An African American Paranormal Romance by USA Today Bestselling Author N.D. Jones
Having lost his home, daughters, and life by forces beyond his control, Issa, a Guardian Angel, has yet to come to terms with this “failure.” So when a rogue demon attacks and almost kills his wife, Serwa, Issa's faith falters and his fury rises.
Serwa knows the pain of loss and the burn of fire. She is a Healer Angel. And the person she wants most to heal is Issa, her husband and soul mate. But what is a woman to do when a husband's guilt and fury challenge the very foundation of their marriage?
N.D. Jones, Ed.D., is an award-winning author who has achieved USA Today bestselling status for her captivating Black Fantasy and Paranormal Romance novels. She resides in the heart of Maryland with her loving family.
Driven by a passionate desire to introduce more positive, sexy, and multi-dimensional African-American characters as soul mates, friends, and lovers, N.D. embarked on a remarkable journey of her own. Determined to address this challenge, she took it upon herself to redefine the narrative.
N.D. has an impressive portfolio of series that reflect her dedication to bringing diversity and depth to the romance genre. Her works include the enchanting fantasy romance series "Forever Yours" and the contemporary romance trilogy "The Styles of Love." Moreover, she has authored three thrilling paranormal romance series: "Winged Warriors," "Death and Destiny," and "Dragon Shifter Romance," along with two captivating fantasy series: "Feline Nation" and "Fairy Tale Fatale."
One of N.D.'s distinctive strengths lies in her commitment to crafting in-depth mythologies within her novels, as well as seamlessly weaving paranormal elements into the fabric of her stories. When she creates a world of witches and shapeshifters, N.D. ensures that her readers not only witness their extraordinary existence but also gain a deep understanding of what it truly means to be a part of the world of these mystical beings.
In her novels, the paranormal is not merely a background feature; it takes center stage and is crucial to the plot, enriching the reader's experience with every turn of the page. N.D. Jones invites you to join her on an extraordinary journey where Black love intertwines seamlessly with the paranormal, creating a world where love, mystery, and enchantment reign supreme.
This was a story about heartbreak, joy, justice, hope, faith and love. Issa and Serwa were once human who were now chosen Angels, working with their new brethren to protect humanity in fantastical ways. I loved how the author hinted at their history (even though it broke my heart) and gave depth to the everlasting love that existed between these characters. Fire, Fury, Faith read like a full-length novel and gave me so much of what I'm looking for in a great read. I do wish some things were fleshed out more as the time jumps left a lot to be desired in the way of what was happening. I can only assume that the bits and pieces I missed will be made clear in the books that follow.
I really enjoyed this story and I'm satisfied with the happiness hinted at in the end. I must admit that I'm intrigued by Nathaniel and I'm looking forward to reading his story. I've found a new author to recommend!
I loved this book! I 100% grabbed it because it's described as an African Paranormal Romance by a BIPOC author. Honestly YES please!
N.D. Jones absolutely kills it here. She manages to write a beautiful love story in such a short amount of pages. The entire time I just kept thinking, "we really need more books that capture people of color as sexy." Sure, we can argue that there's sexy BIPOC book characters, but too often, it seems that inclusivity in books means a racially ambiguous character. Issa and Serwa are sexy and African. No questions, no ambiguity, and they are beautiful for it.
After I finished this book, I read that her desire is to see more fantasy novels with positive, sexy and three dimensional African American characters, so she took it upon herself to write them. So I'd say she hit that nail right on the head here!!!
I am definitely impressed by the depth of this book despite how short it is, but the pacing was so fast at certain points. I absolutely get it. I know we would have missed some of this lovely story if it wasn't paced so fast, but most of the book I wanted just a little more. Regardless, it was still beautiful.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Eternal, soul deep love that endures life, death, demons and the great beyond, FIRE, FAITH, FURY spans centuries as one warrior carries the fury of revenge that can only be healed by the woman he loved and lost. Issa died trying to protect his family from slave traders four hundred years ago. When Serwa is almost killed by a rogue demon, Issa, now a guardian angel, is determined to hunt down and destroy the evil that touched his wife.
