Review: Great book 3!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 24, 2014
*Warning 18+ read and may contain spoilers*I was back and forth between 4 and 5 stars on this one, so I settled on a 4.5. There were several things in this book that hit home and made me a bit angry. It started with the meeting of the archangels led by Uriel and right before Toren's turn to head to Earth (which confused me a bit since the intended couple needs to have their first kiss to bring the angel through the aether...). Uriel's on his high horse because the new Pope is causing quite the ruckus with allowing birth control and "ushering the church into the 21st century". *sigh...* This is why I'm spiritual without following a particular religion. I know plenty of Catholics/Christians that use the pill. And FYI, it IS the 21st century, and I like the new Pope. Does this guy know women vote now, too? Someone might wanna tip him off on that one...Since Socerith (Satan's head honcho) has found a way to unleash his scientific experiments on mankind, it means Uriel and the others have to speed things up a bit and do their job in about 1/2 the amount of time. There's a commotion when the angels are told by Uriel he's picked out their future wives for them by choosing those who are vulnerable. Great Urie, nice...The angels are urged to learn about how to please their wives but warned to stay away from what humans call porn (hey now, there's nothing wrong with porn. It's like salt: a little bit adds some flavor and variety). He reminds them of instinct, but that instinct without morality is how beasts behave. Some people need a lesson in this...Meanwhile, Zool's only concern is that his wife be intelligent (oh how I can't wait to read about this one!).On Earth, Toren reunites with his future wife Samantha by answering an ad she placed for a farm hand. He actually met her in book 2, but due to what she suffered he wiped her memory just enough so she would fall for him naturally rather than through coercion, as that would not be noble. Oh how I love this guy! Trying to get Sam to not be so hard on herself is no easy task. She's put up with a father who tried to marry her off just to get rid of her and has been eternally disappointed she wasn't born a boy, yet she constantly compares her own figure to one (as do most of the farm hands). Her self esteem issues lead her to judging anyone who has a voluptuous body as "easy". Really sick of girls who think like this, but with all the "real women have curves" going around she's not entirely to blame. Voluptuous women tell skinny girls to 'eat a sandwich' while skinny girls think all big busted women are fake. Even if they are, who cares? How about we stop judging each other?? She's also had to put up with "new ager" Joe who's a threat all throughout the story on several levels.Toren begins his new job, but soon enough there's trouble. There's a fire in one of the barns and Samantha is badly injured. Add to that her coming down with the flu that's been going around. Toren marvels at the fragility of humanity, and wonders why almost no one sees that evolution and creationism work within the same paradigm. Too often we see people pick one or the other, and too many people think that Christians don't believe in evolution, or that scientists don't believe in a higher power/God. Everyone is right: -they're 2 halves of the same whole.Then we get to Ezekiel and Skylar who are supposed to be Toren's couple. They meet at a small cafe where they both use the computers to find work. Ezekiel's first impression of Sky is that she's just another American slut because she wears jeans and a shirt that shows she has a nice figure and wears makeup as "armor". I can't tell you how sick I am of this attitude, too. Sexy is not slutty or stupid. Not to mention that jeans and a t-shirt aren't necessarily sexy. But I guess if you come from a country where women are forced to be covered head to toe, not allowed to speak or initiate sex, and only used for procreation and to dominate over that is how you would think. (It's unbelievable how some people are so quick to judge others). Of course, he's quick to offer to give her the directions she needs to Sam's ranch in exchange for a ride, so sure she couldn't defend herself against the demon in disguise who also wants to tag along. After some deliberation she finally agrees to giving both guys a ride.Now I know there are tests bestowed upon us all, and I have no problem admitting I would have failed this one. Being kind gets you in trouble.After hearing the demon's intentions and warning and telling Sky, he feels she gets what she deserves by trusting him. He's an oddly conflicted man: he hates everything Sky represents, but has an innate sense of protecting her...Arriving at the ranch sets Sam's insecurities on high alert. As she's introduced to Sky-a former rodeo queen (I'll admit I don't know what that is) she wonders why Sky still "plays the part" if she doesn't want to be reminded of her past. Looking good and playing ONE role doesn't make one's entire life. Damn Sam, get some self esteem. Since the enemy (read the Devil) uses one's own doubt against their natural reaction you need to stop and think.Since there's not much time to lose, it's not too long before Toren tells Sky and Ezekiel of the plans and how they are 'his couple'. Naturally, neither is open for this suggestion, as they really dislike each other! However, Sky finally relents only to be pretty much used. Ezekiel is used to being a soldier, and doing what is necessary to get the mission accomplished. Oh boy does Toren give him a lesson! He reminds him Sky is more precious to God than all men, simply because she is a woman. She isn't weak, and submission isn't a sign of weakness. Toren is sick of zealots who misinterpret the Bible and use it to their own advantage and use God's name to do it. Quite frankly, so am I. (This isn't limited to relationships between men and women BTW). The way Toren speaks-in "such awe and immaculate reverence"- makes both Sky and Ezekiel stop in their thought tracks. Let me tell you how some people in this world do need a swift kick in the attitude department...After Ezekiel's brush with death via Toren, he goes to Sky to ask for forgiveness. Not knowing he'd been given visions of her terrible past, she actually does forgive him saying it isn't really his fault. He wasn't taught any better. Another test I probably would have failed.But angels help in odd ways, and for reasons most humans will never figure out. Sometimes you don't know what good your seemingly insignificant or random actions can do. You're judged by a higher power, (the only acceptable judging) by what you know, not what you don't. And no two souls are judged the same. Angels are more spiritual while humans are more cognitive/physical. But each has the ability to be the other. That's deep-think about it. It means We are all equal but opposite, like all of creation,and we're more angelic than we'd like to believe. Thankfully due to Ezekiel's ability to swallow his pride and ask for forgiveness and Sky's ability to forgive that's what happened. With their union they became the warriors they were needed to be while Toren become more human (although he's still an angel) and allowed him to finally become one with his wife, Sam, and their quadumvirate was now formed. Good thing, too, because Satan's evil creations are on the move...What I love is that the lessons of trust and forgiveness and judgement are all throughout the story. We'll all be judged, but we'll all also be able to ask for forgiveness.We again see Kassern, but not his wife so much as she's suffering from the demon bite from book 2. We see the 4 warriors from the first 2 angels and we see Dorn being...well...Dorn. LOL He's still contentious and pretentious, but he's got a new addiction to caffeine which I love to no end! Dorn asks the human men to explain 'pillow talk' to him. He knows his wife, Sallie wants to hear it, but he doesn't want to ask her. OK, this part was highly amusing, but there's a lesson here, too. Ladies, men aren't mind readers. And guys, you need to ask your woman what she wants. It's OK to not know something. Ask and ye shall receive.Toren thinks hearing the word God is the most wonderful thing. Saying oh my God or OMG isn't in vain like some people think it is IF you're saying it in an acknowledging way. Meaning, if you're pretty much saying "I know God made this and I'm giving it up to Him" it's actually nice. (** NOTE: I say God and Him b/c that's how it is in the book. If you're not particularly religious, that's OK-the messages are still there).A paradox is when a person can't explain something. It's funny how we blame God for all the wrong in the world, but rarely praise Him for all the miracles that happen. Little as they may be, they do actually happen, and just because you don't see them doesn't make them non existent.We get a glimpse of some of the future angels including Lyght, Zool and Salem which I liked, except...Salem's last?? He's emerald! I'm really looking forward to him!This series keeps getting better, but more intense and deep. I will read book 4, but I am definitely reading the supplemental books first.