This book is fresh off the presses, and you won’t be disappointed with A.J. Flowers‘ first book in the Celestial Downfall series.  I received a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion.  I must say, I am looking forward to the rest of the series and finding out what becomes of Azrael!  And until 12/18/16 you can enter to win your own free copy on Goodreads!

Azrael is Windborn, and a hybrid, setting herself apart from all the other Windborn at Manor Saffron, where the not-quite-angels train for a life in the real world.  Her hybrid status makes her able to see not only light (like all other Windborn), but dark.  The unjust death of another hybrid in the Manor sparks Azrael into action–into making a deal with a demon.  Smartly, she only asks it to change her fate–anything more specific and she’d be dancing too near the possibility of the demon overtaking the deal.

Her fate changes immediately.  The Manor is in need of a new Queen, and Azrael has been chosen by divine power.  But Azrael quickly learns that being Queen is a life full of new secrets, new friends (real angels with agendas of their own) and new powers.  Flowers paints a realistic picture of a world where angels remain an open secret (special chairs for wings, anyone?), and I was impressed with the imaginative version of light and dark magic.

The juxtaposition of angels with normal flaws just makes sense, too.  Angels are always depicted as perfect beings, and as a human reader myself, the angel characters clicked perfectly.  Not to mention the swoon-worthy descriptions of wings and other celestial details.  I’m a sucker for description.

I did find myself craving an ordinary day in the life in the Manor, though–but Azrael has no trouble keeping up with one turn after another.  We end the book with a seriously motivated Azrael, and plenty of intrigue to have you looking for the release date of the next book.

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