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Evangeline's Heaven: A Novel
War is ravaging the Seven Heavens. Lucifer and his Commoner supporters, the lowest class of angels, are rebelling against God's plan to exile them to the new Earth. When Lucifer departs on a desperate war mission, he leaves his daughter, Evangeline, to defend their home in First Heaven. Fiercely loyal and trained to fight, Evangeline stands ready to do her father's bidding.
But things change when Evangeline overhears the archangel Gabriel forming a plan to destroy Lucifer--because, as he tells his son, Michael, he believes Lucifer's plan is to find the Key to the Kingdom and claim the power of God to control all the Heavens for eternity. Refusing to believe her father capable of such treachery, Evangeline sets off to alert her father.
As she battles through the Heavens, however, Evangeline is shocked to discover that what she believed she knew about her father might not be true after all. For the first time in her life, she begins to question whether or not her father's motives are pure. With the fate of the Heavens hanging in the balance, she must decide who she's going to be: her father's daughter, or her own person.
But things change when Evangeline overhears the archangel Gabriel forming a plan to destroy Lucifer--because, as he tells his son, Michael, he believes Lucifer's plan is to find the Key to the Kingdom and claim the power of God to control all the Heavens for eternity. Refusing to believe her father capable of such treachery, Evangeline sets off to alert her father.
As she battles through the Heavens, however, Evangeline is shocked to discover that what she believed she knew about her father might not be true after all. For the first time in her life, she begins to question whether or not her father's motives are pure. With the fate of the Heavens hanging in the balance, she must decide who she's going to be: her father's daughter, or her own person.
- GenresFantasyYoung AdultAngels
304 pages, Paperback
Published August 30, 2022
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August 31, 2022
It’s book review time! This month, I decided to go with another fantasy in the hopes of having a better experience than last month. Evangeline’s Heaven by Jen Braaksma was released from SparkPress yesterday (the 30th). As usual, I must thank them and NetGalley for giving me access to an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Let’s get to it!
Evangeline’s Heaven is basically a retelling of the fall of Lucifer from his daughter’s perspective. Throw in a little Romeo and Juliet romance arc and you’ve got the story. War between the Commoners (fought for by the Dragons) and Dominions (fought for by the Archangels) rock the Seven Heavens. Evangeline (a mixed blood angel who happens to be the daughter of the leader of the Dragons) wants to save her father’s life, but makes some unsettling discoveries along the way. She’s forced to team up with Michael, the son of the leader of the Archangels in order to save the Heavens from more chaos. But things just keep getting more complicated.
I’ll be honest with you… I was hoping for something more like Angel Sanctuary and less of a thinly veiled ‘eat the rich’ rant that randomly waffles between God sucks and God is great and settles somewhere around God might be okay. C’mon. Do better. I don’t mind a story with the moral of ‘the upper class is horrible and needs to realize the lower class are people who deserve rights too.’ But don’t force it down my throat repeatedly on every page. Let it unfold naturally in the story. Otherwise, especially in a story about angels and shit, it feels super preachy. No one wants that. And I know. You’re judging me right now and assuming I’m a heartless asshat just because I get annoyed when writers don’t know how to be subtle. I assure you that I’m not. I completely agree with the message. It’s the method of how to get that message across that I disagree with. This book is basically the equivalent of shouting down at someone until they play dead just to get you to shut up. That doesn’t work when trying to persuade people to think your way. It just isn’t a healthy form of communication.
Aside from that, I wanted more from the characters. We’re constantly with Evangeline who is super whiny and annoying. Now, I don’t have to like the main character in order to like a story as long as I like the side characters. The problem here is that all of the characters are flat and beyond stereotypical. Lucifer is suave and manipulative and hiding dark deeds and desires. But he loves his daughter. But, does he really? The couple of times he shows this love could also just be him manipulating her for future plans. And then there’s Michael. He’s just a lovesick teenager, really. There’s nothing special about him. The few other characters we get to meet are just filling their role. They don’t have any personality. It’s sad.
The plot had potential, but it needed a little more thought. Some things were great, like the key/book thing, but a lot of it felt rushed and random. It definitely seemed like it was written by a pantser (someone who writes without plotting things out first) who didn’t bother to go back and smooth out certain details. I’m a pantser. It happens. And maybe this was completely plotted. I have no idea. It’s just a feeling I get.
Ultimately, in case you didn’t pick up on it, I did not like Evangeline’s Heaven. I was hoping for so much more, but it fell flat. Oh well.
Overall, I gave it 2 out of 5 stars. Mostly because I can’t do one and a half on most sites. If you’re super into the fall of Lucifer stories, check it out. I guess. But you’re not missing anything by giving it a pass.
Evangeline’s Heaven is basically a retelling of the fall of Lucifer from his daughter’s perspective. Throw in a little Romeo and Juliet romance arc and you’ve got the story. War between the Commoners (fought for by the Dragons) and Dominions (fought for by the Archangels) rock the Seven Heavens. Evangeline (a mixed blood angel who happens to be the daughter of the leader of the Dragons) wants to save her father’s life, but makes some unsettling discoveries along the way. She’s forced to team up with Michael, the son of the leader of the Archangels in order to save the Heavens from more chaos. But things just keep getting more complicated.
