Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin
Genre: Young Adult/ Urban Fantasy
Approximate word count: 70-75.000 words
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Author:
“S.W. Vaughn is the pseudonym of Sonya Bateman, author of the
urban fantasy novels Master of None
and Master and Apprentice from Simon
& Schuster. Vaughn's work tends to run a bit darker than Bateman's. She
lives in central New York with her husband, son, and a lot of cats who are
often named after movie or TV show characters -- like Fizzgig (The Dark
Crystal), Coda (Brother Bear), Mothra (Godzilla), and Blooregard Q. Kazoo
(Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends).”
Vaughn is working on the fifth and final book of the House Phoenix series, Alpha Male, which started with Broken Angel. The House Phoenix
Description:
“17-year-old
Grace Carrington is just your average, everyday freak. Her eyes glow, she can
read minds, and electronic machines bend to her will. Colored contacts and a
self-imposed lack of human relationships keep her safe while she bounces around
Vegas, ripping off casinos to survive and avoiding the police -- who want to
bring her back to her manipulative mother.
But what
Grace doesn't know will hurt her. And what she doesn't know is this: The father
she's never met was an angel, and she's a Nephilim -- which makes her a target
for something far more dangerous and predatory than any gun-wielding cop or
strangely persuasive FBI agent she might be running from...
Because
some angels do not suffer their children to live.”
Appraisal:
This story
is told through Grace’s eyes, she is a runaway who has been living on her own
for four years. She is smart, spunky, and resourceful. After a bit of unusual
trouble in Vegas Grace decides to head east hoping to learn more about her
father who disappeared before she was born. The problem is she is now being
hunted because a new ability has captured the attention of a couple of very
nasty angels. On the train she meets Lucas who is also running away and has
abilities of his own. Together they try to unravel the mystery of who they are
and what their purpose is on earth.
The action
is fast paced as Grace and Lucas learn to depend on and trust one another. I
had a hard time accepting the fact that the angels in this story were such angry,
violent, and mean beings who seemed to have no redeeming qualities. It was
never explained why the Nephilim were considered a threat to them or society as
a whole. Silver is a Nephilim who the angel Lorin completely controls, he is
her assassin, and he quickly became my favorite character as he tries to
protect Grace.
This could
clearly become a series as Grace and Lucas meet the other teenagers, with
abilities, who think they have found a safe haven at a clinic/camp in the
Adirondacks. The head of the camp, Michael, thinks he has all the answers and
Grace has no problem telling him he is full of BS. (Did I mention she was
spunky and strong-willed?) This is a coming of age story that many young adults
may enjoy, although I had a problem with the excessive narrative. This is not
to say there wasn’t any realistic dialogue, because there was as the story
progressed and I did enjoy knowing Grace’s thoughts throughout the story. I am relatively
sure any plot holes, which were left open, will be filled-in or completed as
the story continues, and I would like to see that happen. I would love to see
how the relationship between Silver and Grace develops as Silver becomes his
own person. If you enjoy urban fantasy and don’t have a problem with despicable
angels you may enjoy this book.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant editing issues.
Rating: *** Three stars
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