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Cardiff #1
Falcon's Angel
A haunting tale of passion, two hundred years in the making...
Angelina's passion is music but she has never felt this kind of want before.
Falcon wants the Stradivarius in her possession and goes undercover to track down a thief. He soon discovers he is not the only killer in search of the violin.
il Dragone, a devil-worshipping cult, wants revenge for a past only they can remember.
Falling in love was never part of Falcon's plan but before he can have what he wants, he must help Angelina unlock the secrets of a love which ended in tragedy in eighteenth century France. This is one special assignment that must be completed before il Dragone gets what they want.
Angelina's passion is music but she has never felt this kind of want before.
Falcon wants the Stradivarius in her possession and goes undercover to track down a thief. He soon discovers he is not the only killer in search of the violin.
il Dragone, a devil-worshipping cult, wants revenge for a past only they can remember.
Falling in love was never part of Falcon's plan but before he can have what he wants, he must help Angelina unlock the secrets of a love which ended in tragedy in eighteenth century France. This is one special assignment that must be completed before il Dragone gets what they want.
207 pages, ebook
First published May 27, 2012
About the author
Danita Minnis
5 books97 followersIf you asked Danita Minnis which is easier, writing songs or writing novels, she would say it was the former. Melodies and rhymes are second nature to her. What her characters want is another thing entirely. With her debut novel, Falcon’s Angel, she learned to listen to her spunky heroine and sinfully confident hero. They’re funny and in danger, and that’s just the way they want it. Lesson learned: don’t try to save them.
When she's not writing, Danita exercises her lungs at her son’s soccer matches and their favorite theme park, because everyone knows it’s easier on the stomach to scream your way down a roller coaster.
When she's not writing, Danita exercises her lungs at her son’s soccer matches and their favorite theme park, because everyone knows it’s easier on the stomach to scream your way down a roller coaster.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 24, 2012
Falcon’s Angel was a very quick read for me. I finished it in one day. This story was about love and how love could hopefully concur all no matter the obstacles.
The only issue I had with the book was that I had to re-read a couple paragraphs in the beginning so that I could follow along, especially the opening scene introducing us to Falcon/Armand.
However once I got about 50 pages into the book, I couldn’t stop reading. That being said is why I have decided to give it 4 stars. The author held my attention with a lot of action and challenges that the main characters had to work through. I enjoyed the romance between Angel and Armand and overall I liked it.
The only issue I had with the book was that I had to re-read a couple paragraphs in the beginning so that I could follow along, especially the opening scene introducing us to Falcon/Armand.
However once I got about 50 pages into the book, I couldn’t stop reading. That being said is why I have decided to give it 4 stars. The author held my attention with a lot of action and challenges that the main characters had to work through. I enjoyed the romance between Angel and Armand and overall I liked it.
March 6, 2014
Firstly, I'd like to thank Danita Minnis for the opportunity to read her debut novel, FALCON'S ANGEL, as part of the Gotta Have R2R/Beta Read program.
Based on the blurb, I really wanted to love FALCON'S ANGEL. Unfortunately, I struggled with it and then struggled some more with this review, which is why I'm posting this almost a week after reading it. I needed the time to let my impressions simmer a bit so I could then view my notes objectively. My ultimate rating is an average of what I liked and didn't like about the book because in the end, it was a case of "it's partly the book and it's partly me".
WHAT I LIKED: The storyline was intriguing because FALCON'S ANGEL is more properly a supernatural/occult story, as opposed to paranormal. Contrary to the blurb, il Dragone is not a devil-worshipping cult but rather an ancient pagan cult. Moreover, the book deals with reincarnation, not time travel. Given that I love the occult and always enjoy how stories handle past lives, the concept behind FALCON'S ANGEL had a lot of potential and appeal for me.
I loved that the story took place in Italy and England but wasn't an HP book. *lol* And I was most engaged while reading Part II, which was the flashback to the past lives in 18th-century Italy (and NOT Regency England). However, given that FALCON'S ANGEL was published by LSB, I was surprised at how mild the sex scenes were (comparable to current category romances). This fact may permit the book to have a wider appeal.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE, BOOK-WISE: Bluntly put, the execution of the storyline could've been better. Choppy and/or odd paragraph structuring from page 1 made for a rough (and nervous) start and I never really achieved a smooth reading flow. In addition, I never felt as if I had any background for support while reading FALCON'S ANGEL. It was almost akin to walking on shifting sand, especially when random "oh, yeah..." type of facts/info were suddenly introduced.
More critically, there were numerous plot holes, inconsistencies and ambiguities which either required me, as a reader, to guess and fill in the blanks or simply took me out of the story (made worse when my hand started to itch for my marking pen). Parts of the story were what I personally call "loosey-goosey", with seemingly important information given without subsequent tie-in or follow-up. And lastly, there was my pet peeve—certain facts, such as dates and ages, not adding up.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE, PERSONALLY: I didn't particularly care for Sacha/Angelina; she was too Mary Sue for me and frankly, skated dangerously close to TSTL status. I might've liked Armand/Falcon better but as drawn, his character and background were too improbable for belief, even for fiction. (BTW, neither are stated as being part of the aristocracy—rich families, yes, but not aristocratic.)
And there was another pet peeve—.
But my greatest disappointment came at the end.
* In case it wasn't clear by the first sentence, a copy was provided by the author for an objective review.
EDITED: to note correct publisher
Based on the blurb, I really wanted to love FALCON'S ANGEL. Unfortunately, I struggled with it and then struggled some more with this review, which is why I'm posting this almost a week after reading it. I needed the time to let my impressions simmer a bit so I could then view my notes objectively. My ultimate rating is an average of what I liked and didn't like about the book because in the end, it was a case of "it's partly the book and it's partly me".
WHAT I LIKED: The storyline was intriguing because FALCON'S ANGEL is more properly a supernatural/occult story, as opposed to paranormal. Contrary to the blurb, il Dragone is not a devil-worshipping cult but rather an ancient pagan cult. Moreover, the book deals with reincarnation, not time travel. Given that I love the occult and always enjoy how stories handle past lives, the concept behind FALCON'S ANGEL had a lot of potential and appeal for me.
I loved that the story took place in Italy and England but wasn't an HP book. *lol* And I was most engaged while reading Part II, which was the flashback to the past lives in 18th-century Italy (and NOT Regency England). However, given that FALCON'S ANGEL was published by LSB, I was surprised at how mild the sex scenes were (comparable to current category romances). This fact may permit the book to have a wider appeal.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE, BOOK-WISE: Bluntly put, the execution of the storyline could've been better. Choppy and/or odd paragraph structuring from page 1 made for a rough (and nervous) start and I never really achieved a smooth reading flow. In addition, I never felt as if I had any background for support while reading FALCON'S ANGEL. It was almost akin to walking on shifting sand, especially when random "oh, yeah..." type of facts/info were suddenly introduced.
More critically, there were numerous plot holes, inconsistencies and ambiguities which either required me, as a reader, to guess and fill in the blanks or simply took me out of the story (made worse when my hand started to itch for my marking pen). Parts of the story were what I personally call "loosey-goosey", with seemingly important information given without subsequent tie-in or follow-up. And lastly, there was my pet peeve—certain facts, such as dates and ages, not adding up.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE, PERSONALLY: I didn't particularly care for Sacha/Angelina; she was too Mary Sue for me and frankly, skated dangerously close to TSTL status. I might've liked Armand/Falcon better but as drawn, his character and background were too improbable for belief, even for fiction. (BTW, neither are stated as being part of the aristocracy—rich families, yes, but not aristocratic.)
And there was another pet peeve—.
But my greatest disappointment came at the end.
* In case it wasn't clear by the first sentence, a copy was provided by the author for an objective review.
EDITED: to note correct publisher
November 27, 2012
Something a bit different in a genre that can tend to formula. Get ready for a fast moving story that brings the past into the present in a very unique way.
Description:
Everyone wants Sacha Angelina Cardiff, classical violinist and daughter of a dynasty.
Falcon wants the Stradivarius in her possession, and goes undercover to track down a thief. However, he is not the only killer in search of the violin.
il Dragone, a devil-worshiping cult, wants revenge for a past only they can remember.
Angelina wants to go unrecognized when she leaves her family’s Yorkshire estate to play in a symphony in Italy. But the Stradivarius, a gift from the Maestro, her deceased instructor, opens a door to hatred that is centuries old.
It isn’t long before Angelina is the target of a mugging on the streets of Naples. She pulls an odd earring out of her attacker’s ear as Falcon rescues her. The earring, a stylized dragon made of rubies, turns out to be a symbol for a mythical beast.
Falcon and Angelinaare destined to relive the cycle of murder and mayhem if they don't solve the mystery of the rubies.
This is one special assignment that must be completed before il Dragone gets what they want.
My Thoughts:
I volunteered to read this book for a Kick's R2R/Beta reading group. This author was new to me and I went into it having no idea what I was getting into.....well it was a fast ride that started in the present and took us back 200 years and then ended up in the present. It showed us a love that was so strong and enduring it traveled threw time. This book is an example that love is so strong it can manifest itself on so many levels. Now I have read in other reviews that they feel this was a case of "insta-love" but I do have to dispute this...This love started both in the present and in the past . I am a huge fan of lasting love and a story that is written about it that isn't cheesey or too over the top and Danita Minnis certainly did this. Mis Minnis is a fairly new writer and there were a few things that could have made the story a bit easier to get into. The novel started off quickly and with little background so for the first several pages it was confusing and you couldn't get your bearings. Her transisions from present to past was again abrupt and I felt myself falling out of the story to figure out what is going on...Same thing happened when we transitioned back to the present from the past. Perhaps a beta read would have helped smooth this out. I enjoyed the characters of Angelina and Falcon a lot...perhaps Angelina was a tad too sweet but she was sheltered and pretty innocent until let loose in Italy. Falcon was everything you could want in an alpha assassin with a soft spot for his Angel.
I give this book a sold 3 star rating and know that we will be hearing from Danita Minnis in the future. I can't wait to see what else she writes. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review your book Danita. I would recommend this to those you like a love story/Romance which lasts throughout time.
Description:
Everyone wants Sacha Angelina Cardiff, classical violinist and daughter of a dynasty.
Falcon wants the Stradivarius in her possession, and goes undercover to track down a thief. However, he is not the only killer in search of the violin.
il Dragone, a devil-worshiping cult, wants revenge for a past only they can remember.
Angelina wants to go unrecognized when she leaves her family’s Yorkshire estate to play in a symphony in Italy. But the Stradivarius, a gift from the Maestro, her deceased instructor, opens a door to hatred that is centuries old.
It isn’t long before Angelina is the target of a mugging on the streets of Naples. She pulls an odd earring out of her attacker’s ear as Falcon rescues her. The earring, a stylized dragon made of rubies, turns out to be a symbol for a mythical beast.
Falcon and Angelinaare destined to relive the cycle of murder and mayhem if they don't solve the mystery of the rubies.
This is one special assignment that must be completed before il Dragone gets what they want.
My Thoughts:
I volunteered to read this book for a Kick's R2R/Beta reading group. This author was new to me and I went into it having no idea what I was getting into.....well it was a fast ride that started in the present and took us back 200 years and then ended up in the present. It showed us a love that was so strong and enduring it traveled threw time. This book is an example that love is so strong it can manifest itself on so many levels. Now I have read in other reviews that they feel this was a case of "insta-love" but I do have to dispute this...This love started both in the present and in the past . I am a huge fan of lasting love and a story that is written about it that isn't cheesey or too over the top and Danita Minnis certainly did this. Mis Minnis is a fairly new writer and there were a few things that could have made the story a bit easier to get into. The novel started off quickly and with little background so for the first several pages it was confusing and you couldn't get your bearings. Her transisions from present to past was again abrupt and I felt myself falling out of the story to figure out what is going on...Same thing happened when we transitioned back to the present from the past. Perhaps a beta read would have helped smooth this out. I enjoyed the characters of Angelina and Falcon a lot...perhaps Angelina was a tad too sweet but she was sheltered and pretty innocent until let loose in Italy. Falcon was everything you could want in an alpha assassin with a soft spot for his Angel.
I give this book a sold 3 star rating and know that we will be hearing from Danita Minnis in the future. I can't wait to see what else she writes. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review your book Danita. I would recommend this to those you like a love story/Romance which lasts throughout time.
November 26, 2012
I loved this book. I found myself not wanting to put it down,but I had to due to company....
One of the things I loved most in this fast paced story,was how it was written on a multi level. The main characters in story changed from present to past and back. I found myself trying to guess what would happen next,and I was often very wrong (which makes a story more interesting).
I am not sure if this is a "stand alone" book or the start of a series but I would love to learn more about Falcon, Angel and The Organization. And a spin off on Miles would be cool also....
One of the things I loved most in this fast paced story,was how it was written on a multi level. The main characters in story changed from present to past and back. I found myself trying to guess what would happen next,and I was often very wrong (which makes a story more interesting).
I am not sure if this is a "stand alone" book or the start of a series but I would love to learn more about Falcon, Angel and The Organization. And a spin off on Miles would be cool also....
January 26, 2013
First I would like to thank Danita Minnis for letting me read her book. I appreciate the effort that an author gives in his work.
Date: 11/29/12 Review By Linda Hays-Gibbs of Falcon’s Angel
By Danita Minnis
Published 2012
ISBN 978-1-59578-942-6
In a world that is forever in flux between the past and present a great love story abides between Falcon and Sasha or Angelina, his Angel. She goes by several names as he does. They are in Yorkshire, England and Italy most of the time but there is a lot of travel between times and places. Although their names change between time periods from the 1780’s till the present, it is not difficult to find them. They are always together.
Falcon is an aristocrat that has turned into an assassin to accomplish his quest to annihilate an extreme evil. This evil is il Dragone, a devil-worshiping cult, he remembers from his dreams. He has been on the trail of a stolen Stradivarius for ten years. His boss is certain that a certain young lady that plays this instrument is the thief. Falcon is not so sure and decides he has to get up close and personal to find out why this beautiful young lady would be a thief.
Angel was born in the aristocracy too but prefers her violin music to anything until Falcon enters into her life. Her dreams torment her of a terrifying fire where she is consumed to claustrophobic dreams of being literally enclosed. Her fears seem about to envelope her into insanity until Falcon. He seems so familiar to her and they can’t seem to leave each other alone. Her only passion was her violin music but now it has a different flavor when he plays piano with her violin. The passion between them turns into a raging inferno and consumes them until they find themselves in a lot of trouble from outside sources.
The main antagonist is a cult that worships a dragon. The story weaves them through a labyrinth with a dragon on their trail ready to eat them with his fiery head. Other dangers await with the cult members trying to murder them.
Without warning you are on beautiful estates that have withstood the sands of time. The beautiful descriptions of these estates keep you intrigued. Their memories and trials take them on a cross-country hunt for these people evil people.
Next we are back into danger again. The dragon’s blood gives the cult extraordinary powers. They can disappear and appear as shadows on the walls. Falcon and Angel battle these powers of evil over several centuries. Their determination and love keeps the story going, so from cover to cover you can’t wait to find out what happens next. It has a passion and mystery that ignites your blood.
I was moved by the personalities of the characters from the heroine finding her own strength and power to the hero that only grows more powerful in his time. The characters are myriad and complex in their intensities. The poetic descriptions were beautiful and moved the story along gracefully. The music in the story only strengthened the characters personalities and added color and depth. They form a basic tale of love conquering time and place. I was very moved by the lover’s story.
I love the Paranormal and Regency England so I was in heaven with this beautiful tale. I hope to find more of this author’s books on the shelves soon. I give this book a rating of five stars out of five. It was an enjoyable read. Linda Hays-Gibbs, Reviewer
Date: 11/29/12 Review By Linda Hays-Gibbs of Falcon’s Angel
By Danita Minnis
Published 2012
ISBN 978-1-59578-942-6
In a world that is forever in flux between the past and present a great love story abides between Falcon and Sasha or Angelina, his Angel. She goes by several names as he does. They are in Yorkshire, England and Italy most of the time but there is a lot of travel between times and places. Although their names change between time periods from the 1780’s till the present, it is not difficult to find them. They are always together.
Falcon is an aristocrat that has turned into an assassin to accomplish his quest to annihilate an extreme evil. This evil is il Dragone, a devil-worshiping cult, he remembers from his dreams. He has been on the trail of a stolen Stradivarius for ten years. His boss is certain that a certain young lady that plays this instrument is the thief. Falcon is not so sure and decides he has to get up close and personal to find out why this beautiful young lady would be a thief.
Angel was born in the aristocracy too but prefers her violin music to anything until Falcon enters into her life. Her dreams torment her of a terrifying fire where she is consumed to claustrophobic dreams of being literally enclosed. Her fears seem about to envelope her into insanity until Falcon. He seems so familiar to her and they can’t seem to leave each other alone. Her only passion was her violin music but now it has a different flavor when he plays piano with her violin. The passion between them turns into a raging inferno and consumes them until they find themselves in a lot of trouble from outside sources.
The main antagonist is a cult that worships a dragon. The story weaves them through a labyrinth with a dragon on their trail ready to eat them with his fiery head. Other dangers await with the cult members trying to murder them.
Without warning you are on beautiful estates that have withstood the sands of time. The beautiful descriptions of these estates keep you intrigued. Their memories and trials take them on a cross-country hunt for these people evil people.
Next we are back into danger again. The dragon’s blood gives the cult extraordinary powers. They can disappear and appear as shadows on the walls. Falcon and Angel battle these powers of evil over several centuries. Their determination and love keeps the story going, so from cover to cover you can’t wait to find out what happens next. It has a passion and mystery that ignites your blood.
I was moved by the personalities of the characters from the heroine finding her own strength and power to the hero that only grows more powerful in his time. The characters are myriad and complex in their intensities. The poetic descriptions were beautiful and moved the story along gracefully. The music in the story only strengthened the characters personalities and added color and depth. They form a basic tale of love conquering time and place. I was very moved by the lover’s story.
I love the Paranormal and Regency England so I was in heaven with this beautiful tale. I hope to find more of this author’s books on the shelves soon. I give this book a rating of five stars out of five. It was an enjoyable read. Linda Hays-Gibbs, Reviewer
January 18, 2013
Originally posted @ Bloodthirsty Muses: http://bloodthirstymuses.wordpress.co...
I really loved this book. It was so far out of my usual reading area in every way, if I hadn’t caught a teaser when the wonderful Danita was on a blog tour, I don’t know if I ever would have had the interest in reading it (or met her!). But Danita was kind enough to give me a copy (after a little whining and begging on my part — she’s so nice) and I’m so glad I got to read it.
This is the kind of book that’s like chicken soup or a bowl of your favorite ice cream Maybe something you thought you grew out of a long time ago, but… then the story draws you in, and it’s so comfortable and wonderful that a night curled up with it can cure even the most stressful day. FALCON’S ANGEL is old-fashioned in the best kind of way: the story, the characters, the conflicts. Yet while they’re elements we’ve all seen before and might not seek out nearly enough anymore — you’re really missing out if we don’t try out a big helping of FALCON’S ANGEL.
I can’t explain exactly what took me away in this story. It’s not paranormal in the usual sense, though it has a thread of occult mystery, the steam level is fairly tame compared to my usual preferred height, the heroine isn’t as kick ass as I prefer. And yet, somehow… I was just charmed throughout. Angelina was sweet and naive, but not TSTL or annoying most of the time. I felt for her as she learned difficult lessons about life and the world. Falcon might have been too good to be true… and yet I just enjoyed his uber-macho male company. I think I just have to credit Ms. Minnis’ simple, poetic writing style in transporting me through a story that might have lost me very early on. As we learn more about the characters pasts, we understand a lot more about who they are now.
The setting of the story certainly doesn’t push you away. Europe comes to life in Ms. Minnis’ world, and all the romance it entails. The twists as the story progresses only pull you in deeper, and the mysteries of the old world setting certainly don’t hurt.
I think my only complaints might be that Angelina’s and some of the other characterizations were a little uneven. One minute Angelina seems to be developing into a strong young woman, the next she reverts to what seems like a very young teenager. I think that might just be something Ms. Minnis will learn to balance out in the future — it’s really just a matter of practice, and it’s not uncommon to find this kind of flaw in a first novel. The same is true of some of the pacing problems… there are some slow spots in the story, and areas where it feels like major backstory is missing both for characters and the current situation. Most of it is filled in eventually, but the reader can feel a little lost at times in the beginning. The historical section can get very complicated and twisted if you don’t pay close attention to how things develop — but I’m not even sure that’s a negative, as opposed to just my being lazy!
This may all sound like damning with faint praise, but I really did like this book a lot. I looked forward to getting into bed at night with it and seeing how it would unfold next, what would happen with our heroine and hero in the end. I certainly look forward to seeing what happens next in the Cardiff Novels, and where Ms. Minnis takes her career!
I really loved this book. It was so far out of my usual reading area in every way, if I hadn’t caught a teaser when the wonderful Danita was on a blog tour, I don’t know if I ever would have had the interest in reading it (or met her!). But Danita was kind enough to give me a copy (after a little whining and begging on my part — she’s so nice) and I’m so glad I got to read it.
This is the kind of book that’s like chicken soup or a bowl of your favorite ice cream Maybe something you thought you grew out of a long time ago, but… then the story draws you in, and it’s so comfortable and wonderful that a night curled up with it can cure even the most stressful day. FALCON’S ANGEL is old-fashioned in the best kind of way: the story, the characters, the conflicts. Yet while they’re elements we’ve all seen before and might not seek out nearly enough anymore — you’re really missing out if we don’t try out a big helping of FALCON’S ANGEL.
I can’t explain exactly what took me away in this story. It’s not paranormal in the usual sense, though it has a thread of occult mystery, the steam level is fairly tame compared to my usual preferred height, the heroine isn’t as kick ass as I prefer. And yet, somehow… I was just charmed throughout. Angelina was sweet and naive, but not TSTL or annoying most of the time. I felt for her as she learned difficult lessons about life and the world. Falcon might have been too good to be true… and yet I just enjoyed his uber-macho male company. I think I just have to credit Ms. Minnis’ simple, poetic writing style in transporting me through a story that might have lost me very early on. As we learn more about the characters pasts, we understand a lot more about who they are now.
The setting of the story certainly doesn’t push you away. Europe comes to life in Ms. Minnis’ world, and all the romance it entails. The twists as the story progresses only pull you in deeper, and the mysteries of the old world setting certainly don’t hurt.
I think my only complaints might be that Angelina’s and some of the other characterizations were a little uneven. One minute Angelina seems to be developing into a strong young woman, the next she reverts to what seems like a very young teenager. I think that might just be something Ms. Minnis will learn to balance out in the future — it’s really just a matter of practice, and it’s not uncommon to find this kind of flaw in a first novel. The same is true of some of the pacing problems… there are some slow spots in the story, and areas where it feels like major backstory is missing both for characters and the current situation. Most of it is filled in eventually, but the reader can feel a little lost at times in the beginning. The historical section can get very complicated and twisted if you don’t pay close attention to how things develop — but I’m not even sure that’s a negative, as opposed to just my being lazy!
This may all sound like damning with faint praise, but I really did like this book a lot. I looked forward to getting into bed at night with it and seeing how it would unfold next, what would happen with our heroine and hero in the end. I certainly look forward to seeing what happens next in the Cardiff Novels, and where Ms. Minnis takes her career!
November 27, 2012
I would like to thank Danita Minnis for giving me the opportunity to read and review her debut novel. I guess I should come out and say up front that I personally did not care for the story, but I know from some of the feedback I saw that I am in the minority when it comes to this book.
Angelina is a classical violinist and she happens to be in possession of a very rare Stradivarius, which was given to her years ago by her instructor, the Maestro. What she is not aware of is that there is a mystery surrounding the violin and that the man she knew as the Maestro essentially stole it. There are a lot of people trying to reclaim the violin and one of these people is Falcon. He is an investigator and at first thinks that Angelina herself is the thief.
I did not love the way the story started. I personally felt thrown into the plot and felt that a bit more background might have helped me to follow along with the story-line better. I actually liked the second part of the story much better and think that maybe if the “past” was early in the story I wouldn’t have been so confused with Part I.
I think for me Part I of the story just felt a bit disjointed and a little forced. I didn’t feel the chemistry between Angelina and “Tony” Falcon so that might be why I felt confused as I was reading it. Part II was actually must better written IMO. I think Ms. Minnis got more comfortable with her characters. Part III was okay as well because now I had a better feel for why these characters were thrown together but I also felt that there was just too much going on. Dragon cults, monsters, past lives, jewel thieves, Angelina & Falcon knowing each other from when she was a little girl. For me it was just too much. Also – there were way too many “aliases” for the characters. In the end I honestly wasn’t sure what to call either of the main characters.
I think the story itself just wasn’t my cup of tea but as I mentioned, many other reviewers appeared to enjoy the book and were obviously better at following the plot.
Angelina is a classical violinist and she happens to be in possession of a very rare Stradivarius, which was given to her years ago by her instructor, the Maestro. What she is not aware of is that there is a mystery surrounding the violin and that the man she knew as the Maestro essentially stole it. There are a lot of people trying to reclaim the violin and one of these people is Falcon. He is an investigator and at first thinks that Angelina herself is the thief.
I did not love the way the story started. I personally felt thrown into the plot and felt that a bit more background might have helped me to follow along with the story-line better. I actually liked the second part of the story much better and think that maybe if the “past” was early in the story I wouldn’t have been so confused with Part I.
I think for me Part I of the story just felt a bit disjointed and a little forced. I didn’t feel the chemistry between Angelina and “Tony” Falcon so that might be why I felt confused as I was reading it. Part II was actually must better written IMO. I think Ms. Minnis got more comfortable with her characters. Part III was okay as well because now I had a better feel for why these characters were thrown together but I also felt that there was just too much going on. Dragon cults, monsters, past lives, jewel thieves, Angelina & Falcon knowing each other from when she was a little girl. For me it was just too much. Also – there were way too many “aliases” for the characters. In the end I honestly wasn’t sure what to call either of the main characters.
I think the story itself just wasn’t my cup of tea but as I mentioned, many other reviewers appeared to enjoy the book and were obviously better at following the plot.
December 2, 2012
**There are spoilers in this review**
This book is about Angel and Falcon, and their fight against Il Dragone. It starts out with Angel having a violin that Falcon thinks she stole. They fall in love, and then she finds out he is/was investigating her and runs right to the enemy. He hits his head and then remembers his past life with her. He then rescues her from Il Dragone and she runs away from him back to England, where her parents (also have connected past lives that they remember). Mostly the rest of the book is him helping her remember her past life with him.
For the most part I really liked this book. There were a few times that I got confused and had to go back, I also would have preferred more information on certain things. Like what exactly is Angel's power? And what exactly is il Dragone? How do the remember there past lives, when the others don't? I also would have liked the herione to be a little more active, it seems like she just stepped back and let Falcon do it all. ALso I do not believe that she would have been quite so caliver about almost dying.
All that said, again I liked the book. It was a nice story, and if it is going to be a series a good start.
This book is about Angel and Falcon, and their fight against Il Dragone. It starts out with Angel having a violin that Falcon thinks she stole. They fall in love, and then she finds out he is/was investigating her and runs right to the enemy. He hits his head and then remembers his past life with her. He then rescues her from Il Dragone and she runs away from him back to England, where her parents (also have connected past lives that they remember). Mostly the rest of the book is him helping her remember her past life with him.
For the most part I really liked this book. There were a few times that I got confused and had to go back, I also would have preferred more information on certain things. Like what exactly is Angel's power? And what exactly is il Dragone? How do the remember there past lives, when the others don't? I also would have liked the herione to be a little more active, it seems like she just stepped back and let Falcon do it all. ALso I do not believe that she would have been quite so caliver about almost dying.
All that said, again I liked the book. It was a nice story, and if it is going to be a series a good start.
December 23, 2012
I liked the premise of this book. It was simple and complicated at the same time. I've always been a fan of books with a time-travel component. There were a few parts where I would get confused about who they were talking about and exactly what was happening, but generally easy to follow along. And the romance was sweet and believable.
July 8, 2012
The first thought that strikes me after having read this book is what a simpering little fool Sacha/Angelina is. The second thought is how Armand/Falcon sounds waaaay too perfect. And the third thought is that I'm not really a fan of insta-love, which is how I would categorize Armand and Sacha's initial attraction. I would have liked to see more sexual tension between these two at the beginning of the book. I must admit that I found the lovers' descriptions of each other at the beginning of the book somewhat saccharine. These descriptions did not add passion to the mix, as was intended, but, rather, made the characters one-dimensional.
I wish the author had spend more time on the history of il Dragone, it may well have added more substance to the story. What's with the ruby-red signet ring and bracelet? How did these work, how did they transmit supernatural power to those who wore them? What's this talk of the blood of the beast (was it really the Devil?) being somehow inside the ruby red jewel? I think a section of this book could have been devoted to exploring these mysteries, to disclosing to the reader the history of il Dragone.
And so, what about the Strad violin? I think an extra dimension could have been added to this book if a little of the violin's history had been included in the book.
The author also seemed to sort of dance around the whole paranormal theme in this book. The book is a paranormal romance; I guess I would have liked the paranormal plot thread to be thicker, more visible. Particularly where the characters' past lives is concerned. That said, the plot was well executed, providing obstacles for the MCs throughout the landscape of the book. There was never a real chance for the our MCs to kick back and be comfortable, since danger was always lurking just around the corner. This made for great tension, and at about page 47 suspense began to grip me, transforming the book into a page-turner.
I wish the author had spend more time on the history of il Dragone, it may well have added more substance to the story. What's with the ruby-red signet ring and bracelet? How did these work, how did they transmit supernatural power to those who wore them? What's this talk of the blood of the beast (was it really the Devil?) being somehow inside the ruby red jewel? I think a section of this book could have been devoted to exploring these mysteries, to disclosing to the reader the history of il Dragone.
And so, what about the Strad violin? I think an extra dimension could have been added to this book if a little of the violin's history had been included in the book.
The author also seemed to sort of dance around the whole paranormal theme in this book. The book is a paranormal romance; I guess I would have liked the paranormal plot thread to be thicker, more visible. Particularly where the characters' past lives is concerned. That said, the plot was well executed, providing obstacles for the MCs throughout the landscape of the book. There was never a real chance for the our MCs to kick back and be comfortable, since danger was always lurking just around the corner. This made for great tension, and at about page 47 suspense began to grip me, transforming the book into a page-turner.
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