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blodeuedd's review
3.0
This was one of those book that I just did not realize how much I had read before I looked at the page numbers. Suddenly I was on page 100, so obviously I had to read on. But I did stop at page 300, I mean I had to get something done that evening. So I finished it in the morning instead ;) This book shows lot of promise, I hope it will get better and better.
I do like the amnesia premise. Zach wakes up and knows nothing, so we know nothing. Little by little we learn of different tribes of angels, the wars they have fought, and the conspiracy that Zach tried to get to the bottom of. He is in danger, but he does not know why. There is mystery and suspense thrown into this UF.
Zach, well he does not know much, duh. But he seems nerdy with his pop culture references and love of languages (some things he remembers, we will see why later). But is he good or not? He feels he is, but then he knows nothing. But I liked him.
Helping him later on he has someone calling himself his brother, I was so unsure about Remy all the way through. And Lilli, who was a breath of fresh air. She never stopped, aye I liked her.
I think the reason why I read it so fast but did not know it, is, oh maybe page 1 was heavy? But the rest just flowed? Anyhow, like I said, it shows promise and was a good start to a new series.
I look forward to reading more of this promising series, everything is good for now, but everything is so not ok in the world. Intriguing.
I do like the amnesia premise. Zach wakes up and knows nothing, so we know nothing. Little by little we learn of different tribes of angels, the wars they have fought, and the conspiracy that Zach tried to get to the bottom of. He is in danger, but he does not know why. There is mystery and suspense thrown into this UF.
Zach, well he does not know much, duh. But he seems nerdy with his pop culture references and love of languages (some things he remembers, we will see why later). But is he good or not? He feels he is, but then he knows nothing. But I liked him.
Helping him later on he has someone calling himself his brother, I was so unsure about Remy all the way through. And Lilli, who was a breath of fresh air. She never stopped, aye I liked her.
I think the reason why I read it so fast but did not know it, is, oh maybe page 1 was heavy? But the rest just flowed? Anyhow, like I said, it shows promise and was a good start to a new series.
I look forward to reading more of this promising series, everything is good for now, but everything is so not ok in the world. Intriguing.
hexijosh's review
4.0
Disclaimer: I was sent this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Although I am SEVERELY behind in doing so (oh, life, you rude cow).
Let's get to the basics:
30-something Zack wakes up half drowned in Lake Erie with no memory of who he is or how he got there. After dragging himself to dry land and making his way to a rural bar, he realizes he is able to pick up on psychic impressions and that he's a wanted murder suspect. What follows is a near non-stop thrill ride as he rediscovers a past of Angels, demons and even a few zombies.
I won't go into spoiler territory, mainly because this is a supernatural mystery so half of what I could say wouldn't make any sense, but I will say I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this book both times that I've read it. Michelle Belanger managed to keep an excellent pace throughout the book with nary a dull moment. Zack is constantly on the hunt for answers to his sudden amnesia and a colorful cast of characters come along to aid (or hinder) him on his way. I absolutely love that Zack is a huge geek (literally as he is 6'3") and that practically the only memories he retains are pop-culture based. It gives the reader something to identify with so we don't feel completely out of place in this world of heavenly conspiracies.
Belanger has crafted a fantastic world with great characters and an exciting story here and I've already purchased the next novel in the series. Give this one a shot, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Let's get to the basics:
30-something Zack wakes up half drowned in Lake Erie with no memory of who he is or how he got there. After dragging himself to dry land and making his way to a rural bar, he realizes he is able to pick up on psychic impressions and that he's a wanted murder suspect. What follows is a near non-stop thrill ride as he rediscovers a past of Angels, demons and even a few zombies.
I won't go into spoiler territory, mainly because this is a supernatural mystery so half of what I could say wouldn't make any sense, but I will say I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this book both times that I've read it. Michelle Belanger managed to keep an excellent pace throughout the book with nary a dull moment. Zack is constantly on the hunt for answers to his sudden amnesia and a colorful cast of characters come along to aid (or hinder) him on his way. I absolutely love that Zack is a huge geek (literally as he is 6'3") and that practically the only memories he retains are pop-culture based. It gives the reader something to identify with so we don't feel completely out of place in this world of heavenly conspiracies.
Belanger has crafted a fantastic world with great characters and an exciting story here and I've already purchased the next novel in the series. Give this one a shot, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
gnashchick's review against another edition
5.0
The internet is full of advice for writers. I'm sure you've seen the top-ten list of tropes to avoid, trends that need to die and cliches that make editors crazy. For every one of these, "Don't ever do this" examples, there are authors who flip off the establishment and finish the sentence, "...but if you have to do that, here's how to do it right."
Better known as a nonfiction author, Michelle Belanger makes a smashing debut into fiction with Conspiracy of Angels. In the first chapter, A drowning man fights for life, hallucinating as he struggles to get to shore. He has no idea who he is or what the hell happened to him. The "waking up with amnesia" trope is on one of those aforementioned lists, but damned if Belanger doesn't pull it off and make it utterly riveting.
When the man finally opens his wallet and reads his driver's license, Zachary Westland realizes his only clue is the business card to a nightclub. He hitchhikes to a roadhouse and tries to get his act together. Random visions of death and violence and a police bulletin showing a man that looks like him doesn't help him at all.
It seems a lot of people know Zack, but he doesn't know himself. At the club, he meets Saliriel, an imposing transwoman who is not at all happy to see him, and Remy, who is honor-bound to help him. He doesn't trust either one of them, and his allegiances get even murkier when he encounters Lilianna, a petite redheaded bombshell whose instinct is to kill first and sort things out later.
Lil and Zack discover that an eons-old peace accord between ancient Angelic tribes is wearing thin. Zack may have known to the hows and whys, but whatever he knew is long gone, replaced by cryptic ciphers. With Remy and Lil's help, Zack sorts through the wreckage of his life, his memory and his skills to solve the riddle of who he is and what he needs to do.
This is an urban fantasy that slides right into your head and doesn't let go. This is not a romance novel dressed up in the latest paranormal fashion. It's an adventure through blood-drenched horror and action, interspersed with magical realism so convincing that I would not be surprised if some of the esoteric sources cited in the text actually exist. Belanger has published several books on paranormal subjects, so I'm reasonably sure the research is solid.
The one thing that stuck out as odd to me was the setting. I've read plenty of other urban fantasy tales set in Chicago, New York, Tokyo, London and St. Louis, but can this kind of story work in Cleveland? It's kind of off the beaten track for name recognition. As I kept reading, I realized that the characters and the story fit the setting just fine. The city becomes a minor character as the author weaves the city's locations and history into the plot. So yeah. Cleveland. Gritty, tough, and banged up a bit, just like the rest of the characters. Zack strikes me as kind of an asshole with a new-found heart of gold and I can't quite figure out Remy's connection to him, but I'm working on it. I have a soft spot for take-no-bullshit women and I can't decide if my favorite character is Saliriel or Lil.
When I finished reading Conspiracy of Angels, I had a book hangover. I didn't want to admit that the book was finished and flipped back through the chapters trying to piece together my own theories of what might happen in book 2.
I highly recommend this for fans of urban fantasy, horror, and action. If you like to take romps through territory where demons twist in the shadows and you aren't afraid to get a little blood spatter on your shoes, you need to read this.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Originally published at www.bookie-monster.com.
Better known as a nonfiction author, Michelle Belanger makes a smashing debut into fiction with Conspiracy of Angels. In the first chapter, A drowning man fights for life, hallucinating as he struggles to get to shore. He has no idea who he is or what the hell happened to him. The "waking up with amnesia" trope is on one of those aforementioned lists, but damned if Belanger doesn't pull it off and make it utterly riveting.
When the man finally opens his wallet and reads his driver's license, Zachary Westland realizes his only clue is the business card to a nightclub. He hitchhikes to a roadhouse and tries to get his act together. Random visions of death and violence and a police bulletin showing a man that looks like him doesn't help him at all.
It seems a lot of people know Zack, but he doesn't know himself. At the club, he meets Saliriel, an imposing transwoman who is not at all happy to see him, and Remy, who is honor-bound to help him. He doesn't trust either one of them, and his allegiances get even murkier when he encounters Lilianna, a petite redheaded bombshell whose instinct is to kill first and sort things out later.
Lil and Zack discover that an eons-old peace accord between ancient Angelic tribes is wearing thin. Zack may have known to the hows and whys, but whatever he knew is long gone, replaced by cryptic ciphers. With Remy and Lil's help, Zack sorts through the wreckage of his life, his memory and his skills to solve the riddle of who he is and what he needs to do.
This is an urban fantasy that slides right into your head and doesn't let go. This is not a romance novel dressed up in the latest paranormal fashion. It's an adventure through blood-drenched horror and action, interspersed with magical realism so convincing that I would not be surprised if some of the esoteric sources cited in the text actually exist. Belanger has published several books on paranormal subjects, so I'm reasonably sure the research is solid.
The one thing that stuck out as odd to me was the setting. I've read plenty of other urban fantasy tales set in Chicago, New York, Tokyo, London and St. Louis, but can this kind of story work in Cleveland? It's kind of off the beaten track for name recognition. As I kept reading, I realized that the characters and the story fit the setting just fine. The city becomes a minor character as the author weaves the city's locations and history into the plot. So yeah. Cleveland. Gritty, tough, and banged up a bit, just like the rest of the characters. Zack strikes me as kind of an asshole with a new-found heart of gold and I can't quite figure out Remy's connection to him, but I'm working on it. I have a soft spot for take-no-bullshit women and I can't decide if my favorite character is Saliriel or Lil.
When I finished reading Conspiracy of Angels, I had a book hangover. I didn't want to admit that the book was finished and flipped back through the chapters trying to piece together my own theories of what might happen in book 2.
I highly recommend this for fans of urban fantasy, horror, and action. If you like to take romps through territory where demons twist in the shadows and you aren't afraid to get a little blood spatter on your shoes, you need to read this.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Originally published at www.bookie-monster.com.
book_hoarding_dragon's review
4.0
Generally, I don't go for the angel-type books. But my fun read stack of books was getting so low and I was a bit intrigued by the book. Good thing, too. Belanger did not disappoint with this book. This was a fast read for me.
All of the story plots and points were not resolved which left room for the second book to open up. I can't wait for the Book #2.
All of the story plots and points were not resolved which left room for the second book to open up. I can't wait for the Book #2.
marisas1985's review
5.0
I really had no intention of reading this book because it simply isn't a genre I thought I would enjoy. Then, I was able to see a reading by the author online of the book and it definitely peeked my interest. I ordered it from book depository so I would get free shipping and was pleasantly surprised after I read the first few pages.
This book literally has something for everyone, from supernatural, to transgender, amazing fight scenes, mystery and incredible character build. It is unique that it takes place largely in the Cleveland area. I have read a ton of books over the years and normally I see familiar cities like New York or LA, Detroit, but this has been fun because it is in a different location that other books which makes me feel like I am learning a bit about the Cleveland area while enjoying the amazing writing.
This book WILL expand your vocabulary!
I often refer to Belanger as a human encyclopedia and this first work of fiction definitely shows off her brilliant mind. Having had the opportunity to speak with Michelle on different forums in the past several years it is easy to see how this "fiction" novel is in a lot of ways a telling of her own story. Clearly a labour of love.
I can't wait for the next books in the series to come out - they are the only books listed in my budget for 2016!
Watch Michelle read from Conspiracy of Angels on YT.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7JBpwiGoPo
This book literally has something for everyone, from supernatural, to transgender, amazing fight scenes, mystery and incredible character build. It is unique that it takes place largely in the Cleveland area. I have read a ton of books over the years and normally I see familiar cities like New York or LA, Detroit, but this has been fun because it is in a different location that other books which makes me feel like I am learning a bit about the Cleveland area while enjoying the amazing writing.
This book WILL expand your vocabulary!
I often refer to Belanger as a human encyclopedia and this first work of fiction definitely shows off her brilliant mind. Having had the opportunity to speak with Michelle on different forums in the past several years it is easy to see how this "fiction" novel is in a lot of ways a telling of her own story. Clearly a labour of love.
I can't wait for the next books in the series to come out - they are the only books listed in my budget for 2016!
Watch Michelle read from Conspiracy of Angels on YT.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7JBpwiGoPo
trickster_wolfe's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
sammystarbuck's review
3.0
I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this in return for an honest review.
I did not know anything about this book, or the author, before I started reading, and with it not being a genre I read much in any more, I had very little in the way of expectations.
It was definitely a very easy read, and I enjoyed the story and the whole mythology around the angels. The pace was super fast, and the writing itself not bad at all. The characters were distinctive and pretty well fleshed-out considering the main character suffers from amnesia. (A concept that shouldn't have worked, but does!)
My only real problem was with the constant clumsy references to sci-fi pop culture. Ok, I get it. I'm a fan too. But it really started to get annoying very quickly, and gave the book a bit of a self-indulgent fan-fiction feel. Not enough to put me off reading, but just enough to annoy a little from time to time.
I intend to pass the book along to my teenage daughter, who I am sure will love it (and who loves fan-fiction, so won't mind that aspect at all!)
Oh, and it would have been nice if the editor had picked up on the antagonist's name and kept it constant (instead of it changing between "Dorimiel" and "Dormiel"). It's the kind of thing that's hard for an author to see, as you get so familiar with the names you don't really read them as such, but a half-decent proof reader should have picked up on it. It's not a big thing, but when the amount of syllables in a character's name is as important as here, it would be nice to keep it straight!
I did not know anything about this book, or the author, before I started reading, and with it not being a genre I read much in any more, I had very little in the way of expectations.
It was definitely a very easy read, and I enjoyed the story and the whole mythology around the angels. The pace was super fast, and the writing itself not bad at all. The characters were distinctive and pretty well fleshed-out considering the main character suffers from amnesia. (A concept that shouldn't have worked, but does!)
My only real problem was with the constant clumsy references to sci-fi pop culture. Ok, I get it. I'm a fan too. But it really started to get annoying very quickly, and gave the book a bit of a self-indulgent fan-fiction feel. Not enough to put me off reading, but just enough to annoy a little from time to time.
I intend to pass the book along to my teenage daughter, who I am sure will love it (and who loves fan-fiction, so won't mind that aspect at all!)
Oh, and it would have been nice if the editor had picked up on the antagonist's name and kept it constant (instead of it changing between "Dorimiel" and "Dormiel"). It's the kind of thing that's hard for an author to see, as you get so familiar with the names you don't really read them as such, but a half-decent proof reader should have picked up on it. It's not a big thing, but when the amount of syllables in a character's name is as important as here, it would be nice to keep it straight!
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