In a world where darkness and light collided, a beast and a beauty found themselves entwined in a forbidden love. Together, they form a bond that transcends the boundaries of light and darkness, a love that proved even the most unlikely of souls could become one. Not everyone was genuinely happy about their connection, but with every moment time stood still. As the darkness closed in around them, they stood strong, their love burning brighter than ever before. Halo’s goal was to protect a gangsta’s heart and keep him from any harm that came his way. But little did Warrior know, the journey had only began with the shield of her unyielding halo.
This beautiful cover had me so captivated that I knew I wanted to read this book before I even knew what it was about. Then after seeing the authors note and deciding to take the “Haloath” by enjoying this book without giving away any details in my review, I proceeded accordingly. For the sake of other readers that wish to enjoy this book I will keep my review brief and completely spoiler free (not that I have a habit of spoilers any other time).
The book had a really unique storyline and there was tons of potential. The story did however miss the mark for me and while I usually would go into details, I can’t do so without giving away aspects of the plot.
This was my first read by this author and based off the storyline alone I would give her catalog another try. This book however fell a bit short in a few areas. This could have easily been an amazing read with a few tweaks to certain parts. Read at your own risk.
umm…. spoilers ahead (don’t read if you don’t want them)
Let me start by saying… the author’s oath was cute and all, but I’m giving a full spoiler review. There’s too many points to speak on and I can’t if I play along with her oath.
This book is an urban romance story with paranormal elements. It starts with the MMC Warrior being shot and near death. He sees a woman tell him he’ll be okay and she disappears. Then he’s in the hospital and his family starts to trickle in little by little. From the start Warrior is an unlikable character. He has no redeeming qualities and his over the top cruel attitude was very off-putting. He sees the girl again in the club and goes to look for her in the crowd and she’s not there. He asks people around if they seen her and nobody has seen her. Right at this point, I connected that the girl must have been an Angel or something because of the wings on the cover and her disappearing.
Let me speed this review up a bit… the pov switches to Halo, the FMC of the story. She’s with her sister (who we later find out is her dad’s best friend’s daughter) Remi. Remi finds out the Halo was on the bad side of town and fell for Warrior. She starts following her around and stressing to her that she shouldn’t pursue Warrior , especially since she’s hiding a secret. As you should know, this became a Good girl/ bad boy relationship. They started seeing each other on the low and things take off from there.
I did notice that it was like Halo was enchanting Warrior with magic to make him fall in love with her. I didn’t like that part because it felt manipulative and that made me dislike Halo. She became unredeemable after that for me as well.
Warrior was dealing with a chick before Halo named India. India is the friend of Warrior’s sister so she’s always around. This is where I grew to really dislike Warrior. He dogged this girl out so badly and was very mean spirited. There was even a part in the book that Halo said she was checking India’s moves around him as if he wasn’t the problem and that rubbed me the wrong way. India was pregnant and the baby turned out to be his. He was still being insufferable to India. At some point in the story, the author confused me because I couldn’t tell if he was back to sleeping with India or what was happening. Seems like India’s character was cliff notes that were added at that point and not edited in to flow with the story.
Warrior always talked about how he hated is dad and it was milked throughout the story to make you feel something for him. Like I said… he was insufferable and even after the author tossed in his abuse and being locked in cages by his dad, I still rolled my eyes because I couldn’t connect with such an unlikable character.
I have a hard time connecting to trauma dumps when an author “tells” me instead of “ showing” me in a book. The whole “ let’s make it a mysterious trauma dump” plot doesn’t work for me.
There were parts that I did like; I loved that it wasn’t overly descriptive on characters appearance, cars, and fashion. Often times, author’s love to remind to how rich, beautiful, popular, fashion forward, and smart a character is and it drives me nuts.
After Remi seduced Warrior into letting her give him oral and Halo caught them, It switched Pov’s to Warrior’s bff Gio and the paranormal part came into play. I did think that Halo was a ghost, but I didn’t connect that nobody could see her but Warrior so I liked that twist. After that, it went further downhill. He found the guy that killed her AT 13!!!! She was supposedly grown while he was with her but I got the pedo ick after that.
He killed him.
He found her mom who told him he was able to connect with the dead and Halo was his guardian angel… blah blah blah.. the end was ick for me. Not only did she get killed at 13, he visited her grave with India and Halo came down from heaven and they had explicit on page sex for two pages in the sky…. WHY!? Then her dad steps off a cloud and tells her it’s time to go…. Like did he watch his child have sex one last time? Ewww… that ended their relationship because they couldn’t be together as an angel and human.
