My Rating- 4 STARS
Synopsis- Sixteen year-old Kara Nightingale’s ordinary life is suddenly turned upside down when she dies and wakes up in a strange new world with a new career—as a rookie for the Guardian Angel Legion. Kara is pulled into the supernatural, where monkeys drive the elevators, oracles scurry above giant crystal balls, and where demons feed on the souls of mortals.
With the help of her Petty Officer and friend, David, Kara hurtles towards an adventure that will change her life forever…
My Review- I couldn't put this book down and from page one I knew this would be a book I would finish within a day. I hated putting my kindle down for more than a few minutes to make a drink.
The action starts immediately. Kara, our protagonist, is racing towards her dream of becoming an artist...but she is late for the presentation. Running across a road she is splattered by a bus...and when she wakes in Horizon (Heaven-like place) we learn she was chosen to become a Guardian Angel. Her petty officer David soon becomes her friend and the not-quite-there romance between them is fun to read. At one point I did think the whole insta-love was going to happen and was
pleasantly surprised when it didn't. Their relationship gradually builds....and then is thrown in to complications by a Demon Mark that appears on Kara's ankle, labeling her a traitor to angels, she must fight to prove her innocence and regain David's trust.
I enjoyed the pace of the story, how it all unravels piece at a time, and the extra surprises thrown in for fun. I wont say it was the most complicated plotline and some of it was predicable but with the fantastic standard of writing, the character voices clinging to your brain and begging to be read and the amazing descriptions and imagination you can easily forgive the straight forward plot.
I enjoyed Kara as a character. She was brave and not as whiny as the average teenage 'voice' in YA books and had a sense of independence that I really respected. Recently there have been a spate
of books and writers that have created very weak female protagonists who cling to the male love interests and lose themselves. I am glad Kara is capable of looking after herself in times of battle. David was fun, flirty, with the typical young lad ego and it was fun listening to his jokes and care free
attitude.
I enjoyed Marked and will soon be buying and reading the rest of the series. I hope they are all as good as this one.