Angel Fire Review

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Angel Fire by Valmore Daniels
Narrator: Suzanne Cerreta
Published by Mummer Media on January 20th 2011
Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal
Pages: 280
Format: Audiobook
Source: Provided for review through Audiobook Blast/Boom
Goodreads

My name is Darcy Anderson, and I am cursed with a dark power: Whenever my life is in danger, something inside me summons elemental fire to protect me. I cannot control this. One night, I was attacked in my home. The fire ... it raged out of control.  I survived the inferno, but my house burned to the ground - with my parents inside. I was at a loss to explain to the courts what happened, and they sent me to prison for ten years for manslaughter. Now I'm out on parole, and all I want is to return to my home town and rebuild my life; but the man who attacked me is back to finish the job he started.  I can sense the power in me growing. If I can't control it, it will control me and destroy everything - and everyone - I love.

 Julie’s Review:

This review contains spoilers.

Angel Fire has a really interesting concept – girl with the power of fire inside her loses her parents and now has to learn to function and control her ability before others get hurt. Let’s start with the positives. I really liked Darcy at first. She had purpose and was being strong and trying to overcome the past and move forward with her life. I really liked Neil because he was supportive, protective, and a real gentleman. Uncle Edward was quite difficult in his ornery ways, but he did the right things when it counted. Aunt Martha was very hospitable and always on Darcy’s side. I also enjoyed the audio and think the narrator did a good job bringing life to each character.

But let’s move on to the things I didn’t care for as much. Darcy feels like she is completely alone in this, and yet in the span of a few days she has 3 people who already know about her situation and have experienced or heard about this ability she has. Convenient (but not coincidental) was Neil arriving in town just as Darcy did. Darcy’s ex-husband and ex-father-in-law are just bullies who are useless human beings. At least they got what they deserved in a way.

But what upsets me the most in this book is that there is no positive. There is no redemption for Darcy, there is no overcoming all her issues. There is only the “I am useless and now everyone is dead because of me” let down at the end of the book. In hindsight, this is definitely one of those read the reviews before requesting the book for review type of situations. Others have complained about this as well. This ending definitely did not work for me. I’m all for a painful journey with loss and grief if that helps a character develop into someone kick-ass and strong, but that did not happen. Darcy felt stronger to me at the beginning of the book. I realize this is a series, but this first book did not entice me to continue to see if she finally does get her redemption.

 

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