I was gifted the audio book to review by NetGalley.

This is a YA paranormal fantasy with complex world building, and a strong feisty heroine. There were some moments where I was confused by the world building aspect but I think the author ended with tying it well together.

Myla is a quasi-demon which is half demon and half human. At 17 she loves nothing more than fighting in the purgatory arena. She is very outspoken but also hilarious and had me giggling throughout the book.. This book at the basis is a heaven and hell outline but the author built upon it five realms with deep history which kept me interested.

The author narrated this audiobook version, and it was actually a unique experience for me. I was not sure what to expect but the author did a fantastic job!!! I will definitely be adding more audiobooks by this author to my tbr list!

What I liked:

The arena
The creatures
The MC

What wasn't my cup of tea:

The narrative was sometimes borderline rambling in my opinion, and some could have been cut back, along with some of the world building. I generally love complex world building and while I think the author did a great job, I also think some of it could have been phrased differently. At times it seemed like there were piles of details that didn't really make sense in the moment.

The best friend just was not my cup of tea.

Overall I give this book 3.5 stars!

Angelbound is a light, fun read with an interesting world and cool characters. From the large array of demon types to the major races of the 5 realms, there is so much to explore. This version of Purgatory is a place I really wanted to hang in and that made some of the slower bits manageable. There are a few awkward moments, missed opportunities, and odd pacing issues that are small but together prevent this book from really standing out. Despite that, I had a great time reading it and can’t wait to continue the series!

Life in Purgatory for an 18-year old quasi-demon like Myla Lewis can be pretty dull. Ever since the archdemon Armageddon’s war, quasi-demons like Myla have been forced into servitude for the ghouls that now rule the realm. On top of having to attend classes intended to brainwash her and prepare her for servitude, Myla also has to contend with an overprotective mother and a host of unanswered questions about her family’s past. The one thing saving her from true insanity is the Arena where she is occasionally summoned to fight the most evil of souls to prevent them from reaching heaven. However, something is shifting in the delicate balance of power between the 5 major races and Myla starts drawing the attention of angels and demons alike. As if concerns over another war weren’t enough, she keeps running into Lincoln, a handsome yet conceited Thrax who knows just how to get Myla’s demon blood boiling. Mayhem is about to break out in Purgatory with Myla at its very center.

From the variety of creatures to the socio-political interplay, this book does an excellent job building a complex world without overwhelming the reader with too much information. Though the concept of Purgatory, Heaven, Hell, etc. are not necessarily new, this take on it feels unique and well realized. Each of the five major races (Angel, Demon, Ghoul, Quasi-Demon, and Thrax), have their own political and social structures that greatly differ from one another and Bauer does a great job managing the tensions between these groups in a way that feels natural. My only complaint is that I wish we had the opportunity to explore this world and its history more. With Myla being our narrator, it makes sense that our view is a little more limited and I appreciate how much Bauer is able to convey within those limitations. However, it means there is still so much left to explore in the rest of the series!

Though I found the main cast of characters endearing, there is not a lot of depth to them. They all just feel kind of stagnant and don’t grow or change in ways that feel significant or meaningful. Some interesting things definitely happen to them, but I don’t feel like their adaptations to the situations they are put in necessarily reflect a deeper personal shift. Additionally, some character traits such as Myla’s martial prowess or her mother’s political savvy are usually not highlighted by them achieving a great feat but by making all those around them seem inept. As a result, it didn’t make the characters feel as ‘stand out’ as they really are. Despite all of this, I was invested in their journey and want to know what is coming next.

I used the audiobook version for this read and feel that this book (and series) would be best to read rather than listen to. Though the reader gives each character a unique voice, they are highly characterized in a way that I didn’t always feel natural and the reader does not vary each voice to adapt to different situations. Overall, it made the characters feel more clunky and awkward than they actually are and took away from some of the more emotional moments.

Special thanks to NetGalley for providing this audiobook ARC!

I loved this book!
Great romance, I loved the plot, and I enjoyed the characters. There were no plot glitches or fails. I listened to the author read this and except for the overdone Mom's voice right at the beginning I thought she did a pretty good job.... (Mom's voice chills as the book progresses) I thought she did better than some paid readers who I have listedned to and have actually ruined a book for me. I wish I could hear them all while I work..,. painting walls, trim, cabinets.... but I acturally have most of these in written form and haven't been able to find the rest cheap on audiobook.... so they will have to wait:(
I love Chirp as a cheap way to get cheap audiobooks... I often listen to books I wouldn't otherwise buy just so I can hear a story while I work;) I hope you check them out as an option so I can hear the rest ;-)
Loved it!
I couldn't get it to add my link below...

Angelbound is my first novel by this author and I enjoyed it. I loved the world building and the introduction to the different beings from angels to demons and ghouls and so much more. I linked the main characters. Both Myla and Lucas were strong characters and although they did not have the best of introductions, I was rooting for them throughout the story. This novel was engrossing and highly entertaining with quite a lot happening and as the story slowly unfolded I was frantically turning the pages wanting more. I loved it and I would highly recommend it to YA fantasy lovers.
I listened to the audiobook version which I received from Netgalley. Unfortunately I didn't really care for the narrator as I felt she had some of the characters sounding a bit childish. That however did not distract me from fully enjoying this story and I can't wait for more.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC audiobook. I have read this book physically whenever I was younger. And I remember loving the series. When I saw this arc for the audiobook, I had to jump on the opportunity to see how it comes to life through audiobook. And Christina Bauer's narrating drew me in and allowed me to fall in love with the series all over again. I can't wait to dive back into the world of Angelbound.

This was very hard for me to finish. I almost gave up. I don't know what it was or maybe reading Crescent City right before this made it super hard to read but, I just didn't love it. Maybe I'll come back to it later on and try again.


I received a free copy of the audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I received a free copy of the audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

As a woman in my mid 30s I didn't expect to like this book nearly as much as I did. With that said, my teenage self would have liked it even more. Yes the characters are juvenile, they are meant to be! The world building was incredible.

Myla, an 18 year old quasi demon (half human, half demon) who lives in Purgatory has been fighting in the arena to keep evil out of heaven since she was 12. Her home had been overthrown by demons before she was born and had been ruled by ghouls ever since. Quasis now lived in slavery where they were forced to serve the ghouls. Myla's service was in the arena, and although it worried her mother, she was good at it, and she loved doing it.

As she begins getting more and more curious about her mother's secretive past and the father she never knew. On her quest to find answers she meets new people, finds new truths about both the past and the present, and ultimately uncovers her true identity. Just in time for the demons to attack Purgatory again.

Hi! Angelbound by Christina Bauer is a fantasy romance I absolutely loved!! I listened to its audiobook which may be the reason it worked out so well for me. The book is written in first person and is basically the inside of an extremely chaotic person’s brain. So hearing the book in an audiobook format was like hearing the inside commentary firsthand and I absolutely loved that. It made me snort out loud, multiple times.

Read more as I try to convince you why you should listen to the audiobook too (or read the book, though I loved listening to the audiobook at 1.75x speed).

Why you should read it

Myla, the protagonist is honestly great. I found her actually relatable- never mind the amazing fighting skills and the tail (so cool??!). She hadn’t found anyone she liked and/ or found hot, nor had her first kiss, but wasn’t naïve either.

The hilarity?? I’m sorry but this book had no business being so funny. I pretty much cackled throughout its entirety. I’m convinced my Dadi (Dadi means paternal grandmother) thought I went mad, though it’s not like she didn’t already think that.

And lastly the plot. It wasn’t underdone nor was it excessively focused on- rather it just fit in perfectly with the commentary and character interactions. At times, I did wish it would progress faster but I’m pretty sure that was just my brain computing the already sped up audio as slow lol.

All-in-all, I genuinely recommend this read! Angelbound is actually the first book in a (quite) long series though I read this read as a standalone and loved it (I really hope to listen to the rest of the series someday though). Regardless, go read/ listen to this book!!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my free audiobook of this read.

If you’re planning on purchasing this read, please consider using the following amazon affiliate link to purchase it. It would be at no extra cost to you and would really help me out, thank you!

purchase this read: https://amzn.to/3PZXzw9 (It’s free on KU!)

I love audiobooks when I'm cleaning the house or driving to and from work or laying in bed at night. This book is fantastic for all the above. The author is phenomenal, down to earth, engages with her readers and truly loves what she does. This is made evident by giving us such a greatly written series with well-loved characters. The author steps it up a notch with this audiobook as she reads and does all the voices herself. She is definitely one of my favorite authors.

This is my first fantasy book that I have listened to. I was not impressed. I thought it would be an adult fantasy book, and was wrong. I really couldn't get into the book, and lost interest in the first 20 minutes. I give this book 2 stars

A new to me author and I am so glad I picked it up. I'm a lover of Fantasy Romance but was a wee bit hesitant as it's a YA, but I quickly fell in love! It's an interesting storyline. Slow paced at the beginning due to world building and so is the slow burn of the romance. WORTH THE WAIT!! Truly!!

Prepare yourself as this is the sort of book that is going to make you want to grab every single title in the series and devour them all... immediately!! From the creative twists in the world building, to characters that are lovable, you want to befriend and those that you totally understand why they must be gone!

FYI - as this is the first book in the series there is a LOT of information that is needed and the 'norm' in many fantasies, sci-fis & PNRs.

The author Christina Bauer also narrates the book, which to be honest, made me raise and eyebrow and think "okaaayyy". I was extremely pleasantly surprised! I liked her voice!! She can totally have a career as a narrator if she wanted to!!

As much as I liked Christina's narration, the one character voice she did that just grate on my nerves was Cissy. There was a deep "Valley Girl" accent that was just too much and takes you out of the story. It wasn't consistent either. Some time it was heavily done and others, it started off soft and then BAM there it was... ugh. That was the only thing I had issues with.

