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The Last Innocent
Twenty-two-year-old Sarah Croshen’s life changes when the police kill an intruder in her house and she meets the handsome detective David Galpren. From there, the truth quickly unravels. She is a veiled Innocent and the world is not at it seems. Winged angels? Demons from Hell? Supreme mortals with supernatural abilities? Preposterous! But when a demon prince kidnaps her best friend, Sarah must fulfill a destiny she never asked for, or risk her friend’s life.
303 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 7, 2014
9 people want to read
About the author
K. Chrisbacher
1 book4 followersBy day, K. Chrisbacher is a health care administrator going on 33+ years, but in her spare time she's a writer with aspirations of becoming an accomplished author. She loves to cook gourmet foods using herbs from her own garden, and a winemaker enthusiast of both red and white wines. She's an avid reader and a huge dog lover who enjoys the outdoors and spending time with her family and friends.
After her kids were grown, at the age of 44, K. Chrisbacher picked up the pen and started writing, and for the first time in her life she knew what she wanted to be. Writing has opened her world and as she says, "God didn't give me this imagination not to do something with it." As of March of 2013, she has written three published articles and two novels in the New Adult genre. K. Chrisbacher has plans to release her latest urban/fantasy THE LAST INNOCENT in 2014.
After her kids were grown, at the age of 44, K. Chrisbacher picked up the pen and started writing, and for the first time in her life she knew what she wanted to be. Writing has opened her world and as she says, "God didn't give me this imagination not to do something with it." As of March of 2013, she has written three published articles and two novels in the New Adult genre. K. Chrisbacher has plans to release her latest urban/fantasy THE LAST INNOCENT in 2014.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 2, 2014
Would like a better picture of Kelly at the end of the book, I can't make out her face.
September 9, 2014
The Last Innocent
I have to confess that this isn't my usual fare. I would describe this book as a christian fantasy blended with paranormal romance. It tells the tale of Sarah, a veiled supreme - a.k.a an innocent (the descendent of a forbidden human - angel coupling), and her guardian angel, David. She is unaware of her special status, but rapidly gains knowledge as the book progresses, adding abilities that help her face the situations into which she is thrust. I'm not going to go further than that with the plot, other than to say that it is well paced, engaging, but not entirely full of surprises. Nor shall I delve into the mythology that backs up the book, but it seems quite detailed and consistent. A good piece of work went into the backstory of the world itself.
There were, however, missed opportunities. David is a warrior angel whose personal story goes back to the dawn of time. He has, we must assume, seen and done things of eye popping importance. He could heve seen Noah's ark, the slaughter of the innocents, the crucifixion itself, any number of things, but he is almost completely defined in the book by his relationship with Sarah, and this makes him seem quite shallow and not especially bright. Even if we are in the Ussherite universe where the earth was made in 4004BC David is pretty old, but seems to lack gravitas, and self control. He comes across as a typical romantic lead. There's nothing wrong with this, but it seems a waste.
The closest we get to moral ambiguity is a little pride and arrogance on the part of the Grand Archon, Graeme, but he soon realises how special our heroine is and promptly falls for her. Needless to say, Sarah is stunningly beautiful as well as being probably the most important human (part human) on earth. This black and white world would be my main objection. The good folks are almost annoyingly good. The bad are lacking any quality that might redeem them, even though they seem cleverer than the good guys. Balthazar, the arch baddie, has all the charm of a greased rattlesnake.
The quality of the writing is good. It doesn't sparkle, but there are no bumps in the road. Good thriller writing is generally invisible, supporting the story but not upstaging it. The author achieves this, and so the book is easy to read. I think that it will be enjoyed by many, especially christians.
One niggle was the suggestion that David speaks with a Scottish 'brogue'. To the best of my knowledge (and I looked it up) the word brogue is used almost exclusively to denote English spoken with a heavy Irish accent. It originally described Irish spoken with a heavy English accent, but in a feat of linguistic gymnastics it flipped. It also means a shoe, also with Irish connections. The author's attempts to render this accent don't help, as they could quite easily be Irish, or even cockney.
I have to confess that this isn't my usual fare. I would describe this book as a christian fantasy blended with paranormal romance. It tells the tale of Sarah, a veiled supreme - a.k.a an innocent (the descendent of a forbidden human - angel coupling), and her guardian angel, David. She is unaware of her special status, but rapidly gains knowledge as the book progresses, adding abilities that help her face the situations into which she is thrust. I'm not going to go further than that with the plot, other than to say that it is well paced, engaging, but not entirely full of surprises. Nor shall I delve into the mythology that backs up the book, but it seems quite detailed and consistent. A good piece of work went into the backstory of the world itself.
There were, however, missed opportunities. David is a warrior angel whose personal story goes back to the dawn of time. He has, we must assume, seen and done things of eye popping importance. He could heve seen Noah's ark, the slaughter of the innocents, the crucifixion itself, any number of things, but he is almost completely defined in the book by his relationship with Sarah, and this makes him seem quite shallow and not especially bright. Even if we are in the Ussherite universe where the earth was made in 4004BC David is pretty old, but seems to lack gravitas, and self control. He comes across as a typical romantic lead. There's nothing wrong with this, but it seems a waste.
The closest we get to moral ambiguity is a little pride and arrogance on the part of the Grand Archon, Graeme, but he soon realises how special our heroine is and promptly falls for her. Needless to say, Sarah is stunningly beautiful as well as being probably the most important human (part human) on earth. This black and white world would be my main objection. The good folks are almost annoyingly good. The bad are lacking any quality that might redeem them, even though they seem cleverer than the good guys. Balthazar, the arch baddie, has all the charm of a greased rattlesnake.
