Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Louisiangel #1

Angel in Training

Rate this book
After a night out turns fatal, a misunderstanding with the Archangel Michael presents Angel with a chance at Eternal Life: the opportunity to earn her wings and one day become an archangel herself.

Angel is given the task of protecting her charge, trainee detective, Joshua Walsh. There's no denying the attraction between Angel and Joshua, only Michael has pretty strict rules: no drinking, no drugs, and certainly no relationships with humans. Thankfully, she's got other things to deal with, like trying to convince Joshua New Orleans has a serial killer who is preying on other angel potentials like herself.

Angel must quickly learn that when keeping someone safe, doing the right thing is not always the easiest, especially when you've got an archangel looking over your shoulder.

312 pages, Paperback

First published February 17, 2015

36 people are currently reading
2852 people want to read

About the author

C.L. Coffey

15 books147 followers
Cheryl works in an office by day. By night she leads a (not-so) secret life DJing, and throughout it all, is constantly scribbling away as the plot bunnies demand constant attention.

Her first novel was written when she should have been revising for her exams. While it is unlikely to ever see the light of day, it was the start of long relationship with the evil plot bunnies of doom.

A need to do more than just one subject led her to the University of Hull, where she graduated with an honours degree in American Studies. For the third year of the four year degree, she was able to call Baton Rouge home. Since then, Louisiana has claimed a large chunk of her heart, and remains a place she will always consider home.

LSU was where she discovered FanFiction and currently writes (mainly) CSI:NY stories and a Rescue: Special Ops story.

When not transcribing the stories of the angels and archangels, working, or DJing, she is at the beck and call of three cats – all of whom rank higher in the household than she does.

---

I'm more than happy to send out ARCs - please visit www.clcoffey.com for more information.

---

Finally, please don't contact me via Goodreads - I rarely check it! If you would like to get in touch, you can email me on cheryl.l.coffey@gmail.com

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
75 (43%)
4 stars
56 (32%)
3 stars
27 (15%)
2 stars
9 (5%)
1 star
4 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
Profile Image for Marta Cox.
2,861 reviews210 followers
April 27, 2016
I love urban fantasy so I'm always on the hunt for something a bit different and I spotted this. I picked this up and read it in a day as I was so curious as to how it would end. Now I realise there's a whole lot more to come but what a ride it is.
So there is Angel on a girls night out and what do you know someone mortally stabs her! She doesn't see her attacker but she does see and hear the beautiful man who comes to her rescue. Offered the choice of eternal happiness or eternal life Angel chooses life but waking up dead is not what she expected!
Angel is an angel in training and in order to earn her wings she has to help save Joshua but how on earth can she do that? Then there's the whole issue of being pure , no drugs , no smoking, no sex and no alcohol. Ok I won't lie and Angel has no trouble with the first two but the last two on that list are kind of problematic because there's so much eye candy everywhere ! From the gorgeous archangel Michael to the almost too perfect messenger angels and dont get me started on Angels feelings for her hot charge Joshua ! So the question is just how can Angel help Joshua?
I liked Angel particularly as she gives as good as she gets and her interactions with strict and somewhat stiff Michael had me laughing. She's written as quite normal really , not exactly perfect but not a bad girl either. She clearly loves life and embraces challenges but I did wonder why it took her so long to start questioning her own demise. No spoilers here but it's perhaps not as straightforward as it first appears but clearly part of a much wider story arc .
So I've already briefly mentioned Michael but there are one or two other characters that stand out. Cupid ( yes that one) is fun and so far a good friend to Angel and then of course there's the Cherubim Veronica, with her emo ways and a huge chip on her shoulder. Last but not least I have to mention Joshua, he's young, he has a sad history but I can't help wondering just why he is exactly where he is. There's a brief mention of how he came to be doing the job he is and I'm imagining all sorts of evil doings but to say more would ruin the fun. I feel a little like those two children following a trail of breadcrumbs!
This book is ideal for those seeking a story that doesn't rely on endless sex scenes to titilate the reader. Perfect for fans of young adult stories and whilst it's about angels I didn't feel bogged down by too much religious detail which I know puts some readers off. Book two is already available so I'm off to pick that up and see just what Angel gets up to next!
I was gifted a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
2 reviews
February 8, 2015
I will start this review by confessing that was already a fan of C. L. Coffey, before she released Angel in Training – I have been a fan of hers since she was writing FanFiction. That being said, there are works of hers I didn’t care for, so I can be objective. I also emailed her and begged her for a copy of the book in return for an honest review: well here it is...

