She doesn’t remember adding Armageddon to her birthday wish list …The day Zoe turns eighteen, the gates of hell will open and Satan will escape his prison–unless Zoe can stop him.Her plans to party with her friends and ogle cute guys are sidelined when her bestie reveals he’s a Guardian Angel.And the boy she’s been secretly crushing on? He’s a Nephilim. Both were sent to protect her from the … a Nephilim. Both were sent to protect her from the army of demons dispatched to kill her.
The normal life Zoe loved is destroyed by an ancient prophecy that declares she will be the one to unite Angels, Nephilim, Fairies and Werewolves in an epic battle against evil.
Now, it’s time for Zoe to blow out the candles and make a wish, because if she can’t learn to control her new found talents, there will be Hell to pay …
** This title used to be called: The Guardian, a Sword, & Stilettos **
** Age Appropriate: Middle School; age 10+ **
** This Series are considered to be ‘clean’ books **
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OMG! I just realized that I didn’t reading any books from fantasy or sci-fi genre forever. ‘Swords & Stilettos’ is the first book I read from Kristin VanRisseghem and I really enjoyed it.
At the beginning of the book some parts reminded me of ‘Hush, Hush’ series by Becca Fitzpatrick and ‘Sweet’ series by Wendy Higgins. Even though I enjoyed those series, I started preparing myself for disappointment because if it goes the same way, it is not really hard to guess what will happen next but I kept reading to see what would happen and I am glad I did. This is the first book I ever read that has Angels, Nephilim, Fairies and Werewolves in it all together and I LOVED IT
So back to ‘Swords & Stilettos’, our heroine Zoe is a 17 years old high school student. Her life is pretty normal until the day she and her best friend Kieran got attacked by two guys. Everything changes for Zoe after the attack because she starts to realize that nothing is like it seems. After the attack Kieran comes clean and explain Zoe that she is destined to save the world and unite angels, fairies and werewolves for the upcoming war. Kieran also explains her that he and Shay, who helped Kieran to fight with attackers, were sent to protect her. Kieran is her Guardian Angel and Shay is Nephilim who was assigned to protect her from afar. With the frequent demon attacks coming her way she finds out more and more about her friends and her powers. With the war getting closer, their 3 people team starts to expand to 5 with the addition of Sidelle and later Vash. Sidelle is one of Zoe’s close friends who is also a fairy and Vash is a werewolf I am telling you story gets better and better towards the end. There is also a love triangle between Zoe-Shay-Kieran and I am totally team Kieran . First book ends with a big reveal that makes you want to start reading the 2nd book right away or at least that was me at 3 am and I was going to buy the second book right away but unfortunately it doesn’t have a kindle addition
Overall, I really enjoyed ‘Swords & Stilettos’ and loved Kieran, Shay, Sidelle, and Vash. If you enjoyed Lauren Kate’s ‘Fallen’ series, Becca Fitzpatrick’s Hush, Hush’ series and/or Wendy Higgins’ ‘Sweet’ series, you will enjoy this book. If you are looking for an entertaining, easy and fast to read story that is filled with almost all supernatural beings ‘Swords & Stilettos’ is just for you.
Would I recommend this book: Yes
Would I re-read this book: Yes
Would I read future books by this author: Yes
I listened to the audiobook version of this story.
Swords and Stilettos is an enjoyable and fun YA listen. It’s a well rounded story with action, drama and a bit slow burn romance. The characters are likable and I’m interested in seeing how the grow and develop in the next book. I liked the narrator. She does a wonderful job with each of the characters. (3.5)
Sword & Stilettos was a fun read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Once I started reading I was pulled right in and invested in the characters and their world, which happens to be full of angels, nephilim, fairies, werewolves, and of course the bad guys who happen to be demons from Hell sent to kill the one prophesized to unite the Enlightened in a battle against evil.
Zoe’s lived her whole life believing she was just your average teenage girl, that is until she’s suddenly thrown into a fast paced world where demons are out to kill her because they believe her to be the Redeemer. And if things weren’t already crazy enough with that bit of info dumped into her lap, she also learns that her best friend Kieran, a boy she’s known her whole life, is also an angel who was sent to protect her, and the guy who helped saved her life and whom she’s strangely and immediately attracted to is a nephilim, a half human, half angel. Throw in a friend who turns out to be a fairy, a new student who’s a werewolf, and a group of mean girls known as The Triangle; Zoe’s world is turned upside down.
This book was hard to put down and the only thing left to say now is Bring On Book Two!
I liked this book. It was quite interesting and almost educational about the mystical world around me that I am, sadly, not a part of. Yet anyway. This book was all about paranormal creatures like angels, nephilim, fairies, and werewolves. I find all that stuff very interesting. Which made this a good book to me. The only thing I don’t like about this book is how the girl still wants to live a normal life even though her life is pretty normal. She goes to school, shopping, hangs out with friends, and has trouble with the ‘mean kids’ at school. How much more of a cliche high school life can you get? It seems unnecessary for her to want that if she mostly already has it. I compare this book a little bit to Shadowhunters, by Cassandra Clare. That book also has most of the paranormal creatures found here as well. I try not to compare, but its hard when those are the only two books that I know to have nephilim in them. While this book seems fantasy with its nature, it is as much a romance. There is a lot of kissing and lovey dovey stuff with the main character and her boyfriend. I am ok with that. I don’t always like the romance, but this amount was well balanced with the action and fights that occasionally took place. I hope to have more action in the next books of this series. I am not too exited about reading them and I know if I start to not like the series I will abandon it. However, it is defiantly worth giving a shot. While I might not like it too much, you might love it.
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I read this in the Marked by Fate series. I almost didn’t because the name was a little weird. It makes you think it’s a teenage cheerleader drama where the worst thing that happens is a bad hair day. I’m so glad I read this book!! It’s an amazing story!! Do yourself a favor and go pick yourself up a copy of this book AND Marked by fate!!
I enjoyed this book very much. It has a little bit of everything supernatural in it. It has a great story line with characters you love from the beginning. Read in one sitting because I did not want to put this book down.
Thrilling adventure filled with mystery, magical beings, new love, unbreakable friendships, high school uncertainty and exciting passion.
Zoe Jabril is not your average everyday 17 year old girl… She is shy, sweet, loving and the possible savior of the world. The one being born to unite all walks of life and fight back the forces of evil. Her world changes in the blink of an eye when she is attacked on the way to school with her best friend.. (who also happens to be a guardian angel) and her eyes are opened to the world beyond the average. Loved every heart pounding and thrill inducing twist and turn in this heroic adventure. Looking forward to what happens next.
An epic read!
A guardian angel…
A nephilim…
A girl destined to save the world…
The real question is: can she stay alive long enough to stop Armageddon?
The author has created such a great world and story – I am impressed by her talent and writing.
A read that ensures you never want to stop for any kind of breaks. A read that pushes you to forget reality and live in this fictional world.
Such wonderful characters – great character development of the MC!
Full of angels, demons, nephilim, fairies, adventure, action, secrets, wolves and romance.
Perfect for readers of urban fantasy romance/paranormal romance.
Audiobook
The narrator was good. Liked listening to her but there were minor editing issues like a few words been repeated. Overall, an enjoyable listen to this electric read!
I enjoyed this book very much. It has a little bit of everything supernatural in it. It has a great story line with characters you love from the beginning. Read in one sitting because I did not want to put this book down.
I did not enjoy this book as much as the prequel novella that was published after, Arrows & Angels. It feels like the author changed Kieran’s personality somewhat between the two stories, and that doesn’t sit well. The prequel felt like a more mature read, while this book came from a very teenage place. I don’t think I like Zoe. She’s a kind and good-hearted person, but she doesn’t seem to have a lot of common sense. I’m not sure how someone with her lack of focus can keep it together long enough to save the world. The end of life as we know it is on the line with salvation in the hands of an untrained teenage girl, and what does that girl want to do? She wants to go shopping for prom dresses. “I just want to be a normal teenage girl”. Well, honey, that ship has sailed; you’re the chosen one, so suck it up and learn how to fight. Zoe is described over and over again as someone who cares more about others than herself, and yet she’s doing nothing to learn how to protect anyone, including herself. It just doesn’t make sense to me. There are some good action scenes and some relatable characters, which is why I’m giving the book 3 stars.