Blog Tour: Until Next Time

Title: Until Next Time

Author: Amy Lignor

Publisher: Tribute Books

Publish Date:  01 February 2012

Pages: 295

ISBN: 978-0-9837418-5-5

Source: Book for review from author

Genre: Young Adult, angels, paranormal, romance

Series: Angel Chronicles

Other books in series: unknown

How does a girl choose between the one who steals her heart and the one who owns her soul?

Matt and Emily were created for a specific job. Raised and trained as the ultimate angel/warrior team, they are sent down to save, defend, judge and forgive, depending on the 'life' they've been assigned. What they don't realize is that the power of human emotions, such as love, anger, passion and fear can take over even the best of souls, causing them to make mistakes and follow paths that lead to confusion and heartache.

When the reason for their training is finally revealed, the angel/warrior team find themselves thrust into a world they know nothing about. Matt takes over the life of Daniel, a young man with a great deal of baggage. Emily becomes Liz, a girl living in a remote village who relies on nothing more than her own strength to survive. A violent storm erupts one night, and framed in the window of Liz's establishment is a frightening face. Let in by the soul of a Good Samaritan, the two visitors bring with them a past full of secrets that could literally change an angel's path and a warrior's plans.

From murder to redemption, this angel/warrior team must find a way to keep the faith they have in each other in a world that's ripping them apart.

This series starts out with Emily and Matt getting ready to go down to Earth another time.  Emily is an angel and Matt is a warrior.  They are being sent to Earth in order to gain knowledge for their side of the war.  They have been training for this for a long time.  In order to do that, they need to review the previous times that they have been down in order to rid themselves of anger.   Emily doesn’t want to go because of her previous experiences.  Matt and Emily sit down in the library and review the first time they were sent. 

In 1810, they were sent to inhabit “shells” or bodies without souls, in Ireland.  Emily was Elizabeth and Matt was Daniel.  It tells of the back story there.  During this story, you figure out that Elizabeth aka Liz is the sole survivor in her family.  Her mother died during childbirth of a younger sibling, and her father, overcome with grief, committed suicide shortly thereafter.  This left Liz the owner of a pub.  The townsfolk helped Liz until she was old enough to run it herself.  Faith, a woman who came into her life after running away from home, helps her with the pub.  Daniel would come around and help them when he could.  His home life wasn’t that great and he was looking for an escape and found that when he would be around Liz.  He felt safe there. 

One rainy evening, two men come to the pub after it was closed and asked to gain entrance due to the storm.  They are Charles and Jason.  Liz and Faith are concerned at first letting these two men into their homes, but soon find out that they are not the vagabonds that they first thought they were.   The story continues with their travels with Charles and Jason.  How does Daniel feel when he is left behind and the woman he loves goes away with another man?

I liked the plot in this story.  It was refreshing to read something with a twist that I haven’t read before.  I thought that the characters were well developed.  It was difficult for me, at times, to keep what was happening straight.  It wasn't because there were holes in the plot or anything.  I guess I'm just not used to being forced to think for myself when it comes to books.  This book did just that.    Some of the ideas in this book, I'm still not sure about.  

When I first read about them reviewing the previous excursions to Earth, it took me awhile before I realized that they were reviewing the first time they were sent.  I don’t know if I just didn’t get it or that there wasn’t enough there to give it away.  There are times when Emily and Matt return “home” and talk with their instructors.  This was a little confusing at first because it just happened out of the blue.  Once I figured out that was what was happening, it was nice to see the trips.  Overall, I really liked the book.

The question remains: Am I team Matt or team Jason?  I don't know.  They both have their redeeming qualities.  I will have to make that decision in later books.

The cover shows an angel with red hair and you see her heart.  It looks as though the angel is made of stone and is cracking.  I thought this cover was appropriate for the storyline.  I won’t say much more because I don’t want to give anything away.  I like the font of the title on the cover.

• Emily/Liz: She is one of the main characters.  She learns that being on Earth isn’t as easy as she thought.  She has these feelings that she doesn’t know what to do with.  She doesn’t know who Matt is when she goes down.  She doesn’t remember who/what she is.  She is protective of the people that she cares about.

• Matt/Daniel:  He is the other main character.  Most of the story is told from Liz’s point of view, but you still get a little of Daniel.  He is in love with Liz and has been for a while.  It hurts him when she leaves but he doesn’t give up on her.  He senses that he and Liz are connected, although he doesn’t understand it.

•Faith:  She is the girl who helps Liz at the pub.  She is also protective of those whom she loves.  She keeps Liz’s secrets.

• Charles and Jason:  They happen upon Liz and Faith during a storm and are changed forever.  They were wandering about the countryside after leaving home due to the circumstances that were happening.  Liz and Faith leave with them.  Charles and Jason are good to the girls and protect them. 

• The Instructors: Gabriel, Michael, Francis.  They are funny to read about.  The card games...

• Martha and Anthony:  They are the only ones who seemed relieved to see Jason and Charles when they return home.

• The storyline or plot.

 

•Mr. and Mrs. Faire:  Charles’ parents.  They are the type of people who try to appear as though they are nice when they really are not.

• How confused at times I got from going in between “home” and Ireland.