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Alice Clark #1
Finding Alice
Cursed with an intense version of empathy Alice runs from a wasted life to start a new one somewhere no one will know her; Hell, Michigan. Alice works at a hole-in-the-wall bar in the middle of nowhere mostly keeping to herself to avoid the overwhelming emotions of those around her. She allows her best friend to convince her into taking a few college classes without realizing it would drastically change her life forever. From her first day of class she was hooked on him; his scent, his eyes, the way he talked to her inside her head. Throughout her struggles she learns about true love, true pain and the truth of her own heritage. Alice must quickly find out who she is because after all everyone else is out to find her. With Angels and Bounty Hunter’s in constant pursuit she finds protection within a group of Fallen Angels. These Fallen Angels vow to do anything to protect her; for it is their belief she will save their kind and all of mankind.
198 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 19, 2012
11 people are currently reading
1253 people want to read
About the author
Andrea DiGiglio
5 books55 followersBorn and raised in Michigan, I have always been a writer at heart. Over the last decade I have written, starred and directed in many screenplays. In the last few years I decided to return to writing novels. I haven't looked back since, giving my work my full attention. I am very excited to share the worlds I create, with all of you dreamers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
December 7, 2011
I of course love my book, I wouldn't be so excited to share Alice's story with you otherwise!
January 23, 2012
For readers thoroughly intrigued by Angel/Nephilim lore and stories, Finding Alice will be another book to add to their shelves, and here is why. One, there is a new take on the relationship between the Nephilim, Angels, and God Almighty. Two, the swoon-worthy relationship between Cole and Alice. Three, the addictive quality of the narrative.
One: I really enjoyed DiGiglio's address of somewhat sensitive subject matter. Which, of course, was the concept of how God would have reacted to his so-called perfectly created Angels cavorting and fornicating with his humans, much less spawning a half-human/half-angel race of beings never meant to exist (Nephilim). Too often YA novels focused on fallen angels focus on a specific fallen angel's fate since the fall and their attempts to re-enter heaven (See Patch from Hush, Hush). Finding Alice, however, focuses more on the wrath that God and the remaining Arch Angels intend to reap upon the Nephilim walking the Earth because they see and treat them as abominations. Granted, there are still some staples from other Angel-centric novels, the one Fallen seeking retribution and admission back into the pearly gates, a large number of fallen angels who seem to suddenly trust a nephilim, Alice and her beau Cole, with the fate of their lives, and a number of people who are secretly part of the main protagonist's past lurking in broad daylight.
Two: To say that YA novels spend a lot of time on romance is an understatement. Alice and Cole's relationship, as predictable as it might have been at his introduction in the story, was still very organic and natural. I like how DiGiglio managed to approach the intimate sexual details with maturity and relative reality, which is uncharacteristic for a YA novel. (Most YA novels, if they include sex at all, tend to gloss over the details and don't include much concerning the emotional ties that sexual congress can incite). I think that Finding Alice really made sex seem as important as a physical extension of the intense connection between Alice and Cole. Although, I must admit that I am a bit of a hopeless romantic, so I enjoyed that my expectations that their relationship would be all butterflies and unicorns were shot to Hell (This novel is set in Hell, Michigan...get it?).
Three: The entire narrative, while not free of mistakes or awkward moments, was extremely addictive. Once I was drawn into the story of Alice (formerly Jane) I could not put the book down. I will say that this story read more like a novella than that of a full length novel, and it's size is somewhat indicative of that as well. In addition, there are some aspects that weaken the narrative a bit, especially when the narrator, Alice) begins lecturing herself in italics. I think that the internal dialogue is more helpful when a story is told in third person because the reader doesn't readily know what the narrator is thinking due to the POV choice. In a first person narrative, I think that the story is already inundated with the thoughts of the narrator. But I digress. Despite these flaws, which I'm sure DiGiglio will address in the subsequent sequels, the story itself was so consuming that I deem it worth reading.
Overall, I'm awarding Finding Alice 4 stars.
One: I really enjoyed DiGiglio's address of somewhat sensitive subject matter. Which, of course, was the concept of how God would have reacted to his so-called perfectly created Angels cavorting and fornicating with his humans, much less spawning a half-human/half-angel race of beings never meant to exist (Nephilim). Too often YA novels focused on fallen angels focus on a specific fallen angel's fate since the fall and their attempts to re-enter heaven (See Patch from Hush, Hush). Finding Alice, however, focuses more on the wrath that God and the remaining Arch Angels intend to reap upon the Nephilim walking the Earth because they see and treat them as abominations. Granted, there are still some staples from other Angel-centric novels, the one Fallen seeking retribution and admission back into the pearly gates, a large number of fallen angels who seem to suddenly trust a nephilim, Alice and her beau Cole, with the fate of their lives, and a number of people who are secretly part of the main protagonist's past lurking in broad daylight.
Two: To say that YA novels spend a lot of time on romance is an understatement. Alice and Cole's relationship, as predictable as it might have been at his introduction in the story, was still very organic and natural. I like how DiGiglio managed to approach the intimate sexual details with maturity and relative reality, which is uncharacteristic for a YA novel. (Most YA novels, if they include sex at all, tend to gloss over the details and don't include much concerning the emotional ties that sexual congress can incite). I think that Finding Alice really made sex seem as important as a physical extension of the intense connection between Alice and Cole. Although, I must admit that I am a bit of a hopeless romantic, so I enjoyed that my expectations that their relationship would be all butterflies and unicorns were shot to Hell (This novel is set in Hell, Michigan...get it?).
Three: The entire narrative, while not free of mistakes or awkward moments, was extremely addictive. Once I was drawn into the story of Alice (formerly Jane) I could not put the book down. I will say that this story read more like a novella than that of a full length novel, and it's size is somewhat indicative of that as well. In addition, there are some aspects that weaken the narrative a bit, especially when the narrator, Alice) begins lecturing herself in italics. I think that the internal dialogue is more helpful when a story is told in third person because the reader doesn't readily know what the narrator is thinking due to the POV choice. In a first person narrative, I think that the story is already inundated with the thoughts of the narrator. But I digress. Despite these flaws, which I'm sure DiGiglio will address in the subsequent sequels, the story itself was so consuming that I deem it worth reading.
Overall, I'm awarding Finding Alice 4 stars.
