This book was full of action from page 1 to the last page. There was a strong girl who could kick butt and a hot, bad-boy angel, and the banter between them keeps readers on their toes. The storyline was unpredictable and had readers guessing until the end. And the end just leavings you dying for more. I can't wait til the sequel comes out.

I was eager to embrace this book, fueled by understandably high expectations. However, "Angelfall" fell short of my anticipations.

My primary issue, which serves as the root of all other concerns, lies in the lack of exploration of Angel Mythology and the broader world-building. Susan Ee provides no insight into the mechanics of the book's world; it remains largely unexplained. While a complex mythology is hinted at, the characters, except for the protagonist Penryn, possess knowledge that is not shared with the reader. Scant fragments of this mythology are sprinkled throughout, teasing interest but providing no real elucidation.

Even in the final ten pages, I held out hope for a comprehensive explanation, but alas, it never materialized. Each time Penryn sought answers about the world, the response from other characters was consistently evasive, a frustrating experience. It seemed as though the author struggled to articulate these complexities, leaving them veiled for future books or until a clearer narrative direction emerged.

This lack of knowledge about the book's world hindered my engagement with the story. The characters' adventures were ceaseless, and the action was relentless, maintaining an edge-of-your-seat allure. Yet, the dearth of understanding hampered my ability to concentrate on the action. I couldn't fully immerse myself in the narrative, plagued by confusion.

The author's attempt at crafting a rich mythology demanded more pages, perhaps double the size of the book, to incorporate essential details about the world she envisioned. Instead, readers are thrust abruptly into unexplained action from page one. The continuous climax, while initially appealing, ultimately proved detrimental. A story requires space for readers to digest its intricacies and acquaint themselves with the characters.

Contrary to the belief that a book with a continuous climax is never boring, I found myself disengaged. When characters navigate through action-packed scenarios without adequate exposition, boredom sets in. It's not a matter of misunderstanding the world; rather, there's an absence of explanations regarding the mythology, history, the world, the angels, and the apocalypse.

Reading this book felt akin to being dropped on the summit of a mountain without the climb. There's no gradual ascent, and this absence of 'climbing' is a significant flaw.

Another aspect that didn't resonate with me was the sudden introduction of a 1920s setting for certain characters. This felt like an attempt to integrate elements without considering their relevance to the book's core concept. With more robust mythology, such a shift might have been fitting, but in its absence, it felt disjointed.

Character development was yet another stumbling block—there was a distinct absence of it. It left me with the impression that Susan Ee possesses considerable talent but perhaps rushed to articulate her brilliant idea without affording the story the necessary space. A sense of untapped potential lingers.

This was such a great read! I'm pretty sure that I've only read one other book/series with the biblical apocalypse, but I'm pretty sure that didn't have angels carrying it out, so I really enjoyed this concept, and it played out so well! I've seen this book get a lot of love recently, and that's so great to see!

Things are not good for Penryn, what with the apocalypse, and her unstable mother, and caring for her younger sister. But then her sister is kidnapped, and Penryn goes on a quest to rescue her. To survive and also search for her sister, that's a tall order!

I really enjoyed exploring this world, and how it's fallen apart since the apocalypse happened. It's a very dangerous world, and it takes a lot of effort just to survive, let alone go on this mission for her sister. I just couldn't get enough!

That she ends up helping Raffe from being hurt by his fellow angels, that maybe wasn't the best move on her part. Or maybe it was one of the best. It'll depend on how things end, but I loved watching them work together! And I'm so excited to see more of them!

I had a really great time reading this book, and I can't wait to continue the series!

DNf. I just couldn’t make myself care about the characters. In all fairness, this really was not my cup of tea to begin with. I can do dystopian, but angels are a bridge too far for me. Nothing against the writing at all—it was fine. The storytelling was definitely too slow, though. I could have stuck it out IF I had been hit in the face sooner with why I should root for Penryn and Raffe.

3.5 stars

A young adult dystopian like I've never read before, ANGELFALL by Susan Ee is an exciting and creepy novel sure to keep you reading. The book follows 17-year-old Penryn in what used to be San Francisco before it was ravaged by angels. Now Penryn must team up with an angel named Raffe in order to find her missing sister. What follows is a storyline filled with twists and turns at every corner.

Published in 2011, ANGELFALL sometimes reads like a dated YA novel. I would hope that some of the ableist terms repeatedly used in this book would not be used today. Similarly, I have concerns regarding how mental health is portrayed in the novel, specifically with Penryn's mother's schizophrenia.

Moreover, the biggest weakness with this book is that nothing is explained. Why did angels invade earth? How did they invade? What happened on earth between the time of the invasion and when the book starts? There is no origin story, and I was very surprised when we got to the end of the book and there were still so many unanswered questions. I'm hopeful they'll be resolved in the sequel.

Nonetheless, I really enjoyed ANGELFALL. I've never read a dystopian book where the world is overtaken by angels. While the book does follow a similar "teenage girl teams up with hunky guy to save the day" format, I absolutely did not predict many of the bizarre events.

If you're looking for a gritty read that will keep you turning pages, I would recommend ANGELFALL. I'll certainly be continuing on in the series.

Gripping and tense. Penryn is a neat character and Raffe is intriguing and mysterious. A good book for people who like Hunger Games or Shadowhunters or other books of that genre. It isn't for me, though I suspect had I read it a few years ago, I would have been much more into it. A fun read!

Four stars: A nail biting apocalyptic book with murderous angels and humans that fight back.

Six weeks ago, angels descended upon earth demolishing civilization. No one knows why the angels suddenly appeared or why they are out to destroy humanity. Life on the streets is living hell for the survivors. Street gangs roam during the day, and murderous angels rule the skies. Seventeen year old Penryn is fighting to keep her family safe, but then disaster strikes, when she and her mother and sister try to find safe shelter. They witness angels fighting, and then her sister is stripped from her, stolen by the terrible angels. Penryn is determined to get her sister back no matter what, even if that means befriending the enemy. With a wounded angel at her side, Penryn makes her way through the ruins of California. Will she find her sister in time?
What I Liked:
*This is a book I have long wanted to read, and long put off. I even put off writing this review because I am still not sure how I feel about this one. First of all, this book debuted as a self published gem back in 2011. This book took the book world by storm. Everyone was buzzing about this book. I wanted to read it then, but I kept procrastinating. Finally fast forward eight years later, I read the book. Was it everything I expected? No. I think my expectations were way too high. Perhaps if I had read it way back then, I would have been blown away. It was a good book, definitely worth reading, but it wasn’t the mind blowing experience I wanted. Still there is a lot to like about this one, and if you are one of the procrastinators, like me, who have yet to try this, do it.
*I liked the world building. The reader is immediately thrown into an apocalyptic world that is ruins thanks to the arrival of feuding angels. These magnificent angels long revered by humans, show up and start fighting and destroying. Everything is in shambles. It is freaky world, and it only gets worse as it goes. There are strange demons in the forest, murderous angels and creepy mad scientists. Shivers.
*The characters are fascinating. First of all, there is Penryn. A feisty seventeen year old who grew up with a deranged mother. Penryn’s paranoid mother made sure that Penryn was trained in numerous martial arts and fighting disciplines. Thus, Penryn is one bad ass chick. She can hold her own in a fight. I loved her fierceness. Not to mention, her courage and determination and her devotion to her sister. She might be tough as nails, but she does have soft spots. Then there is Raffe, an angel, the enemy. Raffe is an enigma, and it takes a long time to learn his secrets. I was fascinated by his character, especially when he revealed his feelings about god and the angel race. Finally, I think the character who stole the show was Penryn’s mom. She is bat shit crazy. No joke. She manages to survive due to her paranoia. She does some crazy things. I cannot wait to dig deeper into her character.
*This book is action packed from the get go. There aren’t many moments in this where you can catch your breath. It seems that Penryn and Raffe are running from one fight to another until the terrifying conclusion. There are several unexpected developments and a shocking finale, leaving me anxious for more.
*I was stunned by so many things in this book from the nephilim, the angels to the mad scientist experiments and more. This book is completely unexpected. Again, if I had read this back in 2011, I would have been far more impressed. Still it holds up. Read it.
And The Not So Much:
*Of course, like most books written in the YA genre, this one ends with a cliffhanger. While the cliffhanger isn’t particularly brutal, things end in a fairly good spot, it was still frustrating. I have steered away from the YA genre because I am so weary of cliffhangers.
*I was frustrated by the lack of information regarding the arrival of the angels and the apocalypse. I kept hoping there would be more explanations, but for the most part, the reader is left in the dark regarding why the angels attacked and their motives. I wish this part of the story was more fleshed out. For me, this was what held the book back. I felt like I was stumbling around in the dark for most of the book.
*There are hints of a romance, but nothing concrete as of yet. It seems apparent as to the way things are going to go. I wish I was more a fan of the romance, but as of right now, I am lukewarm towards it.
Angelfall is a book that still, for the most part, holds up even after eight years. This book is original, it has fascinating characters and a creepy apocalyptic world. Expect the unexpected with this one. Even though it took me eight years to finally dig this one out of my pile, I am glad I finally read it. An impressive read. Especially considering that this little book started out as an independently published book!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

I've read a few angel books and don't usually like them but I really enjoyed Angelfall. It's a post-apocalyptic novel set in Northern California full of complex and strong characters. In the Angelfall world, there are good angels and there are bad angels just as there are good humans and there are bad humans. Susan Ee does an amazing job at bringing her characters and settings to life. This is definitely a book that I will be reading again.

I was unable to finish the book, but thank you for the opportunity.

Just not for me. I couldn't get into the story. May try again at a later date.

Normally I'm not the biggest fan of angel books, but this was interesting. It's dark, post-apocalyptic setting mixed with sci-fi and fantasy was great! Penryn and Raffe are great characters that you will fall in love with through the story. Definitely recommend!

I love the series, I read the first book and got the rest, the audiobooks are excellent choice as well. I wish there could be more books like this one.

I was surprised by how much I liked this book! From the cover & description I thought it was going to lean more towards fantasy (angels!), but it's an apocalyptic story with a sweet love story.