I’ll be honest with you… I was hoping for something more like Angel Sanctuary and less of a thinly veiled ‘eat the rich’ rant that randomly waffles between God sucks and God is great and settles somewhere around God might be okay. C’mon. Do better. I don’t mind a story with the moral of ‘the upper class is horrible and needs to realize the lower class are people who deserve rights too.’ But don’t force it down my throat repeatedly on every page. Let it unfold naturally in the story. Otherwise, especially in a story about angels and shit, it feels super preachy. No one wants that. And I know. You’re judging me right now and assuming I’m a heartless asshat just because I get annoyed when writers don’t know how to be subtle. I assure you that I’m not. I completely agree with the message. It’s the method of how to get that message across that I disagree with. This book is basically the equivalent of shouting down at someone until they play dead just to get you to shut up. That doesn’t work when trying to persuade people to think your way. It just isn’t a healthy form of communication.
Aside from that, I wanted more from the characters. We’re constantly with Evangeline who is super whiny and annoying. Now, I don’t have to like the main character in order to like a story as long as I like the side characters. The problem here is that all of the characters are flat and beyond stereotypical. Lucifer is suave and manipulative and hiding dark deeds and desires. But he loves his daughter. But, does he really? The couple of times he shows this love could also just be him manipulating her for future plans. And then there’s Michael. He’s just a lovesick teenager, really. There’s nothing special about him. The few other characters we get to meet are just filling their role. They don’t have any personality. It’s sad.
The plot had potential, but it needed a little more thought. Some things were great, like the key/book thing, but a lot of it felt rushed and random. It definitely seemed like it was written by a pantser (someone who writes without plotting things out first) who didn’t bother to go back and smooth out certain details. I’m a pantser. It happens. And maybe this was completely plotted. I have no idea. It’s just a feeling I get.
Ultimately, in case you didn’t pick up on it, I did not like Evangeline’s Heaven. I was hoping for so much more, but it fell flat. Oh well.
Overall, I gave it 2 out of 5 stars. Mostly because I can’t do one and a half on most sites. If you’re super into the fall of Lucifer stories, check it out. I guess. But you’re not missing anything by giving it a pass.
August 30, 2022
Jen Braaksma's debut novel takes you on a journey through the heavens with a teenage angel named Evangeline. Evangeline is a bit of a loner. Her father Lucifer is the leader of the Commoners, a lower class of angels that live in First Heaven, as far away from God as you can get. But her mother - who died when Evangeline was young - was a Dominion, much farther up the rung in angel hierarchy. As a half-Commoner, half-Dominion, Evangeline is shunned by both groups whose distrust of each other makes it impossible for them to disguise their prejudice. So instead of friends, she clings to solitude and her father's cause. But when she overhears the Archangel Gabriel and his son Michael plotting to destroy Lucifer, she embarks on a desperate mission through the Seven heavens to warn him before it's too late. However, she soon discovers that not everything her father told her is true, and as she battles her way through the heavens she begins to wonder if she's fighting for the right side.
This is a coming-of-age story, about a young angel who must come to terms with some ugly truths about the father she's worshipped and adored her entire life. Braaksma's Seven Heavens are vividly portrayed, full of magic and wonder. There's romance, adventure, and a whole lot of heart. The world-building and writing are elegant and superb. This is a stunning debut and a must-read for anyone who loves YA Fantasy and angel lore.
This is a coming-of-age story, about a young angel who must come to terms with some ugly truths about the father she's worshipped and adored her entire life. Braaksma's Seven Heavens are vividly portrayed, full of magic and wonder. There's romance, adventure, and a whole lot of heart. The world-building and writing are elegant and superb. This is a stunning debut and a must-read for anyone who loves YA Fantasy and angel lore.
September 6, 2022
“Evangeline’s Heaven” is a unique reimagining of the fall of Lucifer, and what that fall looked like from the eyes of his daughter. Raised almost completely by her Lucifer, Evangeline is completely devoted to her father and is his loyal little soldier. When a decree comes that states that all Commoner angels—like Lucifer and Evangeline—are being banished to Earth to tend to God’s new fledgling creation, the humans, Lucifer and the other Commoner’s push back against the regal class of angels, the Dominion. The Dominion have always treated Evangeline’s people with extreme prejudice, especially Evangeline, who is half of both thanks to her mother. But while Evangeline’s cause may be good, her father’s true intentions are clouded in secrecy—a shroud that Evangeline does not want lifted until she has no choice but to see Lucifer for who he truly is, and then she will have to deal with the consequences.
This reimagining is definitely on the younger side of YA, despite the character’s ages. The writing style is a close present tense 3rd POV which, admittedly, is not my favorite, but I think suits the subject matter of this novel. And, speaking of the subject matter: if you are not a fan or just simply not interested in stories centered on Christian creation myths, this may not be to your liking or understanding, but that being said, I thought the creativity the author approached the source material with was very well thought out. The hierarchy of angels, the different classes within those angels, and how the various Heavens—or realms really—are laid out was all very well done and, even though there are a lot of names, I never once felt lost or confused about who was who or what was going on. Even if I did wonder how the Dominion angels could tell the difference between themselves, the Archangels, and the Commoners, because no real physical difference or anything like that is ever brought up by the MC.
