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mehsi's review against another edition
5.0
Review coming soon. Just let me say this: Helen Keeble did it again. This was a wonderful, super-awesome book. :)
Angels (though not everything goes well) + Boarding School + Hell Gates + Demons + Romance = Epicness. :)
Angels (though not everything goes well) + Boarding School + Hell Gates + Demons + Romance = Epicness. :)
cunningempress's review against another edition
3.0
I'm falling in love with Helen Keeble's books!
No Angel is a fun take on fantasy. This is something that could potentially get you out a reading slump.
I loved it. I really needed something light and humorous and this also had a plot that never got boring and always had a cliffhanger (that's why I stayed up really late if I read it before bed).
No Angel is a fun take on fantasy. This is something that could potentially get you out a reading slump.
I loved it. I really needed something light and humorous and this also had a plot that never got boring and always had a cliffhanger (that's why I stayed up really late if I read it before bed).
jj7twin's review against another edition
3.0
Weekend reading while at work. This premise and beginning of the book were good and made sense but then it got weird. Rafe finds out about the different types of angels and I frankly like the versions that have the difference being feather color and wing size. Keeble's version has extra wings, arms, and eyes for some. Not humaniod in appearance either but to each their own. Still enjoyed the story overall.
mandajax1's review against another edition
3.0
While I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as Fang Girl, it was certainly a fun read and I did laugh out loud a few times. Helen Keeble, you are brilliant.
cinnabunsun's review against another edition
3.0
*I won this book through Goodreads First Reads*
Before I actually start this review, I want to begin with saying that the school's name, St. Mary's Boarding School caught my eye because right when I read that line, we happened to pass by a school named St. Mary's, and I thought that was pretty cool!
Anyways, I have to say that the beginning of this novel is what caught my eye. It didn't start off with something along the lines of 'I got kicked out of my old school, so I'm on my way to this former girls school to become one of the first boys to attend.' It starts off with a problem that Rafael Angelos has to face- being the only boy at St. Mary's. Not only this, but he lays his eyes on a girl Named Faith, who he literally came to the school for (and because his mother went here). He also catches his eye on Michaela, who has a edgy bad-girl vibe.
This is also a somewhat typical angel story- There are the good guys (Angels), and the bad guys (Demons who are eager to get their hands on teenage girls who want the 'good life'). Yet, the story takes a twist when we find out that angels with a higher order tend to have some "deformities". The rest of the review would be a spoiler because anything else I could say would ruin the whole story.
I had a difficulty completing this story, though. Mostly because it was difficult to follow. I may even end up re-reading this novel. I would recommend No Angel to people in high school. Not because there are difficult words in there (which there really isn't), but because the writing style just doesn't really make sense. The conversations that were just normal people talking were OK, but the conversations between Krystal, Michaela, Faith, and Raf were just hard to understand.
Overall, I would only read this if you were extremely bored and wanted to read something with an Okay amount of action, and mythical creatures.
Before I actually start this review, I want to begin with saying that the school's name, St. Mary's Boarding School caught my eye because right when I read that line, we happened to pass by a school named St. Mary's, and I thought that was pretty cool!
Anyways, I have to say that the beginning of this novel is what caught my eye. It didn't start off with something along the lines of 'I got kicked out of my old school, so I'm on my way to this former girls school to become one of the first boys to attend.' It starts off with a problem that Rafael Angelos has to face- being the only boy at St. Mary's. Not only this, but he lays his eyes on a girl Named Faith, who he literally came to the school for (and because his mother went here). He also catches his eye on Michaela, who has a edgy bad-girl vibe.
This is also a somewhat typical angel story- There are the good guys (Angels), and the bad guys (Demons who are eager to get their hands on teenage girls who want the 'good life'). Yet, the story takes a twist when we find out that angels with a higher order tend to have some "deformities". The rest of the review would be a spoiler because anything else I could say would ruin the whole story.
I had a difficulty completing this story, though. Mostly because it was difficult to follow. I may even end up re-reading this novel. I would recommend No Angel to people in high school. Not because there are difficult words in there (which there really isn't), but because the writing style just doesn't really make sense. The conversations that were just normal people talking were OK, but the conversations between Krystal, Michaela, Faith, and Raf were just hard to understand.
Overall, I would only read this if you were extremely bored and wanted to read something with an Okay amount of action, and mythical creatures.
sabbygee's review against another edition
3.0
Review also posted on Sab The Book Eater
It's funny how St. Mary's is a demon hub because I went to a St. Mary's back in gradeschool and let's just say I had the most unpleasant childhood experiences there.
Buuut anyway.
