This review is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Michel will be awarding a Swag set including a T-shirt that says “My book boyfriend can beat up your book boyfriend” to a randomly drawn winner, and a Swag set including a 1st aid kit will be awarded to another randomly drawn winner, both prizes awarded via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
In the annals of dysfunctional families, the Chisholm’s are working their way to the top. Drug abuse, an unwed mother with multiple fathers, and the questionable cash flow for the 'pretty one'. All this from a seemingly normal, two parent middle class family. But were the choices truly made of their free will? Bad choices are a Chisholm family trait, one that confounds the youngest child, Ellie, who's trying to separate herself by making smart decisions. And falling for Oscar Jeffreys, the hottest guy at school, would be number one on the list of Chisholm family disasters. Yet the crazy part is it’s not a one sided attraction.
Somehow Ellie has caught Oscar Jeffreys’ eye. Sure she could see the barriers between them. Race, age, popularity. They were at opposite ends of the spectrum. But a demon set to destroy her family? She can't see that. Oscar provides security and acceptance Ellie never imagined she deserved. As the passion of first love grows, Ellie honestly believes she has a chance to beat the odds and live a happy, normal life. Then her world collapses around her. With the help of a guardian angel, Ellie learns of a world that has unknowingly surrounded her for years. And she'll have to find strength buried deep inside to save not only her future, but flush out and stop the demon in her midst.
Ellie will have to learn that sometimes the hardest lesson about growing up is accepting that you're worth more.
My Review:
This book starts out as an average teen story-- insecure girl notices hot jock, who in turn has been noticing her, and beyond all odds the two get together and live happily ever after. Only, in Ellie's case, it doesn't quite work out that way. Turns out she has a guardian angel and that she lives in a world where all is not as it seems. All the bad choices her sisters and brothers have made--yeah, they were caused by a demon and now Ellie has to learn to stop him before he destroys the rest of her family and her relationship with Oscar.
Michel Prince has a way of pulling her readers into the story and allowing them to feel the confusion, the anger, the sadness--everything that her characters are feeling. This first book in Ellie and Oscar's story is full of action --especially the last half. Just when I had decided I only thought this was a paranormal book, the whole paranormal world came crushing down on me and I was.. WOW.
The relationship between Ellie and Oscar is very sweet--they are each incredibly attracted to the other, but they both want to make the right decisions. Ellie has seen her sisters make too many bad decisions as it is. I was a bit surprised that her parents were so blind to what was going on, but where demons are concerned all bets are off.
I'm glad this is characterized as New Adult instead of as YA--even though the characters are young (a senior and sophomore in high school) the situations they are in and the direction their relationship goes would have left me hesitant to recommend this book to a younger YA reader. However, I do recommend it to 17+ strictly because of the sexual situations. Good job, Ms. Prince. 4 flowers.
When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.-Corinthians 13:11
There comes a time in everyone’s life when they must put aside their childish ways. In the past year, Ellie Chisholm has fallen into the security of her relationship with Oscar Jeffreys, emerging with a stronger sense of herself. But now Ellie's mother has started inserting herself into Ellie’s life, treating her as if she were a child even though Ellie has begun to make very adult decisions for her future. Having finally consummated her relationship with Oscar, Ellie learns the powers inside of her stretch further than vaporizing demons.
Maria, the demon bent on revenge, has been reigned in by God but that doesn’t stop her from disrupting and threatening those around Ellie and Oscar. Ellie becomes off balance as Maria switches strategy and attempts to destroy Ellie from the outside. Now the gauntlet has been thrown down. Ellie must help her family achieve positive change and finally break the tie between her mother and Gaap or risk losing everyone she loves.
Can Ellie maintain her sanity while walking the last steps as a child?
My Review:
It's a year later and Ellie is working hard to graduate early so she can be in college with Oscar. There's a lot more action in this second book as the demons up their attacks on the people who Oscar and Ellie love.
My main issue with the book is Ellie herself. I wanted to pick her up and shake her sometimes because of her jealousy and her insecurities, but it's only because I've found myself in similar situations. I grew to care so much for the characters that I just want them to get along and stop creating issues for themselves.
This book is, in many ways, a natural progression of the first. This book is not as linear as the first and so is not as easy to follow. It's more episodic with flashbacks-- even one on Kelly's part sharing how she became a guardian angel.
That does not take away from the enjoyment of the book, however. I do believe that readers should definitely read book one in the series before they read book two. Although Ms. Prince does share things from the first book, I'm afraid that anyone who reads the books out of order might be too confused to enjoy the book. 3.5 flowers.
About the Author:
With characters yelling "It's my turn damn it!!!" She tries to explain to them that alas, she can only type a hundred and twenty words a minute and they will have wait their turn. She knows eventually they find their way out of her head and to her fingertips and she looks forward to sharing them with you.
When Michel can suppress the voices in her head she can be found at a scouting event or cheering for her son in a variety of sports. She would like to thank her family for always being in her corner and especially her husband for supporting her every dream and never letting her give up.
Michel has been awarded Elite Status with Rebel Ink Press in 2013, the service award for her local RWA chapter Midwest Fiction Writers and is a Pro member of RWA. She lives in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, cat and new puppy.
Website-Michel Prince Books: http://www.michelprincebooks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelPrinceBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichelPrince1
Buy the books at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, All Romance eBooks, Smashwords, or Kobo.
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Thank you for hosting
ReplyDeleteThank you for having me on today and for your great reviews.
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing the great excerpt with us :)
ReplyDeleteNice review
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