, back to business here. After Eden is a thrilling and exciting series opener. I hope that Pine continues to build on and develop the characters; I have a feeling this series will just get better and better. I am going to say that Pine is definitely an author to watch!
Oz, the love interest in After Eden is beyond awesome. Devi describes his look as “beautiful in that indie musician or starving poet kind of way”, which let me be the first to say, yum. But the wonderful thing about Oz, is that he is a complete sweetheart. Honestly, he might just be one of my favorite new young adult studs.
I only had a few issues with After Eden, the main being the fact that the plotline deviated from its original point. The beginning premise of the book, and what is targeted in the summary, is the story of Devi finding her long lost twin brother. While the story eventually returns to that original storyline, it seems to get lost during the bulk of the book. Normally, I would take greater issue with this, but the fact is, I really enjoyed the book in its entirety. Maybe it’s a simple case of the book summary being off; it certainly wouldn’t be the first time. Because honestly, the story arc of Devi finding her missing brother isn’t the main focus – the devils and demons coming after Devi storyline is.
Which, isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Because, man, are those demons and devils ever entertaining. Pine did a great job with creating these villains, because it’s impossible to see them as purely evil. As readers, we often want to label someone as “the bad guy”, when in reality, nobody is ever all bad. The devils and demons (especially the demons), do what they do because they feel too much. How can you really fault someone for that? Let me tell you what - it certainly keeps things interesting.
My only other issue with the book lies with the character of Devi. Let me begin by saying that for 75% of the time, I loved her character. But, there were a few instances, one in particular, when I was left questioning her overall sanity and self-worth. She doesn’t seem to think to highly of herself and she doesn’t come off as a very strong character. I do not want to get too deep into this, because I really don’t want to spoil anything for you guys, but I wish Devi would have shown more backbone throughout the book. Hopefully she will develop more of a spine in the next installment.
There are a few last side notes that I wanted to add before I wrap this one up. First of all, if you are previewing the book (either on your ereader or on link I posted above), be sure you read the first chapter as well as the prologue. Because, honestly, the prologue didn’t really do anything for me. It was the first chapter that really sold me on the book. Between Pine’s wonderful descriptions of Morrison’s and Devi’s first meeting with Oz, I was taken away with the story. So read on my friends. Secondly, I am not sure who is supposed to be on the cover, but it doesn’t look like the Devi I read about. If I remember correctly, she is supposed to be a small curvy, pale girl with black hair and dark brown eyes. So who’s the blonde? I don’t have a clue. And lastly, I had a hard time figuring out her exact age; the time line seemed to be a bit off. I thought her brother disappeared when she was seven (because her headaches began when she was 7 – pg. 22) and then Forenus said he disappeared seven years ago (pg. 33) . So that places her at fourteen. But, then later Devi insinuates that she is somewhere over the age of fifteen, but under eighteen. Which leads me to believe she is suppose to be sixteen or seventeen. Thank you awesome reasoning skills.
Anyways, back to business here. After Eden is a thrilling and exciting series opener. I hope that Pine continues to build on and develop the characters; I have a feeling this series will just get better and better. I am going to say that Pine is definitely an author to watch!
June 6, 2011
Overall rating 2.5 Stars
Devi and her twin brother Kai were two haves that made up a whole and when Kai is taken from her, she feels as though she lost half of herself. She blames herself for his disappearance and has promised never to give up hope of finding and reuniting herself with Kai.
Fast forward six years and we find Devi socially awkward, anxiety prone, epileptic, and quite the loner. She's happier spending her Friday nights perusing book store aisles for romance novels rather than going to the latest and greatest hangouts. Her Friday night book hunt is how she meets Oz. Crossing the threshold of the store, she feels a panic attack building and, before she can stop it, she falls into a full on epileptic seizure. When she comes to, she's on a couch and is being tended to by the new "boy" at the bookstore.