January 12, 2012
I received Finding Alice as an ARC from the author Andrea and I have to say HOLY COW! This is an EPIC beginning to a series! As most of you know I love Angel and Demon stories. The just fascinate me and when I started reading this book I could not put it down. Man has Andrea created a real world where good vs evil is ever present.
Alice is a loner who speaks to no one and minds her business. When she is not in school she is off drawing in her sketch book. Her last foster home is anything but normal so she decides to leave and never look back. When she leaves her foster family for good she seeks out a place where it is quiet and no one knows her and where she can reinvent herself. She finds that in Hell Michigan where everyone there is quiet and minds there business. There she changes her name and starts working at a bar where she loves it.
Then she meets one of the bar workers Camille. Camille is full of energy and always telling Alice she should enroll in college. So Alice decides she will enroll in two classes, one being a Religious History class and the other an art class. On the first day of class Alice is waiting for Camille when this GORGEOUS guy walks in and Alice's world seems to stand still. Alice is not sure if she is dreaming but she feels this instant connection to this guy and can't stop staring at him. Camille comes int he room and is totally laughing at Alice because Alice has never ever showed interest in anyone before.
As the weeks pass on Alice is starting to like school and even finds herself spending more time with Camille at the bar. Alice is also staring to come out of her shell and starts talking to Cole (Mr Gorgeous). Then things start to get weird for Alice. She starts having these crazy dreams and she can't decide whether or not they are real. The one thing she does know is that these dreams scare the mess out of her. What is Alice to do, should she follow the dream or should she ignore the dreams? Will she ever be able to open her heart and love? Will she be able to trust the one person she is falling for?
Alice will have to come face to face with her fears and figure out who she is and what these strange dreams mean to her. Will she open her heart up enough to be loved by the one person who is hiding a secret? What will her secret reveal? What is she to do about the bounty hunter's who are after her? Will she really believe her eyes when she see's one of God's chosen ones?
I felt the room catch up to me as his lips touched mine. His kiss consumed every inch of my being. It was intensely gentle with just the right amount of raw, rough passion. I could live in that moment for the rest of my life. We fell back onto the bed and a cloud of dark feathers flew into the air above us, hovering. His arms tangled around me as I ran my hands down his back. I don’t think I could have felt any closer to him than I did in that moment.
Andrea DiGiglio. Finding Alice (Kindle Locations 633-637).
This book does not come out till February 19, 2012 and I am telling you this is a MUST READ! I could not put it down because it has everything from Angels to Nephelim to bounty hunter's and no one is as they seem.
Alice is a loner who speaks to no one and minds her business. When she is not in school she is off drawing in her sketch book. Her last foster home is anything but normal so she decides to leave and never look back. When she leaves her foster family for good she seeks out a place where it is quiet and no one knows her and where she can reinvent herself. She finds that in Hell Michigan where everyone there is quiet and minds there business. There she changes her name and starts working at a bar where she loves it.
Then she meets one of the bar workers Camille. Camille is full of energy and always telling Alice she should enroll in college. So Alice decides she will enroll in two classes, one being a Religious History class and the other an art class. On the first day of class Alice is waiting for Camille when this GORGEOUS guy walks in and Alice's world seems to stand still. Alice is not sure if she is dreaming but she feels this instant connection to this guy and can't stop staring at him. Camille comes int he room and is totally laughing at Alice because Alice has never ever showed interest in anyone before.
As the weeks pass on Alice is starting to like school and even finds herself spending more time with Camille at the bar. Alice is also staring to come out of her shell and starts talking to Cole (Mr Gorgeous). Then things start to get weird for Alice. She starts having these crazy dreams and she can't decide whether or not they are real. The one thing she does know is that these dreams scare the mess out of her. What is Alice to do, should she follow the dream or should she ignore the dreams? Will she ever be able to open her heart and love? Will she be able to trust the one person she is falling for?
Alice will have to come face to face with her fears and figure out who she is and what these strange dreams mean to her. Will she open her heart up enough to be loved by the one person who is hiding a secret? What will her secret reveal? What is she to do about the bounty hunter's who are after her? Will she really believe her eyes when she see's one of God's chosen ones?
I felt the room catch up to me as his lips touched mine. His kiss consumed every inch of my being. It was intensely gentle with just the right amount of raw, rough passion. I could live in that moment for the rest of my life. We fell back onto the bed and a cloud of dark feathers flew into the air above us, hovering. His arms tangled around me as I ran my hands down his back. I don’t think I could have felt any closer to him than I did in that moment.
Andrea DiGiglio. Finding Alice (Kindle Locations 633-637).
This book does not come out till February 19, 2012 and I am telling you this is a MUST READ! I could not put it down because it has everything from Angels to Nephelim to bounty hunter's and no one is as they seem.
January 15, 2012
I was on Twitter one afternoon when I asked if anyone wanted their book to be promoted on my blog. So I was approached by Andrea and after reading the synopsis, told her I would be only too glad to read and review FINDING ALICE. I love books about angels so this sounded right up my street.
First of all, let me address the cover. I am not good at picking up on subtle hints, so had I seen this cover and not read the blurb, I probably wouldn't be able to guess what the story was about. But having read the story, I look at the cover in a different light. I won't give too much away because I want to see if you come to the same conclusion as me. All I will say is, I love this cover and it's what I imagined in my minds eye whilst reading, even though I did not connect the dots at first. (I need to be hit over the head with a sledgehammer - no good at subtlety at all)
As for the story:
I have come to the conclusion that this is my new favourite book and any I read in 2012 will have this as their benchmark! The ARC of this book is my most-treasured possession.
The simple reason for this? Because I totally loved this book and it's characters.
The more complicated reason? Get comfortable in your seat as I delve into my review and explain in a little more detail.
* Note, You may find this a little spoilery for your liking so beware before you read it. I will try my hardest not to ruin it for anyone but I can't help gushing about how much I loved this book!*
FINDING ALICE has a very poignant start. Jane comes from a broken background. But I would describe it more as shattered. She has had a rough start to life, but even that is an understatement. Why? Because Jane has never had a family. She has been shunted about from foster home to foster home. Life has been nothing but an uphill struggle for this poor, emotionally battered girl.
Then one day, along come a couple who want to take her into their home. Jill and Robert are desperate for a child.
