Adorned

Trinity of Souls #1

by Georgeann Swiger

When seventeen-year-old Anya finds out she’s going to become an angel, the rules about right and wrong change. Micah, the angelic soldier ordered to protect Anya, is determined to keep her pure for the transition from human to angel. Unwittingly, Micah becomes Anya’s greatest threat when she begins falling for her protector, a love that’s forbidden in heaven.

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

300 pages, Paperback

First published September 24, 2013

About the author

Georgeann Swiger earned her degree in journalism from West Virginia University, and then spent five years as an anchor/reporter at WBOY-TV in Clarksburg, WV. After having children, she left television news to be a stay at home mom. During that time, she discovered creative writing was more fun than writing about real life tragedy. Imagining interesting character and having them come to life on the page is now her passion. When she’s not writing, she works as a substitute teacher. She lives in Reedsville, West Virginia with her husband, two kids, and a temperamental cat who tries to rule the house.

Reviews

[Amanda Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I was really put off by the writing style. It was written in first person/present tense, and the first chapter felt very much like a narrative. I did not like it at all… but before I even knew it I was sucked right into the story, and the tense in which it was written was no longer a thought in my head. Maybe it was simply something I was not used to seeing and I needed to take a minute to adjust to it. Whatever it was that I found off putting about the style was quickly washed away as I became engrossed in the lives of Anya, Sam, Celeste and Micah.
I implore you, if you are thinking of reading this story DO. You may need to adjust to her writing style as I did and I can promise by mid Chapter 2 you won't even notice it anymore. It is in no way bad so please don't think it is, it is just different from what a lot of us may be used to( and I think that may be a very good thing).

There were a few things here and there that I had issue with but, overall I think this was a very enjoyable read. I will be reading the sequel as soon as I can get my hands on it, and I think Georgeann Swiger is an author worth keeping an eye on. I have a feeling this will not be the last we see of her.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of Adorned from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my God.....what an ending!!!!! I was so speechless so I had to take a few weeks to process this amazing story. Ms. Swiger has created this originally beautiful story....I don't even know where to begin. :0

I love just about anything dealing with Angels, but this just blew my mind. I was in the mood for something different and Ms. Swiger did not disappoint!!! All of the characters in this book are sooooo beautiful. They are puzzle pieces that go together and create the most wonderful story imaginable. Anya is a girl most of us can relate to very quickly but she is more than special....she is an Angel sent to live among humans. She, of course, does not know this but the journey of discovery is so beautifully told, you won't want to put it down!!

I was immediately drawn to her Aunt Celeste. She knows Anya secret and is her guardian angel and then we meet Micah, who is sent to protect Anya. He is a very interesting character. I struggled to like him for most of the book but kept reminding myself that he does not understand human emotion so it was easy to forgive his rudeness. :) From the beginning of the story, I did like Sam.....I didn't know why, but I had hoped he was a good guy. I was totally surprised to learn his secret though...so thank you Ms. Swiger for that!!! ;) But......OH MY GOD!!!....what happens later had me bawling like a baby!!!!!
Loved, loved, loved Eli but not sure how I feel about Simon. Simon gave me the Uncle Creepy vibe, but I still felt he would be important in this story.

I don't want to say too much except that YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK!!!! I so cannot wait for the second book but will have to re-read this book before Cloven....oh my gosh.....Please hurry June!!!!!



Thank you Ms. Swiger for this special treat!! ;)

[Ericka Katwal · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I received this free ebook in exchange for an honest review)

I enjoyed reading Adorned. I read it in one sitting. The idea was very original on the idea that the angels start out as humans and once they die they become full angels.


Anya is seventeen and she finds out that she is an angel being trained to protect humanity. She won't fully become an angel until she dies. At first I didn't really care her because at the beginning she whined and was a bit childish. Her character really had to grow on me. Throughout reading the story I could see that she grew up some.

Micah is the angelic soldier that is ordered to protect Anya and believe me, he goes through great lengths to protect her. He goes from telling her what to eat and who to hang out with. Basically if Micah could not be wherever Anya was then Anya didn't go. I felt he could have let up just a little but I understood why he did what he did once I was done reading.


Eli is my book best friend!! I loved his energy and his spunk. *snaps fingers in a z shape*. He was probably my overall favorite character in the book. I know I would never have a bored moment ever hanging around Eli. He was the glue that kept the group together.


Simon and Celeste are the "adults" in the group. Celeste watch and protect Anya while she was growing up. She was her mother figure. Simon was like the parent for the angels


Now the ending. CLIFFHANGER, CLIFFHANGER, CLIFFHANGER!?!?!

When I got to the end I was just smiling away and was in my "awe, that is so sweet moment" and then I got slapped in the face! I need to second book. I needed the second book like yesterday!!


Rating 4Stars

Would I recommend? Yes

[Toni Michelle-Editor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anya lives with her Aunt Celeste, just the two of them. She attends high school and volunteers at the local hospital. Her happy little world is turned up-side-down when Celeste informs her that they will have a house guest for a while. Anya of course dreads the foster child situation because of a previous one that tried to burn their house down. When Micah moves in, Anya wants to hate him, but she just can’t.
What Anya didn’t know was that Micah was there as her guardian angel. He would be with her until her becoming in order to protect her and make sure that evil does not get to her, as she has been chosen to become a guardian angel as well. Micah is very demanding and controlling and Anya is very free-spirited and independent. The arrangement is tough on them both, but still a love begins to blossom, which is not allowed in the Kingdom.
Will Micah fail as Anya’s guardian? No one gets out of this world alive, not even an angel sent to earth to live as a human, such as Anya.

Adorned was great. I would recommend this book to all angel and demon book lovers. I could not put the book down. This is the first book I have read by this author, but I know that I will be keeping my eyes out for any more she has written or will write in the future. This was one of those ‘fall in love with the author and characters’ books. I haven’t read anything similar to this story, which makes it all the better.

[Emma Star Crossed Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Star Crossed Reviews I received this book for free from the Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.This book was excellent.

Anya is a sweet girl who is struggling through high school and hating every single minute of it. She's a bit of a late bloomer and it doesn't exactly make her very popular.  Then bam she finds out she's an angel. I loved how much trouble she caused for Micah.

Micah is stubborn and annoying as hell but totally loveable. He's a solider and is used to orders being barked at and by him and them being followed. He doesn't quite know how to handle Anya which is very entertaining.

I loved Eli. He is my favourite character. He's highly eccentric and always dispersing awkward situations. He made me laugh out loud with his outfits. I hope we see more of him in the future books.

I honestly don't know h0w I feel about Simon. I'm on the fence as to if he is good or bad, I guess I will have to read the next book to find out more on him. Aunt Celeste was great and I liked Sam too.

I loved how unique this story was, with the angels starting off as humans. It made it even more enjoyable. I honestly cannot wait for the next instalment of the series.

[S. Usher Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was something of an interesting read for me. The biggest complaint that I had was that for all of the major changes happening to poor Anya, we really didn't get to spend much time in the fall out. Anya seemed to just accept her new reality without question, and it felt a little too much like she was more focused on being obstinate with Micah than questioning the fact that everything she ever knew was turned on its head. I also couldn't come to terms with Angels from Heaven going to high school. I understand that it's young adult - and this is why young adults novels are always iffy for me - but I found myself scrolling past a lot of that discussion. Sam, too, seemed to just accept that there were real Angels and Demons in the world, and I just felt that whole acceptance piece was missing.

But that being said, I am getting ready to pick up Book 2 and read it this evening. I think the story really picked up toward the end, and the final twist left an opening that seems like it will make for an excellent next chapter.

[Amy Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorned is a well-written YA story about a 17-year old girl, Anya, who finds out she is an angel in human form. This is a girl who has been bullied and teased throughout her high school years. The story is compelling, even if you don't believe in Angels. Anya is a remarkable feisty young woman (angel) who falls in love with her protector (another Angel) Micah. The story is sweet and intense, as well as inspirational in a worldly way. I can see how Anya would fall for Micah, but he has a very stoic personality and comes off as gruff, but my guess is that he's supposed to be that way. Not all humans show their emotions outwardly, and I assume Angels are the same way. I loved the characters and how they related to each other. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good YA story and inspiration. Can't wait for the next one.

[Tricha Leary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a different twist on angels that keeps you interested throughout the book. The relationship between Micah and Anya keeps your attention and you wonder if the will end up together in the future.

[Jessica Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here’s an interesting addition to the angel genre. The writing is good; there was nothing that stood out as awkward or amateurish to me. The plot moves right along, although the reader has more questions than answers for a good deal of the book.



It wasn’t a bad confused. I really wanted to know what was going on. So…I guess that makes it good confusion. Things were not revealed quickly. Swiger keeps the reader in suspense for a good while, giving little bread crumbs to keep them following her.

The “love story” in this book is not what you might think. I kept expecting it be like BAM insta-love, but the relationship develops slowly. It does have a little bit of the Twilight syndrome however. Micah is VERY overprotective and bossy. Although he has a legitimate reason for it. He’s literally protecting her from the spawn of hell. So I let it slide. By the end, they are quite adorable. I’m very interested to see how their relationship moves forward in the next book.

Sadly, there is a weird love triangle in this book. It certainly adds conflict and tension, but I kept feeling like it was sort of forced. That was probably my least favorite part of the book. Now sure, Micah was working against his feelings, so it wasn’t even REALLY a triangle (although everyone knew it was) but I still didn’t really like that part of the story.

This was Eli, another angel, for the entire book:



I couldn’t quite decide if he was super gay, really childlike, or just super fabulous. I’m going to go with fabulous, because he was adorable and fun and happy and a nice foil for Micah and his surliness. I am extremely intrigued to learn more about him and what is going on with the hierarchy of angels. We got a little insight into all that, but I think there’s a lot more backstory between Micah, Eli, and Simon.

With an intriguing plot and a cast of colorful and interesting characters, Adorned has plenty going for it to keep you engaged. I appreciated that there wasn’t insta-love between Micah and Anya. It was a nice change from the usual paranormal romance.

And now here’s an excerpt!

~____________~

Micah sits in the chair at the head of the table. He lowers his head and mouths something under his breath before snatching the fork from the table.
“What happened to you?” I ask. “Did you change your mind about running away?”
“I didn’t run away.”
When he lifts meatloaf to his mouth, I pull his plate toward me. “I’m tired of waiting for you to tell me what’s going on.”
He swallows. “I’m from the Triad.”
“Is that a foster home?”
“What’s a foster home?” He tastes his mashed potatoes.. “Aren’t you going to eat anything?”
“I’m not hungry. Just tell me what’s going on.”
After he chugs his iced tea, he gets up and squats in front of me, balancing on his toes. No emotion crosses his face. The odd vibration in the room sends a tremor over my skin. Something’s off. When Micah finally speaks, his voice is flat and emotionless. “I am an angel of the Lord, and your new guardian, here to escort you into the Kingdom of Heaven.”
I stare at him until the truth dawns on me. Micah’s crazy. How did I not see it to begin with? No sane person would be running around naked in a thunderstorm. That old Simon guy was probably with some mental asylum. He should have put Micah in a straightjacket when he had the chance. Now I’m locked in the dining room with a big strong psycho.
“Aren’t you going to say anything?” The scar in his Micah’s eyebrow deepens when he tilts his head to the side to study me. “When you enter the Kingdom you’ll become an angel.” He seems at ease, like a serial killer waiting to strike. “I intend to make your human death the most wonderful experience of your life.”
“My…human death?” Even though my voice cracks, I manage to force myself to smile. I glance at the locked doors and slowly scoot my chair away from the table.
He touches my knee. “I’m happy to tell you, you won’t be stuck here much longer.”
When I think enough distance is between us, I use all my strength to shove him down and run for the door.
When I look over my shoulder, Micah gets to his feet, glaring at me.
“Stay away from me!” My trembling hand can’t get the key to cooperate. I keep trying to get the key in the lock, but it slips out of my sweaty fingers and drops to the floor. I pound on the door. “Aunt Celeste!” I scream.
When I look back, Micah sits at the table, flicking his finger on the butter knife, making it spin it like an airplane propeller. His lips form a tight line. He slams his hand on the table, causing the butter knife to fall to the floor. “Sit. Down. Anya.”
“Aunt Celeste, help me!”


I step onto the back porch, trying to make out what’s going on in the dark. When another flash of lightning reveals three figures clinging together, approaching from the pasture, I yell, “Is that Micah with you?”
Celeste hollers back. “Yes, but he’s not well! Get some towels and a dry blanket!”
I run up the kitchen stairwell and grab three towels from the bathroom and the comforter from my bedroom. I make it back downstairs in time to see Simon and Celeste helping Micah into the house. He leans on their shoulders, shuffling his feet as he staggers through the foyer.
“Dang, you look mangled.” Eli laughs, making it sound like a big joke When Aunt Celeste and Simon lower Micah to the couch in the parlor, he moans as he sinks into the cushions and falls to his side. His bare leg and muddy foot jut out of the wet blanket.
When Simon touches Micah’s forehead, the short uneven breaths Micah sucks through his teeth become even more pronounced.
“You’re burning up,” Simon says. “How could you be so stupid?”
“Give me the towels, darling, and put the blanket down,” Aunt Celeste says. “Shut the door as you leave.”
“I want to know what’s going on. What happened to Micah?” I try to push past her to get to him, but she catches my arm, stopping me.
“Micah will be fine. But he doesn’t have any clothes on,” she says. “You can come in when we get him settled.”
Eli puts his arm around my shoulder and turns me toward the foyer. “Oh, come on beautiful. I’ll wait with you.”
Eli closes the pocket doors and flitters around the foyer like a nosy little dog.
“What happened to Micah?” I ask.
“Oh, don’t worry about him. He’ll be fine.”
“He didn’t look fine.”
Eli’s golden eyes twinkle. “Trust me.”
“Who are you?”
He ignores me and noses around the foyer, putting his fingers all over the glass sculptures.
“Is that Simon guy with social services or the police or something?”
He bends over and blows his hot breath on the crystal ball sitting on a pedestal near the front door. “Something,” he says. When he reaches out to touch the glass orb, a high-pitched scream coming from the parlor makes me freeze in front of the closed doors.
Eli slides past me and puts his back to the doors. “I think they’re done.” He pushes the doors open an inch and peeks inside, allowing a hint of a smoky odor to escape the room. When he opens the doors all the way, I can see Micah slumped on the couch with my comforter around him.
“Is he okay?” I say.
Micah glances at me, then shuts his eyes.
I look at Aunt Celeste. “I want to know what’s going on.”
She fumbles with her pearl necklace and looks away, seeming to fight the urge to run to me.
Eli flutters to her side. “Celeste, you’ve done a fine job. But Micah can take it from here.”
Micah’s eyes pop open. His face turns as white as the daisies on my comforter.

