Soul Weaver

Oct 15, 2012 UniquelyMoi *Dhestiny* BlithelyBookish rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 3-5-stars, pnr-fallen-angels, pnr-soul-harvesters-weavers, series-wicked-kin, first-in-series, reviewed-for-netgalley, reviewed-for-publisher, reviewed-at-blithelybookish, author-hailey-edwards, heroine-agoraphobic, books-for-review

Soul Weaver is the first book in the Wicked Kin series. It’s a unique tale, something hard to find in a genre saturated with angels - arch, fallen or otherwise - and I was instantly drawn into the story and the world Hailey Edwards has created.

Since the accident that nearly took her life, Chloe suffers from acute agoraphobia. Living alone above her family's bookstore, she spends restless nights terrified by strange visions . . . until a mysterious stranger appears and offers her salvation. Chloe

...more
Soul Weaver is the first book in the Wicked Kin series. It’s a unique tale, something hard to find in a genre saturated with angels - arch, fallen or otherwise - and I was instantly drawn into the story and the world Hailey Edwards has created.

Since the accident that nearly took her life, Chloe suffers from acute agoraphobia. Living alone above her family's bookstore, she spends restless nights terrified by strange visions . . . until a mysterious stranger appears and offers her salvation. Chloe is drawn to the ethereal, gorgeous Nathaniel-but her haunted soul warns her there is more to him than meets the eye.

An archangel who roams Earth collecting souls of the newly departed, Nathaniel is the sole witness to the accident that should have taken Chloe's life. Seduced by the purity of her soul, he defies Providence by saving her life. But his attempt at kindness marks Chloe for damnation, and makes her an unwitting pawn in a game of unholy ambition. Now together they must fight the demons of Hell itself-for a love that defies the boundaries of Heaven and Earth.

There’s just something about angels that appeals to me, especially when they are tormented souls, and that is what Ms. Edwards has given us. Nathaniel is such a complex, complicated angel - a Soul Weaver – torn by his duty to collect the marked souls and see them to their destination without interfering, and his attraction to Chloe’s pure soul and his need to allow her to live. As is his nature, he struggles to do the right thing even when what the right thing is, is not clear.

Chloe has always had social anxiety issues, but since the accident that should have killed her and the nightmares ever since, she suffers from a debilitating case of agoraphobia. It was heartbreaking to watch her try and overcome her fears, and fail, resigning herself to a life lived entirely within the walls of her family bookstore and the tiny apartment upstairs. Based on some other review comments I saw I was concerned that Chloe might come across as lacking in personality because she didn’t have much of a life to speak of, but her struggles and triumphs, no matter how small, make her a compelling, lovely heroine who I came to care deeply for.

The bottom line – I really enjoyed this book. It’s not without some flaws, times when things felt rushed and others when they were a bit slow, which isn't unusual with all that goes into setting the backdrop for a new series. But when it's all said and done, I was drawn to this unique world and the characters who live there. If you enjoy romances where the hero and heroine have much to overcome and stories where there's a fine line between right and wrong, then check this one out. I found it exciting, passionate, sexy and I'm definitely looking forward to more of what promises to be a very exciting series.

3.5/5 stars

My thanks to Forever Yours, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, and netgalley.com for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Aug 08, 2012 Jo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-challenge, review-for-vbc, netgalley

Originally reviewed for and posted by Vampire Book Club

Rating (out of 5): 4 stars

Nathaniel is the Soul Weaver, the primary Harvester (a band of fallen angels), charged by hell to collect the souls of humanity’s worst. He walks the earth for thousands of years, reliving the twisted memories of the damned souls he collects, Nathaniel is on the verge of losing all hope and compassion. But when he witnesses a car accident, he breaks all the rules and gives a dying soul a part of his own to keep her...more Originally reviewed for and posted by Vampire Book Club

Rating (out of 5): 4 stars

Nathaniel is the Soul Weaver, the primary Harvester (a band of fallen angels), charged by hell to collect the souls of humanity’s worst. He walks the earth for thousands of years, reliving the twisted memories of the damned souls he collects, Nathaniel is on the verge of losing all hope and compassion. But when he witnesses a car accident, he breaks all the rules and gives a dying soul a part of his own to keep her alive long enough for help to arrive.

Broken and dying, Chloe’s soul is destined to wander the earth alone forever as she has no close bond with another living human being. After making a seemingly miraculous recovery, she is plagued by nightmares and a lifelong anxiety disorder that has spiraled into full-blown agoraphobia. But the spark of a new friendship and the appearance of a beautiful stranger begin to give her hope that her small corner of the world can have some happiness in it.

But by helping her, Nate has set into motion events that leave him battling against not only his own demons but also a brother hellbent on destroying him and hellish politics that don’t take kindly to rule breakers.

Soul Weaver isn’t so much an action-filled fight for life, but a race against time for two damaged souls. The chapters following Nate (and at times, his brother) provide much of the tension and mythology. A large cast of characters and the world building are introduced in these chapters and while it was dense at times, I found it fascinating.

Chloe’s chapters provided the lighter elements to the story and I really enjoyed the normalcy of her working in a bookstore and her growing friendship with Neve, the store assistant. I felt for her during the times her anxiety was overwhelming and I liked that her struggles weren’t supernaturally fixed.

The romance between Nate and Chloe builds slowly, leading to tender and sweet moments. I seriously can’t remember the last paranormal romance book I read where the characters go on normal date, but they do in Soul Weaver — kitchen disaster and slow dance included!

While the romance is clearly central, I thought it was great how important other relationships were in this book. These connections, particularly the complex one among Nate, his brother Saul and his Nephilim nephew Bran, drive the plot forward and will be something I can see continuing into future books.

On its own Soul Weaver is a great read with a poignant romance and plot that kept me guessing until the very end. As a series opener it introduces many characters, particularly the other Harvesters, and an interesting take on angel mythology that gives great scope for future books.

Fans of Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld and J.R. Ward’s Fallen Angels series should give this one a look.

Sexual content: Graphic sex(less)

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Jul 13, 2012 Letitia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, netgalley, kindle, dnf

Rating: DNF ... Heat: Warm

Chloe McCrea was supposed to die. Her vehicle struck head-on by a semi, there wasn’t much chance at surviving the accident. That is, if Nathaniel Berwyn hadn’t witnessed the crash. Not allowed to interfere in mortal life or death scenarios, Nathaniel finds himself drawn to the scene by Chloe’s soul. Bright and shiny and good, it’s a refreshing change from the dark and filthy souls he usually sees.

Nathaniel is a fallen angel—a soul weaver and harvester. He is charged wi...more

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Apr 28, 2013 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-by-kristie

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A strange romance and a different take on soul reapers may either leave you shaking your head or enjoying the romance for what it is.

Opening Sentence: Soft snores carried from the darkness on Nathaniel’s right.

The Review:

Soul Weaver offers up a different take on the grim/soul collector mythology. The story begins with Nathaniel as he is collecting a soul. It is not an entirely pretty process with the victim pleading to live. When he leaves...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Buffy Kennedy rated it 3 of 5 stars

We get right down to it as the book opens up, when Nathaniel happens upon Chloe dying in the wreckage of a car crash and uses his special abilities to save her life. That scene alone shows just the kind of grey area that good and evil will fall under in this book, as well as the endless possibilities that are inherent throughout the story.

Chloe’s fear of leaving her home presents frequent problems, but Nathaniel’s determination to save her and their growing attraction will drive them both to ste...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Lizzy Lessard rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: angels-demons, reviewed

I suppose that my problem with this book is that I never connected with Chloe as a character. She’s agoraphobic and completely anti-social, so much of the book happens inside her bookstore where she lives. And frankly, she’s boring and unlikable. I really didn’t enjoy any of her scenes. On the flipside, I liked Nathaniel’s narrative. He was a flawed character, but had some very redeeming qualities. There did seem to be too much emphasis on his amazing shirtless body when it was in Chloe’s POV…an...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Kimberly rated it 2 of 5 stars

Review written for www.books-n-kisses.com

Honestly it is hard to say if I liked this book or not. In the beginning there were so many characters introduced (and of course they were complicated angel names) that it was difficult to remember who was who and why they were doing what they were doing. The characters of Nathanial and Chloe just never connect for me. The characters of Chloe and Neve are actually a bit more interesting.

I was just so lost in the beginning of the story that I think I never...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Trish rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-angel, paranormal-series

ARC provided by Net Galley.Nathaniel is a Fallen Angel, now charged in the role as WEAVER--taking those souls marked for the pits of hell and weaving them to use as the Fallens wings he and his breathern now wear upon their backs.

He has just collected the soul of one human damned for hell and while on earth he witnesses the brutal accident that SHOULD have killed one fragile human--Chloe. Instead he is mesmerized by the colorful beauty of her soul and cannot understand why the Angels do not com...more ARC provided by Net Galley.Nathaniel is a Fallen Angel, now charged in the role as WEAVER--taking those souls marked for the pits of hell and weaving them to use as the Fallens wings he and his breathern now wear upon their backs.

He has just collected the soul of one human damned for hell and while on earth he witnesses the brutal accident that SHOULD have killed one fragile human--Chloe. Instead he is mesmerized by the colorful beauty of her soul and cannot understand why the Angels do not come to take her rightful place in paradise. Not able to really explain his actions, he takes his powerful shears, cuts a piece of his soul and binds it with hers--placeing the now combined soul back inside Chloe's body and saves her soul from being forever lost.

Chole has been left with no family and suffers from agoraphobia. After her near-death accident, she suffers horrible nightmares and struggles with the threatening addiction of her anxiety medications. Alone and isolated in the town of Piedmont, she has no choice but to hire someone to help her with the small bookstore she owns--Neve, a woman who has her own secrets but is desperate for the chance of a new life.

Chloe and Neve bond, the two women helping each other more than just as employee/employer. And a stranger, one who Chloe feels an undeniable attraction to, shows up at her store offering to help with much needed repairs.

The stranger is, of course, Nathaniel. And he is determined to see Chloe form attatchments while on earth--and the time she has left has been numbered. It seems that Chloe's combined soul has been marked. Marked like those damned for the pits of the fiery hell Nathaniel has sent thousands to as punishment for their sins.
A place that Chloe doesn't belong and he will do everything, even risk his own fate, to make sure that doesn't happen.

SOUL WEAVER is the start of a new series, and its world building is somewhat difficult to follow. There are a few number of players and trying to remember each ones role was a bit perplexing at times. The pieces of the story's puzzle really didn't start connecting for me until the last third of the book. But some the characters were facinating, despite the complexity of this paranormal world.

The romance between Chloe and Nathaniel is a sweet one with a slow start that builds over time, but one I just never truly got a great feel for. In fact, I felt more of a connection between Chloe and Neve (which was written very well-loved their friendship).
Her agoraphobia makes their relationship tough and not much of a joy to read. I thought it limited the possibilities of growth in their relationship. Besides the paranormal realm of hell and Chloe's bookstore, there are no other settings--I was really hoping to see more with Chloe's character and how she dealt with her illness. It was too much of a quick fix at the end.

Then there is Saul. Sigh...
Saul is a harvester, fallen from grace just like his brother, Nathaniel. I was really, REALLY, hoping for Saul to see the error of his ways. He had such great potential as a secondary character. But Hailey Edwards had different plans for him, lol. I don't want to give too much away as Saul is a pivotal player in Chloe and Nate's future.

One thing that I never fully understood and was never explained was the fact that Chloe's soul had no attatchments to anyone. Which was the reason why no Angel came to collect her soul. What about her parents, who she seemed to be close to when they were alive? Surely, her father, who she loved and adored would have been waiting for her. And I am also still not clear what exactly was wrong with Chloe's mother. Did she too, suffer from agoraphobia? The way it was written, she seemed to suffer from some sort of illness? Maybe I missed something along the way.

Because I never truely lost myself in the book, I was slightly disappointed. There were some holes in this very unique world and along with the unclear roles of the secondary characters and how they exactly they fit, the confusing plot, I can only give it 3 Stars.

(less)

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Jul 03, 2012 Leigh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: angels-and-demons

Soul Weaver drops us into a modified world that I believe should truly exist in reality. Welcome to an earth where there are fallen angels that collect the unredeemable souls of murderers, paedophiles, sex offenders, etc. These fallen angels drop these damned souls into the pits of hell where they belong, to then be used to weave wings onto the backs of fallen angels so that they may fly again. Sounds pretty awesome, right? Hailey Edwards has again crafted a world rich with possibilities and com...more
Soul Weaver drops us into a modified world that I believe should truly exist in reality. Welcome to an earth where there are fallen angels that collect the unredeemable souls of murderers, paedophiles, sex offenders, etc. These fallen angels drop these damned souls into the pits of hell where they belong, to then be used to weave wings onto the backs of fallen angels so that they may fly again. Sounds pretty awesome, right? Hailey Edwards has again crafted a world rich with possibilities and complex, real, flawed characters that we can relate to and stand beside. (Not to mention, the cover of a yummy guy with intricate triskele silver ink on his bicep. That did it for me. I was sunk!)

Enter Nathaniel, Soul Weaver gifted with 'shears' that can rip out souls, craft wings, and create rifts for travel. In the wrong place at the wrong time, he ends up using a tiny piece of his own soul to save a bright, heaven-bound soul belonging to a woman that was in a car accident. Which, had she died, her soul would have been lost because no angel came to claim it. Months later, he is given a “mark” to harvest, and realizes that in saving the soul he also damned it. Nathaniel attempts to fix his mistake, and in the process falls in love with the girl with the beautiful soul he saved, Chloe...
..and Chloe is a hot mess of problems, since her brush with death in the car accident. She never leaves her house. Quite literally. So when a gorgeous “handyman” comes to help repair her bookstore, she is bowled over with his skills, sweetness, and mouth-dropping good looks. She learns to let Nathanial into her heart, a little at a time, and then ends up involved in a mess of lost souls, bitterness, fallen angels and scary seraphs from hell that she never imagined.

Hailey Edwards is a master at character-driven romances, she gives us beautifully flawed characters with just a touch of paranormal yumminess. However, she also weaves a world around her characters that is enthralling and fascinating, but it is always on the outskirts! My only criticism in this book is that I am left wanting for details– I want to more about the characters – What are they wearing? What does the bookstore look like? Give me more descriptions of Dis! More, more! Perhaps it's because at heart, I am a classic fantasy lover. I yearn for this type of story, these type of characters in a massive overhwhelming “LOTR”-type setting. Others could read this book and be happily sated, but I just want more detail. The other thing I noticed was the lack of 'break' in scenes. I received an ARC from the publisher, and I know that it was not the final copy of the manuscript. However, during parts of the book I was left confused as to a timeline, how much time had passed, whose point of view we were looking from, etc. I felt there should be a little “squiggly” to denote passing of a day, change to a different character, etc.

Ultimately, I LOVED this book. I loved the new world of fallen angels, seraphs, soul harvesting. I loved Chloe and Nathaniel and how accepting they were of each other and their own flaws. I loved that there is another universe now writing about Nephilim (even though Bran DEFINITELY needs more description and page time). Winged fantasy fans, you will not be disappointed. More yummy fallen angels, please, Ms. Edwards!(less)

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Jul 04, 2012 Morgan (Fictitious Escape Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc_netgalley

Title: Soul Weaver

Author: Hailey Edwards

Release Date: 8/7/12

Genre: Paranormal romance

Recommended for: Fans of Nalini Singh, Kristen Painter, Kristina Douglas, and fans of angel paranormal romances.

Rating: 4.5 Bookmarks

Review: Edwards' has created one of the most unique worlds in any of the books that I have read this year, with her new novel, Soul Weaver. The story immediately starts off by engulfing the reader in Nathaniel's (the hero of the story) world of harvesting and weaving souls, making...more

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Jul 10, 2012 Shirley rated it 4 of 5 stars

The synopsis of Soul Weaver gives you a pretty good idea of the premise, but there is a lot more to the story than that. You probably guessed that though, right? I guess what I’m trying to say is that this is more than just a ‘Fallen Angel finds true love’ story.

Nathaniel is part of a group of fallen angels whose soul purpose is to collect damned souls. As part of their punishment for falling, they get to hear all of the sins of the damned soul that they are ordered to collect. Not a job that I...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Marcia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Bookswagger Danielle: Three Crowns, swagger jacked, decent read. Soul harvesting was original and interesting and the author did a good job of explaining the process. However I felt there were holes in the story. Example the reason Nathanial even interfered in the first place was because she had no personal ties to get to heaven, mmmm hello what about her deceased parents? I also had a hard time with Chloe and Nathanial’s love it didn’t really build and I couldn’t tell if it was because their so...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Michelle (MsRomanticReads) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-netgalley, angels, book-cover-stud, july-2012, mythical, paranormal, romance, demons, 2012

Nathaniel fell from Heaven for covering up his brother's romantic involvement with a human woman. As his punishment, he not only lost his wings, but he was forced to work for Delphi (ruler of Hell), and he's known as the Weaver of Souls. He collects corrupted souls, which he then weaves into cloth to make wings for the other harvesters. Nice way to recycle. Nathaniel knows better than to break the rules, but when he witnesses a car accident, he's pulled to the scene by a soul so pure, he can't i...more
Nathaniel fell from Heaven for covering up his brother's romantic involvement with a human woman. As his punishment, he not only lost his wings, but he was forced to work for Delphi (ruler of Hell), and he's known as the Weaver of Souls. He collects corrupted souls, which he then weaves into cloth to make wings for the other harvesters. Nice way to recycle. Nathaniel knows better than to break the rules, but when he witnesses a car accident, he's pulled to the scene by a soul so pure, he can't ignore it. When his counterparts, angels, fail to heed the call and collect the dying woman's soul, it's because her soul has no (loving) ties. With no tether and no angels to escort her, her soul would linger or just be lost. He makes the split decision to save her by bonding a piece of his soul to hers, thus giving her a second chance to find love and build those ties. He doesn't realize that his seemingly selfless act will have far-reaching consequences for the both of them.

Chloe McCrea was supposed to die, but by a miracle, she lived. You'd think a near death experience would make anyone live the rest of their lives to the fullest. Not Chloe. Before her accident, she had always had social anxiety. Her accident only made her condition worse. Suffering from agoraphobia, she's holed herself up in the only place she feels safe – her apartment and her bookstore. And she's plagued by nightmares about a man she doesn't know. When Nathaniel shows up at her store nearly a year later offering his services as a handyman, she senses there's something a bit dangerous about him, but that doesn't stop her from succumbing to his charms. Just when she begins to live a little, death stares her down one more time. Will she be strong enough to escape fate one last time?

Soul Weaver is Book #1 in the Wicked Kin series, and my first read by author Hailey Edwards. The story got off to a good start, introducing Nathaniel and his struggle to do a job that he doesn't enjoy. The method of soul collecting was interesting and different from anything I've read thus far. We also get a good glimpse into his character – his devotion to his family and his tendency to play the martyr. Chloe was a mess. Not just because of her issues, but because she couldn't/wouldn't leave her home. I could only take so much about the running of a bookstore. I suppose it made a nice getaway for some Nathaniel/Chloe/Neve bonding, but I had hopes for a little bit more. I think I liked the secondary characters more than the hero and heroine. Neve was the yin to Chloe's yang. For a woman, who suffered at the hands of an abusive ex-husband, I thought Neve was surprisingly perky and forthcoming in her attempts to help Chloe with her love life. I liked Bran as well and often felt sorry for him and the way he was treated for being a Nephilim (half human, half angel). The villain of the story was so misguided, he was really creepy.

I can't say that I believed the falling in love part between Nathaniel and Chloe. When Nathaniel first encounters Chloe, he's drawn by her pure spirit, and finds her pretty (?). But there was no build-up to his growing attraction to her. What attracted a person like her to him? Was the soul bonding responsible or was it merely a catalyst to make him really “see” her? Then there were the changes in Chloe that just happened too quickly to be believable (considering she stayed a frightened woman for almost 80% of the book). But my most pressing question would have to be: The reason that angels didn't appear to take her soul at the very beginning was because she had no personal ties to loved ones. It begs the question “what about her deceased parents?” Do they not count?

All in all, I did like the story, and the story line has a lot of potential for an interesting and sensual series. Perhaps a few things weren't clear enough in this first in a series, but I would read the next book.

Thank you Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley for the ARC.

Disclaimer: A review in exchange for the ARC was not promised. The views and opinions expressed in this review are my own, and in no way represent the views or opinions of the publisher/distributor.(less)

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Jul 17, 2012 Alisha-Dear Constant Reader rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, netgalley

Soul Weaver has a nice plot for a romance. It is much in the same vein as the J.R. Ward's Fallen series.

In Soul Weaver, the fallen angel, Nathaniel is a harvester of evil souls. Cast out of Heaven for lying to cover for his brother's affair with a human, Nathaniel is the keeper of the Shears that he uses to weave soul cloth.

Nathaniel's world I turned upside down when he saves a human from death. Using his magical sewing skills, he binds her soul to his to keep her in her body until the paramed...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Chrystina rated it 3 of 5 stars

The idea of this book was really good, I just didn't connect with it the way that I'd like to. Don't get me wrong it wasn't a bad story, there were some parts that I really liked, it just wasn't as engaging as I'd like it to be.

Chloe is agoraphobic, and doesn't leave the house anymore since her car accident, in which unbeknownst to her Nathaniel saved her life. Their souls have formed a connection to one another, and she experiences Nathaniel's soul collecting in her dreams. While Chloe does se...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Natasja rated it 3 of 5 stars

Soul Weaver by Hailey Edwards is the first novel in the Wicked Kin Series. I read the book description of this book and I knew that this was something for me to read and it didn’t disappoint me.

Nathaniel was an archangel before he fell from Heaven for covering up his brother Saul’s forbidden love with a human woman. The punishment; losing his wings and work for the ruler of Hell, Delphi. Now Nathaniel is the Weaver of Souls and collects corrupted souls for Delphi. Nathaniel knows he cannot break...more Soul Weaver by Hailey Edwards is the first novel in the Wicked Kin Series. I read the book description of this book and I knew that this was something for me to read and it didn’t disappoint me.

Nathaniel was an archangel before he fell from Heaven for covering up his brother Saul’s forbidden love with a human woman. The punishment; losing his wings and work for the ruler of Hell, Delphi. Now Nathaniel is the Weaver of Souls and collects corrupted souls for Delphi. Nathaniel knows he cannot break the rules again; otherwise he will be ending in the pit of hell himself. But he cannot help himself when he accidentally is witness of a car accident and save a pure soul by bonding a piece of his own soul to hers and gives her a second chance in life.

Chloe McCrea is the woman who survived the tremendous car accident, which turned her life upside down. Since the accident she’s having nightmares and the fear to go outside her home and beloved bookstore gets worse by the day.. When she meets Nathaniel for the first time, she knows he is dangerous but that doesn’t stop the huge attraction towards him.

The moment Nathaniel realizes that his act to save Chloe that year ago, turns out the wrong way and marks her as his soul to collect he knows that he has to save her again, which means breaking the rules all over again.

I loved Chloe and Nathaniel, I believe they make a great couple and I’m definitely happy with the outcome at the end of the book. The only issue I had was the fear Chloe had for going outside, almost the whole book she was frightened but for some reason that disappeared at the end of the book. I would like to see a more smoothed way to overcome her fear.

Since this was my first read by Hailey Edwards I couldn’t compare this work to other books written by her. But I liked her writing and the way she created this world, it has potential for an interesting series. So I’m definitely going to check out the next novel in these fallen angels series. Because I cannot wait to read more about Reuel and Bran, they really need a book of their own.

I received this novel as an ARC, courtesy of NetGalley(less)

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Jul 17, 2012 Rie_dominique rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-novel, ada-di-rak-gw, best-friend, complicated-love, ebook, family, fiksi, love-the-cover, romance, netgalley, paranormal

ceritanya biasa-biasa saja, adegan uhuk2nya juga ga bikin kipas-kipas terus penjelasan mengenai Aeristitia dan Dis juga samar-samar. intinya Aeristitia itu surga, Dis itu neraka.

terlalu banyak nama tokoh keluar di buku ini sehingga saya curiga buku ini bakal dibikin seri. yah, kalaupun iya saya hanya berharap bukunya digarap lebih baik oleh pengarang.

75% buku saya baca dengan rasa bosan, tapi karena emang lagi mood paranormal maka nekad aja dilanjutin. baru terasa gregetnya pas cerita udah mau h...more

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Jul 12, 2012 Emmy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-for-review

Meet Nathaniel: soul collector, soul weaver... He just got finished with a job when he comes across a car accident.

Meet Chloe: bookstore owner, lives above in one of the apartments, never leaves the building. She was in an accident and ever since has horrible dreams about a stranger killing people. Her anxiety has gone off the charts and she really can't go past the deck of her building. She hires a lady named Neve who becomes a good friend and confidant to Chloe.

I can't really give you much mor...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Miss Amby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Hailey Edwards is an author with the ability to create captivating worlds and complex characters. She displays her talents again in Soul Weaver, and I found it difficult to put this book down. Edwards tells an intriguing and touching story about a girl and a fallen angel who have lost their way.

Soul Weaver is a unique take on the angels, demons, and afterlife ideas.I really enjoyed the thought of the demons coming up and taking care of the world's evil people instead of the demons' jobs being to...more Hailey Edwards is an author with the ability to create captivating worlds and complex characters. She displays her talents again in Soul Weaver, and I found it difficult to put this book down. Edwards tells an intriguing and touching story about a girl and a fallen angel who have lost their way.

Soul Weaver is a unique take on the angels, demons, and afterlife ideas.I really enjoyed the thought of the demons coming up and taking care of the world's evil people instead of the demons' jobs being to coax people into committing evil. I also liked how the idea of balance played into the story. If everything wasn't balanced, then there were a lot of problems. Edwards obviously played into a lot of different mythologies to create this world, and her efforts paid off. This world was uniquely enthralling, and I couldn't get enough of it.

Chloe was the leading heroine, and she wasn't the strong, fearless type. Instead, she had agoraphobia. However, I never fully believed the agoraphobia because she ran a bookstore where she had to deal with people. How could you deal with people, even in your own home/store, if you were scared of social interaction? It just didn't make sense. Another thing that didn't make sense was how quickly she attached herself to Neve and Nathaniel. These things made me feel like perhaps Chloe wasn't agoraphobic at all. I don't know a ton about agoraphobia, though, so I could be wrong. From what I understand, though, a person who has agoraphobia is scared of all human interaction. I don't think it's just a fear of leaving one's house. Again, I'm no psychologist, so anyone who knows more about this than I do, please feel free to chime in. Other than that, I liked Chloe. She was inherently good, and I enjoyed learning more about her.

I really liked Nathaniel, and I thought he made the perfect hero. He was also extremely self-aware for a guy, and I appreciated that. He was such a good character, but he'd been so tarnished by centuries of punishing evil-doers that he seemed to have forgotten that there was any good in the world. Chloe was able to remind him of that, and his reactions to her kindness were touching.

The POV was third person limited, and it switched between Nathaniel, Saul (Nathanial's brother), and Chloe. I liked getting the three different perspectives, and things flowed from one character to the next smoothly. The pacing was a bit rushed in spots, but overall, the story flowed nicely. The ending tied things up well, and I feel that Chloe's and Nathaniel's story has come to a close. I think that if this turns into a series, then Edwards may end up casting different characters for each installment, sort of like she does with her Daughters of Askara series, because the ending seemed final and complete.

Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves romance stories that lean more to the sweet side than the steamy side. There are some steamy scenes, but overall, this book is more a touching story of love than a sexy read. Also, if you like your romance stories for a plot, this book is for you. Edwards is a wonderful author, and whether you're a fan or newcomer to her work, you should give Soul Weaver a try.
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Aug 19, 2012 Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it 3 of 5 stars

The premise of this book intrigued me. Our hero is a fallen angel who now harvests the souls of the wicked. Nathaniel is constantly exposed to the very worst of humanity. It was only by chance that he happened upon the car accident destined to take Chloe's life. Even then, he had no inclination to interfere... until he saw the beauty of her soul as it tried to leave her body. A soul so bright should have been bound for heaven, but she had no ties of love to help her pass over. Unable to simply l...more The premise of this book intrigued me. Our hero is a fallen angel who now harvests the souls of the wicked. Nathaniel is constantly exposed to the very worst of humanity. It was only by chance that he happened upon the car accident destined to take Chloe's life. Even then, he had no inclination to interfere... until he saw the beauty of her soul as it tried to leave her body. A soul so bright should have been bound for heaven, but she had no ties of love to help her pass over. Unable to simply let her spirit fade to nothing, Nathaniel cuts out a piece of his own soul and ties it to hers, tethering her spirit to her body.

It's months before he sees her again. Unfortunately, his soul has darkened hers and now she is on his list of the damned. He can't let her suffer for his mistake, though. So he thinks to enter her life as a human, long enough to help her make connections to the people around her. That way, when she does have to die, her spirit can finally go where it deserves. The problem is that Chloe is agoraphobic and that keeps her cut off from other people.

When they come face to face, their soul connection kicks in right away. And the story follows their journey to love, while the clock ticks down to Chloe's inevitable death. There is much more to it: complications and secondary characters with supporting storylines. But the love story is the heart of the book. It's also where I was sadly underwhelmed.

Agoraphobia is a real mental illness and the concept of a main character with this problem is different. But it's not exciting. It's not sexy. Chloe came across as weak to me as I got to know her character. She needs her hand held constantly and she is utterly naive about the outside world. That makes it even more awkward when her relationship with Nathaniel advances at the speed of light. She loses her virginity to a guy she's known barely more than a week and the I Love You's are right around the corner. There wasn't even much sexual tension to speak of... just an acknowledgement of an attraction and her ever-present anxiety. The relationship fell flat, both in the sexual and the emotional realms.

Like I said, I liked the concept. And I thought the resolution was cool. But it wasn't enough to make this one a good read for me. If you want to give Hailey Edwards a try, I definitely recommend A Hint of Frost over this one.

Rating: C-

*ARC Provided by NetGalley(less)

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Jul 15, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, angels, dramatic-traumatic, magical, paranormal, psychic-connection-romance, read-in-2012, tattoos

This book started a little slow, but once it starts moving you better hold on to your seat! You will not want to put it down. Nathaniel was a very sympathetic figure, and remained that way throughout, however don’t make the mistake of pitying him, he is one big bad alpha hero willing to take care of business and get down and dirty to do it.

Chloe on the other hand seems a little pale in comparison especially in the beginning. Chloe definitely started to come into her own and towards the end yo...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, reviews

Nathaniel is a collector of souls. He witnesses a horrible accident. An accident that should have killed Chloe McCrea. But her plea - rips at this heart and he does the forbidden and saves her. A moment that marks her, essentially making her a target for demons.

Angel stories are quiet popular at the moment. Some I haven't enjoyed and others not so much. But with Soul Weaver, I loved it! The beginning was a bit slow for me. But ultimately the slow bits were worth it - to get to the heart of the s...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Bopopola rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have a like-dislike relationship with this book. Although I enjoyed a lot reading it, every time when I was about to open the file and read it, for some reason I grimaced at that. Maybe because 'Soul weaver' was interest at some points, but others I found myself going through the book without being caught up by the story... Reading like a zombie.

The storyline sometimes focused on the romance, but others also in the paranormal world created by the author. I think it was well done in both sides,...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Steph rated it 3 of 5 stars

3 1/2 stars

I can't claim this was technically an all together bad book. I can say it was just good enough for me not to stop half way through. But that's not saying much. The book provides nothing new to the genre. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've read a story like this one many times before. A higher being intervenes in the destiny of a mere mortal that he finds fascinating (in other words, a person he would like to do sexy times with). He saves her, they fall in love, yada yada yada.

Issues that...more

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Oct 09, 2012 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: betrayal, boss-employee-romance, dangerous-hero-addic-any-dangerous, genre-paranormal, series, tattoos, virgin, angels

When archangel Nathaniel makes a decision that could cost him his life as a soul weaver, he doesn’t understands why but he saves a woman’s soul who deserves a chance to live her life. Since Chloe’s accident she is haunted by dreams of people dying, not to mention the agoraphobic is dealing with frequent panic attacks and a lonely life.

Nathaniel realizes that he has done something no other has done, he has bonded with a human. Seeking out Chloe he realizes the impact of what he has done and the o...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Angela rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, reviewed-for-fiction-vixen, read-in-2012

*ARC provided by Netgalley
Review posted at http://www.fictionvixen.com/review-so...

After seeing the cover for Soul Weaver, which is a pretty gold with the typical half-naked man on front with plenty of moobage showing, I decided to read the blurb to see if this was the same old paranormal or maybe something new. The premise sounded interesting, a world of fallen angels who collect or harvest damned souls so that they can be used in hell. I like books about angels, although I'm of the opinion th...more *ARC provided by Netgalley
Review posted at http://www.fictionvixen.com/review-so...

After seeing the cover for Soul Weaver, which is a pretty gold with the typical half-naked man on front with plenty of moobage showing, I decided to read the blurb to see if this was the same old paranormal or maybe something new. The premise sounded interesting, a world of fallen angels who collect or harvest damned souls so that they can be used in hell. I like books about angels, although I'm of the opinion that they are becoming as over used as say... vampires and werewolves, so I decided to give this one a chance. I"m sorry to say I didn't enjoy this book as much as I hoped I would.

Nathaniel is the Soul Weaver, he harvests the souls of the damned, sends them to Hell, or Dis, and then once a month he weaves his fellow fallen angels new wings with them. After a retrieval one day he happens upon a car accident where he sees a young woman dying. When no angels show up to take her soul to heaven he decides to alter fate and weave a piece of his soul to hers to keep her alive a bit longer so that she has a chance to live. He doesn't realize that by doing this he has set events into motion that will mark her soul as damned and force him to collect it later on as a harvester.

Chloe lives her life in fear after her accident, she has crippling nightmares that force her to take anxiety medication and has turned her into a recluse. The only life she has consists of her house and her bookstore. In essence she's trapped. An agoraphobic that hires other people to do things like buy her groceries, get her prescriptions and mail her packages. She goes out on a limb and hires not only a desperate young woman to work in her bookstore, but also a handyman to help her make repairs to her shop. She doesn't realise that she is living on borrowed time and her time is almost up.

I never really connected with either Chloe or Nathaniel, and I also never found them believable as a couple. I have no idea what Nathaniel found so wonderful about Chloe. She was lonely and sad, yes she was traumatized by her accident and nightmares, but after finding out her background she seems to have been lonely and sad even before those events. Chloe was just blah for me. When Nathaniel comes to claim her soul and realizes she is the same woman from the accident he morphs into some kind of lover-boy stalker. Your guess is as good as mine as to the why. Why a woman who has to take anti-anxiety medicine to function on an everyday basis isn't at least a little concerned by this attention is baffling. In fact Nathaniel seems to be the only thing that doesn't cause Chloe some kind of anxiety, a woman who also is a virgin who has never even been kissed. It was just weird. Their sexy scenes where blah to me too, in fact that's my theme word for today: blah. Blah characters, blah action scenes and blah sexy times.

The bad guy turns out to be Nathaniel's own brother, who is trying to find a way to bring back his lost love and thinks that Nathaniel's weaving shears is the only way to do it. I really couldn't figure out Saul either. Even after her death he is still so in love with his wife that he is trying to find a way to bring her back, but he treats their son together, that she ADORED, like complete shit. Huh? Color me confused. When the confrontation happens Chloe, who has been a scared little rabbit the entire book, turns into a super woman who saves the day. She not only leaves the house with no anxiety what so ever, but all of a sudden knows how to read minds and travel through time rips. I have to say, by this time I just didn't really even care anymore.

The only character I really liked was Neve, the desperate young mother who Chloe hired to help in the bookstore. She was interesting, I almost wanted Nathaniel to turn his attention to her and help her with her issues. This world could have been more ppealing with better fleshed out characters, snappier dialouge and maybe set to a faster pace, but for me it was just.... blah.

Favorite Quote:

"You don't play fair." She sighed into his kiss.

"I don't play with you." His eyes sparkled beneath the tiny Christmas lights. "Everything about you, I take very seriously." Threading his fingers through her hair, he brought a handful of curls to his nose. "From the way you smell." His lips closed over hers a second time. "To the way you taste." His calloused hands rubbed her bare shoulders. "To the way you feel. All of it, all of you, mean too much for me to play games."
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Aug 13, 2012 Carlyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a really interesting take on the fallen angels story.
Nathaniel is a soul weaver, which means his main duty is to weave together souls to make wings for his fellow fallen angels who are harvesters. He also collects bad souls to go into the pits of hell but each time he does this the experience takes a little bit more from his own soul.
After he collects a soul one night he witnesses a car crash and is drawn to the purity of one of the souls involved. He decides to save her and weaves a b...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Book Chatter-Cath rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, to-read-review, review-to-come, reviewed

Reviewed on My Book Chatter http://mybookchatterchat.blogspot.com

This book sounds great and has all the elements that I look for in a great paranormal romance, but (IMO) failed in its execution.

The beginning was great and I was immediately interested in the story, and the last third kept me entertained but the large chunk in between was clunky and hard to read.

Filled with too many people to keep track of, jumping back and forth between story arcs, it just became a bit of a chore to read. And wit...more

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Jul 27, 2012 Scooper Speaks rated it 3 of 5 stars

Favorite Lines: "Sudden warmth ignited in his chest. "Do you feel that?" Love rushed through their bond until his head swam with the images she projected. "That's me, loving you with everything I've got. I told you, we're forever."" (p. 237, e-galley)

Soul Weaver is the newest addition to the angel/demon section of paranormal romance books. It's also book one in Hailey Edwards' Wicked Kin series.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I read the heroine was agoraphobic. It's kind of hard to accept that...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Mel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book, netgalley, angels, demons, pnr

Soul Weaver is the first book in the Wicked Kin series and the first book I've read by Hailey Edwards. The world that Ms. Edwards has created is a very interesting one and I really connected with the main character, Chloe. Soul Weaver sucked me in from the first chapter and I feel that the series has a lot of potential for development.

Chloe is a loner who lives above her family's bookstore and has no ties to anyone. She's lived with agoraphobia her whole life and never made friends or attended...more Soul Weaver is the first book in the Wicked Kin series and the first book I've read by Hailey Edwards. The world that Ms. Edwards has created is a very interesting one and I really connected with the main character, Chloe. Soul Weaver sucked me in from the first chapter and I feel that the series has a lot of potential for development.

Chloe is a loner who lives above her family's bookstore and has no ties to anyone. She's lived with agoraphobia her whole life and never made friends or attended school. Nathanial is a fallen angel who happens to be a soul weaver. He harvests the souls of people who have done despicable things and uses them to create wings for his fallen brethren. Nathanial doesn't like his job but he'll do what he must to protect Bran, his Nephilim nephew.

One night while out reaping souls, Nathanial came across a car accident. He is not allowed to interfere and should keep his distance but he feels drawn to the disaster. He discovers a dying girl whose soul is the brightest he's seen since he fell from grace. He expects his angelic brothers to come and take her soul but they don't. The girl has no ties and instead of moving on to heaven, her soul will be lost. Nathanial has seen atrocity-after-atrocity and can't live with her lost soul on his conscience. He decides to save her, knowing that he will be punished for the deed. Little did he know that by saving Chloe's soul from being lost that he ended up binding himself to her and damning her.

Though there wasn't a lot of action in Soul Weaver, it was an emotional read. Other than Nathanial's asshat brother, the characters were very likeable and the chemistry between the main characters was very believable and touching. I saw so much of myself in Chloe that at times it was kinda scary. Hailey Edwards really understands (whether from personal experience or from vast amounts of research) what it is like for a person who suffers from panic attacks and agoraphobia. These are issues that I don't recall ever reading about in the paranormal genre and it made for interesting conflict within not only Chloe but for her relationship with Nathanial as well. Living with mental illness, regardless of the type, is beyond difficult so kudos to Ms. Edwards for bringing those issues to light in a positive way and showing the world just how hard simply taking a step out of your comfort zone can be for some people.

Soul Weaver was a great beginning to a series I'm looking forward to getting more involved with. These aren't your typical fallen angels and Chloe now has to step way outside of her comfort zone if she and Nathanial want to find out who the big bad is. I look forward to reading book two and am very curious if the series will continue on from Chloe and Nathanial's POV or if it will be about someone else. (less)

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