Jill is sweet and kind. She lets Jane paint her bedroom in whatever colour she sees fit. The freedom to be whatever or whomever she chooses gives Jane a refreshing feeling. It's not something she is used to.
But then one day, all too soon, Jane is at home in the basement when she overhears Jill and Robert screaming at each other. Something she hasn't heard them do before.
They are rowing because Jill is pregnant and Robert says that they are just Jane's 'foster parents' and cannot afford a three-bedroom house.
Though Jill was defending her, Jane realised that she was just 'damaged goods' and nobody really wanted her.
So Jane waits for them to go to bed, writes them a note thanking them for having her, then leaves. She's sure that once the baby comes along, they'll forget all about her.
Having left the past behind her, Jane decides to reinvent herself. She has no friends or family so it doesn't matter to anyone who she is. She wants rid of the name her so-called 'birth parents' gave her.
So she changes it, to Alice.
Having got hold of forged papers and a paid for diploma on-line, Alice is now officially somebody. Not the nobody she has always felt she is.
It's time for Alice to forge a new future for herself. To make her own way in the world. She decides on a fresh start somewhere that no-one knows her. That's when she decides on Hell, Michigan.
Alice takes a job at a bar. This is where she meets a girl called Camille and they become firm friends, almost sisters. It's Camille that convinces Alice she needs to attend school. Camille thinks Alice is a little anti-social and needs to get out of town and meet some real people.
So Alice enrols at college. She signed up for just two classes even though she could have handled more. She takes art class and History: Early Religion. She's not exactly what you'd call devout, but the class sounds interesting.
College is where she meets the gorgeous, delectable Cole Corvus. With intensely amber eyes and a chiselled jaw, Cole is certainly very easy on the eye. In fact, Alice thinks he is the most beautiful thing she has ever seen. She can feel her heart pounding in her ribcage every time he is near.
Luckily for Alice, Cole is in her art class, so she gets to check him out, a lot!
*swoons dreamily at the memory of Cole - folks, I must say, I am a sucker for the chiselled jaw and seductive eyes*
Just as life seems to be settling down for Alice, she is at work one night - closing up alone, when she is attacked by a hooded stranger in the car park. Alice wants to run but it feels like her feet are stuck in cement. She turns round just in time to see his fist and feel the impact it makes as he hits her in the nose. She wipes the blood from her face and attempts to run but he's on her faster than she can escape. He hits her again and then follows it with a kick.
Why on Earth is this stranger attacking her? What did she do wrong?
Alice can taste his excitement in the back of her throat - he's excited at the prospect of her fighting back.
Little does he know what he's letting himself in for. Alice fights back, throwing her attacker into the side of her car. She won't go down without a fight and it seems like maybe she's not so weak and feeble as he thought she was.
Upon returning to school, her teacher Mr Riley sees her injuries and gives her the class assignment, telling her to go home and take it easy.
She goes out to her car, but she hears Cole's voice in her head telling her to wait for him in the car park. She would've been tempted to leave, but it was the first time he had spoken directly to her mind like that. I mean sure, she's had some weird feelings like maybe he can sense what she is thinking, but neither of them have confronted it head on. So she decides to stick around and see what will come of it.
This is the point where the story really had me turning the pages quickly. I was in hook, line and sinker from the beginning of the book, but this is where I got deeper into it.
I already feel like what I have said has maybe been a bit spoilery, so I will try not to divulge too much here. Let me tell you, that it a difficult task. I have so much love for this book that I feel I could go on talking, or writing, forever.
From here on in, Alice learns what Cole is - and what she herself is. She realises that there is a battle coming that no-one is ready for. They must fight against God's angels because it has always been that He thinks Nephilim should not exist. He sends His angels to basically annihilate all the Fallen - they should never have been created so they shouldn't continue to exist.
I have to say, this book was crafted so beautifully. I had a real connection with the characters that Andrea DiGiglio created.
Having had such a traumatic childhood, Alice emerges as a strong woman. Far stronger than she gave herself credit for being.
Cole Corvus is a beautiful, soulful character that I couldn't help but fall entirely head over heels in love with. I really wish there was a real life Cole so that I could fall helplessly in love with him. Though what my fiancé would say about that, I'm not too sure. As it is, he can't really feel threatened by a fictitious character (though perhaps he should)
The thing I liked most about FINDING ALICE was the fact that the characters were real and grounded. There was none of this airy fairy business you find in some books.
It's like sometimes you can read a story and whilst yes it's interesting and entertaining, all it is is a story. But then there are some that you sink into and you know that they touch your heart in a way no other can hope to match.
FINDING ALICE is one of those for me. I really got lost within the pages. It was almost like I was empathic because I shared Alice's feelings. When she got hurt, I felt it in my bones. When she was happy, I felt a sense of utter joy. When she was sad, well let's just say there were a few places that really made me cry. My suggestion to all is, have a box of tissues handy when you read this. And if you don't need them, you must be made of stone!
All in all, I am so glad to have experienced this story. I am looking forward to ALICE'S SACRIFICE but wish it wasn't as far away as 2013. This year has only just begun, I will be having withdrawal symptoms in between now and next year
First of all, let me address the cover. I am not good at picking up on subtle hints, so had I seen this cover and not read the blurb, I probably wouldn't be able to guess what the story was about. But having read the story, I look at the cover in a different light. I won't give too much away because I want to see if you come to the same conclusion as me. All I will say is, I love this cover and it's what I imagined in my minds eye whilst reading, even though I did not connect the dots at first. (I need to be hit over the head with a sledgehammer - no good at subtlety at all)
As for the story:
I have come to the conclusion that this is my new favourite book and any I read in 2012 will have this as their benchmark! The ARC of this book is my most-treasured possession.
The simple reason for this? Because I totally loved this book and it's characters.
The more complicated reason? Get comfortable in your seat as I delve into my review and explain in a little more detail.
* Note, You may find this a little spoilery for your liking so beware before you read it. I will try my hardest not to ruin it for anyone but I can't help gushing about how much I loved this book!*
FINDING ALICE has a very poignant start. Jane comes from a broken background. But I would describe it more as shattered. She has had a rough start to life, but even that is an understatement. Why? Because Jane has never had a family. She has been shunted about from foster home to foster home. Life has been nothing but an uphill struggle for this poor, emotionally battered girl.
Then one day, along come a couple who want to take her into their home. Jill and Robert are desperate for a child.
Jill is sweet and kind. She lets Jane paint her bedroom in whatever colour she sees fit. The freedom to be whatever or whomever she chooses gives Jane a refreshing feeling. It's not something she is used to.
But then one day, all too soon, Jane is at home in the basement when she overhears Jill and Robert screaming at each other. Something she hasn't heard them do before.
They are rowing because Jill is pregnant and Robert says that they are just Jane's 'foster parents' and cannot afford a three-bedroom house.
Though Jill was defending her, Jane realised that she was just 'damaged goods' and nobody really wanted her.
So Jane waits for them to go to bed, writes them a note thanking them for having her, then leaves. She's sure that once the baby comes along, they'll forget all about her.
Having left the past behind her, Jane decides to reinvent herself. She has no friends or family so it doesn't matter to anyone who she is. She wants rid of the name her so-called 'birth parents' gave her.
So she changes it, to Alice.
Having got hold of forged papers and a paid for diploma on-line, Alice is now officially somebody. Not the nobody she has always felt she is.
It's time for Alice to forge a new future for herself. To make her own way in the world. She decides on a fresh start somewhere that no-one knows her. That's when she decides on Hell, Michigan.
Alice takes a job at a bar. This is where she meets a girl called Camille and they become firm friends, almost sisters. It's Camille that convinces Alice she needs to attend school. Camille thinks Alice is a little anti-social and needs to get out of town and meet some real people.
So Alice enrols at college. She signed up for just two classes even though she could have handled more. She takes art class and History: Early Religion. She's not exactly what you'd call devout, but the class sounds interesting.
College is where she meets the gorgeous, delectable Cole Corvus. With intensely amber eyes and a chiselled jaw, Cole is certainly very easy on the eye. In fact, Alice thinks he is the most beautiful thing she has ever seen. She can feel her heart pounding in her ribcage every time he is near.
Luckily for Alice, Cole is in her art class, so she gets to check him out, a lot!
*swoons dreamily at the memory of Cole - folks, I must say, I am a sucker for the chiselled jaw and seductive eyes*
Just as life seems to be settling down for Alice, she is at work one night - closing up alone, when she is attacked by a hooded stranger in the car park. Alice wants to run but it feels like her feet are stuck in cement. She turns round just in time to see his fist and feel the impact it makes as he hits her in the nose. She wipes the blood from her face and attempts to run but he's on her faster than she can escape. He hits her again and then follows it with a kick.
Why on Earth is this stranger attacking her? What did she do wrong?
Alice can taste his excitement in the back of her throat - he's excited at the prospect of her fighting back.
Little does he know what he's letting himself in for. Alice fights back, throwing her attacker into the side of her car. She won't go down without a fight and it seems like maybe she's not so weak and feeble as he thought she was.
Upon returning to school, her teacher Mr Riley sees her injuries and gives her the class assignment, telling her to go home and take it easy.
She goes out to her car, but she hears Cole's voice in her head telling her to wait for him in the car park. She would've been tempted to leave, but it was the first time he had spoken directly to her mind like that. I mean sure, she's had some weird feelings like maybe he can sense what she is thinking, but neither of them have confronted it head on. So she decides to stick around and see what will come of it.
This is the point where the story really had me turning the pages quickly. I was in hook, line and sinker from the beginning of the book, but this is where I got deeper into it.
I already feel like what I have said has maybe been a bit spoilery, so I will try not to divulge too much here. Let me tell you, that it a difficult task. I have so much love for this book that I feel I could go on talking, or writing, forever.
From here on in, Alice learns what Cole is - and what she herself is. She realises that there is a battle coming that no-one is ready for. They must fight against God's angels because it has always been that He thinks Nephilim should not exist. He sends His angels to basically annihilate all the Fallen - they should never have been created so they shouldn't continue to exist.
I have to say, this book was crafted so beautifully. I had a real connection with the characters that Andrea DiGiglio created.
Having had such a traumatic childhood, Alice emerges as a strong woman. Far stronger than she gave herself credit for being.
Cole Corvus is a beautiful, soulful character that I couldn't help but fall entirely head over heels in love with. I really wish there was a real life Cole so that I could fall helplessly in love with him. Though what my fiancé would say about that, I'm not too sure. As it is, he can't really feel threatened by a fictitious character (though perhaps he should)
The thing I liked most about FINDING ALICE was the fact that the characters were real and grounded. There was none of this airy fairy business you find in some books.
It's like sometimes you can read a story and whilst yes it's interesting and entertaining, all it is is a story. But then there are some that you sink into and you know that they touch your heart in a way no other can hope to match.
FINDING ALICE is one of those for me. I really got lost within the pages. It was almost like I was empathic because I shared Alice's feelings. When she got hurt, I felt it in my bones. When she was happy, I felt a sense of utter joy. When she was sad, well let's just say there were a few places that really made me cry. My suggestion to all is, have a box of tissues handy when you read this. And if you don't need them, you must be made of stone!
All in all, I am so glad to have experienced this story. I am looking forward to ALICE'S SACRIFICE but wish it wasn't as far away as 2013. This year has only just begun, I will be having withdrawal symptoms in between now and next year
March 7, 2012
Alice has grown up in the system living in foster home after foster home. Each family was different and each caused her to learn about the harsh realities of the world. Abuse runs rampant in her past, and when she finally finds a home where she feels loved her foster parent's end up pregnant with their own child. She sees the love for this unborn child and knows she can never stand up to it and decides to take off.
Fast forward a bit and we find our heroine living on her own and settling down in a town she is now considering home. This town is of all places; Hell, Michigan. She has a house all her own, even though it might be a bit creepy, it's still her's. And, Alice even has a great job at a bar that she loves.
Classes have started and she begins going to them like a good student does. Everything seems fine and normal until the first day of her religion class where this mysterious boy walks in. Her whole life changes from here on out, and reality itself is shaken.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and can't wait until the next one is out! The story kept me intrigued the whole time, and kept me guessing. I love books that are about fallen angels, demons, or anything like that. So, this was right up my alley! There was plenty of fallen angels to be had, and this made me a very happy bookaholic.
Andrea does a great job at developing her characters, especially Alice's character. Alice is a very strong, independent, and well developed character. I could have been a bit happier if Cole and a few of the other lead characters were better developed. I feel like they were a bit shadowed and thrown into the background, but maybe the next books will make up for that.
