Review: My Avenging Angel by Madelyn Ford
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 07 6, 2010
Victoria Bloom, or Tory saw the remains of her murdered (although quite abusive) mother when she was a young child. Unbeknownst to her, the demon Asmodeus was called forth to kill Tory, killing her mother thinking she was the target. That day Asmodeus does not find Tory, nor does he find her for many years. Tory has had "The Stooges" her three spiritual guides with her (literally with her) all her life. Giving her whispers in her head of dangers and helping her along the way. They know of the threat that Asmodeus poses, although they have left Tory somewhat in the dark. Now that Tory is coming up on her 25th birthday, her powers have begun to come out, and her guides are having trouble keeping who Tory is a secret. They encourage her to summon an angel to help keep her safe. While she means to call forth the angel Zadkiel, she mistakenly calls Michael, an angel that doesn't like humans very much.Michael is leader of the Powers, a police group that hunts down those demons who have joined up with Lucifer. Zadkiel happens to be his second in command. Once Michael sees Tory, he instinctually knows that she will be his mate. When he hears Asmodeus is after her, he knows he must do everything he can to protect her.My Avenging Angel started out pretty good but the heroine quickly got on my nerves. She couldn't figure out if she was going to be a tough chick who is sarcastic or if she was fragile and needed to hide behind Michael when the going got rough. The straw that broke it for me is when Michael is called away to investigate a witch that Asmodeus injured, but did not kill. Michael and Zadkiel leave to talk with this witch, and Michael tells Tory to stay in the warded circle, in case Asmodeus shows up for a visit. First of all, I don't understand why BOTH Michael and Zadkiel had to talk with this witch, one of them could have stayed back with Tory. Meanwhile, Tory is sitting in the circle for 25 minutes - 25 minutes...and she decides she has to use the bathroom and can't hold it any longer and she is starving. So she LEAVES the circle. Wouldn't she have gone to the bathroom before entering - or maybe hold it longer than 25 minutes. She goes to get cereal...CEREAL. And guess who shows up?? Bingo. Asmodeus. She deserved to die right there. However, she doesn't and her TSTL (too stupid to live) moment shines very bright. It is also a very predictable scene for the reader.There are also times Michael means to tell Tory of her changing mortality, only to conveniently find excuses time and time again to not tell her. Michael is sexy, and although I do have complaints, the story has substance. The romance is written well and I liked the idea of Asmodeus hunting her. I think maybe in a longer setting, it would have been better (this book is only 70 pages. There is a good foundation, I just think the actual plot needed to have more time to evolve.