Feu d'ange

Angelfire #1

by Courtney Allison Moulton

J’avançai, regardant la créature se remettre debout tout en lâchant un grognement sourd et menaçant. J’allongeai mes deux bras et, par ma volonté, forçai l’apparition de mes armes dans mes paumes ouvertes. Les khépesh jumeaux apparurent comme par magie, avec un éclair de lumière scintillante. Les lames argentées et courbées brillèrent vivement. Je jetai un coup d’oeil à Will. Je pouvais maintenant voir les tatouages noirs et complexes sortir de sous son pull, serpentant le long de son bras droit jusque sur ses jointures. Je me souvins des beaux motifs insérés dans le dessin en spirale parce que je les avais déjà vus avant avec des yeux différents, à une autre époque.

Genres: Young Adult, Angels, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

376 pages, Paperback

First published February 15, 2011

About the author

Courtney Allison Moulton lives in rural Michigan with her family, horse, donkey, and a flock of spoiled sheep. When she isn't studying ancient civilizations or writing about magic and monsters, she's busy with farm chores. Her debut novel ANGELFIRE was published when she was just 24 years old.

For more information about Courtney, visit her online at www.courtneyallisonmoulton.com.

Reviews

[Courtney Allison Moulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating my own book

[Kat Kennedy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’ve thought long and hard to deter­mine if there was a sin­gle aspect of this book that I even liked.

The char­ac­ters, the story-telling, the writ­ing, the themes… was there anything?

 

No.  I tried but this book was painfully bad.  I am not at all exag­ger­at­ing when I report that I fell asleep twice within the first twenty pages.  This book was highly rem­i­nis­cent of both Buffy and Bleach.  So what?  Pretty much half the things pub­lished in YA these days are rem­i­nis­cent of Buffy.  Unfor­tu­nately, you want to at least stand up a lit­tle in the com­par­i­son.  This is not com­pa­ra­ble to Buffy. This is Buffy if Buffy weren’t Buffy but Dawn was Buffy.

Would you really want to watch Buffy if Dawnnwere Buffy?

I would like to take this oppor­tu­nity to remind peo­ple that there is noth­ing wrong with writ­ing a real­is­tic teenager.  Ellie was cer­tainly real­is­tic – for a cer­tain type of teenager.  She was vapid, shal­low, thought­less, com­pletely stuck in her own world and hope­lessly self-centered.  This is a prob­lem for two reasons.

 

1. Nobody takes issue with this.  Will men­tions twice that she doesn’t take her duties seri­ously enough but this is laughed off and treated by the text as if he takes them way too seriously.

2. The fuck­ing world relies on her and her alone.


Look, I don’t want to be nit­picky, but this girl has our lives in her hands.  What I want to know is, is there a way that can…not be the case?

 

She’s so bor­ing, and the novel becomes bor­ing because of how bor­ing she is. This is sup­posed to be a book about an immor­tal war­rior girl who fights Reapers to save human­ity.  It ends up being Gos­sip Girl with the occa­sional mon­ster.  What con­tin­u­ally amazes me is that Ellie even has friends – because she has all of the wit and charm of a mouldy mop.  Yet Req­ui­site Best­friend and Req­ui­site Friend­zone Fred­die just hang off every word she says.

 

 

We have Will who is one of those annoy­ing, brood­ing male roman­tic inter­ests.  There’s not much to say about him because he’s like ALL brood­ing male roman­tic interests.


They could have over­come the insur­mount­able obsta­cles to their love and found a way to be together but he was too busy brood­ing and she was too busy shop­ping.  Also the world ended along the way.

 

The writ­ing is bor­ing and the plot is painfully slow.  The plot is barely there and Moul­ton com­pletely fails to marry the overtly long and com­pli­cated world build­ing with any kind of rea­son­able story arc.  The only method she knows of con­vey­ing infor­ma­tion is in mas­sive info dump con­ver­sa­tions.  After you fin­ish wad­ing through mean­ing­less, vapid social inter­ac­tion after mean­ing­less, vapid social inter­ac­tion you dis­cover that the few fight scenes there are in this book are painfully short and bor­ing.  How am I sup­posed to care about the end of the world and the pos­si­bil­ity of a Reaper con­sum­ing my soul and con­demn­ing me to an eter­nity in hell when all Ellie fuck­ing cares about is her par­ties and social stand­ing?  Oh, I’m sorry.  She also cares about Mr Tall, dark, mys­te­ri­ous and broody.  They spend a lot of time talk­ing.  A. Lot. of. time.

It’s not like I expected her to go from 0-kickass in five sec­onds.  But Ellie never at any point in this novel has a real rev­e­la­tion about the fact that she’s got a divine fuck­ing mis­sion here.  And it’s not to attend par­ties.  Think about it.  Every time she’s going to the movies with friends or cof­fee, or a party, some­one is out there dying.  And not just dying. Their soul is going to burn in hell and suf­fer eter­nal tor­ment and be used in Lucifer’s fight to con­demn ALL the souls.  Every time Ellie decides to take a break and not be so seri­ous about her duties, which she does with alarm­ing fre­quency – a child, a woman, a man, SOMEONE will suf­fer for­ever for it.  Every time she needs to inves­ti­gate some­thing or train and she says, “Oh, I’m busy at the movies tonight, can we do that in two days time?” she’s per­son­ally let­ting peo­ple down.

The hor­ror she expe­ri­ences every time she faces off against one of the Reapers (the hor­ror for which we are meant to sym­pa­thize as one of her strug­gles) yeah… well, she has both Will and a cou­ple of kick arse swords when she faces off against them.  Think of the chil­dren who have had to face that hor­ror on their own and have not survived.

I have no sym­pa­thy or emo­tional invest­ment in her at all.  Sure, she doesn’t have her mem­o­ries, but even in flash­backs she is com­pletely disin­gen­u­ous as an immor­tal war­rior fight­ing for human­ity.  When Buffy got her mis­sion, she woke up fairly quickly and real­ized that her hopes and dreams and free time were all com­pletely incon­se­quen­tial com­pared to her mis­sion.  Ellie did not have that real­iza­tion in this entire novel.  Every­thing took a back­seat to her social life and school cal­en­dar.  Every­thing.  And this was not per­ceived to be a prob­lem.  Not even by the nar­ra­tion which gives far more time and invests far more heav­ily in Ellie’s star-crossed lovelife than it does in the fact that there is an apoc­a­lypse coming.

There is some­thing supremely wrong about that.

[Annie · Rating 1 out of 5]

“Meanwhile, I was reduced to staring at the wiry, gray chest hair puffing out of Mr. Meyer’s polo shirt like overgrown steel wool and wondering whether or not he had ever considered waxing”.

Well that’s an ... interesting way of describing something.


“As I looked at him, I felt a certain fondness deep in my heart, but I shook the feeling off.”

Damn it, she sees a pretty guy for the first time, describes his appearance and clothing in detail, and she has a “special bond” with him. Fantastic.


“Another growl came, and then very heavy footsteps – like T-rex-shaking-the-water-cup-Jurassic-park-style heavy footsteps”.

This is how the first action scene is introduced. Just sayin’.


“But I wasn’t afraid. A calmness washed over me, and my mind analyzed at a lightning pace. Strange memories and thoughts that didn’t belong to me flooded into my mind: faces and violence I’d seen long ago in different times. I looked up at Will, whose face sparked the clearest and fondest memory. I knew I had to fight now, but I needed my weapons.”

Are you freaking kidding me??? She gets the memories of reincarnated lifetimes so she never has to actually learn how to fight? Or have to get to know this Will guy? It’s just GIVEN to her? Biggest case of deus ex machina ever? I think so.


“’I’m going to name him Marshmallow,’ I announced.”

She’s talking about a car. The morning after she fights a demon or something. *sigh* Rich girls.


“‘You rich girls and your stupid names for your cars,’ Chris said.”

I like this guy.


“We drove Kate’s BMW ... Kate stopped to ogle a table topped with shoes by Channel ... fondle a particular bag in the Valentino collection ... I decided on a cute, strapless, cream Badgley Mischka cocktail dress ... I knew I had the perfect matching black Marc Jacobs satin shoes ... adventurous black mesh-front Dolce& Gabbana bustier sheath dress .... we went to eat lunch at P.F. Chang’s ... Louis Vuitton boutique with a new bag ...”

Jesus H. Christ.


“I nodded, imagining what I’d do with tens of millions of dollars. Oh God – the shoes I could get with that.”

The Chosen One to save the world, ladies and gentlemen.

By the way, sidenote – I’m getting really tired of these really long explanations from Will. They’re really boring. It’d be way more natural if they just incorporated the answers in the story instead of these page long infodumps. They’re making my eyes water.

Oh! Other sidenote – Why exactly is this girl the Chosen One? I mean, she’s only good at fighting because of these memories, and even then, she doesn’t put her sacred duties very high on her priority list (just after her birthday party and movie night). Plus, she’s pretty shallow and not very bright. She’s actually a pretty normal teenager, which is fine, but if she’s a Chosen One, she shouldn’t be so ordinary.