The plot line was great, and very suspenseful. I could not put the book down once it took off because it was so fast paced! I love that about this book, and I hope that Andrea can keep up this same speed with the next one.
I am also a huge fan of the religious ideas and the take on fallen angels in this book. It's good to see a different perspective on the mythology behind this, and they way that Andrea made her readers connect with the fallen angels is just spectacular.
This is a great read for the fallen angel, nephilim fan out there and I highly recommend it! After all, how many books are based around a city called Hell (that actually exists)?
Fast forward a bit and we find our heroine living on her own and settling down in a town she is now considering home. This town is of all places; Hell, Michigan. She has a house all her own, even though it might be a bit creepy, it's still her's. And, Alice even has a great job at a bar that she loves.
Classes have started and she begins going to them like a good student does. Everything seems fine and normal until the first day of her religion class where this mysterious boy walks in. Her whole life changes from here on out, and reality itself is shaken.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and can't wait until the next one is out! The story kept me intrigued the whole time, and kept me guessing. I love books that are about fallen angels, demons, or anything like that. So, this was right up my alley! There was plenty of fallen angels to be had, and this made me a very happy bookaholic.
Andrea does a great job at developing her characters, especially Alice's character. Alice is a very strong, independent, and well developed character. I could have been a bit happier if Cole and a few of the other lead characters were better developed. I feel like they were a bit shadowed and thrown into the background, but maybe the next books will make up for that.
The plot line was great, and very suspenseful. I could not put the book down once it took off because it was so fast paced! I love that about this book, and I hope that Andrea can keep up this same speed with the next one.
I am also a huge fan of the religious ideas and the take on fallen angels in this book. It's good to see a different perspective on the mythology behind this, and they way that Andrea made her readers connect with the fallen angels is just spectacular.
This is a great read for the fallen angel, nephilim fan out there and I highly recommend it! After all, how many books are based around a city called Hell (that actually exists)?
June 18, 2012
Lisa's review of
Finding Alice
By Andrea Digiglio
This was a awesome book that I found in my TBR pile. I looked for it when I saw the cover for book 2. By the way it is a amazing cover for book 2. Alice ever felt like she belonged she was orphaned at a early age never knowing her birth parents. Moving from home to home. Alice moved to Hell and caught the scent of ocean air when she met Cole. From that meeting her life was thrown into another dimension that she didn't ever suspect. Se learns about her self and about her family. With the love of Cole she is able to stand up and ight or her right of birth. I am definitely looking forward to book 2. Andrea is an amazing and talented writer and we can expect big things from her. Thank you for taking me on this journey. Read this book in only one hour it was that good.
Finding Alice
By Andrea Digiglio
This was a awesome book that I found in my TBR pile. I looked for it when I saw the cover for book 2. By the way it is a amazing cover for book 2. Alice ever felt like she belonged she was orphaned at a early age never knowing her birth parents. Moving from home to home. Alice moved to Hell and caught the scent of ocean air when she met Cole. From that meeting her life was thrown into another dimension that she didn't ever suspect. Se learns about her self and about her family. With the love of Cole she is able to stand up and ight or her right of birth. I am definitely looking forward to book 2. Andrea is an amazing and talented writer and we can expect big things from her. Thank you for taking me on this journey. Read this book in only one hour it was that good.
March 28, 2012
Brain candy? Check. Hot love interest? Check. Strong female lead character? Check. Fresh and interesting plotline? Check!
Finding Alice is a great, quick read that keeps you invested into the story and turning pages. I haven’t read too many books revolving around Nephilim so the world Andrea DiGiglio created was an interesting twist on the classic boy-meets-girl story. The main character, Alice, has some emotional baggage but that just adds to the believability of her character and helps the reader appreciate what she had to overcome in order to gain some happiness in her life. New to the world of the supernatural, she forges ahead bravely with the love and support of her boyfriend Cole and discovers her inner strength.
While I really enjoyed DiGiglio’s writing style, there are a few things I’d hoped to see different. I wished she had explained the nuances of who Alice was, her powers and how she somehow learned to control them at the last minute without much instruction. The reader is expected to just take things at face value. That wouldn’t be a problem if this was the second or third book and the “rules of the world” have already been established for the reader. But as the first of, what I’m assuming will be a series, it would be nice if the author made “the rules” absolutely clear. As a writer myself, I understand how that can happen.
There was also a nice element of romance between Alice and Cole. Cole, a handsome and mysterious young man with an uncanny ability to read and speak into Alice’s mind and Alice herself, an unloved runaway foster child who falls quickly head-over-heels in love. Unfortunately, DiGiglio never wrote any scenes past kissing. To my frustration, whatever was to come afterwards was simply implied. I like my romances with lots of description, what can I say?
But don’t let my little opinions dissuade you from reading Finding Alice! It was fresh, fun, suspenseful and one of the most promising Indy Pubbed books I’ve read in a long time. I don’t doubt that Andrea DiGiglio will be successful and I look forward to getting my hands on the sequel!
Finding Alice is a great, quick read that keeps you invested into the story and turning pages. I haven’t read too many books revolving around Nephilim so the world Andrea DiGiglio created was an interesting twist on the classic boy-meets-girl story. The main character, Alice, has some emotional baggage but that just adds to the believability of her character and helps the reader appreciate what she had to overcome in order to gain some happiness in her life. New to the world of the supernatural, she forges ahead bravely with the love and support of her boyfriend Cole and discovers her inner strength.
While I really enjoyed DiGiglio’s writing style, there are a few things I’d hoped to see different. I wished she had explained the nuances of who Alice was, her powers and how she somehow learned to control them at the last minute without much instruction. The reader is expected to just take things at face value. That wouldn’t be a problem if this was the second or third book and the “rules of the world” have already been established for the reader. But as the first of, what I’m assuming will be a series, it would be nice if the author made “the rules” absolutely clear. As a writer myself, I understand how that can happen.
There was also a nice element of romance between Alice and Cole. Cole, a handsome and mysterious young man with an uncanny ability to read and speak into Alice’s mind and Alice herself, an unloved runaway foster child who falls quickly head-over-heels in love. Unfortunately, DiGiglio never wrote any scenes past kissing. To my frustration, whatever was to come afterwards was simply implied. I like my romances with lots of description, what can I say?
But don’t let my little opinions dissuade you from reading Finding Alice! It was fresh, fun, suspenseful and one of the most promising Indy Pubbed books I’ve read in a long time. I don’t doubt that Andrea DiGiglio will be successful and I look forward to getting my hands on the sequel!
February 23, 2012
The First Line: "I never knew love, not in any form. Unwanted at birth, I was abandoned by the very people who were supposed to love me the most. The truth is I never really minded it that much."
The Story: Surprisingly I really liked this book alot. I mean it's not one of my favorites but it's not bad either. The story was quite refreshing and I liked the whole angel history and how the book takes place in Hell, Michigan. It just sort of fits, don't you think? Well all in all this book was a little short and I felt like I didn't quite get the connection I could have. I mean I feel like the storyline sort of breezed by but at the same time I feel like it's fine how it is. i don't know I'm sort of torn about it. It was definitely a great debut novel and I can't wait to see more from Andrea.
The Characters: I really liked Alice as a heroine for this novel. She was badass but at the same time she was a little soft too. Coming into her powers was quite cool and I was especially intrigued with the feathers. If you watch the book trailer above it focuses alot on the feathers, which is what I like most about it.
Now lets talk about Cole. For smokin hott fallen angels, Cole takes the cake. He's soft, yet bad and at first you're not sure what role he plays but after a while he just seems to fit into the picture. Sometimes the romance went fast and I was like "woah slow down a bit" but other than that I really liked them as a couple.
Now when you add in her father, and grandfather and Cole's father into the picture, that's when it really gets good. All put together is a big whacked out family. Sometimes you laugh, and sometimes you get mad at one of them. But that's part of being related right?
The Cover: The cover is great. It's a great picture of how I would see Alice and I like the background and how her jacket screams "badass".
Would I Recommend? Yes I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. It's original in it's own way and has some romance, some mystery, some action and some good ol' comedy.
The Story: Surprisingly I really liked this book alot. I mean it's not one of my favorites but it's not bad either. The story was quite refreshing and I liked the whole angel history and how the book takes place in Hell, Michigan. It just sort of fits, don't you think? Well all in all this book was a little short and I felt like I didn't quite get the connection I could have. I mean I feel like the storyline sort of breezed by but at the same time I feel like it's fine how it is. i don't know I'm sort of torn about it. It was definitely a great debut novel and I can't wait to see more from Andrea.
The Characters: I really liked Alice as a heroine for this novel. She was badass but at the same time she was a little soft too. Coming into her powers was quite cool and I was especially intrigued with the feathers. If you watch the book trailer above it focuses alot on the feathers, which is what I like most about it.
Now lets talk about Cole. For smokin hott fallen angels, Cole takes the cake. He's soft, yet bad and at first you're not sure what role he plays but after a while he just seems to fit into the picture. Sometimes the romance went fast and I was like "woah slow down a bit" but other than that I really liked them as a couple.
Now when you add in her father, and grandfather and Cole's father into the picture, that's when it really gets good. All put together is a big whacked out family. Sometimes you laugh, and sometimes you get mad at one of them. But that's part of being related right?
The Cover: The cover is great. It's a great picture of how I would see Alice and I like the background and how her jacket screams "badass".
Would I Recommend? Yes I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. It's original in it's own way and has some romance, some mystery, some action and some good ol' comedy.
February 5, 2012
So first of all the personalized signing was very cool - first one I've ever had and I couldn't agree more with Andrea's message: "To read is to love. Love often." Secondly, I think the plot of this novel is good and has great potential, but overall I felt the story should have been fleshed out more. The main character was decently developed, but all the other characters felt like they existed in the shadows of the story - I didn't get the greatest feel for them and I wish I had, especially Cole. In general I prefer longer stories to short stories which may be the reason I feel that this 183 paged book could easily have been closer to 300 or longer and benefited from it. Lastly, I think the editor or whomever proofread this book did a dis-service to Andrea. There were several word misuses such as two instead of too, imagine instead of image, fowl instead of foul (p. 161), loose instead of lose (p. 163), dammed instead of damned (p. 167). As you can see it got to the point of being distracting and where I started keeping track of where in the book they occurred. Overall, I think Andrea is a good writer and there is a lot of potential with this storyline so I will likely read the next installment "Alice's Sacrifice."
December 8, 2011
I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book, and I struck gold. There was nothing about this book that I didn't like. The story sucked me in from the get go, I literally read the entire thing in about a day. I couldn't put it down. I grew to love the main character like she was my best friend. I had chills the whole last scene in the book, it was really phenomenal. I cannot wait until this book comes out so I can recommend it to everyone I know. If you buy this book, you won't be disappointed.
April 14, 2012
Fantastic book I finished it within a few hours of buying it on my kindle. Superbly written and I would recommend this book to anyone. I can't wait for the next in the series to come out. A great book that I have given 5 stars to as I could re-read it all over again and not get bored of it, that is how good it is.
May 30, 2012
Oh my goodness! This book was amazing :D
-I wish it was longer
-can't say I was head over heels for Cole
-I wish book two was written and edited and tested and published so I could read it now...
-I wish some things were elaborated more
-I thought it was awesome :D
-why am I writing this in bullets?
-.......
-Can't wait for Alice's Sacrifice!!
-I wish it was longer
-can't say I was head over heels for Cole
-I wish book two was written and edited and tested and published so I could read it now...
-I wish some things were elaborated more
-I thought it was awesome :D
-why am I writing this in bullets?
-.......
-Can't wait for Alice's Sacrifice!!
January 26, 2012
" I would at least have lived, loved and been loved... And that's all that's really worth living for"...
The Fallen Angels....(: Really Enjoyed THiss Book I Cant Wait For Book 2! You Were Right Andrea Only In A True Fictious World Can One Allow THemselfs To Believe THank You.
The Fallen Angels....(: Really Enjoyed THiss Book I Cant Wait For Book 2! You Were Right Andrea Only In A True Fictious World Can One Allow THemselfs To Believe THank You.
Want to read
March 16, 2012Phew...I just made this contest! Thank goodness I was looking in the "Recommendations" area and found this. Regardless of if I win or not, I will be buying this book to read. It sounds like it's right up my alley! Will update this review area after I read it. :)
September 6, 2012
I loved this book and can't wait to read what's instore fir Alice & Cole.
November 23, 2017
I don't think i'm the target audience for this book.
It's very much a supernatural action story with a large dollop of romance.
I felt the overall idea of the story and direction is took was quite good. It was also reasonably well written and a smooth read.
However, I never really understood the character of the protagonist; their exceptionalism was frustratingly obvious; and the mix of the mundane and the fantastic didn't quite work for me.
It's very much a supernatural action story with a large dollop of romance.
I felt the overall idea of the story and direction is took was quite good. It was also reasonably well written and a smooth read.
However, I never really understood the character of the protagonist; their exceptionalism was frustratingly obvious; and the mix of the mundane and the fantastic didn't quite work for me.
March 31, 2013
Thank you to Andrea for giving me the opportunity to read this book!
General Opinion: I loved this book, but I feel a little confused because of it. I felt like the author didn't explain the supernatural world very clear. But the book is great, the story is amazing and the characters are great.
What made me wanna read the book: The blurb and the cover.
What I liked the most: The creativity behind this book. Even if this book is a book with angels, it's very different from all the books I read, and this is what I liked the most. The story can be confusing and complicated,but it keeps you reading, searching for an answer to every question that you put while reading it.
Other great things: The characters. Though I didn't feel like I knew them very well, they are weird (in a good way) and different and very strong. It's like they are coming outside of the pages.
The book is a quick read, but it needs for more attention than usualy because the story is very tangled.
The end impressed me and I was a little shocked. I'm glad I'm finally reading the second volume, because I have ome unanswered questions!!
What I disliked: The confusion that I felt while reading it.I don't know what made me feel that way, but it annoyed me a little.
Final Opinion: "Finding Alice" is a great book, with a nice world-building, with likable characters, but I think that the authors needs to provide her writing style. I'm reading the 2nd volume now and I think that it's better. The series is very nice and if you are a Angels lover, you will love it!!!
I recommend it to: Fans of angels and paranormal.
Would I read it again: Though I liked it, I don't think so.
Do I want to read the sequel: Yes. :)
Rate: 4 stars out of 5.
January 3, 2013
I received this book free from the author in exchange of a honest review. Thank you, Andrea!
Review
Alice had a sad childhood. She was placed in several families who agreed to take care of her. Alice didn't know anything about her parents. Everyone thought she was emotionless and she never felt true love.
Until she ran away from "home" to Hell, Michigan. There, she had her own house and she was hired in a bar. Alice made her first friend, Camille. And when Camille convinced Alice to go to school, her life changed. She began to be much more bold and she met Cole, a beautiful boy. There was love at first sight, because they soon formed a couple. But Alice's life was going to change again when she discovered that her scary dreams which she had were real. Thus she became involved in a war where she was the supreme reward. The Angels and the bounty hounter wanted her dead. But Alice entered in a Fallen angels group, si she and Cole managed to survive.
"Finding Alice" was a captivating book, full of ups and downs, which attracted me immediately into her complicated world with secrets. Alice, or whatever her name is, had to face more obstacles and finaly found our how true love is. My favourite character was Cole; he was always on Alice's side and he helped her when she needed him, being always with her. He was her guardian. And he was always there when Alice had her nightmares.
I really liked the author's writing style. I was never bored by this book, though the end was a little predictable. I knew from the begining that there will be a fight and how it will end. But this didn't affect my opinion so much. I finished this book almost immediately and I already miss it; I can't wait for the second novel, "Alice's Sacrifice".
Review
Alice had a sad childhood. She was placed in several families who agreed to take care of her. Alice didn't know anything about her parents. Everyone thought she was emotionless and she never felt true love.
Until she ran away from "home" to Hell, Michigan. There, she had her own house and she was hired in a bar. Alice made her first friend, Camille. And when Camille convinced Alice to go to school, her life changed. She began to be much more bold and she met Cole, a beautiful boy. There was love at first sight, because they soon formed a couple. But Alice's life was going to change again when she discovered that her scary dreams which she had were real. Thus she became involved in a war where she was the supreme reward. The Angels and the bounty hounter wanted her dead. But Alice entered in a Fallen angels group, si she and Cole managed to survive.
"Finding Alice" was a captivating book, full of ups and downs, which attracted me immediately into her complicated world with secrets. Alice, or whatever her name is, had to face more obstacles and finaly found our how true love is. My favourite character was Cole; he was always on Alice's side and he helped her when she needed him, being always with her. He was her guardian. And he was always there when Alice had her nightmares.
I really liked the author's writing style. I was never bored by this book, though the end was a little predictable. I knew from the begining that there will be a fight and how it will end. But this didn't affect my opinion so much. I finished this book almost immediately and I already miss it; I can't wait for the second novel, "Alice's Sacrifice".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2013
I found myself really getting into this book and then it ended! It was very short and I read it all in the one sitting! I would have loved for it to have been longer as the author could have extended certain scenes or maybe added more onto the plot to maybe make it a bit longer!The plot was about nephilims and I have read a few other books where nephiIims are the main supernatural focus so I was getting a little bit tired of them to be honest but Finding Alice was a short, well thought out story with great plot and a great characters to go along with it! I found the plot a little confusing at some scenes because it went so fast but I still enjoyed it! The characters were great! Alice was the main character and Finding Alice was told from her point of view! Alice discovers so much about her life during this book and by the end of the book she kicked ass! She grew so much for this book being pretty short! Cole was the love interest of Alice and I found him a little harder to connect with because of the length of this book and also because he didn't really have a lot of dialogue but I loved that you could tell that he had feelings for Alice and that he really cared for her! I really don't like when characters rush into a relationship in books and I felt that Alice and Cole's relationship went very fast which didn't like but if this book was longer and Alice and Cole's relationship developed a little bit slower then I would have loved it! I will definitely read the next book in this series as this book left it at a satisfying ending! I also like that the cover starts to make more sense to you after you have read the book as the feathers are a major symbol!
April 6, 2013
I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review. So because I didn't read this books summary, I was surprised to learn that it was about fallen angels and nephilim. I really liked the way that the author lead into it all. I also enjoyed all of the background information that Andrea DiGiglio gives about Alice. I also loved all of the action and romance that was present in this novel. I also liked that it was geared for older YA readers, it had some sexy scenes, but they weren't to explicit, they were just enough to tide the reader over. The only real issue I had with the book was that Alice didn't really know what she was until later on in the book and the reader doesn't receive any angel/ nephilim information. She just came into everything very nonchalantly like it was no big deal. But I would have liked more information on everything.
I really liked learning about Alice, I found her to be very intriguing. As the reader I felt very connected to her because of all of her misfortunes. I am emotionally invested in her success. Alice really grew and matures over the course of the book and I loved experiencing it with her.
For a shorter novel, Finding Alice packed a punch. I can't wait to get started on book two and find out what happens. I would recommend this book to angel lovers.
I really liked learning about Alice, I found her to be very intriguing. As the reader I felt very connected to her because of all of her misfortunes. I am emotionally invested in her success. Alice really grew and matures over the course of the book and I loved experiencing it with her.
For a shorter novel, Finding Alice packed a punch. I can't wait to get started on book two and find out what happens. I would recommend this book to angel lovers.
March 2, 2012
Finding Alice was a pretty good quick read. I liked Alice's character a lot. She is pretty strong for someone who has not had a lot of love in her life. She is more mature than her age. I had to give her a lot of credit for striking out on her own and finding a place to call home. Even if it is called Hell. I did like her relationship with Cole. He is the one person who can help her figure out who she really is and perhaps help her figure out why feathers keep showing up near her.
While I enjoyed the overall story, I felt a little like I was missing some things in the beginning. I never felt like the author gave a good enough explanation of Alice's gift of empathy. If I hadn't read the synopsis, I'm not sure I would have picked up on that. Also, I would have liked more information about the world that Alice finds herself a part of. I'm hoping that the author expands more on it in future books.
I do recommend this one, especially if you like stories about angels. It is a good debut novel. I look forward to reading more about Alice in her fight for her fellow Fallen Angels.
While I enjoyed the overall story, I felt a little like I was missing some things in the beginning. I never felt like the author gave a good enough explanation of Alice's gift of empathy. If I hadn't read the synopsis, I'm not sure I would have picked up on that. Also, I would have liked more information about the world that Alice finds herself a part of. I'm hoping that the author expands more on it in future books.
I do recommend this one, especially if you like stories about angels. It is a good debut novel. I look forward to reading more about Alice in her fight for her fellow Fallen Angels.
May 6, 2013
Finding Alice is an amazing read, I just wished I would have heard more from some of the other characters involved, mainly Cole. I felt like there was something left out not being able to see how they think and feel about the situation at hand.
Alice has grew up going from one foster home to the next, never really calling any where home. That all changed when she settled down in Hell, Michigan. Working to pay bills and now going to college, Alice is finding she has certain abilities that others don't possess. She doesn't dare tell any one what she can do. Then Cole enters her life and everything turns upside down. He's hot and for some reason she can't seem to get him out of her mind.Then she learns she is part Nephilim and it's up to her to save the world. As if that wasn't enough she has Hunters and Angels after her and wanting her dead for what and who she is. With Cole and her friends by her side she is up for the battle she knows she must face, however, she is unsure if she or anyone else will survive.
Alice has grew up going from one foster home to the next, never really calling any where home. That all changed when she settled down in Hell, Michigan. Working to pay bills and now going to college, Alice is finding she has certain abilities that others don't possess. She doesn't dare tell any one what she can do. Then Cole enters her life and everything turns upside down. He's hot and for some reason she can't seem to get him out of her mind.Then she learns she is part Nephilim and it's up to her to save the world. As if that wasn't enough she has Hunters and Angels after her and wanting her dead for what and who she is. With Cole and her friends by her side she is up for the battle she knows she must face, however, she is unsure if she or anyone else will survive.
December 29, 2014
I found this book to be a short read for me i finished it in under 3 hours. I could not put it down. This was a awesome book I loved the cover. The characters were interesting to say the least. Alice falls for a guy named cole. With the support and love of cole Alice trys to fight for her birth right!! I wish this part was longer. well i wished the whole book was longer. But any way she learned about who her birth parents were who she was and this is what Finding Alice is all about. I Hope Andrea really does a great job on the next book what am i saying of course she will! I hope she puts more details in the next book and i hope for a double the size of this one book. This is why i am only giving it 4 stars.
September 1, 2014
I really like Angel and Nephilim stories so I was excited to read this book. Alice is emotionless. Her narrative reads very cold and by the facts. She was abandoned as a baby. She has moved from foster home to foster home. The only times she has emotions is when she is overcome by others extreme emotions. She now lives in a town called Hell and works at a bar. This is a fast paced story. The writing is good. I was intrigued by Alice's story. 3 stars
December 31, 2012
I erased this book not paying attention. And I'm sad to say I don't remember the exact star rating I gave it or my review. SMH
I do remember enjoying this book and that it was fast paced and that I wanted to continue the series. I'm a little annoyed that I did this but whatever I just gave it a 3 star for now until I reread it.
I do remember enjoying this book and that it was fast paced and that I wanted to continue the series. I'm a little annoyed that I did this but whatever I just gave it a 3 star for now until I reread it.
February 29, 2016
Couldn't make it further than chapter seven. Back cover sold the book well, but the writing just couldn't keep me interested. I don't like leaving a book I start unfinished but I just don't have it in me to continue. She's keeping it mysterious to the point of boring. Questions should be asked by now that are just being shrugged off. It's driving me batty so I give up.
November 25, 2012
Read this book in just one day. A quick, easy, great read. Thought provoking. Need to go back to the Bible and read about the Fallen Angels. Will definitely read the next one when it comes out.
March 24, 2013
This was a great story, but a very short stories. Some of the things happened so fast including the relationship between Alice and Cole. There were many times in the story I had wished it was more developed. But besides that it was a very entertaining book.
July 24, 2014
Excellent book. Quite a quick read, but the plot was very exciting and didn't stop, even at the end where I found there was a sequel. Knocked a star off for spelling and grammar, but that is just me being very picky (it is a pet hate of mine!)
I would definitely recommend it.
I would definitely recommend it.
December 28, 2014
I literally started this book hours ago and i could not put it down! I am a sucker for a fallen angel story and alice is again a broken character whom i fell in love with. I hve a soft spot for the broken, however she is strong and handles her extremely hard gift better than i ever would!
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