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xfirefly9x's review
5.0
A very awesome read with angels and demons mixing with humans, well-defined characters and relationships that make you feel all the emotions, some cool-as-hell (or rather, hot-as-hell) settings, and several twists that went in unexpected ways. Definitely worth checking out.
wildfaeriecaps's review
5.0
This was a ride for sure. I'd forgotten exactly what it was about when I started reading (don't judge, my tbr is massive) but that was remedied quickly enough. I don't read a lot of angel-related urban fantasy. It tends to the religious too often and I just have very little interest in soldiers of god, right? This story managed to walk a line near enough that to be recognizable, but far enough away to keep me reading--if that even makes sense. There were biblical things mentioned that I'm not familiar with but it didn't detract from the story at all. I'm not just I ever figured out where Octavia lived. I know the town name, but that's it--could be me, though, I'm terrible with things like that.
I really enjoyed reading a story where siblings were ride or die for each other. Usually it's all backstab and betrayal. Jack and Tam were also great. I won't spoil the main relationship, but I'm happy with how it turned out. I saw flickers of what was to come but wasn't prepared for the entirety of the reveal, which was a nice change.
If you're looking for a fun urban fantasy that keeps you turning pages, pick this one up. I look forward to reading more by the author.
I really enjoyed reading a story where siblings were ride or die for each other. Usually it's all backstab and betrayal. Jack and Tam were also great. I won't spoil the main relationship, but I'm happy with how it turned out. I saw flickers of what was to come but wasn't prepared for the entirety of the reveal, which was a nice change.
If you're looking for a fun urban fantasy that keeps you turning pages, pick this one up. I look forward to reading more by the author.
jugglingpup's review
3.0
To see a full review check it out here.
This one is SO full of action. It felt like the action came at the expense of some character development though. That is my biggest complaint though. This book was fun.
This one is SO full of action. It felt like the action came at the expense of some character development though. That is my biggest complaint though. This book was fun.
biblionerdrflxn's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
While this wasn't my favorite book by Crunden, A Game of Wings and Marks was an enjoyable, fast-paced urban fantasy with characters you want to root for and fascinating world-building. I've always been very interested in lore about angels, demons, and nephilim. So, I was excited to see what Crunden would do with these constructs, and she didn't disappoint. Their use was familiar while also refreshingly unique, and I honestly would have loved to learn even more about the roles and history of the supernatural beings in this book's world.
The cast of characters in A Game of Wings and Marks was diverse and fun to follow. Octavia was a bit of a bad ass. She was always doing whatever needed to be done to help others, even when the cost to her was extremely high. Tamiel and Jack were couple goals, and I loved how much Caleb cared for his sister. I liked Raphael, but he didn't really seem to have much of a personality beyond his stoic and caring nature, which made him feel a bit dull in comparison to everyone else. That brings us to Zev, the demon of games. He had such a fun personality, clever wit, and a fascinating background.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to need to choose between loving the hot angel who shares your soul or the devious, yet charming, demon who wants to make you his queen? Look no further than A Game of Wings and Marks. I actually liked the love triangle in this one. I was definitely on team Zev. He actually tried to woo Octavia and was surprisingly attentive, whereas Raphael was just kind of there. lol. I enjoyed watching Zev try to curb his extreme jealousy. He was just so bad at it because he felt so intensely.
The main place where A Game of Wings and Marks fell short for me was the story and writing. That's not to say the story was bad. I actually liked it quite a bit and was even surprised by some of the reveals. However, it all just needed a bit more room to breathe. Everything moved so quickly that the danger began to lack gravitas. I lost count of the number of times Octavia was attacked or kidnapped, only to be followed by a super quick resolution and off to the next crisis. This story could have been spaced out over 2 or 3 books if the pacing had been better and the writing used more showing and less telling.