~_____________~

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About the author:
Georgeann Swiger earned her degree in journalism from West Virginia University, and then spent five years as an anchor/reporter at WBOY-TV in Clarksburg, WV. After having children, she left television news to be a stay at home mom. During that time, she discovered creative writing was more fun than writing about real life tragedy. Imagining interesting characters and having them come to life on the page is now her passion. When she’s not writing, she works as a substitute teacher. She lives in Reedsville, West Virginia with her husband, two kids, a beagle dog and a temperamental cat who tries to rule the house.

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See this review and others like it in a more awesome format at Ramblings On Readings

[Dylan Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorned by Georgann Swiger is an upper YA paranormal novel. Though romance is not its defining element, it plays a more prominent role as the story progresses.

I will begin by saying this was one of the toughest “honest reviews” I’ve ever had to write. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, but there were some ‘technical difficulties’ that as a writer, I couldn’t totally overlook BUT...

Therefore I will put it this way—for a debut novel, it was pretty darn great. Swiger definitely has a natural talent for storytelling—the plot was unique, the themes explored were true to teenage problems, and the characters (most of them) were likable and easy to be sympathetic towards. There were enough positives here to say I completely enjoyed it and am looking forward to the rest of the series.

And with the technicalities out of the way, on with the show.

Adorned begins with a look into 17-year old Anya’s world. Anya seems like a typical teenage girl dealing with typical teenage problems—bullies (some even teachers), family, and boys. Never quite feeling like she fit in, Anya struggles to deal with her every-day life when her guardian Aunt Celeste, known for taking in kids off the streets, brings home Micah—a mysterious boy who is quiet and appears dangerous. Soon after meeting Micah, he reveals the reason behind her atypical human existence—she is anything but human.

After this revelation, Anya discovers nothing is it as seems: She is an angel living as a human, and her Aunt Celeste is a guardian angel watching over her while she learns about the humans she is destined to protect. While Anya is a realistic teenager, her immaturity became unnerving at times. She threw an occasional temper tantrum, which is something I would more expect from a tween rather than an almost 18-year old girl with “angelic” roots. Regardless, Anya was a sympathetic character, especially near the end.

While Micah often appears unfeeling at times, it’s usually because he is only trying to do his job—get Anya to her ‘becoming’ (her human death, becoming an angel). Unfortunately, his lack of experience with and understanding of human emotion alludes him. This becomes clear early in the story when an unplanned “miracle” he performs (a miracle I didn’t’ recognize until later in the novel) before meeting Anya, (obviously he is more feeling than he likes to let on) reveals her angelic identity to the evil spirits, making Anya more vulnerable to evil influences and Micah even more protective.

I will stress I REALLY felt like this story belonged to Micah as much as Anya. Let me tell you why. Micah’s role as Anya’s guardian is not one he usually performs and as an upper-level warrior Angel in the Kingdom, watching over Anya becomes cumbersome as he tries to deal with her human emotions that he has little experience with or patience for. The problem I had was I couldn’t seem to read him any better than Anya. I really didn’t feel romantic vibes coming from him until the very end; it really just felt like he was doing his job.

When Anya later drops an unexpected kiss on Micah, he doesn’t appear to be affected in a romantic way, but more of a ‘what was that’ feeling. This is when it’s revealed that angels are not allowed to be romantically involved, introducing one of the major conflicts of the story. While I missed not seeing Micah’s perspective as his feelings developed for Anya, I suspect this MAY have been a creative choice on Swiger’s part? Near the end Micah and Anya are walking and he reveals his feelings for her though asking her before doing so:

“Must you hear everything spoken aloud?”

*BTW-THIS part, when he reveals his feelings for her…this part truly showed Swiger’s lovely storytelling ability. It was beautifully written and so visual, I felt I was there with them…Bravo!

In addition to Anya and Micah, Swiger includes various personalities, who I grew to love—often finding myself laughing out loud or crying right along with them. Supporting characters included Anya’s classmate (and ironically, a bully who torments her early on in the story) Sam Malick, who begins his role as the thorn in Anya’s side but through his own transformation, manages to find himself in a unique predicament that ultimately helps him and Anya grow.

Then there are the other guardian angels, Aunt Celeste who is her mother for all intents and purposes, Simon (whom I grew to dislike intensely) and Eli, who I fell in love with. I felt Swiger made an excellent choice choosing Eli, the fun-loving angel to be the “boss” in the story. This helped maintain a much-needed balance to outweigh the heavy personalities of the other angels.

While I think Swiger meant for this to be Anya’s story, I felt it belonged to Micah. Although it was written from Anya’s perspective, I really didn’t see much character development in Anya, and I suspect that her REAL growth is meant for upcoming stories in the series? Micah on the other hand, shows a lot of potential, but I really missed out on his point of view. If only I could have heard what was going on in that head of his…

I really did enjoy Adorned, despite the few snags throughout the story. I felt some of the scenes and sequels seemed jumpy and unorganized in the beginning. While the first person/present tense point of view came across a bit sticky and unnatural at first, it eventually blended away after the exposition. There were also a few ideas that were not developed enough to keep me understanding what was going on (Micah saves Anya from Hell?). I often felt as clueless as Anya, and wondering why SHE never asked the big questions I was asking.

