What do you think?
Rate this book
The Archangel Prophecies #3
Dark Before Dawn
It’s darkest before the dawn . . . and that can be very dark indeed.
Twelve years have passed since Hope Carmichael helped fulfill the ancient prophecy that permitted the Fallen Angels to return, forgiven, to Heaven. Now a lawyer at twenty-eight, Hope—along with a resurrected Michael, the archangel who loves her—has been presented by Heaven with a choice: one that could either result in Hope never seeing her family again, or the world losing its greatest angelic protector. At the same time, Hope’s young sister Aurora struggles to help a school friend resolve her dark personal issues, all while being observed by a sinister adversary from Hope’s past, working on a plan for revenge that may soon plunge the entire extended Carmichael family into tragedy.
The culmination of the saga begun in Dark Hope and continued in Dark Rising, Dark Before Dawn returns to the world of the Archangel Prophecies, telling one final story of adventure, moral urgency, and the ultimate choice Hope and Michael make between the human and the divine.
Twelve years have passed since Hope Carmichael helped fulfill the ancient prophecy that permitted the Fallen Angels to return, forgiven, to Heaven. Now a lawyer at twenty-eight, Hope—along with a resurrected Michael, the archangel who loves her—has been presented by Heaven with a choice: one that could either result in Hope never seeing her family again, or the world losing its greatest angelic protector. At the same time, Hope’s young sister Aurora struggles to help a school friend resolve her dark personal issues, all while being observed by a sinister adversary from Hope’s past, working on a plan for revenge that may soon plunge the entire extended Carmichael family into tragedy.
The culmination of the saga begun in Dark Hope and continued in Dark Rising, Dark Before Dawn returns to the world of the Archangel Prophecies, telling one final story of adventure, moral urgency, and the ultimate choice Hope and Michael make between the human and the divine.
- GenresFantasy
332 pages, Paperback
First published September 20, 2016
1 person is currently reading
492 people want to read
About the author
Monica McGurk
7 books102 followersAward-winning author Monica McGurk likes nothing better than weaving complex, multilayered stories that bring contemporary issues and strong female characters to life through different genres of popular fiction. Her previous work includes three volumes of paranormal YA romance—The Archangel Prophecies: Dark Hope, Dark Rising, and Dark Before Dawn— along with numerous works of fan fiction under the name Consultant by Day. The Handler is the follow-up to her critically acclaimed The Agency, the first novel in The Norwood Nanny Chronicles.
A corporate executive, she now lives in Chicagoland with her husband, Tom, their youngest son, and their dog, Ellie. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, and LinkedIn, or on her website: monicamcgurk.com.
A corporate executive, she now lives in Chicagoland with her husband, Tom, their youngest son, and their dog, Ellie. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, and LinkedIn, or on her website: monicamcgurk.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
November 2, 2016
Hope has helped fulfill the Prophecy and waited two long years for Michael's return. When she finally decides to move on with her life, he returns with news from Heaven. As a gift from Heaven for her part in the Prophecy, Hope can spend the rest of forever with Michael. She can decide to become an Angel & fight for humans along side Michael or Michael can become human & they can live the rest of their lives as humans. Hope is hurt & angry having waited two years for Michael to come back. Michael vows to win her back because he believes their story isn't over. Ten years later, Hope is now 28-years & a lawyer for the DA's office. Her younger sister, Rorie, is twelve & she is the queen-bee of her world. Rorie struggles with trying to help a new girl in the neighborhood named Macey who has had a rough start in life. Hope still hasn't decided what decision to make in regards to Michael's offer. During all this time Lucas has been being punished for his failed attempt to over take Heaven's Gate. While banished he stews with spite for Hope & Michael unnatural relationship & pledges to exact revenge on them. Lucas focuses he plans on hurting Hope & Michael through destroying Rorie. He develops a plan by targeting Macey & earning her trust. He eventual takes Macey & Rorie & sells the as human slaves. The girls are forced into a life beyond anything imaginable. Once Hope & Michael realize it is Lucas that has taken the girls, they have to reach out to a human traffickers for an idea of where to look for them. Will Hope & Michael be able to find Rorie & Macey? Will they find them before they are forced in sexual slavery? Will Hope ever decide what she wants?
The conclusion to the Archangel Prophecies takes a new yet similar story line. Now that the Key has been found & the Prophecy fulfilled it's back to everyday life or so it seems. The author finally dives head first into the heart of the issue of human trafficking & what it means to under aged girls. It is an emotional ride to read through how these young woman are force on to drugs & then used & abused. Thankfully there is nothing graphic in the storytelling but it is no fairy tale to read. I do believe the message of the book is about forgiveness. Not that specific actions are forgivable as much as what can drive a person to do something can be forgiven. It is to remind us that even deep down there is always a spark of light & given the chance it just may break through.
The conclusion to the Archangel Prophecies takes a new yet similar story line. Now that the Key has been found & the Prophecy fulfilled it's back to everyday life or so it seems. The author finally dives head first into the heart of the issue of human trafficking & what it means to under aged girls. It is an emotional ride to read through how these young woman are force on to drugs & then used & abused. Thankfully there is nothing graphic in the storytelling but it is no fairy tale to read. I do believe the message of the book is about forgiveness. Not that specific actions are forgivable as much as what can drive a person to do something can be forgiven. It is to remind us that even deep down there is always a spark of light & given the chance it just may break through.
October 9, 2016
*ARC received from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
This story was thrilling. It was the perfect mix between something like Supernatural meets Law&Order: SVU meets Charmed. However bizarre that mix may seem, it worked wonders here.
This book was really hard to put down, there were so many things going on, that there didn't seem to be one second to waste. However action-packed, though, there was still plenty of room for the characters to show themselves and their history (both individual and intertwined with each other's). The way the story's laid out, even with its intricacies and everything, it was still easy to follow, even without having read the previous books- while still mantaining the complexity of the plot, which gives further proof of how clear the author was in her aim, and how skillfully she could display the world she'd invisioned, at all times.
The characters were also another of the book's strengths. It was quite pleasing to see, particularly with the main character, Hope, whom really stands out as unique, in this day and age when most female leads in books seem to be a mirror of each other, save one or two minor details. Outside of Hope, Michael was another pleasant surprise. Even the minor characters had their uniqueness to flaunt. It was truly impressive to see how much work had gone to the shaping of even the secondary characters; they were evidently shaped with as much dedication and detail as the protagonists. Not to mention that the multiple layers (no pun intended) the character of Lucas/Luke had going on, made him a more than worthy adversary to our protagonist- on top of being a brilliant character by himself.
This book had so many layers that it was hard to pin into just one genre: it has some strong elements of fantasy, but it also deals with some aspects more attached to a sort of thriller . However incompatible those elements may seem, in this case they merge in perfect balance, and the result is simply brilliant and enthralling.
This story was thrilling. It was the perfect mix between something like Supernatural meets Law&Order: SVU meets Charmed. However bizarre that mix may seem, it worked wonders here.
This book was really hard to put down, there were so many things going on, that there didn't seem to be one second to waste. However action-packed, though, there was still plenty of room for the characters to show themselves and their history (both individual and intertwined with each other's). The way the story's laid out, even with its intricacies and everything, it was still easy to follow, even without having read the previous books- while still mantaining the complexity of the plot, which gives further proof of how clear the author was in her aim, and how skillfully she could display the world she'd invisioned, at all times.
The characters were also another of the book's strengths. It was quite pleasing to see, particularly with the main character, Hope, whom really stands out as unique, in this day and age when most female leads in books seem to be a mirror of each other, save one or two minor details. Outside of Hope, Michael was another pleasant surprise. Even the minor characters had their uniqueness to flaunt. It was truly impressive to see how much work had gone to the shaping of even the secondary characters; they were evidently shaped with as much dedication and detail as the protagonists. Not to mention that the multiple layers (no pun intended) the character of Lucas/Luke had going on, made him a more than worthy adversary to our protagonist- on top of being a brilliant character by himself.
This book had so many layers that it was hard to pin into just one genre: it has some strong elements of fantasy, but it also deals with some aspects more attached to a sort of thriller . However incompatible those elements may seem, in this case they merge in perfect balance, and the result is simply brilliant and enthralling.
December 18, 2016
3.5 stars I enjoyed this one more than the previous one in the series. The author did a better job of writing a book so that it could stand on its own and not confuse readers who hadn't read the previous books in the series. As before, the book is exciting and suspenseful and there is a lot of character development, even for the secondary characters. I can't quite say all the characters are "well-developed", however, as the character of Michael (the archangel) behaves in ways that are way too small and human for me to believe that he's actually the archangel Michael. The other angels are also somewhat less angelic than I find believable. ;)
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free eARC of this book.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free eARC of this book.
June 9, 2017
In the last book of the Archangel Prophecies, we are twelve years into the future and now that the prophecy has been completed, Hope and Michael are seemingly living ordinary lives. Of course, when things seem to be going too well, you know something unexpected will happen. I really liked this book. I wasn't quite sure where it would go given how book two ended, and it was interesting taking a peak into the future. Part of the book that frustrated me at times was Hopes inability to decide what she wanted. She was given the option to become an angel and live forever with Michael or he would become human and stay with her on Earth. I felt like part of her initial decision was based on her anger over being alone those first few years after the prophecy and throughout the book she couldn't seem to make up her mind. Seeing the adult Hope with her job at the DA's office definitely was a nice change from the teenage Hope we spent time with in books one and two. There was also the return of the human trafficking storyline which also kept the plot moving and the suspense up.
January 15, 2026
I found this book dumpster diving near my house. Some family down the street had moved out recently, and they threw away all their used books, shoving them all down a trash can by the side of the road. Naturally, I dug into it and, after much deliberation, took two of the thrown away books into my possession: the Nobel-prize-winning The Land of Green Plum by Herta Müller, and Dark Before Dawn by Monica McGurk.
Till this day, The Land of Green Plums sits on my bookshelf gathering dust, but Dark Before Dawn, I have just finished. I have not read the prequel, I don't know the author, I'm not the demographic the book is aiming for, I went into the book completely blind with no context. So how was my reading experience?
It's not good. Pretty bad, actually. To address the elephant in the room, it's baffling to me why the author believed it would be a good idea to hamfist a sex trafficking thriller plot into a Twilight romantasy knock off. This has to be one of the worst, and most hilarious, creative decision I have ever seen in a book, and it leads to some truly ridiculous moments. For example, chapter twenty which depicts in unmistakable, unobscured terms of thirteen-year-old little girls being forced into sex work, is immediately followed by chapter twenty-one which concerns only menial relationship drama between Hope and Michael, with a steamy intimate scene as cherry on top.
That’s just one example. In numerous occasion during its second half, the book gives the impression that saving the sex-trafficked Rories isn't really that important when it comes to plot priority. Think of it this way, the book dedicates same number of words, maybe even less number of words considering Lucas' chapters are in general shorter, to the detail inner workings of sex trafficking than to the supernatural-stud-fell-in-love-with-me drama between our protagonists.
And just like every other piece of media doused in American-borne conservatism (the most prominent example of which has to be that psychop movie, 2023's The Sound of Freedom, which, of course, also feature sex trafficking) this book reeks of American jingoism and moral panic. The only named human antagonist is a Chinese triad member, and the human disguise Michael took upon is, by happenstance I'm sure, an American military personnel intervening in foreign humanitarian crises. Kudos to the author, at least the archangel is saving the immigrant boats rather than sinking them.
This also highlighted another issue. The depiction of angels in this book betrayed a profound lack of imagination on the part of the author, and in extension American Protestantism as a whole. Whereas in the bible the angel is depicted as eyeballs surrounded by flaming wheels or animal amalgamations beyond human comprehension, the archangels in this book are basically just white men in the military. There is nothing transcendental or holy about this book's cosmology, beings on a higher plane of existence operated on the same principle as human beings; they even have their own courts and can be sued by one another, looks like lawyers would always be the parasites even in God’s heaven.
In that sense, the archangel Michael might as well be an Israeli Mossad agent. That whole angel and fallen angel things barely matters in the plot anyway, we don’t even see a single fight between Lucas and the boys. Instead of choosing between going to heaven or staying human, Hope can choose between going to live in Israel or stay in America, it would have made no difference to the overarching story.
Speaking of the story, the plot, it's extremely poor. It progresses on a snail pace, the first two chapters with Hope felt like they are walking in circles, repeatedly elaborating on Hope’s supposed decision to be made about Michael that, in a competently written book, a single page of dialogue would probably be suffice in elucidating. The book constantly throw out references to the previous books that had no bearing on the current one; that whole key thing in Las Vegas and Hope’s mark played no part in the book’s overarching plot, yet I was reminded of them at least three times every ten pages, it’s infuriating.