Now a Healer Angel, Serwa must find a way to heal Issa’s soul so they can be together again fro eternity, should she fail, they will be separated for all times as she moves on to eternal light while Issa will be left to feel the pain of hate alone.
N.D. Jones’s tale of love, angels, pain and punishment is so well crafted that one forgets this is fiction as these amazing characters come to life before your very eyes. Although short on words, Ms. Jones has packed her tale with the deep passion of youthful love, horrific loss and an angel who cannot let go of his hatred to rise to a place where he will find eternal peace. Well-paced, highly emotionally charged with explicit passion and fierce determination in a world that seems to stand against what they feel. N.D. Jones has done a remarkable job and I look forward to more great reads from her magical pen.
My Rating: 4.5 Stars Series: Winged Warriors - Book 1 Publisher: Siren Publishing (October 23, 2012) Publication Date: November 19, 2012 Genre: Paranormal Romance Print Length: 83 pages Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
This was a simple story about how love and faith can heal in ways that hate and revenge never can. I love how the author wove the fantasy elements in. The author managed to portray new love all the way through what it takes to sustain long-lasting love more effectively in 98 pages than many authors manage to do in hundreds of pages.
Also, the narrator did an awesome job on the audio. I will be definitely read more from this author in the future.
An angelic love story, told through the past and present.
It starts with a flashback including warring tribes and young future angels Serwa and Issa who come together for the first time (pun not intended). As the story progresses the setting changes to the present where a certain demon makes an appearance and causes harm to humans and angels (especially one particular angel) alike.
Issa failed to protect his family the first time around but he's determined not to fail again. Serwa is the only one who can heal him, but is he ready for it? And Nathaniel, the elder angel, he's there to help, if only Issa would let him do so.
I liked this book. It was a fun, fast read and nothing felt out of place. I loved the descriptions and the setting. The writing was easy to follow. Issa and Serwa are a cute couple that would definitely love each other forever. Nathaniel didn't get enough mention, for my taste. He's still mysterious. The main villain was okay, but I didn't hate him. I feel like I should have.
*Thank you Booksirens for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Serwa and Issa were strong as humans, but centuries as being angels, they still have weaknesses.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Serwa and Issa's love was once strong enough to unite warring clans. Now as angels, will it be enough to heal their bodies and minds, after they are attacked by a demon.
This short story is a well-written and in-depth look at the main characters. Serwa and Issa may be angels, but they still feel pain and anger. After the demon attack, old wounds are re-opened. Too stubborn and conflicted to use angelic magic to fix themselves, Issa and Serwa have to have faith in their mate-bond, that their love will be strong enough to heal the creeping darkness.
The not-so-good. For a short story, this is a slow book that took a while to get into. This is the first book I've read by this author and from the reviews and descriptions, I think I was expecting more than a character piece that focussed on the faith and love between the two characters. There is stuff that's mentioned. We're told that slavers attacked their clans and killed their family. We're told there are demons, and there have been explosions throughout the country. We're told that Serwa was tortured by a demon. We're told that Issa goes undercover in a shady anti-angel group. We're told that Serwa gets to meet Barack Obama! This is all fantastically juicy stuff. But as a reader we don't get to witness any of it. It's skimmed over, focussing instead on Sewra and Issa's thoughts and feelings after the event. I just felt that there was so much missed opportunity.
Overall, it was well-written, but it missed the mark for me.
I requested and received an e-book copy of this book from booksirens. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.
This is a short review
Spoiler free review
Fire, Fury, Faith started off really strong. I was very interested in reading Fire, Fury, Faith because it was a short book that seemed quite interesting. I was very invested in what was going on for perhaps around the first chapter. During the next couple it was like that fire it had in the beginning was slowly dying. This was kind of a well-written short story. I just think that I lost interest. This book was somewhat descriptive. I really liked the wording used in this book. For a short story this was quite hard to get into and had a slow pace. Though that might have been just me. I liked Serwa’s character and so I did Issa. The plot was okay. I think that it could have been a bit better. OVERALL: 3/5
Would I recommend Fire, Fury, Faith? Yes and no. Although I might recommend it sometimes though it wouldn’t count as top of my list.