“Why would he say something so dismissive and hurtful? Didn’t he understand how important my birthday party was to me? Wasn’t I important to him?”

Oh, the pseudo-problems of upper middle class teenage girls. She bitches that her dad is never around, when he’s the one working to pay for her stupid car and her party. I’d love to be rich for a day. It’d be kinda cool to know what it’s like when my birthday party going wrong is actually a real problem (I don’t think I’ve had a birthday party since I was nine).


“The reaper stepped toward me. ‘I am Ragnuk, and I am going to eat you now.’”

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Oh, man, I actually laughed out loud at this. That’s scary stuff, right there. Anyways, this was fun – actually, no fun at all – but I’ve got a huge stack of awesome books I can’t wait to read, and since this probably won’t improve my life in any sort of way, I’m dropping it. The writing is some of the worst I’ve seen in YA lit, and that’s saying something.

[Lore · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know how with some books, every few words you're like,"Ooooh, ostentatious, that's a good word. Oh, guttersnipe, that's another good word."

Well, this isn't one of those books.

Not like that's a bad thing. I just mean that it's a very quick and easy read. Prose that's not exactly lyrical, but also not anywhere near boring.

The Rundown

"Into every generation she is born: one girl in all the world, a chosen one. She alone will wield the strength and skill to fight the vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness reapers; to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their number capture of human souls. She is the Slayer Preliator."

Chosen One who battles darkness with the help of her "Angelic" love interest and nerdy friends. Does the plot of Angelfire sound familiar at all? It should.


Fire - Bad. Angel - Preeeeetty.

Now just throw some angels and some stuff about Heaven and Hell and battling the forces of Hell.


New rule. You steal my storyline, you get punched!

Oh, that sounds familiar too?

The World-building

This seems to be heavily influenced by Buffy, which in my case... well, I just can't freaking help it: I love it. I drink it up like chocolate from a chocolate fountain. If there is a chosen one and beastie fighting, I am all over it. Yet, Angelfire lacks the humor and refinement of Buffy, so it ends up being more similar to Mortal Instruments in tone and maturity.

With the exception of my absolute love of the show Supernatural, I've never really gotten into the whole heaven-vs-hell thing. Luckily, this one appears to be easy on the preach. I know some people zone out when God and Lucifer get brought out, but I felt this on was lighter on that aspect than most. It focused much more on the angels and the Fallen, instead of "Heaven, blah, blah, blah. God, blah, blah, blah."

The Characters

Very cliched, very typical YA. Yes, our main character, named Ellie, is a bit of a Mary Sue and her guardian Will has a major Hero complex, but (God help me) maybe that isn't always the worst thing in the world. Especially when you just want to escape for a while.

Will, whom Ellie looks at with "a certain fondness deep in her heart," is older than most YA hero types as an early twenty-something. Being in my mid-twenties, this was much appreciated and made me feel like less of a Pedobear than usual.

The Verdict

If you weren't a fan of Twilight or the original Mortal Instruments, then you may not like this either. But if you loved those (and I know many of you do), then you'll probably love this series too. In the end, I liked it but wasn't overly impressed.

It's a zombie page-turner. The kind where you zone out and can't believe how little time seemed to go by in so many pages. But maybe that's just me. Any mention of a "chosen one" and I'm gone. Simple language, simple story but it's all simply fun. I was underwhelmed by the character development but overwhelmed with enjoyment for this world that feels so familiar.

My not-very-reliable theory about how this book came into existance: Buffy and Supernatural had a baby who ended up being raised by Seventh Heaven after it's parents were killed by demons. Sounds believable, right?

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a refreshing new take on the lately popular Angel subject, Angelfire tells the story of 17-year old Ellie, a seemingly ordinary human girl who suddenly finds out that she’s not so ordinary after all but actually a heavenly creature, reborn into a human shell, destined to fight the monsters from hell.

Ellie is basically your average teenager which in my opinion was really nice for a change. She’s not one of those tortured heroines we usually encounter in the field of paranormal YA literature. Both her parents are still alive (her family is not perfect but at least she’s not one of those traumatized teens), she lives in an ok neighborhood, her family is quite wealthy, but not overly so, she’s doing average in school and she’s got a bunch of great friends but isn’t especially popular...which leads me to the second point that I found really refreshing. No mean girls. The popular crowd actually mingles with the other kids instead of terrorizing them constantly.

What I noticed right off, when I started reading, was the fluent writing. The pages flew by, I never found myself being bored by overly long descriptions or too many details. Moulton’s writing style made this a quick and easy read.

Sweet and not over the top, I found the romance part very well done as well. I liked Will a lot, the scenes between him and Ellie made me smile and warm all over and their relationship developed at a reasonable pace.

I also liked the secondary characters in this book like Kate and Nathaniel, for example, but weirdly enough, Ellie’s mother was my favorite.

So, this sounds all pretty good, so why not 5 stars? you might wonder. Well, there were some small flaws plotwise that bothered me but nevertheless I can safely say that I enjoyed this book thoroughly.

Thanks to netGalley and Harper Collins!

[Vi Vi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, it sounds a bit too much like Buffy for comfort, except Giles is a hot guy with a Cloud-strife-esque buster sword.

Still, I'll take a look.

ETA: READ IT. Okay, here's my non-spoilery review.


A good effort. Which seems patronizing, but really, after struggling through the whole thing that's the only compliment I can really muster.

I mean, she certainly writes action 'well' - and by 'well' I mean, you can clearly visualize what's happening, except it feels more like dancing while counting in your head (and one and two and three) then really letting the passion flow out of the writing. I think part of that had to do with the fact that a lot of the fights felt like fights for the sake of fights (more on that later) than something moving and intrinsically tied to the emotional and narrative plot. Still, good, clear fight scenes.

The idea is pretty interesting too, though let's be honest: we're only calling this 'unique' because it's decidedly different than Twilight (plotwise anyway) and now and days so much paranormal YA feels like an endless simulacrum, so when you find a book that 'goes against the grain' (and again, in the slightest of ways), you take notice. But if you've watched Buffy, this isn't any different. Stop me if you've heard this one: girl demon-fighter chosen one reincarnated again and again to keep fighting those demons. Only she can defend the world against yadda yadda. And there's the guy devoted to watch - er - protect her. Except, unlike Giles, he's young and hot (okay Giles was hot but...) and carries a 6 foot sword, only, I'm guessing, because the author is most likely an embarrassing FF7 fangirl whose been taught by Cloud, Zack and Sephiroth that guys with really long phallic weapons are hot (and really, they are and it is. Can't fault her on that).

I mean, it has the potential to be interesting, but I've just seen it all before. Still, even with a pretty well-trodden premise, a great writer could twist it into something really compelling. But that's the problem. Moulton put in a great effort, but she's just not a great writer. Not yet anyway. She's decent. But her writing style is lacking and unfortunately clearly shows her lack of technique/writing sophistication.

So much exposition in the Q+A style with Ellie asking stupid questions that someone in her position, in the current situation that she's in (after just discovering her powers for example) would not ask. Certain question that I felt the author just threw in there just so the readers would have this bit of info. Sometimes it wasn't even important to know. And trust me, there are much better ways to introduce interesting plot elements than just *random fight* "Hey Will? *asks question*" "Well Ellie, *answers*". Some of the exchanges between the two are just so laughably ridiculous you just can't imagine a regular person reacting the way Ellie does in the situations she's in. And you can tell this is just awkward maneuvering by the author to make sure we know some piece of information, or to set up for a joke that she really want to put in there. When you stop seeing the story and start seeing the strings, you know the author's doing something wrong.

The fights were also, though clear, slightly annoying. Like I've read in another review, there's a difference between action and adventure. Adventure has the action, that is actually important to the plot, moving it along in different and interesting ways. Action is just the random fighting that happens. And you get that a lot. Fights that happen in the middle of Ellie/Will's 'date' or something just to spice up the narrative, and to give the characters an excuse to angst over each other in-battle. It's like the random fights in an old school J-RPG. Walk walk walk OMG FIGHT then walk walk walk on to the next plot point.

And the writing. That's the biggest issue here: the style of it. Honestly, the writing was extremely flat line. The author seems to be able to convey teens pretty well, except there's so little personality in her writing, it barely ever really comes out. This is even more of a problem when the book's in first person. First person narratives ESPECIALLY need a great, engaging voice, and some of the sentences are so clunky, so dull and heavy-handed, it was tough just to keep reading. The very opening of the book was where I realized I'd run into problems with this. Boring. No flare, nothing engaging, nothing to stir the reader's interest, to get the juices flowing. Just: Ellie is in school. Class ends. She gets paper. HUH? Really? Isn't the first rule of writing to hook the reader from the get go? It doesn't have to be flashy, but think about the great books out there, the evocative setting, voice, something *interesting* happening that reveals something about who the character is, and this was just so balls out dull I almost put it down right there. I mean, don't agents and editors WARN writers about that type of stuff? It's like, every conference, that's what you hear. Opening pages, opening pages. What happened?

Look, I know that at least in terms of paranormal Young adult lit, the standards are decidedly lower. You can hate on me for saying that, but with some of the crap coming out, it's true. It's become so corporate and commercialized, it's really about trying to hit certain points that Twilight proved will absolutely bring in the target audience (romantic wangst, monsters, special heroines, hot boys etc). Not to say that Angelfire is Twilight level. You can tell the author was really trying to do something more with it. But because standards for paranormal YA have dropped so low and fangirls have become increasingly easier to please, hitting those points become far more important than the writing and execution. That's why I suspect this will get a sizable following. And really, I feel like that's become the main marker of success for YA novels.

But the fact remains that in the hands of a more experienced and sophisticated writer, this book could have been a lot more than it was. The premise is interesting enough to bring in the readers and, again, it does indeed hit all those 'young adult paranormal' points. But the writing and execution of it was just so juvenile, I can't in good conscious give it more then a 2.5. Maybe 2.8. It's nearing a 3, but just not quite good enough to get there. I'd say, if this was a story I found on fictionpress.net or one of those sites where amateur writers post up their original fiction, and if I read it, I'd give it an enthusiastic review saying something like, "This is great! You need to work on A, B, and C, but if you keep writing and working on your craft, you'll definitely be good enough to get published one day! Keep it up!" Because that's exactly what this story read like: a decent but ultimately flawed manuscript written by someone with talent, but who just ultimately isn't ready to get published yet. And yet is IS - hence the low marks.

Again, I'll probably get tons of 'unhelpful' reviews on this, though let's face it, the 'unhelpful' or 'helpful' buttons are fairly pointless, used by fangirls/anti-fangirls/the author to hate on reviews that don't immediately agree with whatever opinion the button-presser has about the book. Still, this is just my honest review. It's just not a decent enough book for me to honestly recommend it to anyone other than those who already have pretty low standards when it comes to books. Especially those for whom YA supernatural lit represents the pinnacle of literature.

PS - Strong heroine? Let's get this straight. Simply being able to fight doesn't automatically make a female character 'strong'. Particularly when she seems revel in being protected by the Hot Nice Guy who we know is a Nice Guy (ie) syndrome) because of his numerous (and fairly self-indulgent, not to mention creepy for a NUMBER of reasons) displays of 'noble' self-sacrifice. I really wish authors would realize that it takes more than a sharp weapon to make your heroine impressive.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton is one of the best angel books I've read in years, and I've read A LOT of them. The only other angel book on the same level is Cynthia Hand's Unearthly, which is also stellar. With Angelfire, it's like Moulton had a check list of what makes a great young adult book and seamlessly blended all of these components together into this sensational debut novel. I was hooked from the first chapter and couldn't stop reading--it was another "wee hours of the morning" finish because this book was THAT GOOD.

There are so many cliches in young adult paranormal fiction these days, and Moulton has an antidote for all of them. Tired of weak, whimpering heroines? You will LOVE Ellie. She's the perfect balance of mad battle skills and heart. Wondering why every teenager has to have absent parents? Ellie and her mother share a close, loving relationship. Yes, youth of today, it's okay to love your mom. Creeped out by centuries-old guys falling in love with teenage girls? Well, Ellie's soul's pretty old, too. Annoyed by girls throwing themselves at obsessive, stalker guys? Ellie totally calls Will on it and actually shows a healthy level of suspicion. After reading about one too many TSTL heroines this year, Angelfire was refreshing and original.

Frustrated by book series holding their cards too closely and providing no answers? (I'm looking at you, Fallen.) Well, Moulton's perfect mix of answers and mystique creates a well-developed, intriguing mythology for her series. And thank you, Courtney, for NO CLIFFHANGER. Angelfire's ending is my favorite kind for a book in a series--there's a satisfying resolution to this book's conflict with just enough unanswered questions and mystery to have you clamoring for the sequel. AND I AM CLAMORING.

And that romantic tension? You'd need to use one of Ellie's Khopesh swords to slash through it. I was about to say this is where Moulton really shines, but then I remembered her action scenes (which are brilliant, and I don't even really like action scenes), so I suppose Moulton is equally brilliant at writing heart-aching romantic tension and gripping action scenes. Moulton's pacing for Ellie and Will's relationship is fantastic. I loved seeing Ellie fall in love with Will (none of this "I love you for no reason other than I happened to see you from across the hall" for our heroine), and Moulton's use of flashbacks was captivating. This book oozes and seethes with romantic tension, and it kept me coming back chapter after chapter waiting for the moment when Ellie and Will would FINALLY kiss. So, so, so worth the wait.

Although I was a little thrown by the big reveal about Ellie near the end of the book (I definitely did not see that coming and I'm not crazy about that development) I cannot wait to see these characters again. Intriguing mythology, well-crafted characters, riveting action, and captivating romance combine into one thrill-ride of a novel that grips your heart and doesn't let go.

[Wendy Darling · Rating 2 out of 5]

Aside from occasionally amusing asides (Ell names her white car "Marshmallow"), this book is all over the place. The plot is both simplistic and confused, none of the characters are unique or compelling, and there is a disturbing laxness in parenting (not her father, who's supposed to be unlikeable, but her mother, who calmly accepts her 17 year old and her friends drinking under her own roof). Plus Ell dresses like a slutty nurse for Halloween and goes shopping with her friend, during which the brands BMW, Audi, Badgley Mischka, and Valentino are dropped. Ugh.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't want to put up my full review yet since this book is several months away from being published. I just want to say that THIS BOOK BLEW ME AWAY. It is ridiculous how good it is.

I was pretty excited to read it, but I had absolutely no idea how freakin' fantastic it would be. Seriously. Just a few minutes after I read the last page, I was telling April @ Good Books & Good Wine that the book came at a good time. Once Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins and Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead are released later this year, I wasn't going to have anything else that I was so obsessed with getting my hands on. Now I do -the next two books in this trilogy. Once I said that, I realized it is about the highest compliment I can pay someone: comparing their book to both The Hunger Games and Vampire Academy series. And let me tell you, Angelfire measures up.

It has the best action/combat scenes I can remember reading ever. All the characters are fabulous, the plot is riveting and the love story exceptional.

Go out immediately and do whatever it takes to get your hands on a copy. Beg, borrow, or steal one...just read it!

[Benni · Rating 1 out of 5]

http://www.rantingdragon.com/angelfir...
Angelfire is the first book in the Angelfire Trilogy. The beautiful girl on the cover is seventeen-year-old Ellie, who has begun having nightmares about past lives where she fights reapers. Ellie notices a boy stalking her, but since he’s handsome, she is intrigued. The stalker, Will, turns out to be her immortal guardian, and she turns out to be the Preliator, Latin for “warrior.” Every time she dies, she eventually reincarnates into another human body, but Will has to wait until she’s seventeen to activate her memories and her power.

An uninspired love interest
If you guessed that despite Will’s immortality, he looks about twenty, then kudos. If you thought seventeen, sorry; that’s Twilight (which I liked much more than Manon). Will is the kind of immortal who never bothered over his years to learn the meaning of humor or levity, because (1) how else would a girl know that this guy is ancient and “wise” unless he’s also unfunny? and (2) this reaper threat is serious business. Serious, but not urgent, it seems, since he has to wait for his Ellie, who sometimes bides her time in the reincarnation process and must grow to the ripe age of seventeen before her powers are activated. Since there’s no competing love interest, all that’s keeping the lovebirds apart is Will’s sense of… honor? I’m not completely sure. After a half-twist reveal, though, I suppose I would also feel uncomfortable if they were to become an official couple.

More (unrequited) romance than adventure
Ellie’s girl friend proclaims that girls are hardwired to desire nothing more than a shining white knight, a sentiment that proves unfortunately sincere in Angelfire. However kickass Ellie may turn out as the series progresses, it will remain secondary to her love for Will and his oh-so-noble sacrifices to protect her. This is disappointing.

That is not to say there is no action; though I would distinguish said “action” from “adventure.” There are plenty of fight scenes in which reapers randomly attack and bellow threats while Ellie’s trying to date Will and convince him to do normal teenager stuff. These scenes seem contrived, failing to build any suspense because Ellie and Will are never in real danger. While they accrue battle wounds, those wounds heal quickly because the two have supernatural abilities. The fights serve more as an excuse for the pair to cry out each other’s name and declare their love for each other without actually declaring their love for each other.

An unimaginative story
As I was reading Angelfire, I could not help but fantasize how even smallest touches would have injected the story with more life. Since Ellie is in part a different person every time she reincarnates, why couldn’t she have, for once, not been attracted to Will? Think of all the additional moping Will could do. Or, since Will never knows exactly how long it takes for Ellie to reincarnate, Will could feel bitter towards Ellie. Maybe he could even decide to abandon her. Think of all the additional moping Ellie could do. I don’t mean these suggestions in earnest, just as a warning that this book can prompt meandering thoughts.

