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The Shadow's Grasp: Book One of The Dark Angel series
When the world was plagued by demons and the monsters they controlled threatened the lives of humans on the surface, a race of winged humans wielding light magic were said to have descended from the sky to force the creatures underground. These angels created an alliance with the human king of Asteom, pledging themselves to protect the people should the demons ever return.
Coura's life is teetering on the edge of uncertainty as she is graduating from the Magic Arts Academy. Byron, her mentor, is the only person who understands her abilities and offers her a chance to explore the country with him. On the journey, they find companions in a young herbalist and a soldier while learning about hidden political manipulation that could impact the future for all mages. Coura also falls into something much more frightening, a secret locked away within herself. Armed with sword work and dark magic she grew up studying, Coura is thrown into the part she was fated to play between the angels and long-forgotten demons.
Coura's life is teetering on the edge of uncertainty as she is graduating from the Magic Arts Academy. Byron, her mentor, is the only person who understands her abilities and offers her a chance to explore the country with him. On the journey, they find companions in a young herbalist and a soldier while learning about hidden political manipulation that could impact the future for all mages. Coura also falls into something much more frightening, a secret locked away within herself. Armed with sword work and dark magic she grew up studying, Coura is thrown into the part she was fated to play between the angels and long-forgotten demons.
- GenresEbooks
467 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 11, 2021
22 people are currently reading
183 people want to read
About the author
Courtney Lillard
11 books23 followersCourtney Lillard was born and raised in Appleton, Wisconsin as the middle of five children. Growing up, she enjoyed music and theater, and participating in both allowed her to develop a deeper interest in the arts. Lillard graduated from Quincy University in 2015 with a B.A. degree in Communications and from Western Illinois University in 2018 with a M.A. in Communication Studies.
Outside of writing, Lillard is a fan of reading fantasy stories and classics. Her other hobbies include cooking, volunteering, and doing puzzles, at least until her cat knocks the pieces off the table.
"At first, I wrote for fun and nothing else because I never expected to publish the complete series. I still write for fun, but I think a lot of people get lost in the marketing process, especially if they aspire to become a full-time author. My stories are for myself first and foremost. If I can capture a reader's attention and entertain them until the last page, then I've succeeded in my duty as a writer."
Outside of writing, Lillard is a fan of reading fantasy stories and classics. Her other hobbies include cooking, volunteering, and doing puzzles, at least until her cat knocks the pieces off the table.
"At first, I wrote for fun and nothing else because I never expected to publish the complete series. I still write for fun, but I think a lot of people get lost in the marketing process, especially if they aspire to become a full-time author. My stories are for myself first and foremost. If I can capture a reader's attention and entertain them until the last page, then I've succeeded in my duty as a writer."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
August 11, 2021
I really enjoyed reading the first book in the Dark Angel series. Very well written with lots of action and a great story line to keep the reader entertained. I didn't want to put the book down and can't wait to see how Coura and her friends develop through this series! I'm already excitedly awaiting the second book!
September 14, 2021
This is a great YA read that I think trends towards the younger side of the age bracket. The non-religious take on angels and demons was refreshing, and the idea of "dark" mages not being evil, but simply a different subset of magical ability, had strong appeal for me as a reader. The pacing was quick and the prose pretty tight. The book was well-edited with only minor typos here and there, which I appreciate so much.
I liked the internal monologue between the main character, Coura, and Soiree (also major props for the French-inspired name, it's so fitting!).
The only thing that took me out of the story was the amount of internal exposition from the characters: the characters reasoning themselves through their own thought processes was a little jarring - it actually gave me a bit of the same vibe I get from Japanese anime directed towards younger audiences, where the characters do a lot of stating the obvious. (i.e. "Look! That demon is about to attack us! You can tell it's aggressive because of such-and-such reason. I'm going to have to do such-and-such in order to avoid its lethal attack.) It isn't necessarily bad for younger audiences, but it didn't work for me. The author could do a little more showing, not telling, but other than that, a really great read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I liked the internal monologue between the main character, Coura, and Soiree (also major props for the French-inspired name, it's so fitting!).
The only thing that took me out of the story was the amount of internal exposition from the characters: the characters reasoning themselves through their own thought processes was a little jarring - it actually gave me a bit of the same vibe I get from Japanese anime directed towards younger audiences, where the characters do a lot of stating the obvious. (i.e. "Look! That demon is about to attack us! You can tell it's aggressive because of such-and-such reason. I'm going to have to do such-and-such in order to avoid its lethal attack.) It isn't necessarily bad for younger audiences, but it didn't work for me. The author could do a little more showing, not telling, but other than that, a really great read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 18, 2021
I love the storyline, the world and suspense, I love Courtney's way of weaving the story and enjoyed the book.
August 31, 2021
The Shadow’s Grasp by Courtney Lillard is a YA fantasy novel that follows Coura, an orphaned teenage girl, and Byron, her Mentor and guide at MAA, the Magic Arts Academy. From the very first pages Lillard draws you in, detailing a mysterious event that leads Coura orphaned and without her memories. Skip forward a few years and she is coming to the close of her training at the magical academy. She is hot-tempered and every inch the teenager filled with angst she is meant to be. For misbehaving, she is sent on an important errand with Byron, where they pick up two new friends, Will and Marcus, along the way.
As the story progresses, Lillard continuously draws the reader in with the well written twists and turns in addition to her stellar character development. These characters truly imbed themselves, whether for good or bad (i.e., the true nature of a teenager who can be impulsive, brash, and action oriented.) Coura typically acts before she thinks, and her dialogue and inner monologue fit perfectly. Byron, ever the mentor, thinking logically and fairly, even when he is tested.
As an avid reader, the characters were my favorite part of the book. They rang true to real life people, and they were easy to connect with. The ending also left me on the edge of my seat, waiting to know what happened next.
The reason this review is a 4 instead of a 5 is two-fold. First, I would have liked more in this debut book, length-wise. The book picks up and follows a great adventure after the first 20-30 pages, but wrapped up the adventure and moved to the cliffhanger very quickly. I felt it was more a small appetizer for everything to come, rather than a full-length novel. I love my 700+ page books because I don’t like saying goodbye to characters. Second, I sometimes felt like the characters were omnipotent at the beginning of the novel, especially in their internal monologue. They had questions, and seemed to answer those questions for themselves two lines later, when they shouldn’t have known. It broke up the pacing of the novel a bit.
Overall, this book was well written, and left me with a smile on my face. Lillard is a masterful writer, and you can tell she truly put her heart into this writing. I would recommend this book to any teen who is looking for something to captivate them into a life-long love of reading. I would also recommend this to anyone older who is looking for a short, enjoyable read that will keep them asking for more past the last page.
To tease potential readers, I want to provide one of my favorite quotes: “If they give me the information I need to make a decision, I can work with them, but I will never give anyone my power or skills blindly.” This is directly from Coura, one of her more thought out decisions in the book. It leads me to believe that Coura will grow and evolve into an extremely strong character throughout the next few novels, and I look forward to the growth and adventure. I suggest you pick up a copy today!
As the story progresses, Lillard continuously draws the reader in with the well written twists and turns in addition to her stellar character development. These characters truly imbed themselves, whether for good or bad (i.e., the true nature of a teenager who can be impulsive, brash, and action oriented.) Coura typically acts before she thinks, and her dialogue and inner monologue fit perfectly. Byron, ever the mentor, thinking logically and fairly, even when he is tested.
As an avid reader, the characters were my favorite part of the book. They rang true to real life people, and they were easy to connect with. The ending also left me on the edge of my seat, waiting to know what happened next.