THEN there was the ending—(weak stomachs beware!) something felt unfinished. I would have liked to have seen more of a resolution for the story, but Swiger chooses to leave us with a cliffhanger…a BIG one. It certainly left me with that feeling, “I need to know what happens next.”

Here is my plea to Ms. Swiger…Please, PLEASE let me hear from Micah!!

SO let me stress this point. I enjoyed Adorned. While there were some improvements that could’ve been made in organizing background info, I feel that as her debut, Swiger showed she has a creative imagination and a gift for storytelling. Some scenes were so beautifully written; I felt I was there. I expect the remaining books of this series to only improve as Swiger truly finds her voice and grows into her own as a writer.

[Silver Petticoat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forbidden love, angels, deception and danger, this YA paranormal romance book will have you hooked from page one. Adorned, the first in the Trinity of Souls series is an enjoyable read with a unique mythology and a fun twist on the guardian angel story. It’s the type of book you read in one sitting because you can’t wait to see what happens next.

Adorned begins with Anya at school facing bullying and humiliation led by Sam Malick, the most popular boy in school. Instantly a connection between the main character and the audience is drawn because she’s easy to empathize with and relate to. At home where she lives with her Aunt Celeste they take in Micah, a teenage boy from foster care. He’s distant, cool and hard to get to know. Not to mention, Anya doesn’t know if he’s dangerous or not. Soon, she discovers that Micah is in fact her guardian angel of sorts and that she herself is also an angel in human form. When Micah performs a miracle he wasn’t supposed to, her angel status is revealed to those who would hurt her and danger ensues.

As the story continues, Anya develops feelings for Micah even though love between angels is forbidden. She also befriends Sam, the bully from school, who actually was just trying to get her attention because he likes her. And then there are the two angels with higher status: Eli, the fun loving one and Simon, the harsh, mysterious one. Will Micah and Anya be able to find a way to be together? And will the danger all around overtake them?
From the start, I knew I was going to enjoy Adorned because it reminded me of the YA paranormal romance books I read as a teenager; different, but in that same wheelhouse. Think Kissed by an Angel or L.J. Smith, but more modern.

What Georgeann Swiger does particularly well is create a believable mythology for the story to take place in. There are not just angels; there is a hierarchy of angels with varying rules. It’s clear the author did her research from various religions and legends in relation to angels to create her own original interpretation of them. The mythology is rich and deep, not shallow and obvious. A guardian angel with a guardian angel; not to mention, not every angel is all halos and sunshine. The tone in Adorned is also well played. There’s always this feeling of deception in the story and you never quite know who you can trust which works as a tool to keep you reading to find out.

The characters are presented in a way that makes them quite likeable. Anya, for instance, is a relatable female character who is refreshingly not over the top pretty, popular or even extroverted. As of late, it’s been a go to writing technique for many to only write about feisty females who are not only outgoing but in your face about it, as if to write an introverted character could be construed as some sort of weakness. Anya is unpopular, awkward and experiences a lot of bullying. But she’s also compassionate as she spends much of her time volunteering at the hospital. Anya is an average teenage girl with teenage problems, which more than anything will help connect her to readers on the first page. What’s also great about the characterization behind Anya is that she is also very flawed. At times she can be judgmental, selfish and even whiny. For the most part these flaws work, however, there was a couple times in the book where I felt Anya’s moods could be toned down a little. I don’t know if it was necessary for Anya to kick her feet in a tantrum on her bed for instance in one scene. But overall, Anya is believable and I enjoyed jumping into her world for a little while.

Besides Anya, Micah is also memorable as a character. Introducing him as a foster kid makes him automatically sympathetic and even mysterious. Even when we learn he’s an angel, his aura of mystique never quite fades. Micah is a character ironically with demons and scars. Having typically been a rule follower, Anya throws him for a loop because around her he finds himself constantly breaking them. Plus, having never been in love or even allowed to be, his feelings for her are strange and alien. It will be interesting to see what happens with Anya and Micah as the series continues because their romance is well developed.

The supporting players were also introduced in a believable way from Eli who likes to sing Prince songs to Simon who may have secrets but likes to cook. Aunt Celeste as Anya’s guardian and mother figure is kind and filled with compassion for everyone. She’s pure goodness which is refreshing. My favorite character in the book is Sam, if only because he’s the one who goes through the most growth. He begins as a bully and then transforms as his journey continues into someone else entirely. I loved reading about him. In some ways, he reminds me of Logan Echolls from Veronica Mars, and that comparison is never a bad thing.

Despite the many strengths of the story, however, there were a few problems. At times the story could be a little jumpy and could stand to flow from one scene to the next with a little more ease. Also, there were dropped words here and there as well as a few grammatical errors. With another run through of editing, these mistakes which were accidentally overlooked can be resolved making the book that much stronger.

Overall, Adorned, the first in the Trinity of Souls series is an entertaining read and I will be back for the sequel to find out what happens next. There are a few hiccups here and there, but as a whole, the book is engaging and just plain fun. No doubt Georgeann Swiger is a talented writer with a unique imagination and a strength for spinning tales who will only continue to improve as she continues to write engaging stories.

Adaptation Recommendation:

Adorned would be fantastic as a TV series. You’ve got the high school setting, a love triangle of sorts, a relatable female protagonist, entertaining supporting characters and a unique enough premise to capture the attention of a cult audience who enjoy romantic genre series. This show would fit like a glove with the CW.

Original Review was posted on our site The Silver Petticoat Review.
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[SARIT · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://sarityahalomi.blogspot.com/201...

You might need to adapt to Swiger writing style as but I can promise you by mid Chapter 2 you hardly even notice it. It is just different from what a lot of us may be used to.

I must warn the you that the story deals with some difficult and uneasy issues like violence, assaulting and death (it has some gory parts). However, the way Swiger chose to deal with those issues is might be questionable, and because Swiger succeed to attach the you to the characters this parts wouldn't be easy. So be prepared!.

From the beginning Adorned was written from the perspective of 17-year old Anya. In general - Anya is an Angel who sent to grow among humans. She, of course, does not know this but she will have to go through a journey of self discovery and this journey isn't easy.

Anya is a typical teenage dealing with typical teenage problems—bullies (some even teachers), family, and boys. Never quite feeling like she fit in. Anya is a very realistic teenager, her immaturity became unnerving at times. She threw an occasional temper tantrum, which is something I would more expect from a tween rather than an almost 18-year old girl with “angelic” roots. I also was frustrated from her feebleness and wanted her to have more back bone.

Anya struggles to cop with her own every-day life when her Aunt Celeste, known for taking in kids off the streets, brings home Micah—a mysterious boy who is quiet and appears dangerous.

Micah, reveals to her the reason behind her being such a different —she is anything but human.At the same time she also discover that her Aunt, Celeste, is a guardian angel. Celeste watching over her while she learns about the humans she is living among and destined to protect as a guardian angle.

Micah, is the angelic soldier, usually one of those who patrol the border between Hell and the kingdom. he was ordered to protect Anya (which wasn't an easy mission). Micah’s role as Anya’s guardian is not the one he usually performs and it isn't prepare him to deal with her human emotions that he has little experience with or patience for. While Micah often appears unfeeling at times, it’s usually because he is only trying to do his job—get Anya pure and without losing her light to her ‘becoming’. He try protected her from the evil spirits who might reveal her angelic identity (her light) and try to absorb it.

Micah's relationship with almost everyone around him keeps things interesting. At the end when he reveals his feelings for her…this part truly showed Swiger’s lovely storytelling ability. It was beautifully written and so visual,

Anya feeling toward Micah is growing and she later drops an unexpected kiss on Micah, he tried to appear not to be affected in a romantic way. This kind of relationship not exit between the angels. more then this it's forbidden. The fact that angels are not allowed to be romantically involved, create one of the major conflicts in the story. His "non exist feelings" stress out as teen like jealousy. especially toward Sam.

But after my complains about her bratty character i must point that unlike many YA romances, her romantic interest in Micah doesn't make her "weak at the knees". She maintains her individualism and attitude.

Sam Malick, begins his role as the thorn in Anya’s side but go through his own transformation, manages to find himself in a unique predicament that ultimately helps him and Anya grow. He was probably one of the most interesting characters, you never quite know what to expect from him or what side he's on.

Eli is also an angle and my book best character !! I loved his energy and his spunk, but I didn't understand his part in the all story . I did understand that angles have a very strict hierarchy but beside that he is above a guardian angle (the lowest in this hierarchy) i also didn't understand where his place in this hierarchy. But... I must admit that his presence in the plot helped to maintain a much-needed balance to outweigh the heavy personalities of the others.

Simon my feeling to him is controversial - I honestly don’t know how I feel about Simon. I guess I will have to read the next book to find out more on him. he and Celeste are the adult in the story but in contras to the motherly, emphatic, warm persona of Celeste, Simon is the big boss. He is very high on the angelic hierarchy and he is the one who plot the all thing of replacing Celeste in Micha as a guardian. The problem is that i can't discus his persona without creating spoilers so you wll need to read the book to learn more about his complicated character and his surprising motives and doing. the only thing that i can mention about him it his love for cooking, which made him more human like,

Swiger didn't present her angles as a perfect beings that do no wrong. In fact, I'm fairly certain not a single character in this book was without flaw.

I like to see more of the story, as Swiger chooses to leave us with a cliffhanger…a BIG one. It left me with that feeling, “I need to know what going to happens next.” Swiger showed she has a creative imagination and a gift for storytelling. Some scenes were beautifully written. I expect the remaining books of this series to only improve as Swiger grows into her own as a writer.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Adorned. The storyline sucked me in and I thought it was unique. I liked the idea of Angels starting as humans to learn about human nature and then dying to fully become Angels.

At times Anya seemed a little too childish and immature for a 17/18 year old and I didn’t love her character as much as I wanted to. I did find this book to be quite a slow read and it only picked up pace in the last quarter or so but then it really had me hooked.

There was a mish-mash of characters in this book; some I loved, some I didn’t. I liked Micah though his occasional acting like a jerk annoyed me. Overall I loved him though; I liked seeing his struggle between his angelic nature and what he has been taught and then what he feels for Anya. Sam I was unsure of, even when he started being nice I still had issues with him but he was starting to win me over by the end.

Celeste and Simon, well I just struggled with understanding these two. Some of the things they did made very little sense and I also didn’t think they seemed particularly angelic. Now Eli, I LOVED Eli. He was absolutely perfect and by far the most well-developed of them all despite being a secondary character.

With all these characters I wanted more. More character development, more feelings and a greater understanding of their motives so I can love them the way I want to. I even want to know more about Eli because honestly, I’m not really sure exactly who he is, what he does, or why he is there. Parts of this story definitely could have done with more explanation.

To me this book felt very much like an introduction; we got to meet the characters, their world and their situation but the main action didn’t really start to happen until close to the end. The ending left me totally shocked as I wasn’t expecting the events that occurred near the end nor the actual ending itself. The ending as me very hopeful for an exciting, thrilling, action packed sequel.

I do have one small issue with one of the things that happened towards the end. BIG SPOILER!Ok so Simon, Celeste (and Micah though he isn’t there at this point) have put a lot of effort into protecting Anya and Sam at all costs going as far as to never let them out of their sight. Because of this I struggled to comprehend Simon and Celeste leaving them alone in house next door to people who are demonically possessed (or something along those lines) for something as trivial as getting spice for a pie. Really?! Because of this Sam then winds up being killed and I just couldn’t wrap my head around it as it seemed so unrealistic and out of character.

Adorned is yet another case of a book making me love it despite its flaws. This book could have been better but it was a great start to the series and I am looking forwards to reading book 2. I have a feeling that the sequel will be a lot more like I was hoping this book to be.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, this has not affected my opinions or rating in any way*

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggled getting into the first couple of chapters. There was something in the writing style that threw me off, but it was intriguing, and I promised a review, so I kept reading. The next thing I knew I was over a third of the way through the book and in desperate need of sleep. That was last night. I finished the book over dinner this evening. Sometimes sticking with a book you aren't sure about beyond the first two chapter is a very wise move.

Now, on with the usual criteria.

Characters: ADORNED is full of interesting characters. The best part is, at any given point I wasn't entirely sure what to think of some of them. Were they good? Were they bad? Were they just crazy?
The only thing I knew for sure was that this very unique cast of characters made me keep reading.

Relationships: There are several critical relationships in this book. While Anya and Micah account for some of the drama, they don't do it alone. Micah's relationship with almost everyone around him keeps things interesting. You also have the established family relationship with Anya and Celeste with all the complications thrown in by the new arrivals and unexpected circumstances. It's something of a tangled web of relationships, but that's part of what helps keep the story grounded and relatable.

Too Perfect or Perfectly Flawed: I loved Georgeann's take on the angels. She didn't try to make them into some perfect beings that could do no wrong. In fact, I'm fairly certain not a single character in this book was without flaw. This also meant they ended up in a fair number of less than perfect circumstances.

World Building: This book is set in our world, which lends a sense of comfort and familiarity to the story. Then Georgeann flips our world on its head with the revelation of the angels and everything that comes with them. The normal humans in the book are as clueless about all this as you were when you started reading. Simply put, it works.

The Book as Part of a Series: ADORNED is an excellent entry point into the world that Georgeann created. It stands on its own two feet as a first book, but left me anxious to get my hands on the second one. I didn't feel cheated with the ending of the story, but oh there is so much more for the author to tell.

Jen's Final Rating: 4 STARS! ADORNED offers a new take on angels that was very interesting. I'll definitely be watching for the second book to see how Anya and Micah's story unfolds.

(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorned by Georgeann Swiger is an incredibly engaging book. Personally, I think it was too short. I felt like from the moment I picked it up, time flew by and it was over in a flash. It was really entertaining and a very fun read. I really liked the characters used, especially Eli (who I think any reader will enjoy.) The story was very complex and occasionally left you stumped, but all was answered through the course of the book.

While you might be thinking that any story about angels can’t be relatable at all, trust me on this one: it is. A teenage girl is protected by (someone who looks and acts like a) teenage boy, who has to protect her from the torment and bullying of another teenage boy. Though the main story is about angels, it’s also about high school life and the struggles everyone goes through.

I’ve become quite an avid horror novel reader, but the last thing I was expecting in a young adult novel about angels with a high level of gore. It’s definitely there. I was shocked at how gory the story was, but mostly I was shocked because Swiger makes the readers become attached to all of the characters before stuff hits the fan. I didn’t mind it as I’m growing accustomed to it, but I can imagine that teenage Me would have been sick to her stomach reading about it all. I don’t know that it had a place in young adult fiction, but it is there and there is no escaping it.

There is one scene which really bothered me. Anya has learned a method to take away her pain from Micah, who was simply trying to help protect her from her constant headaches. But the “spell” used leaves her in an almost drugged-out state where she is completely incoherent and definitely not herself. While she was acting drunk, another character assaults her. I’m getting tired of reading about girls being taken advantage of in stories, and feel like male characters are being allowed to do so. What exactly is forgiving your assailant or keeping your mouth shut going to teach our girls? I wish authors would consider this before they choose what actions will be taken against the assailants, because all they are doing is teaching young people (females and males as well) to be victims.

I really enjoyed this story, and after reading the summary of book two of the series, I’m really excited about it as well. I would have given the book five stars for an amazing story, but felt a bit offended by how certain events unfolded. I would recommend this to any fantasy or paranormal fan, but teens especially should be cautious if they are sensitive to gore.

[Mary Bernsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

**I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review**

My star rating: 5/5


Color me totally impressed with this one, folks. This was one of those stories that grip you from page one and keep you on the line until you're finished. The storyline flows in a way that is believable to the point where you almost forget it's fantasy...I've never read a book in this genre more realistic than this one. Anya is age-appropriate, a little bratty at first but not so much that it turns you off. She's a teen—she thinks like a teen, and acts like a teen. Very cool. And what I like best about her is that unlike many YA romances, her romantic interest in Micah doesn't make her so weak at the knees that she flourishes in his every move. She maintains her individualism and attitude. While we're on the subject of Micah: I can completely understand why Anya would fall for him. It's a curse us gals have—we fall for the guy who takes care of us the best. But for me as the reader, I couldn't really get into him. He was too cold and stoic, without redeeming himself enough at the end to make me swoon.

[S. Usher Evans]

Missing emotional center but drew me in the end

This book was something of an interesting read for me. The biggest complaint that I had was that for all of the major changes happening to poor Anya, we really didn't get to spend much time in the fall out. Anya seemed to just accept her new reality without question, and it felt a little too much like she was more focused on being obstinate with Micah than questioning the fact that everything she ever knew was turned on its head. I also couldn't come to terms with Angels from Heaven going to high school. I understand that it's young adult - and this is why young adults novels are always iffy for me - but I found myself scrolling past a lot of that discussion. Sam, too, seemed to just accept that there were real Angels and Demons in the world, and I just felt that whole acceptance piece was missing.

But that being said, I am getting ready to pick up Book 2 and read it this evening. I think the story really picked up toward the end, and the final twist left an opening that seems like it will make for an excellent next chapter.

[Reader By The Mountains · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anya, normal high school girl that occasionally gets the migraines that make her a bit crazier and crazier. Oh, did I mention that she has not hit puberty and is constantly bullied by the people in her school due to the rumor mill?

Micah, sent from the Kingdom and assigned as Anya's guardian. He doesn't know how to interpret human emotions but all he wants is to be accepted by Anya. Kind of hard when he is a bit overbearing. Same class schedule (kind of) and volunteers at the same spot as her? Well... sh** is going to hit the fan if she's had enough.

I liked the story enough to rate it a good 4 out of 5 stars. Anya and Micah's story is just starting out and I fell in love with their romance. Although not bloomed yet, there is the underlying factor of caring for each other.

The ending is what killed me... I hate the fact that it happened but I see the good of it when I started the second.

[Georgeann Swiger · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I wrote Adorned, I knew I wanted to write a love story that would unfold slowly in a believable way. I hope Micah and Anya will surprise readers with the attraction they find for one another. Anya's first love is anything but smooth and charming. An angelic soldier who's used to walking the line between Heaven and Hell is no sweet talker. Micah is bound by duty to protect Anya. He has his own way of doing things. When he falls in love with her, it is his greatest sin.

I hope readers will enjoy Adorned and fall in love with these characters as much as I have.

[Aubree Deimler]

While I appreciated the premise of the story, I couldn't get into this one. I think it was lacking an inner thought connection with the main character Anya. Also, it felt very YA to me. Down to the dialogue. It picked up at the end, but other then that there was little else going on to keep my interest.

[Christine Cress · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not just for the young teens

The unknown, the innocence, the nieve. It kept me reading constantly. I had to purchase Cloven and Trivium, books 2 and 3 in the collection just to see what was next. Georgeann did a wonderful job of ending the books in a way that keeps you thinking.

[Booksniffer Tours · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 Sniffs - There is NO WAY you will ever get our nose out of this book!

Check out my review at Booksniffer Book Reviews! http://booksnifferbookreviews.blogspo...

[Kaylin Adkins · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a book for me, I can't even make it pass chapter nine. :( I'm so confused of what going on, I lost interests.

[Patricia Hopper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful young adult novel that I would recommend as a great read