Review: Dark Hope by Monica McGurk

Dark Hope by Monica McGurk

( I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

For years, Hope Carmichael, survivor of a shocking child abduction, has lived a sheltered existence under the protection of her fanatically religious father. Now, liberated by her mother, Hope prepares to start life over as a normal kid in an Atlanta, Georgia, high school.

Normal, that is, until Hope meets Michael, a gorgeous emancipated teen with a mysterious past and a strong interest in Hope. And soon, Hope’s life is filled with questions. What’s behind the angry looks Hope gets from Lucas, leader of a gang of students? Who’s responsible for sending Hope a strange valentine inscribed with Bible quotations? How does this relate to the sinister business of human trafficking that operates on the periphery of Hope’s suburban world? And is Michael really a protector, or something more sinister—and just why does he seem so familiar?

In an epic narrative that takes readers from the back streets of Atlanta to the height of Vegas penthouses and beyond, Dark Hope introduces readers to The Archangel Prophecies, a new young adult saga that blends the feeling of Twilight with a vast mythological scope and moral urgency, as well as to Hope Carmichael—a young woman instantly memorable for her endurance, heart, and determination—and Michael, Hope’s dangerous companion who’s fated either to save Hope—or to kill her.

GOODREADS // AMAZON

At the beginning, I actually liked Hope Carmichael. I liked the intrigue in her past and her personality of which we learn a little from her mother. She seemed mature and levelheaded. But as the story progressed, I couldn't help but feel she had transformed into a whiny, annoying and bratty teenager. While I wasn't a fan of Michael, it annoyed me how one moment she was all moony eyed about Michael and the next moment, one word from Henri makes her all cold toward Michael.

Archangel Michael. I picked up this book for one sole reason. Angels. As an obsessed Supernatural fan, I couldn't not read the book. I went in with high expectations for Michael that were destroyed utterly and completely a little while into the book. At first I felt he was quite charming and then out of the blue he turns abusive toward Hope in the name of 'keeping her safe'. After a point I felt someone should keep her safe from him. He hardly comes across as an Archangel who is like a billion years old.

Henri was this utterly freaking annoying Angel I wanted to drag out of the book and cut his head off. Enough said.

The story had a really interesting premise. I actually loved the start of the book. There was mystery, family problems, kidnapping and stuff that set such a suspenseful setting for the story. Also the story had a human trafficking story-line and I applaud the author for drawing attention to an important social issue. But my liking for the plot ends here.

Let's count the number of tropes in this story.

- Chosen one. Check.
- Unexplained connection towards a character. Check.
- Girl loves a guy who treats her like crap because Oh, he is hot and makes her heart race. Check.
- Immortal guy who hasn't been in love ever falls for the MC. Check.
- Forbidden love and angst. Check.

I don't have it in me to go on. The fact that irritated me the most was Michael falling in love with Hope. Now had Michael come to Earth for the first time and fallen in love with Hope I might have looked past it BUT here's an archangel who has roamed Earth for millions of years and for the first time in forever, falls in love. With the main character.

Also the unhealthy relationship between Hope and Michael had me fuming at most points.

The writing was something I actually enjoyed. It was fast paced and the imagery was pretty good. The writing was simple but descriptive and did not dawdle at any point.

- The premise

- The writing

- The characters in the beginning of the story

- The focus on an important issue. Human Trafficking.

- Hope and Michael as the story progressed

- The unhealthy relationship between Hope and Michael

- The tropes and cliches

- Some plot holes

This book is definitely not for me. If you can look past the things that I didn't like about the book, you might like it.

WILL I BE READING THE REST OF THE TRILOGY?

Afraid not.

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