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joymary's review against another edition
4.0
Personally found this book to be amazing, within the first couple of pages its already getting well into the story so you aren't kept waiting for something interesting to happen for half the book. I just loved the story line, the characters, the writing and all.
This is the first book of Marianne's that I've read so far, defiantly going to read some of her other books while I wait the the next book of the Avena series :)
This is the first book of Marianne's that I've read so far, defiantly going to read some of her other books while I wait the the next book of the Avena series :)
faithl's review against another edition
3.0
Originally posted HERE
ANGELS?! HOT ANGELS!
That was pretty much the reason I picked up this book but there were unexpected elements which had me a tiny bit confused.
Firstly, lets talk characters.
Ebony: nothing surprising, oblivious to everything and mostly bland.
Jordan: the same but whinier.
Thane: the same but infinitely HOTTER.
I think characters were the main letdown in this novel. Sure, they played a part but they were just so 2 dimensional. It was all action and reaction. There were certainly elements of thought and a characterising background but it lacked depth. They weren't vivid enough to leave a lasting mark. Each character blurred in front of me and I found myself confused when the POV changed because each character seemed too much the same.
Ebony was sooo passive it bugged me. Her home is burnt down, her parents are missing but she still had this annoying attitude where she dismissed any possible explanation. There's a whole chapter where she refuses Thane and Jordan to explain the strange ongoings in her life.
AREN'T YOU A LITTLE BIT CURIOUS?!
I THINK SUPERNATURAL POWERS WOULD BE A SUITABLE EXPLANATION FOR YOUR SUPER WEIRD LIFE!!!
On the other hand, Jordan was nice, too nice. All throughout the story he just wanted Ebony and it's exactly the same with Thane. They all pretty much liked each other because of each other's pretty looks.
The insta-love was pretty much the basis of this story. AND IT MADE ME CRINGE. A lot of the paragraphs in Jordan and Ebony's POV were filled with cheesy lines like 'I can't deny this connection that we were made for each other.......Why do I feel like I've known you all me life?........I just know that we belong to each?'
GAAAHHH!!!!!!
WHY?! OH WHY?!
Three chapters would've been enough to develop some sort of real relationship! It was a short book anyway!
*Sigh.* Anyway, with that rant over I have to say it did keep me up all night. I definitely want to keep on with the series and see how this love triangle works out. In my opinion, there is no love triangle, just a third wheel.
The concept behind this novel was brilliant! Avena, the Dark Prince: it was all very
similar to Heaven's angels and the fall of Lucifer. I really enjoyed this concept and the fact that Curly went above and beyond with the whole angel scenario. And the amount of time Curley spent to develop this plot was perfect.
All in all, an entertaining and interesting read which lack in characters but had a promising plot. I've heard good things about the rest of the series so I am hopeful that it gets better.
laughlinesandliterature's review against another edition
3.0
*This book was received from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*
Hidden is a difficult book to rate. It’s the first installment in the Avena series, so I expected a large amount of world building, character development, and buildup. I had high expectations because I have read other works by this author. However, Hidden was excruciatingly slow, the plot didn’t get going until the middle of the book.
That being said, I did enjoy Ebony’s character because she is a tough girl who has been sheltered all her life, and all she wants is to enjoy being a teenager. She was stifled by her parents, and understandably upset by the secrets they kept. Still this story felt incredibly juvenile in the beginning when Ebony throws fits because she isn’t getting her way. The book started off slow in character development, I felt it was more like one action sequence after another, and didn’t allow us to learn about who Ebony was. We only got to see Ebony at her worst, and I wanted to know why I should care about this seemingly selfish child. I did enjoy it more when the plot began to move. Marianne Curley does do a fantastic job of creating a fascinating mythology, and that’s what I appreciate most from this novel.
I loved the idea that there were 4 different realms: Earth, Skade, Avena, and Peridis. Earth is the mortal realm, Skade is the equivalent of hell, Avena is where angels live, and Peridis is essentially heaven for mortals. This was all very fascinating especially where a fallen angel is the king of Skade. Prince Luca was an angel of Avena, until he decided he wanted to be the ruler but ended up exiled to Skade. He was interesting because you could tell he didn’t have good intentions, but he still drew you in.
Jordan was by far the most interesting character. He was entertaining and heartfelt, and he’d lived a hard life, which really made me connect with him. Jordan had the most depth than any other character within the novel. His dad is in prison for life, and his mom overdosed and died when he was seven. Jordan was creating a life for himself until a tragic accident happens. As a result, Jordan is ostracized and nearly dies a year later.
Thane, is the angel that has been sent to Earth to find a missing angel, and he saves Jordan’s life because of a connection between Jordan and this mysterious angel. Thane was a hard character for me to get into because he alternates between being a funny and confident guy, to waffling over how to approach Ebony and get her to listen to him. He also seems to have secrets although it’s clear he cares about Ebony, and what’s to keep her safe.
One of the parts that I had trouble connecting with was the love triangle. When Jordan and Ebony meet for the first time, it is an instant love connection. She stumbles into him at a club and he catches her and then they’re instantly in love. A few chapters later, Thane and Ebony meet, and they lock eyes across a crowded parking lot then they’re also in love. It creates an awkward love triangle, because there is no history, nor any build up of emotion; in just an instant, they love each other. I’m not sure how any of them can be as they haven’t spent any time together. I do hope that there is more character development in the future. The only character that I feel like I know is Jordan, but I would also like to get to know Ebony and Thane. What are her likes and dislikes, and what does Thane enjoy?
Once I had read halfway through the novel, I did really begin to get into the story, especially once the other angels show up, and the plot progressed at a much better pace. My favorite scene is when Jordan finally points out that while Ebony may have free will, if someone is coercing her into making a decision then how could it really be a free choice. I liked that observation, and I enjoyed that Thane had acknowledged Jordan was correct. By the end of Hidden, I did feel like the plot had progressed and I was starting to get a feel for the characters, but I definitely had quite a few questions left unanswered.
I feel that although Hidden has a slow start, there’s great potential for this to become an incredible series. I will definitely be keeping my eye out for the next installment, and I look forward to learning more about the characters.
This review was first posted on Moonlight Gleam's Bookshelf - http://moonlightgleam.com/2013/07/178.html
Hidden is a difficult book to rate. It’s the first installment in the Avena series, so I expected a large amount of world building, character development, and buildup. I had high expectations because I have read other works by this author. However, Hidden was excruciatingly slow, the plot didn’t get going until the middle of the book.
That being said, I did enjoy Ebony’s character because she is a tough girl who has been sheltered all her life, and all she wants is to enjoy being a teenager. She was stifled by her parents, and understandably upset by the secrets they kept. Still this story felt incredibly juvenile in the beginning when Ebony throws fits because she isn’t getting her way. The book started off slow in character development, I felt it was more like one action sequence after another, and didn’t allow us to learn about who Ebony was. We only got to see Ebony at her worst, and I wanted to know why I should care about this seemingly selfish child. I did enjoy it more when the plot began to move. Marianne Curley does do a fantastic job of creating a fascinating mythology, and that’s what I appreciate most from this novel.
I loved the idea that there were 4 different realms: Earth, Skade, Avena, and Peridis. Earth is the mortal realm, Skade is the equivalent of hell, Avena is where angels live, and Peridis is essentially heaven for mortals. This was all very fascinating especially where a fallen angel is the king of Skade. Prince Luca was an angel of Avena, until he decided he wanted to be the ruler but ended up exiled to Skade. He was interesting because you could tell he didn’t have good intentions, but he still drew you in.
Jordan was by far the most interesting character. He was entertaining and heartfelt, and he’d lived a hard life, which really made me connect with him. Jordan had the most depth than any other character within the novel. His dad is in prison for life, and his mom overdosed and died when he was seven. Jordan was creating a life for himself until a tragic accident happens. As a result, Jordan is ostracized and nearly dies a year later.
Thane, is the angel that has been sent to Earth to find a missing angel, and he saves Jordan’s life because of a connection between Jordan and this mysterious angel. Thane was a hard character for me to get into because he alternates between being a funny and confident guy, to waffling over how to approach Ebony and get her to listen to him. He also seems to have secrets although it’s clear he cares about Ebony, and what’s to keep her safe.
One of the parts that I had trouble connecting with was the love triangle. When Jordan and Ebony meet for the first time, it is an instant love connection. She stumbles into him at a club and he catches her and then they’re instantly in love. A few chapters later, Thane and Ebony meet, and they lock eyes across a crowded parking lot then they’re also in love. It creates an awkward love triangle, because there is no history, nor any build up of emotion; in just an instant, they love each other. I’m not sure how any of them can be as they haven’t spent any time together. I do hope that there is more character development in the future. The only character that I feel like I know is Jordan, but I would also like to get to know Ebony and Thane. What are her likes and dislikes, and what does Thane enjoy?
Once I had read halfway through the novel, I did really begin to get into the story, especially once the other angels show up, and the plot progressed at a much better pace. My favorite scene is when Jordan finally points out that while Ebony may have free will, if someone is coercing her into making a decision then how could it really be a free choice. I liked that observation, and I enjoyed that Thane had acknowledged Jordan was correct. By the end of Hidden, I did feel like the plot had progressed and I was starting to get a feel for the characters, but I definitely had quite a few questions left unanswered.
I feel that although Hidden has a slow start, there’s great potential for this to become an incredible series. I will definitely be keeping my eye out for the next installment, and I look forward to learning more about the characters.
This review was first posted on Moonlight Gleam's Bookshelf - http://moonlightgleam.com/2013/07/178.html
wends's review against another edition
4.0
I won this book from Bloomsbury and it arrived this morning.
Having never read anything from this author as yet, I wasn't sure what to expect other than it was a YA story/romance.
After a bit of a slow start and I wasn't sure I could continue with it, the story picked up its pace and in the end I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed this story even though I am not a Young Adult - and found it a delightful read. I found some of the teenage 'views' a bit disrespectful, but I guess it is a sign of the adolescent of today. After getting past that initial thought, I found the story kept gathering its pace as it went through - so much so that upon reaching the ending, I can't wait for the next book!
Thank you so much for this book and introducing me to another author - one of whom I shall read more of.
I was hovering at 3.5 for this rating but in reality, it was a well worded and wonderfully written story.
lawbooks600's review against another edition
3.0
6/10, didn't like the main character, go read the Keeper of the Lost Cities series for a better fantasy novel than this.
mishi27's review against another edition
1.0
Like not to be that bitch bc I m probably not the target audience, but the writing was kinda appalling
jcika's review against another edition
2.0
I highly enjoyed Marianne's other novel, Old Magic, and was looking forward to this read. However, I found the plot to be too predictable, the insta-love romance too trite, and it felt like nothing happened in the story until the last quarter of the book.
It felt the "story" did not really begin until the end of the novel, but when it did pick up I found it to be exciting. I will continue the series to see what happens next.
It felt the "story" did not really begin until the end of the novel, but when it did pick up I found it to be exciting. I will continue the series to see what happens next.
cadie_quick's review against another edition
3.0
2 1/2 stars. I am really disappointed in this book. The cover was pretty, and the little blurb in the front cover sounded good. Ebony seems very immature to me, and I could have told you how it would end after ehhh about page 65. That’s like a fourth into the book!!!!!!! Idk it just didn’t cut it for me.