Rafael Angelos, or Raffi as he likes to be called, enrolls in an exclusive school for girls. What he originally thought would be a good idea quickly turned into a bad one upon finding out that he's the first and the only boy in the school. This put him in plenty of uncomfortable and inconvenient situations. The headmistress, as well as the rest of the faculty, kept an eye on Raffi twenty-four seven. Special classes designed for young women had to be modified to accommodate him. And let's not forget all the attention he got from all the other students who were just so happy to have a guy in school. Okay, well, that situation wasn't really inconvenient for Raffi. Uncomfortable at times, yes, but definitely not inconvenient. Raffi easily adjusted to all the female attention once he saw the perks of being the only boy in school.
Raffi then meets three girls who are essential to the story: Faith, Krystal, and Michaela. Initially, Raffi was all about getting the girl. He was so caught up between the beautiful Faith and the enigma that is Michaela. Soon enough, with the help of geeky Krystal, he learns that there's more to his being in St. Mary's.
I'm not quite familiar with angel mythology so I have zero complaints about Keeble's image of angels. I think the way the hierarchy of angels as well as their characteristics and appearances was explained well. You just have to keep up with the story because Raffi transforms all throughout. It takes a while for him to see which type of angel he really is. Every time Raffi becomes some sort of deformed creature after doing a good deed, I couldn't help but laugh at how funny his reactions were. He definitely freaked out a lot. The angel theme was entertaining enough but I found the humor my favorite thing about the book. I like how Keeble used the somewhat silly humor to give the whole angels vs. demon plot a lighter feel.
Now the plot twists are both bad and good in my opinion. I liked that the story kept me guessing. Nobody is really who they are in this book. It got frustrating at some point though because it got kind of confusing. Not to worry though because once things are cleared up, the story ties up nicely.
My only complaint is the pacing. The beginning was rather slow and it wasn't that engaging. I also didn't like it much when the characters (especially, Raffi, because he's the only clueless one) got so fixated in the tiniest details. It kind of contributed to the slow pacing. However once the story picks up, it becomes a rather enjoyable read. Light, funny, and a good take on angel stories - 3 stars!
eARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
It's funny how St. Mary's is a demon hub because I went to a St. Mary's back in gradeschool and let's just say I had the most unpleasant childhood experiences there.
Buuut anyway.
Rafael Angelos, or Raffi as he likes to be called, enrolls in an exclusive school for girls. What he originally thought would be a good idea quickly turned into a bad one upon finding out that he's the first and the only boy in the school. This put him in plenty of uncomfortable and inconvenient situations. The headmistress, as well as the rest of the faculty, kept an eye on Raffi twenty-four seven. Special classes designed for young women had to be modified to accommodate him. And let's not forget all the attention he got from all the other students who were just so happy to have a guy in school. Okay, well, that situation wasn't really inconvenient for Raffi. Uncomfortable at times, yes, but definitely not inconvenient. Raffi easily adjusted to all the female attention once he saw the perks of being the only boy in school.
Raffi then meets three girls who are essential to the story: Faith, Krystal, and Michaela. Initially, Raffi was all about getting the girl. He was so caught up between the beautiful Faith and the enigma that is Michaela. Soon enough, with the help of geeky Krystal, he learns that there's more to his being in St. Mary's.
I'm not quite familiar with angel mythology so I have zero complaints about Keeble's image of angels. I think the way the hierarchy of angels as well as their characteristics and appearances was explained well. You just have to keep up with the story because Raffi transforms all throughout. It takes a while for him to see which type of angel he really is. Every time Raffi becomes some sort of deformed creature after doing a good deed, I couldn't help but laugh at how funny his reactions were. He definitely freaked out a lot. The angel theme was entertaining enough but I found the humor my favorite thing about the book. I like how Keeble used the somewhat silly humor to give the whole angels vs. demon plot a lighter feel.
Now the plot twists are both bad and good in my opinion. I liked that the story kept me guessing. Nobody is really who they are in this book. It got frustrating at some point though because it got kind of confusing. Not to worry though because once things are cleared up, the story ties up nicely.
My only complaint is the pacing. The beginning was rather slow and it wasn't that engaging. I also didn't like it much when the characters (especially, Raffi, because he's the only clueless one) got so fixated in the tiniest details. It kind of contributed to the slow pacing. However once the story picks up, it becomes a rather enjoyable read. Light, funny, and a good take on angel stories - 3 stars!
eARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
hypnoticx's review against another edition
4.0
Once again I'm caught off guard by Helen Keeble's writing although I found that I actually enjoyed the unexpected in No angel, whilst in Fang Girl i had to force myself to finish. Considering when I started to read this I almost gave up on it, because the main character is so... well he is what he is and as i continued I found his personality grew on me quickly with his actions of which many are rather sweet alongside others. Oh and the evolution, was great the demons and angel sides all rather original compared to others I've read.
Now the girls. I really don't know what to say about most of them, except for his minions which are simply adorable... The love interests though I can at least be honest and say they all had rather original personalities that's for sure.
My fave would have to be Krystal because of her simplicity she had a bit of everything, said what she was thinking or at least it showed, although I like Michaela for her Kick-ass attitude... Faith I found to be interesting for a while but eventually I only just about tolerated her being there.
Lots of humor is always great to have as well and No angel certainly had that.
Well I've never been great at explaining what it is exactly I like and dislike so I shall leave it at that, with one star of the rating for
losetimereading's review against another edition
3.0
I was really excited to pick up No Angel. I had recently read Fang Girl and thoroughly enjoyed it. Helen Keeble had a way of taking the paranormal genre and turning it into a fun comedic twist so I couldn’t wait to see her take on angels.
Raffi, the main character, was just mediocre. There was nothing specifically about him that I disliked, just as a whole, I didn’t enjoy him and thought his character was rather empty. I didn’t find a lot of development behind him, which is a shame, because there was lots of room for that seeing as how he had just learned he was an angel, but he was definitely the same Raffi from beginning to end. I did really enjoy his sidekick Krystal. I thought she was quite spunky and I liked her uniqueness. In a school of girls that were competing for looks and popularity, Krystal didn’t much care for that and certainly marched to the beat of her own drum. Faith grated on my nerves continuously. I’m not exactly sure when it started in the book, but by the end of it I was glad to be done with her. Like Raffi, I can’t exactly sum up why she annoyed me but she definitely wasn’t a favorite of mine. One of my main flaws with No Angel, if you can’t tell, was the characters and character building. I didn’t find an attachment with any character, and while I really liked Krystal, I still wouldn’t have cared much if say, something awful happened to her.
The storyline was interesting. I thought it was rather predictable as we went along but about halfway through there were several twists thrown in to spice it up. I found it hard to figure out who was trustworthy or not, and that really helped with the pacing of the book towards the end. The pacing, initially, was quite slow, and I actually put the book down.
I enjoyed the angel lore that is mentioned throughout the story. Angels are definitely one of my favorite supernatural creatures in the genre so I enjoyed seeing Raffi’s journey of becoming one and trying to figure out exactly what he was. While it didn’t go into too much depth and there could have been more, it did add an enjoyable twist to the story.
The comedy portion of the novel, definitely made the story. I really like Helen Keeble’s writing style in that aspect. The humor really makes her stories as it separates them from the usual supernatural tales.
While I did not enjoy No Angel as much as Fang Girl, it did turn out to be a fun read and I would recommend it. If you enjoyed Fang girl and the Keeble’s comedic writing I don’t think you will be disappointed with No Angel.
Raffi, the main character, was just mediocre. There was nothing specifically about him that I disliked, just as a whole, I didn’t enjoy him and thought his character was rather empty. I didn’t find a lot of development behind him, which is a shame, because there was lots of room for that seeing as how he had just learned he was an angel, but he was definitely the same Raffi from beginning to end. I did really enjoy his sidekick Krystal. I thought she was quite spunky and I liked her uniqueness. In a school of girls that were competing for looks and popularity, Krystal didn’t much care for that and certainly marched to the beat of her own drum. Faith grated on my nerves continuously. I’m not exactly sure when it started in the book, but by the end of it I was glad to be done with her. Like Raffi, I can’t exactly sum up why she annoyed me but she definitely wasn’t a favorite of mine. One of my main flaws with No Angel, if you can’t tell, was the characters and character building. I didn’t find an attachment with any character, and while I really liked Krystal, I still wouldn’t have cared much if say, something awful happened to her.
The storyline was interesting. I thought it was rather predictable as we went along but about halfway through there were several twists thrown in to spice it up. I found it hard to figure out who was trustworthy or not, and that really helped with the pacing of the book towards the end. The pacing, initially, was quite slow, and I actually put the book down.
I enjoyed the angel lore that is mentioned throughout the story. Angels are definitely one of my favorite supernatural creatures in the genre so I enjoyed seeing Raffi’s journey of becoming one and trying to figure out exactly what he was. While it didn’t go into too much depth and there could have been more, it did add an enjoyable twist to the story.
The comedy portion of the novel, definitely made the story. I really like Helen Keeble’s writing style in that aspect. The humor really makes her stories as it separates them from the usual supernatural tales.
While I did not enjoy No Angel as much as Fang Girl, it did turn out to be a fun read and I would recommend it. If you enjoyed Fang girl and the Keeble’s comedic writing I don’t think you will be disappointed with No Angel.
daylafm's review
4.0
Review first appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7
I received a copy via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
No Angel by Helen Keeble is a young adult paranormal novel that is surprisingly funny and entertaining. Not only does Keeble somewhat mock the theme of angels in today’s literature, but she also takes various jabs at the idea of the beautiful female love interest looking for “Mr. Right,” and love at first sight. The level of satire in this novel is not so overstated that it made me roll my eyes, which was nice because though Keeble’s attempts were obvious, they were entertaining. Funny, fast paced, and pretty original, No Angel is an interesting read.