And the grand finale is so stupid I legit laughed out loud. Really? Forgiveness? Lucas is an analogy to the Devil, so him playing the role of a trafficker make sense, equating biblical evil with the real evil we see in human trafficking, but what does the ending mean in this context? That we are to forgive human trafficker? That sex trafficking, while tragic, is also a part of God's plan?
Also, it's not up to Hope to forgive Lucas. Who is she as a mortal to forgive his sin? Macey is dead, her entire family is dead because of Lucas, and Hope can just forgive him in their stead? Come to think of it, Macey is so poorly handled; she has no characterization, no agency, no arc or character development; the only reason she exists is that as the reader we have to see sex trafficking in all its gory detail, but we can't have our precious protagonist's sister to go through them, so let's just throw in a nothingburger character to take the brunt of that stick. Oh, and also let's kill her whole foster family to raise the stake, just because.
She is not a character. Macey is barely a plot convenience, ironic considering that's exactly how Lucas the antagonist sees her too, a mean to an end, but I don't think this is a connection the author intentionally made, considering this would put the author in the same moral position as the devious sex trafficker villain. Once the convenience is done with and the plot no longer needs her to progress forward, Macey is killed off, like she never even existed.
Well, to be fair, in this book most characters die unceremoniously and inconsequentially. Arthur dies with no fan fare, offscreen, and other characters barely brought him up afterward; Mona dies and has a funeral, but there is no transformation of character to be seen on Hope, she is going on the exact same plot trajectory of choosing between heaven or Earth and saving Rories, she doesn't even talk or act different after HER MOM HAD BEEN KILLED!
So, the overall theme of the book is bad, the characters are bad, what about the writing? Well, it's amateurish to say the least. The information density on each page is incredibly poor, I can skip half a page without missing any integral plot beat. Characters just endlessly talk to one another, and on most occasions their dialogue is accompanied by no activity, so they just converse like characters from the Sims game, the literary equivalent of shot reverse shot in movies. There are obvious writing mistakes, such as in Chapter Eight where an omniscient third-person narration has the dialogue tag "Rories shook my head" in it. Where did this "my" come from?
I hope this critique doesn’t come off hostile, but if it does, well, I wouldn't be so hostile if the book isn't of such poor quality. The book is published for public consumption, not a personal pet project circulating between close friends and family members, a certain level of quality control is the author's obligation. I doubt a professional editor was ever consulted, because any editor would have chopped off at least a hundred pages from the book. I don't consider reading this a complete waste of my time, only because I find it a good way to peer into a long-gone era of Americana, left over from Bush's presidency and at the dawn of the revolutionary, borderline iconoclastic Trump administration, and all the cultural artifacts left over from it. This book reminded me that, at one point in time, Twilight is really all there is.
I really should finish that Herta Müller book. 1.5/5, closer to a 1 than a 2.
Till this day, The Land of Green Plums sits on my bookshelf gathering dust, but Dark Before Dawn, I have just finished. I have not read the prequel, I don't know the author, I'm not the demographic the book is aiming for, I went into the book completely blind with no context. So how was my reading experience?
It's not good. Pretty bad, actually. To address the elephant in the room, it's baffling to me why the author believed it would be a good idea to hamfist a sex trafficking thriller plot into a Twilight romantasy knock off. This has to be one of the worst, and most hilarious, creative decision I have ever seen in a book, and it leads to some truly ridiculous moments. For example, chapter twenty which depicts in unmistakable, unobscured terms of thirteen-year-old little girls being forced into sex work, is immediately followed by chapter twenty-one which concerns only menial relationship drama between Hope and Michael, with a steamy intimate scene as cherry on top.
That’s just one example. In numerous occasion during its second half, the book gives the impression that saving the sex-trafficked Rories isn't really that important when it comes to plot priority. Think of it this way, the book dedicates same number of words, maybe even less number of words considering Lucas' chapters are in general shorter, to the detail inner workings of sex trafficking than to the supernatural-stud-fell-in-love-with-me drama between our protagonists.
And just like every other piece of media doused in American-borne conservatism (the most prominent example of which has to be that psychop movie, 2023's The Sound of Freedom, which, of course, also feature sex trafficking) this book reeks of American jingoism and moral panic. The only named human antagonist is a Chinese triad member, and the human disguise Michael took upon is, by happenstance I'm sure, an American military personnel intervening in foreign humanitarian crises. Kudos to the author, at least the archangel is saving the immigrant boats rather than sinking them.
This also highlighted another issue. The depiction of angels in this book betrayed a profound lack of imagination on the part of the author, and in extension American Protestantism as a whole. Whereas in the bible the angel is depicted as eyeballs surrounded by flaming wheels or animal amalgamations beyond human comprehension, the archangels in this book are basically just white men in the military. There is nothing transcendental or holy about this book's cosmology, beings on a higher plane of existence operated on the same principle as human beings; they even have their own courts and can be sued by one another, looks like lawyers would always be the parasites even in God’s heaven.
In that sense, the archangel Michael might as well be an Israeli Mossad agent. That whole angel and fallen angel things barely matters in the plot anyway, we don’t even see a single fight between Lucas and the boys. Instead of choosing between going to heaven or staying human, Hope can choose between going to live in Israel or stay in America, it would have made no difference to the overarching story.
Speaking of the story, the plot, it's extremely poor. It progresses on a snail pace, the first two chapters with Hope felt like they are walking in circles, repeatedly elaborating on Hope’s supposed decision to be made about Michael that, in a competently written book, a single page of dialogue would probably be suffice in elucidating. The book constantly throw out references to the previous books that had no bearing on the current one; that whole key thing in Las Vegas and Hope’s mark played no part in the book’s overarching plot, yet I was reminded of them at least three times every ten pages, it’s infuriating.
And the grand finale is so stupid I legit laughed out loud. Really? Forgiveness? Lucas is an analogy to the Devil, so him playing the role of a trafficker make sense, equating biblical evil with the real evil we see in human trafficking, but what does the ending mean in this context? That we are to forgive human trafficker? That sex trafficking, while tragic, is also a part of God's plan?
Also, it's not up to Hope to forgive Lucas. Who is she as a mortal to forgive his sin? Macey is dead, her entire family is dead because of Lucas, and Hope can just forgive him in their stead? Come to think of it, Macey is so poorly handled; she has no characterization, no agency, no arc or character development; the only reason she exists is that as the reader we have to see sex trafficking in all its gory detail, but we can't have our precious protagonist's sister to go through them, so let's just throw in a nothingburger character to take the brunt of that stick. Oh, and also let's kill her whole foster family to raise the stake, just because.