Why should you read this book?
The author absolutely nails the young adult experience; perhaps that is why legions of teenagers who have received advanced copies of this book vehemently disagree with me. However, I cannot imagine very many adults who would enjoy this book.

[gremlinkitten · Rating 1 out of 5]

Normally I wouldn't write a review if I didn't read at least half of the book in question, but I'm obligated by Amazon Vine to give my honest opinion about a product. I yielded at 170 pages and refuse to force myself to read something I am not enjoying in the least.

First off I cannot feel sympathy for the protagonist, Ellie, which is essential in a book like this. She's a shallow character who wasn't brought to life in the pages I read. It's hard to relate to a girl who has everything she could possibly want, saving her daddy's love, and while that can be possible in other books, it wasn't the case with this one. The concept sounded interesting and is what drew me to the book, but as I read, it just felt like a very, very poor imitation of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the television series) with minor differences. The truth is that a better writer could have overcome all these issues and made them his or her own. Quite possibly, even this book may have ended up being a good if many more rewrites and editing had been undertaken. Unfortunately the writing is weak, most especially the dialogue, and nothing inspired me to read on or to care what happens. Most of what I read was a question and answer session between Ellie and her Guardian, Will, which was very irritating to read. I urge all authors not to do this. Perhaps ANGELFIRE is too young for most adults and better suited for teens, but that's up to the reader in question.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I'd be willing to sell a kidney for this book. I mean, who needs two anyway?

EDIT: actual review

4.5/5

Ellie is just your average teenage girl, living an average teenage life. But on her seventeenth birthday, Ellie finds out she is far from average – she’s the Preliator. With her newly awakened powers, and under the protection of the bodyguard she doesn’t remember, Ellie must harness her new abilities in order to fight off the demonic reapers and save humanity from a war that could destroy the world.

Angelfire was AWESOME. I adored it. I’d wanted to read it ever since I accidentally stumbled across it on Goodreads months ago, and I can tell you, it’s been worth the wait. Ellie was such a great heroine; to be honest, I didn’t really like her that much to begin with - I found her a bit annoying. But as she took on her role as Preliator, and showed us how strong and determined she was, I started to connect with her more, and by the end, I was definitely a fan. There was no, “Oh dear! I have injured my delicate finger and am unable to move! Save me, man I met not two hours ago!” in this book. Ellie was a fighter, and didn’t rely on others all the time to get her out of a mess. She was also quite hilarious, and made me laugh out loud a fair few times. I loved her interactions with Will (<3); they could be so funny together, but the moment there was hint of danger, they stepped into fighting mode and worked together to defeat the bad guys.

And speaking of Will...wow. He had the whole brooding bad-boy tortured soul thing down to a tee (examples: awesome tattoos, cool sword, general badassery). He came across as bit creepy to begin with (no wonder Ellie freaked out – I like the fact that instead of just following after the pretty boy she’d just met, she told him where to go), but after finding out who he was, he grew to become one of my favourite characters. He sole purpose was to protect Ellie, and he literally did everything in his power to make sure he would carry out this duty. I loved hearing the stories he would tell about all of Ellie’s past lives, and it made me so sad that she couldn’t remember all the time they spent together. The most heartbreaking bit though was this little scene at the end where Will and Ellie both discover something huge...I am so excited for the next book now it’s unbelievable.

Another character I liked, despite him working for the other side, was Cadan. He was very, very interesting. He had all the villainous qualities you’d expect from your typical bad-guy, but there were certain things about him, and certain things he did that have not yet been explained that made me question what his real motives were. The obvious hatred between Cadan and Will as well has also made me think there’s something else going on with him. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see!

There were certain aspects of the plot I found slightly predictable (I won’t spoil it for you), but the twist at the end made up for it, I think. The only part of the book that got on my nerves slightly was Ellie’s stupid dad. He was, for lack of a better word, a total idiot. I didn’t understand what his problem was, and I wanted Ellie to stand up to him instead of just accepting his crap. But I guessed the reason why she couldn’t is because she remembered a time when he was loving, and cared for her. I just hope that in the next book we get to see Ellie either tell her dad where to get off or see them resolve their issues (what are the issues anyway? I really would love to find out what made her dad such a loser).

Overall, Angelfire was an amazing book with an intriguing premise. I can’t wait for Wings of the Wicked, the next book in the series, and I’d recommend this to people who liked the Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent, or The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller.

[Crowinator · Rating 2 out of 5]

Are angels the new vampires, or what? There are parts of this series opener I liked -- several parts of the angel/reaper mythology; the slow way Ellie breaks in her new powers (while she can fight right away, she doesn't like to let herself go, and she doesn't like how her powers make her feel); the fight scenes, mostly, though they were not well integrated -- but overall I wasn't impressed with the amateurish writing (whoa with the adverbs, adjectives, and redundant phrasing) or the romance between Ellie and Will. I thought the entire thing followed Buffy the Vampire Slayer (especially in the first season, only not as funny or meaningful) way too closely, with a little Bleach manga thrown in.

I think it will be popular regardless, and I'll give the second book a chance to see if Ellie ever becomes as independent as she has the potential to be, and if the author improves her prose the more practice she gets.

ETA: By the way, I finally saw the book trailer for this on YouTube, and it's pretty damn good. Go check it out.

[~Tina~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right on! Looks like I found me another series to devour!

Angelfire is a kickass debut novel that screams amazing!
Love the concept, not only is it unique but it's gripping, suspenseful and action punched with a really sweet romance. How awesome is the twist for this element, not to mention the ideas behind the reapers? Great imagination. I also loved that Ellie's memory-lost got stretched through out the story. It was effective and intriguing.

These characters rocked! While clueless at first, Ellie's transformation is a wonder to see. She's fiery and fierce. The girl can do so much once she started to believe in herself and what she really is. Absolutely sensational!
Will is just awesome and I loved his no-mercy method while training. He's funny and warm and a total badass, but the good kind. I love that they share an old history, an old connection but still pulses alive to this very day. The romance was set at a leashed pace which was refreshing and made it even more powerful some how.

Bottom line, I loved this one. The concept is brilliant, the writing flows in an even exciting pace and the characters are filled with good wit and are ready to charm.
It has all the elements I look for in a good read and then some. I can't wait to see what happens next in; Wings of the Wicked!

Yeah! Bring on the sequel!

[Kiki · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, as I finished this book, I thought, hmmmm, Will is freaken hot, sexy and his torturous lopsided grins have my insides melting. And then, I had another thought—I absolutely love Will…he is the angelic counterpart and BFF of faerie winter prince Ash for me. Yes, Prince Ash from the Iron Fey series. LOL!!! Both warriors, both sworn fealty to the lady loves of their lives, to love and to hold, to protect their ladies for the rest of their existence. Awwuhhh…so romantic…I can’t contain my squeals when I put it like that.

Courtney Allison Moulton – you put a spin on angel mythology like no other. I love “angel” YA paranormal romances, urban mysteries, and epic fantasies. And you do not disappoint the legions of fans that follow one angel series to the next. Thanks for blessing our hearts with this incredible tale of suspense, woven with one battle after another and closing in on a love so profound and intense I had to squeeze my heart shut so the pain would subside. I loved living inside Ellie and Will's world.

Ellie & Will – awwwwh, *big sigh*. I am unable to put into words the conflict that suspends me in mid-air as I think about the love between these two beautiful characters. Ellie is extremely powerful and fragile at the same time, a simple but complicated teenage girl who has yet to fully comprehend what her otherworldly powers mean. I just have to say –I didn’t see that one coming, and when it did, I was absolutely stunned. I cannot wait for more. And Will — amazingly beautiful, sexy and tormented Will! He is so seriously hot I can’t fathom what kind of soldier would not have women flocking to his side. And his gorgeous looks don’t even do justice to the allegiance and eternal love he holds for Ellie. Tears gleaned in my eyes as I turned those last few pages….oooohhhhh, the roof scene!!!!!!! Aaaaaahhhhh!!! Hole in his heart = hole in my heart!!! ;)

Cadan – oh man, this guy, this demon, the Fallen! I can’t wait to see more of him in the next installment. What’s his game? His words, his mysterious, alluring looks! One hot bad boy!! I am so excited to see what he will bring to the story.

I know that all of you Patch-crazed fans will want to read this one, like YESTERDAY! The author did an incredible job with angel folklore and you will want to follow Ellie and Will’s journey as they embark upon the next battle of their lives!

[Isamlq · Rating 2 out of 5]

And I have finally/sadly come across an angel book that I am just not that into. The blurb describes Ellie as spirited and independent. Will, her love interest, is her protector and loyal GUARDIAN. God, god… god! I was so ready to love Angelfire; too bad, it did not meet my expectations. The first 60 pages or so of this book is riddled with dei ex machina. Disappointing, I kid you not. Every question she asked, the guy had an answer to. Every time something was about to happen or actually happened, he’d resolve it by slamming his palm on her forehead and “activating” her latent angel-ness.

Too bad. It had such great promise! I was initially sold on the book because of the blurb,

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once...

Ellie and Will just don’t cut it though. I really did not like the dialogue. It was clumsy(?) at times… there was always an answer; everything was just too convenient… Some things just need not be verbalized, e.g. an “I’m scared, Will.” doesn’t not need a “Why?” after it. And neither does the latter need be followed up by a response.

Some positives:
a. The Karate Kid sensei thing with Ellie as the boy, and Will as Mr. Miyagi… (And, yes, I am aware of how old a pre-Jaden Smith/Jackie Chan Karate Kid reference makes me sound:
“We're going to bring out your power so you will learn to do it on your own. I am your soldier, but I am not your crutch…” my little grasshopper *sniggers*
b The fight sequences were awesome.
c. The mythology was a lot more intricate than in other books...

[Sarah (YA Love) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know “hate” is a strong word, but I positively hate it when I can’t get into a book and end up not finishing it. Unfortunately, I’ve been running across quite a few books in that category this year. And since I’m not going to fully review them since I didn’t finish them, I think I’m going to post why I simply couldn’t get into them.

My alumni book club and I went to the launch party for Courtney Allison Moulton’s debut novel Angelfire. She did a great job at the launch, we all bought books and had them signed, and agreed we’d read her book for book club. We had a couple books lined up before hers, so we’re just now reading Angelfire for our next meeting. I started reading it on Thursday or Friday (it’s been a busy week, so I can’t remember) and gave up yesterday.

Whenever I’m reading a book and feeling a little dicey about it, I try to give it at least 100 pages before I finally make up my mind. I decided to stop at page 108. Granted, this is a 453 page book, so maybe that’s not enough of a chance. But let me explain it first.

The biggest problem I’m having is that it doesn’t feel like any kind of plot is being developed. Ellie has discovered that she’s been reincarnated hundreds of times as a Preliator, or reaper killer. She also knows that Will has been her Guardian for 500 or so years. And after 108 pages, that’s it. She fights and kills reapers. So… What’s the point? Why should I keep reading? What’s her major problem besides realizing at 17 that she’s been reincarnated and has to kill reapers with the help of Will? Maybe I’m missing the point, but how can I be 108 pages in and not really know where the story is going? This explains the weird dreams she’s been having and that’s about it. I need to feel like there’s more to the story to keep me reading. I’m a teacher with tons of papers to grade and lessons to plan. I’m a grad school student with intense classes and reading to complete. I’m a blogger with other books on my shelf waiting to be read and reviewed. I don’t want to sound mean, but I need a reason to keep reading a book. And Angelfire simply wasn’t providing it :(

Besides the plot, I couldn’t get over the writing style. It’s pretty choppy and there isn’t as much internal dialogue as I prefer from a first-person point of view. I really don’t have a good feel for who Ellie is as a protagonist and I should by now. And then there were the typos… I’m an English teacher and I can’t ignore them. I know they happen (I make them in my posts too!), and I catch them pretty often. A few here and there I can ignore and they don’t change my opinion of the book. But I was left wondering how much attention this book received before it was published.

I have an extra copy of this book in my classroom already and a couple of students have read it and loved it. I think that’s fantastic, because I know not everyone feels the way I do. And I’m sure some of my boys who enjoy fantasy will like Angelfire because of the violent and bloody fight scenes. So this book definitely has appeal, just not for me.

If you’ve read Angelfire, I’d love to know what you think. Does it get better soon? If so, let me know and maybe I’ll give it another chance this summer. If you feel the same way, I’d like to know that too.

[Abby · Rating 2 out of 5]

OKAY. First things first. I have mixed feelings about this book, and I haven't even finished reading it yet--I'm past 300 pages though--but having been curious about what other people thought of it, I looked up reviews here in Goodreads and bam. I wasn't alone.

I expected to like this book because my bestfriend, who's a reader like me, lent me the book and said it was really action-packed and that I should give it a shot. And I respect my bestfriend and her feedback a lot, so don't get me wrong on that. This is just my personal opinion on Miss Moulton's debut novel. To be quite honest, even, the only angel series I've read before was the Hush, Hush series by Fitzpatrick, and I would prefer not to comment on that. But with Angelfire--oh, dear, I didn't expect to be disappointed! I do not really know if I'm biased, or what, since I am writing a novel about angels myself. But it's not like I didn't find good points in Angelfire--it's just that there are a lot of things that kind of annoyed me.

I have to admit that the first few pages caught me--actually, Mr. Meyer's death did. The murder of the teacher was a surprising but nice timing for a heart-stopping moment (especially since the opening of the novel, where Ellie is in school, bored in economics class, gets a paper that she "Ughs," about, is mediocre). I gave a few more pages some chances, and I noticed the same thing the other reviewers who gave one-star and two-star reviews noticed.

I'll start off with the characters. Ellie was okay at first, you know? At the first few pages, to be exact. She didn't tan like her obviously average teenager of a bestfriend Kate, and she was okay with the paleness, and you'd think she wasn't too much into boys, but later on when Will comes in, bingo. He's all over her mind. She obviously comes from a well-off family, and she has a nice group of friends who love her to bits and whom she goes out with at typical group dates, and she's okay at school. She's not popular, but she gets invited to parties and is okay-ish with the popular girls (and I am speaking of Josie, who, thankfully, Moulton didn't create a mean girl out of. We've had so much of that). She can have parties in her house, go to overnights whenever, and she basically has everything a girl of her age would want. BUT--I'll be straight to the point--I thought she was quite childish. I've seen much more devastated seventeen-year-olds before to appreciate Ellie's stuff. I actually think lack of fatherly love was the problem thrown in by Moulton in this character just so she would be flawed (and please let me do a little complain here. "Moron" does not even get a mile close to the extreme cursing of other parents to the child I've read before). But, oh, no. Ellie gets all the friends, parties, boys and this special reputation in the paranormal world. I mean, she's obviously got to be the main thing happening whether in Earth or in the Grim, isn't she? Plus, the fact that she's the Preliator--I mean, we'd have to expect all this awesome strength and power from her--but goodness, no. Moulton makes it sound like the Preliator is so extremely powerful, so extremely skilled, so extremely everything, and yet Ellie gets a protector, who, I believe, pops up in every fight scene and basically wards off all the demonic reapers from Ellie. Seriously, I expected a development in Ellie's character. Moulton was throwing in all these fights, whether it was a practice with Will or a real battle with a reaper--and yet, Ellie hasn't fully mastered her power. Ellie would've as good as thrown a sword right into a reaper's chest and ducked behind Will. I do not know if this is caused by the "slow" coming back of Ellie's Preliator-ness, which is mentioned in the book, but man, the girl just isn't catching up.

Second thing is Will. Will's character for me, to be honest, is actually okay. He doesn't bother me so much--well, probably because he's a little blunt. But the way Moulton just reiterates Will's beauty or hotness or sexyness--I mean, even at the first two descriptions about him, it's clear as crystal. I myself appreciate how hot Will is (especially after seeing the drawn Will on Moulton's website) but she doesn't have to go on about how drop-dead-sexy he is--we already get it. Besides, it's already expected that Will has to be hot. Many YA novels have to have decent-looking guys. She could have given Will's description a shot or two and her readers would still get it. True, there are times when you have to insert a scene when the main character takes in how beautiful his or her love interest is--yes, there ARE scenes like that, and usually at moments when the main character's full focus is on his or her love interest--but, you don't have to do it, like, every chapter. Which leads us back to Ellie. She's always fantasizing over Will, and it's obvious that Will likes her too, but Moulton is just holding back from that, you know? Which makes me wonder if she's trying not to do an early, official romance between the two. But it's already so obvious that I wanted to say, "It's fine, Miss Moulton, you can make Will's and Ellie's feelings about each other official after 200 pages, and your novel still won't be Twilight-ish. Maybe I'd even be less bothered with that. Angelfire is Angelfire." But Moulton just didn't. Is this a tease, or what?

I also feel sorry for Landon. I respect Ellie for not "leading him on" to avoid hurting him, but really, it's like, Landon's a ball not wanted and when he and Kate makes out, there it is. He's thrown to the bestfriend who likes him. This is seriously a filler of a character, right?

Looking into Ragnuk's character, geez. I hoped that at the least Moulton got the villain right, but Ragnuk's lines were just--what, something you'd hear in Courage the Cowardly Dog? Scooby-Doo? He's always saying something like, "I'm going to eat you now, Preliator!" and trying to discourage Ellie by saying she's "helpless", but at the same time doing something like, "Come and get me, Preliator!" I mean, seriously.

I also am not favorable of the Q-and-A style of weaving the information in the reader's mind. She could have written it in another way. It's not just the times when Ellie asks, "Why is it that ?" and Will goes, "Well, that's because ." The dialogue between Ellie and the demonic reapers, Ellie and her friends, Ellie and Will, and practically the whole book's dialogues, are poorly done, I must say. Miss Moulton will have to practice this some more. I believe she really can.

I'd also like to comment on the brand-mentioning. It's not that I find it wrong, but I do find it inappropriate. I mean, seriously? Louis Vuitton? Marc Jacobs? Chanel? Girls like Blair and Serena would have easily pulled that off because the story calls for it! Blair and Serena are situated in New York, go to extremely prestigious schools and are elites. Brands have to be present and sound perfectly okay in the books. But Ellie and Kate--I don't know, I just don't think they can pull it off as easily. Are brands really so necessary in the story? Did their privileges really have to be established like that? Because, to be quite honest, I am looking for much more of a 'character' in Ellie. I don't think we'd appreciate a Mary Sue, god. No decent reader would. I repeat: I've read much better, deeper main characters, and Ellie is made too lightly--too perfectly, even. Also, Moulton did NOT execute first person point of view well. A third person POV would've fit the novel better than a first person POV. Moulton needs to work on giving Ellie a much more intriguing, captivating voice if she's going to push through with a first person POV.

The way the story went is also quite dragging, but this does NOT have to be confused with the plot. The plot is PROMISING, it's interesting (and whoa. Even before having read Angelfire, I've had a few concepts that I later on discovered I shared with Moulton's), and I like it. But the way the story goes like "sparring with Will-Oh, there's a reaper!-now that's over, let's party somewhere!" plus the extra information Ellie says about school--it's practically like a daily diary with repetitive entries. I wish Moulton gave this plot a mountain instead of an endless, flat grass field, if you know what I mean. This pretty much sums up that Moulton's writing has still a long, long way to go. The book has potential, and you really can see it, but the dialogues, the descriptions, the way Ellie talks and acts--more revising and editing can do the concept of the story justice and wonder, honestly. It really could've been better, and I think many readers would agree. You can really see the possibility. It's just not that ready to be astounding, you know? There are so many excuses, so many fillers, that the book would've been so much better had these things been removed.

But of course, I've also got positive feedback in mind. I like the way Moulton does her fight scenes--it's like, there are no girls for reapers--though the underlying reason may be because reapers are faced with the Preliator herself. Moulton did execute her love of martial arts in fight scenes nicely, you can see that. She's also nice for including angel myth in it--although, there are good points made by Kira (that one which got 30 plus likes and all) about that portion. Plus, at least, here, the strengths of a woman are emphasized--though, if we examine Ellie (once again), it's a little too overboard and, well, not portrayed in just the right tone.

I will still give the sequel to this a read, though, and see how Moulton will take on that.

PS. I scanned the last few pages in desperation to finish the book already, and concluded that the book damn needs editing. I honestly hoped that it would somehow justify itself in the last few pages, but it didn't. Honestly. It's getting annoying how there are a lot of information that isn't even a step close to sensible, nor related, to the story, and how most things Ellie asks can be answered by common sense. I, however, enjoyed it when she called Will a "coward" because he is, in truth, a coward. And towards the end of the book, where Michael appears to Ellie and says that she is Gabriel, that pushed me over. I mean, no offense intended, but Moulton can't even show me how much of a Preliator Ellie is, and now she's Gabriel?! *Insert MARY SUE, MARY SUE, MARY SUE here. Again.* Somehow, the author sounds (to me, at least), that she isn't even quite sure where she wanted to take all the elements in her story to. I don't know, but I hope Miss Moulton knew how to take her story and characters better, and did not write what seemed like a combined reflection of all the TV shows and video games she watched and played. A novel, in all obviousness, is entirely different, and Miss Moulton, in the name of all the angels, needs to redeem her own. I will seriously give the second book a chance. Up to page 300. Plus the last ten pages. My word on that.


PS II. Please don't hate on me. This is the first book that I ever actually reviewed, and I really want to like Angelfire, but I just. Can't. Not now. I am very much hoping that Wings of the Wicked will save this.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever loved a book so much you simply have no words to explain your feelings for it? This is slightly like my feelings for Angelfire. I have no critism for this book what so ever. I found it to be perfect in every way, and I am very excited for future works from the marvelous Courtney Allison Moulton.

Angelfire was one of the most original fantasy books I have ever read. Right off the bat, you experience Moulton's world and her version of reapers. When most people think reapers, they think hooded guy in a cloak with a scythe. Moulton's reapers come in a whole range of terrifying beings, from giant wolf like reapers to those that can appear human. Then you throw characters like Ellie and Will into the mix, who are most definately not human The world is absolutely fascinating. It's set in the world as we know, but there's this world that coexists with the world called the Grim.

With creatures as enticing those, and a world that cool, when you throw the awesome characters into the mix, it nearly throws you over the edge. All the characters feel so real. You fall for Will on about page 2. He is bad-ass and a character you can't help to love! Ellie's friends, Kate, Landon, Chris, and Evan, are a ton of fun, and every time they walk on the page, you can be sure it'll be a good time. Ellie is your average teenage girl, and it's fun to watch what learning what she is does to her life.

The action and combat in the book is bloody brilliant! Both are seriously I think the best I've ever read. Tied in with the intriguing plot, Angelfire is a winner. The romance of the story is exceptionly awesome. It was so sweet, and I was instantly drawn to it.

Angelfire is a book that will simply blow you away. With just this one book, Courtney Allison Moulton has earned a spot on my list of authors I auto-buy whenever a book comes out. It's that good. Between the epic plot, the amazing world, and the charming cast of characters, Angelfire is a book you will be sorry to miss.

[Sláinte Wanderlust · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I guess it’s true that loves makes you blind.”
“No,” my mom said. “It doesn’t make you blind. You’re very, very aware of everything about the one you truly love, whether you know it from what your eyes tell you or your heart. So no, love doesn’t make you blind. It paralyzes you until you can’t breathe or run away from it.”

[Ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ★



Wait!!!
No whiny female character?
No "I see you and I know that you are my soul mate"?
No "you want to kill me and you treat me like crap but I am still madly in love with you"?.. No obsessing?!?

God, what's 'wrong' with this book?! ... yeah, I'm being ironic..
In fact I mean.. what's right with this book?
And the answer is: everything!

I think that the author took all the bad things that we find in some paranormal YA, turned them into good stuff and then put them into this story.. And you know what? It really worked.

That's why we don't have a dumb main character, but a smart one with a strong personality.. We don't have a dangerous abusive male character, but a caring one (and it also helps that he is good looking, just so you know)... We don't have idiotic parents, but understanding ones (in fact, I am talking about her mother here.. Her father is another story and I just have a feeling about him, but I'll see in the next book if I am right or not), we don't have a stupid & forced falling in love for no reason at all, but a sweet romance, after some realistic amount of time, a more healthy falling in love if you want..
And as I said, this recipe did work perfectly.

Yes, I am not usually mad about angel stories, but I kind of liked this book... a lot.



First I liked the main character.
Ellie was smart, had good friends, an awesome mother, and a past she couldn't quite remember, but that made her stronger than she thought. She also had a great 'voice' that didn't annoy the hell out of me with too much complaining, and I loved to see the girl in the story being the strong one for once. Also she wasn't driven only by her hormones, that was great for a change.
"His fingers traced the curve of my shoulder softly, as his gaze fell. I gasped sharply. If he tried to kiss me, I’d slap the crap out of him. Bond or no bond."

Then I liked Will.
- don't read the spoiler! - "So, my name’s Will. You don’t remember me, but we’ve known each other for five hundred years. You hunt monsters and I’m one of them, but I’m also your friend. Oh, I can fly, too."

- God, I told you not to read it!! -

Will was great. He had a history, a lot of secrets and gorgeous green eyes. Also he was strong, caring, charismatic and sweet if/when he wanted to be.. And the most important is that he has always been there for Ellie, risking his life for her for centuries, trying so hard to keep her safe, dying inside every time he couldn't manage to keep her alive, believing in her and loving her with all his heart even if he doesn't quite know it yet..

“I hate . . . ,” he started, his shaking voice trailing off. “I hate when you die. It destroys me. I know I have no right to be so upset, because I’m not the one losing my life, but it breaks me apart inside. I’m not very good with words, and I don’t know how to explain to you how I feel. I get lonely when you aren't with me. I miss you. And every time you die, a little piece of me dies with you.”



Let's see.. what more did I like?
The action, as some people said before, was movie-alike... You can see it in your eyes while reading it. I am not a fan of too much action but I did enjoy it a lot.
The secondary characters were likable too, and realistic, and fun. It was nice too see that Ellie had some great friends - like her friend Kate ;)
"You’re going to be alone with him for a whole weekend doing God only knows what—okay, hopefully God doesn’t really know what...”

There are some more questions without answer, but this is only the beginning of this journey so we will have to wait to find out more.

All this being said I would have loved to see more of Ellie and Will being together, but let's hope for that in the next book... Can't wait for it :D

“I'll always come back to you..."

“Don’t forget that I'll always love you,” he whispered against my lips, rubbing the tip of his nose to mine.“Don’t forget.”


This review can be found at ReadingAfterMidnight.com
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[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fiery, intricate, original and comical, Angelfire is a fantastic blend of battle and romance. With a very strong female protagonist, a complex male counterpart, and a winding story line, this one is a hit. In an ever expanding genre and an increasing number of things classified as ‘cliché,’ Moulton breaks through the mold with a six foot sword.

Ellie is witty, funny and sprightly. She’s vivid and distinct, easily liked, and easy to understand. Even in a tense situation, she breaks the tension with a wisecrack. What makes this is even better is many of them come natural and without thought—it’s simply how she is. She is the kind of character many readers will identify with: friends with some of the popular crowd but not immersed in it, and not a leper outcast. She has a great bond with her mom and several close friends. From the start, Elli is well defined. This only gets stronger as things progress and she is suddenly thrust into a new and unexpected world. She is fearful. She is unsure. She is willing to admit she’s terrified. She doesn’t know if she can do this. But she tries. Even when it’s hard. Ellie is perfectly flawed and Moulton blends her different sides beautifully.

Then there’s Will. Intimidating and creepy at first, he slips into the story with only a few bumps with his charming six foot broad sword in hand. Intense more often than not, fiercely loyal and singularly determined, his relationship with and views towards Ellie are breathtaking. He is a stunning fighter and fearless when it comes to protecting Ellie. Much of him seems closed off and cloaked but an astute reader can see the layers of depth and complexity Moulton has infused into this character. Though it’s harder to see them, despite his title as Guardian and his experience, Will is still flawed and unsure, adding empathy towards him. He has several of his own struggles, and the torment of it is clear and concise even through Ellie’s eyes.

Despite how strong of a character Will is, he doesn’t overshadow or wash out Ellie. They bring out the best in each other and their relationship and budding romance is absolutely stunning. They have all the awkwardness of teenagers, the level of embarrassment and questions, and the slap in the face moments of realization of their feelings. Ellie doesn’t see Will, an admittedly hot guy (even without his nice, long, weaponry…), and fall head over heels and become an airhead. She is still the same girl, snarky and funny. The way her relationship with Will evolves makes up a strong part of this book, strengthening both their characters in a tremendous way and paving things for the next installment.

Mixing in with Will and Ellie are several of Ellie’s friends as well as people Will knows. Even the beasties have their own personalities and are as strongly defined as any of the humans. The dissonance for Ellie between what her powers mean and wanting to be a regular teenager is real. The shift back and forth throughout the book between fighting life and normal life reminds even the reader of this. Ellie doesn’t jump headlong into having these powers, she doesn’t accept it at face value, and even when the proof is in front of her (Face it, seeing Will’s broad sword is clear proof. And hot. Wait. Wrong sword. The one he fights with… wait. Nevermind. There’s no way around that), she resists and questions and struggles. This entire play out is handled fantastically, giving credit to Moulton’s abilities not only as a writer but in creating her characters.

The plot is fast paced, descriptive, and intricate. Although there is a large amount of world building to do and lore to explain, Moulton doesn’t data dump in a way that is oppressive. She breaks the large explanation areas up with wit and amusement, and reveals things at a steady and well rehearsed pace. Never once did I have to reread things or stop to figure out the information she shares, nor did I feel like I was pulled out of the book because of the amount of explanation.This book hits huge on originality as well. From the new version of reapers to the battle between Heaven and Hell, Moulton has built something new and fantastic.

There are several shocking twists and turns and unexpected events thrown in. The fight scenes are easy to follow and imagine and Moulton’s descriptions and imagery are unique, stunning and vivid. The voice brings Ellie even more to life, keeping with the YA mindset but still pitching it as something that is entirely Ellie. The writing is strong and concise. Despite the length of this book, everything is in there for a reason and adds to the overall air. Little things that seem innocent have relevance, and this book is great blend of action, explanation, and character development. Contrasting the fight scenes are the ones that are intimate, gentle, and tender and Moulton nails both with an easy, flawless fluidity.

Things build to a strong climax before Moulton ties the majority of things up. Ending with a scene true to Ellie’s character, the reader is in a comfortable place to wait for the next installment, though the desire for more of these great characters will be strong. Not to mention, Will’s sword should make many, many appearances of all different kinds…

Overall, Angelfire is a stunning debut. Engaging from the start, filled with humor and fight, it is a great read. Hitting on both relationships/romance and fighting/action, Moulton will draw in a range of characters. While things are set to amp up on both stages in the future books, this first installment is a perfect blend, each one muted yet defined.

[Krystle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has it all; amazing premise, awesome cover, and a super huge marketing scheme that made this debut one of the most hyped releases of the year 2011. Sadly, it was just not for me.

The biggest problem I had this book was the writing style. It felt rough, choppy, and lacked that certain fluidity to capture my attention. There isn’t much of any glorious descriptive writing that I drool over, nor is there any richness. A lot of it came of as rushed and lacked any subtlety. Another thing that I had an issue with was that most, if not all, of the questions the main character had about her newfound destiny were answered so simply and easily by the male lead and in large sections of dialogue that I wondered what was the big deal about her true destiny anyway?

This really bogged down the text because the crackling tension you’d come to expect with this sort of plot reveal grounded to a halt. Info-dumping is not your friend. Also, whenever Ellie and Will were in some dire situation, the main character would somehow break out into some unknown ability to save the day. Too convenient and it almost smacks of rampaging deus ex machina. Even the actions scenes weren’t all that gripping. It was more of a Ellie did action point a, then did b, and when she did this, then this happened. Like you’re reading an outline of all the good juicy bits that would later be fleshed out in the real draft.

I’m not a fan of the romance. Sure this whole forbidden angle would really capture someone’s fancy but it just fell flat. I did not feel any chemistry between the two leads and the whole circumstances behind them getting together was cliché and lacked much of a punch. And, really? If Ellie is some super bad ass chick that is the only one with some special magical power/sword that can kill off these evil bad guys, why the heck would she need a protector anyway? Seems like the woman can fend for herself. And besides, she’s just going to get reincarnated later anyway (ala Fallen style).

The story picked up at the end and there was actually a battle that I had interest in. Too bad this ends in your typical cliffhanger way that makes you wanna punch someone’s lights out. It’s nothing grand in the world of ya paranormal/fantasy books but I’m sure it’ll entertain a lot of people who read it.

[Alise · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not a good book to read directly after Grave Mercy.

Why?

Because even trying to compare this shallow, weak heroine with the heroine in Grave Mercy is blasphemy. Sorry everyone, this is going to be a somewhat rant-y review. This novel is just... bad.


After about the third time a "reaper" demon is compared to some expensive car in relation of size I lost all hope in this book. That was the straw that broke the camel's back and after laughing about the ridiculousness I realized I was actually going to have to read the rest of this.

 

I liked it up to page eight. If you look at my single status update I quoted the book:

"As I looked at him, I felt a certain fondness deep in my heart, but I shook the feeling off. I didn't know who he was." Cue stereotypical novel alert:

Proceed with caution! 

(Pretty proud of my work in paint up there, if I do say so.)

So the book pretty much starts off with you knowing the brooding, mysterious, attractive stranger will play a key role as a love interest in the novel. His name is Will. Yay.

Of course, the main character (I actually can't even remember her name even though I just finished reading it, let me go look it up) Ellie, hates him at first yet struggles with her intense feelings for him. 



Speaking of her, she is almost the worst demon fighting heroine I've ever read about (*cough* Besides Bethany Church *cough*) because she is whiny, scared, shallow, conceited, shallow, and did I mention shallow? She's pretty much everything to hate in a character except you might be able to relate to her. When you were thirteen or so. Such lines giving evidence to her shallowness are:

"I nodded, imagining what I'd do with tens of millions of dollars. Oh, God-the shoes I could get with that." (Page 118)

"'So you never told me what you want for your birthday,' my mom said. 'Lambo.'" (Page 10)

"That would teach that Harpy to think she owned the place-and Will! Not that I was territorial or anything. Okay, maybe a smidge." (Page 135)

There are plenty more, those are the ones I remember the most.

She, and all of her friends, drip money and their parents encourage such focus on material objects. When they happen to be around. Which is not often. Ellie's dad pretty much only shows up to argue with Ellie's mom and to say the meanest possible things to Ellie with no explanation. Her mom is totally a atypical mother, okay to her child throwing late parties with alcohol involved and isn't really concerned about her welfare.



The demon fighting in the novel was boring to me, which came as a surprise since I love that stuff. Maybe it was because I wanted the characters to lose the fight and die.


I wanted to like this! I wanted to like this so bad because I already have the sequel sitting on my nightstand. Even so, I know it would be a waste of time if it was anything like Angelfire. Even now it stares at me, trying to convince me it is a good novel. Nice try, Wings of the Wicked, nice try. I hear you introduce a love triangle and are even longer than Angelfire. Boo.



This book is one star for me but since I think I only disliked it so much after reading Grave Mercy I'll give it two.



On to better things!

[Ranting Dragon · Rating 1 out of 5]

http://www.rantingdragon.com/angelfir...


Angelfire is the first book in the Angelfire Trilogy. The beautiful girl on the cover is seventeen-year-old Ellie, who has begun having nightmares about past lives where she fights reapers. Ellie notices a boy stalking her, but since he’s handsome, she is intrigued. The stalker, Will, turns out to be her immortal guardian, and she turns out to be the Preliator, Latin for “warrior.” Every time she dies, she eventually reincarnates into another human body, but Will has to wait until she’s seventeen to activate her memories and her power.

An uninspired love interest
If you guessed that despite Will’s immortality, he looks about twenty, then kudos. If you thought seventeen, sorry; that’s Twilight (which I liked much more than Manon). Will is the kind of immortal who never bothered over his years to learn the meaning of humor or levity, because (1) how else would a girl know that this guy is ancient and “wise” unless he’s also unfunny? and (2) this reaper threat is serious business. Serious, but not urgent, it seems, since he has to wait for his Ellie, who sometimes bides her time in the reincarnation process and must grow to the ripe age of seventeen before her powers are activated. Since there’s no competing love interest, all that’s keeping the lovebirds apart is Will’s sense of… honor? I’m not completely sure. After a half-twist reveal, though, I suppose I would also feel uncomfortable if they were to become an official couple.

More (unrequited) romance than adventure
Ellie’s girl friend proclaims that girls are hardwired to desire nothing more than a shining white knight, a sentiment that proves unfortunately sincere in Angelfire. However kickass Ellie may turn out as the series progresses, it will remain secondary to her love for Will and his oh-so-noble sacrifices to protect her. This is disappointing.

That is not to say there is no action; though I would distinguish said “action” from “adventure.” There are plenty of fight scenes in which reapers randomly attack and bellow threats while Ellie’s trying to date Will and convince him to do normal teenager stuff. These scenes seem contrived, failing to build any suspense because Ellie and Will are never in real danger. While they accrue battle wounds, those wounds heal quickly because the two have supernatural abilities. The fights serve more as an excuse for the pair to cry out each other’s name and declare their love for each other without actually declaring their love for each other.

An unimaginative story
As I was reading Angelfire, I could not help but fantasize how even smallest touches would have injected the story with more life. Since Ellie is in part a different person every time she reincarnates, why couldn’t she have, for once, not been attracted to Will? Think of all the additional moping Will could do. Or, since Will never knows exactly how long it takes for Ellie to reincarnate, Will could feel bitter towards Ellie. Maybe he could even decide to abandon her. Think of all the additional moping Ellie could do. I don’t mean these suggestions in earnest, just as a warning that this book can prompt meandering thoughts.

Why should you read this book?
The author absolutely nails the young adult experience; perhaps that is why legions of teenagers who have received advanced copies of this book vehemently disagree with me. However, I cannot imagine very many adults who would enjoy this book, and even to a teenage reader, I would recommend looking at the other young adult books that we have reviewed.

[Keertana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: 2.5 Stars

The problem with Angelfire is that it's the type of book that makes you stop in the middle of your reading and say, "Where have I read that before?" It's a mix of multiple ideas, philosophies, and imaginations all rolled into one. For a less prolific reader, I guess this book would come across and stunning and original; however, I found it to be a light and frankly kind of a dull read.

Ellie seems to be normal teenager despite her strange nightmares. It's nearly her seventeenth birthday, she's about to get a car, she's hosting a huge party, and her best friend is half in love with her. But, when Ellie's economics teacher is mysteriously murdered and a handsome young man named Will enters her life, everything she's known starts to seem like a lie. Ellie is actually the Preliator, a being with the body of a human yet gifted with unimaginable abilities used for killing demons. Although the Preliator can be killed, they are simply re-born, rotating through multiple lives armed with a Guardian - in Ellie's case, Will. Yet, there is something mysterious about Ellie's abilities. How can Ellie be expected to charge headfirst into her dangerous future, fighting an enemy that is growing stronger with every second, when she can't even unravel her own past?

To me, Angelfire seemed like a mix of Cassandra's Clare Mortal Instruments Series, Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and Stephanie Meyer's Twilight. There was demon hunting, angelic re-birth/unraveling of a past you couldn't remember, and there was your typical high school setting. Every few chapters or so, Ellie will either (a) meet a reaper who she has to fight (b) sit with Will in the library to do research or (c) be at a party/Movie Night/high school social event. Frankly speaking, it was kind of dull. I'm surprised I even made it through this book. It barely held my attention, the characters were flat, and the writing lacked interest. The only positive qualities that I enjoyed in this book were the fact that Ellie didn't throw herself at Will like most protagonists. Instead, their relationship seemed to be realistic and wasn't too annoying (except for some of their really cliched dialogue).

Essentially, Angelfire was an okay read. It had an interesting premises, but since it had been done so many times before in much better ways, it failed to hold my attention. The characters were not particularly unique or wonderful in any way and I was glad to put this book aside when I was done with it. It takes an excruciatingly long time for anything truly interesting to happen, so if I were you, I'd skip out on this one and opt for a more scintillating read.

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Street corner tbr
May read #4 per tina

After completing this I have several thoughts/questions…

1. What is up with the Dad? Is he going to be a ‘bad guy’ in the upcoming books?

2. Why can Ellie not remember everything?

3. Why is she becoming more and more human with each new life? Is she eventually going to be a mere-mortal?

4. Why is it so wrong for Ellie and Will to just be together?

5. Why does Michael just show up once every blue moon?

6. How could she not know deep down she was an archangel?

7. Is Nathaniel as good as he appears to be? Timing for the reapers to show up was VERY convenient at times…

8. What did Lauren see when she touched the Enshi sarcophagus and Ellie?

9. Is the Enshi going to break free? Will it take Ellie’s soul?

10. The book was a lot longer than I would have expected, there was a lot of information that I didn’t think needed to be included.

11. The Book dealt a lot more with love interests than with Ellie’s actual fighting…. Which in this case worked for me. The fight scenes were not so entertaining to me. I had to skim.

12. Will Ellie and Will ignore the advice/command of the archangel and eventually wind up together?


The beginning of this book and me did not get along so well. I was a little bored. It read too much like so many other YA fiction books, i.e., love triangle, school, wild best-friend wanting more time with MC, etc… but, once we got to that Halloween Party, I became much more interested. I’m not going to lie and say this is the Best Book Ever, because it’s not. It has flaws. But, the story was decent. I had some fun. I’m left thinking about it and wanting to read the next book.
If you’re interested in Angels, Reapers, Romance, YA Paranormal Fiction, I’d say at least try this one….

3.5 stars with higher hopes for the 2nd book……

[John Egbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

First I was like,



But then I was like,



That's what it was like for me all throughout Angelfire. I kept expecting something awesome and unpredictable to happen, but nothing did. Even when Luke found out Darth Vader was his biological father I wasn't surprised. Okay, Luke wasn't really in this book, and neither was Darth Vader, but still.

The point is that this book was just okay. It wasn't a joyride, but it wasn't a complete snoozefest either (although I did have lots and lots of trouble getting through the beginning). The prose was a little off, and the characters were all flat as cardboard cutouts. Except for Ellie. She was just...unlikable. No offense to her or anything, but I just couldn't really put myself in her position or even side with her.

Over all, Angelfire was just...



Just okay.

[shady boots · Rating 3 out of 5]

A review of this book is also available on my blog. Check it out. ^^

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I'd probably give this a solid 3 stars. Maybe 2.75, I don't know.

This was just another meh for me. I got bored a lot and had several issues with Ellie, but there were some things I liked as well. It was just kind of...not what I was expecting, I guess.

I expected Ellie to be more badass, but she's only that in the fighting scenes. Out of those, she's just like any other regular teen girl. And sometimes she can get incredibly annoying. Like, slap-worthy annoying.

Will... He was fine. I don't have anything to say about him.

I guess this is one of those books where I liked the storyline a lot but can't really say the same about the characters. Nor the romance. This book is kind of a let down, I guess, but oh well.

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like I was with the Hunger games, I was too nice to this book in the beginning. I can't really be bothered to finish this. The writing is way too noobish, the plot while a very good pace feels just like any other clichéd shojo super girl story. This, in all honesty, despite the chances and re-reads I gave it just isn't my cup of tea.

That's not to say the author doesn't have potential. And I'm glad she actually bothered to do research. Thank freaking George Carlin than there are still YA authors who bother to do research.