Soon, Devi discovers that Oz's touch is like a magic pill to her pain and her anxiety and she begins to open herself up to the virtual stranger. As events begin to unfold, she learns that there's more to Oz and his magic touch - he literally fell from Heaven. Once Devi discloses the events that left her haunted, Oz reveals insight into her dilemma and vows to help her find Kai. But when she starts questioning and challenging God and the heavens regarding her brother's disappearance, she finds herself dealing with more than just the heavens above - she also opens herself to the devil and hell. This will be the ultimate battle where Devi's life, death, and afterlife are all in danger!
Who can you trust when in the battle of heaven against hell? Are the "good guys" really good and "bad guys" really bad? And will Devi find that love really does conquer all?
The prologue for After Eden had me sold - it was stunning. I felt the weight of Devi's love and loss for Kai. It set the mood of the book beautifully!
As far as characters go, Devi was a sweet character who was very sensitive, I would almost classify her as an emotional empath. She had a very strong sense of love, honor, and protection when it came to her brother and I found that very endearing.
I really enjoyed Oz - he had spunk and charisma with just a pinch of uncertainty. His protective nature and his love of even the simplest things (pancakes!) were just icing on his cake.
Forneus was an interesting character who I plays the darker sides of the front and back fences - he compromises and manipulates to best fit the darker side of his needs. The one things I'm not exactly certain of is his feelings or relationship with Oz - friends? Enemies? Something else entirely? It almost appeared as though Forneus had a crush on Oz?
Kim was Devi's "best friend" but I honestly don't know why... I guess every girl needs at least one person to rely on, I just don't know why Kim fits that bill for Devi. I found Kim to be two faced, uncaring, rude, and completely self-serving. I really didn't like her one little bit.
The story progression was pretty good, I thought the focus was lost here or there, but seemed to get back on track most of the time. I'm not one to demand that all all of the puzzle pieces to a story be put together by the end of a book, or have the entire plot laid out, addressed, resolved, and tied in a nice little bow by the end of a book, but I will say that After Eden left A LOT of unanswered or unresolved questions and issues... I think more will be revealed about Devi's mother/father and her heritage as well as the overall God/heaven/hell/Satan workings.
With that said, will I be continuing the series? Probably not, I don't know if I was drawn into the story enough to really crave the continuation and resolution to Devi's tale.
I wish Ms. Pine luck with her series, I hope it finds a nice comfortable home in the hearts of many!
Devi and her twin brother Kai were two haves that made up a whole and when Kai is taken from her, she feels as though she lost half of herself. She blames herself for his disappearance and has promised never to give up hope of finding and reuniting herself with Kai.
Fast forward six years and we find Devi socially awkward, anxiety prone, epileptic, and quite the loner. She's happier spending her Friday nights perusing book store aisles for romance novels rather than going to the latest and greatest hangouts. Her Friday night book hunt is how she meets Oz. Crossing the threshold of the store, she feels a panic attack building and, before she can stop it, she falls into a full on epileptic seizure. When she comes to, she's on a couch and is being tended to by the new "boy" at the bookstore.
Soon, Devi discovers that Oz's touch is like a magic pill to her pain and her anxiety and she begins to open herself up to the virtual stranger. As events begin to unfold, she learns that there's more to Oz and his magic touch - he literally fell from Heaven. Once Devi discloses the events that left her haunted, Oz reveals insight into her dilemma and vows to help her find Kai. But when she starts questioning and challenging God and the heavens regarding her brother's disappearance, she finds herself dealing with more than just the heavens above - she also opens herself to the devil and hell. This will be the ultimate battle where Devi's life, death, and afterlife are all in danger!
Who can you trust when in the battle of heaven against hell? Are the "good guys" really good and "bad guys" really bad? And will Devi find that love really does conquer all?
The prologue for After Eden had me sold - it was stunning. I felt the weight of Devi's love and loss for Kai. It set the mood of the book beautifully!
