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melissaannejohn's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
2.0
sparksofember's review against another edition
2.0
The book was uneven – there would be pages of description or info-dump conversations but then it would swing action-packed and exciting and be zipping along - and then suddenly grind back to a halt with more poetic description and lengthy conversation. So much preachy conversation. Which didn't even make sense since everyone is dead and in *heaven* therefore presumably already has a relationship with Christ but since Audrey doesn't have her memories, we get to hear everything from scratch. This was my number one clue this book is self-published.
75% of the conflict came from characters withholding information because “we don’t know if you’re supposed to know” (which made no sense) and the other 25% was refusal to communicate.
I did enjoy the snarky dialogue and sarcasm, there were several times Audrey made me laugh with her inner dialogue. But too many things didn’t make sense or were unrealistic. Maybe they are explained in the sequels but they were just accepted and not even questioned.
I had to read the "kiss to hide" scene to my teenage daughter and nieces, it was such a cheesy kdrama trope that made us all lol (but also cringe).
There were several times when I wondered if the author was a teenager.
And the ending, I thought, completely undid the lesson she supposedly learned in her "talk to Jesus" moment (which I found absolutely killed the story pace too).
My last issue was theology-ish. This heaven has marriage and romance and dating. With some characters waiting until their beloved finishes life on earth and comes to join them. But what about people who have remarried? It conveniently ignores that question. It also had injuries and people still struggling with sinful natures – honestly, it felt like earth but with magical abilities rather than any kind of heavenly afterlife. Calling it Purgatory or having some kind of "this isn't really how Heaven will be" disclaimer would have gone a long way to alleviating that. But without it, it's hard to filter the heavy doses of Biblical truth from all the fiction.
75% of the conflict came from characters withholding information because “we don’t know if you’re supposed to know” (which made no sense) and the other 25% was refusal to communicate.
I did enjoy the snarky dialogue and sarcasm, there were several times Audrey made me laugh with her inner dialogue. But too many things didn’t make sense or were unrealistic. Maybe they are explained in the sequels but they were just accepted and not even questioned.
Spoiler
Like why did the ancient weapon described in the blurb choose Audrey? Is the archangel Gabriel normally assigned as personal bodyguard to training hunters/huntresses? Would such a mighty warrior seriously be startled by a scream into dropping his sword?I had to read the "kiss to hide" scene to my teenage daughter and nieces, it was such a cheesy kdrama trope that made us all lol (but also cringe).
There were several times when I wondered if the author was a teenager.
And the ending, I thought, completely undid the lesson she supposedly learned in her "talk to Jesus" moment (which I found absolutely killed the story pace too).
My last issue was theology-ish. This heaven has marriage and romance and dating. With some characters waiting until their beloved finishes life on earth and comes to join them. But what about people who have remarried? It conveniently ignores that question. It also had injuries and people still struggling with sinful natures – honestly, it felt like earth but with magical abilities rather than any kind of heavenly afterlife. Calling it Purgatory or having some kind of "this isn't really how Heaven will be" disclaimer would have gone a long way to alleviating that. But without it, it's hard to filter the heavy doses of Biblical truth from all the fiction.
arvadawalker8100's review against another edition
5.0
Love this take on the after life. Very well written. There is great chemistry between Audrey and Logan is awesome. This leaves you wanting more! I am not a Christian and was worried I would not like this book after looking at Julie Hall's website, but I love this book and can't wait for the next book.
lea_bell2's review against another edition
5.0
Such a great inventive story! It’s cute, exciting and makes you feel everything the main character feels! I love reading it and have already shared it with many of my friends!
what_ella_reads's review against another edition
4.0
My rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 stars
Wow! What an interesting read. I'm not sure if I have ever read another book like it!
What makes this book unique is is that it takes place mostly in the afterlife and that all of the main characters are dead.
I will admit that it took awhile for me to embrace all the concepts in this book. This is a Christian fiction book, but based on several of the ideas presented about heaven (i.e. You can still sin when you're in heaven, you can get physically injured fighting demons, etc...) it does seem to to contradict scripture about at life after death.
I think the concepts, though not exactly scripture based, do work, because I think the book is intended to only be seen as a fantastical and magical story, with Christian principles in it.
I think it also works because the author does not take liberties with the gospel. She makes it clear that we are all in need of Jesus' grace and mercy and that we can only have peace with God of we turn and trust in Him. She also makes it very clear that spiritual warfare is real and serious, as we can see through the struggles that Audrey and Logan go through.
While I did really end up enjoy the thought provoking aspects of this book, I didn't end up absolutely loving this book. It took me till about half way through to really get into the story.
It also took me about that long to connect with main character, Audrey. Though she could be super bratty sometimes, I did like how maturely she acted at the end of the book.
As for the two male leads, I'm not a fan of either, as of this point. Logan is too broody and serious for my tastes and Jonathan is a little too flirty and forward for me to trust him. We'll see if my opinion on them changes as I continue this series.
I'm not sure when I will get around to reading book two, but I eventually will!
Wow! What an interesting read. I'm not sure if I have ever read another book like it!
What makes this book unique is is that it takes place mostly in the afterlife and that all of the main characters are dead.
I will admit that it took awhile for me to embrace all the concepts in this book. This is a Christian fiction book, but based on several of the ideas presented about heaven (i.e. You can still sin when you're in heaven, you can get physically injured fighting demons, etc...) it does seem to to contradict scripture about at life after death.
I think the concepts, though not exactly scripture based, do work, because I think the book is intended to only be seen as a fantastical and magical story, with Christian principles in it.
I think it also works because the author does not take liberties with the gospel. She makes it clear that we are all in need of Jesus' grace and mercy and that we can only have peace with God of we turn and trust in Him. She also makes it very clear that spiritual warfare is real and serious, as we can see through the struggles that Audrey and Logan go through.
While I did really end up enjoy the thought provoking aspects of this book, I didn't end up absolutely loving this book. It took me till about half way through to really get into the story.
It also took me about that long to connect with main character, Audrey. Though she could be super bratty sometimes, I did like how maturely she acted at the end of the book.
As for the two male leads, I'm not a fan of either, as of this point. Logan is too broody and serious for my tastes and Jonathan is a little too flirty and forward for me to trust him. We'll see if my opinion on them changes as I continue this series.
I'm not sure when I will get around to reading book two, but I eventually will!
rusticreadingal's review against another edition
5.0
I'm a huge paranormal/fantasy lover, but I don't normally gravitate towards books with demons because, well... they're terrifying and I really don't like being scared. But I kept hearing about how amazing Huntress was, so I thought I'd give it a try. I'm so happy that I did! What an absolutely amazing book! I could hardly put it down and certainly didn't want to leave it when life interrupted. I was hooked from the very first line. Time slipped away from me. I'd be totally and completely immersed in the book, look up and be shocked by how much time had passed. Everything except for this book, faded away. I was sucked into these pages, this world, totally and completely absorbed into it.
The world building was absolutely stunning. The writing was superb, so descriptive, painting a beautiful picture of the scenery and surroundings. I felt like I was right there, feeling all the same emotions as Audrey. There was action, danger, romance, friendship, laughter, hope. There were times when I'd feel so hopeful, so good, so light, so happy. It was such a wonderful feeling! And the chapter titled 'God'... WOW... breathtaking! There were also times when I felt scared, anxious, and a bit hopeless, but those feelings never lingered for long. The overwhelming love of God always emerged victorious, banishing the dark emotions. There was a wonderful message about putting all our insecurities, fears, doubts, etc. aside and placing all of our trust in God.
Audrey's a stubborn, but strong and fierce young woman. She's pretty much thrown into this new world with little to no explanations and has to figure everything out for herself. It was super discouraging for her at times, but the journey she goes on was so great to read! Logan was frustrating and moody at times, but a hard worker with a good heart. And I can't forget to mention Romona! She's such a great friend!
A couple of my favorite quotes are: “There is always a plan, a bigger picture, even if you don't understand at first. Despite how it might appear, how you might even feel, you are never alone, not for one single moment.” and “God uses all situations for good in the end, but we have the freedom to royally screw up. In fact, sometimes it's those screw-ups that lead us back to God.”
Huntress is a very strong contender for the best book I've read this year! I did not want to leave the stunning world Julie Hall created. I am so glad book two, Warfare, is already out. I'm ready to delve right into it!
The world building was absolutely stunning. The writing was superb, so descriptive, painting a beautiful picture of the scenery and surroundings. I felt like I was right there, feeling all the same emotions as Audrey. There was action, danger, romance, friendship, laughter, hope. There were times when I'd feel so hopeful, so good, so light, so happy. It was such a wonderful feeling! And the chapter titled 'God'... WOW... breathtaking! There were also times when I felt scared, anxious, and a bit hopeless, but those feelings never lingered for long. The overwhelming love of God always emerged victorious, banishing the dark emotions. There was a wonderful message about putting all our insecurities, fears, doubts, etc. aside and placing all of our trust in God.
Audrey's a stubborn, but strong and fierce young woman. She's pretty much thrown into this new world with little to no explanations and has to figure everything out for herself. It was super discouraging for her at times, but the journey she goes on was so great to read! Logan was frustrating and moody at times, but a hard worker with a good heart. And I can't forget to mention Romona! She's such a great friend!
A couple of my favorite quotes are: “There is always a plan, a bigger picture, even if you don't understand at first. Despite how it might appear, how you might even feel, you are never alone, not for one single moment.” and “God uses all situations for good in the end, but we have the freedom to royally screw up. In fact, sometimes it's those screw-ups that lead us back to God.”
Huntress is a very strong contender for the best book I've read this year! I did not want to leave the stunning world Julie Hall created. I am so glad book two, Warfare, is already out. I'm ready to delve right into it!
gloriaclover's review against another edition
4.0
I liked the characters. The writing was clear and engaging. The biggest issue I had was the premise of heaven not being a place where our faith becomes sight. If the author could work in some explanation of why her heaven differs from Biblical heaven, I'd be recommending this story for all the teenagers in my life. As is, I'd recommend it to solid Christians for a review of the great themes it holds.
lydiaelyse's review against another edition
5.0
I love this book with my whole soul and can honestly say it changed my life❤️
"I'm not running away. I'm running to something. Something new."
"I'm not running away. I'm running to something. Something new."
b_tellefsen_rescuesandreads's review
3.0
Rating: 3/5
Thank you to the author Julie Hall for sending me an audio book copy of this book for an honest review, as well as partnering with her on a book tour for this series!
This is the first in Julie's Life After series which follows the life...err....afterlife of Audrey who has found herself dead, with no memory, and forced to hunt demons for all eternity.
.
.
Since she is more bargain hunter than demon hunter, she feels God has made a huge cosmic error. And Logan, her trainer, isn't too thrilled with her, either. But when a powerful weapon chooses Audrey as its weilder, much to her dismay, she attracts the attention of Satan herself. Now Audrey finds herself in a battle for the souls of the living. Can she save them?
.
.
Okay. Starting with my constructive criticism:
1.) This book definitely falls victim to many common YA tropes. The main character "lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding" at least twice, which earned as many eye-rolls from me. She also spends countless times describing the color and effect of Logan's blue eyes, which is something commonly found in YA literature. She also uses the "let's get lost in the crowd by kissing each other " move, to escape some demons on Earth.
So yes, tropes and cliches abound in this novel.
2.) There was a lot of set-up in this book. Part of me appreciated that because we really got to know the characters, understand the world in which Audrey was living, and get a strong base for what's to come. But that also means that, if you are at all curious, you have to continue with the series in order to get to the meat of series.
3.) There was some preachiness. This is a Christina-Fiction novel. Which, on its own, I certainly don't consider an issue. However, there were certain portions of this book (primarily a lengthy chapter near the end), that were written as though trying to provide a lesson on God and Faith to young teenagers. It was all about accepting God's love and trusting in him fully, with no doubt.
Now, in my opinion, if you hope to reach a wide teen audience, and especially reach those who many be agnostic or even downright hostile about religion, you will not attract them with this type of material. It felt like a Sunday School less thrown into an otherwise decent YA Fantasy.
Now onto the positives.
1.) Audrey has no memory of her life on Earth after she dies. Because of this she is not distracted by her past life and in turn, neither is the reader. We can focus on the present as she acclimates herself to the after life without wondering about those details because we know it will be revealed later in the story.
2) Julie added a lot of fun and creative nuances to the world that I had never seen before. She created an empathy link that occurs when people touch, or a bond that forms between someone with just one kiss. There were a lot of little fun details like that I enjoyed learning.
3.) I appreciated how, even though we are basically in Heaven, everyone is still flawed with their own personalities. They are not perfect. They still have toxic emotions or negative thoughts. That was really good to see.
4.) The slight bit of angst between her and Logan. Honestly, that is the main reason I want to continue with this series. I want to know what happens between them!
So, all-in-all, I felt this was actually a decent story. I enjoyed the characters and the world, and I am invested enough to find out what happens next.
.
Thank you to the author Julie Hall for sending me an audio book copy of this book for an honest review, as well as partnering with her on a book tour for this series!
This is the first in Julie's Life After series which follows the life...err....afterlife of Audrey who has found herself dead, with no memory, and forced to hunt demons for all eternity.
.
.
Since she is more bargain hunter than demon hunter, she feels God has made a huge cosmic error. And Logan, her trainer, isn't too thrilled with her, either. But when a powerful weapon chooses Audrey as its weilder, much to her dismay, she attracts the attention of Satan herself. Now Audrey finds herself in a battle for the souls of the living. Can she save them?
.
.
Okay. Starting with my constructive criticism:
1.) This book definitely falls victim to many common YA tropes. The main character "lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding" at least twice, which earned as many eye-rolls from me. She also spends countless times describing the color and effect of Logan's blue eyes, which is something commonly found in YA literature. She also uses the "let's get lost in the crowd by kissing each other " move, to escape some demons on Earth.
So yes, tropes and cliches abound in this novel.
2.) There was a lot of set-up in this book. Part of me appreciated that because we really got to know the characters, understand the world in which Audrey was living, and get a strong base for what's to come. But that also means that, if you are at all curious, you have to continue with the series in order to get to the meat of series.
3.) There was some preachiness. This is a Christina-Fiction novel. Which, on its own, I certainly don't consider an issue. However, there were certain portions of this book (primarily a lengthy chapter near the end), that were written as though trying to provide a lesson on God and Faith to young teenagers. It was all about accepting God's love and trusting in him fully, with no doubt.
Now, in my opinion, if you hope to reach a wide teen audience, and especially reach those who many be agnostic or even downright hostile about religion, you will not attract them with this type of material. It felt like a Sunday School less thrown into an otherwise decent YA Fantasy.
Now onto the positives.
1.) Audrey has no memory of her life on Earth after she dies. Because of this she is not distracted by her past life and in turn, neither is the reader. We can focus on the present as she acclimates herself to the after life without wondering about those details because we know it will be revealed later in the story.
2) Julie added a lot of fun and creative nuances to the world that I had never seen before. She created an empathy link that occurs when people touch, or a bond that forms between someone with just one kiss. There were a lot of little fun details like that I enjoyed learning.
3.) I appreciated how, even though we are basically in Heaven, everyone is still flawed with their own personalities. They are not perfect. They still have toxic emotions or negative thoughts. That was really good to see.
4.) The slight bit of angst between her and Logan. Honestly, that is the main reason I want to continue with this series. I want to know what happens between them!
So, all-in-all, I felt this was actually a decent story. I enjoyed the characters and the world, and I am invested enough to find out what happens next.
.
oliviaxo's review against another edition
5.0
I loved reading this book so much! Definitely one of my favorite books that I've read! I loved the whole storyline.