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Atheist's Angel
The darkest creature, the purest heart.
The day Gabriela finds a handsome stranger on the beach, her life changes forever.
Her home fills with feathers and sarcastic laughter. Tararus is a force that breaks through her defences and leaves her hopelessly enchanted with him and his world. But when a dark entity invades her seaside home, Gabriela can't help but involve herself in the perilous troubles of angels and demons.
As Tararus flees a battle, his heart is torn with uncertainty. A slight error in realm transfer and he finds himself on a beach, at the mercy of a sharp-tongued mortal, Gabriela. When given a mission he can't refuse, Tararus takes Gabriela to his home realm, Enochia. It is a place of deadly beauty and the last known location of an ancient weapon the pair must recover.
Yet time is running out, if they fail, Tararus's dark master will demand an agonising price.
Atheist's Angel is the first book in the captivating Celestial series. This action-packed, simmering tale of a world where nothing is as it seems, will leave you breathless for more.
The day Gabriela finds a handsome stranger on the beach, her life changes forever.
Her home fills with feathers and sarcastic laughter. Tararus is a force that breaks through her defences and leaves her hopelessly enchanted with him and his world. But when a dark entity invades her seaside home, Gabriela can't help but involve herself in the perilous troubles of angels and demons.
As Tararus flees a battle, his heart is torn with uncertainty. A slight error in realm transfer and he finds himself on a beach, at the mercy of a sharp-tongued mortal, Gabriela. When given a mission he can't refuse, Tararus takes Gabriela to his home realm, Enochia. It is a place of deadly beauty and the last known location of an ancient weapon the pair must recover.
Yet time is running out, if they fail, Tararus's dark master will demand an agonising price.
Atheist's Angel is the first book in the captivating Celestial series. This action-packed, simmering tale of a world where nothing is as it seems, will leave you breathless for more.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 29, 2022
1 person is currently reading
80 people want to read
About the author
Anna Velfman
8 books27 followersIn another life, Anna Velfman graduated from Stirling University with an Environmental Science degree and moved to the Shetland islands having just got married. Later she returned to mainland Scotland to train as a teacher. However, having written online for years as a way to help manage her dyslexia, she decided she would be happier aiming to write full time.
When she is not writing, she can be found gaming on the PC she built, painting and sewing (badly,) watching anime and Kdramas, walking her dog, riding her bright blue ebike, or chatting with her readers on discord. She loves living in Scotland, where she is raising two boys with her husband.
She has a bi-monthly (sometimes) Podcast called Writer Rambles where she talks about her writing and chats to other authors about their work.
When she is not writing, she can be found gaming on the PC she built, painting and sewing (badly,) watching anime and Kdramas, walking her dog, riding her bright blue ebike, or chatting with her readers on discord. She loves living in Scotland, where she is raising two boys with her husband.
She has a bi-monthly (sometimes) Podcast called Writer Rambles where she talks about her writing and chats to other authors about their work.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 14, 2022
4.5 ✨
This was a surprise for me-- a very happy one!
I went in knowing nothing, and I came out a fan of Anna Velfam. An author who I hope is soon widely recognized as she deserves because her writing is strong, her character building inspired, and her plots fascinating.
I loved the plot surrounding the Celestials, it was very intriguing and well developed. It was intricately done yet easy to follow.
I adored our leads-- Gabriela and Tararus. They had excellent chemistry, bantering, and strong individual arcs. If I had one hang up in the book it was the romance-- I adored the chemistry between our leads, but would have enjoyed more romance at the forefront. But again, the romance took a back seat to some terrific personal journeys that helped expand each character.
There's also a really fun cast supporting the story-- personally, I'd love to read about the story of Beakon and his wife.
I felt engaged and immersed from start to ending, and came to care deeply for our leads-- easily rooting for them on their hard fought journey.
I must admit, I was was initially going to give this a 4, feeling disappointed with the ending-- desiring more closure-- but I belatedly realized this is not the end! There is a sequel in the works and it has me really excited. So please keep that in mind when reading. And please read the content warning page prior to the beginning of the tale, there is some content that may not be suitable for all readers.
This is a hidden gem that I hope is discovered by many soon!
Thank you to the author for the free arc in exchange for an honest review.
This was a surprise for me-- a very happy one!
I went in knowing nothing, and I came out a fan of Anna Velfam. An author who I hope is soon widely recognized as she deserves because her writing is strong, her character building inspired, and her plots fascinating.
I loved the plot surrounding the Celestials, it was very intriguing and well developed. It was intricately done yet easy to follow.
I adored our leads-- Gabriela and Tararus. They had excellent chemistry, bantering, and strong individual arcs. If I had one hang up in the book it was the romance-- I adored the chemistry between our leads, but would have enjoyed more romance at the forefront. But again, the romance took a back seat to some terrific personal journeys that helped expand each character.
There's also a really fun cast supporting the story-- personally, I'd love to read about the story of Beakon and his wife.
I felt engaged and immersed from start to ending, and came to care deeply for our leads-- easily rooting for them on their hard fought journey.
I must admit, I was was initially going to give this a 4, feeling disappointed with the ending-- desiring more closure-- but I belatedly realized this is not the end! There is a sequel in the works and it has me really excited. So please keep that in mind when reading. And please read the content warning page prior to the beginning of the tale, there is some content that may not be suitable for all readers.
This is a hidden gem that I hope is discovered by many soon!
Thank you to the author for the free arc in exchange for an honest review.
May 15, 2022
This is a very good story. Fantasy can be a tricky genre, and the author has done several things quite well. She sets up her world for us seamlessly, without an information dump. The precipitating event that puts the story in motion caught my interest from the first page. The reader gets just the right amount of backstory and detail to intrigue without confusing. The meet-cute between our two main characters is quite original, and serves to further advance the world building as well as establish the central conflict.
Once we are hooked, Anna Velfman delivers a very well-paced quest tale. I love a quest. We get just enough detail about this complex universe of worlds to make it clear who is doing what and why. We are not drowning in extraneous characters or backstory that do not serve to advance the central plot. This is a major pitfall in fantasy fiction that will have me shelving a book half way through. Not with ATHIEST’S ANGEL, however. This book is a page turner. The clock is ticking, our hero and heroine each have to surmount obstacles—both external and internal—in order to be reunited as well as save “the world” from the return of an evil power. Just, really, really good plotting here.
Descriptions of otherworldly locations are vivid. I could feel the waving sea of grass around the temple as it brushed against my fingertips.
This is the first book in a new series, and the author has strategically planted a handful of Easter eggs and unanswered questions that have me eager for the next installment. Will we discover the mystery of Tararus' elusive memories? Is more revealed about the dark power within Synn's orb? Is there a celestial future for Gabriela and her angelic love?
Now for the critiques and the reason for the 4-star rating. While I did love this book, and the story itself is original, the framework is very tropey. Everyone is impossibly good-looking, our hero is a bad boy with a heart of gold, our heroine seems like a normal human until unforeseen strengths are revealed. And of course, they are instantly hot for each other. The whole angel/demon thing is a bit too similar to the CRESCENT CITY series by Sarah Maas.
I found some aspects of the author’s writing style lacking. We do not need to know every single time a character moves/settles/folds/ruffles/preens their wings. We get it; they’re angels. The occasional insertion of modern slang is jarring. Some of the celestial characters begin speaking in formal voice, then suddenly start using contractions. This sometimes leads to confusion about who is speaking. The author often fails to specify that an observation or opinion is part of a character’s internal monologue. Did he/she say that out loud? Adding “She thought” or “He decided that” would smooth out the writing considerably.
Some of these admittedly are nit picks, and as a writer and editor, I just cannot help flagging such things. Others might not see these as flaws or even notice them.
I have always felt that five stars do not provide enough nuance for critiquing. If I could, I would give this 9/10, or 4.5/5. Bottom line, I loved this book and I strongly recommend it to the fantasy enthusiast, or to anyone who enjoys a solid adventure story.
I was provided a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Once we are hooked, Anna Velfman delivers a very well-paced quest tale. I love a quest. We get just enough detail about this complex universe of worlds to make it clear who is doing what and why. We are not drowning in extraneous characters or backstory that do not serve to advance the central plot. This is a major pitfall in fantasy fiction that will have me shelving a book half way through. Not with ATHIEST’S ANGEL, however. This book is a page turner. The clock is ticking, our hero and heroine each have to surmount obstacles—both external and internal—in order to be reunited as well as save “the world” from the return of an evil power. Just, really, really good plotting here.
Descriptions of otherworldly locations are vivid. I could feel the waving sea of grass around the temple as it brushed against my fingertips.
This is the first book in a new series, and the author has strategically planted a handful of Easter eggs and unanswered questions that have me eager for the next installment. Will we discover the mystery of Tararus' elusive memories? Is more revealed about the dark power within Synn's orb? Is there a celestial future for Gabriela and her angelic love?
Now for the critiques and the reason for the 4-star rating. While I did love this book, and the story itself is original, the framework is very tropey. Everyone is impossibly good-looking, our hero is a bad boy with a heart of gold, our heroine seems like a normal human until unforeseen strengths are revealed. And of course, they are instantly hot for each other. The whole angel/demon thing is a bit too similar to the CRESCENT CITY series by Sarah Maas.
I found some aspects of the author’s writing style lacking. We do not need to know every single time a character moves/settles/folds/ruffles/preens their wings. We get it; they’re angels. The occasional insertion of modern slang is jarring. Some of the celestial characters begin speaking in formal voice, then suddenly start using contractions. This sometimes leads to confusion about who is speaking. The author often fails to specify that an observation or opinion is part of a character’s internal monologue. Did he/she say that out loud? Adding “She thought” or “He decided that” would smooth out the writing considerably.
Some of these admittedly are nit picks, and as a writer and editor, I just cannot help flagging such things. Others might not see these as flaws or even notice them.
I have always felt that five stars do not provide enough nuance for critiquing. If I could, I would give this 9/10, or 4.5/5. Bottom line, I loved this book and I strongly recommend it to the fantasy enthusiast, or to anyone who enjoys a solid adventure story.
I was provided a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
May 20, 2022
《Synopsis》
The darkest creature, the purest heart.
The day Gabriela finds a handsome stranger on the beach, her life changes forever.
Her home fills with feathers and sarcastic laughter. Tararus is a force that breaks through her defences and leaves her hopelessly enchanted with him and his world. But when a dark entity invades her seaside home, Gabriela can't help but involve herself in the perilous troubles of angels and demons.
As Tararus flees a battle, his heart is torn with uncertainty. A slight error in realm transfer and he finds himself on a beach, at the mercy of a sharp-tongued mortal, Gabriela. When given a mission he can't refuse, Tararus takes Gabriela to his home realm, Enochia. It is a place of deadly beauty and the last known location of an ancient weapon the pair must recover.
Yet time is running out, if they fail, Tararus's dark master will demand an agonising price.
Atheist's Angel is the first book in the captivating Celestial series. This action-packed, simmering tale of a world where nothing is as it seems, will leave you breathless for more.
《Thoughts》
4 stars.
This was a book for review I received for free. It was 100% random that I stumbled onto it. I saw someone posted artwork for the book, which intrigued me enough that I followed it to its source where I found this opportunity.
Super thankful I did.
My first thought after finishing was, "TELL ME THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE." I am already ready for more of Gabriela and Tararus.
Gabriela was easy to connect with - broken yet practically and determined in a way I found very relatable. And for being an angel, Tararus is very human. His way of trying to make the right choices, but making them out of fear is something we've probably all done. Beyond that, I loved both of their sass and quips.
The world is incredibly intriguing, and left me wanting to know more (in a good way), especially as more and more layers were revealed. It did take me a little bit to grasp the world and magic system, but once I did I really liked it.
There were moments I wished for a little more action and spice but it wasn't enough to detract too much from the book, imo.
The darkest creature, the purest heart.
The day Gabriela finds a handsome stranger on the beach, her life changes forever.
Her home fills with feathers and sarcastic laughter. Tararus is a force that breaks through her defences and leaves her hopelessly enchanted with him and his world. But when a dark entity invades her seaside home, Gabriela can't help but involve herself in the perilous troubles of angels and demons.
As Tararus flees a battle, his heart is torn with uncertainty. A slight error in realm transfer and he finds himself on a beach, at the mercy of a sharp-tongued mortal, Gabriela. When given a mission he can't refuse, Tararus takes Gabriela to his home realm, Enochia. It is a place of deadly beauty and the last known location of an ancient weapon the pair must recover.
Yet time is running out, if they fail, Tararus's dark master will demand an agonising price.
Atheist's Angel is the first book in the captivating Celestial series. This action-packed, simmering tale of a world where nothing is as it seems, will leave you breathless for more.
《Thoughts》
4 stars.
This was a book for review I received for free. It was 100% random that I stumbled onto it. I saw someone posted artwork for the book, which intrigued me enough that I followed it to its source where I found this opportunity.
Super thankful I did.
My first thought after finishing was, "TELL ME THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE." I am already ready for more of Gabriela and Tararus.
Gabriela was easy to connect with - broken yet practically and determined in a way I found very relatable. And for being an angel, Tararus is very human. His way of trying to make the right choices, but making them out of fear is something we've probably all done. Beyond that, I loved both of their sass and quips.
The world is incredibly intriguing, and left me wanting to know more (in a good way), especially as more and more layers were revealed. It did take me a little bit to grasp the world and magic system, but once I did I really liked it.
There were moments I wished for a little more action and spice but it wasn't enough to detract too much from the book, imo.
May 24, 2022
Note: I received a free ARC and am voluntarily writing an honest review. Atheist's Angel contains scenes of violence, child abuse, self-harm and torture.
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
I can honestly say I haven't read another book like this! Atheist's Angel delivers interesting takes on angels, djinn and Hades. It's also darker than what I usually read, verging on grimdark without losing its hopeful message. It reminded me of Sabaa Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes and Hannah Whitten's For the Throne.
The story really picks up when Gabriela ends up in Tararus's old realm. Though early parts of the book felt slower due to dense language in the exposition, Gabriela's sarcastic descriptions lift it. They also offer a welcome dose of humor in this often heavy story. One example: when speaking to a benevolent god "...her mortal self stood out like a forty-a-day smoker among vegan gym bunnies."
I came very close to rating Atheist's Angel higher (rounding up to 5 stars rather than 4 1/2) and would have if it leaned into the romance and emotion a bit more by the end. After all that darkness and suffering, I wanted a longer payoff. At least I have future books to look forward to for that, and I do expect good things. What could be more fun than watching the celestial and mundane human worlds collide?
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
I can honestly say I haven't read another book like this! Atheist's Angel delivers interesting takes on angels, djinn and Hades. It's also darker than what I usually read, verging on grimdark without losing its hopeful message. It reminded me of Sabaa Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes and Hannah Whitten's For the Throne.
The story really picks up when Gabriela ends up in Tararus's old realm. Though early parts of the book felt slower due to dense language in the exposition, Gabriela's sarcastic descriptions lift it. They also offer a welcome dose of humor in this often heavy story. One example: when speaking to a benevolent god "...her mortal self stood out like a forty-a-day smoker among vegan gym bunnies."
I came very close to rating Atheist's Angel higher (rounding up to 5 stars rather than 4 1/2) and would have if it leaned into the romance and emotion a bit more by the end. After all that darkness and suffering, I wanted a longer payoff. At least I have future books to look forward to for that, and I do expect good things. What could be more fun than watching the celestial and mundane human worlds collide?
May 14, 2022
Ebook ARC received from author in exchange for honest review. A very solid 3.5 rating.
This book caught my attention after I saw some amazing artwork of the main characters. Tall grumpy looking male with wings and human feisty redhead? Sign me up!
This book honestly surprised me. I went into it without big expectations since I haven't read any prior books from Anna Velfman. But this was a good read.
Not overly complicated - we get right into the story. Beautiful scenery discriptipns and a strong world building made this easy to get lost in.
A great dual POV that allows the reader to get under the skin of Gabriela and Tararus quite fast.
I LOVED how strongwilled and snarky Gabriela was. Her talking back to these bigger than life dudes were some of my favorite parts. Her sarcasm for the win. Tararus was a slightly reluctant very stubborn sweetheart who falls hard and fast.
There are some trigger warnings in the form of selfharming, torture, past abuse and mental illness. As someone who knows anxiety and depression really well I appreciate the representation.
All in all I enjoyed this book and I can't wait to read more from this series. I can totally see several characters who could easily carry their own book. Fingers crossed.
This book caught my attention after I saw some amazing artwork of the main characters. Tall grumpy looking male with wings and human feisty redhead? Sign me up!
This book honestly surprised me. I went into it without big expectations since I haven't read any prior books from Anna Velfman. But this was a good read.
Not overly complicated - we get right into the story. Beautiful scenery discriptipns and a strong world building made this easy to get lost in.
A great dual POV that allows the reader to get under the skin of Gabriela and Tararus quite fast.
I LOVED how strongwilled and snarky Gabriela was. Her talking back to these bigger than life dudes were some of my favorite parts. Her sarcasm for the win. Tararus was a slightly reluctant very stubborn sweetheart who falls hard and fast.
There are some trigger warnings in the form of selfharming, torture, past abuse and mental illness. As someone who knows anxiety and depression really well I appreciate the representation.
All in all I enjoyed this book and I can't wait to read more from this series. I can totally see several characters who could easily carry their own book. Fingers crossed.
May 17, 2022
This is the first book of the Celestial series by Anna Velfman and it is a fantasy romance between two souls trying to free themselves from the past.
Gabriela is a lonely, troubled woman, trying to live with her internal demons when she finds a huge man dressed in black washed upon the shore. Her caring personality, underlined by her sense of duty and her clever wit, ushers her to take care of him, even though she can sense the danger surrounding him.
Tararus is a herald for the God of Justice but he is not so sure about his convictions and his missions anymore. When Gabriela saves him and witnesses his fight with another celestial, their destinies are entwined and they will have to face several challenges in order to be free.
The world building is amazing and I remained enraptured in the story until the very end that it made me feel right along with them.
The banter between the characters, the evolution of their personalities and the struggles that all of them, even the Gods, go through is such a well developed story that I am rejoicing in the fact that we will see more of it since it will be a series and book 2 is already in the making.
Gabriela is a lonely, troubled woman, trying to live with her internal demons when she finds a huge man dressed in black washed upon the shore. Her caring personality, underlined by her sense of duty and her clever wit, ushers her to take care of him, even though she can sense the danger surrounding him.
Tararus is a herald for the God of Justice but he is not so sure about his convictions and his missions anymore. When Gabriela saves him and witnesses his fight with another celestial, their destinies are entwined and they will have to face several challenges in order to be free.
The world building is amazing and I remained enraptured in the story until the very end that it made me feel right along with them.
The banter between the characters, the evolution of their personalities and the struggles that all of them, even the Gods, go through is such a well developed story that I am rejoicing in the fact that we will see more of it since it will be a series and book 2 is already in the making.
July 9, 2022
I received a forward copy of this novel from the author directly in exchange for an honest review.
Fantasy can sometimes be hit or miss for me, especially when it comes to world-building and characterisation as themes can become lost along the way. However I found myself really drawn into the plot from the first few chapters and really became invested in characters that feel refreshingly fleshed out and believable. I won't add any spoilers here, but will definitely be reading the next one!
Fantasy can sometimes be hit or miss for me, especially when it comes to world-building and characterisation as themes can become lost along the way. However I found myself really drawn into the plot from the first few chapters and really became invested in characters that feel refreshingly fleshed out and believable. I won't add any spoilers here, but will definitely be reading the next one!
May 29, 2022
Absolutely Stunning
What a wonderful new world with such history, background and fantastical creatures. The world building is beautiful and flawless. I'm sincerely looking forward to the continuation of the series.
Side Note: Don't be thrown off by the title, these "Angels" have nothing to do with any religious view, so no need to skip it thinking it's offensive religiously.
What a wonderful new world with such history, background and fantastical creatures. The world building is beautiful and flawless. I'm sincerely looking forward to the continuation of the series.
Side Note: Don't be thrown off by the title, these "Angels" have nothing to do with any religious view, so no need to skip it thinking it's offensive religiously.
June 12, 2022
The worldbuilding and characters were totally different from what I expected! I really enjoyed that the premise was essentially, "what if angels are real as well every other creature humans told stories about?" The lore and history between good and evil sides was one of my favorite parts. There is a hint of romance, but it is definitely more of a chaotic, stressful adventure of two extremely stubborn characters. I hope there is more to this world!
Thanks to the author, Anna Velfman for the ARC!
Thanks to the author, Anna Velfman for the ARC!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews