Carrie ShepherdCritiques

Disclaimers:
I received this book from Early Reviewers in exchange for an honest review.
I have not finished it yet due to lack of wifi connectivity for over a month (hence the late review).

So far, I find this story extremely interesting. I do wish it was told more in a linear fashion; flashbacks within flashbacks plus the completely strange element of modernity inserted in the beginning in this tale of gods, angels, and demons is a tad disconcerting. However, after becoming completely engulfed in the television show Supernatural, I have enjoyed reading/watching alternate views of the Christian mythology (no offence meant by this wording). I look forward to finishing it, although I'm a tad wary of reading the sequel if it's just as long. I love long books, but more so in a physical format than a digital.

I will update this review after I've finished reading the book.

I feel like this was a tedious read. While a good book in the end, it was very confusing to follow for the first three quarters of the book.

Based on biblical and mythological ideas, it follows the struggles of the premises of right and wrong from the perspective of the gods, angels and demons. Should all be redeemed and granted forgiveness? Or are only mortals afforded that entitlement? The politics, strategics and conspiracies of an all out war ensue.

*I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

I really tried to get into this book. I love fantasy books, especially when they are wrapped around the gods. But I just couldn't seem to connect with the book. I started it three different times. The third time, when I hit the 50% mark, I gave up.

This book was a little difficult to get into but once I had made it about a quarter of the way through the story I was hooked. The characters are dynamic and strike an emotional harmony that will bring you to tears. It is rare for me to find a book that moves me in this manner and when I do I get choked up just thinking about it. Fall From Grace (The Scribing of Ishitar Book 1) hit me on a deep and personal level. As you move through the story you will see a world unfold that is grand and complicated and so very well put together that it makes you question what it is to be human. I am truly in love with this book.

As someone who loves the mythologies that this world was based on I couldn't help but think of how great it would be to design a role playing game based on the concepts and themes contained within this massive volume. This book covers cosmic events and scales the full range of human emotion. It is certainly not a light read and I would advice that if you decide to read it, that you set aside a weekend to really dedicate your time to the story. This is because once you get into it, you will not want to stop. Life outside of the book will go on hold as the story takes on a life of its own.

I received a copy of this book from the LibraryThing member giveaway.
Honestly, when I first started this book it was a little hard for me to get into it because so many characters were introduced at once and it was difficult to tell who was doing what and what was happening. I am really glad I kept going though because this was just amazing. Once I figured out who was who and their affiliations, things got intense. This was an amazing read for me, especially since I came into the book feeling like I wouldn't enjoy it. By the time I was a little way into the book I was invested in the characters and immersed into their lives. I kept reading because I wanted to know who would back stab who next and who was bedding who. There's a lot to take in but, in my opinion, it's worth it. I would definitely recommend this book if you like reading about the crazy lives of gods, demons, and archangels.

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a unique story. The author shows the knowledge of the period and has a great way to make the characters come alive. The storyline flowed well and the characters were relatable. This was one book I will be reading again, can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Like Fall from Grace, Ashes to Ashes did not disappoint! It will capture your attention for the very beginning. While book 1 focused on the Realm of the Gods and their inside squabbles, Ashes to Ashes sees a move to the mortal realm. This installment did a great job depicting what it might be like when gods use mortals as pawns for their own agenda.
Fall From Grace seemed to introduce most of the characters and paint the big picture of how everyone was connected, Ashes to Ashes extends the story and goes deeper. We learn more about many of the characters allowing them to feel more real, while introducing some new, interesting characters.
The end of Ashes to Ashes leaves you begging for the next installment while giving you some hints for some of the unanswered questions.

I highly recommend this book and Fall From Grace to anyone who enjoys books about gods, angels, demons, vampires, elves, fairies, humans, war, love and the relationship between it all!

I won this book in Librarything's member giveaway.
As I started reading, I found it a little difficult to follow, but quickly it became a captivating and unique novel I could not put down. This book, creates a unique twist on the ancient tale of good versus evil. It contains elements of Biblical stories as well as Norse and Greek Gods. (There may be more that I missed) This novel captured my imagination and attention until the very last word. I am now waiting with bated breath for the next installment!

I tried so hard to get in to this book. I received it as an early review and am so disappointed. There were so many characters and no explanation for things happening. It was too much to jump in to and I was never able to finish reading it.

Very well thought out, incredible research, and vivid description. I am not a huge fan of fiction with religious tone, but I find the unique personalities given to each character to be very interesting. It’s a difficult thing to keep a strong momentum through a 507 page novel, but I felt the author did an excellent job. I will admit, at the risk of sounding a bit foolish, that I had trouble a few times with some of the names, but that’s just me. “What in the name of my Thirty Hells have you done?” I highly recommend giving this novel a read.

I like stories from various cultures regarding Gods and their behaviour. This story brilliantly collects together all sorts of Gods and Goddesses and puts them in a more recognisable work type setting... and then lets their true natures play out. A great read and I cannot wait for the second one! (ps. this was a member-giveaway, but in no way does this reflect in my opinion)

A unique and enjoyable story of mortals, angels, demons and more...Fall From Grace certainly delivers a new take on an epic tale of good versus evil.

Excellent read! The story line captures your imagination and is fast paced all through the book. This author did an outstanding job. Good read characters strong and story keeps your interest. The only negative thing is that the story ends.