I think that was my only real issue with this story. You don’t get a ton of description about the characters or the differences between Commoners and the more “elite” angels, you only see the abuse through what happens to Evangeline at their hands during her school days, and never anything more wide spread that would help solidify Lucifer’s justification for the initial rebellion. The first half of the book can be a bit slow at times as well, full of a lot of flashbacks in between character dialogue instead of actual movement or dialogue from the characters themselves, which definitely would have helped with pacing, and maybe given the light romance elements more legs to stand on. Most the flashbacks center on the bullying Evangeline faces, but it would have been nice to see it unfold in real time rather than breaking up the flow of present dialogue and situations. I do understand this is a very short read, but I think a little more of those touches could have really helped the characters.
The second half of the book is where the story really finds its stride, with Evangeline firmly on the path to self-discovery and actively moving toward a goal of her own choosing, rather than one plotted out for her by her manipulative father. Her adventure with her crush in order to keep the various heavens from all being destroyed is full of great action scenes, and I love it when an author isn’t afraid to put her main characters in physical and emotional peril. And while I think the story ended a little abruptly, I did really enjoy the twist toward the end. I just wish the first half was as exciting, which is why this gets a very solid 3.5 stars from me. All in all, this was a very creative debut novel, and bonus points for it being a standalone, too! And thanks to the author and Literary Bound Tours for a copy of the book for an honest review.
This reimagining is definitely on the younger side of YA, despite the character’s ages. The writing style is a close present tense 3rd POV which, admittedly, is not my favorite, but I think suits the subject matter of this novel. And, speaking of the subject matter: if you are not a fan or just simply not interested in stories centered on Christian creation myths, this may not be to your liking or understanding, but that being said, I thought the creativity the author approached the source material with was very well thought out. The hierarchy of angels, the different classes within those angels, and how the various Heavens—or realms really—are laid out was all very well done and, even though there are a lot of names, I never once felt lost or confused about who was who or what was going on. Even if I did wonder how the Dominion angels could tell the difference between themselves, the Archangels, and the Commoners, because no real physical difference or anything like that is ever brought up by the MC.
I think that was my only real issue with this story. You don’t get a ton of description about the characters or the differences between Commoners and the more “elite” angels, you only see the abuse through what happens to Evangeline at their hands during her school days, and never anything more wide spread that would help solidify Lucifer’s justification for the initial rebellion. The first half of the book can be a bit slow at times as well, full of a lot of flashbacks in between character dialogue instead of actual movement or dialogue from the characters themselves, which definitely would have helped with pacing, and maybe given the light romance elements more legs to stand on. Most the flashbacks center on the bullying Evangeline faces, but it would have been nice to see it unfold in real time rather than breaking up the flow of present dialogue and situations. I do understand this is a very short read, but I think a little more of those touches could have really helped the characters.
The second half of the book is where the story really finds its stride, with Evangeline firmly on the path to self-discovery and actively moving toward a goal of her own choosing, rather than one plotted out for her by her manipulative father. Her adventure with her crush in order to keep the various heavens from all being destroyed is full of great action scenes, and I love it when an author isn’t afraid to put her main characters in physical and emotional peril. And while I think the story ended a little abruptly, I did really enjoy the twist toward the end. I just wish the first half was as exciting, which is why this gets a very solid 3.5 stars from me. All in all, this was a very creative debut novel, and bonus points for it being a standalone, too! And thanks to the author and Literary Bound Tours for a copy of the book for an honest review.
November 24, 2022
I liked the character development for Evangeline. She starts off devoted doting daughter who gets to open her eyes to what is really happening and although she spends so much of her “journey” trying to make excuses, she finally sees her father for who he is, and comes into her own.
So I will say the “perfect for fans of Supernatural and Lucifer” is a stretch. Because those are some of my favorite shows and as a huge fan, I will tell you the best part of those shows are the characters, and their relationships, the banter, the one-liners, all set against the backdrop of angelic and demonic wars. But Evangeline’s Heaven did not have any comedic or light aspects. It was all war, all stoic angels, all the time. And while we got told how Evangeline feels through all her experiences, I want to be shown and feel it for her.
I will also complain a little about the romance – I mean, maybe this is all we get from a stoic angel – but the development from we are enemies to just kidding we’ve wanted each other all along wasn’t very well shown. It was a lot of telling us and a bit of inner monologue but I felt nothing from her love interest, who she wants to have a life with now. His character was a lot more flat. I wanted more. My favorite character relationship in the book has to be that of Evangeline and her Uncle the Cherubim, though we get most of that through her narration and flashbacks.
But, I will say I am happy our main character is the hero. While her and the dude rescue each other from time to time, overall they stand on their own and she fights her own battles. I’m here for this.
So many secrets are kept and as each is revealed the book gets more exciting. While it was a bit slow at the start I will say I was glued by the end as all the web of lies got unraveled all at once. I especially enjoyed the family secrets as those are always the juiciest and affect the characters down to the core.
I also enjoyed the world building, the seven heavens and the descriptions of each. Though, I will say it was a bit preachy in the Commoners vs the Dominions, with the Commoners being pushed out of Seventh Heaven and being oppressed by the other angels.
The ending felt right and it was open to part two. There will be a follow up to this, right?
I’ll give this book a solid 3.5 stars.
So I will say the “perfect for fans of Supernatural and Lucifer” is a stretch. Because those are some of my favorite shows and as a huge fan, I will tell you the best part of those shows are the characters, and their relationships, the banter, the one-liners, all set against the backdrop of angelic and demonic wars. But Evangeline’s Heaven did not have any comedic or light aspects. It was all war, all stoic angels, all the time. And while we got told how Evangeline feels through all her experiences, I want to be shown and feel it for her.