As far as characters go, Devi was a sweet character who was very sensitive, I would almost classify her as an emotional empath. She had a very strong sense of love, honor, and protection when it came to her brother and I found that very endearing.
I really enjoyed Oz - he had spunk and charisma with just a pinch of uncertainty. His protective nature and his love of even the simplest things (pancakes!) were just icing on his cake.
Forneus was an interesting character who I plays the darker sides of the front and back fences - he compromises and manipulates to best fit the darker side of his needs. The one things I'm not exactly certain of is his feelings or relationship with Oz - friends? Enemies? Something else entirely? It almost appeared as though Forneus had a crush on Oz?
Kim was Devi's "best friend" but I honestly don't know why... I guess every girl needs at least one person to rely on, I just don't know why Kim fits that bill for Devi. I found Kim to be two faced, uncaring, rude, and completely self-serving. I really didn't like her one little bit.
The story progression was pretty good, I thought the focus was lost here or there, but seemed to get back on track most of the time. I'm not one to demand that all all of the puzzle pieces to a story be put together by the end of a book, or have the entire plot laid out, addressed, resolved, and tied in a nice little bow by the end of a book, but I will say that After Eden left A LOT of unanswered or unresolved questions and issues... I think more will be revealed about Devi's mother/father and her heritage as well as the overall God/heaven/hell/Satan workings.
With that said, will I be continuing the series? Probably not, I don't know if I was drawn into the story enough to really crave the continuation and resolution to Devi's tale.
I wish Ms. Pine luck with her series, I hope it finds a nice comfortable home in the hearts of many!
November 17, 2025
I went into After Eden expecting a dark, moody fallen angel romance, and to some extent, that's what I got, but what surprised me more was how much of it read like a quirky, occasionally awkward supernatural sitcom with mild existential dread.
The story opens with Devi, who's barely holding it together after the loss of her twin brother Kai and the total disintegration of her family. Emotionally isolated, she's the kind of protagonist who'd sooner fight her guardian angel than actually talk about her feelings, and unfortunately, that's not hyperbole. Her behavior towards Camael (aka Cammy, her celestial stalker) is probably the most inconsistent part of the book. She's angry at him for reasons I understood initially, but her refusal to re-evaluate anything once she had more context grated on me after a while. Especially when she showed more compassion to literal demons than the angel who tried to help her.
Oz (Azazel), our love interest, is a fallen angel with a bookstore, a cat named Princess, and the ability to shift into a high school girl named Jasmine. That choice alone raised a few flags for me, not for the identity, but for the logic. Why pretend to be a girl to follow Devi to school when you could, I don't know, just be a high school-aged guy instead of flirting with her in disguise? It's weird. Not dealbreaker weird, but definitely "blink and squint at the page" weird.
The romance was more sweet than sultry, which isn't a bad thing, it just lacked the tension I expected from a story about demons cursed to die by the ones they love. Oz is overly polite, unselfish, and basically a soft cinnamon roll wrapped in a devil costume. Which makes the central romantic stakes feel less "doomed lovers" and more "he's just too nice to die horribly."
Plot-wise, the story has a solid hook, missing brother, mysterious angels, paranormal weirdness, but it gets bogged down in side characters and tonal shifts. Forneus was a highlight: ridiculous, smirking chaos in demon form. His interactions with Oz felt more alive than most of the romantic scenes. Kim, Devi's best friend, is mostly forgettable except when she's being awful. Camael, ironically, might be the most sympathetic character in the entire book, even if the story doesn't seem to realize it.
The worldbuilding is light and vaguely theological but doesn't push hard enough to really stake a claim. It borrows from Christianity but doesn't commit, which makes the mythology feel a little blurry around the edges. There are good ideas here, love curses, the metaphysical nature of Eden, angels driven by love for the world, but the execution feels like it's only halfway there.
Despite my complaints, I didn't dislike the book. The dialogue is snappy, the pacing's decent, and the voice is strong enough to carry through even when the plot wobbles. I wasn't bored, just mildly confused, amused, and occasionally frustrated.
So, not amazing, not terrible. If you're looking for something light, weirdly charming, and not too committed to its own angelic doom-and-gloom, After Eden might be worth a shot. I'll probably read the sequel, if only to see if Devi stops glaring at the one character who didn't actually betray her.
Strong start, shaky middle, soft ending, but there's something there worth exploring further.
The story opens with Devi, who's barely holding it together after the loss of her twin brother Kai and the total disintegration of her family. Emotionally isolated, she's the kind of protagonist who'd sooner fight her guardian angel than actually talk about her feelings, and unfortunately, that's not hyperbole. Her behavior towards Camael (aka Cammy, her celestial stalker) is probably the most inconsistent part of the book. She's angry at him for reasons I understood initially, but her refusal to re-evaluate anything once she had more context grated on me after a while. Especially when she showed more compassion to literal demons than the angel who tried to help her.
Oz (Azazel), our love interest, is a fallen angel with a bookstore, a cat named Princess, and the ability to shift into a high school girl named Jasmine. That choice alone raised a few flags for me, not for the identity, but for the logic. Why pretend to be a girl to follow Devi to school when you could, I don't know, just be a high school-aged guy instead of flirting with her in disguise? It's weird. Not dealbreaker weird, but definitely "blink and squint at the page" weird.
The romance was more sweet than sultry, which isn't a bad thing, it just lacked the tension I expected from a story about demons cursed to die by the ones they love. Oz is overly polite, unselfish, and basically a soft cinnamon roll wrapped in a devil costume. Which makes the central romantic stakes feel less "doomed lovers" and more "he's just too nice to die horribly."
Plot-wise, the story has a solid hook, missing brother, mysterious angels, paranormal weirdness, but it gets bogged down in side characters and tonal shifts. Forneus was a highlight: ridiculous, smirking chaos in demon form. His interactions with Oz felt more alive than most of the romantic scenes. Kim, Devi's best friend, is mostly forgettable except when she's being awful. Camael, ironically, might be the most sympathetic character in the entire book, even if the story doesn't seem to realize it.
The worldbuilding is light and vaguely theological but doesn't push hard enough to really stake a claim. It borrows from Christianity but doesn't commit, which makes the mythology feel a little blurry around the edges. There are good ideas here, love curses, the metaphysical nature of Eden, angels driven by love for the world, but the execution feels like it's only halfway there.
Despite my complaints, I didn't dislike the book. The dialogue is snappy, the pacing's decent, and the voice is strong enough to carry through even when the plot wobbles. I wasn't bored, just mildly confused, amused, and occasionally frustrated.
So, not amazing, not terrible. If you're looking for something light, weirdly charming, and not too committed to its own angelic doom-and-gloom, After Eden might be worth a shot. I'll probably read the sequel, if only to see if Devi stops glaring at the one character who didn't actually betray her.
Strong start, shaky middle, soft ending, but there's something there worth exploring further.
July 29, 2016
So, I marked this “to-read” quite a while ago and have been a little reluctant to actually read for some reason which I didn’t know. I was attracted to the cover and title at first, then the synopsis, but I still was iffy on it, I guess. After Eden is of fallen angels who are known as actual demons and devils.
Let me start off by saying that I did actually like this – it was funny, there were great characters and the story was unique, different, and enjoyable. The reason behind the angels falling is for their love of Eden, of the world’s beauty, and so God kicked them out of Heaven because they loved that more than they did Him. Now, I’m not much of a religious woman so when it first began its explanations, I thought that it was about Christianity and all that, and that thought bothered me a bit. But it really wasn’t – at least, not as much as other fallen angel centered series. The story, though, was still a bit predictable after a certain point, and it also felt a bit rushed. The ending was kind of just there too – no real resolutions and a clear acceptance of what happened in the previous few chapters.
I thought the whole of the book was about Devi striving to get her twin brother back after he was taken by an angel but it really wasn’t, which upset me. Katherine did sorta solve the problem but I think I expected more than just a cop out explanation that he had to leave.
I liked Oz (or Azazel, as he is properly called). He was funny, sexy, and a nice love interest to have – not too cocky where it was disgusting or cruel, not too clingy or overprotective, just a simple demon boyfriend. One thing that creeped me out, however, was when he decided to enroll in Devi’s high school as a girl . Knowing that she was actually a he didn’t help when she (Oz) began flirting with Devi a little and acting like an actual girl. Why he couldn’t shape-shift into a younger, high school-aged guy is beyond me. Devi herself was an okay protagonist but she was way to down on herself and self-conscious. (Seriously, where did all the strong, bold, capable women characters run off to?) Their love did start out a little too soon for my tastes but I guess it kinda had to as Oz was attracted to what she had that reminded him why he fell in the first place.
The minor characters – there were few – were either really, really great or just not needed. Like Kim, Devi’s so-called best friend. She was selfish, mean to Devi, an idiot, whiny, pretty much an overall bitch. I didn’t like her. Forneus, on the other hand, was a delight to have. Funny, the-good-but-still-bad bad guy of the book was mostly what I laughed at most. The whole story had a bit of humour to it but the relationship between Forneus and Oz was really hilarious and Forneus’s comments and actions were amusing.
Anyway, Katherine Pine created an intriguing world for fallen angels, even if it wasn’t as thoroughly planned out as I like, and I liked reading After Eden . I would recommend it to those fascinated by angels, something paranormally new, and a quick, easy read. I look forward to reading more of Oz and Devi in Beloved Purgatory , once I get my hands on it and find time to sit and read it.
Let me start off by saying that I did actually like this – it was funny, there were great characters and the story was unique, different, and enjoyable. The reason behind the angels falling is for their love of Eden, of the world’s beauty, and so God kicked them out of Heaven because they loved that more than they did Him. Now, I’m not much of a religious woman so when it first began its explanations, I thought that it was about Christianity and all that, and that thought bothered me a bit. But it really wasn’t – at least, not as much as other fallen angel centered series. The story, though, was still a bit predictable after a certain point, and it also felt a bit rushed. The ending was kind of just there too – no real resolutions and a clear acceptance of what happened in the previous few chapters.
I thought the whole of the book was about Devi striving to get her twin brother back after he was taken by an angel but it really wasn’t, which upset me. Katherine did sorta solve the problem but I think I expected more than just a cop out explanation that he had to leave.
I liked Oz (or Azazel, as he is properly called). He was funny, sexy, and a nice love interest to have – not too cocky where it was disgusting or cruel, not too clingy or overprotective, just a simple demon boyfriend. One thing that creeped me out, however, was when he decided to enroll in Devi’s high school as a girl . Knowing that she was actually a he didn’t help when she (Oz) began flirting with Devi a little and acting like an actual girl. Why he couldn’t shape-shift into a younger, high school-aged guy is beyond me. Devi herself was an okay protagonist but she was way to down on herself and self-conscious. (Seriously, where did all the strong, bold, capable women characters run off to?) Their love did start out a little too soon for my tastes but I guess it kinda had to as Oz was attracted to what she had that reminded him why he fell in the first place.
The minor characters – there were few – were either really, really great or just not needed. Like Kim, Devi’s so-called best friend. She was selfish, mean to Devi, an idiot, whiny, pretty much an overall bitch. I didn’t like her. Forneus, on the other hand, was a delight to have. Funny, the-good-but-still-bad bad guy of the book was mostly what I laughed at most. The whole story had a bit of humour to it but the relationship between Forneus and Oz was really hilarious and Forneus’s comments and actions were amusing.
Anyway, Katherine Pine created an intriguing world for fallen angels, even if it wasn’t as thoroughly planned out as I like, and I liked reading After Eden . I would recommend it to those fascinated by angels, something paranormally new, and a quick, easy read. I look forward to reading more of Oz and Devi in Beloved Purgatory , once I get my hands on it and find time to sit and read it.
April 25, 2015
Oh, I quite liked this one! After Eden has angels, demons, devils, and soulless girls, a solid plot, and it's well-written, quite the balm to my own soul after reading a string of really awful books in this genre. There's sweetness and dread, darkness and hope in these pages.
The characters are developed and surprisingly sympathetic despite being rather archetypal. When you strip them of their other worldly attributes, Oz is your typical bad boy, Devi is the standard girl out of her element with unrealized strength, and Forneus (oh! My Forneus!) is that friend everyone's got, the one who's a total asshole, completely self-absorbed, and yet you keep him around for reasons even you can't figure out. Stock characters that are handled with a deft enough pen to turn them into people you actually give a damn about while reading. (The only one I want to smack is Kim, mostly because she reminds me of one of my own friends, known for being flighty and not for her common sense around men.)
Oz and Devi are cute. And Forneus! I'm still . I like the characters I'm supposed to like, which is refreshing as all-too-often in this genre I find myself liking the "bad" guys far more than the main characters I'm supposed to be rooting for.
Initially the plot seems straight forward: girl has beloved brother, beloved brother disappears, girl meets demon, girl sets out on quest to find missing beloved brother. Then Pine goes a bit deeper and shit gets real (or at least as real as anything gets in fantasy teen books like this), and I found myself reading when I shouldn't have been reading, which makes me happy even if my friends or boss might frown upon such activities. There are no info dumps; Devi's history is gradually told, Pine utilizes the length of the novel to introduce important information, and bless Pine's heart, there are no page-length purple prose blocks of text describing how our heroine (and hero) look. I'm intrigued by her setup of heaven and hell, and I really like her idea of and using the schism as a major driver in the story. Good things are here, my friends. Good things.
I'm not over here fangirl failing and squealing about how amazing this is, as After Eden is good but not amazing. Definitely worth the read. Definitely worth the investment required to read a series. Well done.
The characters are developed and surprisingly sympathetic despite being rather archetypal. When you strip them of their other worldly attributes, Oz is your typical bad boy, Devi is the standard girl out of her element with unrealized strength, and Forneus (oh! My Forneus!) is that friend everyone's got, the one who's a total asshole, completely self-absorbed, and yet you keep him around for reasons even you can't figure out. Stock characters that are handled with a deft enough pen to turn them into people you actually give a damn about while reading. (The only one I want to smack is Kim, mostly because she reminds me of one of my own friends, known for being flighty and not for her common sense around men.)
Oz and Devi are cute. And Forneus! I'm still . I like the characters I'm supposed to like, which is refreshing as all-too-often in this genre I find myself liking the "bad" guys far more than the main characters I'm supposed to be rooting for.
Initially the plot seems straight forward: girl has beloved brother, beloved brother disappears, girl meets demon, girl sets out on quest to find missing beloved brother. Then Pine goes a bit deeper and shit gets real (or at least as real as anything gets in fantasy teen books like this), and I found myself reading when I shouldn't have been reading, which makes me happy even if my friends or boss might frown upon such activities. There are no info dumps; Devi's history is gradually told, Pine utilizes the length of the novel to introduce important information, and bless Pine's heart, there are no page-length purple prose blocks of text describing how our heroine (and hero) look. I'm intrigued by her setup of heaven and hell, and I really like her idea of and using the schism as a major driver in the story. Good things are here, my friends. Good things.
I'm not over here fangirl failing and squealing about how amazing this is, as After Eden is good but not amazing. Definitely worth the read. Definitely worth the investment required to read a series. Well done.
