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Shattering Halos by Sunniva Dee
(Halos #1)
(Halos #1)
Publication date: February 24th 2014
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal
Source: I received an ecopy in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4.25 Bookworms
Source: I received an ecopy in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4.25 Bookworms
Synopsis:
I traded my death for love. I wasn’t given a choice. His decision has caught up with us, so now I am a living, breathing catalyst to war between Heaven and Hell.
The violations he committed saved my life. Since the collision, he’s appeared everywhere. In my hospital room, my school, even my house. He shows up in my paintings, my drawings, in all of my art projects. I can’t stop thinking about him.
He says his name is Gabriel, and he doesn’t understand what’s happening to him. He doesn’t know how I can see him or why he wants me in ways that should be impossible for a Celestial.
My obsession grows. I need him to hold me, kiss me—give all of himself. For every day he protects me, the consequences loom darker and taller. Soon, they’ll crash down on us.
The war is about to begin.
The violations he committed saved my life. Since the collision, he’s appeared everywhere. In my hospital room, my school, even my house. He shows up in my paintings, my drawings, in all of my art projects. I can’t stop thinking about him.
He says his name is Gabriel, and he doesn’t understand what’s happening to him. He doesn’t know how I can see him or why he wants me in ways that should be impossible for a Celestial.
My obsession grows. I need him to hold me, kiss me—give all of himself. For every day he protects me, the consequences loom darker and taller. Soon, they’ll crash down on us.
The war is about to begin.
When I started Shattering Halos, I was sure it was going to be a 3-3.5 Bookworm read for me. I don't know if it was the initial world building or what, but I was having a hard time connecting to the story and characters. Then about a quarter of the way through, it morphed into a 4-4.25 Bookworm read. I became so intrigued with the hows and the whys of the connection between Gaia and Gabriel. Ms. Dee's use of angels and demons, Heaven and Hell mythology, began to reel me into the story and suddenly I was very invested in Gaia and Gabriel's story and its possible outcomes. By the end, Shattering Halos was engrossing, exciting, and exhilarating.
Gaia Samuelle is 17 when she's involved in an accident that claims the lives of her friends and should have taken hers. It's the night of the accident she first sees Gabriel. As Gaia recovers and continues on with her life - graduating high school, starting college - she and Gabriel work at trying to create a relationship that will work for them both. Gaia was a contradiction for me at times. She was very mature, having experienced what she had but at other times she was very much the 18 year old she is. She is a good daughter, sister, and friend. And despite her determination to be the cause of Gabriel's fall, her love and loyalty for him is unquestionable.
Gabriel has been protecting Gaia since she was born. Somewhere along the way, though, he began having human feelings for her. He has fought it, he doesn't understand it, but he can't deny it. Saving her the night of the accident - her being able to see him - changed things. And neither he nor Gaia could guess at the repercussions. Gabriel is everything angelic, really. He loves Gaia and does whatever he can to protect her, and give her her heart's desire.
Cassiel is a Fallen and is Gabriel's brother. He is essentially sex on a stick and human women literally fall at his feet swooning. Cassiel has always enjoyed this perk of being a Fallen. But his future is tied to Gabriel and Gaia's, for whatever reason. And he works in conjunction with them in trying to figure out what's simmering between Heaven and Hell. Cassiel is cocky and full of snark. I quite enjoyed his scenes.
The war between Heaven and Hell, that Gabriel and Gaia seemingly instigated, was exciting. I liked trying to figure out what was going to happen - I didn't - and all the biblical mythology made it that much more riveting. Being told from both Gaia's and Cassiel's POVs enhanced the pleasure of this story. I particularly liked getting into Cassiel's head. ;) And with the exception of the beginning, the pacing was great.
Those of you that don't like cliffies will be glad to know this doesn't end in one. However, I'm very eager to see where this story is going to go from here. This is a great debut!
Gabriel has been protecting Gaia since she was born. Somewhere along the way, though, he began having human feelings for her. He has fought it, he doesn't understand it, but he can't deny it. Saving her the night of the accident - her being able to see him - changed things. And neither he nor Gaia could guess at the repercussions. Gabriel is everything angelic, really. He loves Gaia and does whatever he can to protect her, and give her her heart's desire.
Cassiel is a Fallen and is Gabriel's brother. He is essentially sex on a stick and human women literally fall at his feet swooning. Cassiel has always enjoyed this perk of being a Fallen. But his future is tied to Gabriel and Gaia's, for whatever reason. And he works in conjunction with them in trying to figure out what's simmering between Heaven and Hell. Cassiel is cocky and full of snark. I quite enjoyed his scenes.
The war between Heaven and Hell, that Gabriel and Gaia seemingly instigated, was exciting. I liked trying to figure out what was going to happen - I didn't - and all the biblical mythology made it that much more riveting. Being told from both Gaia's and Cassiel's POVs enhanced the pleasure of this story. I particularly liked getting into Cassiel's head. ;) And with the exception of the beginning, the pacing was great.
Those of you that don't like cliffies will be glad to know this doesn't end in one. However, I'm very eager to see where this story is going to go from here. This is a great debut!
**4.25 Bookworms ~ my worms don't like being quartered ;)**
I moved from Norway to the United States in 2001, and the first awesome five years I spent in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles. Then I read “The Book,” aka Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, which spurred my husband and me to move cross country to beautiful Savannah, Georgia.
I’m currently on my seventh year in the Deep South, where I enjoy the heat and the humidity. Besides writing, I spend my time with our “petting zoo” as in an opinionated parrot, a herd of cats that are experts on keyboard shortcuts, and puppies that…uh, bark.
I hold a Master’s degree in languages, with concentrations within literature and linguistics. I taught at college level for a decade before settling in as a graduate adviser at the Savannah College of Art and Design.
Writing is my passion, my joy, and my addiction. When I’m not writing, I read.
Shattering Halos is my debut novel, and its standalone sequel, Stargazer, is due out later this year.