I will also complain a little about the romance – I mean, maybe this is all we get from a stoic angel – but the development from we are enemies to just kidding we’ve wanted each other all along wasn’t very well shown. It was a lot of telling us and a bit of inner monologue but I felt nothing from her love interest, who she wants to have a life with now. His character was a lot more flat. I wanted more. My favorite character relationship in the book has to be that of Evangeline and her Uncle the Cherubim, though we get most of that through her narration and flashbacks.
But, I will say I am happy our main character is the hero. While her and the dude rescue each other from time to time, overall they stand on their own and she fights her own battles. I’m here for this.
So many secrets are kept and as each is revealed the book gets more exciting. While it was a bit slow at the start I will say I was glued by the end as all the web of lies got unraveled all at once. I especially enjoyed the family secrets as those are always the juiciest and affect the characters down to the core.
I also enjoyed the world building, the seven heavens and the descriptions of each. Though, I will say it was a bit preachy in the Commoners vs the Dominions, with the Commoners being pushed out of Seventh Heaven and being oppressed by the other angels.
The ending felt right and it was open to part two. There will be a follow up to this, right?
I’ll give this book a solid 3.5 stars.
September 2, 2022
“For too many centuries, the Commoners have been pushed out of the higher Heavens—the lands they once shared—and backed into this farthest corner of First Heaven, the farthest from Seventh Heaven. The farthest from God. Well, no more. Lucifer was right to rally their class of angels. He was right to fight for what they once had.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
—————————————————————
Evangeline is the Daughter of Lucifer.
She is half Commoner on her fathers side, and half Dominion on her mothers side.
The two classes of Angels are at odds with the Dominion class believing they are superior to their Commoner brethren.
After her 18th birthday doesn’t go the way she hoped it would, Evangeline sets out on a mission to save her father.
A well timed reunion with someone from her past, secrets revealed, and an abrupt eye opening journey all lead Evangeline in one direction, and it is NOT the one she initially set out on.
•
This was a solid 3.5 stars for me, only due to the romance slapping me in the face. I realize it’s a shorter fantasy, but I would’ve liked to see the relationship between the MC and Hero to have had more time to develop.
•
Packed with adventure and self discovery this is a fantastic debut from Jen Braaksma.
If you liked Laini Taylor’s Dreamer Series, than I believe this could be right up your alley.
I enjoyed the story, and am looking forward to more from this author.
Thank you to the author and to Literary Bound Tours for the advanced physical copy.
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
—————————————————————
Evangeline is the Daughter of Lucifer.
She is half Commoner on her fathers side, and half Dominion on her mothers side.
The two classes of Angels are at odds with the Dominion class believing they are superior to their Commoner brethren.
After her 18th birthday doesn’t go the way she hoped it would, Evangeline sets out on a mission to save her father.
A well timed reunion with someone from her past, secrets revealed, and an abrupt eye opening journey all lead Evangeline in one direction, and it is NOT the one she initially set out on.
•
This was a solid 3.5 stars for me, only due to the romance slapping me in the face. I realize it’s a shorter fantasy, but I would’ve liked to see the relationship between the MC and Hero to have had more time to develop.
•
Packed with adventure and self discovery this is a fantastic debut from Jen Braaksma.
If you liked Laini Taylor’s Dreamer Series, than I believe this could be right up your alley.
I enjoyed the story, and am looking forward to more from this author.
Thank you to the author and to Literary Bound Tours for the advanced physical copy.
September 29, 2022
The war on Heaven as seen through the eyes of Lucifer's daughter!
Evangeline, a young woman/angel who has grown up in the thick of her father's war, is in a unique position. While she is strong, confident, and a natural leader, Evangeline has also led a strangely sheltered life. A firm believer in her father's cause, she knows all about the war and those who fight in it... or does she? Certainly she has first-hand knowledge about the prejudices and class conflicts that make everyday life in Heaven a challenge; being the daughter of a lower-class angel means enduring the verbal snipes and bullying from her peers. If Lucifer's struggle against Heaven's ruling classes means an end to such suffering then she will do everything in her power to help him. However, Evangeline's blind faith in her father is a result of her only ever hearing his side of the story. Eventually, she must recognize that her faith in him may be misplaced.
Braaksma brings an old story to life in this engaging book by weaving class-conflict and family drama into the war on Heaven. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys action, mystery, and mythical fantasy!
Evangeline, a young woman/angel who has grown up in the thick of her father's war, is in a unique position. While she is strong, confident, and a natural leader, Evangeline has also led a strangely sheltered life. A firm believer in her father's cause, she knows all about the war and those who fight in it... or does she? Certainly she has first-hand knowledge about the prejudices and class conflicts that make everyday life in Heaven a challenge; being the daughter of a lower-class angel means enduring the verbal snipes and bullying from her peers. If Lucifer's struggle against Heaven's ruling classes means an end to such suffering then she will do everything in her power to help him. However, Evangeline's blind faith in her father is a result of her only ever hearing his side of the story. Eventually, she must recognize that her faith in him may be misplaced.
Braaksma brings an old story to life in this engaging book by weaving class-conflict and family drama into the war on Heaven. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys action, mystery, and mythical fantasy!
June 4, 2022
An interesting, addictive read.
The world building was beautifully done. Slowly more and more of it was revealed to us and it was all connected. It was complex and fit nicely with the mysteries revealed with the characters.