Review for Fire, Fury, and Faith by ND Jones – Audible version First, let me state this book is for mature audiences only. The sex scenes are graphic. Normally, I don’t like graphic scenes, but in this book they are meaningful to the story, so I was okay with it. This is a story of warring tribes, angel and demons, dark and light, the bond of love, and the terror of hate. While the demons prove to be consistently bad, contaminating those around them, the angels come in different flavors. The warrior angels hunt demons and can be as blood thirsty as the demons they fight. And if they go too long without spiritual healing, they can lose their way. That is exactly what happens to our hero. When he becomes an angel, he seeks revenge on the demon who continues to torture his beloved wife, but at a long and terrible cost to himself and his wife. I was impressed with both the maturity and beauty of the writing and the layers of meanings hidden within. I highly recommend this for adults who like a book that leaves you thinking about the deeper meanings beneath an intriguing tale. I give this 5 stars
Issa passes away after trying to protect his family and tribe from slave traders. He is given a second chance at life as an angel and has been a Guardian Angle for four centuries. Now, his wife has been attacked and almost killed by a rogue demon, so he goes on the hunt.
Serwa knows loss as she lost her daughters, and she has suffered due to the pain caused by the burns the demon gave her. Due to this, she is a healer angel who heals people. She wants to heal her husband Issa, but he has to forgive himself in order to heal his pain.
This short story truly emphasized what true love and how it spans both time and space. I loved every minute of reading it and learning about the past of Issa and Serwa. Even though I typically don't enjoy stories that have most of their storyline as steamy scenes, it definitely did nothing but add to this story as the love between Serwa and Issa could be seen throughout.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a passionate romance with African main characters and an engaging storyline.
This is a story about love, loss, revenge, and forgiveness. Issa died trying to protect his family and is given a second chance as an angel, Then after centuries a demon attacks and almost kills his wife, Serwa. Issa goes on the hunt for this demon. Serwa, of course, wants to help her husband through his pain, she is a healer angel. I loved and enjoyed this emotional story. Issa and Serwa have both been through so much and need to heal and forgive to overcome.
This was a short sweet love story of sorrow, pain, failure, fear, power, strength, love. Issa and Serwa had a long history together and it was filled with much. This one firestorm almost takes what it had not been able to do for four hundred plus years.
The narrator does his job. He takes you there. He has a rich intoxicating cadence to his voice for both male and female. Their was something that was soothing yet strong. He spoke with power and still conveyed the sorrow and pain of Issa and Serwa.
Nice African American paranormal romance about angels. This was a nice start to the series and I like the way Jones portrayed the love between Issa and Serwa.
I really enjoyed this story, although it starts out a little confusing. The book starts out with a vignette that turns out to be a memory. The story of what happened is revealed slowly as the book progresses, so you need to be patient. I liked the themes of the angels being not just God's saviors of the world, but also Her hunters, judges, and meters out of vengeance, and also the notions of born versus chosen angels, and that they may still have issues and guilt and insecurities they need to work through. I liked the story, and I really want to know more about Nathaniel and what his story is.
I received a complimentary copy from the author and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
I don’t listen to Audio Books all that much but I have listened to a few and I have to say this one is close to the top of my fav’s. There are two reasons: the writing and the narrator.
The writing is just amazing. The depth of characters and the almost magical descriptions of the environment is just absolutely fantastic!!! The narrator is also amazing. His voice, going from high pitched when in Serwa’s voice to deep and demanding when doing Issa’s voice made me wonder if there was more than one narrator.
Issa and Serwa have major “jobs” being one of the chosen angels is nothing to be taken lightly. Issa, a tribal chieftain, and Serwa, a Guardian Angel, serve to help humankind. The fact that they are soul mates in every sense of the word just serves to make the story even better. Issa is a protector is the strongest sense of the word. Serra just wants to be with him and do her job.
The author’s description of, well, really everything is just amazing. The way she describes their sex….just WOW!!!! It’s not dirty really….just highly magical. When she described the four mouths of Issa on her - OMG!!
The only issue I had with this book was the timing. From the very beginning it seemed hard to figure out where we are in time. It starts at the very beginning like a historical book. Then goes to modern day NYC to then talking about their marriage and kids that were never mentioned and only mentioned once or twice. He talks about his age being extremely old but there’s no point of reference in the marking of time. That was my only disconnect but it doesn’t distract from the story.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this audio book and I think you will to. Definitely one click and give this one a try. You won’t be sorry!!!
4.5 from me. I received this for review for The Naughty Librarians Playgroud. I do not normally do Audios, in fact this was only my 2nd one. I was a little interested to see how it was done. My first wasnt this steamy. (As with many of our firsts ;) ) I really like the way this was divided up. I thought it added a new edge to the story that was new to me. I do have to admit that listening is a bit harder for me as I am used to being able to hear my own voices so to speak on the characters parts. And to have one voice coming through like in the more intimate scenes was well done but odd. I did love this narrators voice. I found it rather easy to listen to. In this book you follow the main character as he suffers through unimaginable loss, and heartache. Then his insufferable need for revenge. And then finally his realization that just because revenge COULD be his, doesnt mean it fixes what ails. And that he really cant go through life alone even with the risk of loss. What a wonderful to bring out what so many of us need to learn. No matter the circumstances, we will always run the risks in life, but ultimately it is worth it.
This was my first audio book by N.D.Jones and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed story.N.D Jones has given us a story of love ,that will hold your attend from start to finish and will leave you wanting more from this author. This is Issa and Serwa love story. Issa and Serwa are from different tribes ,but as we all know love has no boundaries. This story is filled with plenty of love and the characters are amazing and a joy to learn about . This was my first audio book and I don't know if I like it as much as reading a story by myself ,I guess I'll wait and try another one and go from there, I love when my reading and I can imagine I'm there with them ,I guess I'm going to try another one soon. The narrator was great and you knew he was enjoying getting into the plot as much as we the listener were the way he changed voices from one to the another characters were great.I could go on and tell you more about this story, but that would spoil it for you. I highly recommend that you to get this audio book,you won't be disappointed.
I actually listened to the audiobook version of this short story. The narrator really brought this novella to life - the passion, the action, and the love. I loved Serwa and Issa. They endured a lot as humans, which carried over into their lives as angels. That part of the story was different. While two powerful beings, they were as emotionally fragile as any other living creature. And it was this emotional fragility that really carried the story. It's about the normal length for an ebook novella, which I knew going into it, but I still found myself wishing it was longer. This author has made a fan out of me. I'm definitely down with whatever N.D. Jones comes out with next.
This was a story with Angels and what they will do protect their love ones from demons of all kind. We get to see story throughout history of Angels. There is battle between Angels and demons and Issa story of his lose and hunt he goes on for revenge. Will Serwa finally be able to heal her husband and help him get over his fury? Recommend this story How would you describe the plot of this book? some twist Which of these words best describes the mood? Suspenseful How would you describe the pace? steady How would you describe the characters? developed * I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review *
I initially had a difficult time following this book. It started out as a star crossed lovers book which took place in Africa with the Chieftain of one tribe’s son falling for a rival Chieftain’s daughter. The only thing the tribes shared was their boundary of water and a seer. Issa and Serwa had planned to run away and get married but the seer told both chieftans of war to come from across the water and men bearing chains. The seer convinced both Chieftans they would be better off facing this threat as a United front. Thus, the marriage of Issa and Serwa was allowed to proceed.
The timeline jumped forward 400 years with no initial explanation. Before writing this review, I went back and reread the book to try and figure out what I missed. The explanation for the 400 year gap was presented in bits and pieces over several chapters through the use of flashbacks and memories.
Personally, even though this book ended up a HEA, I would have liked to know more about their time after the slave traders came to their village and how their new lives came to be. The gap in time was a little too large.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
I don’t have super much to say about this book, mainly since it was so short. All in all though, I liked it. It was unique both the way it was written and the world it took place in. I liked the take on it being in this world (among others) but with Angels and demons not only present but also known by humanity.
It had an intriguing start with the romance, the history and the oncoming war and slave trade they faced. The only thing that I can really complain about is the lack of depth. Being so short I only ever heard about what happened in the past in passing, which is a shame since the past was the most intriguing thing in the book, yet the most ambiguous. The story was much more focused on present time, the attack and getting past what happened before they were angels. It didn’t really have a clear cut plot either but rather jumped back and forth and confusing me a bit since it was so little information gained. I did enjoy the ending though and am happy to give this book at least three stars. Had it been a full length book with a more clear and in-depth plot (as well as characters) it could easily have been a five star story.
Fire, Fury, Faith is the first book in the Winged Warriors series and we start off in the past with Issa and Serwa. They are from warring tribes but love each other. Fast forward four hundred years and you find out that Issa and Serwa are both angels but different kinds. Serwa has been hurt and Issa is not prepared for that so he goes off for his vengeance/revenge.
I enjoyed this novella but I did find it to be a bit disjointed in places with the tense switching from present to past, and back again, plus jumps in time. There was also more telling and less showing than I am used to from this author. Saying that, I was still engrossed in their story and desperately wanted their HEA.
A thoroughly enjoyable novella that I do recommend and I can't wait to read the next.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
We read this book for episode 78 of our podcast. There is something to be said about a couple whose love can withstand even the toughest situations in life, ones that test and defy their testament to each other, yet can never break them. Here is a story of Serwa and Issa, a couple brought together by a forbidden romance, who, against all odds, are fighting to sustain a love which once bonded them. They have lost and they have been beaten. But what they still have is each other and the opportunities to fight for that love they once revered and so willingly deserve. Join this story of Serwa and Issa, humans turned angels, who are defending what is right in the world and are fighting to keep their relationship whole and strong. For more of our thoughts, listen to episode 78 of Shhh We’re Reading Dirty Books found on any podcast platform!
In the name of love and justice, swift action must be taken.
Actually, I give it 3 1/2 stars. It was kind of hard to follow at first, jumping back and forth 400 plus years but, I followed it quick enough.
Their love for each other spans life, death and into life again. They are The Chosen, the ones who will fight to help destroy those of the demonic realm till the end of time.
It was a good afternoon read and once i caught the gist of it, it was exciting. Explicit sex scenes and violence. It's a series, so it needs a commitment to read the rest but it ended with a HFN.
I received a free ARC and I leave this review voluntarily.
I received this for a voluntary and honest review for an advanced copy.
I found this story a little slow to begin with but once i got into the rhythm it was an enjoyable read.
The main characters are Serwa and Issa, they have a love that lasts through the centuries, experiencing true love along with loss, pain, guilt and revenge. You read about their struggles and triumphs and you find yourself wishing and hoping things will work out.
There are angels and demons.....whats not to like.
I would recommend this book and I am looking forward to the next in the series.........i am hoping it will be about the Nathaniel.
A beautiful story tinged in sadness... I love how we got glimpses of the past with snippets here and there. You could feel the love they had for each other within the first few pages, and you just know a love like that is one to fight for and cherish.
The only thing I would say is that I wanted more. When I got to the end, I hoped by some miracle more pages would appear.
Despite being short N.D Jones did amazingly, she weaved a story that just kept pulling you in ❤️
Note: This ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
A sensual book of undying love the anger that consumes Issa and faith of Serwa. Two tribes must work together against the white men but death happens. Issa's anger at not being able to protect his family lasts for centuries as a Guardian Angel. Serwa the healer watches needing to be asked to heal.Wonderful detailed story!
I love this book . I love how he want protect his love one and how he would not give up on the demon who did what he did to his wife. I love how the wife want to protect him and his soul and he would let her. She fought for him and never give up o him and she heal his soul. Great book I am arc reader