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laflormorada's review
3.0
Ellie is your average rich girl teen. She's pretty in a waiflike way, has a close-knit group of friends, and likes to party and watch movies. Her life isn't perfect though. With her parent's constant fighting and her slipping grades, things could be better. To make matters worse, her horrific nightmares are feeling more realistic with every passing day.
Then one night, one of her favorite teachers is mysteriously and brutally murdered, and it seems life for Ellie will never be the same again. Enter Will: a strange but incredibly hot older boy who has an intense and sudden interest in her well being. It feels like she has known him for centuries, but how is that possible? What secrets is he hiding from her? More importantly, what secrets is she hiding from herself?
Angelfire is the first book in this paranormal romance series. The plot is very similar to the Mortal Instruments books by Cassandra Clare but with more religious lore. I really appreciated the fact that there isn't a dramatic love triangle and that Will and Ellie mostly communicate about their love interest as opposed to brooding about it. The action flows pretty well and I was never bored, however, the ending did seem a little far fetched. I'm interested to see how this story will develop though, so I'll have to read the next book for sure!
(Recommended for teens who like fantasy, fast-paced action, and romance)
Then one night, one of her favorite teachers is mysteriously and brutally murdered, and it seems life for Ellie will never be the same again. Enter Will: a strange but incredibly hot older boy who has an intense and sudden interest in her well being. It feels like she has known him for centuries, but how is that possible? What secrets is he hiding from her? More importantly, what secrets is she hiding from herself?
Angelfire is the first book in this paranormal romance series. The plot is very similar to the Mortal Instruments books by Cassandra Clare but with more religious lore. I really appreciated the fact that there isn't a dramatic love triangle and that Will and Ellie mostly communicate about their love interest as opposed to brooding about it. The action flows pretty well and I was never bored, however, the ending did seem a little far fetched. I'm interested to see how this story will develop though, so I'll have to read the next book for sure!
(Recommended for teens who like fantasy, fast-paced action, and romance)
books4susie's review
5.0
This is not just another angel book, it is so much more. I got tired of the Fallen series but I couldn't put this one down. And the ending. I was so not expecting that development. Kept thinking of Jace and Clary and the notion of forbidden love. I know that there are going to be so many more surprises in this series.
charms1976's review
5.0
This is one of those novels that readers are coveting to own way before the release date is even in sight. After seeing people talk about this book, chatting online with the author, and reading the blurb about it, I joined this group of people waiting not-so-patiently for the release date to arrive. Even though the book doesn't release until Feb. 2011, I was lucky enough to join a book tour for this one. I am so glad I was picked for this one.
In this first installment of a trilogy by author Courtney Allison Moulton, the author does not disappoint with action packed chapters, wisecracking characters, and grim reapers to boot. Each of the characters bring a certain element to the book that will draw you in from page one, and leave you wanting more by the end of the last page.
Ellie is the friend you would want in this author's world. She is strong, funny and kicks butt with flair. She doesn't think she is brave and able to face the battles that are presented to her, but she gives it all shes got. In the process she can throw out the witty remarks to even out the serious scenes. Will is the opposite of Ellie in my eyes. He is serious, determined and protective of Ellie. Even though Will has the brooding and intense looks down pat, he still will keep you captivated like he did with Ellie.
With all of the serious battles and struggles, the characters are still teens with the usual teen problems. The romance was beautiful yet the awkwardness of teen relationships is wonderfully brought out in the writing as well. The side characters were just as amazing as the main characters and kept you moving at a great pace.
This is an amazing debut to a wonderful trilogy that I cannot wait to continue. This is one of those books that if you haven't already heard the hype about it, stand back! Be prepared to have your own Will on the sidelines to come rescue you on release day, because you will be fighting your own battle to get this great book before anyone else!
In this first installment of a trilogy by author Courtney Allison Moulton, the author does not disappoint with action packed chapters, wisecracking characters, and grim reapers to boot. Each of the characters bring a certain element to the book that will draw you in from page one, and leave you wanting more by the end of the last page.
Ellie is the friend you would want in this author's world. She is strong, funny and kicks butt with flair. She doesn't think she is brave and able to face the battles that are presented to her, but she gives it all shes got. In the process she can throw out the witty remarks to even out the serious scenes. Will is the opposite of Ellie in my eyes. He is serious, determined and protective of Ellie. Even though Will has the brooding and intense looks down pat, he still will keep you captivated like he did with Ellie.
