The Fireflies’ Champion (Guardian Angels United 1)

What worked:
The story is set in a world of angels where Caroline finds herself after she dies in a house fire. Readers will know something’s not right when she fails to walk into heaven’s light and it becomes more puzzling when she’s reunited with her father, a member of the Guardian Angels United. He calls her Lily and says she mustn’t let anyone know about the power of her ring. Caroline has no idea what’s going on anyhow and she becomes worried when she hasn’t started growing angel wings. Her father and some other GAU angels turn up missing so the plot evolves into a mystery adventure. Caroline learns she has a gift of sight and can foresee when the living are in danger. Also, something extremely rare occurs when she begins the process to join the GAU and these events may offer clues as to why she’s in danger and must be wary about who she trusts.
The author keeps the setting relatable as the angel world works much like the land of the living. Lily works at a coffee shop to earn money, and the food here is “heavenly”. She’s surprised to find all of the angels wearing black but the color white isn’t even an option when she shops for a new outfit. Messages are sent via mail, although they’re distributed by delivery angels. Gods and mythical creatures are part of the story but they’re mostly talked about and not seen.
The plot is presented through the eyes of Caroline and her mentor Dash. This allows readers to better understand the mixed thoughts and feelings of the two main characters. Dash fails his mission to save Caroline’s life so he feels guilt whenever he sees her. The two of them have a connection through Caroline’s death but Dash is reluctant to develop any friendships and avoids becoming closer. When the two of them touch, Caroline gets visions of humans facing death but she’s also able to see things other angels cannot. She doesn’t fully understand life in the City of Angels and she’s unsure where to safely seek help. A character named Fin has power among the angels and Caroline starts to feel an attraction toward him. Fin’s arrogance will cause readers to be suspicious and Dash’s comments will reinforce the doubts.
What didn’t work as well:
Although Caroline’s life is threatened, the plot doesn’t fully develop the tension associated with the danger. Caroline and Dash have a device predicting when a threat will occur which actually lessens the suspense since the characters know when to expect an attack.
The Final Verdict:
It’s creative to have angels blended with Greek gods and other creatures and the City of Angels has much of the same drama as cities of the living. Caroline’s kind character makes her endearing and readers will root for her as she strives to find and rescue her father. It’s an entertaining start to a series and I recommend you give it a shot.