I have spent the day reading this. I wasn’t able to put it down, and I forgot about everything (apart from eating, which I will explain later) as I couldn’t put this book down. I honestly don’t know how I’m going to last until Fall 2015 for the next instalment!

Plot:

The story is told from Angel’s POV. She’s a twenty year old college student (who I could actually relate to) who is murdered while celebrating Mardis Gras.

And I’ve just realised, on a side note, that the release date is Mardis Gras!

Sorry, the plot. Before she dies, the Archangel Michael makes her an offer – she can either go to heaven or she can earn her wings and become an angel – which is the option she chooses. She is given a charge to look after, Joshua, who happens to be a trainee detective, and together they start investigating a serial killer – the same one who killed Angel. The serial killer isn't killing people at random though – there is a method to the madness, although I won’t share because of spoilers.

Characters:

I’ve already said, I can relate to Angel, and here’s why. She drinks, she parties, she has no real idea about angels (I’m completely not religious), and although she’s trying, she still doesn’t get it right. When I first read the description, I rolled my eyes at her name, I will admit it, but when I started reading, I forgot. It actually made her more likeable as she rolls her eyes and pokes fun at her name herself.

Joshua is swoon-worthy. (In my head, I have him cast as Colin O'Donoghue – we’ll ignore the fact he’s too old). He’s the trainee detective who is adamant that angels don’t exist – he lost his sister during Katrina and he’s been bitter towards the heavens ever since. He’s good looking, and he knows it, constantly flirting with Angel – who isn’t allowed a relationship with a human – but the chemistry between them is spot on. Oh lord, that dream was hot. He’s certainly someone I would consider falling (in the angelic sense) for.



Michael is exactly what I would expect for an angel – a guy in charge with a stick up his ass. I do however, enjoy his outlook on religion and faith. He’s spent so long being in charge, looking after others, and essentially, being on his own (like an angel should be), that he seems to have forgotten how to act around humans – or a recently changed human.

My other favourite character is Cupid. Cupid is another archangel, and Michael’s second in command. I love the fact he kicks ass at archery and that he has a crush on Stephen Amell. He’s the kind of person I would love to meet in real life, because I know we’d be good friends. If anything, I would say he didn’t have enough page time!

The cover:

Oh. My. God.



I love a cover that relates to the story. Seriously, love it. I know exactly what scene that cover is from, and the girl is exactly how I would picture Angel to be. Also, I’ve not seen anything like it. Extra bonus points there. The artist did a phenomenal job!

Others:

The food. I was hooked when reading this, but the only time I ever wanted to put it down was when food was mentioned, because my goodness, it made me hungry. Shrimp Po'boys, dirty rice, beignets... I could practically taste the deliciousness. Don't eat this book when hungry.



The locations: I've never been to New Orleans, (although it's now on my to do list), but I could picture everything clearly - from the convent to Bourbon Street, to St Louis Cathedral - and yet there wasn't an abundance of flowery descriptions.

I also think there's a nice message to this story, BUT to be clear, this story is not preachy in any way!!: you don't have to be perfect, you just have to do your best. And (if there is a god), god loves everyone indiscriminately.

So, my complaints:

Well, firstly, that I have to wait until OCTOBER for the next book. Secondly, that I had to wait so long for this to come out!

Who will like it: I think if you've read any of the Chicagoland Vampires series by Chloe Neill and liked them, you will love this. Fans of young adult paranormal romance, and urban fantasy will love this. Anyone after a fresh take on angels - this is for you.
Profile Image for Amber.
303 reviews32 followers
February 7, 2017
I was not expecting an ending like that, so unexpected. I loved that plenty of unexpected things happened in this book.

If you are looking for a book with action, and a kick but girl that is working to earn her place as an Angel then give this book a go.

It was easy to find out just how much Angel changed, and grew in this book. She started off really stubborn, but started to realize that maybe she just needed to try to understand the way things work in the world of Angels. The plane and simple truth is that although Angels come with special powers, and advantages that doesn't mean it is all cake and roses. It also comes with extreme responsibility that only the strong willed can deal with. Luckily Angel discovers that she is much stronger than she ever believed herself to be. She just needed to believe in herself.

This book wasn't just about a girl earning her wings, but also learning that there was so much more that she didn't know, and that her journey is going to be a lot bigger than expected. That being said I am looking forward to book 2.
Profile Image for Kami.
Author 2 books71 followers
May 13, 2016
Angel is given the choice by the archangel Michael for everlasting happiness or ever lasting life. She chooses life. The archangels are recruiting angel potentials to fight in the war against the Fallen. This is an interesting presence. I didn't immediately warm up to Angel. I thought she was a little obnoxious. She is funny at times and Angel is a pretty inept guardian angel. I was liking Cupid better than Angel. This is an okay story and it is the first in a series, so the story might develop more in later books. But this book I felt was lacking something. 3 stars.
Profile Image for Chelsea.
1,946 reviews55 followers
July 21, 2016
More reviews available at my blog, Beauty and the Bookworm.

Angel in Training is the first book in the Lousiangel paranormal fantasy stories. I'm not sure how to classify it, other than as just "paranormal." It's not paranormal romance, which is where the paranormal genre tends to go. It involves angels who roam the streets of New Orleans, delivering messages (mostly) or protecting charges (in a few cases) and converting "potentials" into angels (sometimes). Our main character here is actually named Angelina, aka (you guessed it) Angel. This is the subject of some joking in the book, but honestly it just made me grind my teeth because I hated it. Luckily, the book is written in first person. I'm usually not a huge first-person fan, but in this case it kept me from having to read "Angel the angel" or something every few lines.

Angel is stabbed during a night out with her friends, and when a shadowy figure asks if she'd like eternal life or eternal happiness, she says that she doesn't want to die, without quite reading the fine print. She wakes up six months later as an angel in training, sort of "possessing" her old body, which was never found. She's essentially been missing ever since that night. Now, as an angel in training, she should have enhanced strength and speed, but keeps being told she's too hung up on still being mortal to actually use them. Her new boss is the archangel Michael, and there's another archangel in residence at the convent where she now lives, too: Cupid. Yes, that Cupid. Angel also happens to be the only female non-cherubim (who are apparently like angsty teenagers who do housework, but heavenly) in the place. There's really no good reason given for this. She's also the only angel in training, and the only person who might be on track to some day become an archangel. She is, indeed, a #specialsnowflake.

Now, I know, I'm complaining. But honestly, I think it's warranted. I almost dropped this book because the whole setup was just so hokey. Once the plot actually gets going, it does improve somewhat, but I'm not sure it ever recovered from the eye-rolling at the beginning. Angel has a sassy personality, which is cool but not necessarily atypical for female characters in books like this. And her side job, aside from training, is where I think the strengths of the book are. Her side job? Protecting a detective in training, Joshua, who is investigating a murder that looks strangely like Angel's own. Of course, Joshua doesn't believe Angel is an angel. (Do you see why this got annoying quickly?) In order to win his trust, she decides to help him investigate the murder, which ends up being not one murder, but a string, all of them different on the surface but with an underlying commonality. As Angel and Joshua follow the leads, Joshua continues to hit on Angel, which she both likes, because he's super hot, and doesn't like, because she's not allowed to get involved with anyone, let alone her own charge.

There's also something floating around the background here about different types of supernatural beings derived from angels, like the Fallen and the Nephilim, but that's another thing that's not fully developed, and I don't feel like the good main plot ever reached a really good conclusion again--the tie-up felt a little half-baked. And then there's the Angel/Michael thing... I'm not sure why it was included, because there's no indication that it's actually going to develop into something. Very strange. I'm also struggling with why they use swords and bows in a modern, urban context...even though bows made of wood from trees in the Garden of Eden is a cool concept. And why the heck didn't Angel have a cell phone? This seems like a terrible oversight on everyone's part that was just to contrive the plot.

Overall, I think this book, and this series, have potential. Maybe the future books, once Angel is out of training, will be a little stronger in plot and a little lighter in running on treadmills. I liked Angel as a character, though she had her whiny moments and I do hate her name. Joshua was cool, and I really actually like Michael; I would love to see him play a more prominent role. But I'm not convinced that this book, on its own, was great. With the contrivances and some really awkward sentence structures throughout, I think it could have used another re-think and polish before going out. Still, I have hopes for the future books and haven't written this series, or this author, off.

3 stars out of 5.
Profile Image for Donna Costello.
Author 9 books67 followers
March 26, 2016
Angel in Training

From the very beginning this book I was hooked.

The story follows a young woman called Angel who basically becomes an angel. The irony is not lost on her and that is the very first thing I came to love about her character. That is just an example of the tone the book sets right from the beginning.

If you think this book is going to be a heavy read fraught with religious backlog you couldn't be more wrong. Whilst the author gives us insight into the religious aspects and connotations of  becoming an angel, she also manages to throw us  a complete 360 and provides alternative explanations that are both insightful and interesting. I found I really enjoyed the fresh and original perceptions that were thrown at me.

Angel is in every way a modern girl thrown in the deep end and honestly I like that despite the fact the she falls down at some of the hurdles, she still struggles to get back up again like any other human being. It made me feel like I could identify with her on many levels, after all she inside is still human and deeply flawed.

There were also so many twists and turns in this book that I didn't know which way I was heading. I am pretty good at predicting plot twists in books but I found several of my theories disproved which I found refreshing.

I did enjoy the sneak peek I got into New Orleans, the author gives you a sense that you're walking through the streets with Angel and gently explains things that you may not be familiar with. Having never been there myself quite captured in the atmosphere of the city and I hope to be able to visit again very soon.

Roll on book two!
Profile Image for Wendy C.
250 reviews4 followers
March 24, 2015
Angel in Training by C.L.Coffey (Louisiangel #1)
Angel in Training by C.L.Coffey (Louisiangel #1) tells the story about how Angelina (Angel for short) earns her wings as an angel.
description

One night after Angel was out drinking with her friends, she is stabbed and left for dead. Archangel Michael comes along and asks if she wants eternal happiness or Eternal life. Angel chooses eternal life so Michael takes her back to the convent he acquired and starts her training. Michael assigns her a charge, who is a police detective, named Joshua.

Angel tells Joshua that there is a serial killer in town, so they try to connect the dots. During this time, Angel connects with Joshua but she knows she cannot do anything with him because Michael has given her rules and that is one of the top ones. Also, there is an underlying connection between her and the Archangel Michael.

Joshua ends up kidnapped by another angel and Angel comes to save him and all hell breaks loose.
The plot of the story was very good and the character development was on point. The characters were definitely unique and very interesting. I think my favorite character is Cupid. He was just a hoot.

Definitely can’t wait for the next in the series.

4.0

description

Profile Image for Hannah D.
325 reviews53 followers
May 6, 2016
description
I absolutely loved Angel in Training, and I'm craving for more!! In C.L.Coffey's novel, a girl named Angel dies and becomes a potential angel. (An angel named Angel, hahahahaha) This epic action/romance was amazing, and I could simply not put it down. The steamy connection between Angel and her charge was off the charts and addicting. It has been a long time since I read a romance so well written, I was hooked. I am pumped for any future books C.L.Coffey plans on releasing, especially if they are at this level. All of the characters in Angel in Training were incredible well developed and were each unique/interesting. The plot was simply great, and the ending of the novel was so great that I am foaming at the mouth to read the next one in the series. (Not literally)
I completely recommend, nay, demand that you all read the epic and refreshing tale that is Angel in Training; and I give it the perfect rating of FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!!!!
description
Want more of me and my reviews? Go to: http://thenotsopubliclibrary.blogspot...
Profile Image for Jonas Lee.
Author 4 books88 followers
February 23, 2017
I just found a new favorite series. Angel in Training was just what I had hoped it could be. There were elements of religious dogma, suspense, humor and mystery. C.L. Coffey was able to paint a post-Katrina New Orleans and take me through the life and afterlife of the heroine, Angel. It was a great read and kept me wishing I just had a full day to have dove in. Now... until 10/15, I'll be waiting for the next in her series.
Profile Image for Donna.
1,626 reviews33 followers
February 11, 2019
I really wasn't sure what to expect with this book. I grabbed it because it had angels in it and I needed angels for a GR challenge. I liked some of the characters more than other. Cupid and Veronica were my favorites but they didn't get as much action in this book as I would have liked. Overall, it was an interesting start to the series. It has the potential to be a really good series so I may check out book 2 later.
Profile Image for Ari.
942 reviews1,345 followers
Want to read
December 9, 2014
Another beautiful cover. I am not much into angels, though some books did grab my attention and I loved to pieces some other. I hope that same will happen with this one here :D
Profile Image for Renee Zamora.
117 reviews56 followers
December 12, 2019
This one kinda let me down.
The premise of the story was intriguing.
Angelina, or Angel, goes out with her friends on her twentieth birthday to have a little fun. Sadly, it wasn't meant to be, since she gets killed outside one of the bars. She's offered eternal happiness or eternal life. Not really sure what to say, she chooses eternal life.
It turns out that the eternal life option meant that she has chosen to become an angel. Not only that, but a potential archangel as well.
But there are some rules she has to follow.
No parties.
No drugs or drinking.
No romantic relationships.
She also has a human to watch over, Joshua, and there's a bunch of murders happening around town too. The two of them have to find out why they're happening and who the killer is. All good stuff.

There were some innacuracies, such as the book claiming the Cherubim are the highest rank of angels. It's actually the Seraphim, and then next come the Cherubim. So close, yet so far.

So let's skip to why this was a two stars for me:
Michael.

His dialogue was kinda stilted, and I know the author was trying to make him sound more formal in comparison to the others, but it felt off. He was also very hard on Angel as she was training. But that's all fine and dandy, and I was actually fond of him until near the end of the book.

Angel is trying to figure out the identity of the killer, and she accuses Michael of the vile deed. Obviously he didn't do it, but they have a little fight. She apologizes and he comforts her.

Then he kisses her.

Yup, that came out of nowhere.
It was just so jarring and felt wrong.
For one thing, the angels are all related.
Also it didn't feel genuine to his character at all.
To make things worse, he kinda tricked her into becoming an angel by being vague about what each choice meant, because he was sure she was meant for greater things.
He confesses his love to Angel as she tries to remember the Lord's Prayer.

It could've been very well written, and while I would still have been squeamish about the romance (it's just not something I enjoy reading in my muderer mysteries), I could have at least seen the appeal and think "whatever floats your boat."
Unfortunately, since the writing wasn't that great, it came off as very creepy and Michael reminded me of Frollo. Angel mentions that he went to pray for forgiveness for the kiss afterwards, and Hellfire began to play in my head. I know he didn't technically die, but by that point, he was kinda dead to me.
Again, I really liked him at the beginning, but it's sad the book decided to take that weird route.

Also this is unrelated to the awkward romance, Michael was surprisingly stubborn and adamant that Lucifer was dead, despite Angel telling him that he was returning.

So yeah, those were my thoughts on the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
4,292 reviews20 followers
April 9, 2018
This is a good start to a new series. The storyline is good, hot and steamy, PNRish and different. The characters are good and overall the story is entertaining. I liked it. I voluntarily read an ARC and this is my honest review.
Profile Image for S.E. Anderson.
Author 31 books158 followers
August 31, 2016
I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my rating.

It's not easy waking up to discover you're dead. Not only that, but you're now an angel - well, an angel potential - names Angel, which makes things a little complicated. Top it off with a celestial war you've been thrown into, and, oh, did I forget to mention it's no sex or alcohol? Angel seems to have gotten the short end of the straw, and she's not too happy about it.

That's probably what makes her such a great character. She doesn't fall into Mary Sue-vil and doesn't suffer from special snowflake-itis, she's just a real girl facing a really weird situation and reacting probably just like you or I would. She slowly grains her powers and grows into them, which adds to the plot while only making us like her more.

However, the stand out I think were the background characters. Cupid is hilarious. He's funny, he's sassy at times, not afraid to speak his mind while also being a great friend to a recently angelified Angel. Plus, Joshua, the cop who's now under Angel's watch, is a man full of mystery and questions. He humanizes the novel and makes a perfect foil to Angel.

Plus, the location was fascinating: we're in New Orleans, which is still recovering from Katrina, and the writing makes you feel like you're actually there. You get to go bar hopping, you get to learn about the local culture and cuisine, and the place itself is such an interesting place for the plot. It's perfect.

For fans of romance, there's a hint of some relationships growing in Angel's life, even with her spontaneous vow of chastity. Michael, the attractive archangel who gave Angel eternal life, might be hiding some feelings of his own. And Joshua, Angel's charge? He's not hiding anything.

The ending felt a little weird to me: an exciting climax to be sure, but a lot of exposition at the same time. Still, it made me desperately want to read the next book! I'm left with so many questions I want answers to, and I'm mostly hooked on Angel! I love her perspective and it makes the book a blast to read.

All in all: definitely a series to put on your to read list. If you're a fan of Supernatural, you'll love this book.
Profile Image for dearrivarie.
645 reviews45 followers
April 30, 2016
This cover gives me major apocalypse vibes so I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into with this book. At first, I was a bit wary because I don't love apocalypse story lines (it's just so scary and depressing) but I was pleasantly surprised. The novel follows Angel who ironically dressed up as a devil on her 20th birthday when she brutally murdered. As she is dying, the Archangel Michael gives her a change at Eternal Life and she agrees without knowing what she's getting into. She's given the task of protecting Joshua Walsh who is currently working on the case to find the serial killer who is targeting other angel potentials.

Angel in Training takes the commonly accepted knowledge of guardian angels and archangels and completely flips it around. Our main character Angel is an angel potential meaning that her aura has something that sets apart from everyone else and draws the attention of other angels. (Let's see how many times I say the word angel in this review...) After her murder, she finds herself thrust in this world that she didn't know existed and she certainly didn't remember signing up to be part of. Angel is pretty much your average heroine: beautiful, snarky, naive. Well, she's naive because she didn't expect angels to actually exist.

I can't tell if there's a love triangle in this novel or not but there are definitely hints of one. As her charge, Angel is not supposed to fall in love with Joshua but there's definitely a lot of chemistry between the two. Same goes in her relationship with Michael. I'm not sure at this point who I ship her with because both men prove themselves to be very different from her and compliment her in a variety of different ways.

Final note before I finish, I have to give a shout out to Cupid who is quite possibly my favorite character in the entire novel. He's hilarious and so much fun to be around. He has this "strict archangel" moments but he and Veronica (cherubim) just added so much comic relief to the novel at points where I started losing some interest.

Originally posted on Forever Obsession
Profile Image for Victoria.
18 reviews
February 23, 2015
This was a fantastic debut novel! Coffey has a really smooth and easy to read narrative style and the pace kept me interested to the end, I could barely put the book down for the last few chapters! Coffey clearly has a real love for the New Orleans setting, she really brings Bourbon street and other aspects of New Orleans culture to life, from the Mardis Gras festival, to the local cuisine, even the fall-out of Hurricane Katrina and the devastation it left behind which she shows a real sensitivity to. I was curious about the angel theme, obviously various religious overtones come with the territory and Coffey has clearly done her research into the hierarchy of angels and the different saints etc., but interestingly it isn't a religious novel at all - Angel herself admits she has barely set foot in a church, and there is a hilarious scene where she tries to remember the 'Lord's Prayer' without much success. The theme is also lightened by a cameo from a Voodoo queen and one Archangel who at one point masqueraded as a Roman god and now teaches Angel archery! I love Angel's dry wit and sassy come-backs, she seems a genuine 'real' character (even with permanently bright cherry-red hair!) not one of these typical insecure, self-deprecating damsels in distress you can get with YA novels. She tells people how it is, even letting Michael know exactly what she thinks of him, and yes she has moments of self doubt - she has afterall recently been murdered and transformed into a virtual immortal - but she gets on with it, stays strong, doing what she thinks is right, even if it means bending the rules a little. I feel her pain having to try and keep her distance (emotionally) from Joshua, you can practically feel his heavy bedroom eyes smouldering out of the page at you. Michael is a difficult character to fathom, the whole thing with his interest in Angel was a surprise, I look forward to seeing how that story develops in the sequel. Overall, I really enjoyed it and I can't wait for to read the rest of the series - bring on book 2!
Profile Image for Fernanda Lara (MysteryDateWithaBook).
74 reviews27 followers
May 6, 2016
Oh, where do I begin?! This book got me hooked from the very first chapter!
The characters are great (especially Cupid!), and the story doesn't drag at all. There are lots of twists and turns in the story to kept it interesting. And it's soooo unpredictable!
This book is packed full of action and vivid details. I seriously couldn't put it down! To give you an idea, I even stopped reading Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare (which I was REALLY excited to read!) for a couple of days just so I could enjoy this book properly! That's how good it is.
This is the first book in the Louisiangel series, and I can't wait to read the second one (which is already out by the way). I would class this as Young Adult / Urban Fantasy series. Yeah, that sounds about right.
And if you think it's a religious book because it involves angels, that's not the case at all! The author gives us a snapshot about the angels' background and how they protect people on Earth, but it doesn't really have a religious feel to it. It feels more like an Urban Fantasy book than anything else.
If you like Young Adult and Urban Fantasy books you NEED to get your hands on this book! I highly recommend Angel in Training by C.L. Coffey! One of my favourite books of the year so far.
Profile Image for Michelle VanDaley.
1,703 reviews5 followers
April 14, 2018
This series has potential but the first book did not deliver for me. The main lead is 20 tears old but acts like a prepubescent teen most of the time. The numerous spelling mistakes and grammatical errors did not help the flow of the story and I found myself skimming often. The core story is a good one and with some editing and proofreading book one and the series could be great.
35 reviews4 followers
July 15, 2018
While the plot of this book sounded intriguing at first glance, I was later disappointed. This book ended up being a DNF (Did Not Finish), that I was really hoping to like.
After about 20% of the way through the book, I simply couldn't connect with the main heroine of the story. The writing was fine, if not a bit lacking in character development. I may try reading this book again another time.
Profile Image for Daryl Ball.
Author 10 books34 followers
August 9, 2017
I find rather often that in fiction there are two types of books. One is the kind where you escape into the story, eager to immerse yourself in it, and you might only mention it to others if they ask what you've been reading lately. The other kind is the type this book falls into - You enjoy the story and are eager to bring it up in any conversation that you can find a way to mention it in. For example: "Hey Daryl isn't that a grand looking church we just passed?" "It is and speaking of churches let me tell you about this book I'm reading that involves angels..."

This book focuses on a new angels first days being trained for an eventual war against Lucifer's forces. Heaven has a shortage of angels as of late so it's very important that potential angels are found and given the chance. This new angel, appropriately enough named Angelica, is one of the last people you'd expect to be in that role..she didn't go to church when alive, she curses, she drinks, etc. Despite that though she's trying to learn and be better. In the process she's assigned as a guardian angel to a detective in training named Joshua, who despite mutual attraction to each other she is forbidden from becoming romantically involved with.

Among the other characters she must deal with are the archangels Michael and Cupid (yes that Cupid) who are trying to train her, a cherubim named Veronica which allows insight into how cherubim are in this world the author has created (her interactions with the two archangels are wonderfully fun), her own aunt Sarah, Joshua's partner Leon, and Lily who is an angel of death.

Other than training for her new role in life, Angelica must also help prove to Joshua that there is a serial killer on the loose in the city. One who is targeting potential angels, and when they finally catch up to the killer we get to see of Angelica really does have what it takes.

I'm definitely eager to order future books in this series to see how everything plays out.
Profile Image for Cath.
950 reviews17 followers
April 9, 2018
Young college student, Angel, is out on the town in New Orleans, celebrating her twentieth birthday with her friends. She gets carries away and as happens, is separated from her friends. Unfortunately for her, this leads to her being murdered in a dark alley.

A man comes to her side and offers her eternal happiness or eternal life. The man is Archangel Michael and she has to make a choice as she is bleeding to death. She wants life and now has become one of them – an angel in training.

The role comes with a lot of rules and this is made even harder for Angel as she is not at all religious and doesn’t believe in angels or God. Whilst having to undergo her training, she is also given a charge, who she must protect. This is a young trainee detective called Joshua, who is investigating a murder case, of another young woman.

Turns out there is quite a bit more to this case and also in training to be an angel. She has to follow the rules without knowing much of the background of angels and also cannot under any condition get involved with her charge. She finds all these rules hard to follow. Another body is found and it is Angel’s job to link the cases together and they all point back to the person responsible for her own murder.

I loved this book. The interactions are shown in a very realistic manner between Angel, Michael and Joshua. The unholy Angel makes for a great rub against Michael and his rules. The background of explanation of her Angelic role and the history of Angels and the different types, makes it interesting and adds layers to the story. Some of the side characters also add to the storyline in amusing ways.

I received and ARC copy of this book from Hidden Gems and I have even gone out and paid for the book as well. I will certainly be looking out for more books in this series. I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
Profile Image for Emily Pennington.
20.8k reviews361 followers
April 16, 2018
Angel was celebrating her 20th birthday with a fake ID, bar-hopping in New Orleans. By the third bar, she was quite drunk and thought she saw her friends go out the door. Trying to catch up, she ran down an alley and was grabbed by someone. He stabbed her and she collapsed to the ground. Next thing she knew, she was being given a choice of eternal happiness or a chance at eternal life.

Angel did not remember the room she next woke up in. She wandered the halls and found a door to the outside. There she recognized she had been in the Old Ursuline Convent and was trespassing. She saw lights in the church and went inside. She saw an attractive young man with blond hair praying in a pew. He told her she was dead, but she didn’t believe him. And then he told her about her situation now and what she had to do to earn her wings and move closer to an archangel position. But to do this, she has to save Joshua Walsh, a trainee detective. Needless to say, this won’t be as easy as it might seem!

This was a fun book to read. The dialog is amusing. There are other characters you will be surprised to meet, but you’ll thoroughly enjoy the story. Angel is a feisty, likeable young woman who is quite a challenge even for the Archangel Michael to manage. Grab a copy and dive in to this fun read!
Profile Image for Angel.
276 reviews17 followers
January 3, 2019
I received an ARC of this story through Hidden Gems and this is my honest and voluntary review.
I really enjoyed this story because it wasn't just another stereotypical paranormal romance and it doesn't hurt that the main character has my name! It starts off with Angel being murdered on her 20th birthday and as she is dying, a mysterious man asks if she wants to live. Fast forward half a year and Angel is finally waking up but now she is an angel in training and the mysterious man was Michael the archangel. There were a lot of interesting spins on traditional angel mythology in this book and I really enjoyed reading about them. I felt like the majority of the story was just the backstory to set up everything else.... there was a lot of references and explanations but not a ton of real action happening. I'll be interested to see where all the set-ups lead in the continuing series!
1,062 reviews18 followers
April 11, 2018
What a great concept C.L. Coffey had for her book: take the most unusual and non-typical young woman: one who drinks, swears, screws, and basically has no regard for rules; and try to turn her into a guardian angel that helps people. I loved the trials and tribulations her character was put through, as well as the interaction with her fellow angelites. I am definitely looking forward to reading the other books in this series. This is a voluntary review of an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Hidden Gems Books.
Profile Image for Debbie Pierce.
143 reviews1 follower
April 11, 2018
I absolutely love Angelina/Angel. She is a rebellious young woman who is given the choice of eternal happiness or eternal life when she is murdered. She tells Archangel Michael to save her without realizing the consequences. She becomes an angel in training and is given a human charge. She becomes his guardian angel. I laughed so many times at her innocence and attitude. It was awesome.
Profile Image for Readiculously Peachy.
47 reviews2 followers
May 4, 2016
Original review can be read on my blog: Readiculously Peachy
My Review:
Ohh I enjoyed this book so, so much! When I first laid my eyes on the book cover, I was completely sold! First off, it looks super bad-ass and exciting, but it really reveals nothing about what it could possibly be about... or better, it makes you think of everything what the book could possibly be about. The characters, the setting, the way of writing and the suspense build-up is just fantastic! I can't see how any young adult fantasy, mythical and action book lover can't fall in love with this book. 

The story is set in New Orleans, where we get to know our protagonist Angelina (aka Angel). She is


out on the town with her friends on Bourbon street, drinking her uni worries and stress away. When her drinking gets out of hand she finds herself literally in a ditch, with a beautiful archangel named Michael, leaning over her asking her the most important question she will ever probably  have to answer: Do you want eternal happiness or eternal life?  In her panic state, and of course wanting to live, she chooses for the latter... and quickly finds out she really didn't realize what that decision would exactly mean for her. 



I loved the start of the book, it did not falter with boring introductions, it jumped straight to the action and the purpose of this book. In fact, this way of writing is something which runs through the entire book as I never found myself wanting to put the book down. Angelina also known as Angel, which seems to be a crazy pun as her attitude and characterization screams nothing but angelic, is such a likable character. She is the new angel in town, appointed by the archangel Michael himself, but she remains so down to Earth. She is obviously struggling with the fact that she is "dead" and in fact training to be an archangel, but she maintains her spunky personality. 


Being an angel is not a piece of cake. There are certain rules attached to this holy role, no drugs, no sex, no alcohol. Angel has been appointed a charge, Joshua a delicious, young and dark detective in New Orleans, who she needs to assist and protect, but her question remains... why does he need protection from her? When she meets her charge she will find it harder and harder to not break the rules which Michael so heavily bestowed on her. Joshua is extremely hot and extremely her type but he is everything but acceptable to the fact that she is his guardian angels. Angel feels her own murder was no coincident, and when similar murder incidents happen all over town she feels the compelling need to aid Joshua in finding this serial killer and finding the truth. 


The book basically breaths and exudes of action, drama, exotic romance, and suspense! From Angel's training with the hunky and responsible Michael and hilarious and sarcastic Cupid, to the high (romantic) tension discoveries she makes alongside with Joshua, this book is all in all a fantastic read!




Profile Image for Jaime.
511 reviews36 followers
April 8, 2018
Absolutely amazing book! Very unique - I haven’t read anything similar to it before. This book made me late to work, late coming back from lunch, and late coming back from break - I seriously did not want to put it down. I can’t wait to read more!
Profile Image for Rays.
11 reviews
May 8, 2023
Received an autographed copy from a friend several years back when Ms. Coffey first wrote this book and it immeadiately became one of my favorites. The plot, the characters, the story and everything was immaculate. This book has helped me grow and shape who I am.
Profile Image for Phthon.
2,323 reviews7 followers
April 9, 2018
That was different and awesome! I love the style of writing, the realistic reality of the characters and the entrancing plot! I just went and bought the sequel! I seriously recommend this book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.