Rafael Angelos, the protagonist, is a walking example of the satire introduced in Keeble’s novel. Not only is he hot, a chick magnet, and “the chosen one” (No spoiler, I swear—it’s pretty obvious,) but his name pretty much makes you zero in on the fact that he’s not from this world. I like to think that names are a pretty important part of a storyline, since they can say so much about a character and the story itself, so kudos to Keeble for choosing such a well-known religious name.
Keeping that in mind, I’m also a huge fan of authors who use character traits as a way of showing just how ridiculous certain themes can be. For example, the female lead in Keeble’s novel is self-centered and a bit narcissistic—she basically states that without her, the school will burn. Can you say Hero Complex? How many times have we read about female leads who think their lives are so complicated because the world’s fate depends on them? Keeble is basically showing us such an exaggerated version of this popular character archetype so we can see just how ridiculous the concept is.
The idea that Rafael is the only guy at an all-girl school immediately shows me that he is going to play a pivotal role in the storyline. Keeble takes the extreme of what some of us have always wondered (come on, I can’t be the only one,) and goes with it by showing us how someone’s fantasy can go horribly wrong. Just imagine, a drop of water in an ocean of dry sand, basically. Add on the fact that these girls are not only beautiful, but deprived of male attention, and you have the ingredients for a hilarious situation.
I haven’t read anything by Keeble before, but reading this one inspired me to read her other work (which is on my very long to-read list.) The dialogue is hilarious, and some of the characters are so overdramatic in their roles that they are beyond entertaining. What I found the most intriguing though is the idea of love and anything romantic as a means to an end. Rather than being the reason for the two main characters to meet, romance is seen as a curse in this novel, since there is so much pressure behind it. The pressure to perform adds on to the irony of the situation, making it even more comedic.
No Angel is a fast-paced novel that will have the reader giggling at the dark humour and the over-exaggeration of some of the characters. Not only does No Angel have a double-entendre title, but it is also an intelligent and original story in its portrayal of what we associate with a paranormal romance novel. I recommend this one to readers who enjoy satire in young adult literature, and anyone who just wants a good laugh.
I received a copy via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
No Angel by Helen Keeble is a young adult paranormal novel that is surprisingly funny and entertaining. Not only does Keeble somewhat mock the theme of angels in today’s literature, but she also takes various jabs at the idea of the beautiful female love interest looking for “Mr. Right,” and love at first sight. The level of satire in this novel is not so overstated that it made me roll my eyes, which was nice because though Keeble’s attempts were obvious, they were entertaining. Funny, fast paced, and pretty original, No Angel is an interesting read.
Rafael Angelos, the protagonist, is a walking example of the satire introduced in Keeble’s novel. Not only is he hot, a chick magnet, and “the chosen one” (No spoiler, I swear—it’s pretty obvious,) but his name pretty much makes you zero in on the fact that he’s not from this world. I like to think that names are a pretty important part of a storyline, since they can say so much about a character and the story itself, so kudos to Keeble for choosing such a well-known religious name.
Keeping that in mind, I’m also a huge fan of authors who use character traits as a way of showing just how ridiculous certain themes can be. For example, the female lead in Keeble’s novel is self-centered and a bit narcissistic—she basically states that without her, the school will burn. Can you say Hero Complex? How many times have we read about female leads who think their lives are so complicated because the world’s fate depends on them? Keeble is basically showing us such an exaggerated version of this popular character archetype so we can see just how ridiculous the concept is.
The idea that Rafael is the only guy at an all-girl school immediately shows me that he is going to play a pivotal role in the storyline. Keeble takes the extreme of what some of us have always wondered (come on, I can’t be the only one,) and goes with it by showing us how someone’s fantasy can go horribly wrong. Just imagine, a drop of water in an ocean of dry sand, basically. Add on the fact that these girls are not only beautiful, but deprived of male attention, and you have the ingredients for a hilarious situation.
I haven’t read anything by Keeble before, but reading this one inspired me to read her other work (which is on my very long to-read list.) The dialogue is hilarious, and some of the characters are so overdramatic in their roles that they are beyond entertaining. What I found the most intriguing though is the idea of love and anything romantic as a means to an end. Rather than being the reason for the two main characters to meet, romance is seen as a curse in this novel, since there is so much pressure behind it. The pressure to perform adds on to the irony of the situation, making it even more comedic.
No Angel is a fast-paced novel that will have the reader giggling at the dark humour and the over-exaggeration of some of the characters. Not only does No Angel have a double-entendre title, but it is also an intelligent and original story in its portrayal of what we associate with a paranormal romance novel. I recommend this one to readers who enjoy satire in young adult literature, and anyone who just wants a good laugh.