Review for Angelology by Danielle Trussoni

When I first heard of Angelology, I was throughly intrigued. I twas something that interested me for a while and oddly, how it came up at a time when I had been working Nephilim into a second book of my own. So, definitely, I needed to check this book out.

I went to the Angelology web site and beleive me, if you have not gone there as yet, you'll want to. This is a pretty cool website. You'll see a desk with various things up on it, music in the background, and you move your cursor over the various things on the desk you'll see a read out, and you can click on them and it takes you to whatever it might be. J.K. Rowlings has a webe site just like this. I think it's very cool. You'll be able to read a teaser portion of a chapter there and all sorts of good stuff on Angelology. You know that there were such a group of people. There may still be. After reading this book I want to say there might be such a group and even Nephilim out there. Who's to say there isn't?

Angelology weaves several stories from different characters, and from different times. There is even a narrative that Trussoni wrote about a monk's journey into the Devil's Throat that was engrossing. But mainly we go from modern times to back to the 1940's and delve into the four main characters, Celestine, Verlain, Evageline, and Gabriella. We learn eventually how it all comes together in the modern era. You are pulled along with each individual's story, the need to know why one character acted in such a way, and another another way, and what the truth is behind it all.

Danielle Trussoni has done her job as a writer to keep you turning the pages and suspending our belief systems as she blends historical fact with fiction. The story revolves around several letters written between Abigail Rockefeller and the late mother supeorior of Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adorration, giving Sister Evangeline a peice of the puzzle, and Verlain's piece of the puzzle, which, when put together leaves intricate clues as to the whereabouts of something that was dismantled and that the Nephilim want desperately and will stop at nothing--even murder and descruction of institutions--to get it.

She blends bibilcal lore, the fall of the Rebel Angels, and the Book of Enock along with the myth of Orpheus in such a way it is seamless and beleivable.

This is well worth the read. You have the basic story of good vs. evil. YOu have fallen angels, and you have their off spring, the Nephilim--who are quite evil and might surprise you how imbedded they are in society.

For me this book is as well told, and very historically accurate (and her research was the key to making this story feel so real), as The Historian by Elizabeth Kostava, which is one of my all-time favorites. It had the same texture and feel to it for this reader. I read The Historian for the pure pleasure of the writing and the story. Angelology will be revisited as well, and has become one of my top-notch novels.

I'm calling this one Top Shelf.

Updates: Kitchen is Coming Along

The cabinets went in yesterday, the sink and counter top went in. I was able to wash morning dishes, this afternoon, in the kitchen for the first time in two and a half weeks! Joy! And the sinks are deeper than original. Wonderful! I can wash a crock pot out, and other such pots.

We now have 9 drawers. I once had only 3. Oh! I'll be able to fill them with different things, keeping everything in their own place. Very nice! The cupboards up and below will have more space and I'll be able to actually keep things down below the sink too. Before--yish! No way! This is an old house and the mice inhabited it quite well before we came and we figured out how to keep them down in the basement--that's all I'm saying, just in case I've got some animal activists here checking me out. Hey, it's not illegal to kill mice!

I don't have photos, but believe me, this went from something that you wouldn't let anyone see, to something we will definitely celebrate once it's all finished. Going to have a list of things we'll need, and will try and finagle a new refrigerator out of the deal. We will already get a stove, so we'll see if the fridge might be a thing we can ask for.

The other worker is a retired painter. My husband had said to him, "Figures, you retire from painting and now you'll do more painting." And he had done some patching here and there, so I know he'll be busy painting soon.

Meanwhile, I've been busy with my next book. I'm reading--when I can--a chapter a night. I've had the green light from my publisher that they can take it. But my editor (Yolanda), is a tad busy (with other novels), and I told her that I'm not quite finished with it. She's doing a wonderful job with my posts, when I send them to her, over at Frogen Yozurt. She has a knack for this stuff, and it always looks good once she's done with it.

Also, I'm into Angelology. I've gotta tell you, I'm engrossed in this story. It reads to me something like what Historian did. Only Historian was far more intricately woven. However the writing is comparable. Very good. Once I'm finished I will have a little review, but I would recommend this whole heartily. If you have been thinking of buying this one, do so. I think it will not disappoint you. I'm about half way and the story is told in 3rd person, and then in another section because of the different POV, it is told in 1st person. I'm really impressed with Trussoni's writing.

Well, here I will leave you. I do have a post coming up with Sumiko's reads, but I just have not had time to work on it, so do forgive. I think I'll work it up for this weekend.

Oh, and I'll be up watching the Royal Wedding on Friday morning--since I'll be up anyway at the time the networks will be showing it at 3 a.m.

Tah for now!

Mid-week updates: Floor in Kitchen is in!

Light marble or stone, in fact it looks like a stone patio. We both like it. We can't wait to see the whole thing put together. They brought in one of the cabinets, this is for the sink. I can see they will have to consider how to go about getting the pipes through it and so forth. I'm just glad I don't have to worry about it.

DINNER:
Last night's fare was chili out of a can. Now, let me say this so you know, my husband is a cook. He's missed his calling, he could have been a chef. If he is impressed with something that comes out of a can, then it must be good. Wolf Texas Chili. It was fabulous! A little heat, but not something you need the fire extinguisher for. We added shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream on top.

Tonight's fare is a deli herbed chicken from our local grocery store and a salad. Salas will be served in a Styrofoam bowl, but we'll eat our chicken on regular plates. Washing them in the bathroom sink is a challenge, but I have a system of how to get the job done. I just think of it as a little better than camping. I pour the dirty dishwater down the toilet. It's how you are supposed to do it if you are at a camping in a national forest that has something like a disposal area for dumping "gray" water--not on the ground!

I was told by a woman about my age who rides my bus once or twice a week that if a marriage can survive a kitchen make over, it can survive anything. I wanted to say, we've survived plenty more than that. This is nothing, really. We have been wanting this kitchen redone for too long. It's like looking at an ugly black spot on the rug and you just want it gone. Only this was a whole room.

But I digress.

I've begun reading Angelology. I like to sit under my brand new floor lamp and read after supper. It's my reading hour from 7-8p.m. I'm enjoying this book, so far. I want to say that Trussoni is an excellent writer, and I feel like I'm there with her characters. I don't want to ruin the plot or anything, but if you have not picked this book up and think you want to, I've a feeling she isn't going to let you down. But I'll get back to you on this.

I've also begun reading Dead In The Family, and this is one of Harris' more somber books. She does a good job in getting you up to speed, slowly through about two or three chapters. It was about a year ago I read the last one. I read this on my bus when time allows (while waiting for trains, or for my leave time from student center). At this book, she and Eric are a couple. She was wounded, almost died in last book. She's recouping in the beginning of this one from the Fae War, and Eric explains why he couldn't come to her rescue--because he was tied up with silver ropes by one of the head vampires. I think I'm going to like this because already Sookie wants to kill a vampire because of this, which surprises the hell out of Eric.

My third book's plot has been at a stand still so far, only because I wanted something dramatic to happen, something that puts Sabrina's life at risk, more so than it has so far in this book, because my villain realizes that Sabrina has been able to thwart her earlier efforts. So, I've been allowing my mind to turn over the things a little at a time. I don't like to rush into a scene any more and write it and decide I don't like the way it came out and have to rewrite it. I'd rather consider the possibilities and come to some understanding with my villain--what would they do, and how exactly would they do it, and what would happen if they foiled again?

I've been in contact with the superintendent of DeKalb County Forest Preserve, asking him for some information and pictures of a prairie burn. I hope to put this up for you all to see and read. If you recall, last week we had a fire out at Afton, and had to call the fire department to get it out. It started up from a burn that wasn't quite out, or something happened and it caught again. Many people wonder why we burn the dead prairie grasses, and I just wanted to post something on this for those of you who aren't familiar with controlled burns of replanted prairies. it is basically to keep invasive non-native plants to take a foot hold, and to put nutrients back. I just feel that it would be an interesting post.

I'm also looking to give out the Liebster award. I need to find two more fellow blogers with less than 300 followers. My problem is I CAN'T SEE THE FOLLOWERS! I can't even see my own followers. I'm not sure why this is happening.

But, I'll be doing that on the weekend too. It is nearly dinner time. By the time I am done with the few dishes I'll have, I'm going to be pooped. Driving a bus is stressful--even when things go well, it's still stressful and it takes a lot out of me any more. So, add to that the way we have to go about our daily routine without a kitchen. So, as I've stated, if I seem to be not around, this is why. I've got very little time when I get home and I just run out of energy, once I do get settled. Not only that, I've begun getting calls for shelter rentals and I have to call these people back and do that part of my forest preserve job (my second, or third hat I wear around here).

Tomorrow I will post Bumper Sticker of The Week. Very short and sweet, unless something monumental happens around here.