August 3, 2012
Our story takes place in a little town, in the middle of nowhere, or at least that’s the impression I get. I can’t really say in the middle of nowhere either as at one point we were on a beach. Let’s say on the edge of nowhere. There no real details for the town other than it’s small, and the heroine’s house is at the top of a hill away from town.
Devi is a semi standard, typical heroine. I get the impression she’s pretty, but it’s not really described out right as such. She has a slight brother complex as well. She blames herself for her brother’s abduction and in some sense she worships him a bit more than is normal. She’s got attitude which is good; she’s not easily pushed around and she’s got a soft heart. Even after all the trauma she’s been through she does ask for help for those that hurt her. Which are points for her.
Oz is an over the top gorgeous charmer. He’s kind, and manners must have been driven into his mind at some point in his life. He’s constantly thinking of Devi and what affects her rather than of himself, which goes against his nature. Or at least it should go against his nature. There are some things that Devi has to force his hand for but otherwise, he’s an angel in a demon’s skin.
Most of the story is spent looking for Cammy. Or rather not looking for, since we know he’s there, forcing his hand to make him materialize. When we do FINALLY get to see Cammy the revulsion in Devi’s attitude is completely expected and understandable. However, Cammy being who/what he is doesn’t seem all that bothered by it. Nothing seems to ruffle his feathers.
The premise is great. This is the first time I’ve read something along the lines of this premise and it holds real promise. The dialogue is to die for. Literally. I would read this again just for the awesome dialogue. It’s very attention grabbing and I found myself not wanting to put the book down just so I could read the next bit of dialogue.
The actual plot seems a bit weak in comparison to the idea. It feels like there are too many subplots moving along that the real plot gets shifted to the background more than it should. The effect though leaves the story with a weak ending. This was disappointing as it had a very strong start and very well supportive dialogue.
Overall it was an average read. The obvious time and effort for the story is there, but the end result has so many unneeded things that the quality is lost in translation. I’ll be reading the second book to see if it cleans up but for After Eden by itself I will only recommend for those that don’t mind a soft plot with awesome dialogue.
Devi is a semi standard, typical heroine. I get the impression she’s pretty, but it’s not really described out right as such. She has a slight brother complex as well. She blames herself for her brother’s abduction and in some sense she worships him a bit more than is normal. She’s got attitude which is good; she’s not easily pushed around and she’s got a soft heart. Even after all the trauma she’s been through she does ask for help for those that hurt her. Which are points for her.
Oz is an over the top gorgeous charmer. He’s kind, and manners must have been driven into his mind at some point in his life. He’s constantly thinking of Devi and what affects her rather than of himself, which goes against his nature. Or at least it should go against his nature. There are some things that Devi has to force his hand for but otherwise, he’s an angel in a demon’s skin.
Most of the story is spent looking for Cammy. Or rather not looking for, since we know he’s there, forcing his hand to make him materialize. When we do FINALLY get to see Cammy the revulsion in Devi’s attitude is completely expected and understandable. However, Cammy being who/what he is doesn’t seem all that bothered by it. Nothing seems to ruffle his feathers.
The premise is great. This is the first time I’ve read something along the lines of this premise and it holds real promise. The dialogue is to die for. Literally. I would read this again just for the awesome dialogue. It’s very attention grabbing and I found myself not wanting to put the book down just so I could read the next bit of dialogue.
The actual plot seems a bit weak in comparison to the idea. It feels like there are too many subplots moving along that the real plot gets shifted to the background more than it should. The effect though leaves the story with a weak ending. This was disappointing as it had a very strong start and very well supportive dialogue.
Overall it was an average read. The obvious time and effort for the story is there, but the end result has so many unneeded things that the quality is lost in translation. I’ll be reading the second book to see if it cleans up but for After Eden by itself I will only recommend for those that don’t mind a soft plot with awesome dialogue.
May 1, 2011
http://obsessionwithbooks.blogspot.com
Thank-you kindly to author, Katherine Pine for giving me the opportunity to read and review After Eden.
The main protagonist Devi, is a young girl who has lived through a number of tragedies, the death of her father and the abduction of her twin brother, Kai. She is a loner and has few friends so spends a lot of time in her favorite book store, it is here she meets the new owner, Oz who is quick to smile, witty and good-looking in a rock-band emo sort of way.
(Possible spoiler, highlight to show) Devi was born without a spirit but with a beautiful soul, her twin on the other hand has the opposite and had a spirit which didn’t belong in the human world so had been summoned and abducted by an Angel.
As the story unfolds, it is a quest to protect Devi’s spirit from the evil and to try and work out where and why her brother had been abducted.
I really enjoyed Devi and Oz as characters, they complimented each other well; I was fascinated by Oz, his history and his curse, I really wanted to know more; he was quite sweet with Devi and I loved the way he was portrayed. The angel/demon mythology and the biblical undertones were quite unique and I really felt for Devi and the dread and fear she must have felt for her brother.
The plot itself is rather slow at times but improved toward the end of the book, the world building was interesting but I felt there were a few unnecessary parts which didn’t belong at all, one in particular (Devi’s BF’s revenge on her ex) was immature and didn’t quite fit the story so I found myself skimming. I felt a sense of something missing. It just didn’t grab me. I want to know how it all unfolds, but there was no sense of frustration, excitement or awe.
There were a number of spelling errors and a bit of repetition that lend itself to the writing feeling just a tad bit amateur, although it wasn’t a distraction from the story which gives credit to the world building and the character development
The secondary characters are well-rounded, I was intrigued by Forneus, the Devil but I wasn’t quite sure where his loyalties lay; I wasn’t so fond of Kim for a best friend & would have liked to have learnt more of Devi's relationship with her mother. There is a lot of room to grow and I feel that Pine gave us a good foundation for the beginning of a series.
After Eden has a few scenes containing graphic violence, which I didn't mind but others reading YA may.
Thank-you kindly to author, Katherine Pine for giving me the opportunity to read and review After Eden.
The main protagonist Devi, is a young girl who has lived through a number of tragedies, the death of her father and the abduction of her twin brother, Kai. She is a loner and has few friends so spends a lot of time in her favorite book store, it is here she meets the new owner, Oz who is quick to smile, witty and good-looking in a rock-band emo sort of way.
(Possible spoiler, highlight to show) Devi was born without a spirit but with a beautiful soul, her twin on the other hand has the opposite and had a spirit which didn’t belong in the human world so had been summoned and abducted by an Angel.
As the story unfolds, it is a quest to protect Devi’s spirit from the evil and to try and work out where and why her brother had been abducted.
I really enjoyed Devi and Oz as characters, they complimented each other well; I was fascinated by Oz, his history and his curse, I really wanted to know more; he was quite sweet with Devi and I loved the way he was portrayed. The angel/demon mythology and the biblical undertones were quite unique and I really felt for Devi and the dread and fear she must have felt for her brother.
The plot itself is rather slow at times but improved toward the end of the book, the world building was interesting but I felt there were a few unnecessary parts which didn’t belong at all, one in particular (Devi’s BF’s revenge on her ex) was immature and didn’t quite fit the story so I found myself skimming. I felt a sense of something missing. It just didn’t grab me. I want to know how it all unfolds, but there was no sense of frustration, excitement or awe.
There were a number of spelling errors and a bit of repetition that lend itself to the writing feeling just a tad bit amateur, although it wasn’t a distraction from the story which gives credit to the world building and the character development
The secondary characters are well-rounded, I was intrigued by Forneus, the Devil but I wasn’t quite sure where his loyalties lay; I wasn’t so fond of Kim for a best friend & would have liked to have learnt more of Devi's relationship with her mother. There is a lot of room to grow and I feel that Pine gave us a good foundation for the beginning of a series.
After Eden has a few scenes containing graphic violence, which I didn't mind but others reading YA may.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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