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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Monday, October 16, 2017

REVIEW - Monsters & Angels by Anne Marie Andrus

In a realm where the boundary between good and evil is as murky as the Mississippi River and immortal does not mean invincible, will Sorcha ever risk her shattered heart and love again? Can the magical harmony of the Crescent City give her enough courage to fulfill her eternal destiny?

REVIEW

I could say that the story of Monsters & Angels could be divided into two parts.

The first has the atmosphere of a genuine historical romance. The paranormal elements are finely inserted in the real life and step by step they move the story in their supernatural world.

I liked a lot of things about the first part of the story. For example, the romance story is well entwined within one of more “human” aspects: greed, lust and lust for power, malevolence, but also the camaraderie, respect and honest rivalry. There are so well interlaced that one is the effect of other and become the source of another. The myriad of characters made me feel all the palette of sentiments: I liked some of them and loved another, I disliked some and hate another. A new gain is given by the way in which the author succeeded to create romantically charged scenes without explicit description or images.

What I disliked, or better said what I felt forced, is one of the relationships of the main character. In a time in which the homosexuality creates waves worldwide, I’m afraid authors tend to introduce this aspect in their works, sometimes for unknown reasons other than, perhaps: to attract readers, to be politically correct, or to “educate” the readers, but, at the end, this could have an unexpected or unwanted result. I’m not against the homosexuality per se, but it’s a trap when used only to "cover" this aspect. At least, Mrs. Andrus had the inspiration to link the homosexuality (actually the bi part) to an aspect frequently met in the vampires universe.

The second part: wow! This one is totally different as rhythm, atmosphere and development. It will exploit all conflicts and the tension accumulated during the first part and the effect will be a blast! At first, (in an “unorthodox” style) my reaction was to shout inside my heart a strong WTF!!!! I didn’t like at all what the author had prepared for my favorite characters. So forget everything you thought you knew, the world will be shattered! The characters I already liked, I’ll like them even more and the ones about I thought they are weak will prove force and heroism.

The aftermath will be a sour and bitter one, but a great passage for the next chapter, because nothing will have a sense if it will not be a “next chapter”! Mrs. Andrus, you owe me BIG and I cannot wait to see where the story will go.

Enjoy!

Description:

Published: October 11th, 2017

Fledgling nurse Sorcha Alden knew she had the skills to save lives, but she never dreamed that her own life would be the one in danger.

Driven by tragedy to honor her family name, Sorcha embarks on a journey that takes her from the bleak but familiar streets of New York, through the sultry and seductive city of New Orleans, and into the brutal jungles of Nepal. Forging friendships and carrying on her mother’s mission of healing was her dream. Plunging into a love affair with the mysterious Dr. Ashayle could have been a fairytale.

Being murdered and waking up as a blood-thirsty monster—became her living nightmare.

Torn away form a life that had just begun, Sorcha returns to New Orleans as a newborn vampire, forced to start over in a cutthroat underworld of devilry and decadence. Complicated politics, bitter rivals and jealous ancestors stand between her and the promises she’s still determined to keep.

In a realm where the boundary between good and evil is as murky as the Mississippi River and immortal does not mean invincible, will Sorcha ever risk her shattered heart and love again? Can the magical harmony of the Crescent City give her enough courage to fulfill her eternal destiny?


About the author:
Anne Marie has been an equestrienne, chorale singer, candy-striper, EMT, and baseball fan. Roaming the back roads of New Jersey with her family, she found great respect for antiques, historical locations and the stories they hold. Her current list of favorite pastimes include coffee, bourbon, and Les Miserables--which requires more bourbon. She has been known to attend sporting events just for the flyover. The boat she and her husband christened Glory Days, is her escape from the chaos of everyday life. 

The inspiration for Anne Marie's debut novel, Monsters & Angels, is her fascination with vampires and her passion for everything New Orleans. When she isn't writing, she can be found working nights with the critical care team in a busy trauma center.

Author's INTL Giveaway

4 comments:

Linda Romer said...

I'm looking forward to reading Monsters & Angels! Thank you

Anne Marie Andrus said...

This is a beautiful website! :)

Richard Brandt said...

Wow, those are three of my favorite places that start with the letter N.

Helen said...

this book looks so cool, can't wait to read it