Totally grabbing the next book in the series!

This book red like a three stars to me. I feel like there was a lot of good in it, but a lot of convoluted ideas. I felt a little overwhelmed at times because the book did feel like it was a little too long, the world building was decent. I didn’t care for the pace. It felt very slow for most of the book, and it took me a really long time to get through it. I think that it could’ve been condensed a little bit shorter, it’s not a bad book by any means. I just think that it was too long and the pacing needed some work. I did enjoy a lot of this book but it took me way too long to get through because of slow paced beginning and lengthy story.

4.5 book 5 narration -- author narration
Are you looking for amazing battle scenes, kickass sassy heroine, a bit of forbidden love, some angels and demons? If you answered yes to any of these, then this is a book for you.
Frist the narrator who is also the author, did a fantastic job with so many different voices and personalities. You know form Chapter 1 that this story is written from a teens point of view. Her narration make you want to give several of the characters a good stern talking to. As well as other times I rooted for them to get away with their scheming.
As the story goes 18 year old Myla Lewis wakes everyday of servitude to either Walker ready to transport her to the Purgatory arena (she as fought here since she way 12 years old) where she is to fight a soul or a nagging, up-tight overbearing mother all the while being a senior in high school. She begins getting noticed in all the ways she has been told not to and as good things begin happening to her, BAD things are happening all around.
I have given it 4.5 stars for several reasons. This audiobook was so hard to put down. The fact that it is super suspenceful is just the tip of the iceburg. Myla and Sissy are so fun and games at the beginning But as the story goes on they grow so much as do many of the other characters in different ways. I am looking forward to the next bok in this series.
The only negative thing I have to say and the reason it lost half a star is that the ending frlt a bit rushed. The ultimate battle scene at the end was lacking and felt off or unfitting for what they were going up against. The whole of the ending felt less real than the rest of the story.

I think that this book has great potential, but it just needs a little bit of fine tweaking. The book felt a little rushed throughout the storyline, yet also a fraction too long overall. I think that the concept was interesting, but with an additional glance over it could be made a little less confusing as well.

Overall, I like the book and also the humor. The MC was compelling and had some great one-liners, but I just had too many qualms with it for me to rate it any higher

Thank you Monster House Audio for this book! Angelbound was a fun YA fantasy novel about Myla Lewis, a quasi demon living in purgatory. This was such an imaginative book and Christina Bauer did an incredible job with the narrations.

Thank you NetGalley and Monster House Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars

Angelbound centers on Myla, a kick-ass quasi demon (half human-half demon) who battles evil souls when they appeal to enter Heaven or are damned to Hell.

She has never lost a battle. But the arena she loves so much is changing, and it’s making her uneasy. When she meets the handsome, but condescending, Lincoln, Prince of the Thrax, memories and secrets begin to unlock.

This book was fun to read and made me laugh out loud. Myla is a classic YA MC- more of a fighter than a ‘typical’ girl. She has a lot of energy and makes it clear she only cares about fighting. As the book went along, I appreciated seeing her character develop as she’s faced with choices. Though sometimes the silliness got out of hand, I still enjoyed unraveling secrets with our MC.

The world building is primarily told through her investigation and misfortunes. I felt like this world was huge, and we didn’t get to know all of it, but didn’t have to in order to understand book 1.

I was enjoying the authors writing, but when I arrived to the climax, it fell short. The story turned more silly and ridiculous. For an MC who loves to fight and is an amazing warrior, those final scenes were disappointing to read. I expected more action-packed scenes and seriousness since these were serious events.

The way the plot was resolved felt too easy and took away complex elements from the plot. But, the author did keep me curious! All in all, I would say it’s an easy going, very YA (felt a bit middle grade except for the romance scenes) book. I think if I were younger I would’ve definitely enjoyed this book much more.

The author did an incredible job of making me laugh, though, and left me liking our MC. She’s real, she calls things out, she stands up for herself much better than most MCs nowadays, and she’s honest with her feelings. Myla was very enjoyable!

Awesome book. Would definitely read this author again. Loved the characters, the storyline was really good. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author.

*This Audiobook was sent to me via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I loved the story. I had a hard time listening to the person that read this one though.. I pushed through, but only because I sped it up a lot. I find when listening to audiobooks I need the person reading it to be very good with inflections & through their voice really sell what is going on in the moment & I didn't feel to me that was done as well as it could have been. However I would reread this as a book because the story was very well written & the characters would all well thought out.

I absolutely adore Christina Bauer's books - but an audio version?! Say less. The book is beautifully told and I loved the narration, I cannot wait for more of her books to reach audio!

I really enjoyed this book. Fast pace more twist and turn although I did guess the Big reveal I seriously enjoy the time getting there with each character. I enjoyed each and every character were very fleshed out and fun. I can't wait to see what happens