mnap's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
this book was okay i guess. nothing really special imo. i did like the fallen angel idea, but i feel like it could’ve been brought about in a better way. normally church’s scenes are good, but in this book they were meh. there wasn’t really any scenes tbh. just like the lead up to it and it stopped. i did like ivy’s powers and her part in “dethroning” michael. i also liked how strong she became, and her turning out to be hades’ daughter was not something i expected.
amylittleford's review against another edition
3.0
Firstly, I'd like to thank Netgalley for the eARC for an honest review! I couldn't help buying the special edition hardback (signed as well).
I really loved how the book began with the real life problems of working in retail. I worked at TESCO for 5 years and know that I hated it as much as Ivy (the MC) did. I flew through the first 200 pages in an evening and really didn't want to put it down but sleep is necessary apparently. Definitely signs of a well written book! As soon as we met Devlin, I knew I was going to love him (who doesn't?). The instant attraction between him and Ivy set the book up for a steamy romance, which it was! Dev, a fallen angel, needs Ivy to help him and his friends home with powers she has no idea she has. I love how her powers are slowly revealed throughout the whole book. I found the narrative witty and easy to read. I got Percy Jackson vibes with Hades and the Underworld and also some TVD vibes from Gabe and Devlin.
I found that sometimes the action scenes or impact scenes seemed to resolve too quickly for me. It felt like one page there was a problem and the next it was solved. It would have been great to have seen these scenes in more detail. I thought that the book would end after the battle scene and didn't expect a whole 6 months to have suddenly passed and the characters sent on another adventure. It seemed like a whole other story at the end of the first. I also felt that most of this book is more YA except with the sex scenes. So it felt like we were flitting from YA to NA quite a bit.
Freddy was definitely my favourite side character and I was so thrilled to see the LGBTQ+ rep that continued throughout the book. I loved his and Ivy's friendship! I feel like Ivy's character is dealt with well showing her weaknesses and they weren't just suddenly gone but worked through. Each character's growth is shown clearly. Ivy learning to be vulnerable being a main theme after her traumatic past. I definitely recommend this debut book to lovers of fantasy and romance and can't wait to see what Zola publishes next!
Amy x
I really loved how the book began with the real life problems of working in retail. I worked at TESCO for 5 years and know that I hated it as much as Ivy (the MC) did. I flew through the first 200 pages in an evening and really didn't want to put it down but sleep is necessary apparently. Definitely signs of a well written book! As soon as we met Devlin, I knew I was going to love him (who doesn't?). The instant attraction between him and Ivy set the book up for a steamy romance, which it was! Dev, a fallen angel, needs Ivy to help him and his friends home with powers she has no idea she has. I love how her powers are slowly revealed throughout the whole book. I found the narrative witty and easy to read. I got Percy Jackson vibes with Hades and the Underworld and also some TVD vibes from Gabe and Devlin.
I found that sometimes the action scenes or impact scenes seemed to resolve too quickly for me. It felt like one page there was a problem and the next it was solved. It would have been great to have seen these scenes in more detail. I thought that the book would end after the battle scene and didn't expect a whole 6 months to have suddenly passed and the characters sent on another adventure. It seemed like a whole other story at the end of the first. I also felt that most of this book is more YA except with the sex scenes. So it felt like we were flitting from YA to NA quite a bit.
Freddy was definitely my favourite side character and I was so thrilled to see the LGBTQ+ rep that continued throughout the book. I loved his and Ivy's friendship! I feel like Ivy's character is dealt with well showing her weaknesses and they weren't just suddenly gone but worked through. Each character's growth is shown clearly. Ivy learning to be vulnerable being a main theme after her traumatic past. I definitely recommend this debut book to lovers of fantasy and romance and can't wait to see what Zola publishes next!
Amy x
kmill's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
bookshelves4paperelves's review against another edition
5.0
Okay, so I’d like to start off by saying a huge thank you for allowing me to have an arc copy of this book! I absolutely adored it! It has the perfect balance of witty sarcasm, steamy romance and fast-paced action (with a small helping of gut-wrenching scenes that made me CRY.)
It says enough that I finished this in under 24 hours, but I’ll just follow up with some things I loved about this read:
- I loved the relationships in this book, especially the development between the love interests!
- The main character is so sassy, sarcastic and absolutely HILARIOUS!
- Jaz. That is all
- The story was fast-paced which I really enjoyed. It was like *boom* action from the get go.
I would highly recommend for fans of fantasy with romance aspects and those who like a gripping story.
Things I am not happy about with this book:
- There is currently not a second book. I need more
It says enough that I finished this in under 24 hours, but I’ll just follow up with some things I loved about this read:
- I loved the relationships in this book, especially the development between the love interests!
- The main character is so sassy, sarcastic and absolutely HILARIOUS!
- Jaz. That is all
- The story was fast-paced which I really enjoyed. It was like *boom* action from the get go.
I would highly recommend for fans of fantasy with romance aspects and those who like a gripping story.
Things I am not happy about with this book:
- There is currently not a second book. I need more
asunnyreadingcorner's review against another edition
3.0
This book left me primarily confused. I didn't dislike it- but it was a strange read. The book has a lot of potential but just missed the mark on a few things for me.
This book is about Ivy, who has her life upended when some fallen angels pop into it and pretty much tell her that she has to go with them or she's going to die. It's a new adult urban fantasy.
I did enjoy the book, and there are some specific things I can point to that I think were well done. The premise was fun- I love fallen angels as much as the next girl. I also enjoyed getting both the guy and the girl's perspectives.
There was a lot about this book that had me massively confused, though. The pacing was wild. I love a fast-paced book, and I love stand-alone books; I rarely have the patience for anything else- this was too fast and tried to cram too much into one book even for me. This book went at a breakneck speed opting for telling rather than showing in a rush to get through the plot. There were plot points that felt utterly abandoned by the end of the book. (Mostly the curse and whatever happened with Gabe.) The book had a climax at about halfway through, and then for the second half of the book, jumped and went down a completely different path and felt like a different book. I think it might have made more sense to turn this into a duology and flesh out each of those storylines a bit more.
The romance in this book suffers from a severe case of insta-lust. I'm happy to say that despite that I still liked both of their characters, I just wish that their relationship had played out a little differently. The blurb makes it feel like there will be a love triangle, but if that isn't your thing, I wouldn't let that stop you from reading this because I didn't feel that actually pull through for a majority of the book.
While I had many criticisms for the book and spent a good chunk of time confused about what I just read, I did finish the book in one sitting and really enjoyed it. I probably won't be rereading this; it had so much potential; it just needed some work to be the right fit for me. I hope that the author keeps writing because I think I would absolutely love their work with some tweaking.
This book is about Ivy, who has her life upended when some fallen angels pop into it and pretty much tell her that she has to go with them or she's going to die. It's a new adult urban fantasy.
I did enjoy the book, and there are some specific things I can point to that I think were well done. The premise was fun- I love fallen angels as much as the next girl. I also enjoyed getting both the guy and the girl's perspectives.
There was a lot about this book that had me massively confused, though. The pacing was wild. I love a fast-paced book, and I love stand-alone books; I rarely have the patience for anything else- this was too fast and tried to cram too much into one book even for me. This book went at a breakneck speed opting for telling rather than showing in a rush to get through the plot. There were plot points that felt utterly abandoned by the end of the book. (Mostly the curse and whatever happened with Gabe.) The book had a climax at about halfway through, and then for the second half of the book, jumped and went down a completely different path and felt like a different book. I think it might have made more sense to turn this into a duology and flesh out each of those storylines a bit more.
The romance in this book suffers from a severe case of insta-lust. I'm happy to say that despite that I still liked both of their characters, I just wish that their relationship had played out a little differently. The blurb makes it feel like there will be a love triangle, but if that isn't your thing, I wouldn't let that stop you from reading this because I didn't feel that actually pull through for a majority of the book.
While I had many criticisms for the book and spent a good chunk of time confused about what I just read, I did finish the book in one sitting and really enjoyed it. I probably won't be rereading this; it had so much potential; it just needed some work to be the right fit for me. I hope that the author keeps writing because I think I would absolutely love their work with some tweaking.
holsarmstrong's review against another edition
2.0
1.5 stars.
So, this book fell into the realm of you have such a pretty cover and a promising blurb but the reality was meh.
I went into this book with little to no expectations having never heard of the author or book before and I somehow feel let down. I think because I am such a fan of fallen angel/angel romance books and I have read so many of them, this book just felt repetitive. It was one of those that never got to the point and we span around in circles when the answer was clearly obvious.
I also found the characters acted young for their age or did cringe-worthy things I can't help but think I didn't even do when I was fourteen, let alone as adults. This book is promoted as a new adult novel but it reads very young adult besides some of the sex.
I also couldn't get on board with the romance. Ivy and Dev were instantly obsessed with each other and kissed not even 20% per cent in the book. I couldn't believe the romance and all Ivy would take about is everyone's physical attributes. Surely she isn't that shallow?
Let's also just say this entire plot with the curse made no sense at all and screamed plot holes.
It's safe to say younger me (much younger) would have probably adored this book but I found too many issues when reading this and if it wasn't for a review, I would have DNF'ed it early on.
I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
So, this book fell into the realm of you have such a pretty cover and a promising blurb but the reality was meh.
I went into this book with little to no expectations having never heard of the author or book before and I somehow feel let down. I think because I am such a fan of fallen angel/angel romance books and I have read so many of them, this book just felt repetitive. It was one of those that never got to the point and we span around in circles when the answer was clearly obvious.
I also found the characters acted young for their age or did cringe-worthy things I can't help but think I didn't even do when I was fourteen, let alone as adults. This book is promoted as a new adult novel but it reads very young adult besides some of the sex.
I also couldn't get on board with the romance. Ivy and Dev were instantly obsessed with each other and kissed not even 20% per cent in the book. I couldn't believe the romance and all Ivy would take about is everyone's physical attributes. Surely she isn't that shallow?
Let's also just say this entire plot with the curse made no sense at all and screamed plot holes.
It's safe to say younger me (much younger) would have probably adored this book but I found too many issues when reading this and if it wasn't for a review, I would have DNF'ed it early on.
I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
krunkjess's review against another edition
3.0
*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: June 20, 2021
This is so completely chaotic I feel like I’m trapped in the brain if someone having a manic episode, yet I couldn’t stop reading.
Very stream of consciousness. Instead of building tension or letting you infer a characters feelings, this book consistently just tells you when there is and what they are. Sometimes it takes away from the reading experience because readers are just put in residence in every characters brain.
Similarly, so many ideas and concepts are introduced with no explanation. The reader is just meant to gloss over the addition and accept it’s inclusion. This happens so often it’s hard not to get reading whiplash.
That being said, this has good bones and potential, but it needs a really good editor to spend some quality time with it before I’d consider it ready. Also has potential for screenplay adaptation.
This is so completely chaotic I feel like I’m trapped in the brain if someone having a manic episode, yet I couldn’t stop reading.
Very stream of consciousness. Instead of building tension or letting you infer a characters feelings, this book consistently just tells you when there is and what they are. Sometimes it takes away from the reading experience because readers are just put in residence in every characters brain.
Similarly, so many ideas and concepts are introduced with no explanation. The reader is just meant to gloss over the addition and accept it’s inclusion. This happens so often it’s hard not to get reading whiplash.
That being said, this has good bones and potential, but it needs a really good editor to spend some quality time with it before I’d consider it ready. Also has potential for screenplay adaptation.
starlit_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Temper the Flame by Jade Church
First, can I just take a minute to appreciate the cover of this book... To me, the cover is important when gaining an understanding of what the book is about and gaining the first insight into the world of the book. This cover is just gorgeous and as soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to investigate the story. The plot follows Ivy when her life turns crazy at work one day due to two strangers, as one literally falls into the door of her work at death's door. She is told she is a psychic and brought into a world of angels versus fallen angels. She must develop her newfound powers to help Devlin (Dev) and the fallen angels get back into heaven. With scenes of action, drama, and some steamy scenarios this book is a great quick read and a brilliant debut novel by Jade Church.
This book was sent to me by the author to review but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
First, can I just take a minute to appreciate the cover of this book... To me, the cover is important when gaining an understanding of what the book is about and gaining the first insight into the world of the book. This cover is just gorgeous and as soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to investigate the story. The plot follows Ivy when her life turns crazy at work one day due to two strangers, as one literally falls into the door of her work at death's door. She is told she is a psychic and brought into a world of angels versus fallen angels. She must develop her newfound powers to help Devlin (Dev) and the fallen angels get back into heaven. With scenes of action, drama, and some steamy scenarios this book is a great quick read and a brilliant debut novel by Jade Church.
This book was sent to me by the author to review but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
books_over_everything's review against another edition
3.0
Initial Thoughts
I literally stumbled upon this book on NetGalley while trying not to apply for books. But, alas, here we are. I applied, was accepted, and dropped everything to read my shiny new book.
Some Things I Liked
The premise. I really liked the idea of fallen angels and their connection to the real world. I normally don't love contemporary settings with fantasy elements, but it worked here.
The romance. I also liked that the romance had enemies to lovers banter while not being actual enemies. I'd like to have seen a little less insta-love and more banter, but overall, I liked the main couple.
Some Things I Wasn't Crazy About
Scene changes. Many of the scene changes within or between chapters felt incomplete. It made the story a bit hard to follow.
Insta-love for all other couples. I really didn't like that every other couple literally formed out of utter convenience. It felted forced and unnecessary.
Plot arc. The story felt like the climax that the first half built to was completed around 75% in and then we moved to a totally different plot. It felt random. Almost like an incomplete sequel that was jammed into this book or a really long epilogue.
Series Value
I probably wouldn't keep reading this if it became a series. This book was decent, but definitely not my favorite.
Final Thoughts
This was a good debut. Not great, but not bad. I think it has some good bones but needs some work before I'd consider reading a sequel.
I literally stumbled upon this book on NetGalley while trying not to apply for books. But, alas, here we are. I applied, was accepted, and dropped everything to read my shiny new book.
Some Things I Liked
The premise. I really liked the idea of fallen angels and their connection to the real world. I normally don't love contemporary settings with fantasy elements, but it worked here.
The romance. I also liked that the romance had enemies to lovers banter while not being actual enemies. I'd like to have seen a little less insta-love and more banter, but overall, I liked the main couple.
Some Things I Wasn't Crazy About
Scene changes. Many of the scene changes within or between chapters felt incomplete. It made the story a bit hard to follow.
Insta-love for all other couples. I really didn't like that every other couple literally formed out of utter convenience. It felted forced and unnecessary.
Plot arc. The story felt like the climax that the first half built to was completed around 75% in and then we moved to a totally different plot. It felt random. Almost like an incomplete sequel that was jammed into this book or a really long epilogue.
Series Value
I probably wouldn't keep reading this if it became a series. This book was decent, but definitely not my favorite.
Final Thoughts
This was a good debut. Not great, but not bad. I think it has some good bones but needs some work before I'd consider reading a sequel.