The reason this review is a 4 instead of a 5 is two-fold. First, I would have liked more in this debut book, length-wise. The book picks up and follows a great adventure after the first 20-30 pages, but wrapped up the adventure and moved to the cliffhanger very quickly. I felt it was more a small appetizer for everything to come, rather than a full-length novel. I love my 700+ page books because I don’t like saying goodbye to characters. Second, I sometimes felt like the characters were omnipotent at the beginning of the novel, especially in their internal monologue. They had questions, and seemed to answer those questions for themselves two lines later, when they shouldn’t have known. It broke up the pacing of the novel a bit.
Overall, this book was well written, and left me with a smile on my face. Lillard is a masterful writer, and you can tell she truly put her heart into this writing. I would recommend this book to any teen who is looking for something to captivate them into a life-long love of reading. I would also recommend this to anyone older who is looking for a short, enjoyable read that will keep them asking for more past the last page.
To tease potential readers, I want to provide one of my favorite quotes: “If they give me the information I need to make a decision, I can work with them, but I will never give anyone my power or skills blindly.” This is directly from Coura, one of her more thought out decisions in the book. It leads me to believe that Coura will grow and evolve into an extremely strong character throughout the next few novels, and I look forward to the growth and adventure. I suggest you pick up a copy today!
June 18, 2021
Courtney Lillard’s The Shadow’s Grasp keeps the reader on their toes with her innovative magic system. Dark mages, Light mages, and love & light healers are trained side-by-side in the magic academy. There is no judgment on which are the “good guys”, and which are the “bad guys”. This gives the reader a unique reading experience where they can make up their own mind as to who are the heroes.
I love how Lillard presents morally grey characters who are realistic despite their magical setting. My favorite scenes contain Will the Botanist, a true “good guy”, and his curiosity about Coura the black magic apprentice. Despite being thrown into a life-threatening conspiracy, Will’s thoughts mirrored mine. Is Coura a hero or a villain? How does her mentor fit into this plot? Who wishes to force magical students into the army? What compels Coura to go looking for trouble? These questions compelled me to turn pages until I finished the book in one sitting. I just had to know what would happen next.
I highly recommend this book for fantasy lovers who want to see a different sort of magic system which keeps them guessing until the very last page.
I love how Lillard presents morally grey characters who are realistic despite their magical setting. My favorite scenes contain Will the Botanist, a true “good guy”, and his curiosity about Coura the black magic apprentice. Despite being thrown into a life-threatening conspiracy, Will’s thoughts mirrored mine. Is Coura a hero or a villain? How does her mentor fit into this plot? Who wishes to force magical students into the army? What compels Coura to go looking for trouble? These questions compelled me to turn pages until I finished the book in one sitting. I just had to know what would happen next.
I highly recommend this book for fantasy lovers who want to see a different sort of magic system which keeps them guessing until the very last page.
September 13, 2021
What a cliffhanger! I absolutely have to find out what happens next for Coura. The Shadow’s Grasp is a great beginning to a YA fantasy series. The first scene is spellbinding, and it establishes tension and intrigue that lasts throughout the book.
The magical world that is established in this series is excellent. There is a school for magic, a kingdom on the verge of war, and a complex royal family. There are both light and dark mages as well as angels and demons. Every faction has their own motives, and I’m interested to see how the balance of power plays out over the rest of the series. Coura is an amazing heroine, and I can’t wait to see how she deals with more conflict—both in the kingdom and within herself.
The magical world that is established in this series is excellent. There is a school for magic, a kingdom on the verge of war, and a complex royal family. There are both light and dark mages as well as angels and demons. Every faction has their own motives, and I’m interested to see how the balance of power plays out over the rest of the series. Coura is an amazing heroine, and I can’t wait to see how she deals with more conflict—both in the kingdom and within herself.
May 13, 2021
Courtney Lillard throws us into the battle between angels and demons with The Shadow’s Grasp! Coura jumps at her chance to test out her magic abilities and explore the land with her mentor, but she soon learns that there is more to her journey, and more than one group is keenly interested in her fate. I loved the group of characters in Lillard’s fantasy, but I especially loved the lore of this world! It was really interesting learning about the struggle between angels and demons and their connection to Coura. If you love fantasy, especially classics like Dragon Age, definitely come do a bit of slaying in The Shadow’s Grasp!
September 4, 2021
This book was even more exciting than the first, and I enjoyed the interactions between Coura and Soiree. I was still put off by the overuse of thoughts in italics in this book, like the first one. As a reader, it just feels like the author couldn't decide between third-person and first-person POVs and tried to do both.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 13, 2021
I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
This wasn’t something I would normally read, but it was a fun YA read with some unique twists. I wished there had been more sensory details, since I had trouble seeing some of the scenes, but the story kept moving and that matters more to me.
This wasn’t something I would normally read, but it was a fun YA read with some unique twists. I wished there had been more sensory details, since I had trouble seeing some of the scenes, but the story kept moving and that matters more to me.
March 26, 2021
Absolutely wonderful. I love Coura and her snarkiness, especially with Byron. Such a good storyline and very unique. It's a fast paced with a lot of action. I am excited to see where the story goes from here... hopefully a little romance between some of the characters??? ;)
March 26, 2021
The Shadow's Grasp was a nice short read.
The characters within the story are well developed and I'm excited to read read how their journey continues in the following books.
The characters within the story are well developed and I'm excited to read read how their journey continues in the following books.
September 11, 2021
A unique twist to magic, demons, and angels! Action packed and full of adventure, this is a must read for any fantasy lover.
February 23, 2022
An unusual story about a young female who has magical talent but has inherited a demon possession..The only problem is that she is easily bored and has issues with authority. However, her mentor Bryon has faith in her and realizing her situation, will try to help her with her control. But will the demon allow her her freedom. Well worth reading.
May 25, 2021
This was a fun read and an interesting take on magic, demons, and angels! I enjoyed reading from the perspective of different characters. Each character has their own personality so it didn't feel redundant switching back and forth! I'm looking forward to book two and learning more about Coura's world. It's a unique spin on fantasy and I'm excited to learn more!
September 13, 2021
What a cliffhanger! I absolutely have to find out what happens next for Coura. The Shadow’s Grasp is a great beginning to a YA fantasy series. The first scene is spellbinding, and it establishes tension and intrigue that lasts throughout the book.
The magical world that is established in this series is excellent. There is a school for magic, a kingdom on the verge of war, and a complex royal family. There are both light and dark mages as well as angels and demons. Every faction has their own motives, and I’m interested to see how the balance of power plays out over the rest of the series. Coura is an amazing heroine, and I can’t wait to see how she deals with more conflict��both in the kingdom and within herself.
The magical world that is established in this series is excellent. There is a school for magic, a kingdom on the verge of war, and a complex royal family. There are both light and dark mages as well as angels and demons. Every faction has their own motives, and I’m interested to see how the balance of power plays out over the rest of the series. Coura is an amazing heroine, and I can’t wait to see how she deals with more conflict��both in the kingdom and within herself.
September 19, 2021
The Guardian's Deception follows our heroine, Coura, as she continues her journey of self discovery and learning how to use her demonic powers. The book begins at the Magic Arts Academy (MAA) where Coura is confined to her room as the MAA instructors debate over her future. However, word quickly reaches Verona and King Hernan about the angels encountered in The Shadow's Grasp and Coura's unnatural abilities. As a result, Coura is summoned to the capital to be used as the kingdom's secret weapon.
Accompaning Coura to the capital is Byron, the level-headed master mage, who will serve as the MAA's representative for the new Mages Service Law, which requires MAA students to enlist in the kingdom's army for three years after they turn sixteen, Marcus, the ever noble assistant general, and Will, the quirky light-hearted researcher. As Coura attempts to avoid drawing attention to herself (made difficult by her stubborn attitude, and the demon possessing her, Soiree's, sassy commentary and general disregard for humans), she befriends Aaron, the prince of Verona, Grace, the young angel envoy sent from Yeluthian, the City of Angels, to rekindle political ties, and Clearshot, the boisterous expert archer.
Throughout the novel Coura experiences flashback memories of her life before she was possessed by Soiree. The reader sees Coura beginning to piece parts of her past together while also internally struggling with the general wariness, distrust, and fear soldiers, mages, and the townsfolk have towards Coura's dangerous magic and her ability to control it.
Can we talk about the cliff hanger at the end though??? What happened and is Coura okay??? I am definitely excited for the third book in this series to read more about our heros and the relationship between humans, angels, and demons. I especially enjoyed the bickering between stubborn Coura and sassy Soiree. Reading their internal conversations made me think about how each character influences the other. Soiree encourages violence and doubt in Coura, but Coura remains loyal to her friends and her compassion and actions are not always what Soiree expects. I also enjoyed seeing the supporting characters develop personally as we learn more details about their lives, families, struggles, thoughts, fears, worries, and strengths.
The book is action packed and keeps the reader enthralled throughout. Overall enjoyed reading and would recommend.
Accompaning Coura to the capital is Byron, the level-headed master mage, who will serve as the MAA's representative for the new Mages Service Law, which requires MAA students to enlist in the kingdom's army for three years after they turn sixteen, Marcus, the ever noble assistant general, and Will, the quirky light-hearted researcher. As Coura attempts to avoid drawing attention to herself (made difficult by her stubborn attitude, and the demon possessing her, Soiree's, sassy commentary and general disregard for humans), she befriends Aaron, the prince of Verona, Grace, the young angel envoy sent from Yeluthian, the City of Angels, to rekindle political ties, and Clearshot, the boisterous expert archer.
Throughout the novel Coura experiences flashback memories of her life before she was possessed by Soiree. The reader sees Coura beginning to piece parts of her past together while also internally struggling with the general wariness, distrust, and fear soldiers, mages, and the townsfolk have towards Coura's dangerous magic and her ability to control it.
Can we talk about the cliff hanger at the end though??? What happened and is Coura okay??? I am definitely excited for the third book in this series to read more about our heros and the relationship between humans, angels, and demons. I especially enjoyed the bickering between stubborn Coura and sassy Soiree. Reading their internal conversations made me think about how each character influences the other. Soiree encourages violence and doubt in Coura, but Coura remains loyal to her friends and her compassion and actions are not always what Soiree expects. I also enjoyed seeing the supporting characters develop personally as we learn more details about their lives, families, struggles, thoughts, fears, worries, and strengths.
The book is action packed and keeps the reader enthralled throughout. Overall enjoyed reading and would recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2021
Not just an average angel demon story
I enjoy Coura’s character quite a bit. Although I didn’t read the first book, I was able to follow this one okay. The beginning with Soirée, the demon that shares her head and soul was a little confusing, but I’m sure that would not be if I’d read the first and half way through the book It no longer bothered me.
The book is A LOT of dialog. Between the characters and Soiree and Coura I found myself skimming some of it because I'm just not a dialog person. I was excited when Coura was finally able to show what she was, the wings and training but I was taken from it from the constant speech.
I love a good self sacrificing heroine and this book does not disappoint!
I enjoy Coura’s character quite a bit. Although I didn’t read the first book, I was able to follow this one okay. The beginning with Soirée, the demon that shares her head and soul was a little confusing, but I’m sure that would not be if I’d read the first and half way through the book It no longer bothered me.
The book is A LOT of dialog. Between the characters and Soiree and Coura I found myself skimming some of it because I'm just not a dialog person. I was excited when Coura was finally able to show what she was, the wings and training but I was taken from it from the constant speech.
I love a good self sacrificing heroine and this book does not disappoint!
October 5, 2021
I really enjoyed Courtney's book! I finished it within a week since I wanted to know what was going to happen next (and because it is an easy read). I was pleasantly surprised at how well The Guardian's Deception flowed compared to the first book. Courtney's writing had me rooting for Coura throughout the story and I enjoyed the humor brought by the demon Soiree as well. The main characters develop much more in this book and I liked how some chapters switched perspectives instead of just sticking with Coura. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy read and who would like to support a new author :)
August 26, 2021
I love the stories, it reminded me of Harry Potter but in a unique manner. I love how the author describe the surrounding, the time of the day. I also like the connection the author have built between Coura and her master. It's exciting and refreshing.