I found the secondary characters to be not as developed, which lead to the relationships between Evangeline and them surface level.
There was some repetition of sentences and some not necessary sentences that I could've inferred. However, the writing style was engaging and easy to follow along.
The characters were all very gray, which worked nicely with the plot. Evangeline's character was a really good main character for the plot.
The world building was beautifully done. Slowly more and more of it was revealed to us and it was all connected. It was complex and fit nicely with the mysteries revealed with the characters.
I found the secondary characters to be not as developed, which lead to the relationships between Evangeline and them surface level.
There was some repetition of sentences and some not necessary sentences that I could've inferred. However, the writing style was engaging and easy to follow along.
The characters were all very gray, which worked nicely with the plot. Evangeline's character was a really good main character for the plot.
June 3, 2022
4.5*
(I was lucky enough to get my hands on an ARC of this book!)
Evangeline's Heaven has something for everyone; angels, enemies to lovers, morally gray characters (screams!!), twists and turns, christianity turned inside out and much more! Going into this book, I was a bit scared because angel and Archangel books have never really been my thing, but wow! I loved this book so much! It was so fast paced and only took a couple pages to be enraptured by it.
I loved how the author gave every single character in this book both good and bad attributes. The characters contained so much depth, personality and emotion that they felt so real! They were neither 100% good or 100% bad, this book incorporated morally gray characters so well!
Another thing I absolutely loved was the world building. There's so much to this world, and just enough for it not to be too confusing. This book took the concept of christianity, of Archangels, and of God and completely twisted it! I was captivated the entire time, again, by it being so fast paced.
I cannot fathom how impressed I am by this being the author's first published book.
So excited for the next book!
(I was lucky enough to get my hands on an ARC of this book!)
Evangeline's Heaven has something for everyone; angels, enemies to lovers, morally gray characters (screams!!), twists and turns, christianity turned inside out and much more! Going into this book, I was a bit scared because angel and Archangel books have never really been my thing, but wow! I loved this book so much! It was so fast paced and only took a couple pages to be enraptured by it.
I loved how the author gave every single character in this book both good and bad attributes. The characters contained so much depth, personality and emotion that they felt so real! They were neither 100% good or 100% bad, this book incorporated morally gray characters so well!
Another thing I absolutely loved was the world building. There's so much to this world, and just enough for it not to be too confusing. This book took the concept of christianity, of Archangels, and of God and completely twisted it! I was captivated the entire time, again, by it being so fast paced.
I cannot fathom how impressed I am by this being the author's first published book.
So excited for the next book!
September 22, 2022
I really enjoyed this book! It's a clever retelling of the fall of Lucifer, told from the point of view of his daughter, Evangeline. The story is tight and fast paced, the characters are relatable, and interesting. It tackles big themes like love, faith, loyalty, courage. The world building is really well done and there is lots of cool magic, and even dragons! I highly recommend this book! I loved it!
July 3, 2022
Evangeline''s Heaven is about a fifteen-year-old girl who was always treated poorly by almost everyone around her because she is of mixed races.. We find out her father Lucifer has decided to try to take over the world by attempting to kill God.
Along the way we meet her crush Michael, his family, and her beloved uncle. While her father is busy being a villain , she and Michael start a quest to find the hidden keys before Lucifer gets them.
The first half of this book was really difficult for me to enjoy, there is a lot of telling the readers what has happened as opposed to letting us watch it unfold. Evangeline was constantly talking to herself in her thoughts and busy having your typical teenage attitude.
Adding more interaction and talking with other characters would have helped it a lot.
Once half of the story was over is when things really picked up and got more interesting. Her adventure in trying to stop her dad with Michael was written well. I enjoyed all of the action scenes and love that Evangeline loves a good fight.
Evangeline and Lucifer's interactions gave me Clock Work Angel vibes.
From the various creatures, multi-level heavens, and names of every one the world building was pretty solid.
There is a bit of a twist towards the end concerning her heritage and I didn't see it coming.
Evangeline's Heaven is very much a YA story, no dirty steamy scenes, & only mild cussing. The only warning I can think to add is that anyone outside of the Christian religion may not appreciate this story because it might come across as a little preachy..
Overall this was a pretty decent story.
Along the way we meet her crush Michael, his family, and her beloved uncle. While her father is busy being a villain , she and Michael start a quest to find the hidden keys before Lucifer gets them.
The first half of this book was really difficult for me to enjoy, there is a lot of telling the readers what has happened as opposed to letting us watch it unfold. Evangeline was constantly talking to herself in her thoughts and busy having your typical teenage attitude.
Adding more interaction and talking with other characters would have helped it a lot.
Once half of the story was over is when things really picked up and got more interesting. Her adventure in trying to stop her dad with Michael was written well. I enjoyed all of the action scenes and love that Evangeline loves a good fight.
Evangeline and Lucifer's interactions gave me Clock Work Angel vibes.
From the various creatures, multi-level heavens, and names of every one the world building was pretty solid.
There is a bit of a twist towards the end concerning her heritage and I didn't see it coming.
Evangeline's Heaven is very much a YA story, no dirty steamy scenes, & only mild cussing. The only warning I can think to add is that anyone outside of the Christian religion may not appreciate this story because it might come across as a little preachy..
Overall this was a pretty decent story.
