Angel Arias (Night Creatures, #2)

Mar 30, 2012 Emily May rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-na, fantasy, 2011, boring

This second installment was a very disappointing sequel to an excellent and unique series opening in Burn Bright. Though it wasn't what I'd call dreadful, it just held none of the stuff that made the first book so exciting, dark, gritty and sexy. There's a general mood in Burn Bright that the author very cleverly builds up throughout, it's a mood that emphasises the dark, dingy world of the novel, but also creates a very sexual feel too.

I think part of this book's problem is that it is not set...more

19 likes · like · see review

Sep 25, 2011 Braiden rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was so ecstatic when Marianne asked if I would like an uncorrected manuscript of Angel Arias. I want to first say thank you to Marianne as well as the crew at Random House Australia for giving me the chance to read it in advanced. And now, from what I see so far… nobody has been disappointed in this sequel to Burn Bright. As Burn Bright is currently only available in Australia – for the moment at least – I am not going to go into too much detail about the plot of Angel Arias. It’s best that yo...more I was so ecstatic when Marianne asked if I would like an uncorrected manuscript of Angel Arias. I want to first say thank you to Marianne as well as the crew at Random House Australia for giving me the chance to read it in advanced. And now, from what I see so far… nobody has been disappointed in this sequel to Burn Bright. As Burn Bright is currently only available in Australia – for the moment at least – I am not going to go into too much detail about the plot of Angel Arias. It’s best that you get a copy of Burn Bright first and be wound up in this original and captivating story yourself.

Rather than being set predominantly on Ixion, the island of freedom and eternal pleasure like Burn Bright was, Angel Arias brings us back to Grave. We previously saw a glimpse of Grave at the beginning of Burn Bright, where Retra – now Naif – was escaping to Ixion to find her brother Joel. But this time, we are given the chance to see the environment, the restricted and controlled Seal Compound that Retra/Naif was raised in. She returns to try and discover if there’s a connection between what’s been happening on Ixion and her home island of Grave, and to ultimately save her friends and brother who are still on Ixion.

Naif continues to evolve. In Burn Bright, she transformed herself completely to fit in with everyone on Ixion, leaving behind her past. However, this time Naif solitarily questions Grave, its authorities, and her upbringing to uncover the realities and truths of her world – and of her life. On this journey we are introduced to many more new faces. There was one character in particular, Jarrold, that I really grew to admire. Most likely because he constantly risked his young life to help Naif. Also partly because I wish when I was at that age, that I was as adventurous, intelligent and bold as he was. We are also presented with a new type of creature, separate from the already known night creatures. These new creatures although initially mysteriously anonymous, and encountered with caution and uncertainty, developed into endearing allies despite of their physical features. Learning about the causes of how they came to be like that and got those physical attributes was fantastic. Marianne did a splendid job at introducing us to all these new characters, and weaved them into this plot flawlessly well.

I really want this world that Marianne de Pierres has conjured in the Night Creatures series to be known and shared by all. I hope soon that all of you – whether your American, British, Canadian, Indian, French, German, or even an inhabitant of the North Pole – get to experience this world as us Aussies have been lucky to be captivated in, and for some, twice already. Grave felt just as real as Ixion and you’ll be thrown into the story along with Naif to find the truth behind the truth. Angel Arias is a captivating sequel that outdoes its predecessor – well, for me at least.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

All I’m going to say for now until I do publish my review in a few weeks time, is that I loved it heaps more than Burn Bright if that’s possible. SO much more you learn about Grave/Seal and each society as a whole, old and new characters <3, and just all out pure greatness.

Got sent manuscript from Random House Australia and Marianne de Pierres. Full review published in a few weeks time. Look out for it!

Mark your calendars people as this is one book you don’t want to miss!(less)

14 likes · like · see review

Oct 12, 2011 Meghann (reading impulsively) marked it as to-read

:D

3 likes · like · see review

Oct 02, 2011 Lalaine ( Ficbookreviews ) rated it 5 of 5 stars

LALAINE'S FICBOOKREVIEWS

Ahhh, Marianne never ceases to impress me with her talent. If you havent read BURN BRIGHT yet, well go ahead and read it now!

This is the second installment of the Night Creatures series and it is kind of different from the first book(in a good way). So Naif-once named Retra, escaped the war in Ixion, together with Markes and Char and with the help of Lenoir- a Riper who rescued her- she was able to get to Ruzalia's airship. But her brother Clash, Dark Eve and Rollo were...more LALAINE'S FICBOOKREVIEWS

Ahhh, Marianne never ceases to impress me with her talent. If you havent read BURN BRIGHT yet, well go ahead and read it now!

This is the second installment of the Night Creatures series and it is kind of different from the first book(in a good way). So Naif-once named Retra, escaped the war in Ixion, together with Markes and Char and with the help of Lenoir- a Riper who rescued her- she was able to get to Ruzalia's airship. But her brother Clash, Dark Eve and Rollo were left behind in Ixion where a war between the Ripers and the rebels are happening. Naif also found out something horrible back at Ixion, and she needed answers, to save the youngs from premature deaths and being eaten so she went to go back to Grave, the place where she came from before Ixion, the place where a Ripers have been seen talking to the Elders. Will truth be revealed? Will Naif find the answers in Grave before its too late?

Having to be able to experience this adventure of Naif was overwhelming, I feared for her life while trying to escape her way out from those horrible hounds and wards, doubted her new found friends, thrilled with her feelings toward Markes, though I kind of wish it was Rollo or Lenoir, I think Markes will just break her heart in the end I don't know. Seeing him with Emilia made my heart ache for Retra.

Anyway, about Naif's romance, it's still floating or atleast thats what I think, this book is more focused on her mission to get an answers and trying to survive from being caught by the Elders and being on time to get to their meeting place with Ruzalia. So expect a lot of heart-stopping, jittery moments.

Again, I loved Naif/Retra's traits, she really transformed from a shy ignorant Seal girl to a something! And poor Liam, he is a sweetie pie, I really do hope that Suki is still alive! What else can I say, I just totally loved it, I cannot wait for the third book to come out! And this time I'm sure she'll be back to Ixion and then there's gonna be Naif, kicking someone's asses! But sadly it's going to be the last installment, the title is Blaze Dark out on 2012. I cant wait!

A daring, remarkable story that made me want to be with Naif and her friends into this far-out world Marianne have created! I want more of Retra/Naif!

*Special thanks to Dorothy of RandomHouse Australia for sending me a copy of Angel Arias! (less)

1 like · like · see review

Oct 26, 2011 Stacey (Sassy Book Lovers) rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was one of the lucky few who recieved an advance copy to review from the Publishing company Random House Australia (thank you Dorothy.) When I recieved it, I was jumping up and down in such excitement. After reading Burn Bright, I'd been looking forward to the next installment for awhile. Yay!!

WOW! My mind has literally been blown, I just love these books! First we were taken on such an out of this world adventure in Burn Bright. And now Marianne has done it again with another truly magnificen...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 23, 2012 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Cover:

If you've already read my review of Burn Bright, the first book in the Night Creatures series, you know that I think these covers are pieces of art!

I couldn't imagine how much work went into these!

Story Line:

Before I start this review officially, I just want to inform you that this book is the SECOND PART to a SERIES! So if you haven't read the first book, but plan to soon, please be cautious of my spoiler warnings; I don't want to ruin everything for you!

After running away from Seal, to...more

like · see review

Jul 02, 2012 Navdha rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ilovethecoveromg, not-very-happy, should-i-even-bother

I had thought that I would like the book and give it 3 stars and even now I’m tempted to say that it was good but it really wasn’t. It just didn’t do it for me.

Burn Bright held so much promise. When I had read the summary for that book I had thought that, “Yes, this is the book for me.” I’m a big fan of dystopian novels and books with an entirely new world. Books are like my time-travel machine; well, not just a time-machine. They are more than that. Books are like my worm-hole to different uni...more I had thought that I would like the book and give it 3 stars and even now I’m tempted to say that it was good but it really wasn’t. It just didn’t do it for me.

Burn Bright held so much promise. When I had read the summary for that book I had thought that, “Yes, this is the book for me.” I’m a big fan of dystopian novels and books with an entirely new world. Books are like my time-travel machine; well, not just a time-machine. They are more than that. Books are like my worm-hole to different universes. They carry me to a world that’s entirely different than the one I’m living in. This book seemed like a conduit to this amazing new world of Ixion at the beginning. I liked Burn Bright better than Angel Arias cause even though I did not understand most of the things about Ripers or Elders or Night Creatures or Ixion, I liked the world building and the plot was good.

Angel Arias was like Fever by Lauren DeStefano in terms of all the running around and the pacing. Although it wasn’t boring at all. I mean, when a book is fast paced and when you finish it within 5 hours and less just because you couldn’t put it down has to count for something, right? The plot wasn’t the problem. In Burn Bright, we came to know all about Ixion and Ripers and found out that Ripers are nothing but really advanced Night Creatures that have survived for thousands of years by feeding on young people. In this book, we get to know more about Ruzalia and her safe-house. We find out more about Grave and meet a lot of new characters and find out about old cities and bridges and hidden routes but even all this wasn’t enough. The constant threat of death hanging above Naif, Markes and Char and then all the running around and hiding in cold, damp places that stank became regressive. There was some action in the last book but in this, it was just hiding from the wardens over and over and over.
I found the concept of Liam and Gwen and other malformed human/night-creatures repulsive as well as intriguing. Also, Lenoir being the one to send them to Grave to spy for him left me confused. All this then led to me being angry. Angry over the fact that the author still did not feel the need to explain things to us even when we were done with the second book in the trilogy. The small bit of information that was given in the last chapter didn’t seem enough. Also, there is only a chapter dedicated to Lenoir and what’s happening in Ixion. It could have been elaborated a little.

There was improvement in Naif’s as well as Markes’ character. But the new characters were just…flat. Jorrdan seemed interesting and I felt pity for Liam but Liam must have been the cleverest and bravest among the lot. Also, I was disgusted by Em and Jorrdan’s father. That slimy piece of shit! However, I still can’t find anything about the story that I particularly liked or feel too much empathy towards any character.

I wanted to know more about the Golden Spiral and how the Night Creatures came to existence or what had happened to their land or wherever they came from. I wanted to know more about how Ixion came into being, how Elders and Ripers made that deal, or from where Ruzalia had come and about other lands and places from where all the adolescents were attracted to Ixion. I don’t know if I’ll get the answers in the final book of the trilogy but if I don’t them I’m going to be very angry and pissed. This book, in fact this entire series has a lot of potential but the author isn’t touching so many topics that could be explored and I’m very disappointed.

Oh and being the critic that I am, I couldn't leave the review without pointing out an error I noted. In the beginning of the 20th chapter, Naif is mentioned as Retra in one line. Busted! :P

My rating: 2.5 stars; only because I have not given up on this series yet. I want to know how it all ends. Also, if there is going to be a love triangle in the last book which seems highly likely I’m going to cut down a star from the last book.
(less)

like · see review

Jun 12, 2012 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia, young-adult, british-or-aussie-au

Upon finishing Burn Bright, I took the time to look at the authors page and realized "She's Australian!" So, I ran into a little trouble getting my hands on this book because Amazon did not seem to like my location. But, the internet rewards those who read, in the end.

Although I think I liked the first novel in the series a little better, I still loved Angel Arias. I think Marianne de Pierres has a gift of combining the action, mystery, and YA appeal, while still keeping all the characters sane,...more

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 13, 2012 Larissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

Naif has spent her whole life following the rules, restricted in her thoughts and actions. All that changed however during her stay on Ixion, she changed, but she was not the only one. Not only had she discovered freedom on Ixion, she had discovered a horrifying secret. But to uncover its meaning she first has to discover the link that exists between Ixion and Grave. Only then will she find the truth behind the Night Creatures.

Torn between a her greatest fear and a desire to save those she loves...more

like · see review

Mar 13, 2012 Tsana Dolichva rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally posted here: http://tsanasreads.tumblr.com/post/19...

Angel Arias picks up soon after Burn Bright left off. Retra, now calling herself Naif, scratched the surface of her world in Burn Bright and what she saw wasn’t quite what she expected. Now, she is determined to find out what’s going on and why.

I started reading Angel Arias about a year after I read Burn Bright and it took a little while for me to catch up with what was happening (mostly, I’d forgotten everyone’s names, so there wer...more Originally posted here: http://tsanasreads.tumblr.com/post/19...

Angel Arias picks up soon after Burn Bright left off. Retra, now calling herself Naif, scratched the surface of her world in Burn Bright and what she saw wasn’t quite what she expected. Now, she is determined to find out what’s going on and why.

I started reading Angel Arias about a year after I read Burn Bright and it took a little while for me to catch up with what was happening (mostly, I’d forgotten everyone’s names, so there were a few confused chapters in which I had to relearn who was who). There’s not many words wasted on introduction, so I recommend not waiting too long between books. (And the ending to Burn Bright should encourage you to pick up the next book quickly anyway.)

Angel Arias has more prolonged action than the first book and sort of less mystery. What I mean is, for most of the book, the same mysteries (about the world and about some the characters’ motivations) remain and the story focuses more on what I would loosely term an adventure. Some new characters are introduced and a vague (and non-YA-standard — Naif isn’t the apex) love triangle is set up.

I found the action portions of the novel (that is to say, all of it) well paced; it certainly had me turning the page and wondering who would get to the end of it unscathed. I was surprised at how much of the truth (probably) we learnt about the world by the end. I was expecting more mysteries to remain undiscovered until book three. That made it feel a little bit like Angel Arias was filling the gap between books one and three without spending quite as much time dwelling on the issues of identity and pleasure which were central to Burn Bright. On the other hand, that makes me hopeful that perhaps some of the other questions subtly hinted at in Angel Arias will be central to book three. I look forward to spending more time in the world.

I enjoyed Angel Arias but strongly recommend reading it after Burn Bright and not as a standalone. Book three, possibly called Blaze Dark, will hopefully be out by the end of the year (official release date TBC).(less)

like · see review

Nov 06, 2011 Adrielle Pottle rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have been anticipating the release of this book for, oh I don't know, just under a year. Boy oh boy was it worth the wait! This series is so different to anything on the current market that I just inhale it. I read thee book in a day and did not want to put it down. The first book in the series, Burn Bright, was very good but 'angel arias' is great in terms of plot and character development. It has the wow factor that many YA books are lacking at the moment (for me anyway).

I missed Lenoir in t...more

like · see review

Jul 04, 2012 Ioana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia, loved-it, my-reviews, young-adult, urban-fantasy

Not as riveting as the first book, but still bloody brilliant.
I kinda missed the island, the dark, eerie atmosphere of it.

In this second installment Retra/Naif goes back home to Grave in order to find out more about the connection of the Elders yo the Ripers and who's supplying Ruzalia's people with beads(pills).
Markes goes with her and we find out more about him and his life before he reached Ixion.
I hoped to see more of Rollo and Suki, but sadly that doesn't happen.
I did like the way Naif gr...more

like · see review

Dec 02, 2011 Karen Brooks rated it 5 of 5 stars

The sequel to Burn Bright, Angel Arias, continues where Naif's adventures ended in the last novel: with her escape from Ixion. But leaving Ixion has not been easy for Naïf. Not only has she left behind her friend, Suki and her brother, but the Riper Lenoir as well. Their blood bond makes the distance between them more than a physical wrench. Knowing Ixion is on the cusp of rebellion and that the answers to all the questions surrounding the Night Creatures, the Ripers and the disenchanted young r...more

like · see review

Nov 05, 2012 Mandee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-release, aussie, aussieya2012, aww2012, dystopian, fantasy, female-pov, i-have-a-copy, paranormal, random-house, ya-lit, review-on-the-blog

Angel Arias by Marianne de Pierres is the sequel to Burn Bright (my review). The blurb does a good job of summing up the book (although it might be a bit spoilery to those who are yet to read BB).

While I enjoyed Burn Bright, I enjoyed Angel Arias a lot more, but I wasn't surprised because I often enjoy sequels because all the world building was done in the previous book and it’s much easier to return to a world I've already visited. The story picks up right where Burn Bright finished, Naif has e...more Angel Arias by Marianne de Pierres is the sequel to Burn Bright (my review). The blurb does a good job of summing up the book (although it might be a bit spoilery to those who are yet to read BB).

While I enjoyed Burn Bright, I enjoyed Angel Arias a lot more, but I wasn't surprised because I often enjoy sequels because all the world building was done in the previous book and it’s much easier to return to a world I've already visited. The story picks up right where Burn Bright finished, Naif has escaped Ixion leaving behind Lenoir and friends. She wants to return to Grave and find out what the Elders have to do with Ixion and the Night Creatures.

Naif is such a fantastic lead character, despite being raised to be quiet and passive, she has really broken free of her former life and is now brave, kind, and determined. I was pleased to see Markes again and was eager for something more to develop between them, despite Naif's connection to Lenoir. Speaking of Lenoir, we are treated to a prologue from his perspective as well as a chapter towards the end of the book. I really liked the chance to find out his thoughts and feelings and was glad that Naif had him looking out for her.

The story is action-packed with sinister undertones and this had me on the edge of my seat while reading. The world of Ixion and Grave is not a place I’d ever want to visit as there are so many horrible aspects but I could understand Naif's need to protect her friends and do whatever was necessary.

Being a middle book often means a lot of to-ing and fro-ing but not much plot progression but I was happy with the developments in this story. Re-visiting Grave introduced new characters as well as new information and the ending has me very eager to read book three, Shine Light.

Fans of Burn Bright will love the continuation of Naif’s story in Angel Arias, the mood is still dark, ominous and creepy will plenty of action to keep readers engaged and an ending that will have you keen for the final book.
(less)

like · see review

Oct 01, 2011 Skye rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie-ya

This review is also posted on my blog, In The Good Books.

Naif, as Retra is rechristened in Burn Bright, needs to return to Grave, her first home. Soon after arriving in Ixion, she became entangled in the underground mysteries and evils of the place full of those in pursuit of pleasure. Through revisiting her past, she hopes to save her future.

The second book in the Night Creatures trilogy holds onto what was so intoxicating about Burn Bright: the atmosphere. It perhaps even enhances it. It furth...more This review is also posted on my blog, In The Good Books.

Naif, as Retra is rechristened in Burn Bright, needs to return to Grave, her first home. Soon after arriving in Ixion, she became entangled in the underground mysteries and evils of the place full of those in pursuit of pleasure. Through revisiting her past, she hopes to save her future.

The second book in the Night Creatures trilogy holds onto what was so intoxicating about Burn Bright: the atmosphere. It perhaps even enhances it. It furthers the overall trilogy's plot arc but still presents its own storyline. The characters continue to develop, and new ones are introduced. Angel Arias pulls off The Middle Book perfectly.

The setting was expertly created with an inherent gothic mood to it. I wouldn't call it dystopian, but more fantasy. Just not the kind of fantasy realm you'd want to be caught in. Marianne created an atmospheric world, creepy and

The plot was engaging in its unpredictable nature. The world and people presented in the Night Creatures series are so foreign to us that it's difficult at best to see what's coming. I also found myself pausing to admire the way Marianne didn't shy away from the difficult elements necessary for the terrifying setting. She had the courage to push her characters to the limit as well, which only furthered her brilliant characterisation.

Even through third person narrative, Naif doesn't feel too distant from us. She's often conflicted and develops and changes so much, but her personality is still captured clearly in the narrative voice. The perspective switches very occasionally to other characters not present with Naif, and though these interludes give insight into what's happening elsewhere, they feel like an awkward blip in the smooth storytelling.

The conclusion felt hard-earned by our characters, and wound down in perfect place to rest between adventures. I was definitely more satisfied by the conclusion than I was for Burn Bright, this time ending in a slightly calmer state. Without a cliffhanger, and I'm even more eager for the next installment.

Burn Bright was a chilling and twisting tale of a world fallen into almost unimaginable decay and strong characters working to pick it back up again. Atmospheric and intoxicating, I recommend it for fans of darker paranormals and dystopias.

I give Angel Arias a 4 out of 5.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Nov 21, 2012 Shaheen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: random-house-au, favorites, aww2012

Not many sequels surpass the original work, but Angel Arias achieves this gargantuan feat with relative ease: it’s just as eerie and beautiful as Burn Bright, but quickly becomes a darker and edgier tale – one that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Naif’s growth is the most striking aspect of this book for me, because her return to the Grave could have easily allowed her to slip back into being the passive Retra, but she steels herself and brings Naif into her old world and comes out a lot stronger for it. I...more Not many sequels surpass the original work, but Angel Arias achieves this gargantuan feat with relative ease: it’s just as eerie and beautiful as Burn Bright, but quickly becomes a darker and edgier tale – one that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Naif’s growth is the most striking aspect of this book for me, because her return to the Grave could have easily allowed her to slip back into being the passive Retra, but she steels herself and brings Naif into her old world and comes out a lot stronger for it. I think that the way that Naif deals with being back in the Grave’s oppressive environment and seeing the consequences of her decision to run away to Ixion reveals the strength of her character. Markes helps Naif in this journey a lot and we get to see a stronger, more confident side of him that was lost within the splendour of Ixion. I really hope there is a happy ending in the next book for them both!

The new characters in this book are wonderful and provide an excellent counterpoint to Markes and Naif – Liam is especially endearing (and creepy, yes) and I love Jarrold. I’m not sure about some of the other characters, but I think that has more to do with Naif’s biases than my impressions of them. However, no one can replace Suki’s vivacity and Rollo’s good naturedness, and I keenly felt their absences right along side Naif. Her bond to Lenoir allows readers to glimpse what is happening back at Ixion, but nothing is clear and I am looking forward to getting back to the island in Shine Light.

I had not expected this book to be quite as action-packed as it is, since Burn Bright was filled with descriptions of the wonder and splendour of Ixion and only ramps up at the end. Angel Arias is thrilling from the get go, and with everything progressing so quickly I forgot that the book only spans a few days, until the very end. It has answered a lot of the questions raised in Burn Bright, but has offered up many more for readers to contemplate before reading Shine Light.

Engaging, thrilling and dark, Angel Arias offers us a wider glimpse into the world of the Night Creatures and is a must read for fans of Burn Bright. I am thoroughly enjoying this series and I think if you’re not already reading it, then what on earth are you waiting for? Hop to it: the third book is out already and now there is really no excuse!

You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic .(less)

1 like · like · see review

Sep 17, 2011 A.K. Wrox rated it 5 of 5 stars

(Kylie) As if the world-building in Burn Bright wasn't enough, Marianne de Pierres has managed to go one better with its sequel, Angel Arias.
The saga continues, and as they say in the classics; the plot thickens. A new host of characters brings a new dimension to the story and, as always, each one is fully formed and intensely interesting.
Transported from the world we'd grown to love, Ixion, to Ruzalia's island and then to Grave, the world-building is second to none - each is alive and complete...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 29, 2011 Bron rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: australian-author, ripers

What a ride! This is an exciting story with non -stop action and a mystery to dig into! The wait for the 3rd book is going to be excruciating!

Angel Arias is an exciting 2nd novel to the Night Creatures trilogy! It is full of action from the beginning to the end, but carries with it the feel of a book in waiting. In Burn Bright we learnt all about Ixion and the ripers and what is happening to the human teenagers that go there. This book is after Naife's rescue, and she has been with Ruzalia for a...more

like · see review

Oct 19, 2012 Nina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This wasn't horrible, but compared to the first, it was not as brilliant. I did enjoy seeing my favourite characters again, however momentarily. I enjoyed hating Markes all over again and I really wanted to see more of Lenoir, Rollo, Suki. I really liked the characters, especially Naif (though I really liked her personality change in the first one, better than this one), Rollo, Lenoir, Jerrold.
What I was a little disappointed about was the plot. Now, it wasn't bad. But it wasn't outstanding eit...more This wasn't horrible, but compared to the first, it was not as brilliant. I did enjoy seeing my favourite characters again, however momentarily. I enjoyed hating Markes all over again and I really wanted to see more of Lenoir, Rollo, Suki. I really liked the characters, especially Naif (though I really liked her personality change in the first one, better than this one), Rollo, Lenoir, Jerrold.
What I was a little disappointed about was the plot. Now, it wasn't bad. But it wasn't outstanding either. Burn Bright had smexiness. It had darkness and mystery. Angel Arias doesn't have that dark glitter and I was disappointed. But in saying that I still read through it, which meant, compared to some other sequels I know of, it was still pretty damn good. It's still good in the sense that there is action and hidden motives, even without the glitter, it still shines with enough light to make me crave even more the next book - Shine Light - which I can not wait to read. I definitely want to know how it ends.
I am strangely really interested in Lenoir as a character and possible love interest for Naif. I'm actually quite surprised by the lack of romance. I actually prefer it. I like the focus on the other events, and I like that the lack of in this novel means that there's enough tension present for the next one. I really don't like Markes. It's like he's being presented as this innocent nice guy yet what he does is always so assholish, yet from the writing, you just don't get the feeling that Naif cares that he acts in such a way. Naif, for heavens sake, please do not get together with Markes in the next one, unless I am presented with a really, really, really good reason, or by some miracle Markes happens to choose Naif over his other two ladies, then I will crack the shits. Man, I really am getting worked up about this little mess. Wow.
Well, whatever, Lenoir is much more interesting character than Markes. Markes next to him is a pale imitation of someone fascinating. I'm actually quite interested in Pierres's decision to create Markes as a character who's, well, the non-masculine of masculine heroes. Ugh, does that make sense? No, what I mean is that he's not like the other males who placed opposite the main female protagonist. He's kind of wimpy, kind of normal, kind of likable yet unlikable. He's not brooding or dark or angst. Which is why despite the fact that I might not like him, I still cannot help but like him.
(OH yeah, I really love the covers for these books, especially Burn Bright, I think it's really creative, and attractive all in one)(less)

1 like · like · see review

Apr 23, 2012 Paula Weston rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, young-adult

What a brilliant second instalment of the Night Creatures series. But so stressful! This is such an intense book because Naif spends pretty much all of it on the run, but the pay-off is that we find out more about what's really going on on Ixion, and the forbidden island's relationship with Grave. (And it's so much more complex than I saw coming, which I loved.)

The feel this time around is even darker, and we get more of a look of what life is like on Grave. There were quite a few moments where...more

like · see review

Nov 06, 2011 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was definitely better than the first book, which had be bored to tears and i dreaded reading it and starting this one. But i was surprised at how much better the writing was for this one, i found it interesting and wanted to finish it as quick as possible.
The downside to this and why it got 3 stars for me was, it felt like one big drawn out hide and seek. Nothing much happens in the book. Naif pretty much was just trying to get away from being discovered by the wardens the whole time then t...more

like · see review

Feb 04, 2012 Alicia Papp rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourites

In this, the second book in the Night Creature series, Naif (formerly known as Retra) has escaped death on the party island of Ixion. She was rescued by the pirate Ruzalia, but wouldn't have survived Ixion without the help of the mysterious, beautiful but sinister 'Riper' Lenoir, to whom she was bonded.
Whilst on Ixion, Naif learnt that the young people (and only young people are allowed on Ixion), had escaped the extreme conservatism of their previous homes, only to have their life-span cut shor...more

like · see review

Dec 22, 2012 Ju Transcendancing rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: awesome-female-protagonist, awwc-2012, owned-dead-tree-editions

So much more is discovered and revealed in this second book, but it's hard not to miss and wonder what is happening on Ixion as Naif returns to Grave. Character dynamics grow and shift and change in this book, they're still really engaging and by the end of the book you wonder how the story can possibly be resolved. The mood and tone of this book are different and a little more conventionally 'questy' than the first book, but this makes sense as the change in setting *should* have a significant...more

like · see review

Jan 08, 2012 Lauredhel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: australian-women-writers-challenge, a2z

That's book 5 down in the AWWC! Halfway there. (Well, slightly more than halfway, as I've reviewed three and only need to review a minimum of four.)

I found this better than the first instalment - three and a half stars, really, and I suspect that if you're more the intended audience you might rate it higher. After some patches near the beginning that I found were a little clichéd/under-written, the central action of the book rolled along well. I really liked the imagery of city built on a forgot...more

like · see review

Jan 30, 2013 Crina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, reviews

I couldn`t get my hands on this book fas enough and I couldn`t wait to read it to see just what will happen next to Lenoir, Naif, her brother and all the others.
Tu say the truth, I was a little dissapointed by this book. The writting stay`s the same, the action is a little slower than in the first book but what irked me is Naif`s obssesion with Markes. I know Lenoir is like a vampir and all but MArkes really infuriates me because of his obvious stupidity. He doesn`t know what he feels neither fo...more

like · see review

Feb 24, 2012 Shiku rated it 2 of 5 stars

Naif, Charlonge und Markes konnten Ixion entfliehen und haben vorerst Unterschlupf bei der Piratin Ruzalia gefunden. Doch auch dort ist es nicht sicher. Zwar rettet diese die Leute vor dem Tod in Ixion, aber ihre Zeit läuft trotzdem davon - früher oder später verlangen die Manipulationen, die bei der Ankunft in Ixion vorgenommen werden, ihre Opfer. Nicht jeder ist dankbar und der Zorn richtet sich auch auf die drei Freunde, die Ruzalia näher stehen zu scheinen. Ohnehin kann Naif nicht lange blei...more Naif, Charlonge und Markes konnten Ixion entfliehen und haben vorerst Unterschlupf bei der Piratin Ruzalia gefunden. Doch auch dort ist es nicht sicher. Zwar rettet diese die Leute vor dem Tod in Ixion, aber ihre Zeit läuft trotzdem davon - früher oder später verlangen die Manipulationen, die bei der Ankunft in Ixion vorgenommen werden, ihre Opfer. Nicht jeder ist dankbar und der Zorn richtet sich auch auf die drei Freunde, die Ruzalia näher stehen zu scheinen. Ohnehin kann Naif nicht lange bleiben - sie ist fest entschlossen, nach Grave zu kommen und herauszufinden, welche Geschäfte die Riper und die Elder verbindet - trotz der Gefahr, die ihr auch dort droht.

Okay, was war das jetzt? Ich hatte ja schon mit Band 1 meine Probleme, hoffte aber, dass Band 2 ein bisschen was wieder gutmachen kann – Pustekuchen. „Angel Arias“ hat mich hauptsächlich geärgert, aber warum? Nun, ich werd’s euch gerne verraten:

Fangen wir einfach mal mit dem größten Ärgernis an: Mir fehlte es ein bisschen an Logik beziehungsweise gesundem Menschenverstand. Nur um die Basis abzuklären: Naif hat zwei Tage in Grave Zeit, um einige Dinge zu klären, für die dieser Zeitraum eigentlich ziemlich gering ist – zumindest wenn man herkömmlich nach Spuren und Hinweisen sucht und dabei untergetaucht bleiben muss, weil man sonst weggesperrt wird. Zwei Tage sind also an sich schon verdammt knapp und unsere „Helden“ haben nichts Besseres zu tun, als zimperlich zu sein (die Situation ist verdammt ernst, Leute, da ist kein Platz für sowas!) und gleich mal den ersten Tag beinahe komplett zu verplempern. Dass der zweite Tag wirklich sinnvoll genutzt wird, davon kann auch nicht immer die Rede sein. Genauso wenig kann ich behaupten, dass Naif nach den Antworten sucht, die sie finden will – im Grunde weist jemand anders sie zu den richtigen Leuten, die ihr praktischerweise den richtigen Ort mitteilen können, an dem sie die richtigen Informationen erhält und zufälligerweise findet dieses Treffen noch innerhalb der Zeitspanne statt, die sie haben. Klingt langweilig? Ist es auch.
Lustigerweise ist es ausgerechnet Naif, die später anderen sagt, sie sollen nicht so trödeln oder zimperlich sein. Vielleicht hat sie ja doch auch ihren Fehlern gelernt. Andererseits: Wer im Glashaus sitzt, sollte nicht mit Steinen schmeißen, oder?

Mein persönlicher Störfaktor Nummer 2 ist Markes, von dem ich nicht einmal mehr weiß, welche Haarfarbe er hat oder ob so ein Detail jemals erwähnt wurde. Nicht dass ich etwas gegen ihn persönlich hätte – nun, eigentlich schon –, mich ärgert vielmehr Naifs plötzliches Interesse an ihm. Ich meine damit nicht mal, dass es mir unverständlich ist, wie man jemanden, der so feige ist, auch nur ansatzweise interessant finden kann. Der Kerl würde wenn möglich seine Freunde allein auf eine gefährliche Reise gehen lassen, hält durchaus wichtige Informationen zurück, was andere in ziemliche Gefahr bringen kann und sein Grund, nach Ixion zu gehen, hat endgültig dafür gesorgt, ihn gedanklich in die Kategorie der A….löcher einzuordnen.
Aber gut. Sie realisiert das alles zwar, aber wenn sie das nicht stört … Man kann in ihren Augen ja auch ruhig mal kostbare Zeit verstreichen lassen. Was soll’s. Ich frage mich aber, woher das Ganze auf einmal kam. Ja, sie war in Band 1 ein bisschen an ihm interessiert, aber auch nicht so sehr, dass ich es als Verliebtheit wahrgenommen hätte. Lenoir war da beispielsweise sehr viel präsenter. Hier aber kriegt sie regelrechte Eifersuchtsanwandlungen, wenn sich andere Mädchen um ihn kümmern – das wäre durchaus verständlich, wenn ihre Gefühle von Anfang an Sinn machen würden. Es wirkte vielmehr wie das typische „Er ist der einzige Mann in der Nähe, also ist er jetzt einfach mal mein Erwählter“. Das hilft der Geschichte aber auch nicht weiter!

Aber genug gemeckert, „Angel Arias“ hatte ja nicht nur schlechte Aspekte, wenn auch genügend. Die Autorin führt ein paar neue Charaktere ein, von denen einige auch ziemlich interessant und liebenswürdig sind, so zum Beispiel Liam, der mit seinen ganz eigenen Problemen kämpfen muss, oder Jarrold, mit dem man ganz sicher so einige Abenteuer erleben könnte.
Genauso gibt es neue Informationen, auch wenn die Welt noch lange nicht so „dicht“ ist, wie ich mir das wünschen würde. Allerdings gibt’s genügend Input bezüglich einer recht großen Intrige, die im zweiten Band natürlich nicht weiter behandelt wird, sonder dann erst im 3. Band wirklich Wurzeln schlagen kann. Ich persönlich hoffe ja, dass auch die Riper dann endlich nicht nur näher, sondern nah beleuchtet werden; bisher wird man nur mit kleinen Informationen angefüttert.
Diese gibt es übrigens nicht von Naif, sondern teilweise von Lenoir selber, der seine eigenen Kapitel bekommt, damit wenigsten ein bisschen von dem mitgeteilt werden kann, was in Ixion vor sich geht. Diese waren definitiv die interessantesten Kapitel des Buches, die mir richtig Spaß gemacht haben. Zu dumm nur, dass es nur zwei davon gibt.

Insgesamt reicht das wirklich nicht aus, um die zuvor angesprochenen, großen Kritikpunkte wieder auszumerzen. Und da kann eine Geschichte noch so angenehm geschrieben sein – wenn ich mich ständig über die Protagonistin ärgern muss, dann wird das nichts, so sehr ich mir das auch gewünscht hätte.

Man sollte Naif demnächst vernünftig denken lassen, bevor sie etwas macht, dann wird der nächste Band vielleicht auch ein bisschen spannender. Mehr Informationen können auch nicht schaden, aber immerhin kam dieser Punkt nicht allzu kurz im zweiten Band.
Bei Band 3 werd ich wohl erst mal ein paar Rezensionen abwarten – wenn alle begeistert sind, lohnt es sich vielleicht doch noch ein bisschen, neugierig bin ich ja schon, wie sich alles auflöst. Wenn nicht, dann war’s das hiermit mit mir und der Night-Creatures-Reihe.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Apr 09, 2012 Amanda Croley rated it 3 of 5 stars

Angel Arias for me wasn't as good as the first book. It's been a while since I read that one, and I couldn't remember who was who, and what all was going on. Naif is bonded with Lenoir after he saves her from the night creature Leyeste. He kills his own kind to protect her, and sends her off with the pirate Ruzzalia. She is determined to go back to Grave to find out what the connection is between the elders, and the Ripers.

*** Spoilers / Recap***

Markes goes back with her, b/c he has connections...more

like · see review

Oct 23, 2012 Candace (Lovey Dovey Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Angel Arias takes fans of Marianne de Pierres’s Night Creatures Series one step closer to the end. Burn Bright was a dark, fantastic opening for the series and Angel Arias follows with all of de Pierres’s sinuous style and flair for world-building. Retra, now called Naif, is determined to discover the secrets that bind together the mysterious island of Ixion and the home she ran from – Grave. Since leaving Ixion with the pirate Ruzalia, Naif’s been unsuccessful in convincing her to take her to G...more Angel Arias takes fans of Marianne de Pierres’s Night Creatures Series one step closer to the end. Burn Bright was a dark, fantastic opening for the series and Angel Arias follows with all of de Pierres’s sinuous style and flair for world-building. Retra, now called Naif, is determined to discover the secrets that bind together the mysterious island of Ixion and the home she ran from – Grave. Since leaving Ixion with the pirate Ruzalia, Naif’s been unsuccessful in convincing her to take her to Grave to investigate. Unfortunately, life on the pirate’s home isn’t as far removed from Ixion and Grave as everyone believes. As tensions rise between Ruzalia and her unruly rescues, the only hope for Naif’s friends, caught in the war between Ripers, is the answers on Grave.

Marianne’s world-building is by far the most impressive aspect of this novel. The way she introduced us to Ixion and the system the runaways had to follow under the Ripers in Burn Bright was astounding. Now Marianne’s given us so much more from this world to make it even more believable. Extending the scenery to Grave, a place we’ve caught but just a brief glance and about which we’ve read the horrible tales, enhances the dystopian theme. It’s as if she’s plucked an underlying layer from the plot and brought it to clearer focus with tones of dread, fear, and hope. Marianne is excellent when it comes to creating scenery, then describing that scenery to life. Naif’s exploration through Grave was extremely daunting and readers will be able to feel the tension of discovering secrets that could either help or hurt Naif, and her friends, the worry about Naif and Markes getting caught, and the nagging sense that danger is just around the corner.

Burn Bright had quite a few frequent characters that lightened the story: Suki and Rollo, mostly. This time around the new secondary characters we’re introduced to are a mix between humorous and serious. Angel Arias brings forth more insight into secondary characters like Markes, for example. He’s also a previous Grave resident, but he carries a heavy past that actually comes in handy during his and Naif’s brief time there. Naif acknowledges the new side of her that's freer and embraces it. Going back to her home that is filled with strict, oppressive rules puts a slight blip in her steps, but Naif keeps a brave face to meet her goals. Even as Naif and Markes are away from the action on Ixion, Marianne keeps us in the loop. Lenoir has a few moments to shed light on his motivations and thoughts and I love that he’s still a big mystery. Even after reading this second book in the series much of what I think I know about Lenoir is made up of assumptions.

Shine Light, the third, and sadly last, installment of the Night Creatures series will be an epic conclusion. I cannot wait to see how Naif’s new persona handles the raging war ensuing between Ripers and the rebels on Ixion. Then, there’s the matter of Naif and Lenoir’s shadowy connection that is romantic and potentially dangerous all at once. Angel Arias is the perfect bridge to reflect Marianne de Pierres’s ingenious storytelling!

Also posted on Lovey Dovey Books (less)

like · see review

Dec 29, 2011 Tracey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2011

Retra - now called Naif - has escaped from Ixion, the island of ever-night. She doesn't know if her friends on the island survived the battle between the Ripers and the rebels. But she does know that she must return home, behind the sealed walls of Grave, to find out why the Ripers have been seen there talking to the councillors. What links the two worlds?

First she must convince Ruzalia to help her. The fierce pirate captain saves those who face terrible fates on Ixion, but that doesn't guarant...more

like · see review

Oct 06, 2011 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: random-house

Originally posted at Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me

Angel Arias is filled with action, much more so than in the previous book. While Burn Bright concentrates a lot on the world-building and getting readers familiar with the creatures and gangs, these things are already established in Angel Arias and so we're really able to begin a thrilling adventure. The characters are constantly on the move, escaping killer rebels, hungry blood hounds and torturous wardens. Grave is a place riddled with evil, wher...more Originally posted at Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me

Angel Arias is filled with action, much more so than in the previous book. While Burn Bright concentrates a lot on the world-building and getting readers familiar with the creatures and gangs, these things are already established in Angel Arias and so we're really able to begin a thrilling adventure. The characters are constantly on the move, escaping killer rebels, hungry blood hounds and torturous wardens. Grave is a place riddled with evil, where the Elders may not be looking out for the best interests of their people like they say they are. You'll get a good dose of mystery in this novel - I dare you to guess what will happen! With Marianne, anything is possible, and isn't that exciting?

The characters in Burn Bright seemed untouchable with their strange language, quirks and behaviours, but in this novel they develop some more human-like qualities and become characters to which we can relate. Naif becomes a leader, making difficult decisions and keeping her team together in hard times. I really loved her because she was so different to the way she was at first - introverted, naive and somewhat helpless. We also meet some new characters, including deformed children who had a faulty transformation from human to Night Creature. Liam, a boy with Night Creature limbs, plays a big part in Naif and Markes' survival and is actually one of my favourite characters!

If we want to talk about the romance, I am still completely undecided about which couple to ship, or even which couple will actually form! On one hand, Lenoir truly cares about Naif, even though she's a "mere human" compared to his Riper self. His followers question where his loyalties lie but nevertheless, he continues to support and guide Naif using their psychic connection, formed by the bond made when he saved her life. On the other hand, the handsome musician, Markes, shows an interest in Naif, which she finds herself reciprocating. At times, the romantic tension between them builds intensely before reality hits and Naif begins feeling guilty. She cares deeply about Renoir and Markes was betrothed to Emilia, another character I'm a fan of, before he ran away to Ixion. What's she to do?

Angel Arias is an electrifying novel with great world-building, characters and plot. I found it to be much more exciting that the first and it completely exceeded my expectations! You won't be able to put the book down because something important is always happening and it is a fantastic continuation of a truly unique series. I cannot wait to read Blaze Dark to see what will happen next! Marianne loves her cliffhangers and is determined to torture us until next year...(less)

like · see review

title link	preview: Angel Arias
avg rating	preview: Angel Arias Goodreads rating: 3.87 (357 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9643469-angel-arias?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1299190757l/9643469.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9643469-angel-arias?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Angel Arias by Marianne de Pierres[/url]

Angel Arias (Night Creatures #2)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (3)

Videos About This Book

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Marianne de Pierres

Books by Marianne de Pierres

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Angel Arias

Quotes from Angel Arias