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The tale of Sinauf was a secret nineteen-year-old Nina Douglas’ ancestors kept hidden for generations. But after six-hundred years of concealment, their protection has failed, bringing Nina’s fate into light, and revealing an inescapable truth.
The dark god of legend is real.
Caught in an ancient war still raging in the modern world, Nina is confronted with Sinauf—the embodiment of all she fears and desires. Like a moth drawn to a deadly flame, she must resist the seductive charm of an alluring monster, or prepare for the destruction of an entire universe.
Temptation is known by many names, and he is coming for her.

232 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2015

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Angela Hartley

15 books9 followers

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5 stars
15 (62%)
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4 (16%)
3 stars
3 (12%)
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1 (4%)
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
Profile Image for Terra.
Author 12 books27 followers
June 3, 2014
I read this before it had a cover and without knowing anything except the author had asked if anyone was willing to read it and review it as part of her blog tour for the launch. I had no idea how it was being marketed but I would have described it as a young adult urban fantasy. (I later found out it is New Adult Horror. Same thing, right?) My favorite aspect was how real the characters are portrayed. The main character, Nina, starts out as a teen but for the majority of the story is a young woman. She kisses boys without commitments, she experiences the heat of passion when she is attracted to someone (more than once), runs away when things get tough, fights with her parents, and is selfish and self-centered at times. She was a realistic breath of fresh air. And then, to my surprise, the evil antagonist chasing after our heroin is actually the devil. As a very non-religious person, I expected to be annoyed with this turn of events but it was so well written I instead found myself sucked in and unable to put it down. I love the way Angela took age-old themes and gave them new life. She expertly weaves Native American legends with all the religions of the ages resulting in a character I both understood and empathized with – even as he plotted to destroy mankind. The book has many elements of fantasy since worlds beyond our own are brought to life. And even though one of the main characters is Lucifer himself, the themes are nothing like you would expect. I highly recommend it - although I must disclose it does have violence and some sexuality for those of you who might have sensitivities. I would give it a PG-13 equivalent rating.

Disclaimer: I was given an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Lehua Parker.
Author 27 books51 followers
July 31, 2014
It’s gonna be a tough day when you discover Satan’s been searching your whole life for you so you can bear his child.

It gets even rougher when bad feels soooo good.

On the surface, Copper Descent, the New Adult debut novel by Angela Hartley, is a love story about teens Nina and Nate who meet while working at an upscale vacation resort in the wilds of Midway, Utah. But Nina faces much more than a simple love triangle when Sinclair Devereux, lead singer of Revelation, rushes in to sweep her off her feet. Copper Decent is really a story of fate, redemption, and the power of free agency as Nina learns her true identity and the role she’s destined to play in the multiverse evolution of mankind.

Nate is full of real world charm, but Sinclair offers the forbidden. Mix Native American folklore, mean girls, murder, suicide, a love triangle, and an old dude who just may be God and you’ve got a hint of what this book is all about. It’s a richly textured story about temptation and desire, the first in an epic series of seven novels by Angela Hartley that weave a new narrative about the genesis and ultimate destiny of mankind.
Profile Image for Alice.
4,307 reviews36 followers
August 19, 2014
3.50 Stars I was given a copy of the book by the author to read. I would consider her a friend and she has been a great help to our library.

I debated on how to handle this review. I want to be fair but in my usual style critical as well SO, here it is...we will see if it gets me unfriended on facebook!

Let's start with the good things.

It is well written. For an unknown author, without a national publisher this is a really well written book. The descriptions are good, and my senses were awaken to the descriptions. I recall a paragraph about Jenny and the scent of her lotion. It was really descriptive! At times almost too descriptive. I didn't spot any grammatical errors--well edited.

I liked the use of Story of Timpac and Unogos and the local (Wasatch County Utah) Native American legend of Timpanogos..a story I have heard for years.

I also like that it made me think. It made me do a little research on my own to understand some words and concepts. I don't think it "get" it all, or understand it all,

I like that I wanted to finish it....for not being my genre, I wanted to see where it was going, It didn't sit on a shelf forever. I wanted a resolution.