Overall, A Game of Wings and Marks was a good urban fantasy romance. If you enjoy books about angels and demons, this is one not to miss. Despite some pacing issues, the story was a fun ride full of action, romance, and fascinating angel lore. By himself, Zev makes this book worth reading. đ Therefore, I rate this book 3.75 out of 5 stars.
The cast of characters in A Game of Wings and Marks was diverse and fun to follow. Octavia was a bit of a bad ass. She was always doing whatever needed to be done to help others, even when the cost to her was extremely high. Tamiel and Jack were couple goals, and I loved how much Caleb cared for his sister. I liked Raphael, but he didn't really seem to have much of a personality beyond his stoic and caring nature, which made him feel a bit dull in comparison to everyone else. That brings us to Zev, the demon of games. He had such a fun personality, clever wit, and a fascinating background.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to need to choose between loving the hot angel who shares your soul or the devious, yet charming, demon who wants to make you his queen? Look no further than A Game of Wings and Marks. I actually liked the love triangle in this one. I was definitely on team Zev. He actually tried to woo Octavia and was surprisingly attentive, whereas Raphael was just kind of there. lol. I enjoyed watching Zev try to curb his extreme jealousy. He was just so bad at it because he felt so intensely.
The main place where A Game of Wings and Marks fell short for me was the story and writing. That's not to say the story was bad. I actually liked it quite a bit and was even surprised by some of the reveals. However, it all just needed a bit more room to breathe. Everything moved so quickly that the danger began to lack gravitas. I lost count of the number of times Octavia was attacked or kidnapped, only to be followed by a super quick resolution and off to the next crisis. This story could have been spaced out over 2 or 3 books if the pacing had been better and the writing used more showing and less telling.
Overall, A Game of Wings and Marks was a good urban fantasy romance. If you enjoy books about angels and demons, this is one not to miss. Despite some pacing issues, the story was a fun ride full of action, romance, and fascinating angel lore. By himself, Zev makes this book worth reading. đ Therefore, I rate this book 3.75 out of 5 stars.
shelvesofstarlight's review
4.0
A thrilling novel filled with angels, demons and complicated relationships.
I loves the idea of this book and it did not fail in delivering a story full of mystical beings and a wonderful story. The ups, the downs and the beautiful ending had me enthralled from the very start. A wonderfully crafted plot from start to finish.
The charters too were incredible, especially given the depth provided to those from religion, and the relationships in this book had me hooked and on the edge of my seat. Including the glorious love triangle that was handled incredibly well by the author.
The writing itself was brilliant too, and just made the book so easy to get into and enjoy.
Overall, a great book.
I loves the idea of this book and it did not fail in delivering a story full of mystical beings and a wonderful story. The ups, the downs and the beautiful ending had me enthralled from the very start. A wonderfully crafted plot from start to finish.
The charters too were incredible, especially given the depth provided to those from religion, and the relationships in this book had me hooked and on the edge of my seat. Including the glorious love triangle that was handled incredibly well by the author.
The writing itself was brilliant too, and just made the book so easy to get into and enjoy.
Overall, a great book.
themarlenamarie's review
3.0
Concept and Character wise, I was drawn to this book. There is little secret holding -- the classic "I can't tell you or else you'll get hurt" was no where to be seen -- which was refreshing. However, I felt as if there were some sequences, particularly the fights, that would have gained a lot from a more descriptive writing style. Also, some of the world building felt a bit disjointed with how it was given to us.
In general, I did find it a quick and entertaining read.
In general, I did find it a quick and entertaining read.
thedutchbookreviewer's review
3.0
The review is originally from here
When Octavia Coal goes to the mountains to clear her head, she doesnât expect to find an angel in trouble.
He tells her his name is Tamiel and heâs one of the Irin â the army of angels tasked with keeping demons from overwhelming humanity. But Tamiel broke a sacred law â he fell in love with a human â and now heâs being hunted by the same angels he once served.
With nowhere else to go, Octavia and Tamiel â along with Jack, the human in question, and her brother Caleb â appeal directly to Zev, the Demon of Games. A trickster of unparalleled power, Zev gives nothing for free, and the gift he offers Octavia to keep Tamiel alive comes with a confusing catch: He makes her the Healer of Raphael, archangel and Commander of the Irin.
Suddenly a target for both angels and demons, Octavia quickly learns that the only way to survive is to play the game better than they do.
The only problem is, she doesnât know whose game sheâs playing âŚ
First of all, I want to thank the author for the book in exchange for an honest review.
The first thing I noticed when I started reading this book is how enjoyable the writing style is. Rebecca Crunden has a really good writing style, that sucked you in the story and its events in no time.
There are a lot of things happening in this book, maybe too many things. How enjoyable Crundenâs writing style is, it also lacks some detail. Which is my main âcomplainâ with this book. If scenes were a bit longer, maybe a bit more detailed, then this wouldâve been such an amazing book.
Due to the lack of details, some romance didnât really make a lot of sense to me. There wasnât any buildup of romance and everything happened out of nowhere for me.
However, due to the book not having long and detailed scenes, it also made for a fast-paced book, one you could finish in one sitting.
Our main character Octavia is an enjoyable and relatable character. She gets thrown in this unknown world and tries her best, but also has moments where she needs a break. Which was such a simple thing, but one I really appreciated in this book.
The description of the angels and demons in this book are really good. Rebecca Crunden made sure the readers know exactly how they look. The description of the Angelsâ wings, and of the regular looks of the demons are so so good.
As said earlier, a lot of things are happening in this book. Sometimes things get brushed over, due to the short scenes and the fast-pacing in this book. The book overall felt like it is some sort of set-up for things to come in the future. I donât know if it is done on purpose or not.
Overall I enjoyed the story and its characters, but due to the short scenes I had trouble processing all the events that happened in a few pages. The writing style however is really good.
If youâre in need of a fast-paced book with angels and demons, then this is the book for you!
I ended up giving it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
When Octavia Coal goes to the mountains to clear her head, she doesnât expect to find an angel in trouble.
He tells her his name is Tamiel and heâs one of the Irin â the army of angels tasked with keeping demons from overwhelming humanity. But Tamiel broke a sacred law â he fell in love with a human â and now heâs being hunted by the same angels he once served.
With nowhere else to go, Octavia and Tamiel â along with Jack, the human in question, and her brother Caleb â appeal directly to Zev, the Demon of Games. A trickster of unparalleled power, Zev gives nothing for free, and the gift he offers Octavia to keep Tamiel alive comes with a confusing catch: He makes her the Healer of Raphael, archangel and Commander of the Irin.
Suddenly a target for both angels and demons, Octavia quickly learns that the only way to survive is to play the game better than they do.
The only problem is, she doesnât know whose game sheâs playing âŚ
First of all, I want to thank the author for the book in exchange for an honest review.
The first thing I noticed when I started reading this book is how enjoyable the writing style is. Rebecca Crunden has a really good writing style, that sucked you in the story and its events in no time.
There are a lot of things happening in this book, maybe too many things. How enjoyable Crundenâs writing style is, it also lacks some detail. Which is my main âcomplainâ with this book. If scenes were a bit longer, maybe a bit more detailed, then this wouldâve been such an amazing book.
Due to the lack of details, some romance didnât really make a lot of sense to me. There wasnât any buildup of romance and everything happened out of nowhere for me.
However, due to the book not having long and detailed scenes, it also made for a fast-paced book, one you could finish in one sitting.
Our main character Octavia is an enjoyable and relatable character. She gets thrown in this unknown world and tries her best, but also has moments where she needs a break. Which was such a simple thing, but one I really appreciated in this book.
The description of the angels and demons in this book are really good. Rebecca Crunden made sure the readers know exactly how they look. The description of the Angelsâ wings, and of the regular looks of the demons are so so good.
As said earlier, a lot of things are happening in this book. Sometimes things get brushed over, due to the short scenes and the fast-pacing in this book. The book overall felt like it is some sort of set-up for things to come in the future. I donât know if it is done on purpose or not.
Overall I enjoyed the story and its characters, but due to the short scenes I had trouble processing all the events that happened in a few pages. The writing style however is really good.
If youâre in need of a fast-paced book with angels and demons, then this is the book for you!
I ended up giving it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
magnus_iskander_reim's review
2.0
DNF @150 pages/65%
The premises are interesting. The characters relationships could be fun and dynamic. But, and I'm sorry, I'm going to be a tiny bit mean.
But. There-are-no-stakes. The main character is not looking for anything, nor are the others. This leads to a slogging, undriven story and to, inevitably, an uninterested reader (= me).
This main drawback is directly linked to shallow characters : we don't know anything about them, and the tiny bits we know are not reeled in any way in their behaviours. Raphael is supposed to be thousands of years old, and is speaking, acting and behaving that a very bland average Joe. Octavia, who should be the most interesting of all since she the main character, is NEVER developed : we don't know what she likes, what her interests are, what she looks like, what makes her hurt and, most of all, what she WANTS. She doesn't even blink after finding out angels and demons are real, and being linked for life to an angel provokes the same reaction to her as she'd been opening the refrigerator to fin there's no cream cheese left.
For instance, there isn't A SINGLE LINE, neither descriptive or dialogue, to show any reaction after she's learned she'll be hunted for life by demons.
This story has obviously been well-plotted and edited, at least beta-read several times. So, what happened ? Have all the beta-readers been too nice to Ms Crunden and never told her it was impossible to empathise to her characters because characterisation was inconsistent ? Did they fail to see where the issue came from ?
Or maybe it's me? The other reviews are really enthusiastic. I saw that Rebecca Crunden had published several books before this one, and I was expecting a higher quality of characterisation. I'm disappointed.
TL;DR
All in all, interesting plot but cardboard characterization which, sadly, ruins the whole rather well-thought story and promising world-building.
The premises are interesting. The characters relationships could be fun and dynamic. But, and I'm sorry, I'm going to be a tiny bit mean.
But. There-are-no-stakes. The main character is not looking for anything, nor are the others. This leads to a slogging, undriven story and to, inevitably, an uninterested reader (= me).
This main drawback is directly linked to shallow characters : we don't know anything about them, and the tiny bits we know are not reeled in any way in their behaviours. Raphael is supposed to be thousands of years old, and is speaking, acting and behaving that a very bland average Joe. Octavia, who should be the most interesting of all since she the main character, is NEVER developed : we don't know what she likes, what her interests are, what she looks like, what makes her hurt and, most of all, what she WANTS. She doesn't even blink after finding out angels and demons are real, and being linked for life to an angel provokes the same reaction to her as she'd been opening the refrigerator to fin there's no cream cheese left.
For instance, there isn't A SINGLE LINE, neither descriptive or dialogue, to show any reaction after she's learned she'll be hunted for life by demons.
This story has obviously been well-plotted and edited, at least beta-read several times. So, what happened ? Have all the beta-readers been too nice to Ms Crunden and never told her it was impossible to empathise to her characters because characterisation was inconsistent ? Did they fail to see where the issue came from ?
Or maybe it's me? The other reviews are really enthusiastic. I saw that Rebecca Crunden had published several books before this one, and I was expecting a higher quality of characterisation. I'm disappointed.
TL;DR
All in all, interesting plot but cardboard characterization which, sadly, ruins the whole rather well-thought story and promising world-building.
octaviaatlas's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
genesismt's review
3.0
This book was so enjoyable and right up my alley in terms of the fantasy aspects and the romance that took place. This work also featured a strong sibling relationship between Octavia and her beloved brother Caleb. Caleb is the first person she calls in order to help her with Tamiel and his injuries. I love it when the main character in a story has such a strong bond with their sibling! I wish it were more prominent in novels.
The world building in this novel was my favorite aspect of the work. With beautiful words, Crunden constructed an amazing and captivating world of demons and angels. Despite the length of this novel leaning more on the shorter side, I am very satisfied with how much attention was paid to giving the reader the full scope of the roles of angels and demons respectively. In terms of the romance that blossomed, I think it grew at a slow and steady pace, which was satisfying as well.
Though I do think the world building was done well, unfortunately, it did take me a bit of time to connect to characters other than Octavia. Even with Octavia, I wasnât able to connect with her right away either. Octavia has a huge heart and is so loyal to the people who are in her life. Despite what she may have gone through in her past, she doesnât let the terrors of the world stop her from living life to her fullest. I definitely love her for that and came to admire this aspect of her character the most in the end, even if I may not have approved of some of the decisions she made throughout her journey in the novel. I also thought that she adjusted to her new reality kind of well, maybe too well right away?
Zev and Raphael. *swoons* I came to adore them both despite how different they at first appeared to be. At the end of the day though, they would do anything to protect Octavia. If I had to pick my favorite between the two⌠I donât know who Iâd pick! I also grew fond of the strong friendship that formed between Octavia, Tamiel and his boyfriend, Jack.
This novel was at times either repetitive or rushed. A lot happens in just this one novel! Because it is a bit rushed, some scenes felt too short and/or lacking in detail. As I read, I felt like at times that important things werenât addressed properly. There was always some sort of a new conflict that needed solving but that made me want to see not only the romance through, but also the conflicts occurring that always managed to get in the way.
Octavia never came to regret any of the actions she took in order to protect Tamiel and his relationship, because at the end of the day, it was all worth it. Love was worth it! Surrounding Octavia was love in all its forms: the love between friends, between family, and between lovers.
I wonât lie and say I didnât smile in the end :â) The ending was enjoyable and I was happy for everyone! It was wrapped up satisfyingly. It was a fast and entertaining read.
I want to thank Rebecca Crunden for sending me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The world building in this novel was my favorite aspect of the work. With beautiful words, Crunden constructed an amazing and captivating world of demons and angels. Despite the length of this novel leaning more on the shorter side, I am very satisfied with how much attention was paid to giving the reader the full scope of the roles of angels and demons respectively. In terms of the romance that blossomed, I think it grew at a slow and steady pace, which was satisfying as well.
Though I do think the world building was done well, unfortunately, it did take me a bit of time to connect to characters other than Octavia. Even with Octavia, I wasnât able to connect with her right away either. Octavia has a huge heart and is so loyal to the people who are in her life. Despite what she may have gone through in her past, she doesnât let the terrors of the world stop her from living life to her fullest. I definitely love her for that and came to admire this aspect of her character the most in the end, even if I may not have approved of some of the decisions she made throughout her journey in the novel. I also thought that she adjusted to her new reality kind of well, maybe too well right away?
Zev and Raphael. *swoons* I came to adore them both despite how different they at first appeared to be. At the end of the day though, they would do anything to protect Octavia. If I had to pick my favorite between the two⌠I donât know who Iâd pick! I also grew fond of the strong friendship that formed between Octavia, Tamiel and his boyfriend, Jack.
This novel was at times either repetitive or rushed. A lot happens in just this one novel! Because it is a bit rushed, some scenes felt too short and/or lacking in detail. As I read, I felt like at times that important things werenât addressed properly. There was always some sort of a new conflict that needed solving but that made me want to see not only the romance through, but also the conflicts occurring that always managed to get in the way.
Octavia never came to regret any of the actions she took in order to protect Tamiel and his relationship, because at the end of the day, it was all worth it. Love was worth it! Surrounding Octavia was love in all its forms: the love between friends, between family, and between lovers.
I wonât lie and say I didnât smile in the end :â) The ending was enjoyable and I was happy for everyone! It was wrapped up satisfyingly. It was a fast and entertaining read.
I want to thank Rebecca Crunden for sending me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.