The quality of the writing is good. It doesn't sparkle, but there are no bumps in the road. Good thriller writing is generally invisible, supporting the story but not upstaging it. The author achieves this, and so the book is easy to read. I think that it will be enjoyed by many, especially christians.
One niggle was the suggestion that David speaks with a Scottish 'brogue'. To the best of my knowledge (and I looked it up) the word brogue is used almost exclusively to denote English spoken with a heavy Irish accent. It originally described Irish spoken with a heavy English accent, but in a feat of linguistic gymnastics it flipped. It also means a shoe, also with Irish connections. The author's attempts to render this accent don't help, as they could quite easily be Irish, or even cockney.
July 1, 2014
In The Last Innocent, Sarah Croshen discovers that she hasn't been imagining the strange phenomena that happen around her. She is a veiled Supreme, with supernatural abilities, and for years demons have been coming after her while her immortal guardians fend them off. Now that she knows the truth, things get even more complicated. And dangerous.
The Last Innocent is exciting, and its take on angel and demon lore is interesting, especially the demi-demons and their daily influence on man. Very creepy.
The characters are well-drawn. The good guys are brave and self-sacrificing without being too perfect. The villain is terrifyingly charming. Other characters lie in fascinating shades of gray. Sarah, our heroine, is strong and a little sassy, and her wit acts as a perfect balance for the weight of the problems she faces.
The Last Innocent teems with inner struggles, searches for identity, and forbidden love. K. Chrisbacher's skillful writing lets us experience all this tension and uncertainty right along with the characters, and the edge-of-your-seat final conflict left me wanting more.
If you like angels, demons, and cosmic struggles, you'll love this book.
The Last Innocent is exciting, and its take on angel and demon lore is interesting, especially the demi-demons and their daily influence on man. Very creepy.
The characters are well-drawn. The good guys are brave and self-sacrificing without being too perfect. The villain is terrifyingly charming. Other characters lie in fascinating shades of gray. Sarah, our heroine, is strong and a little sassy, and her wit acts as a perfect balance for the weight of the problems she faces.
The Last Innocent teems with inner struggles, searches for identity, and forbidden love. K. Chrisbacher's skillful writing lets us experience all this tension and uncertainty right along with the characters, and the edge-of-your-seat final conflict left me wanting more.
If you like angels, demons, and cosmic struggles, you'll love this book.
July 4, 2014
Although I'm more of a fan of creative non-fiction, I'm also a fan of learning, whether it's through the author's style or content.
As K. Chrisbacher's story unfolded, it wrapped me up into a novel laced with mystery, action, fantasy, and a creative interpretation from the Book of Revelations. It even contained the dreaded romance I try to avoid reading. But Chrisbacher tells the story of Sarah Croshen quite well.
I study books one page at a time and never try and guess what's coming next. The Last Innocent is written in such a descriptive style it absorbed me into the story. I take this journey along with Sarah as she discovers she isn't the typical college student she believes herself to be, and indeed has a higher calling.
We see the characters with their heroic traits and especially their flaws. This work definitely spares us from the “perfect” characters that make most novels unbelievable. I would have liked to see the author employ more "active voice," but the writing impressed me for a first novel.
Rick Velasquez, Bachelor of Arts, English and American Studies Writing Program
As K. Chrisbacher's story unfolded, it wrapped me up into a novel laced with mystery, action, fantasy, and a creative interpretation from the Book of Revelations. It even contained the dreaded romance I try to avoid reading. But Chrisbacher tells the story of Sarah Croshen quite well.
I study books one page at a time and never try and guess what's coming next. The Last Innocent is written in such a descriptive style it absorbed me into the story. I take this journey along with Sarah as she discovers she isn't the typical college student she believes herself to be, and indeed has a higher calling.
We see the characters with their heroic traits and especially their flaws. This work definitely spares us from the “perfect” characters that make most novels unbelievable. I would have liked to see the author employ more "active voice," but the writing impressed me for a first novel.
Rick Velasquez, Bachelor of Arts, English and American Studies Writing Program
August 12, 2014
The Last Innocent is a well-written angelic fantasy adventure. Sarah, the heroine, is a likeable character. I liked the way her strong willed nature acted sometimes as a weakness, sometimes as a strength. David is her guardian angel who must protect her from demonic forces, but his powers have their limitations. They inhabit a detailed, well-considered world which Chrisbacker gradually reveals one piece at a time, predominantly through the eyes of the main character (though her angel is also a key pov). A lot of biblical, mythical and historical references are deftly weaved into the story without weighing down the story.
The writing is crisp. The book is well plotted. There are plenty of surprises along the way. Though the ending leaves a few unanswered questions for a sequel, the main focus of the book is resolved satisfactorily.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
The writing is crisp. The book is well plotted. There are plenty of surprises along the way. Though the ending leaves a few unanswered questions for a sequel, the main focus of the book is resolved satisfactorily.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
March 2, 2015
With its highly detailed, well-considered narrative, this book will take you on an exciting ride through its twists and turns. The author has interweave's references to mythology and the bible so well that they add substance without distracting from the narrative.
My favourite character, Sarah is a very likeable character, the author introduces her and the other characters slowly, building as the story progresses. Sarah has a strong temperament that is described with immense detail. As for David, all I can say is I wish I had a David.
Enjoy and watch out for the surprises.
My favourite character, Sarah is a very likeable character, the author introduces her and the other characters slowly, building as the story progresses. Sarah has a strong temperament that is described with immense detail. As for David, all I can say is I wish I had a David.
Enjoy and watch out for the surprises.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews