The first in a series of good versus evil, it is clear to see the influences in author Brian Feehan's writing. I picked up this book partially because of the new author's name and partially because it is about angels. Or a version of angels... This concept is intriguing and I want to see where this series goes. As a first book by Mr. Feehan, it contains the kind of worldbuilding that interests me.
What I like about this series is that it isn't paranormal romance. It is probably Urban Fantasy? The second thing I like about this story is how good and evil are questionable. Exploring the grey lines and learning about the "We" and Etherealist takes time and patience. I won't lie, the first half of the book is a bit too slow-paced for me. There is a lot of explaining going on and switching from two main points of view. I'm not a fan of this. I understand why it was done, I just think maybe it could have been more condensed. I say this because unless someone sticks to it and pushes through the first half, they may give up on the book.
Once I pushed through the first half and when Alice meets Owen, the story pace picks up. The rest of the book contains more action, danger, and a brutal confrontation. Surprisingly, the confrontation is anticlimatic and seems to be done in a blink of an eye. This made me re-read the part over again. I also didn't fully understand Owen's issues and why he was being a jerk near the end of the book. It didn't make sense to me because it seems to come out of the blue. My guess is that it is supposed to be a hook into the next book. Felt a little too YA for me. This new urban fantasy is recommended to new/young adult readers who want to know about beings that Heaven shuts out and Hell doesn't accept either.
*provided by NetGalley