However, I think that the author might want to considers utilizing some punctuation, shortening some of those inner thought and also some formatting consistency as well. This will further enhance the readability and transcend the entire book to a whole new level.
Overall, I truly enjoy the book.
However, I think that the author might want to considers utilizing some punctuation, shortening some of those inner thought and also some formatting consistency as well. This will further enhance the readability and transcend the entire book to a whole new level.
Overall, I truly enjoy the book.
September 4, 2021
This is a fun, lighthearted book with likable characters. I felt it was a little slow-paced and sometimes repetitive, but the mystery it opened with kept me worried about Coura through the rest of the book.
A lot of this book is told through thoughts in italics, which I didn't love. It sometimes felt as though the author should have written the book in first-person with alternating POVs rather than third-person with whole paragraphs of first-person thoughts in italics.
All in all, this was a fun, light read!
A lot of this book is told through thoughts in italics, which I didn't love. It sometimes felt as though the author should have written the book in first-person with alternating POVs rather than third-person with whole paragraphs of first-person thoughts in italics.
All in all, this was a fun, light read!
June 29, 2022
I really enjoyed this book! The magic system is super thoughtful and original. The tone was compelling, especially the early scenes that show Coura as a child. However, I liked her just as much as she grew up and into a powerful mage. It's hard to do this kind of time skip well, and Lillard handles it perfectly. My only critique is that I would have loved for this book to be longer. It is an incredibly fascinating world with a layered magic system, and I felt like the plot was so fast-paced it was a tiny bit rushed. I'm looking forward to spending more time with the characters in the sequel!
Want to read
June 13, 2022I spent some extra time editing this next version and redesigned the cover to distinguish the two editions. This copy fixes some old mistakes and wording issues, so I'm please to be able to share it proudly! The Amazon link for this page is incorrect and will take you to the first edition. This is the correct link for the paperback and digital versions: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BGN8YZF
January 25, 2022
I was excited to read the second addition of the Dark Angel series. This was a nice read and a good build on from the first book in the series. New characters were introduced and the series plot thickened with these additions.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a light fantasy series. I am excited to see where Cora's journey takes her from here.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a light fantasy series. I am excited to see where Cora's journey takes her from here.
July 13, 2025
Well, that took a turn
The Shadow's Grasp is the first in Courtney lillard's dark angel series and holy smokes. I love coura, even as she got on my nerves. The world building is fantastic. The twist at the end blew my mind and I cannot wait to continue the series
The Shadow's Grasp is the first in Courtney lillard's dark angel series and holy smokes. I love coura, even as she got on my nerves. The world building is fantastic. The twist at the end blew my mind and I cannot wait to continue the series
May 31, 2024
Good and...
First, the story is fantastic. The sheer creativity that went into this book was highly enjoyable.
A young woman is possessed by a demon, but she does not remember the possession until a friend is attacked while she is traveling with her mentor. Royal politics land her under the King's control, which does not suit her mentally or emotionally. Although she is a pariah, she manages to make unlikely friends who keep her spirits up.
Just as her life seems to be looking up, a battle ensues...
Grammatical errors aside, I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to continuing the series. However, the errors were bad enough to take me out of the story while I tried to figure out what the author was trying to say at points. Not to mention my pet peeves of very long chapters and a page count over 500. To note, Amazon was extremely misleading as the print version claimed a much shorter page count. I had wanted a quick read and was disappointed to find that Amazon's claim of under 300 pages was incorrect.
No stars lost for my pet peeves, as I know those are a personal preference and should not factor into my rating. One star lost because it did not seem as though this story had been reread at all prior to publishing.
First, the story is fantastic. The sheer creativity that went into this book was highly enjoyable.
A young woman is possessed by a demon, but she does not remember the possession until a friend is attacked while she is traveling with her mentor. Royal politics land her under the King's control, which does not suit her mentally or emotionally. Although she is a pariah, she manages to make unlikely friends who keep her spirits up.
Just as her life seems to be looking up, a battle ensues...
Grammatical errors aside, I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to continuing the series. However, the errors were bad enough to take me out of the story while I tried to figure out what the author was trying to say at points. Not to mention my pet peeves of very long chapters and a page count over 500. To note, Amazon was extremely misleading as the print version claimed a much shorter page count. I had wanted a quick read and was disappointed to find that Amazon's claim of under 300 pages was incorrect.
No stars lost for my pet peeves, as I know those are a personal preference and should not factor into my rating. One star lost because it did not seem as though this story had been reread at all prior to publishing.
July 27, 2022
Courtney was kind enough to send me a review copy of her books, and I feel bad that it took me so long to get to this sequel to "The Shadow's Grasp." I really enjoyed the first book, but I've been sort of rationing my paperbacks: I can't buy books at the moment so I'm saving them for special moments to give me a break from my e-reader.
This definitely paid off by being a special book! In the previous volume, Coura, the protagonist, makes a deal with a demon after awakening strange magic inside of her. In this book, she faces the ramifications of that decision: persecution as a user of forbidden magic, and danger to her life.
I loved Coura as a protagonist. She's made some mistakes (well, one pretty big one), and is reflective about them without falling into the angst that can sometimes characterize YA heroines. She has a sense of humor and a self-possession that made her stand out as a character.
Also, the training montages were awesome.
I'm still super intrigued by the nature of the angels and demons here, and excited to see more in the future volumes.
This definitely paid off by being a special book! In the previous volume, Coura, the protagonist, makes a deal with a demon after awakening strange magic inside of her. In this book, she faces the ramifications of that decision: persecution as a user of forbidden magic, and danger to her life.
I loved Coura as a protagonist. She's made some mistakes (well, one pretty big one), and is reflective about them without falling into the angst that can sometimes characterize YA heroines. She has a sense of humor and a self-possession that made her stand out as a character.
Also, the training montages were awesome.
I'm still super intrigued by the nature of the angels and demons here, and excited to see more in the future volumes.
May 18, 2025
I almost DNF’d this book several times while working my way through the first 100+ pages of world/character building (?) It draaaaged. Not to mention the long chapters were daunting as well. But, I’m pleased that I kept at it. The story picks up and is definitely worth the work you have to put in upfront.
Despite it starting out in a narrator voice (POV), which I wouldn’t normally enjoy, it is masterfully done. It also switches between different character POVs and I quite enjoyed seeing scenes from multiple POVs at the same time, going back and forth.
I didn’t think I would enjoy it as much as I did considering it’s a YA book, but I’m excited to start the next one!
Despite it starting out in a narrator voice (POV), which I wouldn’t normally enjoy, it is masterfully done. It also switches between different character POVs and I quite enjoyed seeing scenes from multiple POVs at the same time, going back and forth.
I didn’t think I would enjoy it as much as I did considering it’s a YA book, but I’m excited to start the next one!
August 11, 2021
I really enjoyed reading the first book in the Dark Angel series. Very well written with lots of action and a great story line to keep the reader entertained. I didn't want to put the book down and can't wait to see how Coura and her friends develop through this series! I'm already excitedly awaiting the second book!
March 11, 2023
Interesting
This book was a little more indirect than most books I read. I'm interested in where the story goes, but also feel more could have happened and been explained in this book. The characters aren't particularly likeable, but that may be some of the draw. I'm conflicted.
This book was a little more indirect than most books I read. I'm interested in where the story goes, but also feel more could have happened and been explained in this book. The characters aren't particularly likeable, but that may be some of the draw. I'm conflicted.
May 26, 2024
This book has some great action sequences, and I love the idea of angels and demons both being hostile to humanity in different ways. After the first third or so, however, the pacing kind of falls apart, with some scenes just being summarized and others dragging on without any relevance to the larger plot, but readers looking for a unique high fantasy action will find some things to enjoy here.
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