She is not a character. Macey is barely a plot convenience, ironic considering that's exactly how Lucas the antagonist sees her too, a mean to an end, but I don't think this is a connection the author intentionally made, considering this would put the author in the same moral position as the devious sex trafficker villain. Once the convenience is done with and the plot no longer needs her to progress forward, Macey is killed off, like she never even existed.
Well, to be fair, in this book most characters die unceremoniously and inconsequentially. Arthur dies with no fan fare, offscreen, and other characters barely brought him up afterward; Mona dies and has a funeral, but there is no transformation of character to be seen on Hope, she is going on the exact same plot trajectory of choosing between heaven or Earth and saving Rories, she doesn't even talk or act different after HER MOM HAD BEEN KILLED!
So, the overall theme of the book is bad, the characters are bad, what about the writing? Well, it's amateurish to say the least. The information density on each page is incredibly poor, I can skip half a page without missing any integral plot beat. Characters just endlessly talk to one another, and on most occasions their dialogue is accompanied by no activity, so they just converse like characters from the Sims game, the literary equivalent of shot reverse shot in movies. There are obvious writing mistakes, such as in Chapter Eight where an omniscient third-person narration has the dialogue tag "Rories shook my head" in it. Where did this "my" come from?
I hope this critique doesn’t come off hostile, but if it does, well, I wouldn't be so hostile if the book isn't of such poor quality. The book is published for public consumption, not a personal pet project circulating between close friends and family members, a certain level of quality control is the author's obligation. I doubt a professional editor was ever consulted, because any editor would have chopped off at least a hundred pages from the book. I don't consider reading this a complete waste of my time, only because I find it a good way to peer into a long-gone era of Americana, left over from Bush's presidency and at the dawn of the revolutionary, borderline iconoclastic Trump administration, and all the cultural artifacts left over from it. This book reminded me that, at one point in time, Twilight is really all there is.
I really should finish that Herta Müller book. 1.5/5, closer to a 1 than a 2.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2020
Possible spoilers.
I enjoy that this story is unique and written well. Unfortunately, the author took the things I really enjoyed from the previous books and got rid of them, and the things I didn’t enjoy reading she added more of, so I kind of just wanted to get the story over. Lots of the sex trafficking stuff, lots of distrust, and lots of POV from the bad guy, Lucas. I didn’t want the bad guy’s POV; which is almost half the book. There’s also POV from Hope’s little sister, which is just more sex trafficking stuff. That’s what this book is mostly about.
Also, I hate that Hope waited so long to make a decision; plus, I don’t like how that ends up. I like the connection between Michael and Hope; I just wish I felt Hope cared more about Michael at times. He is constantly putting himself on the line for others and if she chose to become an angel, she could be a partner for him. She’s chosen to selfishly focus on the needs of just her family and herself; she could be helping so many others as an angel. She could’ve been dealing with the Fallen for all these years. There’s even a possibility that if she made the decision right away to join Michael, then her family may have not been in danger. I don’t like how Hope continues to distrust Michael and not let him explain; she’s held a grudge for friggin’ 10 years against the man/angel she supposedly loves. Plus, the only thing between them in 10 years have been kisses. It’s not like she too young; she’s 28. I was also disappointed that Michael just seemed pretty diminished in this book. It also seemed that the Angels didn’t do much better than law enforcement when trying to find the missing girls being sex trafficked. What’s the point of being an Angel?
So, yeah, the writing is fine and all, and I liked the unique ideas in the story, but I just think this author isn’t for me.
I enjoy that this story is unique and written well. Unfortunately, the author took the things I really enjoyed from the previous books and got rid of them, and the things I didn’t enjoy reading she added more of, so I kind of just wanted to get the story over. Lots of the sex trafficking stuff, lots of distrust, and lots of POV from the bad guy, Lucas. I didn’t want the bad guy’s POV; which is almost half the book. There’s also POV from Hope’s little sister, which is just more sex trafficking stuff. That’s what this book is mostly about.
Also, I hate that Hope waited so long to make a decision; plus, I don’t like how that ends up. I like the connection between Michael and Hope; I just wish I felt Hope cared more about Michael at times. He is constantly putting himself on the line for others and if she chose to become an angel, she could be a partner for him. She’s chosen to selfishly focus on the needs of just her family and herself; she could be helping so many others as an angel. She could’ve been dealing with the Fallen for all these years. There’s even a possibility that if she made the decision right away to join Michael, then her family may have not been in danger. I don’t like how Hope continues to distrust Michael and not let him explain; she’s held a grudge for friggin’ 10 years against the man/angel she supposedly loves. Plus, the only thing between them in 10 years have been kisses. It’s not like she too young; she’s 28. I was also disappointed that Michael just seemed pretty diminished in this book. It also seemed that the Angels didn’t do much better than law enforcement when trying to find the missing girls being sex trafficked. What’s the point of being an Angel?
So, yeah, the writing is fine and all, and I liked the unique ideas in the story, but I just think this author isn’t for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2016
I was so excited to review the 3rd book in this series. I've been waiting!
The spiritual relationships and dialogue add a huge dimension to each book in the Archangel Prophesies. I've read a few books that dabble with angels and demons and I have to say that the author didn't broach this writing task lightly. Even though the books in the Archangel Prophesies are fictional, you can tell that she did copious amounts of research to accurately explore and bring to life these spiritual elements and characters.
Such a great story that raises awareness and brews deep questions - a real page turner!
The spiritual relationships and dialogue add a huge dimension to each book in the Archangel Prophesies. I've read a few books that dabble with angels and demons and I have to say that the author didn't broach this writing task lightly. Even though the books in the Archangel Prophesies are fictional, you can tell that she did copious amounts of research to accurately explore and bring to life these spiritual elements and characters.
Such a great story that raises awareness and brews deep questions - a real page turner!
October 6, 2017
Disclaimer: I won this book from Goodreads.
This is the third book in a trilogy. I was unable to find and read books 1 and 2. I have no idea why the antagonist hated the heroine so much, but I was still able to comprehend this novel. This is an interesting book. The plot is a thriller set in the real world with some fantastical characters involved. The characters are well-described, and the story is good. The subject matter is informative and thought-provoking. The story does go quite dark. Because of that, I have no desire to read it again, which lowered my rating.
This is the third book in a trilogy. I was unable to find and read books 1 and 2. I have no idea why the antagonist hated the heroine so much, but I was still able to comprehend this novel. This is an interesting book. The plot is a thriller set in the real world with some fantastical characters involved. The characters are well-described, and the story is good. The subject matter is informative and thought-provoking. The story does go quite dark. Because of that, I have no desire to read it again, which lowered my rating.
May 11, 2020
It has been almost 4 years since reading the previous two books in this series and it really took me a while to get into the story again. I enjoyed the last book in the series as well as the conclusion to the story of Hope. I would recommend this series to all fantasy lovers, please read the books in order and as close together as possible.
March 15, 2017
Dark Before Dawn (Archangel Prophecies #3) is an exciting and suspenceful read. I wish Michael (the archangel) could have been stronger and have more power, as I feel angels should be very powerful. Hope and Michael were my favorite characters and play a big part in the storyline. I enjoyed this book and would recommend.
October 17, 2016
Thank you Monica McGurk for reaching out to me to review the third installment of your Archangel Prophecies book series! This is a sponsored post, all opinions are my own.
Dark Before Dawn is the third book in the Archangel Prophecies series by Monica McGurk. Because of that, I am giving you fair warning that you will definitely want to read the first two installments before you start this book.
I have been anxiously awaiting this books’ release. I love series, but I am not so good at waiting for the next installment to be released (I started reading Harry Potter before book 5 was released…that was some difficult waiting!). If you would like to read my reviews of the first two books, you can find them here –
Dark Hope – Book 1 - http://www.townsend-house.com/2014/09...
Dark Rising – Book 2 - http://www.townsend-house.com/2015/09...
Dark Before Dawn starts off with a scene reminiscent of the fairies blessing Sleeping Beauty as a baby, and the old fairy coming in afterwards and giving her a curse.
We are met with Michael, the Archangel, as well as Gabrielle, Arthur, and Raph; where they all bestow blessings on a new baby, somewhat reluctantly by everyone but Michael who ordered them to be there. Lurking in the corner was Lucas, who ended up adding his own “special” blessing in a curse.
Then we fast forward several years into the future.
I actually appreciated this part of the story. I wasn’t sure how the entire relationship would play out between a teenager and an Archangel, so creating a bit more balance that way was a good move in my mind. Although, with the ending of book two, I think this could have been a good book as to what Hope went through to this point to make her into the person she is today.
Hope is now a much more confident, strong person, although she is constantly worrying about the decision she needs to make – how will she move forward, with or without Michael?
This book is quite a bit different than the first two books in the series as it concentrates heavily on child sex trafficking. This was featured in the previous two books, but it was much more a background story than it was in this third installment. You can feel the passion that the author has for this incredibly important cause, and bringing it to the main stream.
In fact, it was incredible to see the imagery of what is happening in this country currently, something that I did not really consider before.
The ending is not at all what I expected, but it was a wonderful way to end the series.
It was a very fast paced book, which made it a quick read. Overall, I think this is a wonderful series for young adults, and one that I would definitely recommend to people who enjoy fantasy novels. I would recommend that if you would like your teen or tween to read this series that you make sure you read with them, it will definitely bring up some amazing questions and talking points about the real world beyond the doorstep of most kids today.
To see more about this book go here - http://www.townsend-house.com/2016/10...
Dark Before Dawn is the third book in the Archangel Prophecies series by Monica McGurk. Because of that, I am giving you fair warning that you will definitely want to read the first two installments before you start this book.
I have been anxiously awaiting this books’ release. I love series, but I am not so good at waiting for the next installment to be released (I started reading Harry Potter before book 5 was released…that was some difficult waiting!). If you would like to read my reviews of the first two books, you can find them here –
Dark Hope – Book 1 - http://www.townsend-house.com/2014/09...
Dark Rising – Book 2 - http://www.townsend-house.com/2015/09...
Dark Before Dawn starts off with a scene reminiscent of the fairies blessing Sleeping Beauty as a baby, and the old fairy coming in afterwards and giving her a curse.
We are met with Michael, the Archangel, as well as Gabrielle, Arthur, and Raph; where they all bestow blessings on a new baby, somewhat reluctantly by everyone but Michael who ordered them to be there. Lurking in the corner was Lucas, who ended up adding his own “special” blessing in a curse.
Then we fast forward several years into the future.
I actually appreciated this part of the story. I wasn’t sure how the entire relationship would play out between a teenager and an Archangel, so creating a bit more balance that way was a good move in my mind. Although, with the ending of book two, I think this could have been a good book as to what Hope went through to this point to make her into the person she is today.
Hope is now a much more confident, strong person, although she is constantly worrying about the decision she needs to make – how will she move forward, with or without Michael?
This book is quite a bit different than the first two books in the series as it concentrates heavily on child sex trafficking. This was featured in the previous two books, but it was much more a background story than it was in this third installment. You can feel the passion that the author has for this incredibly important cause, and bringing it to the main stream.
In fact, it was incredible to see the imagery of what is happening in this country currently, something that I did not really consider before.
The ending is not at all what I expected, but it was a wonderful way to end the series.
It was a very fast paced book, which made it a quick read. Overall, I think this is a wonderful series for young adults, and one that I would definitely recommend to people who enjoy fantasy novels. I would recommend that if you would like your teen or tween to read this series that you make sure you read with them, it will definitely bring up some amazing questions and talking points about the real world beyond the doorstep of most kids today.
To see more about this book go here - http://www.townsend-house.com/2016/10...
October 27, 2016
Title: Dark Before Dawn: Book Three of the Archangel Prophecies
Author: Monica McGurk
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Format: eBook (I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
Overall Assessment:
I read the previous two books and to be honest, I didn’t really like them. Why did I read the third book in a series I didn’t like so far, you ask? Oh, just because I have a crazy compulsion to finish a series. After the first book I had hoped the second would get better. It didn’t. I disliked the main female character intensely. I begrudgingly chugged along through the second book like I did with the first. When I was provided the third book I almost dreaded reading it.
I’m so glad I read it. One of my biggest gripes in the first two books was the immaturity of Hope. This book picks up 12 years after the second book ends, which gives way to a much more mature Hope. She is no longer the whiny teenager and has blossomed into a successful and thriving adult. I know there are many similar reviews to mine about the first two books so I wonder if the author may have taken the criticisms to heart and used them to create this book.
What I liked:
-The growth of Hope
-The overall story kept me engaged and I finished the book in less than a day because of it
-Lots of action
-The theme of sex-trafficking didn’t seem to get in the way in this novel like it did in the others
What I didn’t:
– The end seemed really rushed. In truth, the ending is the only reason I didn’t give 5 stars. The redemption of several of the characters was sudden and not very believable.
– To go along with my above point, I felt that there were loose ends that we could have had more closure on. Maybe it’s because of my background in mental health, but I really needed more on how the world of sex-trafficking affected one character in particular.
Would I recommend this book to family and/or friends?
Yes
Follow the link below for this review and more on my blog:
https://chandareads.wordpress.com/201...
Author: Monica McGurk
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Format: eBook (I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
Overall Assessment:
I read the previous two books and to be honest, I didn’t really like them. Why did I read the third book in a series I didn’t like so far, you ask? Oh, just because I have a crazy compulsion to finish a series. After the first book I had hoped the second would get better. It didn’t. I disliked the main female character intensely. I begrudgingly chugged along through the second book like I did with the first. When I was provided the third book I almost dreaded reading it.
I’m so glad I read it. One of my biggest gripes in the first two books was the immaturity of Hope. This book picks up 12 years after the second book ends, which gives way to a much more mature Hope. She is no longer the whiny teenager and has blossomed into a successful and thriving adult. I know there are many similar reviews to mine about the first two books so I wonder if the author may have taken the criticisms to heart and used them to create this book.
What I liked:
-The growth of Hope
-The overall story kept me engaged and I finished the book in less than a day because of it
-Lots of action
-The theme of sex-trafficking didn’t seem to get in the way in this novel like it did in the others
What I didn’t:
– The end seemed really rushed. In truth, the ending is the only reason I didn’t give 5 stars. The redemption of several of the characters was sudden and not very believable.
– To go along with my above point, I felt that there were loose ends that we could have had more closure on. Maybe it’s because of my background in mental health, but I really needed more on how the world of sex-trafficking affected one character in particular.
Would I recommend this book to family and/or friends?
Yes
Follow the link below for this review and more on my blog:
https://chandareads.wordpress.com/201...
October 24, 2016
I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
I wasn’t sure what I would think about the big jump in the book. It’s usually either really good or really bad when a book or movie skips over a significant amount of time. In the case of Dark Before Dawn, it really worked. The jump transitioned away from Dark Rising in a way that showed growth in all of the characters. It also embraced a realistic view of how that time gap would affect relationships. I especially loved being able to see Hope’s growth with her trust issues throughout the series, but especially throughout Dark Before Dawn.
Dark Before Dawn dove even further into human trafficking which is one of the reasons this series is so stellar. While it’s a fantasy series, it has a really raw and eyeopening underlying storyline about human trafficking. This has continued throughout the series and has always made it even more gripping for me. I loved how McGurk raises awareness for such an important topic throughout this series and how much light is shed on it in Dark Before Dawn.
In regards to the bigger focus on human trafficking, I appreciated the fact that Dark Before Dawn was closer to home. In Dark Rising, many locations were visited and discussed throughout the book. But Dark Before Dawn focused more so on the United States and it gave me a deeper understanding to what goes on within our borders. It also made me want to do something to help even more.
The ending for Dark Before Dawn and the series itself was very fitting. I feel like it was the perfect ending for the book and the trilogy itself. If you haven’t read Dark Hope or Dark Rising yet, I would absolutely recommend them both. Dark Before Dawn is just as good, if not better, than it’s prequels.
I wasn’t sure what I would think about the big jump in the book. It’s usually either really good or really bad when a book or movie skips over a significant amount of time. In the case of Dark Before Dawn, it really worked. The jump transitioned away from Dark Rising in a way that showed growth in all of the characters. It also embraced a realistic view of how that time gap would affect relationships. I especially loved being able to see Hope’s growth with her trust issues throughout the series, but especially throughout Dark Before Dawn.
Dark Before Dawn dove even further into human trafficking which is one of the reasons this series is so stellar. While it’s a fantasy series, it has a really raw and eyeopening underlying storyline about human trafficking. This has continued throughout the series and has always made it even more gripping for me. I loved how McGurk raises awareness for such an important topic throughout this series and how much light is shed on it in Dark Before Dawn.
In regards to the bigger focus on human trafficking, I appreciated the fact that Dark Before Dawn was closer to home. In Dark Rising, many locations were visited and discussed throughout the book. But Dark Before Dawn focused more so on the United States and it gave me a deeper understanding to what goes on within our borders. It also made me want to do something to help even more.
The ending for Dark Before Dawn and the series itself was very fitting. I feel like it was the perfect ending for the book and the trilogy itself. If you haven’t read Dark Hope or Dark Rising yet, I would absolutely recommend them both. Dark Before Dawn is just as good, if not better, than it’s prequels.
December 12, 2016
Michael (Archangel, protector of heaven) had been resurrected & appointed Arthur to watch over Hope Carmichael (28, lawyer) & her family.
Don Hope’s dad had been killed but Michael never came.
Lucas (leader of the Fallen Angels) had killed Abel.
10 yrs. Later Hope gets a job ministering at the federal prison.
Michael Boyd & Gabrielle (Archangel) had come to meet the Carmichael family: Hope, Rorie Carmichael (12), Tabby Carmichael, & Mona Carmichael (mom)
Chen (leader of Triad) is in the Florence ADX Super Max prison (Colorado).
Why is Luke seeing Macey (Rorie’s BFF)?
Why was Gabrielle on trial?
Michael was her attorney & they appeared before the Chief Magistrate (Jurisdiction of Heaven).
What happened to Macey?
Who is Gabriel Luke?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written religious oriented paranormal book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great movie, an animated cartoon or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; MakingConnections; River Grove Books; Greenleaf book group (Monica McGurk); paperback book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Don Hope’s dad had been killed but Michael never came.
Lucas (leader of the Fallen Angels) had killed Abel.
10 yrs. Later Hope gets a job ministering at the federal prison.
Michael Boyd & Gabrielle (Archangel) had come to meet the Carmichael family: Hope, Rorie Carmichael (12), Tabby Carmichael, & Mona Carmichael (mom)
Chen (leader of Triad) is in the Florence ADX Super Max prison (Colorado).
Why is Luke seeing Macey (Rorie’s BFF)?
Why was Gabrielle on trial?
Michael was her attorney & they appeared before the Chief Magistrate (Jurisdiction of Heaven).
What happened to Macey?
Who is Gabriel Luke?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written religious oriented paranormal book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great movie, an animated cartoon or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; MakingConnections; River Grove Books; Greenleaf book group (Monica McGurk); paperback book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
October 23, 2016
I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in return for an honest review.
This is the 3rd book in the trilogy and what a thrilling finale.
This book takes place about 12 years after the last book though it does start out with the angels blessing Hope's sister "Rorie" in the crib, but this is a set up for the rest of the book.
