End of Days

 

Level: Older Teen

Genre: Fantasy > Urban Fantasy

Obtained: Purchased on Amazon

Reviewed by: Nic Echo

About the Book:

After Verchiel's departure and the Fallen's forgiveness, Aaron and the other Nephilim are the new force that is trying to rid the world of its darkness and monsters, which have been steadily increasing in numbers, While this is happening, a small group of remaining Powers are tracking down the horn of Gabriel that, when played, will summon Wormwood, an angel created to bring about the end of the world.

Rating: 8/10

Sniegoski brings forth another entertaining plot that kept me riveted. Well, the main plot, at least. Luckily, most of the book pertained to the end of days in some form. However, Sniegoski also places a subplot into the mix that involves Aaron and Vilma. Sniegoski introduces Jeremy Fox, another Nephilim whose main purpose is to provide romantic conflict and be a pain in Aaron's backside. This little subplot seemed to drag on and provided little to the actual storyline. Nor was there even any tension since it is obvious that Vilma is going to stay with Aaron.

Other than the romantic side trip, I found the book quite enjoyable and zoomed right through it. Sniegoski did a wonderful job creating a multitude of grotesque creatures, and I especially found myself intrigued with the child and the plan he unfolds in the tale. It left me wanting more, left me wanting to know what was going to happen. The ending of the book was especially phenomenal. To part of my dislike, it was left on a cliff hanger so now I am forced to wait for the next installment. RAGE!

Another thing I disliked was that I wish I had gotten a better sense of the other Nephilim. All of the newbies, except Jeremy, seemed to blend into the woodwork. Sniegoski gave them enough difference that we knew they were their own person, but I never got an actual sense of that character. Overall though, I really enjoyed the book and can't wait for the next one. I only hope he steers clear of any more majorly romantic subplots.

What I'm Reading Next:

Reckoning

 

First off, please note that the cover above actually contains two novels: Aerie and Reckoning.  For my book reviews, I use the cover I held in my hands while reading it, which is why I posted this cover instead of the single Reckoning cover. Just so you are aware, this review is on the one novel only: Reckoning. 
 

Level: Older Teen

Genre: Fantasy > Urban Fantasy

Obtained: Purchased on Amazon

Reviewed by: Nic Echo

About the Book:

 In the fourth (and what was once the final) installment of The Fallen series, Aaron starts accepting his destiny more when he demands that the citizens stand their ground instead of running once again. Meanwhile, Vilma's angelic force is threatening to overpower her and seize control, and Aaron must find a way to stop it or the others may be forced to kill her. Then in other parts of the world, Verichiel is carrying out his mad plans as he tries to change the word of God and release Hell on Earth.

Rating: 9/10

Wow! What a fantastic read! This was a book I did not want to put down. Yes, the dialogue still isn't superb, and the writing remains clunky and repetitive, but it remained excellent. Sniegoski did a wonderful job at creating a thrilling and at times gruesome novel/series. I was especially enamored with Verchiel in Reckoning to see what he was going to do next and whether and when Lucifer would be forgiven of his sins. Sniegoski also created a vivid and disturbing image as Verchiel endures more punishment as he treads down his path. His writing may not be the best, but he excels are portraying a picture in the mind's eye. 

I really could have done without the entire Vilma/Aaron romance subplot however. Wheras Sniegoski writes a swell play by play action scene, his romance skills are on par with George Lucas. The entire things was so contrived from point one that it seemed false. Sadly, it only seems to get worse each book. Don't make me mention the dreadful epilogue. Overall, however, it was a fantastic book and series, which I would highly recommend to teens and anyone with an interest in angels. 

What I'm Reading Next:

Aerie

 

First off, please note that the cover above actually contains two novels: Aerie and Reckoning.  For my book reviews, I use the cover I held in my hands while reading it, which is why I posted this cover instead of the single Aerie cover. Just so you are aware, this review is on the one novel only: Aerie. 

Level: Older Teen

Genre: Fantasy > Urban Fantasy

Obtained: Purchased on Amazon

Reviewed by: Nic Echo

About the Book:

In the third installment of The Fallen series, Aaron continues his journey to find his step-brother, Stevie. Along this journey, Aaron and his companions end up at Aerie, a safe haven for nephilim and the fallen. Meanwhile, Verchiel, the Powers' commander, is still determined to put an end to Aaron by any means.

Rating: 7/10

I, honestly, felt that Aerie had a bit of a rough start as it was more character based, which is not Sniegoski's string suit. However, once the action started picking up again, it was a faster and more enjoyable read. It was well detailed without being overtly so. I did feel. however, that a good chunk of the book was recycled, in several areas, in fact. Although the action scenes were interesting, it seemed as if they had been written in his The Fallen novel. Now, I understand that things are bound to be repeated at some point in a series, but when you feel that way throughout most of the book, you have a problem. Also, the action scenes were not the only repetitive thing produced. Again, we have Verchiel threatening people Aaron cares for. Again, we have fallen angel deaths and forgiveness. Again, there is a fight with Verchiel. And again there is lightning used as a weapon. Hell, we are even getting the same jokes. I like Gabriel, but the hunger and food jokes have gone stale.

Again, this is another plot driven book, which is fine and dandy, but can make it hard for the reader to care for the characters. However, even with this fault, I, personally, felt a sadness when Aaron comes across Stevie and realises what has been done to him. Yes, a well written emotional level could have brought out more, but I believe anyone with a little imagination could draw up a cord deep within. 

Overall, however, I enjoyed the book and felt it was worth both my times and money. Yes, it seemed recycled and the dialogue had me rolling my eyes, but I was able to fall into it. It kept me up at night since I did not want to put the book down, and I think that speaks for itself.

What I'm Reading Next:

 Part Two: Reckoning

The Well of Loneliness

 

Level: Explicit Lite

Genre: General Fiction > Classic

Obtained: Borrowed from a friend

Reviewed by: Nic Echo

About the Book:

Stephen Gordon was never what you would consider a normal girl. Even at a young age, she dressed up as a man and took up hobbies such as fencing. In this tale, we follow her on an emotional journey as Stephen takes on the hardships of being an outcast.

Rating: 9/10

I was originally recommended this novel by my room mate, and I have to say I am glad she did. I, honestly, would have not picked this up by blurb alone, allowing myself to miss out on a wonderful read. Accredited as being a lesbian novel, part of me would have to disagree for it read more like a transgender novel to me. However, there are still plenty of relations between women, and it sure didn't make the book any less moving. Hall pens a brilliant tale that leaves your heart aching. 

This novel also seems to be known as a romance. Yes, there are romantic affairs, but the main lover isn't even introduced until about three fifths of the way in. If anything, I would say that this book journeys through the soul, not just the heart. I believe it is also important to note that even if you are not gay or trans, this book still speaks to the soul, especially to anyone who has felt like an outsider. 

Not only does the author do a phenomenal job of conveying emotions (which personally had me on the verge of tears), but Hall also lays out beautiful prose. Plus, her characters, even the minor ones, easily have a life of their own so that I wasn't only feeling for Stephen but others as well.

Now, some of you may be wondering why I only rated this a 9/10. Although it is a very strong nine, Hall ended up writing a fair amount of French into her novel, causing me to either miss sentences (or at one point an entire conversation) or having to constantly translate the language. If it was just a few times, that would be different, but it happened more often than I cared for. However, even with this drawback, the emotion and message came through quite clearly. Another thing I disliked was Hall had a habit of changing focus from one character to another, which left often times confused and having to reread. I would also like to point out that since this was written in the 1920's, the writing may seem stilted and slow to some. However, I found this a brilliant and riveting reading experience that captured me both emotionally and mentally.  

What I'm Reading Next: 

 

Leviathan

 

First off, please note that the cover above actually contains two novels: The Fallen and Leviathan.  For my book reviews, I use the cover I held in my hands while reading it, which is why I posted this cover instead of the single Leviathan cover. Just so you are aware, this review is on the one novel only: Leviathan.

Level: Older Teen

Genre: Fantasy > Urban Fantasy

Obtained: Purchased at Walmart

Reviewed by: Nic Echo

About the Book:

This  novel starts right where the last one left off. With his foster parents dead, Aaron leaves behind his home and school to try to find his brother, Stevie, who has been captured by the angel, Verchiel, who plans on using Stevie as a hound of sorts. Following his instinct, Aaron ends up in Blithe, Main where something strange is going on. Not only are the locals a little odd, but Camael, Aaron's angel companion, has gone missing. There are also a multitude of unnatural creatures running around, further indicating that something is amiss.

Rating 9/10 Stars

Whereas The Fallen felt slow and cumbersome, Leviathan  is much more fast paced. Although I am still not a fan of the main character and few are close to being well rounded, I still found myself enjoying this book immensely. This is definitely a plot driven book, and if that is not your cup of tea, I would not bother picking this series up. Now, I did find the climax battle to be a bit repetitious after a while (god knows the word behemoth was repeated too often), I still found most of the reading to be quite enjoyable, and there was definitely a creep factor when I found out why the people of Blithe have an oddity about them.

Now, anyone who has an inkling of Christian and Jewish lore will know what the leviathan is. However, even with this knowledge, I was entranced by the originality and vulgarity of the beast, along with the other unique creations that Sniegoski brought to the page. I only hope that the rest of the series proves just as good and interesting. So far, this is a series I would recommend for both teens and adults, and if you are into angels and/or action driven plots, this is definitely worth a read.

What I am Reading Next: