Revelation (The Seven Signs, #1)

May 16, 2013 S.M. Blooding rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal

Okay. This book made me forget that life kinda sucks right now.

It started off quick. This is more urban fantasy than paranormal and more erotic than romantic. However, all those lines have blurred together so much, it doesn’t really matter. But I will say that urban fantasies, even the erotic/romantic kind, plot happens quickly. It usually starts with action and the plot will push the characters through a fast paced roller coaster ride.

That’s what we had here.

The world Ms. Hayes created isn’t wi...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Laura *Little Read Riding Hood* rated it 3 of 5 stars

Don't let the subject of religion keep you away from this book. These angels aren't perfect. In fact, most are what I am calling semi-fallen, stuck in between Heaven and Hell, on Earth, and trying to make the best of it. There is a lot of talk of God, Heaven, and the Devil, but it flows with the story.

Something or someone has started the Apocalypse without permission. So things have gone to shit. Fast. A series of events lead Lune and Dr. Morgan Stirling to work together, and they have an instan...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Maria rated it 3 of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review as a part of a book tour. I rated it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

A dark urban fantasy loosely based on the Apocalypse, Revelation by Erica Hayes starts out slowly and gradually picks up speed. Filled with fallen angels, zombies and demons, Ms. Hayes sets her story in a future/alternate Manhattan known as Babylon. With colorful descriptions, plenty of physical action and a forbidden romance, this story is sure to grab th...more I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review as a part of a book tour. I rated it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

A dark urban fantasy loosely based on the Apocalypse, Revelation by Erica Hayes starts out slowly and gradually picks up speed. Filled with fallen angels, zombies and demons, Ms. Hayes sets her story in a future/alternate Manhattan known as Babylon. With colorful descriptions, plenty of physical action and a forbidden romance, this story is sure to grab the readers attention.

A fallen angel, or "Tainted", Luniel is disturbed by physical changes he's beginning to see in the world. Babylon has become the capital of crime, a new virus is targeting humans and turning them into zombie like creatures, and Babylon's bay has turned to blood and is full of dead fish. Unable to contact his brother, still one of the regular angels, for over a week, Luniel is afraid one or more of the "seven deadly vials" spoken of in Revelations, the final chapter of the bible, may have been stolen or captured from a "Vial Guardian" and been twisted by a demon. Discovering his brother's body in the city morgue confirms his suspicions that somethings gone very wrong.

Trying to understand a new disease no one has a cure for, Medical Examiner Dr. Morgan Sterling had little faith in humanity and doesn't believe in any one's version of God. Trusting only in science and things she can prove, Morgan can't believe her eyes when she opens a body bag in the morgue. Skeptical and suspicious, Morgan is unprepared to be rescued by Luniel when she becomes caught in a battle between heaven and hell. She never planned on falling in love with a fallen angel.

The scenes between Luniel and Morgan are full of emotional angst, sharp dialogue and smoldering heat. Unable to trust each other at first, Luniel and Morgan must overcome their distrust of each other and choose a side in the coming war. Ms. Hayes did an okay job developing these two characters but while their sexual chemistry is hot and off the charts, I had a hard time dealing with their emotional issues. Luniel had a hard time letting go of his experiences with women in the past and went on and on about not being good enough for Morgan, while she went back and forth on whether or not she could trust him even though she becomes physically involved with him.

The first book in a new series, Ms. Hayes's characters have begun the battle to end all battles. Who the victor will be may very well depend on the "Tainted" angels. Want to find out what happens between Luniel and Morgan at the end of their book? You'll have to read Revelation to find out.(less)

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Nov 08, 2012 Vick rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: god-is-an-asshole, i-shall-poke-you-with-my-sword, deus-ex-boringpoopcrap, paranormal-romanticles, why-did-i-finish-this, is-everyone-frickin-retarded, lust-aint-love-dumbass, this-is-stupid, stupid-ass-names, angst-butter, demons-are-pokey, wingy-guys, son-i-am-dissapoint, idiot-protagonist, prophecies-suck, immortals-are-dicks, books-i-want-to-shit-on

Just a rant under the cut..
(view spoiler)...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Jody rated it 4 of 5 stars

Revelation is a revelation in my view of angels and the idea of religion inciting action. Erica Hayes has created some super sexy angels that are charged with keeping humanity safe as evil tries to unlock the seals leading to the apocalypse. While I found myself drawn to one sexy angel after the next, I just wish I understood their background better. That part of the story was very confusing to me. For being such omnipotent beings they seemed very down to earth with foibles and issues like the r...more Revelation is a revelation in my view of angels and the idea of religion inciting action. Erica Hayes has created some super sexy angels that are charged with keeping humanity safe as evil tries to unlock the seals leading to the apocalypse. While I found myself drawn to one sexy angel after the next, I just wish I understood their background better. That part of the story was very confusing to me. For being such omnipotent beings they seemed very down to earth with foibles and issues like the rest of humanity. They're paying for their sins by being mostly expelled from Heaven so there's a sense of loss surrounding them that added more layers of humanity to them.

Luniel has had terrible luck with love and it's damned him time and again. Upon meeting the fiery Morgan Sterling he again fights an attraction that could get both of them killed. With one life or death encounter after another they both eventually give into temptation in a super steamy encounter that is sensually sinful with nothing angelic about it. His interactions with her until then mostly involve verbal sparring that allows for a constant build-up of sexual tension. With as much as they act like they don't get along, you can sense the similarities of their souls that will make for a satisfying pairing. Morgan is a strong-willed woman who doesn't believe in what she can't see. She's more than capable of protecting herself in a fight and uses brains along with brawn. The concept of religion is foreign to her and she too has been hurt being loved and lost. To find true love and and save humanity she has to take a leap of faith, both Earthly and Heavenly.

The world that Erica Hayes has created is rather bleak. In a city both dark and gritty I kept waiting for Batman to show up. Instead we have a group of battle-armored winged angels who are all sexy as sin fighting to keep humanity safe in a bloody physical battle against a slew of villainous biblical creatures. The majority of the story actually involves battle in one action scene after another, so those who don't like heartpounding action will be disappointed. I however do like a good fight and found myself fully immersed in these action-packed sequences and surprised once or twice by shifting loyalties.

This was an intriguing and exciting start to a new and gritty Urban Fantasy series. The origin of these half-Fallen Angels is rather murky but will hopefully be clarified in future books. The main couple is likable but not as loving as some romantics would hope but their sexual chemistry was palpable. The remaining embattled angels completely won me over and I look forward to seeing them get one step closer to redemption through their own HEA. Fans of the paranormal will find the origins of these creatures difficult to comprehend but this is an ultimately satisfying start to a series I look forward to reading more of.(less)

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Oct 18, 2012 Penny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: alpha-all-the-way, angels-and-vampires-ohmy, can-you-fly, apocalypse-hell-yeah, trust-me, lust-and-love, love-under-fire, lies-and-truth, horrific-suspense, glitter-bling, i-m-not-worthy, evil-ernies-plus, deadly-monsters, free-will

When I read a book written by Erica Hayes, I am always rewarded by her voluptuous writing: voluptuous, meaning lush, visceral, with imagery overflowing in exquisite colors, smells, flavors... I read her stories, and it is like I have the book equivalent of a kaleidoscope, filled with sharp, gleaming shards of rainbow-tinted emotions, that turn and churn within my mind, and produce a visual smorgasbord of graphic ups and downs, casualties and victories; her characters are always caught up in thes...more

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Oct 08, 2012 Melindeeloo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy-romance, angels

4.5 stars - Revelation does a great job of kicking off Erica Hayes new Seven Signs series a dark urban fantasy romance with fallen angels, demons and zombies set in a slightly futuristic and morally decaying New York. I thought that this melding of dark urban fantasy and romance was really good.

On the romance front, there is a great built-in conflict between the leads: Dr Morgan Sterling is a scientist who believes in reason and not magic and whose past has taught her that 'faith' is a dirty wor...more 4.5 stars - Revelation does a great job of kicking off Erica Hayes new Seven Signs series a dark urban fantasy romance with fallen angels, demons and zombies set in a slightly futuristic and morally decaying New York. I thought that this melding of dark urban fantasy and romance was really good.

On the romance front, there is a great built-in conflict between the leads: Dr Morgan Sterling is a scientist who believes in reason and not magic and whose past has taught her that 'faith' is a dirty word and fallen angel Luniel (Lune) who should resist his attraction to the brave and determined woman – considering that his love for a human is what lost him his soul and earned him entry to the Tainted Host and an eternity of doing archangel Micheal’s dirty work. So the pair have a long way to go and both need to overcome their pasts to have a future together – that is assuming there is a future to have.

Since Revelation straddles the line between romance and urban fantasy, the supporting cast has plays a larger role than in a typical paranormal romance. Often series starters which have even a moderately sized ensemble have the problem that with so many characters introduced so close together it is hard to keep track of everyone. That is not an issue here, there was enough of the personalities of everyone here to mark them as distinct individuals and a couple of Lune's fellow tainted angels actually make it far enough out of the herd that we get a decent sense of who they are – and two in particular seem to be already positioned for their own stories - and even trickier, there is a good balance between the story line for leads and the threads for the ensemble.

There is also a good balance between the relationship/character development and the background story and though the battle is between angels and demons, I am happy that it looks like the lines between good and evil are not clear cut - the angel who holds the Tainted's souls and pulls their strings is debauched and there is a suggestion that one of the demons may not be as evil as his brethren. Initially Revelation seemed to have a Demonica/Four Horseman vibe but, although the 'darkness' is on a par with that series, that really wasn't the case as the book progresses.

Now for my nits, aside from the fact that there were elements to the 'darkness' I could have lived without – would-be-rapist zombies for one - my only real nit is that since Hayes hails from 'the land down under', Morgan uses a couple phrases that us Yanks would never use – actually just two words that I noticed but Morgan says them multiple times and I noticed every time that she said them.

Overall though, I thought that Revelation was great start to Hayes' new series with an intriguing apocalyptic background plot, plenty of issues for leads to overcome for a HEA (or a HUA - happy until the Apocalypse), and an interesting supporting cast. I am looking forward to the next book, Redemption, and to seeing more of these tainted angels.(less)

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Oct 03, 2012 Vanessa theJeepDiva rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fantasy, romance

There were several things that really grabbed my attention when I saw this Revelation while cruising around the book store: paranormal romance, zombie plague, fallen angels, and possible demon curse. Seriously, I was immediately sold. I love apocalypse books, I love zombies, and I’m a total paranormal romance junkie. I’ve also recently discovered fallen angels ooze sexy and Luniel did not disappoint on that.

The setting is New York City meets Gotham City a few years into the future. Babylon is n...more There were several things that really grabbed my attention when I saw this Revelation while cruising around the book store: paranormal romance, zombie plague, fallen angels, and possible demon curse. Seriously, I was immediately sold. I love apocalypse books, I love zombies, and I’m a total paranormal romance junkie. I’ve also recently discovered fallen angels ooze sexy and Luniel did not disappoint on that.

The setting is New York City meets Gotham City a few years into the future. Babylon is not anything likes its namesake. It is actually the crime capital of the country. The city is full of crime and violence. To top off those issues the bay had turned to blood and the sick and diseased are looking and behaving like zombies. Luniel may be one of the Tainted, a fallen angel but he knows the signs of an appending apocalypse. He believes that what he is seeing is the effects of a Vial Guardian losing his precious vials wrath. Luniel also knows that the vials can be abused and the wrath twisted if they land in the hands of demons.

A traumatic event from her teen years has left Morgan with little faith in any sort of a higher power. She is now a doctor and relies heavily on science and the solid proof that scientific facts give her. While on the last leg of her shift at the medical examiner office she has a hard time believing what she is seeing in the body bag. Logic and a long time distrust tells her it is something completely different than what it actually is. Morgan’s inability to trust was one of my annoyances with this book. It is her character flaw and she has a right to it, but she held onto the distrust of all for too long.

The entire crew of Tainted was interesting and I want to know more about them. I also want to know more about the archangel Michael. For someone who holds the souls of the Tainted he has his very own dark taint and I’m very curious about the whys of that. Jadzia’s new friend also has me eager to read more books in this series. I love dark books and Revelation was extremely dark, the world, the characters, even the fallen angels had their own darkness.

The spine clearly lists Revelation as a paranormal romance. The setting and the way the story is driven makes it feel more of an urban fantasy. There is definitely romance between Luniel and Morgan. Readers are given plenty of sexual tension and some hot sex scenes that are present with any romance. The author’s website describes the book as an urban fantasy romance and I find that to be a very accurate genre description for the book.
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Apr 10, 2013 Tessa Onabigon rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Paranormal Romance Fans

Shelves: read-reviewed

*** Received thru http://www.goodreads.com/ giveaway ***

I'm a BIG fan of anything to do with the Paranormal - especially if it includes a kick-ass hero, wicked humour and a whole lot of romance - so naturally, this book caught my eye when it was posted on the giveaway page. That said, I went into this never reading any of Erica's work so I didn't know what to expect from her personally. A book of this genre could go either way with me...

Luniel, our sexy-as-heaven protagonist, is an angel who ha...more *** Received thru http://www.goodreads.com/ giveaway ***

I'm a BIG fan of anything to do with the Paranormal - especially if it includes a kick-ass hero, wicked humour and a whole lot of romance - so naturally, this book caught my eye when it was posted on the giveaway page. That said, I went into this never reading any of Erica's work so I didn't know what to expect from her personally. A book of this genre could go either way with me...

Luniel, our sexy-as-heaven protagonist, is an angel who had it all once upon a time - strength and power you could only dream about, a home so peaceful, so beautiful it'd make you weep, and a purpose in life he was proud of. Oh yeah, and his soul. But that all changed when he fell. Now one of the Tainted Host (a group of warrior angels like himself, who lost their souls for being bad little boys and girls), he's stuck serving a cruel son-of-a-b***h Archangel named Micheal (yes, THE Micheal) for a shot a redeeming his soul and finally returning home.

But that's easier said then done when his next mission is to stop demons from spilling 7 holy vials of God's Wrath on Earth and unleashing Lucifer himself.

After being dealt a shitty hand in life, the beautiful assistant Medical Examiner of Babylon, Dr. Morgan Sterling lost faith in all things heaven-sent. Done with praying to a God who refuses to help, she's out to prove science is the key to finding a cure for a devastating disease that's ravaging the island of Manhatten and it's residents.

However, the one thing she thought she could believe in will be shaken to it's core when out of the blue, a strange but beautiful man with wings of feathers, suddenly flashes into her office and into her life.

An attraction so deep and meaningful ensues when they team up to hunt down the creatures responsible and a cure for this plague before it's too late and all is lost.

This book had all the things I look for in a book. Sexy heroes and heroines. Red-hot romance. Devilish humour. Fast-paced action. A charming and promising ensemble cast. A rich and intelligent plot-line. And bad-ass villains that could knock you flat. Yup, this book grabbed my attention from start to finish and I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next novel in this extremely entertaining series. :)(less)

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Mar 12, 2013 Melliane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mon avis en Français

My English review

I heard a lot about Erica Hayes and even if I didn’t start with the series I thought, I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this one. I must say that I was completely surprised by this first volume, I was much more excited than I would have thought by reading the summary.

Morgan is a doctor working in a morgue. She is obsessed with the new disease ravaging her city. Indeed, zombies appear increasingly, killing many people every day and our young heroine is de...more Mon avis en Français

My English review

I heard a lot about Erica Hayes and even if I didn’t start with the series I thought, I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this one. I must say that I was completely surprised by this first volume, I was much more excited than I would have thought by reading the summary.

Morgan is a doctor working in a morgue. She is obsessed with the new disease ravaging her city. Indeed, zombies appear increasingly, killing many people every day and our young heroine is determined to find a cure. Although everyone thinks it’s one of the seven predictions of the end of the world, she is determined to prove them wrong. God has no place here and science is something that is much more important for her. And yet, some signs are difficult to understand, as the transformation of water into human blood. But her life is turned upside when Luniel appears in her morgue, trying to understand what happened to his brother. He does not hesitate to reveal to our dear Morgan his angel’s condition. A quite strong attraction appears between our two heroes, but they resist both for their own reasons. A new world opens itself to our doctor; it will be very difficult for her to accept what she has so long denied. I must say that she has been through a lot and it's hard for her to trust Luniel. They are a very good team together; it was pretty funny to watch their arguments and researches. It must be said that there are many things to speak about when you have a man who has faith and a young woman who believes in nothing. Many arguments or persuasions. We will read little by little the story to discover their past and all the characters around them. I also found very interesting the different POVs of the characters throughout the novel, it allows us to get an idea of each of them. It intrigues us for the novels to come.

I haven’t read a lot of books about angels and I was immediately intrigued by the ideas of Erica Hayes. The end of the world, zombies, demons and warriors: a very nice mix. We immediately want to understand who is behind the end of the world and especially the reason. And yes! It is much more complicated than expected! Many paths are open for the other characters and I must say it is really intriguing. It was a good idea because we are now eager to find out more. This is a nice discovery and I'm curious to read more about each of our characters.(less)

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Apr 03, 2013 The Last rated it 3 of 5 stars

In an alternate - and somewhat futuristic - Manhattan, we meet the Tainted Host; a group of fallen angels who were cast out of Heaven by the Archangel Michael and who continue to carry out Heaven's bidding in the hope of redemption and a chance to return home.

Naturally, we're talking hard-drinking, hard-loving, hard-slaying and hard-sinning fallen angels here (apart from Japheth who's trying way too hard to be way too pure). They're a group of bad boys - and women - all flawed and each with a s...more

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May 05, 2013 Maghon Thomas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-erotic, fantasy, paranormal, review-4-author

I’m going today that this book uses the “F” word in the most hilarious way EVER!!! WARNING I’m about to cuss… “Jesus in a fucking jam jar!” Hahaha I like to lost it reading that! I was laughing so hard I snorted! Multiple times! Hehehe I’m still giggling! And yes it’s about Angels… But they are bad, but oh so good let me explain that sentence- they are bad enough that they don’t live in heaven but not bad enough to lose their good graces or wings. Wings are hot! And I fanatically love the names!...more I’m going today that this book uses the “F” word in the most hilarious way EVER!!! WARNING I’m about to cuss… “Jesus in a fucking jam jar!” Hahaha I like to lost it reading that! I was laughing so hard I snorted! Multiple times! Hehehe I’m still giggling! And yes it’s about Angels… But they are bad, but oh so good let me explain that sentence- they are bad enough that they don’t live in heaven but not bad enough to lose their good graces or wings. Wings are hot! And I fanatically love the names! And I’m so glad I don’t live in their world cuz they scare me!

Lune is the angel here and he’s on a mission for himself. Something’s gone wrong. His brother is missing, people are dying, things are getting suspicious and no one seems to know what’s going on. He’s definitely got the alpha male thing going for him and he’s not the quiet type, he is actually full of sarcastic remarks and an earful of crazy LOL! And he is willing to do anything to find out what happened to his brother and why all these apocalyptic things are happening! He’s definitely a HAWT piece!

Dr Sterling is your Dr who’s a medical examiner and is bent on finding a way to end this crazy virus spreading around killing people… Until she opens a body bag that’s exploding with feathers hahahaha I can’t go further into that because of spoilers but it’s pretty funny! She’s got some trust issues and some no nonsense with makes but Lune is gunna give her a run for her money! She’s an Indepentent woman and she’s worked very hard to get where she is and trust me with her past it was hard work. I loved her reaction and relationship with Lune. It seems like it took Eons for them to finally get “their moment”!

This story is NOT your average angel story. Some of these angels take their earth leave to an extreme and their actions are just nuts… Makes you wonder who the good guys are sometimes. And the secondary characters are not lacking, as Dash is awesome! The writing is so unlike any other you can’t really compare it. It’s full of action and intense suspense and humor and sometimes gore and kinky things. Just read it!! It’s not like those cute little kid angels that statues are made from! You’re in for a crazy wild ride! 4.5 CRAZY SCARY ANGELIC PAWS!! I can’t wait to jump into book two now!(less)

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Mar 07, 2013 Nancy (The Avid Reader) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bewitching-book-tours, erica-hayes, read-in-2013, read-in-march-2013

The following review is my opinion and not a paid review. I was given a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

Dr. Morgan Sterling is a medical examiner who doesn't believe in God, angels the devil or any kind of religion for that matter. She only believes in what she can see. When people start turning into zombies and the world is coming to an end as she and the people of Babylon know it all Morgan wants to do is find a cure for the virus. She wants to save all these people...more The following review is my opinion and not a paid review. I was given a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

Dr. Morgan Sterling is a medical examiner who doesn't believe in God, angels the devil or any kind of religion for that matter. She only believes in what she can see. When people start turning into zombies and the world is coming to an end as she and the people of Babylon know it all Morgan wants to do is find a cure for the virus. She wants to save all these people and give them their lives back.

She is pretty shaken up when an angel shows up in her morgue. She can't believe what she is seeing. Her world is turned upside down when she starts seeing angels and demons. Even though she sees them she still doesn't believe her own eyes. And she definitely doesn't trust this angel or God. She thinks they are all lairs just like the preachers on tv.

The angel she sees in her morgue is Luniel. He is one gorgeous dude or angel that is. Morgan is attracted to him right from the beginning as he is to her. Neither one understands their feelings for one another. How can they care and feel the need to be with each other so strongly when they have just met?

Luniel wants to take Morgan and make her his. He doesn't understand because he has not felt this way about a human or angel in like a thousand years or more. Lune is a tainted angel who fights evil in the world trying to make amends for his sins so he can earn his place in heaven again. That is all Lune wants is to do what is required of him so that he can get back into God's good graces and return to heaven. But his love for Morgan changes all that for him. If getting back into heaven means that he can't be with Morgan then he is willing to give all that up for her.

I learned to care about all of Lune's friends like Jadzia, Trill, Dash and all the other tainted angels. They are all very lovable characters. You get inside all of their heads at some point or other in the story. You get to know each character like who they were and you get to know a little bit about what kind of heart they each have. I really enjoyed reading about zombies and the world ending when all the vials has been released. I love that the world is ending with the release of the vials and with zombies all mixed in together. I can't wait to read the next book in the series Redemption. If the first vial is zombies then what will the next vials hold?(less)

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Mar 01, 2013 Franjessca rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2013

Review also posted on Book Lovin' Mamas

I am a cover lover...or maybe cover luster...because when I saw the cover of "Revelation", I knew I needed to read this book. (And no I did not go crazy over the guy on the cover for the first time...it was the sword on fire and the colors.) I then sealed the deal when I read the synopsis of the book.
A book about crazy, sexy fallen angels, a plague that causes zombies, some demons that want to cause the apocalypse to start, that is pretty much a seller in...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Vikki rated it 4 of 5 stars

First Line: 'Today, of all days. It was Thursday. The world couldn't end on a Thursday.'
Yup, that's where we start, with our sexy leading man discovering that the world as they know it may actually be ending. Of course, as an angel, Luniel (Lune) had always known this was possible. There's just one problem. Heaven was supposed to control the apocalypse...and by the looks of it, right now, that isn't happening. So it's up to Lune and his fellow Tainted's to figure out what the hell (pardon the pu...more First Line: 'Today, of all days. It was Thursday. The world couldn't end on a Thursday.'
Yup, that's where we start, with our sexy leading man discovering that the world as they know it may actually be ending. Of course, as an angel, Luniel (Lune) had always known this was possible. There's just one problem. Heaven was supposed to control the apocalypse...and by the looks of it, right now, that isn't happening. So it's up to Lune and his fellow Tainted's to figure out what the hell (pardon the pun) is going on and fix it.
Set in a future New York City, renamed Babylon (yes, I have issues with the name, but I won't go into them here), unbeknownst to mankind, fallen angels, and demons alike roam the earth. There are seven signs of the apocalypse and here at the start of Redemption, Lune has discovered sign number 2 - oceans drowning in blood. However, there are supposed to be seven guardians keeping the seven vials of holy wrath safe and having not received a memo from above that He has given the apocalypse the go ahead, Lune and his fellow Tainted's deduce that all is not well and hell is attempting to start the apocalypse before scheduled. On top of all this, Lune has a second pressing problem. He hasn't been able to contact his twin brother for nearly a week. Putting that with the fact that there are probably two dead guardian angels around the city somewhere, and Lune has a base for his search for answers. Which leads him straight into the path of a rather sexy junior pathologist named Morgan.
About to unknowingly conduct an autopsy on Lune's twin, Morgan is surprised to say the least when this drop dead gorgeous angel appears from no where. Refusing to believe it's all not just some prank or weird dream, Morgan uses her scientific background as a shield against the magnificent specimen that is Luniel. Only Morgan was involved up to her neck before she even met the handsome angel. She's been investigating the Manhattan virus that's been plaguing the city, turning it's residents into basically zombies with a taste for human flesh. What she doesn't know is that this virus was the first sign of the apocalypse, and now her research will be key in the Tainted's search for patient zero, and thereby the demon princes that have let loose these plagues on the city.

Now to our hero and heroine. I have no problems with Luniel. He is a pretty awesome hero as heroes go. Dark, sexy and damaged...my kind of man. BUT Morgan is a little different. Admittedly I have a problem generally with books where the two main characters are instantly attracted to one another. Sure in this case both of them are fighting it, but for two very different reasons. Lune's issue is a past horrific end to a relationship where his love got damned to hell for all eternity after being horrifically tortured in front of a chained Lune. Add to that the 800 years of self imposed celibacy and I can get why he's more than a little reluctant to jump feet first into a new relationship. However Morgan's problem seems to be herself. She's too much of a scientist to actually believe he's an angel, but she lets herself get caught up in the moment - and in one pretty steamy scene she was more than willing to go all the way, except Lune pulled back at the last second. Only then did she berate herself about how stupid it was. Rinse and repeat. It got repetitive to say the least. I can't quite put my finger on it, but for some reason I just did not connect with Morgan the same way I did with Lune. Whether that's because I want Lune all for myself or not I don't know ;)

The premise of this book isn't exactly unheard of, however the way Erica Hayes goes about this makes it instantly more charming. Firstly, the secondary characters in the form of the band of Tainted's are absolutely fantastic. These men and women are warriors through and through, Dashiel, Trillium, Jadzia, Iria, Japheth and Luniel, they make one hell of a team. They have great chemistry and a lot of good natured teasing and fighting goes on...you know, warrior stuff. I'm a big fan of humour in my books and Revelation has just the right amount to offset the more gritty and serious aspects of the book, such as demons that are into pain, and certain Archangels who don't seem very Archangely...*cough* ..Michael ..*cough*. Speaking of the grittier aspects of the book, there are some scenes of violence that made me cringe a little. In some places they are used well to show exactly what they Tainted's are really up against, and to show Lune's loss of his last love some 800 years ago. However in others, I didn't think they were really necessary Not that it detracted from the book's appeal once I got over the initial shock, but some scenes, like when we first meet the all powerful Archangel Michael, took me a re-read to understand why it was wholly necessary.

The second reason this team of rogues charmed their way onto my bookshelf is because some of the most unexpected phrases are used by this band of unruly fallen angels. The one that literally had me in stitches, purely because of the way it was used was this one:

'Jesus Christ on a jelly sandwich. Lune tugged his hair, rough. Him and his bleeding heart. Michael would laugh his righteous blue ass off.'

And trust me, there are many more like that. It's that offbeat sense of humour that had me falling in love with these characters and Erica's writing style as a whole.The story is pretty damn interesting, though I have read similar things reasonably recently. To me Revelation is almost a blend of Larissa Ione's Lords of Deliverance series and J.R. Ward's Fallen Angels. There's some awesome fight scenes, some gritty violent stuff, steamy sex scenes and a beautiful topping of fresh humour. Where the series will take us next I don't know, but I can't wait to find out. I did have some misgivings to begin with, what with the violence and Morgan's almost unbelievable instant attraction to Lune, but all in all, Redemption is most definitely a very promising start to the series, and I will most definitely be keeping up with the Seven Signs series.

My Rating: 3.5/5(less)

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May 04, 2013 Sylwia rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am confused as to what to rate this book. It's got everything you want in paranormal romance really. I was a bit hesitant to get this book coś it was about angels and having read many books about angels that majorly over did it with the whole god aspect I didn't need the bible to be thrown in my face every page. But these angels that are tainted were more humanized and more pleasant to read about.
The author has a way with words in describing the zombies feasting that impressed me and is proba...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Ilona rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm not a very religious person but I do like a book full of demons (mostly thanks to Larrisa Ione's Demonica books) so this one seemed worth a try. It has an ME with a belief in modern science and a Tainted Angel who still believes in God and Heaven. What I liked most was that there was no 'bible thumping' even though the whole story's theme was based on the biblical seven signs of the apocalypse. In fact right through to the end the Heroine does not believe in Heaven even though she ends up b...more

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Dec 29, 2012 Netanella rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: angels, paranormal-romance

Great book with a very interesting storyline that captured my interest from the first chapter. Tainted angels - caught between heaven and hell - suspect that demons are trying to hijack the seven signs of the apocalypse. Diseased zombies roam the glittering and decaying city of New York. The waters have turned to blood. Very cool storyline.

The H/H are Luniel, a tainted angel with a heart of gold, and Dr. Morgan Sterling, a medical examiner with no faith in God or her lover. I loved everything a...more

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Dec 06, 2012 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

This one started out kind of slowly w/ a lot of religious connotation, which in retrospect should be expected since it's the first book in a series based on the biblical end of days and fallen angels. Once the book got rolling, I fell into the dark gritty world that Hayes is so talented at creating. Her words include some I've never seen in a dictionary (angelscum, lol) but they get you right in the gut. I found myself carried away on a wave of shadowy underworld images with sharp edges and coul...more

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Feb 16, 2012 Ren marked it as to-read

Shelves: rolling-my-eyes-at-the-cover

LUNIEL????
That's the hero name?? Why not Lucien, Lucius, Luciel, or whatever name that suit a man. But really Luniel? *burst out laughing*

And that man waist.. so small, the outfit seems weird for him o_O!

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Feb 13, 2012 Steph marked it as wishlist

Shelves: author-웃, series-ongoing, series-book1

I have to admit this cover (his outfit) makes me giggle. But, I am looking forward to the story. End of days ... demon plague ... dundunduh. A must-read for this The Year of the Coming Apocalypse. >;)

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Apr 29, 2013 Re8ecca rated it 5 of 5 stars

Very enjoyable weekend read. Love the characters and world. Looking forward to more exploration of the supporting characters (angels and demons). Reminded me of JR Ward and Laurell K Hamilton, in a good way.

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Nov 22, 2012 Maryde/MT rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book blew me away.
It was, as are all Erica Haye's books, fast paced and witty.
I fell in love with the Hero, Luniel. He was Sexy, hot and utterly lovable. Dr Morgan Sterling is one lovely lady, who doesn't start off as a kiss-ass heroine, but gets there eventually.
I love that she only ate half a hot-dog over 4 days and had all that energy. I want what she's having LOL.
Great book. fast paced, thrilling and gory, bloodthirsty to the 'nth. Zombies, muties and demons galore... add in some reall...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Barb Lie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Excellent start to Erica Hayes's new series. Looking forward to the next book. A full review will come at release date.

Barb
The Reading Cafe

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Feb 11, 2013 Valerie Bowman rated it 5 of 5 stars

Holy cr@p was this a good book! And I normally don't read anything like this. Compelling from page 1. Couldn't put it down.

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Apr 04, 2013 Kara-karina added it

DNF.
Loved the world-building but couldn't stand the level of angst in the main characters. They are almost neurotic. *sigh*

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Oct 09, 2012 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: trrc-review-books, angels, paranormal, zombies, demons, urban-fantasy, surprisingly-good

Review pending - will posted to The Romance Reader's Connection before I post on Goodreads.

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Mar 20, 2013 Toni (My Book Addiction) rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, for-review, dnf

I really wanted to like it, but there were just certain things about the characters that I couldn't get into.

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Oct 06, 2012 Nefertiti marked it as to-read

My first thought: Why is he wearing a tank top?

1 like · like · see review

Feb 10, 2013 Camille added it

Shelves: zombies, did-not-finish

I got to page 67. It was really strange. Michael seemed like a bad guy. Morgan was an idiot. And maybe I didn't read far enough but I certainly didn't encounter any zombies. It seemed more of an angels/demons paranormal romance, which I would usually be fine with but I just didn't like this one. Didn't like the characters or the dialogue.

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title link	preview: Revelation
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Revelation (The Seven Signs #1)

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