Hope is now an adult, working as a lawyer in the public defender's office. Her best friend Tabby is now a fully fledged minister, though toned down a little, she has lost none of her flamboyance. Hope and Michael are now reunited though Hope has to make a choice so that they can be together all the time.
This book centers around Rorie and her friendship with Macey, a vulnerable foster child. It highlights how easy it is for a person to manipulate a vulnerable young girl into prostitution and child trafficking.
In parts this book is not an easy read as you sit there while Luke manipulates Macey and watch her slow decent into child prostitution and then involve Rorie, all so that he can get his revenge on Hope.
This is a fast paced heart wrenching and tear jerking finale to the Archangel Prophecies. It was a book that I absolutely hated in parts, not because I didn't like the story but because of the reality it portrayed and I didn't want it to happened, especially to Rorie!
The ending I didn't expect but was very apt when considering the story as a whole. It was also very uplifting .... humanity can be redeemed!
This is the 3rd book in the trilogy and what a thrilling finale.
This book takes place about 12 years after the last book though it does start out with the angels blessing Hope's sister "Rorie" in the crib, but this is a set up for the rest of the book.
Hope is now an adult, working as a lawyer in the public defender's office. Her best friend Tabby is now a fully fledged minister, though toned down a little, she has lost none of her flamboyance. Hope and Michael are now reunited though Hope has to make a choice so that they can be together all the time.
This book centers around Rorie and her friendship with Macey, a vulnerable foster child. It highlights how easy it is for a person to manipulate a vulnerable young girl into prostitution and child trafficking.
In parts this book is not an easy read as you sit there while Luke manipulates Macey and watch her slow decent into child prostitution and then involve Rorie, all so that he can get his revenge on Hope.
This is a fast paced heart wrenching and tear jerking finale to the Archangel Prophecies. It was a book that I absolutely hated in parts, not because I didn't like the story but because of the reality it portrayed and I didn't want it to happened, especially to Rorie!
The ending I didn't expect but was very apt when considering the story as a whole. It was also very uplifting .... humanity can be redeemed!
November 3, 2016
Dark Before Dawn by Monica McGurk is the final book of the Archangel Prophecies.
In the two years after the ending to Dark Rising, Michael has been missing from Hope's life. She never gave up, searching everywhere for him. Just as she was giving up, Michael reappeared in her life.
Fast forward 10 years (12 years from the end of Dark Rising), Hope is a lawyer and her baby sister Rorie is now a teenager. Michael is a constant in their lives but he is getting impatient and has been pushing Hope to make a life-changing decision.
Lucas has been released from his punishment for his part at the end of Dark Rising, and he's once again seeking revenge on Hope and Michael. This time Lucas targets Rorie and her friend Macey.
I find there were some difficult scenes to read involving Rorie and Macey, but this series has a common theme in all 3 books and that is sex trafficking. This author is very brave to tackle this theme and has interwoven this cleverly in these books.
I was also very frustrated with Hope and her indecision regarding Michael and her inability to trust him. It is evident that they love each other, so why was there such a barrier between them? However, in the end we get a happy ending and I'm very glad this book has ended the way it has.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
In the two years after the ending to Dark Rising, Michael has been missing from Hope's life. She never gave up, searching everywhere for him. Just as she was giving up, Michael reappeared in her life.
Fast forward 10 years (12 years from the end of Dark Rising), Hope is a lawyer and her baby sister Rorie is now a teenager. Michael is a constant in their lives but he is getting impatient and has been pushing Hope to make a life-changing decision.
Lucas has been released from his punishment for his part at the end of Dark Rising, and he's once again seeking revenge on Hope and Michael. This time Lucas targets Rorie and her friend Macey.
I find there were some difficult scenes to read involving Rorie and Macey, but this series has a common theme in all 3 books and that is sex trafficking. This author is very brave to tackle this theme and has interwoven this cleverly in these books.
I was also very frustrated with Hope and her indecision regarding Michael and her inability to trust him. It is evident that they love each other, so why was there such a barrier between them? However, in the end we get a happy ending and I'm very glad this book has ended the way it has.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
November 23, 2016
Four angels stand around a crib. Each brings a blessing to the young child who sleeps. But in the shadows, another watch, and unlike the others, his intentions are far from good.
Hope has waited twelve long years for Michael’s return. She refused to believe he might be gone forever. A lot has happened during those intervening years. Hope has become a lawyer. And Aurora, her baby sister, was born. When Michael does return, he presents Hope with the choice of leaving her family behind forever, but in doing so, she would leave the world without its angelic protector. Can Hope give up her loved ones and her role as protector to spend eternity with the one she loves? Years pass as Hope ponders her options.
The other angels aren’t happy with accepting Hope into their realm. They want nothing but to see Hope and Michael go their separate ways. When the unthinkable happens, and Aurora and her friend are abducted, Hope has to force the angels to help her rescue her sister.
This multi layered story centers around the need for revenge…and the redemption of forgiveness. It brings a focus on domestic child trafficking and the horrors that go with it. But despite the horror, there is light in the world.
Wonderfully told and gripping, this story will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading.
Hope has waited twelve long years for Michael’s return. She refused to believe he might be gone forever. A lot has happened during those intervening years. Hope has become a lawyer. And Aurora, her baby sister, was born. When Michael does return, he presents Hope with the choice of leaving her family behind forever, but in doing so, she would leave the world without its angelic protector. Can Hope give up her loved ones and her role as protector to spend eternity with the one she loves? Years pass as Hope ponders her options.
The other angels aren’t happy with accepting Hope into their realm. They want nothing but to see Hope and Michael go their separate ways. When the unthinkable happens, and Aurora and her friend are abducted, Hope has to force the angels to help her rescue her sister.
This multi layered story centers around the need for revenge…and the redemption of forgiveness. It brings a focus on domestic child trafficking and the horrors that go with it. But despite the horror, there is light in the world.
Wonderfully told and gripping, this story will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading.
November 10, 2016
I have to admit something. I have not read the previous books in this series. I now wish I had, however, the book stood well on its own. Monica was successfully able to bring in the past without it taking over the story. This book reminds me of the Fallen series by Lauren Kate, but it stands on its own phenomenally.
Dark Before Dawn was a wonderous journey. An Angel fell in love with a human. Michael fell in love with Hope. Their love is what every woman wants. Ironically enough, they hope for that kind of love. I have that kind of love. One must fight for true love. Most importantly, Monica teaches forgiveness. Can you learn to forgive the person who has hurt you the most? The person who has tried to kill you, multiple times? The person who sold your little sister into prostitution? I bawled like a baby. I kept putting myself in Hope's shoes, wondering how I would handle what she has gone through. Monica also wrote on how strong a woman can be, but also how one person could tear that strength away.
