Book Review: A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink + Giveaway

Title: A Temptation of Angels

Author: Michelle Zink

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers

Publishing Date: March 20^th 2012

Length: 448 pages

Genre: YA fantasy, romance

Source: Publisher

Even angels make mistakes in this page-turning epic romance...

When her parents are murdered before her eyes, sixteen-year-old Helen Cartwright finds herself launched into an underground London where a mysterious organization called the Dictata controls the balance of good and evil. Helen learns that she is one of three remaining angelic descendants charged with protecting the world's past, present, and future. Unbeknownst to her, she has been trained her whole life to accept this responsibility. Now, as she finds herself torn between the angelic brothers protecting her and the devastatingly handsome childhood friend who wants to destroy her, she must prepare to be brave, to be hunted, and above all to be strong, because temptation will be hard to resist, even for an angel.

Summary by Goodreads 

Recently I read a lot of angel themed YA books like UNEARTHLY and HALLOWED by Cynthia Hand which I really liked. Another book with an angel theme, so another book to my like I thought when I got A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS in the mail. I wanted to start it right away. 

Though the three main characters in A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS are descendants of angels, their personalities and actions are not overly influenced by that knowledge or by special powers of any kind. And I have to say that I missed some insight into their true and individual beings of angels.
We learn more about the background of the Dictata, an organization that has the power to control the past, present and future of the entire world. I found the passages about their members, history and the hunt after their members very intriguing. The Dictata's enemies are wraiths and demons. I guess you can imagine that they are very powerful and don't make it easy for our three heroes.

But most of the story isn’t made up of fights, it’s about our protagonist Helen discovering a new world that has always been right in front of her eyes.

With Helen finding out about her true origin through a terrible fire that causes the death of her parents, she also enters the world of the two brothers Griffin and Darius. Together they are the three remaining keepers of world peace. Darius would be my favourite character in A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS. He is snarky and definitely knows how to maintain that vulnerable bad boy attitude I like in my male protagonists.

I enjoyed that Helen and Griffin connects an immediate and delicate bond, blooming into a romance full of passion, trust and love. The other boy who owns Helen’s heart is a friend of Helen’s past and is a very secretive and mysterious character. I knew from the summary that there would be a love triangle in A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS,  which I didn't find neccessary once I had started into the story.My heart already belong to one of the two boys.

The story mostly circles around the interaction between our three main characters. From time to time a few other characters like Galizur and Anna, both part of the Dictata, were thrown into the story. I would have wished to encounter a bigger character cast  behind the Dictata and stronger social interaction between their members. Maybe we'll meet some more interesting characters in the sequel...

What I really liked about the story are the setting of Victorian London, the manners and customs. I love me a good historical romance! 

A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS introduces us to the setting and characters of this new world created by Michelle Zink. I have to admit that it felt a bit too slow and sometimes overly descriptive to me. Still I’m curious about the sequel and expect many more fights and enemies to play with Helen, Griffin and Darius’ fate.

1) of a charming romance

2) of two very contrary brothers that both deserve a place in every reader's heart

3) of the mysterious Dictata

4) the cruel angel hunt has to be stopped

5) of one of my favourite settings, Victorian London 

3/5 *** A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS- A new story of angels, a mysterious organization, a sweet romance and a whole bunch of mean enemies to be fought.

A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS was my first book by Michelle Zink and will not be my last. She invented a new world and did a good job combining the historical romance with paranormal happenings of all sorts.

* Have a look at Michelle’s PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS trilogy! 

* Click here to read an excerpt of A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS. 

* Buy your Michelle Zink books’ merchandise here. 

* Visit www.michellezink.com for more information about Michelle Zink and her books.

* Thanks to Michelle Zink and Dial Books for Young Readers for sending me a copy of A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS! 

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