Review: Ordinary Angels by India Drummond

Book: Ordinary Angels by India Drummond
Genre: Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy
Purchase A Copy: Lyrical Press Store | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Publication Date: April 4th, 2011

Preview Book: Read First Chapter 

Publisher: Lyrical Press

How Did I Get This Book: From author for review

First Line: "All but one of Zoe Penderrgraft's friends were dead."

Description: Most of Zoe’s friends are dead, but she doesn’t mind because they died long before she met them. Then one Tuesday night an angel takes her salsa dancing and turns her world upside down. Grim reality closes in when she discovers a body in her company’s boiler room and Higher Angels accuse her best ghost friend of murder. Knowing she’s the only one who can stand against them, Zoe resorts to lying, stealing and summoning. In the end, getting blood on her hands forces Zoe to question herself.

Although ghosts and angels have been done before, Drummond finds a way to keep things fresh and bring something new to the table. This is mainly accomplished through the main character, Zoey.

Zoey is an intelligent, witty and sassy heroine with a great deal of spunk. She knows her limits and she doesn’t overestimate herself. She isn’t afraid to ask for help and isn’t always jumping to conclusions – which sets her apart from most heroines in this genre.  She is also more kind than cut throat, which again, is hugely different from most other heroines. 

                These differences make Zoey easy to relate to. Although she obviously isn’t a normal person, but she acts like one. She isn’t some crazed amazon warrior chick or a magic-welding witch, she is just Zoey. She thinks like the average person, feels like the average person and acts like the average person. It’s completely refreshing and really brings the character to life. I took to her instantly and was always on her side. She is the kind of character that you will love to cheer on, no matter who sort of mess she gets herself into.

                Zoey’s love interest Alexander however, is anything but ordinary. He doesn’t quite understand humans, but he desperately wants to. Every paranormal romance about angels that I’ve read has painted them as unforgiving and violent creatures. While Alexander is certainly capable of that, he always treats Zoey with care, patience and kindness. Their relationship is definitely unique and it incredibly entertaining to watch it unfold. 

There is a LOT going on in this book. There are a ton of different storylines and facts to keep track off and it sometimes makes it difficult to focus.  I commend Drummond for trying to keep the story interesting, but there was so much happening that things began to get a bit jumbled in my mind. I kept forgetting the little details that allow you to piece the story/mystery together because there was just so much to keep track of.

But in all honestly, that is really just a minor complaint. I truly enjoyed Ordinary Angels and cannot wait to see what becomes of Zoey and Alexander next!

Favorite Quotes 

“She hadn’t planned any of this, but her thoughts ran away with her, and she hated how pathetic she must sound. Poor little human needed the big bad angel to rescue her. Yuck.”

“A pang filled her chest at his absence, especially so soon after having decided she loved him. With a shake of her head, she chastised herself for acting like such a girl and got dressed.”

“The part she hated most in mystery novels was where someone had a key piece of information but didn’t tell anyone. That was always the precise moment that got conked on the head and thrown into a ditch. Obviously she had to tell someone, and quickly.”

“When Zoe opened her eyes again, her first thought was how annoying it was that she’d passed out twice in a week. Kick-ass independent women, a group she always wanted to belong to, did not faint, for goodness’ sake.”