Prophecy Girl

Prophecy Girl (Angel Academy, #1)by Cecily White

Amelie Bennett. . . . Ending the world, one prophecy at a time.I was born to slay Crossworld demons.Big black flappy ones, little green squirmy ones. Unfortunately, the only thing getting slain these days is my social life. With my high school under attack, combat classes intensifying, and Academy instructors dropping right and left, I can barely get my homework done, let alone score a bondmate before prom.Then he shows up.Jackson Smith-Hailey. Unspeakably hot, hopelessly unattainable, and dangerous in all the right ways. Sure, he’s my trainer. And okay, maybe he hates me. Doesn’t mean I’ll ignore the wicked Guardian chemistry between us. It’s crazy! Every time I’m with him, my powers explode. Awesome, right?Wrong.Now my teachers think I’m the murderous Graymason destined to bring down our whole race of angelbloods. Everyone in New Orleans is hunting me. The people I trusted want me dead. Jack and I have five days to solve the murders, prevent a vampire uprising, and thwart the pesky prophecy foretelling his death by my hand. Shouldn’t be too difficult.Getting it done without falling in love. . . that might take a miracle. (goodreads.com)

Prophecy Girl was the first book I read as soon as I was done with my course this semester. I was both excited and wary about starting the book, though. On one hand, it sounded like a fun novel that I would enjoy reading. On the other, I am always worried about accepting review copies of books from new authors, BUT the awesometastic Pam of Bookalicious fame was praising this book's worth as it was the first book she sold as an agent. I know Pam well enough to know that she doesn't profess love of books lightly. And she certainly would not have shopped this book around without being crazy about it 100-billionty percent. I trust Pam and her bookish opinions - even if I might not always agree with them. So of course I jumped at the chance to read a copy of this novel in ebook format.Almost as instantly as I fell in love with Sarah Rees Brennan's Unpoken, I felt the same connection within the first few pages of Prophecy Girl. Here was yet another female protagonist that I knew I was going to love. Also, humour, sarcasm and wit galore in this novel. Yippee!It was such a refreshing feeling to be reading something that I had time to actually read AND it was enjoyable. I finished this book in a day (even though it took me 2 weeks to figure out why it wasn't showing up on my Kobo. Turns out I had to rename the file. Jeez.) I felt so accomplished, since I haven't been reading anything fun for weeks.Prophecy Girl is action-packed and fun. The story itself was interesting to me and cleverly written. I enjoyed the characters, the pacing and the narration. This was just the kind of book that is completely my cup of tea. There were so many things about it that just made me happy.The one thing I didn't like - and before you make your own judgement and write off the book, please hear me out! - was the sort of, but not really, but kinda yes, insta-love between Ami and Jack. Now, it wasn't exactly done in the way this is normally seen in YA novels, and the connection between the two characters is explained in a very clear and un-insta-lovey manner, but to me it set off too many insta-love flags and I had a little bit of trouble getting past it. I'm sort of torn about how I feel about it because on one hand - UGH! I hate insta-love! On the other, it's done written like every other instant attraction I have read in books and I might not have thought twice about it HAD I not read so many stupid YA insta-love stories in the last few years. And although the connection is referenced throughout the story, it doesn't hit you over the head repeatedly like other books do. I *personally* would have been happier if that part of the story wasn't there, but it didn't distract me too much from the rest of the book. Ami doesn't spend ALL of her time swooning and pining over Jack, but in the few moments she does, I found myself cringing. And I was cringing because I personally dislike this sort of thing in the books I read.BUT this book isn't all about romance and soul-mates and lovey-dovey crap. This book is way more action-oriented and a lot more fun. The romance hoo-hah is just a side-line really, but it was enough to pop out at me. I guess I'm just too old and cynical to believe in instant connections with someone you just meet and then follow them around like a crazy person despite the age difference. Call me a sour puss, but that's me. =PBottom line, despite the above issue, is that I enjoyed this book very much and want to read More! Now! and yet the author is apparently only just writing the second book. What the heck!? That is just not fair because I'm impatient and a sour puss and I know that the insta-love business will be out of the way in the second book and I just want more action and adventure and fun and demon hunting and magic and... just hurry the heck up, already, author. Ok? Thanks.Oh! And in case you were wondering, the Angel part of the Angel Academy series isn't a big focus. Nothing like any of the angel-themed books I have read in the past where the Angelness is stressed throughout. I thought of Ami and her friends more as slayer-types à la Buffy than angels. I keep forgetting that Angel is in the title of the series, so I should probably let those of you who might not go for Angel-themed books that it's not really an angel-themed book!And super thanks big time to Pam for the hook up with this novel. I think you chose wonderfully for the first book you ever sold as an agent, m'dear. Feel free to send me copies of all the other books you have sold now, too. ;)Angel Academy

1. Prophecy Girl
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