Everything I was told about Heaven and Hell was wrong. Now I know the truth.
When I left home six years ago, all I wanted was a normal life, and I am pretty happy with what I’ve found. An apartment, friends, a bar job in my favourite club. Life is just fine.
But when my eccentric adoptive mother goes missing, I find out that she was so much more than I thought. A witch working for the Concordia - guardians that maintain the balance between Heaven and Hell on earth and protect humanity from their inhabitants.
Discovering I have supernatural powers of my own that she kept hidden from me all these years is just another fight my mother and I will be having when I finally track her down. At least I have help. Going on the hunt for her with five powerful (and majorly sexy) guardians on my side, I think my chances look pretty good. I will find her. Even if it kills me.
Problem is, it very well might.
Nephilim the Awakening is a steamy reverse harem novel for readers 18+. Possibly triggers include sexual abuse, torture and graphic violence.
Anyone read Clueless Magic? Remember how the FeMC is so quirky that ancient demons are bending over, slapping their knees in laughter? Yeah, that happens here, too. The FeMC is so witty that ancient male angels and demons giggle (yes, GIGGLE) and practically pee their pants. She's so hot that men will approach her for threesomes while holding their beau's hand, and stoic angels will get boners while she vividly describes sex. I ain't buying it.
To make Cas an ex, we get a horrid account of how a group of thugs held Faith down, cut her up, raped her, and said, "The Lannisters Cas sends his regards." Then when Cas shows up at the hospital all concerned, she has him arrested. Maybe it's just me, but if that happened, there's a high chance these assholes set Cas up, but nooooooooo. Faith refuses to believe him even after his explanation years later. What does he have to gain by lying now? If he had done it, I doubt he'd have denied it at the hospital. Ugh.
God made humans in his image and doesn't make mistakes, but apparently the bible got it right and homosexuality is a huge sin. Right. Sure. How about not?
Sometimes something that happens later in the book contradicts what happens earlier. Faith has sex with Sam, Amadi, and Alexei no problem, but when it's Cas's turn, he sees her scars (never mentioned previously), and Faith wails because she's too ugly to fuck. Uh-huh. Or whenever Faith accuses Cas of sending thugs to attack her, and he's all "I have no idea what you're on about" for 75% of the book, then suddenly he knows all about the attack because the thugs showed him video and pictures right after, and he feels guilt every day. Except the days between one percent and seventy-five percent of the book, apparently.
If the title isn't obvious, Faith is a Nephilim. When does she find out? At 99% of the book. Are you kidding me?
Nope, this book just plummeted and never arose back from the sharp dive it took. The fmc went from a confident , badass cool woman to a brainless horny , pathetic little wimp. Sam , A and A(forgot their names and quite frankly I really am not interested too in remembering their name because other than superficial lust between the three I couldn't find much chemistry) and hell Euriel to a teeny tiny bit were tolerable. Cas was an arsehole through and through but I still kinda liked his broody ass until the end when he spiller his guts and then I was like nope dude , sure you had a job but using someone like that is just bad bad and bad. I mean your job didn't tell you to have sex with your cover , when you were clearly lying your ass, it disgusted me. The fact that the fmc still felt lust towards a guy whom she suspected of something irredeemable literally made me so f*cking angry, and dissapointed at her. Hell after knowing the whole truth no self respecting dignified fmc would give someone another chance!!?? I don't understand why the authors tend to turn a good heroine into pathetic wimps. This book wasted my time, killed my brain cells , and was an utter crap.
I purchased this book via Amazon and am leaving my review voluntarily. This is the book 1 in the series.
Triggers: violence, kidnapping, memories of assault/rape, m/m interaction, mfm
Spoilers: Faith, adopted as a child but estranged from her mom after her father passes. independent and only interested in hookups because she was hurt in the past.
Alexei & Amadi, together but interested in Faith as well.
Sam, meets Faith and the two of them connect.
Cas, ex- bf, things ended badly between he and Faith.
Euriel. Brought in to "supervise". Stuffy. Not friendly. Seems to dislike Faith and the 4 guys.
I thought the author did a nice job blending bible mentions and her story. Questioning what we know or think we know about man, angels, demons and GOD.
I liked the references to the Book of Enoch. (I just bought that book myself.) Good vs Evil. Heaven and Hell. Paranormal happenings. Mystery. Violence. Misunderstandings. Sexy time. Continues in book 2. (June 18, 2021)
A fantastic debut! The plot was exciting, the characters intriguing and the mysteries compelling. Full of action and unexpected twists. Can’t wait to read the next one!
Came here based on one out of context quote on Tiktok, and nearly bailed out when I saw the goofy YA-vibes cover. But the promise of some good spicy scenes called to me, and I figured it'd be a quick read.
It was a quick read, but what I didn't expect was how good it was going to be! This is fantastic for a debut novel for an author, and I'm excited to read the rest of the books. I feel like it must go without saying at this point, but yes there are tropes and no this isn't some unique literary masterpiece. But what it is is entertaining, with a strong FMC, and unique men in the harem. Even one who isn't in insta-love with her. (Yes, there's some insta/fated mates sort of scenario, but for whatever reason it didn't bother me.) There's an actual plot and some tension, but no cliffhanger. The spice scenes aren't super frequent, but they're spaced throughout the book and they're top tier, no fade to black.
I will agree with the reviews that state that if Faith really believed that Cas sent three men to beat/stab/rape her, it's INSANE to think that she would have just accepted him back into her life, pre-explanation, chemistry or not. Definitely should have had a better backstory for their breakup and eventual reconcile, because that one is nuts.
2 & 1/2 stars rounded up. The flow is a bit erratic, a few times it had me toying with quitting altogether. This book is a bit confusing overall, a lot of little snippets of info is dumped on the reader thru the whole book, but I never really felt like I got enough to get the “world”, so I’d say the world building is lacking. The religious controversy was part of the confusion, it’s not that I’m a super religious person that’s offended by this, but it was just too out there for me to not be thinking this is just a little nuts. Saying all religions got parts right -is fine & I believe that, but then to contradict so much other stuff or add weird stuff, that just makes the story a bit out there in left field, it hurt more than helped. It just made it too all over the place to be comfortable with. Then the character development just wasn’t there, I just didn’t develop a “like” for any of the characters to want to continue with the series. I need to at least like the FMC (Faith) enough to care what happens to her. She just wasn’t likable for me. The relationships she has with the 4 guys felt forced, & more about the sex than anything. The M/M sex turning to M/F/M sex just felt like it was more for shock value than real connections. So if I can finish a book (even on a mild cliff-hanger like this one) & not think twice about what happens next, it’s a sign to not bother continuing.
I really enjoyed this book. I have read a decent amount of angel/demons/nephilim books and I enjoyed the take on this genre. I like that there was a mix of different worlds like shifters, witches etc but also gave different twists on how the world was created, heaven vs hell, versions of the bible etc. It kept the story interesting and gave it it's own unique twist that made me want to learn more.
I must say, I think I was much more into the mystery and potential lore than I was reading about the potential kind of romance that’s happening. It’s definitely a pretty quick burn book, there was some drama and acceptance. At least this type of, kind of, relationship can make sense with the story. I’m saying kind of to the relationship because it’s still being developed.
I’m looking forward to seeing what this author does with this world as well as solving the big mystery. I will be reading book two.
There are enough things I like about this book to want to give it 4 stars but there are enough little things that bug me.
The FMC gets pulled in to find her mother. When she gets pulled into an organization she doesn't bother to pack clothes, contact work, even take her motorcycle. All these things didn't track for how independent and responsible of an person she is. She leaves her apartment for the rest of the book and never once mentions money, paying bills, paying rent etc.
There are lots of times when the FMC gets dirty, beaten up, sweaty etc. Then she is ready to either go to bed or have sex. None of the characters seem to brush their teeth, shower, get ready for bed etc. There were a couple of scenes where the some of the characters were bloody and still no one seems to shower.
Positives: The characters that are immortal and have been around along time actually for the most part act mature.
The first book from Elizabeth Blackthorne....she's starting off with a bang! I have never seen an author's first book be this well written in a long time. I was truly surprised to have opened her Goodreads author page and saw that this book was the first book she's ever published. This book is an absolute banger of a reverse harem novel. I had managed to finish the book in a matter of hours. That's how good the book was. You're constantly left wanting more and wanting to know what happens next. Not a single dull moments to be found. There was tons of action to look forward to. I even did a whole blog post about the book (no spoilers, I promise), so check it out if you want to read my full thoughts on it. I can't wait for others to read this book!
I received a free copy of this book via the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I can’t get over the fact that this is Elizabeth’s debut book because I definitely couldn’t tell that it was. I was hooked from the very beginning and I found myself devouring this book as fast as I could.
I loved all of the different types of paranormal characters because they were all complex and intriguing in their own way. I really like a strong, fierce, sassy and kickass FMC which is what I got with Faith. It was so entertaining to watch her stand up for herself and not back down from anyone. I love all of the guys but I am drawn towards Alex because he is intelligent, kind and mysterious. He comes across as being shy but there is definitely more beneath the surface.
Okay so I definitely didn’t see any of those twists coming whatsoever and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
I recieved an advanced copy for free, and this is my honest opinion.
3.75 I really enjoyed the writing and the story overall, but certain elements took the rating down for me. Spoiler: In particular, there was a story arc (hate to love) between two of the characters that I just didn't love how the mystery/tension was resolved. Not only was it anticlimactic, but it just didn't really add up.
DNF at 31%. As soon as I read, “You a real woman? You eat proper food, right? Or do you prefer bowls of leaves? Please don’t tell me you’re a salad and smoothie only kind of girl?” I knew this wasn't for me.
I really enjoyed this first glimpse into the world of this series! While it went a bit fast at times, the overall story was captivating and the world-building was fantastic. It’s suspenseful, heartbreaking, and spicy all at once; pulling readers into its world of magic and mystery where a woman tries to figure out the truth of her past.
I was pleasantly surprised at the warning given at the beginning of this book that includes possible triggers as well as general content warnings. Having read the book, I strongly suggest readers take these warnings seriously. Safe reading is the best reading!
Twenty four year old Faith can’t catch a break. Between trying to find ways to avoid the horrific nightmares plaguing her whenever she tries to sleep and working at a club to make a living, thoughts of her estranged mother, Rose, keep popping into her head no matter how much she reminds herself of her mom’s past behaviour. To top it off, a weird voicemail from Rose throws her off balance, especially paired with the reappearance of her ex, Cas, who she’d rather die than trust again.
When they keep crossing paths, at her mother’s house no less, Faith has no choice but to trust Cas and his handsome friend, Sam, who insist they can help her find Rose whose sudden disappearance is looking more sinister than she first thought.
Eyes now open to a world she had no idea existed, Faith vows to help in the search for Rose even if it means spending time with Cas and his team. Though Sam, Amadi, and Alex welcome her with open arms (and other body parts 😉) she can’t shake the lingering hatred for Cas, and with a new addition to the team in the form of a self righteous angel named Euriel, she’s more out of her league than ever before. When complications arise and revelations shake her world to the core, Faith needs to decide if finding her mother is worth sticking around the man who betrayed her and his all too tempting team of supernaturals.
The world-building in this book is truly phenomenal! It slowly builds up to ease readers into things and avoids giving too much away at once, making it impossible to put down. The suspense in finding out the truth was one of my favourite parts, and the little bit of information we get is the perfect tease for the next books in the series.
As for the relationships between the MC and the men, they went a little too fast in my opinion but I understand why the author wanted a foundation of intimacy between them before the book ended. This is a fast-burn book for the most part, so while there’s tension between them, it’s either very brief or nonexistent, except for one pairing. That’s not a bad thing and it’s done well in the book, I just have a personal preference for the opposite. Regardless, I’m interested to know how the budding relationships grow as the series progresses.
This first book was a strong intro to the series, having fast-paced action, tear wrenching backstories, and a healthy dash of spice between the MCs that combined into an intriguing story that I can’t wait to finish.
So I enjoyed it because I ignored a handful of issues.
First, Cas doesn't understand why Faith hates him after her attack. Actually, he admits to hating her too because she believed the worst in him during the whole traumatic event. Faith was barely 18. He even said she was young, naive, and had low self-esteem. He was hiding shit from her, and she picked up on it. Then she is brutally attacked as a direct result of his words and actions by people she's seen him with, even showed picture evidence of it by the group that did it... and was still confused as to why she would believe it was his fault? Bitch. IT WAS! Maybe not how she understood it, but yes, it was his fault. He used her and put her in danger, knowing the risks without protecting her. I hate Cas. Whole-heartedly.
Second, it's problematic to have a high ranking Angel taking such an issue with Alex and Amadi. Calling them sinners and abominations and such. That's just asking for trouble. Especially since the Bible is a piece of literature that has been translated numerous times and is entirely up to the translators' interpretations. (Don't comment about this, I'm not debating it.)Even this story discusses how no religion is correct and the Bible has gotten a lot wrong. Maybe this will arise again as Euriel is further ingrained into the group?
Third, Hargraves or whatever his name was. Faith has a tendency to speak her mind and let her mouth get her in trouble. So why did she let this man, not only call her a whore, but also imply that her mother called her one, too? Her only argument was that she wouldn't do that in a professional setting and then let it go. I'm also suspicious of this man anyway. But I'll hold of until I read the rest of the books.
Fourth, why has she not figured out what Alex is? I feel like it's obvious? She's supposed to be smart. I mean, he's bit her twice.... *scratches head*
Fifth, it took a little bit to get into this story. It started really slow with her weird dream and a lot of inner monolog.
Otherwise, I really liked it. I like the premise. I love the guys (minus Cas). I like Faith. I'm intrigued enough to keep reading because I have questions and suspicions that I want answered.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Faith was just trying to have a fun night at work and maybe meet a guy to keep her company later on. Then the night turned into a complete crap shoot first with her very unwanted ex showing up, then being notified of a cryptic voicemail from her mom who she hasn’t talked to in years, and ending with the realization that Heaven and Hell might actually be real when a three headed hellhound wants to eat her face for dinner. Now she’s stuck in a safe house with a whole team of attractive men plus her ex who have been directed to keep her safe until they can figure out exactly what’s happening. Absolutely perfect, nothing can go wrong right?
This was so much fun and can I just say that this author sure as hell knows how to write some damn good smut! These men were amazing and I loved how quickly each of their unique personalities came forward in the story. Many times with reverse harems, I feel like there isn’t enough to really allow the reader to embrace the relationships the female lead has with each of them because you can never really tell them apart. That’s not the case here and I’m trying hard to pick my favorites.
The world building in this story was pretty solid and had me wanting to know more about the different beings who exist there. I’m definitely intrigued to see how Faith will fit into everything since she’s a very outspoken person in a world she didn’t grow up in. We got to see some of those moments already and I can’t wait to see how it shapes the rest of this story.
There were a lot of elements that went into this and I think the author did a solid job of addressing many of them, with one of the biggest being the unresolved and painful feelings between Faith and Cas. Watching how their past was handled and even finding out what it really was added to the story. I’m definitely excited to keep going and to find out more about all these men! Honestly, the only thing that annoyed me a bit was how much at times Faith made riding a motorcycle a little bit too much of a personality trait though the general sarcasm is still a great part of who she is.
Might contain some spoilers, so beware of them while reading this * * * * * * * I haven't read many Urban fantasies, so decided to give this a try. I will say the world and the backstories, the legend were okay, kind of kept my interest going. The plot was decent in the first half of the book. Overall, it would have been an okay read but then I felt several points that I didn't like at all.
1) Firstly, the guys. They were very passive or sometimes they would get aggressive while other times they would make jokes that made me hard to believe they lived for so many years on the earth. They sounded immature or like frat boys. Pretty lame.
2) I am so done with the "not like other girls" trope. At first, I thought this book was old enough that I could forgive certain flaws, but being released 3 years back isn't exactly old. So, I wasn't okay with certain things..... eat like a real woman? Listen, there are so many people who have health issues these days and they all need to be on diet or have to avoid eating junk or specific types of food. So, making fun of salad option as food shows the person as ignorant and nothing else.
3) Cas and Faith's backstory ...... How messed up was it!? I can't believe the author made them get back together right after revealing all that. Even if he didn't do it, he was still responsible somehow....and come on, the SA part was so glossed over like it was nothing when what happened to her was so traumatic. I didn't like how no one knew about her past and now the scars are gone. Yeah, no I am not happy with this book. Not sure if I will be reading the next. If I do read the next one, it will be only because I want to confirm my theory that she is Azreal's daughter.
World: modern day world with supernatural world being hidden from humans. There is a heaven and a hell but both are somewhat diverted from the traditional way of thinking about them.
MC: badass female, lonely, somewhat mysterious past, victim. She went from strong and independent to sad, broken and completely reliable on her guys over the course of the book...
Side Characters: mostly supernatural. Most of the SC were interesting enough and there is still enough to learn about them for future volumes. Some obvious stuff about them seems to elude the others.(turnoff for me)
Story: full of heartbreak and drama. Finding your way in a world that completely changed overnight. Hot and steamy scenes mixed in. Mystery and crime. Good flow, no real boring moments and good balance between the smoky hot and other stuff.
Sex scenes: totaly hot! Some steamy MM mixed in as well. Loved it!
Great read but not sure if I'm interested enough to go for the next book. The point where this one stopped had some promise, but also kinda obvious where it would go so will see if I get more interested again in the future or not. This first volume was certainly a good enough read for me though so I do recommand this to anyone who loves reading reversed harem/paranormal/all kinds of supernaturals/drama
This book falls right in the middle for me. There were parts I liked and parts I didn't. In the end, I found it interesting, but kind of similar to several other books out there. You have the special female and a group of men who protect/desire her, it just feels a little done. However, this is the first book of a series, so I wouldn't rule it out. The author does a good job at building the world, and I will say, for a reverse harem story, there is a lot more to the plot than there is about the budding relationships. I will say, I'm not crazy about the MC's past history with one of the guys...I get that it was supposed to build tension and give the MC a reason to have trust issues, but honestly? I find it just made the MC seem weak and indecisive because she struggled with what she thinks happened and her feelings. I would have felt better had they hashed it out in the beginning rather than have all those awkward, hormone-charged moments.
I liked it enough to try the second book, so I think if reverse harem's, supernatural creatures, and big, life-changing secrets are your thing, you'll probably like this one.
The writing, plot, and world building were interesting. The characters were missing a touch of something, but it is a bit more plot forward. I didn’t love the FMC Faith, she was okay, but I didn’t get bada$$ vibes from her, just brash, stubborn type ones more than anything. She does have the potential to be bad ass, but I’m pretty sure she’s got some leftover Oppositinal Defiant Disorder or something because she was def too damn much at some moments. While she was strong willed, and at times that was great, she also came off as more purposely defiant than independent or something. As for the guys, they were semi-interesting, we don’t really know much about anyone except Cas since he was the only other POV aside from Faith’s. There was a scene at 96% that made me go wtf and rant in my book group, but other than what I’ve griped about, the books are definitely GOOD indie books, especially on KU, they’re well written and developed, and you can tell the author has taken a lot of time with them.
When I first started reading this book, I wondered what I had gotten myself into. Our main character Faith, is not the badass the author wants her to be, at least not when you start out. She seems like she’s overly strong-willed and it’s a little bit of a put off. But once you dig deeper into the book, you find out why she’s the way she is, even if some of her reactions are a bit overdone. This is a twisted, dark fantasy romance that is setting up to be a reverse harem, and there is some MM and MMF action in this book. There is also some mentions of rape and torture for those that may trigger.
This turns into a very good story, with characters that are all very different and we see the growth of Faith as she finds out about the supernatural world and herself. This is not good vs. evil in the traditional sense, as some demons are not bad in this book, but the bad ones are truly despicable. As Faith navigates her new life, we will see how the twists and turns will get answered. This is a four book series and all are out now.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for knowing how important it is to edit your first book before you publish it.
It’s hard to believe this is Elizabeth Blackthorne’s first book. It was so well written and edited that you would think she is a seasoned veteran to the indie author world.
Now, as for the story….wooo hooo. I’ve said it recently, I am trying PNR a little more and it’s authors and stories like this that keep me wanting more in this genre.
Faith is not a brat, she is not annoying and she is not omg I am eyerolling at everything she does and says. She’s real and that’s how I like my FMC.
She’s gotta harem...b/c duh, this is an RH book. Do I love all her guys...well yea!!!!
Guys, no lie you need to read this book and keep an eye on Elizabeth, she knows what she’s doing!!! I will definitely be continuing this series. Find this lady everywhere and stalk her, I've gotta feeling she will be blowing our minds as this story goes on.
I really enjoyed this book, I love RH and PNR so it ticked lots of boxes for me. I think Elizabeth has written a brilliant book and it lays fantastic groundwork for the rest of the series.
I loved Faith the FMC she is strong yet so vulnerable at the same time. Plagued by nightmares she doesn't understand, that haunt her and utterly misunderstood by those who are ment to love her. She finds herself thrust into a world she didn't know existed yet had been trained for and she slowly realises as the pieces click into place.
I adore all the main MCs and how each of them is strong in their own right and utterly different to everyone else and some how they all manage to compliment Faith.
There are some amazing twists and turns and I cant wait to see where Elizabeth takes Faith and her guardians next.
So I didn't not like it, but i didn't really enjoy it either? I felt like the story line was quite weak to be honest, there is quite minimal steamy scenes, which isn't an issue... if the plot is strong so there is something interesting happening. I also felt like the MFC carried around this burden and anger toward one of the love interests (quite obviously it's no secret the love hate they have going on) it's the random bomb the MFC drops like oh you had ALL THIS done to me... Which was quite random ? Like she is carrying on as normal then drops this load on the unsuspecting reader... Like details are revealed that you would of thought should of been previously mentioned in the story and weren't? When you read it I'm sure it will make sense what I'm trying to say. But overall it was nothing special and a bit boring, basic characters and no real depth or development.
I’ve finally found what I think is an amazing start to a nephilim/angels RH series! I’ve been searching for a book like this for a while and this one finally came out and I just had to read it!
Great world building, I love how feisty the FMC is. The one downside to the feistiness was that she jumped to conclusions a lot, which was a bit frustrating specially since she did it a lot with my favorite of her men. But the end made it all worthwhile.
Faith is looking for her adoptive mother who they believe, got kidnapped while she’s trying to figure out what she is and why she keeps having the worst nightmares.
This book kept me interested from the first page all the way to the end and I am really looking forward to the next book.
its been a while since ive had a 5⭐️ read aside from my favorite authors, so i’m thrilled to have found it in this series opener! magic, mystery, and mayhem filled this book from start to finish. a few little twists and turns, and of course all the men i’m glad Faith wont have to choose between. a gentle cliffhanger at the end left me with the questions i anticipated. where is her mom? what is alex’s secret ability/species? what other secrets are yet to be uncovered? i grabbed this book on stuff your kindle day and thankfully found the next in the series is already in KU so i’ll be moving right along to that one immediately! 5/5⭐️ 3.5/5🌶️(but i expect that number to bump up as the story carries on)
A why choose Angels and Demons urban fantasy?! Umm...yes please! ❤️🔥🥵
Tropes ✅️Why Choose (MMFMM) ✅️Angels/Demons/Witches/Humans/Werewolves/Vampires ✅️Urban Fantasy ✅️Chosen One ✅️Second Chance ✅️Fast Burn ✅️Forced Proximity
Triggers ☑️Assault ☑️Kidnapping ☑️Death ☑️Torture
This tickled several of my favorite tropes. 🤗
Elizabeth Blackthorne created a unique take on Heaven/Hell with her mix of Abrahamic Mythology/Religion and the Bible.
I also love how Faith gave zero shits cussing out high rank Angels because she didn't like how they were treating her friends.
The Why Choose was just picking up at the end, so I HAVE to continue to see how their relationships blossom...and also to find more of Faith's ancestry.