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Divine Fate #1
Chosen by Grace
4 hrs and 40 mins
She thought the demons were in her head... until the night they attacked.
Ryn Tyler didn't intend to kill a demon when she moved to Eagle Valley—or to become the hero of a divine race of angels. She just wants to be a normal teenager, but fate has other plans.
While discovering the secrets of the supernatural, Ryn navigates a complicated relationship with Marek, the guy who can't stop saving her life. But Marek knows more about Ryn's magic than he's letting on.
Only Ryn has the power to stop the coming apocalypse. But there's a demon in Eagle Valley who wants that power for himself—and if Ryn wants to survive, she'll have to fight back.
She thought the demons were in her head... until the night they attacked.
Ryn Tyler didn't intend to kill a demon when she moved to Eagle Valley—or to become the hero of a divine race of angels. She just wants to be a normal teenager, but fate has other plans.
While discovering the secrets of the supernatural, Ryn navigates a complicated relationship with Marek, the guy who can't stop saving her life. But Marek knows more about Ryn's magic than he's letting on.
Only Ryn has the power to stop the coming apocalypse. But there's a demon in Eagle Valley who wants that power for himself—and if Ryn wants to survive, she'll have to fight back.
5 pages, Audiobook
First published February 26, 2018
473 people are currently reading
1637 people want to read
About the author
Alicia Rades
68 books738 followersAlicia Rades is a USA Today Bestselling Author of over forty young adult and new adult paranormal novels. Her stories follow characters in equal-dynamic romantic relationships and feature themes of discovering and claiming one's inner power. When she's not dreaming up magical stories, she's either binge-watching paranormal TV shows, meditating, or making crafts and cooking with her family. Her favorite tropes are small-town mysteries, witches, and magical academies set in the modern world. She has an unhealthy obsession with psychic characters and writes with a deck of tarot cards next to her computer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
October 30, 2019
3.75 graceful ★★★✬✩
⤐ Overall.
Chosen by Grace, the first novel in the Divine Fate paranormal series by Alicia Rades, managed to exceed my expectations although I can't say what they were. Albeit too short for my liking, I still enjoyed the audiobook a lot. The narrator, Natalie Naudus didn't really agree with me at first. There was an airy, guttural quality to her voice I first needed to got used to but came to like in the end.
Pretty much from minute one on I was enamoured with the story and the characters, they were diverse, fun to get to know and relatable. Whereas other authors of that genre tend to go for the cocky arse hero, I'm glad to see Alicia managed to create a multifaceted love interest that was not perfect but still hella cute. She chose to paint a male hero that was decent and kind throughout most of the book, who displayed errors most of us can quite well identify with.
The writing style is somewhat unobtrusive. I'm sure adding more colour to it would greatly contribute to the story-telling and the way the reader receives this story. Put together with the above, Alicia made for a well-structured plot that offered small twists. There's a lot of potential I hope to discover being made use of in the sequels.
⤐ What’s happening.
You know you're in for a treat [sarcasm] when you suddenly find yourself capable to conjure white magial fireballs and kill demons with it, witnesses included. Ryn's life is forever changed after that. Finally, the life long mystery of the demons she thought only she could see seems to be untangled, together with the life she knew.
_____________________
Writing quality + easy of reading = 3*
pace = 4*
plot/story in general = 4*
plot development = 3*
characters = 4*
enjoyability = 4*
insightfulness = 2*
_____________________
This eArc was provided by Alicia Rades in exchange for an honest review. Thank you very much!
This book is for you if… paranormal fantasy is something you can get behind, it's not for everyone. You will be rewarded with a well-rounded plot and a decent romance, experienced by the typical ya heroine that discovers she's destined for superhuman miracles. TW: sexual assault.
⤐ Overall.
Chosen by Grace, the first novel in the Divine Fate paranormal series by Alicia Rades, managed to exceed my expectations although I can't say what they were. Albeit too short for my liking, I still enjoyed the audiobook a lot. The narrator, Natalie Naudus didn't really agree with me at first. There was an airy, guttural quality to her voice I first needed to got used to but came to like in the end.
Pretty much from minute one on I was enamoured with the story and the characters, they were diverse, fun to get to know and relatable. Whereas other authors of that genre tend to go for the cocky arse hero, I'm glad to see Alicia managed to create a multifaceted love interest that was not perfect but still hella cute. She chose to paint a male hero that was decent and kind throughout most of the book, who displayed errors most of us can quite well identify with.
The writing style is somewhat unobtrusive. I'm sure adding more colour to it would greatly contribute to the story-telling and the way the reader receives this story. Put together with the above, Alicia made for a well-structured plot that offered small twists. There's a lot of potential I hope to discover being made use of in the sequels.
⤐ What’s happening.
‘We’re where the stories of angels and demons come from, but we prefer not to use the terms as we have no religious affiliations. Not with any modern religion anyway.’
You know you're in for a treat [sarcasm] when you suddenly find yourself capable to conjure white magial fireballs and kill demons with it, witnesses included. Ryn's life is forever changed after that. Finally, the life long mystery of the demons she thought only she could see seems to be untangled, together with the life she knew.
Con:
⇢ demons are hella vindictive
⇢ mother not happy about new company
⇢ no proper time to make out with the cute angel
Pro:
⇢ Ryn's powers are superb, even for angel-standards
⇢ friends will not leave her unprotected
⇢ still time for flirty intermezzos with the angel boy
_____________________
Writing quality + easy of reading = 3*
pace = 4*
plot/story in general = 4*
plot development = 3*
characters = 4*
enjoyability = 4*
insightfulness = 2*
_____________________
This eArc was provided by Alicia Rades in exchange for an honest review. Thank you very much!
April 5, 2018
1.5 stars.
I wanted to like this but it felt like reading an early draft. It was like the skeleton of a story. The author had put ideas she wanted to explore, but none of it was developed. We had mother and daughter who had growing issues and resentment they didn’t talk about, we had the heroine who has yet to form real bonds of friendship, and we had a potential love story.
If we look at this story as a finished product, it doesn’t rate highly with me. The setting wasn’t fleshed out and given character, and I didn’t feel like I was pulled into into any of the scenes (my five senses weren’t engaged) because of the lack of description.
The story felt erratic and choppy. One minute the teenagers are being serious about life threatening attacks, the next the best friend is pulling the heroine to the side to say she should get with the teenage guy who saved her life. (This is the same scene where the heroine's safety is being addressed.) the majority of the beginning was one long infodump educating the heroine about her supernatural heritage and legacy.
We also had some cheesy dialogue with the hero vs demon exchanges. I did like some of the friendly banter between the characters, though.
In addition, the pacing was atrocious. The author jumped from one major catastrophe to the next with little down time, zooming through the scene as fast as possible. She doesn’t take the time to really delve deep within each scene to build suspense and tension, to let us feel like we the reader have our necks on the line too. I never felt my emotions being wrenched. I want to feel my own heart beat when the heroine's heart flutters around the hero. It didn’t happen. I wanted to feel sadness at the broken mother-daughter bond. Instead, all I felt was frustration with the writing and the lack of exploration.
It felt more like I was reading visual directions and guidelines for a movie. Unfortunately for the author, books don’t have the advantages of pauses, music scores, actor's expressions, camera angle, and atmospheric lighting to set the mood and play on the reader's emotions. Instead, all this must be accomplished using words alone.
This is why I stated that this felt like an incomplete draft. It’s missing details, descriptions, character exploration, stronger voice, and many words before this book is complete. I didn’t even feel any chemistry between the characters, especially the romantic interest. Good plot, though.
I’d advise the author to go back to her story and revise it. It’s not ready yet. I suggest reading highly rated contemporary fiction and thrillers to look at examples on how to draw out emotion and suspense. The author focuses too much on the supernatural aspect to hold up the novel, which doesn’t work.
I wanted to like this but it felt like reading an early draft. It was like the skeleton of a story. The author had put ideas she wanted to explore, but none of it was developed. We had mother and daughter who had growing issues and resentment they didn’t talk about, we had the heroine who has yet to form real bonds of friendship, and we had a potential love story.
If we look at this story as a finished product, it doesn’t rate highly with me. The setting wasn’t fleshed out and given character, and I didn’t feel like I was pulled into into any of the scenes (my five senses weren’t engaged) because of the lack of description.
The story felt erratic and choppy. One minute the teenagers are being serious about life threatening attacks, the next the best friend is pulling the heroine to the side to say she should get with the teenage guy who saved her life. (This is the same scene where the heroine's safety is being addressed.) the majority of the beginning was one long infodump educating the heroine about her supernatural heritage and legacy.
We also had some cheesy dialogue with the hero vs demon exchanges. I did like some of the friendly banter between the characters, though.
In addition, the pacing was atrocious. The author jumped from one major catastrophe to the next with little down time, zooming through the scene as fast as possible. She doesn’t take the time to really delve deep within each scene to build suspense and tension, to let us feel like we the reader have our necks on the line too. I never felt my emotions being wrenched. I want to feel my own heart beat when the heroine's heart flutters around the hero. It didn’t happen. I wanted to feel sadness at the broken mother-daughter bond. Instead, all I felt was frustration with the writing and the lack of exploration.
It felt more like I was reading visual directions and guidelines for a movie. Unfortunately for the author, books don’t have the advantages of pauses, music scores, actor's expressions, camera angle, and atmospheric lighting to set the mood and play on the reader's emotions. Instead, all this must be accomplished using words alone.
This is why I stated that this felt like an incomplete draft. It’s missing details, descriptions, character exploration, stronger voice, and many words before this book is complete. I didn’t even feel any chemistry between the characters, especially the romantic interest. Good plot, though.
I’d advise the author to go back to her story and revise it. It’s not ready yet. I suggest reading highly rated contemporary fiction and thrillers to look at examples on how to draw out emotion and suspense. The author focuses too much on the supernatural aspect to hold up the novel, which doesn’t work.
March 20, 2018
To see more reviews, considering taking a peek at my first in series YA book blog here
audiobook review
It's really hard to write this review, because I honestly can't pinpoint what it is I loved about it. For all purposes, this book is a generic angels vs. demons in a chosen one scenario, but somehow, Alicia Rades just did it better. Maybe it's the broody boy with the dark past who DOESN'T hold back pulling the Edward Cullen " you must stay away from me " nonsense; Marek was open and kind. Maybe it's that no one tried to hide facts from Ryn, the MC, about things that involved her.
I liked Ryn well enough. She wasn't super original as a character or anything, but she actually listened when people said " don't do that, it's dangerous." We all know that MC that can't help but attempt to save the day even though she's useless (ugh). She also doesn't cave on her morals no matter what anyone says, which I can respect. Let's also talk about the fact that one of her parents is actually alive, hooray! Kudos to Rades for making a very overdone plot highly refreshing! Faith in the angels vs. demons genre restored. 👏👏👏
audiobook review
It's really hard to write this review, because I honestly can't pinpoint what it is I loved about it. For all purposes, this book is a generic angels vs. demons in a chosen one scenario, but somehow, Alicia Rades just did it better. Maybe it's the broody boy with the dark past who DOESN'T hold back pulling the Edward Cullen " you must stay away from me " nonsense; Marek was open and kind. Maybe it's that no one tried to hide facts from Ryn, the MC, about things that involved her.
I liked Ryn well enough. She wasn't super original as a character or anything, but she actually listened when people said " don't do that, it's dangerous." We all know that MC that can't help but attempt to save the day even though she's useless (ugh). She also doesn't cave on her morals no matter what anyone says, which I can respect. Let's also talk about the fact that one of her parents is actually alive, hooray! Kudos to Rades for making a very overdone plot highly refreshing! Faith in the angels vs. demons genre restored. 👏👏👏
February 16, 2023
This was a pretty interesting take on angels and demons. Read it. See what I mean.
February 3, 2025
2020 52 Book Challenge - 20) An Author Whose Last Name Starts With The Same Initial As You
I really didn't like this book. I didn't like the characters, who were all flat and boring, I found the plot to be ultra contrived and full of coincidences and the book is full of infodumps.
I really didn't like this book. I didn't like the characters, who were all flat and boring, I found the plot to be ultra contrived and full of coincidences and the book is full of infodumps.
May 30, 2018
**You can find the review at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/**
Ryn and her mother just moved to a new town, the most recent in a long string of places they have bounced around to. Ryn is excited to attempt to stay in one place, especially since she made a new friend. But one night while at a party, something crazy happens- Ryn hands glow and the imaginary shadows she has tried to ignore her whole life are real. Ryn has no idea what is going on but now she is part of a world she never knew existed.
I am such a sucker for Angel books, there was a point where I read any and all I could get my hands on but I feel like at a certain point they all started blending together and being too much of the same. I have since taken a break from a certain celestial obsession but when I came across Chosen by Grace my interest was peaked and I was swayed by the gorgeous cover.
I am happy to report that Alicia was able to create a new variation on the Angel genre. There was still the ultimate conflict between good and evil but the religious connotations were removed and instead the Davina are offspring from the Divinities, powerful godlike creatures who started the world. The Aedes are similar to demons but have different kinds of powers and relationship dynamics with humans, still full of evil intent but slightly justified in my opinion. I won't say too much more about the world in case of spoiling the surprises, but I thought the way the magic or essence rather manifested was interesting as well as the tie in to the name of the book was just about perfect and unpredictable.
Not only was there magic, a war between good and evil, a vendetta, a great friend dynamic, regular high school drama, mystery and secrets, but there was also a dash of romance. I am almost always a fan of romance sprinkled in my stories and this was no different. I did happen to see it as soon as the love interest was introduced but I still enjoyed their relationship build as well as the fact it was not super angsty or a love triangle. Keep in mind that this was pretty pg when it came to romance, maybe more pg-13 when dealing with the violence.
This is just the start of what looks like an epic series. The initial conflict was resolved within these pages, but that is a hint of the war that is to come. There was no cliff hanger ending which I appreciated, but the adventure is not even a little bit over. This was a fast and fun YA paranormal read perfect for a lazy afternoon.
Ryn and her mother just moved to a new town, the most recent in a long string of places they have bounced around to. Ryn is excited to attempt to stay in one place, especially since she made a new friend. But one night while at a party, something crazy happens- Ryn hands glow and the imaginary shadows she has tried to ignore her whole life are real. Ryn has no idea what is going on but now she is part of a world she never knew existed.
I am such a sucker for Angel books, there was a point where I read any and all I could get my hands on but I feel like at a certain point they all started blending together and being too much of the same. I have since taken a break from a certain celestial obsession but when I came across Chosen by Grace my interest was peaked and I was swayed by the gorgeous cover.
I am happy to report that Alicia was able to create a new variation on the Angel genre. There was still the ultimate conflict between good and evil but the religious connotations were removed and instead the Davina are offspring from the Divinities, powerful godlike creatures who started the world. The Aedes are similar to demons but have different kinds of powers and relationship dynamics with humans, still full of evil intent but slightly justified in my opinion. I won't say too much more about the world in case of spoiling the surprises, but I thought the way the magic or essence rather manifested was interesting as well as the tie in to the name of the book was just about perfect and unpredictable.
Not only was there magic, a war between good and evil, a vendetta, a great friend dynamic, regular high school drama, mystery and secrets, but there was also a dash of romance. I am almost always a fan of romance sprinkled in my stories and this was no different. I did happen to see it as soon as the love interest was introduced but I still enjoyed their relationship build as well as the fact it was not super angsty or a love triangle. Keep in mind that this was pretty pg when it came to romance, maybe more pg-13 when dealing with the violence.
This is just the start of what looks like an epic series. The initial conflict was resolved within these pages, but that is a hint of the war that is to come. There was no cliff hanger ending which I appreciated, but the adventure is not even a little bit over. This was a fast and fun YA paranormal read perfect for a lazy afternoon.
May 18, 2018
A solid opening to the supernatural trilogy, full of angelic creatures, demons, and divine powers.
Kathryn had no idea of her true identity as Davina before coming to Eagle Valley, although she has known all her life she is an oddity, seeing demons and communicating with them. Moving to the current location, she finds out she is not the only one, but belongs to the Davina, angel-like creatures protecting humans from the demonic creatures feeding off their essence- souls. But learning to control her powers, or even access them, is a challenge, and so is coming to terms with her identity and legacy.
Clean and straightforward story, easy to read and even easier to follow. I enjoyed watching the romance develop between Marek and Ryn, although I was not sure how I felt about her relying on him to save her every time. I also had some issues with her mom, on one side understanding her overprotectiveness, but on the other one, I'd expect her to support her daughter more.. at least the circle of friends Ryn made was very interesting and likable. The supernatural world is not too complicated or revealed in-depth, but imaginable and appealing. The story has its charms and I will definitely continue Ryn's journey to see her come to her powers fully.
Kathryn had no idea of her true identity as Davina before coming to Eagle Valley, although she has known all her life she is an oddity, seeing demons and communicating with them. Moving to the current location, she finds out she is not the only one, but belongs to the Davina, angel-like creatures protecting humans from the demonic creatures feeding off their essence- souls. But learning to control her powers, or even access them, is a challenge, and so is coming to terms with her identity and legacy.
Clean and straightforward story, easy to read and even easier to follow. I enjoyed watching the romance develop between Marek and Ryn, although I was not sure how I felt about her relying on him to save her every time. I also had some issues with her mom, on one side understanding her overprotectiveness, but on the other one, I'd expect her to support her daughter more.. at least the circle of friends Ryn made was very interesting and likable. The supernatural world is not too complicated or revealed in-depth, but imaginable and appealing. The story has its charms and I will definitely continue Ryn's journey to see her come to her powers fully.
February 13, 2020
I thought this was a great start to a new series. It took a unique twist on the angels genre that turned it into something new and fresh that I had never seen done before. I'm excited to start the second book, and get more into the story line, especially the school setting.
February 5, 2023
This book was so fun to make fun of and hate on. It was outlandish, cliche, unrealistic, confusing and so much more. But I laughed at how bad it was and for that enjoyment it gets more than 1 star. Sorry if you like this book. I don't mean to insult anyone who enjoys it.
September 27, 2018
Chosen by Grace was absolutely amazing. From the character's, the plot, and to the setting. I just fell in love with it all.
May 1, 2019
Interesting concept.
Davina protecting humans from demons. Young love from Marek, the biker boy, with the new girl in town whose more powerful than most. Wonder where this going.
Davina protecting humans from demons. Young love from Marek, the biker boy, with the new girl in town whose more powerful than most. Wonder where this going.
May 6, 2018
All her life, Ryn Tyler could see demons but, since she thought they were nightmares and not actually real, she stopped noticing them. Driving up to a farmhouse party with her friend, she heard music was blaring, saw kids dancing, and others gathered outside near a fire pit. Then she spotted one of the hooded figures! She had thought she was over those nightmares since moving to Eagle Valley. Allie, who was driving, noticed her tensing and asked what was wrong – but the figure had disappeared.
Ryn was uncomfortable around the drinking, even more so when Kyle gave her a drink and Allie pushed her to drink it. She sputtered as the shot burned down her throat. Allie dragged her off to dance and she spotted a tall guy in the corner. Their gazes met and she couldn’t look away until Allie warned that a creep was approaching them. Ryn spoke up boldly and told him they were not interested. She thought the incident was over. But as they left to go home, he came toward them from the fire pit and would not back off this time. Ryn was about to punch him when everyone quickly backed away from her and she saw her hand and arm glowing as a white orb rose from her palm!
Tad, the bully, suddenly tackled Ryn to the ground but was dragged off, and she saw two guys fighting. The tall stranger, James Marek, had come to her rescue! He then helped her get Allie to the car while reprimanding her for her blatant display of power. She had no idea what he was talking about, which frustrated him even more. But two of the hooded figures came toward them remarking about the young angels who had come to play. Ryn thought she was dreaming and could not believe Marek saw and heard them too!
Ryn finds out she is a Davina, part angel. Her purpose is to be a protector for the humans. But she is unique. Apparently the line between the realms was thinning and, even if they find the portal posing the threat, it would require an Original’s power to close it. Grace was the last Original remaining, all the others having been killed. This is why the Power of Grace is so important – and Ryn is the only one who can awaken it! Marek must try to keep her safe as they uncover the path set before her.
This is an exciting story about the battle between angels and demons, with the fate of the world at stake! It will keep the reader eagerly reading to see what happens next through the twists and turns. Find out more about Marek. Who is he, why is he here? Join Ryn in her exciting journey!
Ryn was uncomfortable around the drinking, even more so when Kyle gave her a drink and Allie pushed her to drink it. She sputtered as the shot burned down her throat. Allie dragged her off to dance and she spotted a tall guy in the corner. Their gazes met and she couldn’t look away until Allie warned that a creep was approaching them. Ryn spoke up boldly and told him they were not interested. She thought the incident was over. But as they left to go home, he came toward them from the fire pit and would not back off this time. Ryn was about to punch him when everyone quickly backed away from her and she saw her hand and arm glowing as a white orb rose from her palm!
Tad, the bully, suddenly tackled Ryn to the ground but was dragged off, and she saw two guys fighting. The tall stranger, James Marek, had come to her rescue! He then helped her get Allie to the car while reprimanding her for her blatant display of power. She had no idea what he was talking about, which frustrated him even more. But two of the hooded figures came toward them remarking about the young angels who had come to play. Ryn thought she was dreaming and could not believe Marek saw and heard them too!
Ryn finds out she is a Davina, part angel. Her purpose is to be a protector for the humans. But she is unique. Apparently the line between the realms was thinning and, even if they find the portal posing the threat, it would require an Original’s power to close it. Grace was the last Original remaining, all the others having been killed. This is why the Power of Grace is so important – and Ryn is the only one who can awaken it! Marek must try to keep her safe as they uncover the path set before her.
This is an exciting story about the battle between angels and demons, with the fate of the world at stake! It will keep the reader eagerly reading to see what happens next through the twists and turns. Find out more about Marek. Who is he, why is he here? Join Ryn in her exciting journey!
September 1, 2018
This book puts an interesting spin on the "Chosen One" trope, and eliminates the things that I usually hate about it. Marek, the main male love interest, always cared about Ryn. He never pretended to hate her or kept things from her to "keep her safe," but instead treated her like a capable magical being and trained her.
The other thing that I enjoyed was that Ryn's mother didn't just give her daughter up and allow her to just leave and join the magical crew. She was still wary of what was going on, to Ryn's disappointment, and didn't just stop parenting like most YA parents do. It made Ryn feel like a true teenage girl and not some sort of super-independent teenager.
I'll have to admit, it took me a bit of time to get into this book. Nevertheless, by the time I got the middle, I was completely drawn in. I think that the scene that really stood out to me was when Ryn was learning how to take out and retract her wings, and how to fly. I almost never, and I mean NEVER, have dreams about the books that I am reading. Somehow, I managed to have a dream about flying last night when I had started writing this review, and it almost parallelled the book experience. It was also a really awesome dream. Coincidence? I think not. The flying was definitely one of my favorite parts of the book.
I appreciated the fact that Ryn knew some things about the magical world before becoming an Angel. Of course, she didn't know exactly how to do things, and mostly just used her powers by accident. She had been seeing the demons for years though, and so she wasn't one of those characters who blatantly denies that they are special and causes extra trouble. She wasn't completely calm, but she didn't do anything dumb.
I am definitely excited for the next book in the series! I hope to binge the rest of the trilogy over the weekend so that I can find out how Ryn changes in the future novels. This book just moved so smoothly after the beginning that I found myself speeding to the end. Since I have the box set, I almost started flowing right into the second novel in the series before I realized that I had finished the first!
I would recommend this to lovers of YA urban fantasy with characters that aren't boringly typical.
I received a copy of this book and this is my voluntary review.
The other thing that I enjoyed was that Ryn's mother didn't just give her daughter up and allow her to just leave and join the magical crew. She was still wary of what was going on, to Ryn's disappointment, and didn't just stop parenting like most YA parents do. It made Ryn feel like a true teenage girl and not some sort of super-independent teenager.
I'll have to admit, it took me a bit of time to get into this book. Nevertheless, by the time I got the middle, I was completely drawn in. I think that the scene that really stood out to me was when Ryn was learning how to take out and retract her wings, and how to fly. I almost never, and I mean NEVER, have dreams about the books that I am reading. Somehow, I managed to have a dream about flying last night when I had started writing this review, and it almost parallelled the book experience. It was also a really awesome dream. Coincidence? I think not. The flying was definitely one of my favorite parts of the book.
I appreciated the fact that Ryn knew some things about the magical world before becoming an Angel. Of course, she didn't know exactly how to do things, and mostly just used her powers by accident. She had been seeing the demons for years though, and so she wasn't one of those characters who blatantly denies that they are special and causes extra trouble. She wasn't completely calm, but she didn't do anything dumb.
I am definitely excited for the next book in the series! I hope to binge the rest of the trilogy over the weekend so that I can find out how Ryn changes in the future novels. This book just moved so smoothly after the beginning that I found myself speeding to the end. Since I have the box set, I almost started flowing right into the second novel in the series before I realized that I had finished the first!
I would recommend this to lovers of YA urban fantasy with characters that aren't boringly typical.
I received a copy of this book and this is my voluntary review.
November 14, 2022
TLDR: Protagonist moves into a midwestern small town and finds out that she and all her new friends are actually Angels, that some lady named Grace chose her to be the second coming of a non-denominational messiah, and demons are specifically after her booty.
4/10 -> 2/5 final rating
Disclaimer: I ‘read’ Chosen by Grace, as an audiobook.
The Positives
+ Best friend character is a good friend. I like her.
+ The Mom is the most real character in the book. Gotta love/hate parents that sort of care for you and are somewhat there for you in your darkest moments.
+ There is one demon in the story that did a good job of demoning.
+ A good chunk of the book was pyromaniac flying teenagers having fun before school starts and that’s perfect fine fun.
The Negatives
(-) I’m indifferent to the protagonist. Things happen to her, but she doesn’t cause things to happen. I also have no idea why Grace specifically chose them.
(-) The main antagonist, the booty hunting demon, evaporated my brain cells every time he talked. I’m only fine with a villain doing physic damage to me as long as I get a laugh from it, but it did not happen.
(-) Book’s pretty infodumpy and does a lot more telling than showing, not going to lie. The friends had to sacrifice their flavor in order to spend time to become the protagonist’s history teacher.
4/10 -> 2/5 final rating
Disclaimer: I ‘read’ Chosen by Grace, as an audiobook.
The Positives
+ Best friend character is a good friend. I like her.
+ The Mom is the most real character in the book. Gotta love/hate parents that sort of care for you and are somewhat there for you in your darkest moments.
+ There is one demon in the story that did a good job of demoning.
+ A good chunk of the book was pyromaniac flying teenagers having fun before school starts and that’s perfect fine fun.
The Negatives
(-) I’m indifferent to the protagonist. Things happen to her, but she doesn’t cause things to happen. I also have no idea why Grace specifically chose them.
(-) The main antagonist, the booty hunting demon, evaporated my brain cells every time he talked. I’m only fine with a villain doing physic damage to me as long as I get a laugh from it, but it did not happen.
(-) Book’s pretty infodumpy and does a lot more telling than showing, not going to lie. The friends had to sacrifice their flavor in order to spend time to become the protagonist’s history teacher.
October 28, 2018
The good thing.. it was a fairly short read. Otherwise, a typical YA novel. Almost seemed more geared to early teens.
The characters... didn't really draw me in.
The story... to much important information being withheld from Ryn and no one seemed that concerned about demons hanging out in Eagle Valley (on quite a mission apparently - see above withheld information).
It felt more like an 18 piece puzzle for a kid and not a 250 piece puzzle for an adult. Or a video game on the easiest setting. Simple and easy. Is that a weird way to describe a book?
Wasn't bad, just wasn't outstanding either. It gets a solid two star OK rating.
The characters... didn't really draw me in.
The story... to much important information being withheld from Ryn and no one seemed that concerned about demons hanging out in Eagle Valley (on quite a mission apparently - see above withheld information).
It felt more like an 18 piece puzzle for a kid and not a 250 piece puzzle for an adult. Or a video game on the easiest setting. Simple and easy. Is that a weird way to describe a book?
Wasn't bad, just wasn't outstanding either. It gets a solid two star OK rating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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April 20, 2018Request a free review copy here: [closed - other review opportunities found here]
April 13, 2018
This is my review of the audio version as posted on Audible:
OK, first of all, it's 3.5 stars for the story but I rounded it up to 4 here, on Goodreads.
"Chosen by Grace" is my introduction to the writing skills of Alicia Rades, and on the whole it's quite a good experience. Although I'm not a young adult any more (way past beyond it, really:)), working with 17-19-year-olds on daily basis, having insight into their way of thinking, I like books written for that audience and I look for them quite often. So, I've read a good share of them so far and I have to tell you, most of them seem formulaic, schematic and predictable. This one, however, though still a bit predictable, following the rule: a girl discovers she's magical, she's saved by a handsome dude she instantly falls for (for no obvious reasons but the fact that he's handsome and rescues her) and then is expected to fulfill a prophecy/save the world/you name it, has also some unexpected twists on old tropes and brilliant imagery.
What I think are the strenghts of the book? The interesting take on the genealogy of creatures we call angels and demons; although it's also its weakness in a way. It may feel informative on the pages, but while you listen to an audio version, the information, containing a ot of strange names which you can't see, just hear, is given so fast and in such abundance that I still don't really understand it. I'd have to listen to it again to fully grasp the idea.
Another strength is Ms Rade's ability of vivid description; the final battle is wonderfully depicted, with a lot of suspence and emotions, and with the situation changing at a really fast pace, as it should be when it comes to serious fights... The flying lesson is also beautiful both in how it is shown and how Ryn's feelings are conveyed to the listener.
So what did I find faulty with it? Well, there are a few improbabilities when it comes to the characters' behaviour; some reactions to some events are either too weak or too, well, sane... I also had a feeling that some scenes were totally unnecessary and didn't serve the plot in any way, not even to explain or justify someone's actions (like the whole plotline involving the school rivalry - what is it there for? It has nothing to do with the main plot, it doesn't really jeopardize the relationship between Ryn and Marek, it doesn't even explain anything about Marek's past.... Unless it's there to be developed in future books - but I still think it could have been totally omitted...)
As for the narration by Ms Natalie Naudus, it's quite fast, but still clear enough. Although there were a few instances when male voices sounded a bit too similar to one another, I still was able not to lose the track of who's speaking, so that's OK. On the whole, it's a sound interpretation of the book.
So, generally, although it may not be the greatest book in the genre, it is still good enough to give you about 4 hours of fun and make you want to listen to the next book in the series (probably:))
DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
OK, first of all, it's 3.5 stars for the story but I rounded it up to 4 here, on Goodreads.
"Chosen by Grace" is my introduction to the writing skills of Alicia Rades, and on the whole it's quite a good experience. Although I'm not a young adult any more (way past beyond it, really:)), working with 17-19-year-olds on daily basis, having insight into their way of thinking, I like books written for that audience and I look for them quite often. So, I've read a good share of them so far and I have to tell you, most of them seem formulaic, schematic and predictable. This one, however, though still a bit predictable, following the rule: a girl discovers she's magical, she's saved by a handsome dude she instantly falls for (for no obvious reasons but the fact that he's handsome and rescues her) and then is expected to fulfill a prophecy/save the world/you name it, has also some unexpected twists on old tropes and brilliant imagery.
What I think are the strenghts of the book? The interesting take on the genealogy of creatures we call angels and demons; although it's also its weakness in a way. It may feel informative on the pages, but while you listen to an audio version, the information, containing a ot of strange names which you can't see, just hear, is given so fast and in such abundance that I still don't really understand it. I'd have to listen to it again to fully grasp the idea.
Another strength is Ms Rade's ability of vivid description; the final battle is wonderfully depicted, with a lot of suspence and emotions, and with the situation changing at a really fast pace, as it should be when it comes to serious fights... The flying lesson is also beautiful both in how it is shown and how Ryn's feelings are conveyed to the listener.
So what did I find faulty with it? Well, there are a few improbabilities when it comes to the characters' behaviour; some reactions to some events are either too weak or too, well, sane... I also had a feeling that some scenes were totally unnecessary and didn't serve the plot in any way, not even to explain or justify someone's actions (like the whole plotline involving the school rivalry - what is it there for? It has nothing to do with the main plot, it doesn't really jeopardize the relationship between Ryn and Marek, it doesn't even explain anything about Marek's past.... Unless it's there to be developed in future books - but I still think it could have been totally omitted...)
As for the narration by Ms Natalie Naudus, it's quite fast, but still clear enough. Although there were a few instances when male voices sounded a bit too similar to one another, I still was able not to lose the track of who's speaking, so that's OK. On the whole, it's a sound interpretation of the book.
So, generally, although it may not be the greatest book in the genre, it is still good enough to give you about 4 hours of fun and make you want to listen to the next book in the series (probably:))
DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
June 8, 2019
“We believe you have the Power of Grace. Marek knew when he first met you. It’s evidenced in the colour of your essence - purple. Most Davina can only conjure white essence. Yours, Ryn, is special.”
When Ryn moves to Eagle Valley with her mother, she hopes for a fresh start with a chance to lay down roots. While at a party with her friend Allie, Ryn is shocked when they are attacked by a demon. Acting on pure instinct, she is able to conjure essence and inadvertently kills him.
Ryn comes to learn that the demons she has been able to see since childhood are in fact real and that she belongs to a divine race of angels who are tasked with protecting humans from demons who feed off their life force/essence. Due to the unique colour of her essence, Ryn is told that she is a conduit for Grace, the last surviving Davina who stayed behind to seal the portals between Vehana and Malum. Now that her powers have manifested in Ryn, it means that the lines between the realms are weakening. They must now awaken the power of Grace and identify the portal that poses the threat in order to stop the apocalypse. Unfortunately a demon wants Ryn’s power for himself and will stop at nothing to get it.
Chosen by Grace is the first instalment of the Divine Fate trilogy. The strength of the book lies in the
intriguing world building that the author has depicted and the interesting variation on the usual angels v demons lore that I’m accustomed to.
“We’re not angels or demons. We’re similar, but the stories have it all wrong. We’re where the stories of angels and demons come from, but we prefer not to use the terms as we have no religious affiliations. Not with any modern religion anyway.”
Primarily the Davina are the offspring of the Divinities, powerful godlike creatures who started the world. The Ades are similar to demons and are the offspring of the lesser gods, known as the Sanctities. While the Davina were gifted the realm of Vehena, the Sanctities were stripped of their immortality and banished to Malum for having forbidden offspring. A second Curse was placed on the Sanctities which prevented them from seeing, hearing and interacting with their children in order to prevent alliances and more offspring. A war has brewed between them ever since.
While the world building is exceptional, I felt that the characterisation suffered especially as the length of the book was short. I didn’t connect with any of the characters on an emotional level. Also I felt that the book lacked tension and suspense. I hope this will be rectified in the next instalment. I have a niggling feeling that Ryn’s mother knows more than she lets on and is hiding something which might explain her overprotective nature. I’m also looking forward to learning more about Marek’s past and the reason behind the scars on his back.
Plot wise this was an encouraging start and ideal for fans of angels, demons and paranormal romance.
I received a advanced free audible copy of Chosen By Grace which was read by the excellent Natalie Naudus and I am voluntarily reviewing it.
When Ryn moves to Eagle Valley with her mother, she hopes for a fresh start with a chance to lay down roots. While at a party with her friend Allie, Ryn is shocked when they are attacked by a demon. Acting on pure instinct, she is able to conjure essence and inadvertently kills him.
Ryn comes to learn that the demons she has been able to see since childhood are in fact real and that she belongs to a divine race of angels who are tasked with protecting humans from demons who feed off their life force/essence. Due to the unique colour of her essence, Ryn is told that she is a conduit for Grace, the last surviving Davina who stayed behind to seal the portals between Vehana and Malum. Now that her powers have manifested in Ryn, it means that the lines between the realms are weakening. They must now awaken the power of Grace and identify the portal that poses the threat in order to stop the apocalypse. Unfortunately a demon wants Ryn’s power for himself and will stop at nothing to get it.
Chosen by Grace is the first instalment of the Divine Fate trilogy. The strength of the book lies in the
intriguing world building that the author has depicted and the interesting variation on the usual angels v demons lore that I’m accustomed to.
“We’re not angels or demons. We’re similar, but the stories have it all wrong. We’re where the stories of angels and demons come from, but we prefer not to use the terms as we have no religious affiliations. Not with any modern religion anyway.”
Primarily the Davina are the offspring of the Divinities, powerful godlike creatures who started the world. The Ades are similar to demons and are the offspring of the lesser gods, known as the Sanctities. While the Davina were gifted the realm of Vehena, the Sanctities were stripped of their immortality and banished to Malum for having forbidden offspring. A second Curse was placed on the Sanctities which prevented them from seeing, hearing and interacting with their children in order to prevent alliances and more offspring. A war has brewed between them ever since.
While the world building is exceptional, I felt that the characterisation suffered especially as the length of the book was short. I didn’t connect with any of the characters on an emotional level. Also I felt that the book lacked tension and suspense. I hope this will be rectified in the next instalment. I have a niggling feeling that Ryn’s mother knows more than she lets on and is hiding something which might explain her overprotective nature. I’m also looking forward to learning more about Marek’s past and the reason behind the scars on his back.
Plot wise this was an encouraging start and ideal for fans of angels, demons and paranormal romance.
I received a advanced free audible copy of Chosen By Grace which was read by the excellent Natalie Naudus and I am voluntarily reviewing it.
June 6, 2020
I am happy to report that Alicia was able to create a new variation on the Angel genre. There was still the ultimate conflict between good and evil but the religious connotations were removed and instead the Davina are offspring from the Divinities, powerful godlike creatures who started the world. The Aedes are similar to demons but have different kinds of powers and relationship dynamics with humans, still full of evil intent but slightly justified in my opinion. I won't say too much more about the world in case of spoiling the surprises, but I thought the way the magic or essence rather manifested was interesting as well as the tie in to the name of the book was just about perfect and unpredictable.
Not only was there magic, a war between good and evil, a vendetta, a great friend dynamic, regular high school drama, mystery and secrets, but there was also a dash of romance. I am almost always a fan of romance sprinkled in my stories and this was no different. I did happen to see it as soon as the love interest was introduced but I still enjoyed their relationship build as well as the fact it was not super angsty or a love triangle. Keep in mind that this was pretty pg when it came to romance, maybe more pg-13 when dealing with the violence.
This is just the start of what looks like an epic series. The initial conflict was resolved within these pages, but that is a hint of the war that is to come. There was no cliff hanger ending which I appreciated, but the adventure is not even a little bit over. This was a fast and fun YA paranormal read perfect for a lazy afternoon.
I listened to this book at 1.35x
Author::: Alicia Rades
Plot. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars
Story. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars & why
Can't wait for 2rd book.
Heat. 🔥🔥flames
"This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review"
Not only was there magic, a war between good and evil, a vendetta, a great friend dynamic, regular high school drama, mystery and secrets, but there was also a dash of romance. I am almost always a fan of romance sprinkled in my stories and this was no different. I did happen to see it as soon as the love interest was introduced but I still enjoyed their relationship build as well as the fact it was not super angsty or a love triangle. Keep in mind that this was pretty pg when it came to romance, maybe more pg-13 when dealing with the violence.
This is just the start of what looks like an epic series. The initial conflict was resolved within these pages, but that is a hint of the war that is to come. There was no cliff hanger ending which I appreciated, but the adventure is not even a little bit over. This was a fast and fun YA paranormal read perfect for a lazy afternoon.
I listened to this book at 1.35x
Author::: Alicia Rades
Plot. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars
Story. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars & why
Can't wait for 2rd book.
Heat. 🔥🔥flames
"This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review"
December 4, 2019
Title: Chosen By Grace
Author: Alicia Rades, Narrated by Natalie Naudus
Publisher: Crystallite Publishing
ISBN: B078HXDJX
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
Divine Fate 1
She thought the demons were in her head... until the night they attacked.
Ryn Tyler didn't intend to kill a demon when she moved to Eagle Valley—or to become the hero of a divine race of angels. She just wants to be a normal teenager, but fate has other plans.
While discovering the secrets of the supernatural, Ryn navigates a complicated relationship with Marek, the guy who can't stop saving her life. But Marek knows more about Ryn's magic than he's letting on.
Only Ryn has the power to stop the coming apocalypse. But there's a demon in Eagle Valley who wants that power for himself—and if Ryn wants to survive, she'll have to fight back.
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
All of Ryn’s life everyone thought she was crazy because she heard and saw things that no one else did. Ryn arrived at her Eagle Valley in hopes of a new start, but what she finds could change everything she ever knew about herself. There is more to the world than Ryn knows, but finally she is not alone.
There is more than meets the eye in Eagle Valley and Ryn may finally have the answers to many questions if she and her friends survive the danger ahead.
This was a fast paced and intricate paranormal series and it has just begun. The narrator for this audio-book brought each character to life for the enjoyment of the audience.
Author: Alicia Rades, Narrated by Natalie Naudus
Publisher: Crystallite Publishing
ISBN: B078HXDJX
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
Divine Fate 1
She thought the demons were in her head... until the night they attacked.
Ryn Tyler didn't intend to kill a demon when she moved to Eagle Valley—or to become the hero of a divine race of angels. She just wants to be a normal teenager, but fate has other plans.
While discovering the secrets of the supernatural, Ryn navigates a complicated relationship with Marek, the guy who can't stop saving her life. But Marek knows more about Ryn's magic than he's letting on.
Only Ryn has the power to stop the coming apocalypse. But there's a demon in Eagle Valley who wants that power for himself—and if Ryn wants to survive, she'll have to fight back.
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
All of Ryn’s life everyone thought she was crazy because she heard and saw things that no one else did. Ryn arrived at her Eagle Valley in hopes of a new start, but what she finds could change everything she ever knew about herself. There is more to the world than Ryn knows, but finally she is not alone.
There is more than meets the eye in Eagle Valley and Ryn may finally have the answers to many questions if she and her friends survive the danger ahead.
This was a fast paced and intricate paranormal series and it has just begun. The narrator for this audio-book brought each character to life for the enjoyment of the audience.
July 22, 2018
The main character Ryn is an older teenager who lives with her mom. Things are tough between them. They constantly move and her mom’s interests and hobbies change often. They move to Eagle Valley and here Ryn befriends another girl. One night they go out to have some fun and she meets Marek and some demons. The reality of her world changes here. Some other characters come into play and now Ryn needs to deal with the revelation she’s an “angel” and learn how to control her magic. Of course there is also the impending apocalypse.
This is the first book I’ve read/listened to by this author and I would listen to another. I enjoyed the personality of Ryn. She’s a little sarcastic and quite self reliant. I like the story thread involving her schoolmates. This is not a stand alone book since it does not have a resolution . There is a lead up to the next one.
This is the first book I’ve listened to by this narrator (Natalie Naudus) and I would definitely listen to another. The character voices were well done and the story brought to life. It is a good listen
Despite Audiobook Boom giving this a violence and language rating there is no excessive violence or swearing. I’m not sure, but I think one character may swear a couple times, but that’s all I remember. There are no explicit sex scenes.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and voluntarily left this unbiased review
This is the first book I’ve read/listened to by this author and I would listen to another. I enjoyed the personality of Ryn. She’s a little sarcastic and quite self reliant. I like the story thread involving her schoolmates. This is not a stand alone book since it does not have a resolution . There is a lead up to the next one.
This is the first book I’ve listened to by this narrator (Natalie Naudus) and I would definitely listen to another. The character voices were well done and the story brought to life. It is a good listen
Despite Audiobook Boom giving this a violence and language rating there is no excessive violence or swearing. I’m not sure, but I think one character may swear a couple times, but that’s all I remember. There are no explicit sex scenes.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and voluntarily left this unbiased review
February 1, 2020
She thought the demons were only in her head...until she was attacked.
Angels and Demons just a fairy tale or so much more. Ryn and her mother are always on the move. This time the move is to Eagle Valley. A town of many mysteries and secrets. Ryn has always been a special girl with many “imaginary” friends. However, what she learns in Eagle Valley will change her world forever. She is the chosen one meant to save the humans and the davina from the demons.
I really enjoyed reading this start of this trilogy. If you are looking for a good paranormal story about new age demons and angels with lots of action then this book is for you. I like how detailed their world is as well as learning about Ryns past as well as getting to see her character development as she grows to learn what she is and learns to use her powers. I am excited to see how much these characters will grow in the next book. I really enjoyed learning about the powers of the davina and how they deferrer from davina to davina as well as their appearance of their wings. I also like the roles that her friends play and like the friend group aspect of the book. I look forward to continuing on with this trilogy!
Angels and Demons just a fairy tale or so much more. Ryn and her mother are always on the move. This time the move is to Eagle Valley. A town of many mysteries and secrets. Ryn has always been a special girl with many “imaginary” friends. However, what she learns in Eagle Valley will change her world forever. She is the chosen one meant to save the humans and the davina from the demons.
I really enjoyed reading this start of this trilogy. If you are looking for a good paranormal story about new age demons and angels with lots of action then this book is for you. I like how detailed their world is as well as learning about Ryns past as well as getting to see her character development as she grows to learn what she is and learns to use her powers. I am excited to see how much these characters will grow in the next book. I really enjoyed learning about the powers of the davina and how they deferrer from davina to davina as well as their appearance of their wings. I also like the roles that her friends play and like the friend group aspect of the book. I look forward to continuing on with this trilogy!
February 25, 2018
I RECEIVED THIS AN ADVANCED COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM THE AUTHOR IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW. THIS DOES NOT AFFECT MY VIEWS OR OPINIONS.
Chosen by Grace was a great book that I had a hard time putting down once I started it.
I felt like Ryn was a great character. She is a pretty realistic teenager. This is the first Alicia Rades book that I've read where the characters swear, and I honestly don't mind it. It makes the teenagers more realistic because most teenagers do swear at least occasionally. I also liked how the writing was descriptive.
This book has a great plot. It is very fast-paced and always kept me guessing. I appreciated how Alicia made Ryn learn more about her ability as the story went on, and didn't just pretend that Ryn already knew everything. Ryn fighting with the demons was probably my favorite part of the book because she was very empathetic. I also really liked how there were a few small romances in this story. It made me like the story more but didn't take away from the suspense.
I was so mad at the way that this book ended. I can't wait to read book two.
I highly recommend that anybody looking for a good fantasy story picks this book up.
Chosen by Grace was a great book that I had a hard time putting down once I started it.
I felt like Ryn was a great character. She is a pretty realistic teenager. This is the first Alicia Rades book that I've read where the characters swear, and I honestly don't mind it. It makes the teenagers more realistic because most teenagers do swear at least occasionally. I also liked how the writing was descriptive.
This book has a great plot. It is very fast-paced and always kept me guessing. I appreciated how Alicia made Ryn learn more about her ability as the story went on, and didn't just pretend that Ryn already knew everything. Ryn fighting with the demons was probably my favorite part of the book because she was very empathetic. I also really liked how there were a few small romances in this story. It made me like the story more but didn't take away from the suspense.
I was so mad at the way that this book ended. I can't wait to read book two.
I highly recommend that anybody looking for a good fantasy story picks this book up.
June 12, 2019
This was a great series starter! I was excited and intrigued that this book was based on angel mythology and Alicia managed to make it unique so it wasn’t quite the same as others like it. Ryn always felt she was different, but when she moved to Eagle Valley everything changed. She finds out that she’s a Davina and has a larger purpose in life. She must learn to accept her legacy and who she truly is and learn how to access and control her new found powers. This book had insta love, magic, friendship, action, a prophecy, and an ongoing battle of good vs evil. The character descriptions and world building were amazing and I loved learning the history of angels and demons. I really liked Ryn as a character- she’s headstrong, strong willed, and still has normal teenager problems.
Natalie did a really good job with this narration! Each character had a different voice and it was easy to distinguish who was talking. She put so much emotion and enthusiasm into her performance that brought the story to life.
*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Natalie did a really good job with this narration! Each character had a different voice and it was easy to distinguish who was talking. She put so much emotion and enthusiasm into her performance that brought the story to life.
*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
February 26, 2018
The first book in a new series by Alicia Rades. I have to admit that I love her books. I was really excited when I read the premise for her new series and was not disappointed. The lead character Ryn has been moving around with her mom from place to place. she finally gets to pick the location and arrives at Eagle Valley. While she gets settled in she meets new friends and learns that she has powers to battle the Aedes or as she calls them devils.
I read this book in one sitting. It was a fast read that was paced well. I enjoyed meeting the new characters and getting a glimpse into their lives. As it is a series, I am guessing there is much more to learn about them. My favorite character is Ryn as we get to see things through her eyes and discover them as she does. I am also very interested in Fletcher , a teacher at Ryn's new school. I have a feeling he has quite a few stories to tell.