June 9, 2022
Jen's writing is captivating. All of the main characters in this book are so complex, relatable and flawed. She does an incredible job of getting inside their heads and taking you with them as you read. You're invested from the word go. The relationships between the characters are also complex and I didn't want to stop reading because I wanted to know what was going to happen between them. Jen builds mystery on every page, and no one is as they seem.
The descriptions of the fantasy world are vivid and Jen's writing style is beautiful and sophisticated. I could conjure up the world of Evangeline and the seven heavens in my head.
This is an intense and fast-paced book - the stakes are high for Evangeline and there are lots of twists and turns. So be warned, your blood pressure may rise!
The descriptions of the fantasy world are vivid and Jen's writing style is beautiful and sophisticated. I could conjure up the world of Evangeline and the seven heavens in my head.
This is an intense and fast-paced book - the stakes are high for Evangeline and there are lots of twists and turns. So be warned, your blood pressure may rise!
August 28, 2022
Evangeline's Heaven is a fantasy YA set in the Seven Heavens. Evangeline, the daughter of Lucifer, is fiercely loyal to her father and her community, but throughout the story she begins to question everything she has believed about her life so far, most of all, the true motives of her father. Evangeline travels through the seven heavens, she hears stories from a wide variety of beings about her father's villainous actions - limiting access to food supplies, burning refugee camps, and working with enemies. She doesn't believe what she is told at first, but as the story continues she must use what she has seen and heard to decide who she should trust, fear and protect.
The setting and the characters were vividly defined. The writing was beautiful, flowed nicely and was hard to put down! The beginning was a bit slower as it seemed there was quite a bit of backstory and information about characters and setting that needed to be ironed out to set the reader up for success for the rest of the book which is quite fast-paced and action-filled. The book is very much written as a YA, you can see the teenage attitude of Evangeline shining through right from the beginning, and commentary about her male friend being her 'boyfriend" by adults was a nice hint at the embarrassment and uneasiness teens feel when trying to navigate friendships in the young adult world. As far as content appropriateness, it is a YA, so it's expected there will be slightly more mature themes, but it was nothing too crazy, a bit of violence and death, but nothing too gory and no steamy scenes of any kind, definitely not a YA romance either. Additionally, because there was significant talk about angels, god, heaven etc. conservative and religious parents and teens may want to look into this book a bit more before reading, and people who want nothing to do with these themes may also want to reconsider. Otherwise this is everything a YA fantasy should be! I would highly recommend to anyone looking for an angel fantasy with lots of action! Thanks to PR by the Book and SparkPress for giving me the chance to read and review this book!
The setting and the characters were vividly defined. The writing was beautiful, flowed nicely and was hard to put down! The beginning was a bit slower as it seemed there was quite a bit of backstory and information about characters and setting that needed to be ironed out to set the reader up for success for the rest of the book which is quite fast-paced and action-filled. The book is very much written as a YA, you can see the teenage attitude of Evangeline shining through right from the beginning, and commentary about her male friend being her 'boyfriend" by adults was a nice hint at the embarrassment and uneasiness teens feel when trying to navigate friendships in the young adult world. As far as content appropriateness, it is a YA, so it's expected there will be slightly more mature themes, but it was nothing too crazy, a bit of violence and death, but nothing too gory and no steamy scenes of any kind, definitely not a YA romance either. Additionally, because there was significant talk about angels, god, heaven etc. conservative and religious parents and teens may want to look into this book a bit more before reading, and people who want nothing to do with these themes may also want to reconsider. Otherwise this is everything a YA fantasy should be! I would highly recommend to anyone looking for an angel fantasy with lots of action! Thanks to PR by the Book and SparkPress for giving me the chance to read and review this book!
September 26, 2022
Bien que cette lecture ne m’ait pas transcendée, je l’ai bien apprécié et je l’ai dévoré en quelques heures !
¤
Dans ce roman, l’autrice nous embarque dès les premières pages dans son intrigue. Au début, j’avais commencé ma lecture sans lire le résumé alors j’ai trouvé le récit amené abruptement et j’avais du mal à m’y plonger alors qu’il commençait déjà à se passer plein de choses.
Cela dit, il ne m’a fallu que quelques pages pour me laisser embarquer. Le style d’écriture de l’autrice a aidé à mon immersion. Le texte était écrit simplement, c’était facile à lire.
Les premières pages commencent par une interaction entre Evangeline et son père Lucifer. On en apprend peu sur ce qui se passe politiquement au Paradis, la marginalisation des Dominions et des Commoners, mais on comprend aisément que Lucifer a un plan de rébellion en tête contre Dieu. Ensuite, tout s’enchaîne avec la poursuite entre les archanges contre Lucifer, Evangeline qui veut défendre son père, retrouver l’artefact que celui-ci cherche, les révélations qu’elle va faire au fil de son enquête, la relation qu’elle développe avec Michael, qui était au début son ennemi…
Bref, les évènements se déroulent rapidement et le récit est cohérent. C’est une histoire dynamique, simple et qui fonctionne.
J’ai passé un bon moment avec tous ces personnages. On croise des anges, des démons, des djinns…
Ce qui m’a chiffonnée, c’est le manque de contexte, de dépôt de décor au début de l’histoire et l’approfondissement dans les relations entre les personnages. L’affection qui se développe entre Michael et Evangeline allait trop vite de mon point de vue car je n’ai compris que trop tard qu’ils se connaissaient déjà depuis longtemps, alors que moi je pensais qu’ils venaient à peine de se connaître, par exemple.
¤
Dans ce roman, l’autrice nous embarque dès les premières pages dans son intrigue. Au début, j’avais commencé ma lecture sans lire le résumé alors j’ai trouvé le récit amené abruptement et j’avais du mal à m’y plonger alors qu’il commençait déjà à se passer plein de choses.
Cela dit, il ne m’a fallu que quelques pages pour me laisser embarquer. Le style d’écriture de l’autrice a aidé à mon immersion. Le texte était écrit simplement, c’était facile à lire.
Les premières pages commencent par une interaction entre Evangeline et son père Lucifer. On en apprend peu sur ce qui se passe politiquement au Paradis, la marginalisation des Dominions et des Commoners, mais on comprend aisément que Lucifer a un plan de rébellion en tête contre Dieu. Ensuite, tout s’enchaîne avec la poursuite entre les archanges contre Lucifer, Evangeline qui veut défendre son père, retrouver l’artefact que celui-ci cherche, les révélations qu’elle va faire au fil de son enquête, la relation qu’elle développe avec Michael, qui était au début son ennemi…
Bref, les évènements se déroulent rapidement et le récit est cohérent. C’est une histoire dynamique, simple et qui fonctionne.
J’ai passé un bon moment avec tous ces personnages. On croise des anges, des démons, des djinns…
Ce qui m’a chiffonnée, c’est le manque de contexte, de dépôt de décor au début de l’histoire et l’approfondissement dans les relations entre les personnages. L’affection qui se développe entre Michael et Evangeline allait trop vite de mon point de vue car je n’ai compris que trop tard qu’ils se connaissaient déjà depuis longtemps, alors que moi je pensais qu’ils venaient à peine de se connaître, par exemple.
October 25, 2022
Rating: 4/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion
It’s been a while since I last read an angel fantasy, and this one did not let me down at all. Evangeline is Lucifer's daughter. She was raised to believe that her father wanted the best for them, and the class of angels called the Commoner. However, the more and more that she starts to think things through she starts seeing a different side to her father and she doesn’t know what to believe anymore. So, she starts to piece together what she can with the help of a Dominion class angel named Michael and her whole life will change before her eyes.
I really did enjoy this book a lot. I thought the story was fast paced after the first 25% and filled with a lot of action and dived deeper in the plot of the story. I wish that there was a little more to the book I do, but I am also hoping that Jen will give us another book with more from Evangeline and the other angels.
The world building was done beautifully, I could picture all the worlds that they had to pass through, and the writing style was engaging and easy to follow along. The plot was more for me a character driven than plot driven, you will see Evangeline’s character growth and from Michael a little. I thought the characters were easy to connect with.
I would recommend this book to any younger YA readers that love fantasy books that are easy to keep pace with.
I want to thank NetGalley and She Writes Press/Spark Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I received an eARC for my honest opinion
It’s been a while since I last read an angel fantasy, and this one did not let me down at all. Evangeline is Lucifer's daughter. She was raised to believe that her father wanted the best for them, and the class of angels called the Commoner. However, the more and more that she starts to think things through she starts seeing a different side to her father and she doesn’t know what to believe anymore. So, she starts to piece together what she can with the help of a Dominion class angel named Michael and her whole life will change before her eyes.
I really did enjoy this book a lot. I thought the story was fast paced after the first 25% and filled with a lot of action and dived deeper in the plot of the story. I wish that there was a little more to the book I do, but I am also hoping that Jen will give us another book with more from Evangeline and the other angels.
The world building was done beautifully, I could picture all the worlds that they had to pass through, and the writing style was engaging and easy to follow along. The plot was more for me a character driven than plot driven, you will see Evangeline’s character growth and from Michael a little. I thought the characters were easy to connect with.
I would recommend this book to any younger YA readers that love fantasy books that are easy to keep pace with.
I want to thank NetGalley and She Writes Press/Spark Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
August 24, 2022
Thank you so much to PR by the book for an advanced copy of this book.
This is not my usual genre of books, but when I read the synopsis it sounded too good to pass on.
The story follows eighteen year old Evangeline (daughter of Lucifer) on her journey through the heavens, on a discovery of self and understanding.
This setting of this book is beautifully and vastly written, the picture of the seven heavens were pictured so well in my mind as I read this book. As the novel goes on, more and more about the characters is unraveled, so we learn more about them and the mysteries in this book are slowly revealed. It is intriguing and kept me reading.
This book read like a ya story, but that isn’t a bad thing. There is some romance, adventure and fighting, as well as an amazing coming of age story, as Evangeline figures out who she is and what she is fighting for.
Some parts I found a bit drawn out, however, I believe this book is going to be part of a series so some character and world building was necessary.
All in all, a very interesting take on the world of Angels and Heaven, and a fun, fascinating read.
July 28, 2022
Evangeline doesn’t belong anywhere in the Heavens. As the daughter of Lucifer, a Commoner, the lowest class of angels, and a high-class Dominion mother she doesn’t remember, Evangeline is accepted by no one and has led a life sheltered from the front lines of battle. Until the day she must rush into new territory to find her father before the Archangels do. But what she discovers along her journey doesn’t fit with what Lucifer has told her…
All the characters in this book were gray which was interesting. I was intrigued watching Evangeline sort out who her father really is and who she wants to be. I adored her rocky relationship with archangel Michael and cheered as she drove herself into battle, her faith rooted in hope and peace. The world-building was well done. There were a couple repetitive internal reflections by Evangeline that slowed things down but overall and the action moved along at a good pace.
Thanks to the author for the gifted ARC.
All the characters in this book were gray which was interesting. I was intrigued watching Evangeline sort out who her father really is and who she wants to be. I adored her rocky relationship with archangel Michael and cheered as she drove herself into battle, her faith rooted in hope and peace. The world-building was well done. There were a couple repetitive internal reflections by Evangeline that slowed things down but overall and the action moved along at a good pace.
Thanks to the author for the gifted ARC.
August 31, 2022
This was an interesting story packed with adventure and some nice action! The world building was great in this book! Evangeline makes a great main character. It's a quick and easy read. The only thing I wish there was more of was the romance. It's a short story so you didn't get much of it but that may change with the next book! Overall it was a good read and I'll be looking out for the next book! Thank you Literary Bound tours for sharing this book with me!
June 20, 2025
Evangeline's Heaven follows the journey of Evangeline, the daughter of Lucifer—and yes, it’s as intriguing as it sounds. While the story took a bit to really hook me, the second half definitely picked up the pace. The concept felt original, especially with the layered celestial settings and the trials through multiple Heavens. The characters had depth, and the worldbuilding stood out. It’s a slower burn, but overall a solid pick for fans of YA fantasy looking for something a little different.
October 2, 2022
Evangeline's Heaven is the story of Lucifer's daughter Evangeline. I found it a bit slow initially, but the last half makes up for that. The plot is interesting and I thought it was pretty unique. The characters were well-written and the setting was neat with them having to get through all the different Heavens. All in all, it is a solid YA fantasy. A bit slow at times, but worth a read.
Read
August 26, 2022Evangeline's Heaven by Jen Braaksma is an interesting, addictive read. The writing style in this book is definitely on the younger side of the young adult genre.
October 10, 2022
This one fell pretty flat for me. I thought that the characters were very flat and the story was just boring. I wanted more from all of this one.
October 25, 2022
Such an exciting read with a great plot. Highly recommend!
June 26, 2022
I have received an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley and SparkPress for the opportunity!
I really, really really enjoyed this book. It's been a while since I've read an angel fantasy, and let me tell you I was hooked from the first few chapters. Evangeline is the daughter of Lucifer, who is leading the Commoners in their rebellion against the upper elitist heavens. Evangeline believes in her father's cause whole heartedly. When she learns her father is in danger of being hunted down my Archangels Michael and Gabriel, she sets off to find him before they can. Along her journey, she hears horror stories of her father's actions - cutting off food supplies from their own people, raiding refugee camps, and even his consorting with dark forces. She doesn't believe anything she hears, but when she is confronted with a truth she cannot deny, she must look deep inside herself and figure out where her morals lie.
Beautifully written, fantastic and immersive world building - this book will have you up all night reading.
I really, really really enjoyed this book. It's been a while since I've read an angel fantasy, and let me tell you I was hooked from the first few chapters. Evangeline is the daughter of Lucifer, who is leading the Commoners in their rebellion against the upper elitist heavens. Evangeline believes in her father's cause whole heartedly. When she learns her father is in danger of being hunted down my Archangels Michael and Gabriel, she sets off to find him before they can. Along her journey, she hears horror stories of her father's actions - cutting off food supplies from their own people, raiding refugee camps, and even his consorting with dark forces. She doesn't believe anything she hears, but when she is confronted with a truth she cannot deny, she must look deep inside herself and figure out where her morals lie.
Beautifully written, fantastic and immersive world building - this book will have you up all night reading.
April 7, 2023
TW: Deception, violence, loss of a relative
I’d like to first thank the author and Literary Bound Tours for this gifted copy! I was stoked that I received it, and I really enjoyed the premise of the book. I enjoyed seeing the conflict that was in Evangeline‘s head over whether she should believe her father or the things she was seeing. I also liked the concept of different heavens, and I’m hopeful that we will see more of them in depth in the next book.
I liked the idea of a romance between Evangeline and a person I won’t mention so you can enjoy the book more without knowing who 👀 I must admit I am a romance reader so I was sad to not see too much of the romance, but someone who is more interested in plot rather than romance would definitely like how this was done.
I’d say my only issue with the book is it was a lot of internal dialogue rather than descriptions and external dialogue. While I appreciated the internal dialogue because I felt it was important to the story, I did feel like we weren’t seeing enough of this world and understanding the people she is meeting. I am hopeful I will understand more about this world in the next book because I am really interested in learning more!
I’d like to first thank the author and Literary Bound Tours for this gifted copy! I was stoked that I received it, and I really enjoyed the premise of the book. I enjoyed seeing the conflict that was in Evangeline‘s head over whether she should believe her father or the things she was seeing. I also liked the concept of different heavens, and I’m hopeful that we will see more of them in depth in the next book.
I liked the idea of a romance between Evangeline and a person I won’t mention so you can enjoy the book more without knowing who 👀 I must admit I am a romance reader so I was sad to not see too much of the romance, but someone who is more interested in plot rather than romance would definitely like how this was done.
I’d say my only issue with the book is it was a lot of internal dialogue rather than descriptions and external dialogue. While I appreciated the internal dialogue because I felt it was important to the story, I did feel like we weren’t seeing enough of this world and understanding the people she is meeting. I am hopeful I will understand more about this world in the next book because I am really interested in learning more!
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