What I didn't like--

This is not my genre, at all, not even a little bit. Things in my head have to be explained with logic and reason. (My brother a month or so ago told me that is how our family is...we like realistic fiction) So Fantasy is really hard for me. It isn't fun! I am a historical Fiction or realistic Fiction Fan

When I was told this was new adult horror, I was worried, I didn't find this horror, I would classify it as Fantasy. When I think of Horror I think of Stephen King, with Clowns stuffing bodies under a porch. I don't like Stephen King's Books either...but this book didn't scare me at all.

I have a strong belief understanding, testimony (if you will) of Satan, Lucifer or in the story Sinauf/Sinclair...Having a devil incarnate in the story was interesting, and the talk about the Fall of Adam, and Archangel Raphael and some Biblical Stuff was interesting. I know who Satan is, what he does, I have experiences his darkness (through no fault of my own) I know he is real and he is a dirt bag.

However, this Sinauf/Sinclair/Lucifer falls so short of my understanding and knowledge of Lucifer's role and mission of evil, sinister, conniving, brilliant, intelligent, diabolical, counterfeiting of things God being. I don't buy him as Satan. Satan to me much much more than described than portrayed in this book. I could buy Sinauf as a Evil being, a creep, a Satan wannabe but he doesn't even come close to my perception of the depth and evil that is Satan.

I don't buy that Nina, and her Hopi Race were sired from Gods and fell to earth and that it passed down the female line. This whole Nephilim concept doesn't work for me.
I believe that I am a literal 'daughter of God' but I don't believe that some "God" mated with an earthling and poof there is the Hopi People. I do believe Native Americans have special insight, connection to the Earth and God but not the way this is described.

I also don't understand who Nina is. I don't understand why she experiences her parents death before they die, I don't understand why she experiences Jenny's Death, the Demonic influence of Sinauf? I don't know.

Having said the good and bad, someone who is into this genre is probably going to REALLY, R-E-A-L-L-Y love it and can't wait for other 2 books in the series. I give it a like it, not sure I would rush to read the other books but..overall I didn't hate it... and for me that is saying something..


Angela don't hate me! I would love to sit down with you and maybe get some insight and clarifications...
Thanks for the fun!
Profile Image for R.J. Craddock.
Author 9 books100 followers
July 4, 2014
“Copper Descent” is the tale of Nina Douglas, a Native American girl with a secret. She walks into the dream world, even though her mother forbids it. Nina and her family are the last of their tribe, their village destroyed by Sinuf, a dark god from before the beginning of time. Nina's mother is afraid that Sinuf will find Nina in the dream world and take control of her, turning her mysterious gifts into something dark and sinister. One night the dream world shows Nina a terrible vision of the future. Afraid her mother will be angry with her for walking into the dream behind her back, Nina keeps the vision to herself. Her decision ends up costing her dearly and turning her world upside down. Guilt forces her to make a difficult choice sacrificing a part of herself forever. At last she is safe from the dark wolf of her dreams… or so she thought.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's been a while since a book has really impressed me, especially a debut novel by a new author. This is the case with “Copper Descent.” Right away you’re drawn into the story, and your attention is held by the author’s creative attention to detail. She has a talent for blending the modern world and realistic settings with Native American folklore in a way that makes everything seem plausible. The pacing is great in this book. I never once found myself getting bored or wanting to skip ahead. As is the case with most books the best character is the Villain. In “Copper Descent”, Angela gives us Sinuf, an interesting twist on the classic image of Lucifer with roots in both christen mythology and Native American lore. The effect is an antagonist that is sexy, deadly, haunting and somehow likable in a bad-boy-kind-of-way.The kind of guy that lures women with tendencies towards fixer uppers. I found myself hoping that maybe Nina could turn this cold-hearted serpent around so that perhaps he could redeem himself in the end. At first I found that I didn't really like Nate, Nina's love interest. He came off very immature and just plain rude at first. Later on, when he came back into the story, he seemed to have grown up some and turned into my second favorite character. The story was never predictable and kept you guessing.

My only complaints are these: The action seemed a bit choppy in the last couple chapters. This wouldn't be a big deal as most modern books seem to be written this way, except that this book was not up until the end. It's not really noticeable except in two spots where it took me out of the story. Perhaps in the excitement of wrapping up the book these moments were rushed a bit to render the scenes a little confusing instead of having the natural flow the rest of the book had. Secondly, the ending wasn't what I was hoping for. There was a bit of a Wizard of Oz ending to it, "You had the power within you all along." Although it was well-written and made perfect sense with the book, the final fight seemed to easily won for my taste and a was little anti-climatic. My last issue with the book is that I never fell in love with the leading lady, Nina. She was well-written and had complexity to her, and had some good dialogue and great hero moments, but for some reason I never really became invested in her. I don't think this is at all the author’s fault, just for some reason she just didn't resonate with me.

Despite these minor flaws I still found “Copper Descent” to be a wildly creative, well-written, and exciting read! I give it five stars. I would recommend it to anyone with a love for Urban Fantasy, Horror and an interest in Religious Mythology and Native American Folklore.
Profile Image for Pat Thomas.
2 reviews
January 17, 2015
The exquisite magnetism of evil and its many faces; the flawed confusion and missteps of purity, and the blurry teeter-totter where the two fall in and out of balance: it is an age-old clash vividly portrayed in this highly creative and powerfully written novel by Angela Hartley.

Sinclair is everything a woman could want: riveting in his male beauty, captivating with eyes that overpower will, desire, intent and choice, electric in his touch, fascinating, charismatic and oh, so charming. But his hideous truth leaks out in flashes of filth and horror, so brief, so fleeting that they may not have even been.
Facing off with this inexorable force is a naïve young woman given to lousy choices and deeply programmed by her mother for failure. Nina is content in a warm and loving relationship where a couple can eat pizza and watch movies and just not really up for an encounter with the insatiable while the future of the world hangs in the balance.

The story is as old as humanity itself. Yet Hartley approaches it with a freshness and grace that turns the topic on its ear. Through dreams and nightmares, vastly separated worlds and varied epochs within eternity, a timeless fuzziness envelopes the story. This indistinctness artfully backlights the essential nature of the struggle.

Hartley’s writing is intense and absorbing. The pace is unrelenting and the reader has no time for recovery as the book crashes headlong toward the ultimate point of encounter. This fantasy novel is for the reader who, like the characters, harbors no peace until the future of the world is safe.

Profile Image for Lyndsay Johnson.
Author 6 books16 followers
August 15, 2014
Copper Descent is a thrilling new take on creation stories. Angela Hartley has a wonderful voice, and I found myself plunged heart-first into Nina's world. Nina, a Native American descended from the divine, resonated with me in many ways. Her struggles and difficult choices defined the delicate—yet strong—Nina as an authentic heroine. Her deep sense of self, duty, and morality, however, took Nina's character to the next level for me. She was well-written and is not easily forgotten. The story is set in Midway, UT, where I actually live. So I truly enjoyed experiencing a place I know and love through a new and magical lens. The author's multi-level world-building was an exciting surprise. I loved the Native American details, elements of mythology, and biblical roots of the story. Angela has taken a wealth of folklore and history, and distilled it down into something unique and enthralling. The fantasy and horror elements should be noted, as well. Sinclair was a chilling, yet enticing, antagonist. And the sweet and complex relationship between Nina and Nate (the hometown love interest with an unexpected backstory) left me with the hollow ache for more that only a good love story can impart when the last page has been turned. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys local folklore, biblical retellings, and mythology, all set against beautifully written scenes infused with love and honor. I cannot WAIT for the next installment!
Profile Image for Lehua Parker.
Author 27 books51 followers
September 22, 2015
It’s gonna be a tough day when you discover Satan’s been searching your whole life for you so you can bear his child.

It gets even rougher when bad feels soooo good.

On the surface, Copper Reign, the New Adult novel by Angela Hartley, is a love story about teens Nina and Nate who meet while working at an upscale vacation resort in the wilds of Midway, Utah. But Nina faces much more than a simple love triangle when Sinclair Devereux, lead singer of Revelation, rushes in to sweep her off her feet. Copper Reign is really a story of fate, redemption, and the power of free agency as Nina learns her true identity and the role she’s destined to play in the multiverse evolution of mankind.

Nate is full of real world charm, but Sinclair offers the forbidden. Mix Native American folklore, mean girls, murder, suicide, a love triangle, and an old dude who just may be God and you’ve got a hint of what this book is all about. It’s a richly textured story about temptation and desire, the first in an epic series of seven novels by Angela Hartley that weave a new narrative about the genesis and ultimate destiny of mankind.
Author 1 book
June 10, 2014
Angela is able to take a story about Angels and Devils and weave in Native American Folklore while still keeping you interested in the plot and wondering what will happen next. Nina is a young girl, then a young woman and finds herself in a world she isn't quite ready for. She wants a life that is normal and secure, but instead finds herself literally in bed with the devil. I found myself thinking of Nina and her struggles even when I was far from the pages. Her feelings and thoughts on life are so real and could easily be felt by any woman her same age. Angela crafts a world that is easy to imagine and see as you are reading the pages. The feel of the devil's fingers is brushing the surface of every page. If you like horror, or want to try new adult this book is for you.
Profile Image for Elise.
1,770 reviews
October 20, 2014
I received this book from good reads in exchange fo a review.

There are things to like about this book: it's well written with an interesting premise. However, it suffers from the "twilight" ( full disclosure--a series is detest and, yes I read them all) beautiful girl with low self esteem who thinks no one would ever love her trope even though everyone else thinks she's perfect. That turned me off early in this book. I was hoping for a story that really delved into Native American mythology but instead ended up with a mishmash of Indian and judo christian fantastical allegory.

Not really my type of book. Coupled with a rather shallow story, I am disappointed.
Profile Image for Julie Carroll.
Author 9 books2 followers
July 8, 2015
Thrilling and sensual--Copper Descent is definitely a book that mesmerizes! I was drawn in immediately, and the plot held me captive as I walked with Nina and the choices that she was forced to make.

This story is a wonderful allegory that parallels the world that we live in-- with the choices and temptations that we all face. Will Nina choose the difficult but right decision, or give in to pleasure and passion for a taste of the forbidden???

Hartley paints a believable story of a local legend and weaves it with a different take on the theology that can be found in the book of Genesis.

--Julie Carroll
Profile Image for Julie Carroll.
Author 9 books2 followers
September 30, 2015
Thrilling and sensual--Copper Reign is definitely a book that mesmerizes! I was drawn in immediately, and the plot held me captive as I walked with Nina and the choices that she was forced to make.

This story is a wonderful allegory that parallels the world that we all live in--with the temptations and choices that we face. Will Nina choose the difficult but right decision, or give in to pleasure and passion for a taste of the forbidden???

Hartley paints a believable story of a local legend, and weaves it with a different take on the theology that can be found in the book of Genesis.
Profile Image for Wendi Julian.
1 review1 follower
September 6, 2014
This book takes you in, and you can't put it down until you finish it. Page after page is filled with such imagination mixed with folklore and mythology. This book really keeps you interested and wanting to know more. Nina is an amazing character and easy to love. You find yourself on the edge of your seat hoping for the best for her and wanting to tell her what choices to make, she does not let you down. Angela is truly an amazing author that knows how to weave an amazing story with great characters that you will love and love to hate.
Profile Image for Autumn.
59 reviews
June 29, 2014
I really liked this book. I've had the pleasure of hanging out with Angela (a high school friend of my husband) and not only is she a lovely, lovely person but a fantastic author as well. I really loved the Utah elements. Nina is a strong character who is likable and easy to relate to. The story line was intriguing and mysterious. I'm excited to see where this goes.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
105 reviews
November 30, 2015
I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway. When I first started reading I thought the book was headed in one direction but it quickly changed course. Will make you stop and think. Was a good read.
Profile Image for Julie Carroll.
Author 9 books2 followers
September 30, 2015
Thrilling and sensual--Copper Reign is definitely a book that mesmerizes! I was drawn in immediately, and the plot held me captive as I walked with Nina and the choices that she was forced to make.

This story is a wonderful allegory that parallels the world that we all live in--with the temptations and choices that we face. Will Nina choose the difficult but right decision, or give in to pleasure and passion for a taste of the forbidden???

Hartley paints a believable story of a local legend and weaves it with a different take on the theology that can be found in the book of Genesis.

--Julie Carroll
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