The Never Prayer

by Aaron Michael Ritchey

The Fury of Heaven. The Desires of Hell.

A Broken Girl.
Shattered by the death of her parents, Lena knows she is not handling her sorrow well - keeping to herself, running drugs, risking her little brother. But she'll do whatever it takes to keep her disintegrating family together.

Two Lost Souls
Lurking on the edges of the afterlife, Chael and Johnny Beels have spent centuries manipulating events, one pushing for good, the other sowing chaos. Now these two desperate souls have taken human form to play a dangerous game of hope and despair with Lena trapped in the middle.

The Ultimate Sacrifice
Lena must maneuver the shadowy realm between angel and demon, love and lust, good and evil, until she finds the courage to see the truth and make the ultimate sacrifice. When do we struggle to change the world? When do we let go and embrace life's broken beauty?

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Aaron Michael Ritchey was born with Colorado thunderstorms in his soul. He's sought shelter as a world traveler, an endurance athlete, a story addict, and even gave serious thought to becoming a Roman Catholic priest. After too brief a time in Paris, he moved back to the American West and lives semi-comfortably with three forces of nature: a little, blonde hurricane, an artistic tornado, and a beautiful, beautiful blizzard.

Reviews

[Michael Haspil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently, I've been on a run of books that have challenged my preconceptions that young adult fiction is 'just for kids'. I'm happy to say that "The Never Prayer" fits right in with the other works forcing me to rethink my views. It is superbly written, chock full of adventure, and at times branches into philosophical ideas. When I first started it, I thought it was a cross between "Winter's Bone" and "This Present Darkness", but it is so much more than that. The prose is pitch perfect and captures the feeling of loneliness and despair so many of us feel at different times in our lives when we think there must be demons lurking everywhere. Sometimes we just need to be reminded that where there are demons, there are angels too, and that all we might really need is a little push to help us break the cycle.

[YA Reads Book Reviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

Originally posted on www.yareads.com, Reviewed by Nichole

The Fury of Heaven. The Desires of Hell.
A Broken Girl. Shattered by the death of her parents, Lena knows she is not handling her sorrow well – keeping to herself, running drugs, risking her little brother. But she’ll do whatever it takes to keep her disintegrating family together.
Two Lost Souls Lurking on the edges of the afterlife, Chael and Johnny Beels have spent centuries manipulating events, one pushing for good, the other sowing chaos. Now these two desperate souls have taken human form to play a dangerous game of hope and despair with Lena trapped in the middle.
The Ultimate Sacrifice Lena must maneuver the shadowy realm between angel and demon, love and lust, good and evil, until she finds the courage to see the truth and make the ultimate sacrifice. When do we struggle to change the world? When do we let go and embrace life’s broken beauty?
After losing her parents in a tragic accident, Lena has went off the deep end. She is now solely responsible for her three-year-old little brother, Jozey, is running drug deals for her boyfriend, Santiago, is hiding from the police, and is being stalked by two boys the town of Avalon has never seen before. Quite frankly, it’s surprising that Lena hasn’t ended up in a mental institution with all the stress beating down on her.
Slowly but surely, Lena begins to unravel the mysteries that surround her. And it is up to her to decide her path. Which way will Lena lean toward…good…or evil?
I received The Never Prayer a few months ago, and it took me awhile to get around to it simply because I have stacks of books everywhere. Once I picked it up, though, I instantly became addicted to Lena’s life. I felt so much sympathy for everything she had went through, and I just wanted to see her get her happy ending.
One thing that was really confusing to me was the concept of the paladins, heretics, and the untouchables. I felt that more explanation was needed for those three groups. Ritchey mentioned a few times that they were “cliques”, but I did not find that to be enough information. It almost seemed as if the paladins and heretics were in separate gangs, but I had a really hard time imagining the paladins to be associated with such a thing. The untouchables probably made the most sense to me. In every school, you always have those kids who are ignored and deemed outcasts. So, I understood that concept. I just wish that there would have been more background information for those aspects of the story.
The character of Lena INFURIATED me! I just wanted to grab that girl and shake some sense into her. I understood her pain. If my parents died, I would go off the deep end. I might be a grown adult, but I am not afraid to say I still want my mommy. Even though I would be an emotional basketcase if I lost my parents, I would not start selling drugs or my body. Quite frankly, I would be way too afraid of my moms ghost coming back and kicking my ass.
There were just so many times that Lena broke my heart. Likewise, there were so many times that I wanted to smack her. I felt as if Lena was the very best part of the story, but I would have gotten rid of the angel aspect. I wanted to see more of Lena healing and grasping a sense of reality. While that did happen, I felt as if the angel aspect took some of that away from me.
I was a little confused by the character of Lena’s little brother, Jozey. There were quite a few times that I felt that he acted older than a three year old. I have two nephews (1 & 7), and one niece (3), and Jozey had a much…broader…vocabulary and talking ability than a three-year-old. Three year olds can talk your ear off, but they often pronounce their words wrong. They also have noooo attention span. Jozey didn’t really seem to have this problem. He kind of reminded me a lot of my oldest nephew, Brysen. While I did love Jozey’s character, I often found my brow crinkling when I heard him speak and pay such close attention to everything.
Now, let’s get down to the angels. Chael and Johnny Beels are the two angels/demons who come into the school very early on in the book. Let me put this simply: I liked Chael and I HATED Johnny Beels. It wasn’t that I just hated Johnny Beels because he was a creeper, I hated the way he talked. It was really difficult for me to read his lines. On the other hand, I really enjoyed Chael…even though he also had a slight creeper effect. I wish that there would have been more romance in the book, though.
You may laugh, but this book really reminded of the movie Winter’s Bone, starring Jennifer Lawrence. The two are nothing alike, they have completely different story lines, but they have the same feel to them. So, I think fans of that movie will really enjoy this book. I would recommend this book simply because I really enjoyed watching Lena’s growth. Again, I wish there had been more of that, but I was thankful it was in there to begin with.
Pages: 272
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press
Publication Date: February 9, 2012
Rating: : 2

Teaser Quote: “The cold demon sprouted wings, sprouted claws, then dove toward them with his sword a super nova of light.”

[The Book Tart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by The Queen of Tarts
originally posted on http://thebooktart.com/new-fiction-re...

The Never Prayer is a paranormal YA novel with angels and demons, good and evil, despair and most of all- hope. It is a fast paced novel. I fell into the story and didn’t look up till I was finished. I loved Lena and wanted to see her succeed. She is making some poor choices because she feels she has no options left. Her parents have died and she and her little brother are staying with their aunt who can’t afford to keep them. Lena starts to run drugs. It’s all tied up with the red purse she uses for deliveries. She always promises herself it’s the last time, but when the end of the month rolls around and her aunt tells her they need more money or they’ll be out on the street… She pulls out that red purse.



The town of Avalon, is so well described. I live in a Colorado mountain town myself and recognized elements of her town. Avalon is struggling, there are boarded up shops on main street and the town is praying for more white gold aka a good snow season to help them get back on their feet. Her high school has the populars ie. the Paladins, the unpopulars are called the Heretics and the lowest of the low are the Untouchables. Lena floats between the Paladins and the Heretics because her childhood best friend, Deirdre, is the queen of the Paladins and her drug dealing boyfriend, Santiago, is a Heretic. The descriptions of the different cliques were engrossing and I enjoyed that the author introduces you to individual people in these divisions. It’s a quiet commentary on the dangers of bullying and people sticking with the status quo.

This book is about choices, about little nudges that can influence decisions you make. It’s about pushes that can cause you to lean one way or another. It’s about courage and sacrifice. There are a lot of complex issues brought up in this story… It begged me to get involved, to give a damn and care.

Two new characters come into Lena’s world. Johnny Beel, “call me Beels”, is charismatic and charming. She’s drawn to Beel. His sense of danger and playfulness and his hunger for… life. And Chael, the guarded guy who defies labels. He’s intense and protective. When she first meets him, she feels like he is judging her and the choices she’s making. She’s angry, scared and lost and he’s voicing some of the things she’s thinking about herself. She wants to avoid him. And yet there’s an attraction and when she gets past his tactless honesty she sees that he genuinely cares. I loved watching the relationships unfold and seeing the hearts of the individuals revealed.

There’s a bigger fight going on than what’s on the surface. It’s not simply a fight for the girl.. or maybe it is. It’s a battle between good and evil for the hopes and fears and ultimately the future of everyone in the town of Avalon and especially Lena’s future. I loved seeing Lena wake up to the choices that were available to her. I was wrapped up in the drama of Lena, Chael and Beels. This story got to me. I cried and sighed and enjoyed the ride.

and I’m a bad poet!

I would recommend The Never Prayer for readers ages 16 and up. There are some intense situations in this story. There’s drugs and violence and a scary close call. This book also (thank goodness! lol) includes a love story, but I won’t tell you between whom. Read the book!

♦eARC provided for review

[Veronica Calisto · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was coerced into buying this book by the author. (Yes, I am as prone to the temptation of the red purse as the main character, Lena, is.) I might have been a little angry as well, until I read the book.
The first line sets up tension that builds and builds. I was hooked in that one sentence and was hard pressed to set the book down. It haunted my thoughts when I wasn't reading it. I really appreciated that the good wasn't all knowing and infinitely powerful, as happens in so many books of good verses evil, angels verses devils. Everything is about choices.
My only issue with the book was the formatting. The left alignment rather than full justifying affected my reading more than I would have thought it would. But, as that is the choice of the publisher, it does not affect how awesome the story is.
I'm glad that I chose correctly and gave in to the temptation. And I look forward to losing(winning) another battle with myself when I next see a book by this author.

[Melissa Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This YA fantasy starts out really well. The main character, Lena, is a teen girl living in poverty with her three-year-old brother, Jozey. They live with their aunt because their parents are dead, and the aunt needs $100.00 from Lena at the end of each month in order to pay the rent and keep them in their home.

So Lena has turned to drug trafficking to make that $100.00 each month, and works as a drug mule for her boyfriend, an opera-singing boy named Santiago.

Early in the novel, the reader is told Lena's parents are "long dead" and I assumed that meant they'd died in an accident right after Jozey was born. The reader is also given the sense that Lena has been living in poverty for quite some time, and that she has *NO* other way to make money than by doing these drug pickups for Santiago.

Much, much later in the novel, the reader learns that Lena's parents have only been dead for seven months. And Lena has other ways of making money -- a character named Gramma Scar urges Lena to earn money by working at her restaurant in town, and the daycare facility owner also asks Lena to come and work for her.

Very late in the book, Lena makes a vague comment about marks on her arm (marks that were given no visual description), and mentions that "the girl" who made those marks no longer exists. Because Lena states more than once that she has never done drugs (or had sex), I took this mention of "marks" to mean that Lena might have been self-harming, perhaps cutting herself, before the novel begins. I felt super-confused by that comment so late in the book, and this was simply my best guess as to what was meant by that line.

The unspoken truth of this novel is that Lena is hell-bent on self-destruction. She has options to help herself, she just refuses to use them. Her psychology goes vastly unexplored in this novel, and that made "The Never Prayer" extremely frustrating to read.

Lena is a girl who was wealthy-enough, pretty-enough, and popular-enough at school before her parents died. Seven months later, in a state of mind that is never adequately addressed by the story, she is trying to destroy herself due to grief.

Instead of tackling Lena's self-destructive psychology, the novel spins off in other directions. An angel and a demon show up in town disguised as two teen boys. They start coming to school to complicate Lena's life. If the book jacket hadn't told me these boys weren't human, I'd never have guessed.

Then the book focuses on the three high school cliques at Lena's tiny mountain-town school. These cliques consist of the rich/popular students -- who call themselves the Paladins, the poor/druggie students -- who call themselves the Heretics, and the students who are unwanted by the Paladins or the Heretics, and are called/call themselves the Untouchables.

The novel's depiction of these high school cliques felt so surreal to me, with their names and identity-behaviors, they seemed more like gangs than high school cliques. For the first half of the novel, I thought the descriptions of these cliques were what made "The Never Prayer" a fantasy. But it turns out, these cliques were meant to be an authentic portrayal of high school life, and once a boy sprouts angel wings and starts flying on page 107, the book makes its thematic shift from a contemporary novel to a fantasy.

Because the book doesn't describe the psychology of grief, trauma, or the self-destructive effects of survivor's guilt -- in fact, none of this language is used in the book anywhere -- Lena's behavior reads as infuriating and ridiculous. Late in the novel, the reader is finally told that Lena and Jozey both watched their parents be shot to death by a stranger -- and yet, they aren't in any counseling, and the story makes no mention of how traumatic witnessing such violence would be to a person.

Instead, the reader just witnesses Lena's inexplicably self-destructive behavior. By the time she takes her "red purse" full of "drugs" to school for No Reason, right after she learns that one of the teen boys at school is actually a demon doing everything in his power to hurt her, I was done with caring about her, as she had become a young woman with no functioning brain by that point.

The only mention of Lena's self-destructive grief-spiral is made near the end of the novel, as the demon boy is attempting to blow up the school with dynamite (page 183): "And most important, Lena has let go of her grief."

I had two immediate thoughts while reading that single, erratic sentence: 1.) How can anyone ever "let go" of grief? -- loss is loss, and unless you can forget you have lost something, you will always grieve that loss from time to time, in random and unforeseen ways, and 2.) When did Lena ever "let go" of her grief? and why wasn't this discussed in the novel?

The word "drugs" appears many, many times in this book, but at no point is the reader given any specifics as to which particular drug Lena is supposed to be hauling around in her red purse. This lack of detail was fine in the first 50 pages, but as the role of the drugs kept growing, the book's refusal to deal in specifics became incredibly frustrating, destroying any credibility that Lena could be a real person. The dialogue suffered for this lack as much as the plot did.

And speaking of dialogue, after the first 50 pages, every one of these characters had moments when they didn't sound like teenagers, or even normal people, at all. Take these lines spoken by Deirdre, Lena's former-best-friend, while Deirdre is talking to Lena at school (page 54) --

"Come over tonight. We can pretend to do homework. And bring Jozey, since it has been far too long since I have gazed on him. You need the calming influence of the Paladins at this stage of your life."

I have never in my life told a friend to bring her little brother over while we hang out because "it has been far too long since I have gazed on him."

When Lena's aunt comes to the school, to warn Lena that someone has called Child Protective Services and that Jozey could be taken away from them, Lena throws her rage (and guilt) on her aunt by saying (page 59): "Perfect timing! Such wonderful news you have for me, Auntie! And Merry Christmas to you. Did they say who called them?"

I've never heard a teenager, or anyone else, say, "And Merry Christmas to you," as an expression of anger. Dialogue like this hindered the story a lot.

So what kind of novel is "The Never Prayer"? Lena is self-destructive and suffering trauma as well as grief, but really, this is a book about the importance of being kind in a cruel world. There's a lot of plot around the "drugs" Lena is carting around in her red purse, as well as a focus on the dangers of gang-like high school cliques. There's a lot of "let's stop hating each other and work together" -- and the final action scene involves some drug-dealing almost-rapists with dogs, school lockers full of dynamite, and a demon boy trying to kill everyone.

If you enjoy light romance, action scenes, angel stories, and self-destructive main characters, "The Never Prayer" could be exactly the book you are looking for.

I wanted more of Lena's internal struggles though, and less focus on the high school cliques. The introduction of the demon and angel boys didn't help me learn anything more about Lena's psychology, though the angel boy does explain *why* Lena's parents were shot. But just knowing why something happened isn't a magic pill to allow someone to instantly "let go" of their grief. So I struggled with reading "The Never Prayer" a lot.

For those readers who simply enjoy action stories without much internal growth in their main characters, this novel would be a far more satisfying read. Just keep in mind that the first angel/demon fight doesn't happen until halfway through the novel, and that the story begins with over a hundred pages of tension about where Lena's purse full of drugs is before the novel kicks into high gear with a battle scene.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Never Prayer is a beautiful story of a lost girl who finds hope in a world full of despair.

Mr. Ritchey did an excellent job of blending themes to create a story with depth and meaning that truly made this story worth reading.

His writing style is elementary and simplistic, which is refreshing but also slightly lacking. The main character needed some sense knocked into her, but I understood how opposing powers were toying with her and pulling her in different directions. Sometimes the dialogue was unrealistic, but none of these nit-picks took away from the powerful message Mr. Ritchey wanted to convey. A message I'm sure is different for every reader who picks up this book.

Well done, Aaron Michael Ritchey! I look forward to seeing more from this debut author.

[Diane Jewkes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story that will stay with you even after you finish. The characters are richly detailed and multi-dimensional. You feel the desperation of teenagers; trapped in a small town, thinking there is no way out. You feel their fear and you see that pivotal point where they begin to understand that high-school is not the pinnacle of their lives. The supernatural elements only enhance how these characters see themselves. I highly recommend this book and I'm glad I chose to read something out of my norm and found this gem.

[Hildie McQueen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished The Never Prayer. Wow, I have to say that this story kept me captivated. A totally different take on a teenage girl who is raising her little brother. She is a strong heroine that will have you standing up and cheering for her til the end! Bravo Aaron Michael Ritchey, you touched my usually untouchable heart!

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those rare books that is extremely hard to review objectively.

Read full review in the 2012 May/June issue of InD’tale Magazine.

[TJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this review in InD'Tale magazine!
http://indtale.com/reviews/never-prayer

[Michaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh!! Got this book 3 days ago and couldn't put it down!! I could feel all of the emotions and all of the drama!! Love me some Angels and Demons!!

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I'd had this book when I was a timid high schooler!

[Robert Hultman · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was 260 pages of poetry my friend. There are many things I would love to say. Let me suffice it to say that it was refreshing to read a YAL tale that held fast to reality in all of the important ways while keeping a non-supernatural-guy hooked and hooked some more with the most likely of all "supernatural" realities. I am inspired to pray again and to "march for good". I am hearing your lines in place of the Italian in "O Mio Babbino Caro". I am still loving the experience of reading your book. I will sell it every place I go, whenever I get the chance. Well done brother. Let us be the Angels!

I must say it has been one of the more unique stories and some of the most beautiful writing in a Spring where I have read 20 novels, 17 of which are Young Adult. I hope you enjoy the perfect amount of success in areas of life. It was a pleasure meeting you and reading The Never Prayer.

As I tell my wife -- many writers are very good at compelling prose and many are adept at storytelling. It is the perfect storm when you find both.

I recommend this book to anyone and everyone on Goodreads and beyond! Basically, anyone who can read.



The Never Prayer – Aaron Ritchey, 2012

Summary: A battle between good and evil, except even the demon and the angel that suddenly appear in Lena’s life don’t know if Heaven and Hell exist. Chael and Johnny Beels are all but the opposite of what you’d expect from an angel or a demon, and at first you think one is the other, and then you are unsure, until a few drastic events explode in Lena’s life and it becomes all too clear which is which. Can Lena find a clique to fit into, can she find a way to keep her little brother and her aunt together without selling drugs, and can she stay alive long enough to try, as Beels and Chael battle for the souls of the town.

Themes: Supernatural, good versus evil, faith, love, identity, family, friendship, etc.

Reflection: This book is very well written, the only word to describe the language is beautiful. I personally have never much gotten into books with supernatural elements, and never thought a book about angels and demons in the flesh would appeal to me. But after speaking with Aaron Ritchey at the 2012 Colorado Teen Literature Conference in March, I was interested in his writing. He did not disappoint. The characters are real, despite the supernatural element, and the story is very compelling, with hope kept alive even during the most harrowing events and circumstances.

Possible Student Reaction: Students might resist the demons and angels premise as I usually do, and male students may prefer a male protagonist, but the writing is very interesting and the story is very well developed and riveting. There is a slightly elevated diction which makes the book potentially more challenging for less proficient readers, who may struggle getting situated into the novel.

Grade/Age Level: Due to the more sophisticated language and the involvement of drugs, violence, and sexual situations, this book is probably most appropriate for readers over the age of 12, perhaps 13-14 even, grade 7 and up.

Ritchey: The Never Prayer is the Colorado native Ritchey’s first published novel and has been for sale only since March 2012. Ritchey, who cut the first day of kindergarten when he found that they wouldn’t be teaching him to read immediately, has always wanted to be a writer. A former middle and high school teacher, Ritchey is a self-proclaimed recovering TV addict who currently lives in Colorado, marching for good.
From http://aaronmritchey.com

[Chris Devlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Never Prayer begins:

Cold Monday
(the red purse)
“I’m not going to do it again,” Lena Marquez whispered to the red purse across the hall from her nestle of blankets. “Never again.”
All of her other purses, scarves, and belts were just shadows hanging from hooks on both sides of the bathroom door, but in the glow of the cracked Thomas the Train nightlight, the red purse glittered. Each sequin like a teardrop of blood.

Lena is a girl with too much on her shoulders; raising her little brother after the death of their parents, trying to keep her depressed aunt going to pay the bills. Walking the knife’s edge between hope and despair, survival and doom. She loses faith and helps her boyfriend sell drugs, hoping to keep her family together.

Into the breach come two boys; dark, angry Chael who chastises Lena for her desperate choices and sunny, smooth Johnny Beels who tells her what she wants to hear. As she eludes the police, reassures her brother and dodges the slings and arrows of high school life, she finds it increasingly difficult to tell the difference between good and evil, heaven and hell.

Will she be able to work it out in time to prevent disaster? And at what cost?

Aaron writes in an intensely poetic yet stripped down style. He vividly evokes the desperation of a dying town; the hopelessness, the cold, the barren landscape.

Avalon was crammed into a jagged valley, surrounded by the Mosquito Range mountains too steep and wild to ski. Mount Calibum and Ablach Peak rose like craggy hands up to the dark lavender sky, the sparse snow like vanishing white veins in gray skin.

All of his characters ring true. Lena’s brother Jozey, a perfect rendition of a little boy who’s lost his parents but not his love. The aunt, bearing Lena’s blame and her own burdens with a quiet resignation, perfectly drawn. Lena’s high school friends, whether popular or scorned, are sympathetically portrayed, real down to their pimples.

The love triangle is fully realized but it doesn’t dominate Lena’s story. The spiritual and theological aspects are there, they’re present, but there’s no preaching or pontificating. If you’re a fan of Supernatural, the Castiel Years, Chael and Johnny Beels’ struggle over souls might be just your thing.

I look forward to more stories from Aaron Michael Ritchey. (Full disclosure: Aaron is a friend. His book is still wonderful.)

[John K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Never Prayer by Aaron Michael Ritchey is a YA urban fantasy novel that hits harder than most in that genre. Teenager Lena’s parents died in the aftermath of a car crash, and she is trying to support her little brother in a small Colorado town that is facing hard times of its own. Lena is desperate to bring in money, even if it means being courier for some drugs at her high school. Things go from bad to worse when she winds up in a tug-of-war between a demon and a “fallen” angel as they try to influence humans, pushing them toward good or evil.

I liked how Ritchey keeps Lena’s head above water in terms of social status. She’s unique, and a lot of people feel sorry for her or don’t like her, but she’s not a complete outcast, and can adapt well enough to move through the various cliques of her school. He also does a terrific job at giving us reason after reason to care for Lena’s plight without turning her into a pitiful mess. She is simply trying as hard as possible to provide for what’s left of her family, and that makes her a character worth cheering on.

You also have to admire his willingness to admit that doing the right thing is often the most painful. There are consequences you may not want when you make the right choice, and he pulls no punches in having his characters glean that lesson. The book is kept intriguing along its journey, even when you realize the trajectory it’s taking, and it hit me with a strong ending I did not expect, but played fair with the rules Ritchey had established.

If there was a complaint I had, it’s a minor one. Lena seems very quick to accept that she’s part of a supernatural conflict. Even though the angel is revealed in a dramatic fashion right beforehand, most likely she would still have a harder time taking in the change of circumstances. But that’s hardly anything but a nitpick, so don’t let it stop you from picking up a copy of Ritchey’s remarkable debut novel. This book is dark, thrilling, and thought-provoking, and I am more than happy to recommend it to you. I can’t wait to see what else Aaron has in store.

[Miranda Levi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Never Prayer By Aaron Michael Ritchey
Reviewed by Miranda Boyer

There are some books that will challenge any preconceived notions about what a YA novel should be. The Never Prayer by Aaron Michael Ritchey does just that. I’m a new fan of Ritchey’s and after being thrilled with his upcoming release Elizabeth’s Midnight, I knew I would have to get my hands on his other books as well. The first one I bought was The Never Prayer.

The Never Prayer is about hope in world where despair lurks around every corner. It’s about atheist angel and a demon, whose battle on earth comes to life in a small town. It’s about a girl, Lena, and her young brother who find themselves caught in the middle of a game between good and evil. Lena is barely keeping her life together, scraping by month-to-month covering rent with her emotionally broken aunt and three year old brother, after tragic accident claims the lives of both of her parents. The supernatural aspects are softy introduced, so many, many feathers, leading up to an all out rooftop war.

Ritchey manages to convey an emotional tone that captures the feeling of loneliness and despair that many of us have experienced in our lives. The shift to a release of these emotions is so moving, even bringing a tear to my eye. Ritchey’s characters are detailed and multidimensional. It is easy to feel the desperation associated with being trapped in a small town, the worry that you’ll never climb you way out. Maybe it is because I grew up in a small town, or maybe it is because Ritchey captures it so well. In this reviewer’s opinion, it’s the later.

Ritchey is both smooth at compelling prose and storytelling, a rare combination in my experience. I was thrilled with this book and I look forward to hunting down copies of his other work. I might sound like a broken record, if I haven’t said it enough already, go out and buy this authors book today. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

[Rie Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Never Prayer is a wonderfully rich YA story that perfectly pinpoints the cynicism of navigating high school drama-rama while simply trying to survive in an almost-ghost town where recession has hit hard. But the ‘ghost town’ of Avalon, Colorado, isn’t the only supernatural thing about this book.

In the aftermath of a family tragedy, teenage Lena is barely scraping by while keeping her aunt afloat and trying to hold her young brother together. In the beginning, she’s hard-bitten, maintaining her made-up mask, pretending to fit in with one peer clique while hanging on the fringes of another, and just hoping to keep her scarred-up family together for one more day.

Mr. Ritchey introduces a gorgeous urban fantasy element slowly, softly. Feathers, feathers that show up around her brother, Jozey, who says they’re from God-birdies. But Lena doesn’t believe in God anymore. How can she?

Pitted between the two factions in her high school—the popular Paladins vs. the ‘red-headed stepchildren’ of Avalon, the Heretics—Lena fast becomes pitted between two even mightier foes. An angel out to save her and anyone else he can touch, and a demon intent on feeding off her wanting, her hate, the germ of badness the tragedy seeded in her. One pushes for goodness, the other pulls at her with temptation. Both are beautiful boys in their own rights—wings, swords, tattoos, and attraction.

Hope and despair clash in this story’s deeply woven plot and sharply written characters with Lena as the fulcrum to it all. Which boy will she choose? Which friends will she cling to? Is there more to this life? Is it even worth the fight?

Add in a sinful bad boy who sings opera, some very cutting and cool dialogue, and this story floats, it soars, it dips and dives and sings its own extraordinary song.

Brava! Brava!

[Book Whales · Rating 2 out of 5]

Originally posted @ Book Whales

I was fortunate enough to be given a copy directly from the author. I’m always drawn to angel stories and the blurb sounds exciting.

This book is a bit slow for me in the beginning. There were loads of grammatical errors. But I still pushed it through and finished the book.

The story is about a broken girl named Lena. She had lost both of parents and lives in poverty. She makes money by dealing drugs. Then two lost souls or should I say, two hot guys turned her life upside down. Who are they really? And why are they drawn to her? You have to read this book to find out

The world building is not that amazing. It was not a smooth read for me. There were loads of grammatical errors. The scenes tend to change in a fast manner, where you can’t grasp what is really happening. I had a hard time finding what the author really wanted to show the readers.

The character building is okay. I like how each characters have their own voice and unique personality. Lena is the main character here. She is selfless, brave and vulnerable. She cares a lot for Jozey, her younger brother. Chael is the light that surrounds Lena; he is always there for her. Johnny is the opposite. He is the dark that envelopes her. The boys were described in a mouth watering way. Light and dark, even their physical attributes contrast.

This book has potential. Lots of huge realizations about how good can conquer evil.

Over all, this book is okay. A fast read for action and mythological lovers.

Rating:

[Christine Ashworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book sucked me in from the very first page. I read it at work, while making dinner, and long into the night. It was un-put-downable and when I had to put it down, the story stuck with me until I got back to it.

This story is about Lena, a girl living on the edge of hopeless. The only thing anchoring her to the world is her young brother Jozey. Seven months have passed since her parents died at the hands of a gunman. Her Aunt Mercedes has custody of the two of them, but there's no snow falling yet in Avalon, Colorado - and money is tight everywhere in the small town dependent on snow tourism.

Ritchey creates a rich and complex world, with a caste system set up in the local high school. Lena weaves between the three factions with a face made up to perfection and knots in her empty belly. She is has decisions to make and money to earn. Unfortunately, her decisions are all bad ones. When the two new boys at school, Johnny Beels and Chael show up, each of them offers her a helping hand - but in two separate directions. Who should she go with? The smooth talker with hands like ice, who loves sweets and promises to get her clear? Or the belligerent rough guy with a touch that burns, who promises nothing, yet who has earned Jozey's trust?

The Never Prayer is a dark, gritty, and achingly real tale that somehow, even when everything gets worse and worse, finally ends on an uplifting note. If I had teenagers, I would definitely put it in their hands.

[Khelsey Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Never Prayer is about Lena. She just loss her parents 7 months ago and an accident. Now she has to help find money, and there is only one way she knows how. The red purse, the only thing is someone or something is play tricks with her. Every time she sets it down is vanishes. Her life changes when she make a run for her boyfriend a boy helps her.
When she meets Chael and Johnny Beels. One is good and wants what’s best for her and the other is bad and wants her to fail. She is trapped in the middle of an angel and demons fight. But who’s the angel and who is the demon?

This book captivates you and will not let you put it down. For a while I was trying to figure out who was good and who was bad. Both Jonny and Chael have you under their spell. Aaron knows how to take your world by storm and keeps you wanting more. I read this book in less than 12 hours and it’s 147 pages. That should tell you how good it is. If you are looking for a different kind of girl meets boy and loves in love with boy this is it. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK! I will be looking for more work from Aaron he is going to the top of my list!

[Bonnie Ramthun · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Never Prayer is a fresh, fast-paced and exceptionally well written YA novel. In the dying town of Avalon, Colorado, a half-empty high school serves as the arena for a battle between good and evil. The Never Prayer is original and striking, from the drug running Lena to the outcast Untouchables who have a much better time at their lunch table than the groomed Paladins do at theirs. The intensity builds in every scene as Lena and her friends confront natural and supernatural challenges that seem impossible to overcome. Aaron Michael Ritchey writes with a poetic grace that reminds me of a young Ray Bradbury. The Never Prayer has the same haunting and timeless spirit of Something Wicked This Way Comes. I highly recommend this novel. Just make sure you give yourself some reading time once you begin, because you won't want to put it down.

[Tara Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Never Prayer was such a unique twist on angels and demons. Not what I expected at all when I picked this book up, but I loved it! The real life struggles that Lena go through give it a contemporary feel with just the right amount of paranormal. Aaron has a way with painting a picture with words. I could see every detail of the town. Every distinct quality in every character he introduced. I loved the deceptive differences between Beels and Chale. How he turned the dark vs. the light angle on its head. This book was full of wonderful writing and the story was amazing! I loved this one!
I recommend The Never Prayer to anyone who likes paranormal or even dark gritty YA contemporary romance.

[Saytchyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ambiguous natures of the two lost souls in The Never Prayer save them from being clichés. Their names imply what sort of creatures the boys are, but it's never made absolutely clear, and while I don't generally like books with angels or demons in them, I liked this one. The high school setting is also fresh, showing the bleak world of teens growing up in a dying town. Dark and even depressing at times, The Never Prayer introduces a courageous and self-sacrificing female protagonist filled with pain and worry in a story about hope, love, and human frailty countered by the strength of the human spirit.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

YA story set in high school with a teen dealing with massive loss and social high school drama.

To be honest, I'm not a big reader of YA, and I never liked, and did a fair job of avoiding, high school drama even when I was in school oh so long ago. Despite that, I enjoyed this novel.

Mr. Ritchey's prose are poetic and lyrical and beautiful and fulfilling. Never Prayer is also chock full of wisdom and philosophy to live by. Three cheers for starving demons, and for lonely monks writing novels.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

A red purse, bad decisions, a demon, an angel, a high school split into castes, and a small Colorado mountain town waiting for winter. This story is vibrant and well-written. Characters are well-developed and memorable. This is a book that captures you and draws you into the world. Many times throughout the story, you may find yourself trying to advise Lena on her decisions, speaking to her as if she can hear you. I highly recommend this book, even though the main character is in high school, this is far from any standard high school drama!

[Joanne Brothwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Never Prayer ventures into dark territory; grief, loss and high-risk adolescent behaviour rooted in desperation. With impeccable writing, a fabulous plot and quick pacing, you will be both entertained and educated with these wonderful, intense characters and thought-provoking themes. Highly recommended!

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It is hard to set it down. I wanted to know what is going to happen next. This book is a book that people can relate to. Everyone faces demons in their lives, its how we over come those demons that makes us who we are. Lena has a love/hate relationship with Chael. She is very mature for her age because of her situation. Must read.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to be given a copy directly from the author. I’m always drawn to angel stories and the blurb sounds exciting.

i did enjoy the novel and the choices the protagonist had to make during the novel and it kept me reading wanting to know how it ended

[Heather Ormsby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The main character wasn't some perfect girl recovering from a tragedy, but flawed with anger and pain that is reflected in some poor choices. Her love for her brother (and some help from an angel) helps her to find hope. A good YA read.

[M.R. Rutter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. The characters were well developed. The story was told with an amazing voice from the POV of a girl who struggles with choices that would challenge any adult. This book is an amazing read for anyone from pre-teen through centenarians.