Author: Cecelia Earl
Genre/Age: Paranormal/YA
Series: Kingdom Come Series (Book One)
Publisher: Self-published
Format: ebook via YABound
Rating: ✺✺✺.5
Links: Goodreads
Synopsis: Being crowned homecoming queen and enduring a week at the center of her classmates' attention is eighteen-year-old Julia White’s worst nightmare—even with Cole, her long-time crush, as her date. But when Julia is attacked by a green-blooded demon that vanishes in a plume of smoke, she comes face to face with what real nightmares look like—in the flesh, and all of the homecoming stuff hardly matters anymore.
As a frightening wave of crime infiltrates her small Wisconsin town, Julia tries to avoid Nicholas, a brooding, infuriating relative of Cole’s, who insists she’s the reason behind the corruption. He claims the culprits are demons who are after powers that only she—a human-angel hybrid—possesses. It’s unbelievable, of course, until he takes her to a hidden battlefield where warrior angels train to fight soul-siphoning demons—and her own angelic wings unfold.
When angels and demons draw battle lines, endangering everyone in their way, Julia has to find a way to protect them all, including herself. Because as it turns out, she’s the devil's most powerful weapon against the angels, and he’ll stop at nothing to claim her.
The final battle between Heaven and Hell has begun.
When Ash Rains Down is the first book in debut author Cecelia Earl’s Kingdom Come series.
This scene takes place after Cole throws Julia up over his shoulder because the fire alarm just sounded…and well, not accidentally. In When Ash Rains Down, you’ll learn that Julia’s not a huge fan of fun, and Cole wants to change that. So, that’s the topic of discussion here:
“Hey,” he whispers, nudging me with his shoulder. “I thought it’d be fun for the royalty to entertain the crowd. Like I said, harmless prank.”
“You wouldn’t actually set a fire to show your power of crowd control, would you?”
His eyes widen in horrified shock that looks sincere. “That wouldn’t actually be harmless, would it?” There’s something behind his words, something chilling, but his dimple returns and his eyes look like a sassy puppy’s, checking to be sure he’s still loved and adored.
Everyone is laughing and elbowing him and bowing around us like we’re actual royalty, only I feel more like the court jester. My entire lunch hour is being eaten up, and I have no idea how I’m going to get through my checklist of things to do for the day before the stroke of midnight.
“So, what can I do to convince you fun is actually fun? That it’s worth your time?”
I shrug. “No idea.”
He takes my limp hand, shakes it, and announces, “It’s a deal, then. I will do whatever it takes to help you discover fun this week. Or as long as it takes.”
“I’m not sure it can be a deal if it’s only one-sided.”
“We shook.”
“Um. You shook. I wasn’t an active participant.”
“Well, I’m committed enough for the both of us.”
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“Hey,” he whispers, nudging me with his shoulder. “I thought it’d be fun for the royalty to entertain the crowd. Like I said, harmless prank.”
“You wouldn’t actually set a fire to show your power of crowd control, would you?”
His eyes widen in horrified shock that looks sincere. “That wouldn’t actually be harmless, would it?” There’s something behind his words, something chilling, but his dimple returns and his eyes look like a sassy puppy’s, checking to be sure he’s still loved and adored.
Everyone is laughing and elbowing him and bowing around us like we’re actual royalty, only I feel more like the court jester. My entire lunch hour is being eaten up, and I have no idea how I’m going to get through my checklist of things to do for the day before the stroke of midnight.
“So, what can I do to convince you fun is actually fun? That it’s worth your time?”
I shrug. “No idea.”
He takes my limp hand, shakes it, and announces, “It’s a deal, then. I will do whatever it takes to help you discover fun this week. Or as long as it takes.”
“I’m not sure it can be a deal if it’s only one-sided.”
“We shook.”
“Um. You shook. I wasn’t an active participant.”
“Well, I’m committed enough for the both of us.”
Book Trailer
Book Trailer
Cecelia Earl graduated with a degree in education and has been teaching ever since. She’s a wife, a mom of three boys, and an owner of a magical laundry pile that never stops growing. She lives near enough to Green Bay, WI that her refrigerator is always stocked with cheese, and the first colors her children learned were green and gold. She’s a teacher by day, a mom always, and a writer in her sleep, but that’s okay because being an author is a dream come true. She writes angel books for young and youngish adults. If you feel young, she writes for you—whether or not you feel particularly angelic.
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**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for honest review.**
Julia is having a rough time in her life. She's unhappy with her home and her mother's diner. She spends all of her time either caring for her brother, doing schoolwork, or at her nighttime job. She doesn't have time for friends or dating.
Yet, she's suddenly nominated as homecoming queen? That's odd. And weirder, yet, are the things that begin to happen around her. People behaving strangely, robbers with morphing faces, and men showing up out of nowhere.
Then something horrific happens that shakes her entire core and leaves her family's future uncertain. Julia is told some disturbing news, that she is half-angel and her help is needed to stop demons from destroying everything she knows. Wait... what?
This book started off a little rough for me. I am all for complex characters with baggage. Julia is definitely one of those characters. However, the way she speaks to her mother and thinks of her situation at home just baffled me. She was rude, bitter, and incredibly angry for a teenage girl. I shook my head a few times in the first several chapters.
Eventually, the story does pick up. Julia's interactions with Cole were a surprise. It was refreshing to see the ice queen's heart melt a little when it comes to a guy that she likes. However, even that relationship goes south when secrets come to light.
The action sequences were pretty good, though. I expect there will be plenty more of those in future installments of the series. The whole angel and demon paranormal angle was mostly easy to understand. And there were a few twists along the way that I didn't see coming. I just wish I could have liked the main character a bit more.
Yet, she's suddenly nominated as homecoming queen? That's odd. And weirder, yet, are the things that begin to happen around her. People behaving strangely, robbers with morphing faces, and men showing up out of nowhere.
Then something horrific happens that shakes her entire core and leaves her family's future uncertain. Julia is told some disturbing news, that she is half-angel and her help is needed to stop demons from destroying everything she knows. Wait... what?
This book started off a little rough for me. I am all for complex characters with baggage. Julia is definitely one of those characters. However, the way she speaks to her mother and thinks of her situation at home just baffled me. She was rude, bitter, and incredibly angry for a teenage girl. I shook my head a few times in the first several chapters.
Eventually, the story does pick up. Julia's interactions with Cole were a surprise. It was refreshing to see the ice queen's heart melt a little when it comes to a guy that she likes. However, even that relationship goes south when secrets come to light.
The action sequences were pretty good, though. I expect there will be plenty more of those in future installments of the series. The whole angel and demon paranormal angle was mostly easy to understand. And there were a few twists along the way that I didn't see coming. I just wish I could have liked the main character a bit more.
In closing...
Overall, a pretty good read about ruckus-causing demons and angels with a tough side. 3.5 suns!
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