Angel by H.P. Mallory – A Book Review

Posted September 21, 2019 by Booksandblurbs in Fantasy, Reverse Harem, Reviews / 0 Comments

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Angel

(The Sacred Oath Series – Book 1)

by H.P. Mallory
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Medium Burn Fantasy RH
Available on Kindle and in Paperback

Down and Dirty

Convoluted but entertaining new Reverse Harem series that dips into a fantastically strange new Fantasy World – one that twists the narrative, introduces interesting characters and flips the script on the norm. Kindle and Paperback.

What is it about?

(Blurb from GoodReads)

I don’t know who I am or where I came from.
The only thing I do know is that I’m running from something…

When I’m taken prisoner to be thrust into a lifetime of prostitution, I learn I’m an angel. Yes, I bear the markings on my back: markings that reveal my wings have been removed. But when my only ally, a foul-mouthed sprite, insists my wings are intact, I realize the danger I’m facing.

I need protection. And that protection can only come from three magically powerful men who were destined to protect the balance between shadow and light:

Dragan, a gargoyle and the King of Shadow;
Cambion, an elf and the King of Nature;
and Baron, a vampire and the King of Death.

At one time there were four but Variant, the King of Light, grew greedy and usurped control for himself. He banished Cambion to the Fae Realm and Dragan to the Shadow Realm.

And he murdered Baron.

Now Variant is after me…

Thoughts on Angel

This is a bit mixed up – the world building is scattered through the narrative, as all good stories do, but it feels a bit disjointed and stumbling… as if it’s trying to catch up to itself or reveal the truth in a piecemeal fashion of clues. I’m still not really sure what’s going on, but neither are the characters, so there’s that.

Also, I am not really sure WHO the main character is. The blurb is written from the perspective of Eilish, the Angel, but her POV’s are bland and lack any depth. The POV’s from the other characters, even the questionable Sprite, are more entertaining and far more revealing. Mind you, for most of the book, Eilish is either unconscious or under the influence… but still, it was bothersome. Also, really, what is the deal with her wings??

I’m not 100% sure that I will go on to Book 2 when it is published, especially considering that this is a ‘buy’ book as opposed to a check out on Kindle Unlimited. It will depend on that price point.

Pros:

It’s really intriguing / you want to KNOW what’s going on.
Humans are extinct?

Cons:

I don’t mind books with little to no feminism, but there is a decided lack here, and a focus on how she looks above most everything. EVERY character thinks about how great Eilish looks, how lovely…. and turns her into object as opposed to a character.

Perspective

First Person, Multiple POV

Ending Type

Cliffhanger

Rating

NC-17

Romantic Dynamic

MMMF (Maybe MMMMF?)

Character Age Range

No idea, but adult at least.

Verdict

4 out of 5 Stars

It gains 4 stars simply because it lingered in my mind – though most of that is due to befuddlement. I want to know what’s going on! However, the writing is a touch disjointed and the presentation confusing. Despite that, it is still an intriguing tale that is obviously leading up to some major revelations. Beware, this is not on KU (at least not at the time of this writing.)

Published August 12th, 2019
246 Pages

Please note, this is a Reverse Harem Series which features alternative sexual themes and dynamics more suited to an adult audience.