With all of the serious battles and struggles, the characters are still teens with the usual teen problems. The romance was beautiful yet the awkwardness of teen relationships is wonderfully brought out in the writing as well. The side characters were just as amazing as the main characters and kept you moving at a great pace.
This is an amazing debut to a wonderful trilogy that I cannot wait to continue. This is one of those books that if you haven't already heard the hype about it, stand back! Be prepared to have your own Will on the sidelines to come rescue you on release day, because you will be fighting your own battle to get this great book before anyone else!
whatsmacksaid's review
2.0
It was all right, but really nothing special in terms of the writing. The premise and the twist at the end was good and pleasing and all that--how the twist was carried out was well-written--but beyond that, I wasn't particularly impressed. At all.
I think what bored me was the waiting in the story. There was the sense that something was about to happen, soon-ish, but couldn't happen yet, not yet, not yet. And yes, it worked with the plot, but it left me with a sense of stalled potential. Furthermore, a lot of the motivations and decisions that drove the characters to do something changed on a dime, which was irritating and difficult to forgive. I don't think I'll read the second book when it comes out, and I certainly won't spend money on it if I do.
Not recommended for advanced readers. Middle-schoolers, and even high schoolers. Fans of Twilight would probably also enjoy Angelfire.
I think what bored me was the waiting in the story. There was the sense that something was about to happen, soon-ish, but couldn't happen yet, not yet, not yet. And yes, it worked with the plot, but it left me with a sense of stalled potential. Furthermore, a lot of the motivations and decisions that drove the characters to do something changed on a dime, which was irritating and difficult to forgive. I don't think I'll read the second book when it comes out, and I certainly won't spend money on it if I do.
Not recommended for advanced readers. Middle-schoolers, and even high schoolers. Fans of Twilight would probably also enjoy Angelfire.
bougies_et_etoiles's review
4.0
This is the second time I'm reading this book and I still love it!!! The main character, Ellie, can kick ass and knows that she's the boss of herself. She is the Preliator, a warrior who is reincarnated every time she is killed by demonic reapers(monsters who kill human souls to take them to fill up Hell's army for the Apocalypse) and is protected by her supernatural angelic reaper Guardian, Will. Although Will can be way too serious about protecting Ellie and act like a brooding teenager, he still is devoted to Ellie while he can't be in love with her(you'll find out why). Just read the book it's so good!
themisscrazii's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
reddyrat's review
4.0
Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
Until her 17th birthday, Ellie is an average teenage girl. Or rather, your very wealthy, average teenage girl. She goes to school, hangs out with her friends, buys expensive clothes, gets an Audi for her birthday, etc. The only thing that sets her apart are frequent disturbing nightmares in which she's being chased by monsters and having to fight them off with swords. Right around her 17th birthday, a mysterious boy named Will appears seemingly from out of nowhere. On an evening walk together, Ellie and Will are attacked - just like in Ellie's nightmares. To Ellie's great surprise, she fights them off using swords conjured from thin air with angelfire. She knows what to do, because she's done it a thousand times before. Ellie is the Preliator, made to destroy evil reapers with angelfire. She is mortal, but is reincarnated every time she dies. Will is her guardian, sworn to comfort and protect her constantly. They have been compatriots for hundreds of years. As Ellie becomes acquainted with her new (or old) powers, she and Will are continually challenged by reapers who seek to kill her. Then suddenly, they discover something that might possibly kill Ellie for good - no more reincarnation, no more Preliator. Can Ellie and Will get rid of this "thing" before the reapers get their hands on it?
There are so many reasons for me to dislike Angelfire. First, I don't like angels as paranormal creatures. The fall between Lucifer and God, nephilim, devilish creatures, etc. bores me. I don't know why, but I have yet to love a book focused on angel mythology. So that was one huge hit against Angelfire. Second, a lot of the dialogue during the fight scenes, when the reapers are taunting Ellie and Will, is bad. It's like something out of a B-grade movie. Or a C-grade movie, if such a thing exists. Third, Ellie goes out of her way to remain a normal teenager. That's laudable for many reasons, but if I suddenly discovered that I was a Preliator and would soon be facing devilish creatures with far more fighting experience than me, I think I'd focus a bit more on training than partying. Fourth, there were a few plot points that seemed like they were going to play a role in the ultimate conflict, but went nowhere. I don't know if these were red herrings or if they'll be significant in future novels. This isn't really a complaint, but it struck me as odd.
Ultimately, Angelfire gets a good rating for me for one reason: I couldn't put the book down. There were times when I was groaning over things I didn't like, but when I would walk away from the book (or actually, my iPod e-reader) I missed it. Suddenly, I was reading Angelfire at the gym, at my breaks from work, at times when I would normally be playing on the Internet. It wasn't that the book was so suspenseful that I had to instantly know what was going to happen. I just enjoyed Moulton's writing and being in Ellie's world, even when that world annoyed me.
A few other good things about Angelfire... Will is a great love interest. He is quiet, sweet, very protective without being controlling, and incredibly devoted to Ellie. He was different than a lot of other leading guys - he wasn't sarcastically funny, he didn't have powers that placed him at a higher level than Ellie, he was haunted by the past without being emo. He was just an enjoyable, cool guy. I liked the dichotomy between Ellie's very normal life and her fighting. I said in the above paragraph that I thought she didn't take her situation seriously enough, but I did enjoy reading the interraction between Ellie and her friends. They seemed like very normal teenagers, in a way that I was never a normal teenager, so I can only assume they are normal. Kate and Landon were great friends - not just wacky goofballs like so many literary sidekicks. Their dialogue was casual without being overrun with slang. And Ellie will likely be a happier person if she can balance her duties as Preliator and being a normal person. Some people might quibble about Ellie's wealth and how buying expensive clothes and fancy cars are made to seem like no big deal. There's a place for all socioeconomic levels in YA. I know plenty of people who grew up with similar amounts of wealth and her life seemed believable in that context. Your all-American wealthy teenager, as opposed to your Gossip Girl teenager. Also, the angel mythology was well-developed. You understood how the fall between Lucifer and God, regular angels, fallen angels, reapers, nephilim, etc all fit together. The reapers were interesting, complex creatures. There were lupine reapers, bearish reapers, and human reapers, and you learned a lot about them. Ellie's slow recollections of her past help both Ellie and the reader get caught up with the mythology.
Even though I have plenty of quibbles with Angelfire, I was quite enthralled with the book and cannot wait to read the next book.
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Until her 17th birthday, Ellie is an average teenage girl. Or rather, your very wealthy, average teenage girl. She goes to school, hangs out with her friends, buys expensive clothes, gets an Audi for her birthday, etc. The only thing that sets her apart are frequent disturbing nightmares in which she's being chased by monsters and having to fight them off with swords. Right around her 17th birthday, a mysterious boy named Will appears seemingly from out of nowhere. On an evening walk together, Ellie and Will are attacked - just like in Ellie's nightmares. To Ellie's great surprise, she fights them off using swords conjured from thin air with angelfire. She knows what to do, because she's done it a thousand times before. Ellie is the Preliator, made to destroy evil reapers with angelfire. She is mortal, but is reincarnated every time she dies. Will is her guardian, sworn to comfort and protect her constantly. They have been compatriots for hundreds of years. As Ellie becomes acquainted with her new (or old) powers, she and Will are continually challenged by reapers who seek to kill her. Then suddenly, they discover something that might possibly kill Ellie for good - no more reincarnation, no more Preliator. Can Ellie and Will get rid of this "thing" before the reapers get their hands on it?
There are so many reasons for me to dislike Angelfire. First, I don't like angels as paranormal creatures. The fall between Lucifer and God, nephilim, devilish creatures, etc. bores me. I don't know why, but I have yet to love a book focused on angel mythology. So that was one huge hit against Angelfire. Second, a lot of the dialogue during the fight scenes, when the reapers are taunting Ellie and Will, is bad. It's like something out of a B-grade movie. Or a C-grade movie, if such a thing exists. Third, Ellie goes out of her way to remain a normal teenager. That's laudable for many reasons, but if I suddenly discovered that I was a Preliator and would soon be facing devilish creatures with far more fighting experience than me, I think I'd focus a bit more on training than partying. Fourth, there were a few plot points that seemed like they were going to play a role in the ultimate conflict, but went nowhere. I don't know if these were red herrings or if they'll be significant in future novels. This isn't really a complaint, but it struck me as odd.
Ultimately, Angelfire gets a good rating for me for one reason: I couldn't put the book down. There were times when I was groaning over things I didn't like, but when I would walk away from the book (or actually, my iPod e-reader) I missed it. Suddenly, I was reading Angelfire at the gym, at my breaks from work, at times when I would normally be playing on the Internet. It wasn't that the book was so suspenseful that I had to instantly know what was going to happen. I just enjoyed Moulton's writing and being in Ellie's world, even when that world annoyed me.
A few other good things about Angelfire... Will is a great love interest. He is quiet, sweet, very protective without being controlling, and incredibly devoted to Ellie. He was different than a lot of other leading guys - he wasn't sarcastically funny, he didn't have powers that placed him at a higher level than Ellie, he was haunted by the past without being emo. He was just an enjoyable, cool guy. I liked the dichotomy between Ellie's very normal life and her fighting. I said in the above paragraph that I thought she didn't take her situation seriously enough, but I did enjoy reading the interraction between Ellie and her friends. They seemed like very normal teenagers, in a way that I was never a normal teenager, so I can only assume they are normal. Kate and Landon were great friends - not just wacky goofballs like so many literary sidekicks. Their dialogue was casual without being overrun with slang. And Ellie will likely be a happier person if she can balance her duties as Preliator and being a normal person. Some people might quibble about Ellie's wealth and how buying expensive clothes and fancy cars are made to seem like no big deal. There's a place for all socioeconomic levels in YA. I know plenty of people who grew up with similar amounts of wealth and her life seemed believable in that context. Your all-American wealthy teenager, as opposed to your Gossip Girl teenager. Also, the angel mythology was well-developed. You understood how the fall between Lucifer and God, regular angels, fallen angels, reapers, nephilim, etc all fit together. The reapers were interesting, complex creatures. There were lupine reapers, bearish reapers, and human reapers, and you learned a lot about them. Ellie's slow recollections of her past help both Ellie and the reader get caught up with the mythology.
Even though I have plenty of quibbles with Angelfire, I was quite enthralled with the book and cannot wait to read the next book.
Rating: 3.5 / 5
zurpel's review
4.0
I'm torn between a three and a four star rating on this. For now I'll give it four stars. In the first few pages I found the book rather "normal". Apparently normal girl sees mysterious guy, learns she has special powers and you know that normal girl and mysterious guy will end up together and squeeze in a bit world-saving in their free time. No surprises there.
Still I liked the story and couldn't put it down. Ellie is a likable girl and while she has her difficulties and fears she stands her (wo)man in a fight. All the same the fighting scenes were always nagging at me some. Considering both Ellie and Will were usually supposed to be in the fights, I got the distinct impression that one just stood around while the other did the work and some of the confrontations would have been over much quicker if there had been more teamwork.
Will. Not sure yet what to make of him but I suppose I like him. In spite of his being a bit too perfect (his protectiveness is also very cute).
I loved how this book had also "secondary relationships", meaning Ellie's relations with her parents and friends. For once the minor characters had some depth. I loved Kate, felt for Landon and liked Ellie's mum. I hope that the next books deal more with Ellie's father, because I would really like to see more depth in that department and perhaps even learn how he got the way he is.
The ending is satisfying even though this is the first book in a series. Although there is a small cliffhanger to keep one interested, it isn't too bad to make the waiting time for the next book unendurable. I'm pretty sure I'll read the next volume in the series once it comes out next year.
Still I liked the story and couldn't put it down. Ellie is a likable girl and while she has her difficulties and fears she stands her (wo)man in a fight. All the same the fighting scenes were always nagging at me some. Considering both Ellie and Will were usually supposed to be in the fights, I got the distinct impression that one just stood around while the other did the work and some of the confrontations would have been over much quicker if there had been more teamwork.
Will. Not sure yet what to make of him but I suppose I like him. In spite of his being a bit too perfect (his protectiveness is also very cute).
I loved how this book had also "secondary relationships", meaning Ellie's relations with her parents and friends. For once the minor characters had some depth. I loved Kate, felt for Landon and liked Ellie's mum. I hope that the next books deal more with Ellie's father, because I would really like to see more depth in that department and perhaps even learn how he got the way he is.
The ending is satisfying even though this is the first book in a series. Although there is a small cliffhanger to keep one interested, it isn't too bad to make the waiting time for the next book unendurable. I'm pretty sure I'll read the next volume in the series once it comes out next year.
karireyn's review
4.0
I really liked this book. This is the first Angel book I've read and it was a great one to start out with-it got me sucked into the genre and I love it!