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rellimreads's review
4.0
Audible.
This was my first Urban Fantasy, first book by Chrysoula Tzavelas, and first narration by Sarah Sampino. Tzavelas creates and unique world with a lot of amazing world building. I was immediately drawn in and felt connected to all the characters. This is enjoyable for anyone who likes mystery, suspense, & quite a bit of action.
I was impressed with Sarah Sampino's narration. Her voice is the great fit for the characters, their ages, and emotions. I'm looking forward to hearing more of her work.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from Audiobooks Unleashed and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This was my first Urban Fantasy, first book by Chrysoula Tzavelas, and first narration by Sarah Sampino. Tzavelas creates and unique world with a lot of amazing world building. I was immediately drawn in and felt connected to all the characters. This is enjoyable for anyone who likes mystery, suspense, & quite a bit of action.
I was impressed with Sarah Sampino's narration. Her voice is the great fit for the characters, their ages, and emotions. I'm looking forward to hearing more of her work.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from Audiobooks Unleashed and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
waclements7's review
4.0
A very different take on the whole "angels here to save us" books. I enjoyed the perspective on the situation, and identified with the main character, Marley, who has an anxiety disorder--she is forced into a sudden position of responsibility when her friend Zachariah, guardian to two young twin girls, disappears and they call her for help. It's the beginning of something far more mysterious than even Marley knows it will be, from angels to nephilim, demons to fae. It's so refreshing to read something so out of the ordinary using the same things so many other books do. It definitely proves the theory that many of the same stories are out there, but there are many different ways to tell them. This is a different story, and it's told in a unique way.
maureensbooks89's review
4.0
In ‘Matchbox Girls’ we meet Marley Claviger, a normal girl with anxiety. Marley is trying to live her life, dealing with her anxiety and working so she can pay for the stuff she needs in life. One morning Marley is called by the two little girls of her friend. The two girls are in trouble and seem to be all alone. Marley comes to their rescue but soon learns there is a lot happening that she doesn’t know about. The girls seem to have some strange ‘gifts’, and there are people following them, and their intentions don’t seem to be good.
Before Marley knows it, she is the middle of an ancient fight between the Nephilim, Angels and Fallen. And the things she always tried to deny about herself, seem to have a deeper meaning.
Like I said before, I didn’t really know what to expect about this book. But when I started reading I just didn’t want to stop anymore. I was fascinated by the writing and I really wanted to know what would happen next. Especially in the beginning there is a lot of mystery in this book. A lot of stuff is happening and you have no idea why or what is really going on. In some books, this would have made me want to stop reading, but in this book Chrysoula Tzavelas was able to make me want to keep on reading.
The fantasy part in this book was very well thought of. There were Nephilim, Angels and Fallen, but also Fae and Demons. And all your stereotypical ideas of these paranormal ‘beings’ won’t fit inside this story. A very impressive thing, if you ask me.
But the best thing about this book are the characters. I really loved the main character Marley. Not only because she was the main character, but especially because she wasn’t perfect. Her anxiety and how she lived with it were really interesting to read. And it felt real. She was a strong character and had her flaws, and I really liked that.
The other characters I really liked were the two little girls, Lissa and Kari. They just had something about them, I liked reading about.
This was a very fun read and I really enjoyed it. More than I thought I would. Chrysoula Tzavelas really has a way of writing interesting, fun and different stories. I would really recommend this book if you’re a fan of fantasy and YA.
Before Marley knows it, she is the middle of an ancient fight between the Nephilim, Angels and Fallen. And the things she always tried to deny about herself, seem to have a deeper meaning.
Like I said before, I didn’t really know what to expect about this book. But when I started reading I just didn’t want to stop anymore. I was fascinated by the writing and I really wanted to know what would happen next. Especially in the beginning there is a lot of mystery in this book. A lot of stuff is happening and you have no idea why or what is really going on. In some books, this would have made me want to stop reading, but in this book Chrysoula Tzavelas was able to make me want to keep on reading.
The fantasy part in this book was very well thought of. There were Nephilim, Angels and Fallen, but also Fae and Demons. And all your stereotypical ideas of these paranormal ‘beings’ won’t fit inside this story. A very impressive thing, if you ask me.
But the best thing about this book are the characters. I really loved the main character Marley. Not only because she was the main character, but especially because she wasn’t perfect. Her anxiety and how she lived with it were really interesting to read. And it felt real. She was a strong character and had her flaws, and I really liked that.
The other characters I really liked were the two little girls, Lissa and Kari. They just had something about them, I liked reading about.
This was a very fun read and I really enjoyed it. More than I thought I would. Chrysoula Tzavelas really has a way of writing interesting, fun and different stories. I would really recommend this book if you’re a fan of fantasy and YA.
cj_jones's review
4.0
This book starts out feeling very familiar for folks who are hep to modern urban fantasy, with the young adult whose life is unsatisfying and frustrating finding herself thrust into a frightening and action packed situation when she opens a door that shouldn't exist. Enigmatic characters suddenly emerge who know more than she about what's going on, and they display murky uncertain motives.
Characters are fun and real, and occasionally frustrating in the way that real people are. The twenty-something underachiever feels twenty-something, and the four year old twins feel four. The action is exciting and the peril is perilous.
This alone would make the story worth the time and money to me. But then Tsavelas starts turning the perspective slightly, throwing new angles, taking the story in unexpected directions. And that's where the payoff really lay for me.
This was an excellent and satisfying first novel. I'm looking forward to seeing how she follows up.
Characters are fun and real, and occasionally frustrating in the way that real people are. The twenty-something underachiever feels twenty-something, and the four year old twins feel four. The action is exciting and the peril is perilous.
This alone would make the story worth the time and money to me. But then Tsavelas starts turning the perspective slightly, throwing new angles, taking the story in unexpected directions. And that's where the payoff really lay for me.
This was an excellent and satisfying first novel. I'm looking forward to seeing how she follows up.
jcbyrne71's review
3.0
This book was not at all what I expected. Fairies, Angels, Demons, Mortals, all in conflict over twin girls for reasons none of them are certain.
I liked this book because I get tired of the same stereotypical archetypal roles - angels are good, demons are bad, faeries are mischievous. This book really tured all of those on their heads. Each of the characters is motivated differently and good and evil is really dependent on where you stand in terms of your motivation.
I am usually not one who likes ambiguity in a book - I like to read fast and have things spelled out for me, but I was very comfortable with the unknown in Matchbox girls. It created enough mystery to keep me interested without being so deep as to irritate me. (I'm such a shallow reader!!!)
I loved that there were strong female characters - MANY of them, and I look forward to the next book in this series.
I think this book is worth a second read, there's a LOT of detail and a LOT subtlties between the relationships that would bear another (deeper) look. I'm usually not one for reading a book a second time but I would absolutely read this one again without hesitation.
I liked this book because I get tired of the same stereotypical archetypal roles - angels are good, demons are bad, faeries are mischievous. This book really tured all of those on their heads. Each of the characters is motivated differently and good and evil is really dependent on where you stand in terms of your motivation.
I am usually not one who likes ambiguity in a book - I like to read fast and have things spelled out for me, but I was very comfortable with the unknown in Matchbox girls. It created enough mystery to keep me interested without being so deep as to irritate me. (I'm such a shallow reader!!!)
I loved that there were strong female characters - MANY of them, and I look forward to the next book in this series.
I think this book is worth a second read, there's a LOT of detail and a LOT subtlties between the relationships that would bear another (deeper) look. I'm usually not one for reading a book a second time but I would absolutely read this one again without hesitation.
hobbes199's review
3.0
For my full review, please visit If These Books Could Talk
I was slightly perturbed when I came across ‘Matchbox Girls‘, mainly due to the many categories it’s been placed in; ‘adult, urban, contemporary, fantasy’ sounds a bit like the author can’t make up their minds, and you’re in for a bit of a muddled novel. My fears were allayed within a few pages though as it was clear that author Chrysoula Tzavelas was far from indecisive, and knew exactly where she was taking her story. Once my worries were abated, I was able to settle into this clever, witty tale, that could almost be a new addition to the CW network roster of shows.
Tzavelas’ characters are well-defined, with relatable struggles and conflicts, especially the strong friendship of main character Marley with Penny and Branwyn. She’s also managed to write young children without making them precocious brats, or just clichéd ‘creepy kids with powers’ – these are girls whose fear is genuine and palpable, and you feel for them every time they are in danger.
The fantasy element of ‘Matchbox Girls’ is probably the strongest as we’ve got it all here: angels, demons, fairies, nephilim and many, many more.
If you’re after a thought-provoking, involving read, that turns the ‘Good v Bad’ trope on it’s head, then ‘Matchbox Girls‘ is for you.
I was slightly perturbed when I came across ‘Matchbox Girls‘, mainly due to the many categories it’s been placed in; ‘adult, urban, contemporary, fantasy’ sounds a bit like the author can’t make up their minds, and you’re in for a bit of a muddled novel. My fears were allayed within a few pages though as it was clear that author Chrysoula Tzavelas was far from indecisive, and knew exactly where she was taking her story. Once my worries were abated, I was able to settle into this clever, witty tale, that could almost be a new addition to the CW network roster of shows.
Tzavelas’ characters are well-defined, with relatable struggles and conflicts, especially the strong friendship of main character Marley with Penny and Branwyn. She’s also managed to write young children without making them precocious brats, or just clichéd ‘creepy kids with powers’ – these are girls whose fear is genuine and palpable, and you feel for them every time they are in danger.
The fantasy element of ‘Matchbox Girls’ is probably the strongest as we’ve got it all here: angels, demons, fairies, nephilim and many, many more.
If you’re after a thought-provoking, involving read, that turns the ‘Good v Bad’ trope on it’s head, then ‘Matchbox Girls‘ is for you.
mngwinn's review
4.0
I was a little apprehensive about picking this up. I've known the author since high school and hadn't read anything she'd written since then. What if I hated it? I've hated friends' books before. And it's full of fairies and magic children and angels. Oh s***. I'm going to hate this and have to pretend I don't.
What I had forgotten to keep in mind is that Chrysoula's smart and talented and just as bored by the cliches of contemporary fantasy as I am. And it took about 10 pages to get from concerned to "hey, this is pretty good", followed shortly by "wait, I genuinely like this". And I stayed there all the way to the end.
The kids feel like kids, not like miniature plot devices. The protagonist isn't "a conflicted magic wielding female who kills big bad" as another friend of mine disparaged other fantasy novel protagonists.
It's a great first novel. If there's a sequel, I'll read it.
What I had forgotten to keep in mind is that Chrysoula's smart and talented and just as bored by the cliches of contemporary fantasy as I am. And it took about 10 pages to get from concerned to "hey, this is pretty good", followed shortly by "wait, I genuinely like this". And I stayed there all the way to the end.
The kids feel like kids, not like miniature plot devices. The protagonist isn't "a conflicted magic wielding female who kills big bad" as another friend of mine disparaged other fantasy novel protagonists.
It's a great first novel. If there's a sequel, I'll read it.
bokelsker's review
5.0
I can't think of anything to say about this book that wouldn't be a spoiler... suffice to say I enjoy it when a book manages to creep up on me and surprise me. Full stars for that.
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