The epilogue was half a page of him walking up to his dad when he visited him at prison and saying that he forgave him. Yea…. No…. No….. took me 4 days to read this 158 page book because it dragged for no reason and it did have some good parts but…. Nahhh.
After all that, I would read another book by her because of she didn’t get overly descriptive. That’s the only reason. There were many typos and errors (I should know …look at mine🤫🤭).
This was a weird read for me and gave me the ick a couple of times but I did enjoy the “relationship” aspect. They were sweet to each other but it just isn’t written well. It needs an editor. A lot of grammatical errors and misspellings. It kind of threw the experience for me but the twist did catch me off guard so it got bonus points for that.
however, I don’t recommend going into this blind cause it can be very triggering for some. The author asked to not discuss the twist and wants anyone who reads it to be surprised and surprised I certainly was.
The plot was definitely something. Felt clunky throughout the book, and it wasn’t executed as well as it could’ve been. I think the writing style just isn’t for me. Could be an enjoyable read depending on you what you like
Halo by Barbie A is a mesmerizing journey into the depths of love, pain, and redemption. The novel centers around a man who grapples with the torment of his past—a life marred by abuse from his father. Despite his fierce exterior as a warrior and king, I think he probably feels dead inside, burdened by the weight of his memories and a constant ache. Warrior sort of vows to never love a BITCH but as love will have it some shit we just can’t control…
So he falls in love. This powerful premise sets the stage for a story that is as haunting as it is beautiful. I might not be able to sleep tonight thinking about the what-if anxious figure out or guess or read what’s next because it almost leaves off and a cliffhanger but it’s not a cliffhanger you know I don’t know it was good.
What truly elevates Halo is the introduction of a literal angel who comes into his life, bringing with her the promise of healing and unfinished business. Their connection transcends the boundaries of life and death, making the narrative both romantic and profound. Barbie A's storytelling is rich and imaginative, weaving together themes of love after loss in a way that feels both fresh and timeless.
The beauty of this book lies not just in its plot, but in the emotional depth it explores. The characters are well-crafted, and their journeys resonate deeply with me. The narrative flows seamlessly, drawing you in and leaving you yearning for more.
While it’s challenging to discuss the intricacies of the plot without spoiling the experience, I can confidently say that Halo is a remarkable tale that captivates the heart and soul. It’s a story that reminds us of the resilience of love, even in the face of unimaginable pain.
Halo is an extraordinary love story that deftly navigates the realms of grief and hope. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone seeking a poignant and inspiring read. Download it now, immerse yourself in its pages, and prepare to be moved. Happy reading!
1⭐ First book by this author. I'm left with so many questions. After he found out her age why did he continue? The biggest ick EVER! I'm not even sure what I read. Nothing about him was worth saving. Out of all the people that she chose to connect with, she picked a person in the street life. Talk about wasting time while you were stuck in-between. Like really! I wish it would have played more into the paranormal. Because without that it just ends up being creepy in a weird way. Especially the gravesite scene. Sir, 13 is 13 before and after death.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
While this wasn’t my favorite Barbie story, I did enjoy getting lost in the book.
I had an idea early on about what the story was about, and I felt awful for Warrior. 🥴imo, a year is too long for all those things to happen without anyone speaking up. 🤦🏾♀️And the story was moving fast but for the nature of the storyline so many things were not fleshed out.
I don't think I was ready couldn't stop read all in one setting. Love has so much meaning it hard to define. U took me there I would love to have a time with the writer to share more. But please read to others enjoy for it's FICTION
This is a definite top fave of the year for me! A must read! I couldn’t put it down! Had me on a roller coaster! I didn’t know how to feel or what to think! Sensational
This book dragged from the beginning to the 47% I stopped reading at. I had to stop reading to go to the reviews to see if I should keep reading. This was like a waste of my time. I skipped all the way to the end just to find out the woman he was so enthralled with wasn’t even blk. I’m glad I stopped reading and didn’t waste all my time because that was have surely irritated me. The whole story was frustrating and confusing to say the least. Another bad book 🤦🏿♀️🤦🏿♀️🤦🏿♀️.
This was not very good at all. A lot of hype but the book wasn't worth my time. The entire story was off putting. Halo and Warrior relationship was just weird even the ending was weird. It just didn't make any sense. I thought Halo was black but find out near the end she's white. First and last time reading the author
I went into Halo expecting a Beauty and the Beast-inspired street romance with a paranormal twist, and I was definitely intrigued by the concept. For most of the book, though, I kept feeling like something was missing. I liked the connection between Halo and Warrior, and I was curious about the strange circumstances surrounding their relationship, but I couldn’t quite figure out where everything was leading. Then that ending came together and I was like OH! So THAT’S what we’re doing?! 😂 I genuinely did not see the reveal coming, and suddenly so many things started making sense.
That ending is what took Halo from a 3-star read to 4 stars for me. I really enjoyed the way Barbie Amor incorporated the paranormal elements, especially with Warrior’s abilities and Halo’s role being much more complicated than it initially appeared. It gave the Beauty and the Beast concept a completely different spin and made me look back at certain parts of the story differently. I still wanted a little more development in some areas, but I can’t deny that the ending caught me off guard. I went from wondering what was missing to realizing that the story was holding onto the pieces I needed until the very end, and that worked for me.
And whew, that ending was emotional. I really loved Halo and Warrior together, so I definitely had feelings about how everything played out. I was rooting for them, and the final pieces coming together made their story hit a little harder than I expected. Halo had me questioning what was going on for most of the book, but by the end, I understood why certain things happened the way they did. I still think there were areas that could’ve been developed more, but that ending definitely earned the extra star from me.
It took me a few days before I finally decided to read this book.
Initially when it came out I immediately downloaded but then put it off. Reason I didn’t care to read at first was because I knew the religious meaning of “Halo”. Thus I started the book with a strong sense of what the plot was about. By the club scene my assumption was proven (not that I was unsure or uncertain). This was a nice quick read but because I had already figured out the plot twist earlier on in the story my level of excitement was barely peaked. At the end once the identity was revealed It did nothing for me.
I think a different title would have concealed the story line much better, and give the reader a more intriguing experience.
I will say this book could've been great. The cover is BREATHTAKING. This was also one of those books that was hyped up on titkok. I wanted to love it. But, it's too many gaps.... And If what happened, happened. Why or how was she there in the middle of that chaos? Idk.. Nothing made sense, it was all over the place.
The whole taking an "oath" thing caught my attention. Because, you think WOW okay it must be something special in this book. At the same time.... Not being able to share what you read about a book? Kind of defeats the purpose. Most times you read to leave a review on a book.
Read it because of people I trust on tiktok talked about it. However, I just wasn’t super in awe. It’s interesting don’t get me wrong, but I predicted the situation thing or whatever we can’t discuss (lol) from like 2 chapters in. I was waiting on the big twist. I guess I read too many of a specific genre for it. I wish I fell in love with it. 3 stars off sheer audacity, I love a step out the box.
And uhhh there was a mention of a specific R&B singers music in this and it made it say “out of anybody?” out loud. Wasn’t some big dramatic deal, but ugh I rolled my eyes at the name.
Umm…So, yeah. That was…interesting, I guess? I honestly didn’t really understand the point of this story. It was definitely all over the place for me. And then the “reveal” at the end? What was that?! Like, HUH?! And that last scene was just WEIRD! In addition to that, I listened to this on audio and I didn’t like the female narrator AT ALL. She was going too fast to where the audio was overlapping itself and her voice lacked any emotion; very monotone. I couldn’t recommend this one. It just wasn’t good to me. *shrugs*
I found this book through TikTok recommendations. Quite a few misspelling & grammar errors which threw me off but I managed. The writing style came off poetic but seemed to have romanticized street life and violence. Overall, it was a decent read. I WAS NOT expecting the twist which had my jaw on the floor and going back skimming through chapters once I finished to make sense of it and I enjoyed that about this book which is why I gave it 3 out of 5 stars.
This was def something different, I am not really sure if I liked it or not. It wasn't bad but i will say that I kind of saw the twist way before it happened. The backstory I did not expect, but it was nice to know what happened, still a bit unclear on why everything but, Yeah, I just don't know if I liked it or not honestly, I think it had its moments. The end was weird and was a bit comfy to read personally.
Never in my life have I read something like this!! And because of the Haloath I took when I started this book, I CANT EVEN TALK ABOUT ANY DETAILS! Read this book. It will blow your mind. I’m sitting here looking at the wall like a crazy person, because WHAT DID I JUST READ?! Lawd Hammercy, I need to sit on somebody’s couch and talk about this. 1 THOUSAND STARS!
The main characters are written very well. The backstory makes for a five-star must-read. I can tell you 9nce you're introduced to the characters and their plot, you want put this read down once the plot begins to come together. There's mystery and betrayal within each page. Use your discernment once you're caught in the storyline.
Man!!!!! This book was everything. A beautiful love story. I not going to spoil it, but I felt every emotion. The author needs to continue to write more stories like this. I have not read a book that made me feel emotions in a long time. Well written I urge you all to read this book.