Oracle of Philadelphia: Book One of the Earthbound Angels Series (Earthbound Angels, #1)

by Elizabeth Corrigan

• ISBN10: 1482692473
• ISBN13: 9781482692471
• Publish Date: 21 March 2013
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 222
• Language: English

Reviews

[Chelsea]

*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Initial Thoughts
I’ve read books about angels and demons before and I really enjoy them. I was looking forward to reading this book. I was a little confused at the start because there’s a lot of flashbacks in this book. I got a little lost as to what stories were in the present. It became clearer as I got through more of the book though.

My New Best Friend
I love Bedlam. He was entertaining and hilarious. I especially loved that even though he was a demon, he wasn’t a bad guy. I loved how enthusiastic he got when he talked about something. He just kept talking and talking. I also really liked his relationship with Carrie. Plus he wanted to go cow tipping.

My Crush
I think I’m going to have to pick Gabriel for this one. We didn’t see as much as him as I would have liked though. I wish he was a more important character. He was great though. I loved how innocent he was. Even though he’s like a billion years old, he was still only good. It was pretty cute.

Writing Style
The writing was really good in this book. My only complaint was that it was kind of rushed. It was a short book and I felt it could have been longer and more things added in. Everything else was great though. It definitely had a different feel to it which I really enjoyed.

Closing Thoughts
As I was finishing this book, I realized that I really did enjoy it. It took a little while for me to really get into it at the start but once Sebastian came back into the story it really picked up. I found I was a little bored at the start because of all the flashbacks and I was hoping that wasn’t all the book was. Eventually, the story stayed in the present and it got more interesting. I liked seeing the different demons in their realm. I wish we could see more of the angels next time. I really liked how the angels we did see weren’t perfect and they had their own annoying qualities.

Bonus
I loved the little table at the front of the book showing all the angels and demons. It was really cool.

Quote
“Of course, I had promised Gabriel that I would never separate my soul from my body again. But then, I wasn’t some angel, to put a centuries’ old promise ahead of doing what was right.”

[Kim Deister]

Oracle of Philadelphia is the debut novel from author Elizabeth Corrigan and the first in the Earthbound Angels series. I have read a few books lately with the "angels and demons" theme and I love that this book was still refreshing and new and completely unique with its take on Christian mythology. Carrie, as she is called in this "life," is human, but immortal through no choice of her own. The story line behind the situation that made Carrie who and what she became is an emotional one and one that makes the reader truly feel for her.
While most of the story is contemporary, there are frequent trips back in time to various points in Carrie's very long history. Sometimes this can stall the forward motion of a story, but this is very much not the case in this book. Instead, it serves to fill in the blanks and to learn more about her and some of the other key characters in the book. I loved the characters, especially Bedlam. There was a surprising amount of unexpected humor that really made the characters fantastically believable. The details that Corrigan used to create her world in this book might, on the surface, seem small but they truly add to the dynamics of the story and the interactions between characters. The most important of these details is how love works between angels, making for some excellent tragic figures.

I truly enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next one!

Things to love about Oracle...

--Bedlam. He may be a demon, but he was a lovable demon. His quest to be good, even through difficulties of his own, was endearing.

--Bedlam and Gabriel. A demon and an angel, both of whom are the rocks that Carrie needs in her life.

--The details that add so much to the story.

Things I wanted more of...

--The prehistory that made Carrie who she is. I would love to know more about what led to that defining moment.