I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts. This is a spoiler free review!
False Gods
Written by Yolanda Ramos
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Publisher: Reach Publishers
Release Date: February 1, 2016
Pages: 324
Source: Author, Paperback
Places to Get this Book: Amazon
Recommended Age: 13 and up!
Summary:
A monstrous evil stalks Cormac in his new role as the Seventh Sentinel. His prime objective is to find and secure supernatural weapons of mass destruction left behind after the Great Flood by the Watchers and their offspring, the Nephilim.
Cormac and his paladins travel to Africa to safeguard his family, battling fiends of awesome proportions along the way and discovering entities that are the stuff of legends and beyond comprehension. The rogue sentinels will do anything to stop or distract Cormac from his sacred quest. The stakes are high on both sides. Life or Death? Hellfire or Heaven?
Cormac must also come to terms with his own personal demons and find the strength of will to resist the temptations that lie in wait for him, while his private life takes a turn for the worse.
Review:
I was contacted by the author and she sent me this book in paperback form. It took me a little while to actually get into this book but once I did, I didn't regret it. It was a really interesting and intriguing book with a topic that I haven't read much about. Now, I'm wondering if this is supposed to be Christian YA because it felt like it. I approve of course. I really liked how it had a little bit of everything but I especially liked the strong friendship and family aspect. Just a reminder, if you can't get hold of the first book, it's okay to read this one first.
COVER
The cover is good and I think it accurately represents the book. I love how Conrad is on the cover and it sort of represents his whole role in the story.
WORLD-BUILDING
The world was a little hard to get used to, especially since I haven't read the first book but I got used to it eventually. I like how there are archangels and how they basically are supposed to guide the sentinels which is what Conrad is. I don't know all the historical background relating to this story but it is apparently very accurate so I'm happy.
Then there are the characters.
CONRAD
Conrad wasn't the perfect character but I prefer the characters in stories to at least be a little bit flawed, because no one is perfect. He had a lot of good qualities. He was loyal to his family and his friends and the archangels. He was pretty smart and could think his way out of things. He was also really kind. His flaws were basically, getting distracted and mad easily.
DARCY
She wasn't a main character until the end but I put her here because I really liked her. She was Conrad's sister who had a daughter who was just the cutest thing. Their scenes always made me smile. I was so unhappy by the end. There were some things that I would seriously change if I had the chance. Darcy was also flawed, as most people are. She took a long time to accept her brother and believe that he really cared about her. I also really liked how she was a ballet dancer and they had a couple scenes with her dancing or performing and I really liked them.
NOELLE
Noelle was another main character. She was one of Conrad's best friends and healed people. I really liked her character as a whole. She was kind, compassionate and smart. She was also a lot of fun and quite funny at times. I feel like she really brought out the best in people.
FRIENDSHIP/FAMILY
This book shows the importance of friendship and family and how people need it. I like how Conrad had a good relationship with his sister and mom and niece by the end of the book. I really liked his scenes with his sister. They were all just too cute.
I also liked how Conrad was really close with the other sentinels and they were all practically family. His friends really had his back through thick and thin.
PLOT
I enjoyed the plot. It wasn't too hard to keep up with and had a lot of action. It was also balanced with some calm scenes and just friendly scenes after all the characters are all in their early twenties so they can't be all uptight and stern. I liked how she balanced all the scenes and had a good mix. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this one.
ROMANCE
There wasn't really too much romance which was kind of a relief.
WRITING
I liked the description and how it was written in third person. I also really just liked how she wrote all the important scenes: battles, deaths, family scenes. They were all done to perfection!
Final Thoughts:
Fantasy lovers, here is a new book that you should pick up if you haven't already. I guarantee that you will enjoy this book and if you don't, well that's your opinion. I thought that this had a good blend of everything and people should check this one out.
Quotes from the Book:
None!
My Rating: 4 out of 5 Crowns