I would highly recommend this book to those who love YA Paranormal/Fantasy. It is a fantastic start to a new series. I can't wait to read the next one!
I read this book in one sitting. It was a fast read that was paced well. I enjoyed meeting the new characters and getting a glimpse into their lives. As it is a series, I am guessing there is much more to learn about them. My favorite character is Ryn as we get to see things through her eyes and discover them as she does. I am also very interested in Fletcher , a teacher at Ryn's new school. I have a feeling he has quite a few stories to tell.
I would highly recommend this book to those who love YA Paranormal/Fantasy. It is a fantastic start to a new series. I can't wait to read the next one!
May 1, 2022
DNF.
I don't usually review books that I didn't get very far into, since it's not really fair but I've been having a hard time finding books I enjoy lately and my list of DNF's are piling up so high I'm forgetting what I didn't like about them, hence the review today.
I may give this one another try one day, but that day will have to wait till I'm in an immature tweening mood. This is not that day.
I found the beginning of this book beyond irritating, from the high school party, to the drunken friend and weird 'attack' from the random frisky guy. She has some kind of weird explosion of power and the n can only focus on how crazy the boy must be that keeps asking her questions and making references to powers. It literally doesn't occur to her to wonder if there's something more going on, you know, cause she just had a weird glowing power display. No, all she can focus on is that this guy must be crazy. Or maybe she drank too much after all. Maybe she passed out.
Blah. Hard pass for me.
I don't usually review books that I didn't get very far into, since it's not really fair but I've been having a hard time finding books I enjoy lately and my list of DNF's are piling up so high I'm forgetting what I didn't like about them, hence the review today.
I may give this one another try one day, but that day will have to wait till I'm in an immature tweening mood. This is not that day.
I found the beginning of this book beyond irritating, from the high school party, to the drunken friend and weird 'attack' from the random frisky guy. She has some kind of weird explosion of power and the n can only focus on how crazy the boy must be that keeps asking her questions and making references to powers. It literally doesn't occur to her to wonder if there's something more going on, you know, cause she just had a weird glowing power display. No, all she can focus on is that this guy must be crazy. Or maybe she drank too much after all. Maybe she passed out.
Blah. Hard pass for me.
August 7, 2025
This is the first book in the Divine Fate trilogy by Alicia Rades. Ryn Tyler is a teenager girl haunted by terrifying visions of demons she thought were in her head. Ryn discovers she is an angel with powers to stop a demonic war, navigating complicated relationships and battling evil forces. When Ryn is attacked at a party in her new hometown of Eagle Valley, she discovers that demons are real, which awakens an ancient power inside her. Ryn attends Galen High, a magical school for angels and is rescued by the mysterious and brooding Marek. Ryn is thrust into a hidden world of celestial beings and supernatural warfare. She learns she’s been chosen by grace, marked to wield a divine power that could stop an impending apocalypse. But there is a demon in Eagle Valley who wants her power for himself, and if Ryn wants to survive, she’ll have to fight back. This is a story about discovering your strength, facing your fears, and choosing who you want to be when fate hands you the impossible. I really enjoyed this fantastic young adult paranormal fantasy novel.
August 16, 2025
This is the first book in the Divine Fate trilogy by Alicia Rades. Ryn Tyler is a teenager girl haunted by terrifying visions of demons she thought were in her head. Ryn discovers she is an angel with powers to stop a demonic war, navigating complicated relationships and battling evil forces. When Ryn is attacked at a party in her new hometown of Eagle Valley, she discovers that demons are real, which awakens an ancient power inside her. Ryn attends Galen High, a magical school for angels and is rescued by the mysterious and brooding Marek. Ryn is thrust into a hidden world of celestial beings and supernatural warfare. She learns she’s been chosen by grace, marked to wield a divine power that could stop an impending apocalypse. But there is a demon in Eagle Valley who wants her power for himself, and if Ryn wants to survive, she’ll have to fight back. This is a story about discovering your strength, facing your fears, and choosing who you want to be when fate hands you the impossible.
I really enjoyed this fantastic young adult paranormal fantasy novel.
I really enjoyed this fantastic young adult paranormal fantasy novel.
February 28, 2018
I was given the privilege of ready an early ARC copy of Chosen by Grace for an honest review.
Once again, the author Alicia Rades has created another wonderful story. I was not disappointed, and it was difficult to put the book down. The characters, each have their own beautiful personalities and gifts. Ryn is a teen who has lived in many different towns, has cared for her mother, as her mother seems to be the gypsy type of parent, who cannot stay in one place for very long. Ryn’s mother gave her daughter the opportunity to select the next town where she and her mother would live. Knowing nothing about the town, Ryn instinctively made a choice. Was it fate she chose this town? Was it her destiny? It seems to be the best place for Ryn. As the story unfolds, we discover, as does a surprised Ryn, what she is capable of doing. All ages will love this book.
I can’t wait for the next book in the series. I highly recommend Chosen by Grace.
Once again, the author Alicia Rades has created another wonderful story. I was not disappointed, and it was difficult to put the book down. The characters, each have their own beautiful personalities and gifts. Ryn is a teen who has lived in many different towns, has cared for her mother, as her mother seems to be the gypsy type of parent, who cannot stay in one place for very long. Ryn’s mother gave her daughter the opportunity to select the next town where she and her mother would live. Knowing nothing about the town, Ryn instinctively made a choice. Was it fate she chose this town? Was it her destiny? It seems to be the best place for Ryn. As the story unfolds, we discover, as does a surprised Ryn, what she is capable of doing. All ages will love this book.
I can’t wait for the next book in the series. I highly recommend Chosen by Grace.
March 31, 2018
Received from Xpresso Book Tours
I really enjoyed reading Chosen by Grace. Story in on the lighter side, so it was perfect book to read after major slump I've been in. Ryn and her mom don't have the best relationship. The are constantly moving from town to town. Ryn has always been able to see demons, but was convinced it's just in her head.
Moving to Eagle Valley will change her life for ever. One night at the party, she gets attacked by one of the demons. She discovers she has powers and that there are other people like her.
Even though road to discovery wasn't smooth, she found a place to belong.
I love the magical structure and the mythology created, it very refreshing new take on angels/demons and I love reading about it. I wish there was more written about it, maybe in the next one. :)
It's very well written and fast paced, I've read it in one sitting and loved every page. :)
I really enjoyed reading Chosen by Grace. Story in on the lighter side, so it was perfect book to read after major slump I've been in. Ryn and her mom don't have the best relationship. The are constantly moving from town to town. Ryn has always been able to see demons, but was convinced it's just in her head.
Moving to Eagle Valley will change her life for ever. One night at the party, she gets attacked by one of the demons. She discovers she has powers and that there are other people like her.
Even though road to discovery wasn't smooth, she found a place to belong.
I love the magical structure and the mythology created, it very refreshing new take on angels/demons and I love reading about it. I wish there was more written about it, maybe in the next one. :)
It's very well written and fast paced, I've read it in one sitting and loved every page. :)
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