Dark Before Dawn has amazing characters, and a fantastic story that I did not want to end.
Dark Before Dawn was a wonderous journey. An Angel fell in love with a human. Michael fell in love with Hope. Their love is what every woman wants. Ironically enough, they hope for that kind of love. I have that kind of love. One must fight for true love. Most importantly, Monica teaches forgiveness. Can you learn to forgive the person who has hurt you the most? The person who has tried to kill you, multiple times? The person who sold your little sister into prostitution? I bawled like a baby. I kept putting myself in Hope's shoes, wondering how I would handle what she has gone through. Monica also wrote on how strong a woman can be, but also how one person could tear that strength away.
Dark Before Dawn has amazing characters, and a fantastic story that I did not want to end.
September 28, 2016
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Genre: Fiction
Age Recommended: 14 and up
This book was an ARC, courtesy of NetGalley. I have neither read nor reviewed the first two books in this series, but this book was still easy to follow.
Dark Before Dawn
——————————————
Hope and Michael have been through it all. But another test is yet to come. Hope has the choice of either leaving her world to join Michael or making him abandon his work to come to her. Neither option is desirable, but a choice must be made.
Just when Hope thinks that she’s figured it all out, an old enemy of hers kidnaps her sister and her sister’s friend. Michael and other archangels must find these girls before harm comes to them, but is it already too late?
The girls could be anywhere, and from the terrible hints that their enemy is dropping, their time is coming to an end…
Genre: Fiction
Age Recommended: 14 and up
This book was an ARC, courtesy of NetGalley. I have neither read nor reviewed the first two books in this series, but this book was still easy to follow.
Dark Before Dawn
——————————————
Hope and Michael have been through it all. But another test is yet to come. Hope has the choice of either leaving her world to join Michael or making him abandon his work to come to her. Neither option is desirable, but a choice must be made.
Just when Hope thinks that she’s figured it all out, an old enemy of hers kidnaps her sister and her sister’s friend. Michael and other archangels must find these girls before harm comes to them, but is it already too late?
The girls could be anywhere, and from the terrible hints that their enemy is dropping, their time is coming to an end…
October 11, 2016
I was sent an advance reader copy of this book, but all opinions are my own.
Twelve years have now passed in the story when Dark Before Dawn starts with its action. It wasn’t what I expected, but it allowed for more maturity in the human characters. I don’t imagine 12 years makes all that much difference for the angels, but since there’s interaction between the two, it helps to see a more mature Hope.
While the love story between Hope and Michael still plays a big factor in the story, as does the Fallen, we also see more of the human trafficking storyline. I found my eyes being opened to how a child could be drawn into that world. *shivers*
As for the conclusion of the trilogy, Dark Before Dawn doesn’t disappoint. The storylines are brought to a satisfactory conclusion, though not in the way that I expected. Though that’s all you get from me about the ending because I hate spoilers.
Twelve years have now passed in the story when Dark Before Dawn starts with its action. It wasn’t what I expected, but it allowed for more maturity in the human characters. I don’t imagine 12 years makes all that much difference for the angels, but since there’s interaction between the two, it helps to see a more mature Hope.
While the love story between Hope and Michael still plays a big factor in the story, as does the Fallen, we also see more of the human trafficking storyline. I found my eyes being opened to how a child could be drawn into that world. *shivers*
As for the conclusion of the trilogy, Dark Before Dawn doesn’t disappoint. The storylines are brought to a satisfactory conclusion, though not in the way that I expected. Though that’s all you get from me about the ending because I hate spoilers.
October 21, 2016
I've read all three books from the Archangel Prophecies and it definitely felt like the best part of the story was saved for last.
Many years have past and we're seeing an older and more mature Hope. We're also seeing more to her relationship (and trust issues) with Michael. This series deals heavily with the subject of human trafficking and it's prevalent in this book. It was difficult to read about young girls being used in this manner, but it also definitely raises awareness. If your teen is considering reading this book, I would read it along with them so you can answer any questions and discuss the topics at hand.
This was a faster read for me, and while parts were intense, I was happy with the ending.
I was sent an advance reader copy of this book, but all opinions are my own.
Many years have past and we're seeing an older and more mature Hope. We're also seeing more to her relationship (and trust issues) with Michael. This series deals heavily with the subject of human trafficking and it's prevalent in this book. It was difficult to read about young girls being used in this manner, but it also definitely raises awareness. If your teen is considering reading this book, I would read it along with them so you can answer any questions and discuss the topics at hand.
This was a faster read for me, and while parts were intense, I was happy with the ending.
I was sent an advance reader copy of this book, but all opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2016
This was my first time reading McGurk, yet I was able to fully understand this third installment of her Archangel Prophecies trilogy. Hope, an attorney, has a life altering choice to make in relation to Michael, a powerful archangel who is in love with her. Meanwhile, her family is being infiltrated by an evil force from the past. The story touches on some important social justice issues such as foster care, child sex trade, SES, and spirituality. Heavy hitters for one novel, but it somehow works.
December 24, 2016
I won this book on Goodreads and I am very happy that I did! I read the first book in the series a couple of years ago but this book caught me up on what I missed and had forgotten. This book is good for young and older adults. It has a lot of good lessons and is very entertaining. I love the characters hope and Archangel Michael .
Currently reading
December 20, 2016Thank you Greenleaf Book Group. I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway. Unfortunately though, I did not realize it was book three of a series until I received it so my review must wait until I am able to get and read all three books!
October 9, 2016
Fantasy story involving present day and a young female lawyer plus the archandel Michael. Not my cup of tea but if you like Fantasy give it a try.
November 27, 2016
it was a good book
March 25, 2017
Not bad.
I liked it.
Received as a Gr giveaway.
I liked it.
Received as a Gr giveaway.
February 8, 2017
A great fantasy read that teaches lessons. Totally recommend this book. Really enjoyed reading it.
Won a copy through goodreads giveaway.
Won a copy through goodreads giveaway.
November 17, 2016
Goodreads win
A good read. The characters were interesting. Would recommend.
A good read. The characters were interesting. Would recommend.
April 8, 2017
I did not finish, I usually love books on angels and demons, liked the idea and the twist on a fairytale at the beginning but I just could not get into it enough to actually finish reading it. I may try again at a later time and see if my thoughts change.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews