Michelle Cross is an average, seventeen year old girl growing up in a small town in New Jersey. Up until her senior year, her life has consisted of a rather unglamorous existence. Her closet friend Cami has been by her side since kindergarten, she has a loving if somewhat absente father, and a mother who is unique to say the least. Michelle’s mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia when she was twelve years old, and ever since then she has had delusions of angels and demons battling over her only child. Michelle accepts her mother’s delusions as schizophrenic ramblings, until a handsome new boy finds her at school. Little by little Michelle’s world is turned upside down. The new boy claims to be the Archangel Gabriel cast from heaven, her best friend falls for the Antichrist, and come to find out Michelle’s mother has seen it coming all along. So instead of being consumed with prom and graduation, Michelle finds herself battling the evils of Hell in her small town. The four horsemen of the apocalypses have descended on her high school and with the help of Gabriel, her very own angel; she must stop the events leading to the apocalypse. What surprises Michelle even more than her role in saving humanity is the love that develops between Gabriel and herself. Can their love bridge the world between heaven and earth? Can Michelle stop the powers of Hell in time? Michelle and Gabriel find themselves the pawns in a very dangerous game between an ancient power with a mysterious message and Satan himself.
What would you do if one morning you woke up and you realized that your life would never be the same as it was the day before? Your only friend has turned against you. You have been told you’re the only person who can save humanity, that it is your destiny. The Antichrist is in your school running for student president, and you have a fallen angel as your guardian, to help you, guide you in your role to defend humanity. Well, that is what seventeen year old Michelle Cross is facing in Destine.
Michelle Cross is a seventeen year old girl who is starting her senior year of high school, in the small town of Shady Lane, NJ. Michelle doesn’t have the “normal” family. Her mother has been diagnosed with Schizophrenia since she was twelve years old and her father works as a construction worker. Michelle takes care of her family, cooking dinner, cleaning, and helping with her mentally ill mother. She isn’t like other girls her age. She isn’t popular and doesn’t care to be, she has always felt different from others, like something else was meant to be for her. She is her own person and only has one friend who she has known since Kindergarten and has been inseparable with since and that is Cami.
When Michelle enters senior year, everything changes. Cami decides she wants to do something different and wants to be on the student council. She also has eyes for Alex Chase. There is just something about him that Michelle doesn’t trust, something that is off. And soon she will find out what it is. This is when everything starts falling apart for Michelle. Losing her best friend is just the beginning. Cami is hateful to her and this isn’t like her friend that she has known almost all her life. While trying to deal with the fact that her best friend no longer wants to be a part of her life, Michelle sees the new boy, and in such a small town of Shady Lane, this is a big deal.
Gabriel Lewis is a very handsome young man, black curly hair, eyes so clear that no color could describe them. When Gabriel is near Michelle there is a feeling she gets, a strong sensation. She can’t explain why she feels like this around him, with everything falling apart all around her. Gabriel and Michelle grow closer and she soon finds out his true secret.
With all the new revelations Gabriel has told Michelle, she can’t help but think she is going crazy just like her mother. Revelations that you will have to read the book to find out!
Soon she realizes that this is all real and all on her shoulders. That the Antichrist is in her school and her ex-best friend is now dating him, there are the four horsemen of the apocalypse, which she will have to defeat, but how? Maybe her mother isn’t crazy, maybe just maybe all the talk of angels and demons her mother has always talked about are true and now she knows that.
While trying to save the world from ending, Michelle’s own little world crumbles and she has to protect her family with everything she has. She will not take this lying down. She will fight, and fight she does.
Will Michelle defeat the Antichrist and the Four Horsemen? Will she save all humanity from ending? Or will humanity as she knows it end? You will have to read and find out.
Destine is filled with proverbs at the beginning of every chapter and they go along with what happens in those pages. I enjoyed learning new stuff, which I didn’t know about; the whole book has a lot of great facts in the biblical scene. You will fall in love with Michelle, her determination to do what she needs to do. She will not stop, no matter what. She grows throughout the book, as well as the relationship between her and Gabriel. I found their relationship very sweet and enjoyed their characters. They leveled each other out. There is a lot of comedy throughout the book, it’s not all doom and gloom, which I enjoyed. There are sweet and sad moments. I found myself cursing at Alex Chase, aka the bad guy. I wanted to jump into the pages sometime and punch them and help Michelle out, lol. The book was very well written and the pace was great. It does leave you with a cliffhanger and I can’t wait to read the next book. I’m very much looking forward to it. This book gets 5 stars!
As always, if you decide to read the book, please leave a review for the book where you bought! Every review helps the author. I will put a link for the book under the cover picture.
Quotes from the Book:
“You listen to me, Michelle. You are not just some girl, you are special; you’re about as special as people get. You’ve been chose to save humanity, but more importantly you’re special because I love you and in the hundreds of years I been alive I’ve never felt this way before.”-Gabriel
“Then you know I have Michael on my side, you may as well pack up this little charade of yours and go lick your wounds in hell.”-Michelle
“The whore of Babylon is the prophet set to spread the false praise of the Antichrist. You should be proud of your friend; she did a very good job. So willing, so easily manipulated.”-Alex
Right after I do this review, I am off to research the Author! I believe she is some kind of Voodoo Queen. Yes, that's what I said, Voodoo Queen. She obviously possessed me. Why you ask, well I do not read books, that go to in depth with God, bible, and the end of times. It scares me to death! Plus, I am worried it will counter react with my believes and I will judge the book on that. But this was so not the case, this time! So, I got emotionally attached to the characters, fell in love with Gabriel, let my mind get twisted by the Author.
Listen up everyone, if you love to read....love angels..... Witt.... action..... and love stories. You better go grab this book.
For me, I will be honest. It scares the pee diddle out of me to read a apocalyptic book. When people mix bible and books together, I get very nervous. As I stated above. But I am so serious. When I first started reading this book. I said to myself, "Self" you are not going to read this book at night. LOL I start 9 am. But when I finished it, it was in the middle of the night. I think this Author put a curse on book. I could not stop reading it. The story flowed so well, I got lost in time.
You start off in the book learning about Michelle and her best friend Cami. Best friends since kindergarten. They are now starting their senior year of high school. They both know this year will be different. But they never dreamed their year would take this turn. Michelle, has learned about her destiny. Her best friend turns against her. Oh wait, let me throw in a fallen angel, is non other than Michelle's guardian angel. Not too mention Micheal the Archangel. Now everyone better sit down for this one. The freakin Antichrist, attends the same high school as Michelle. How does that play out, you have to read the book!
Mix all these characters together, add chaos, add witt, add love, add action....You have got a day of non moving...non working....only READING. Do you want to know if Michelle and Cami work things out? Do you want to know if Michelle fulfills her destiny? Do you want to know who is bad and who is good. Read this book!!!!!
I was excited to read Destine for this tour because I love biblical, end days type of books. I can assure you, I was not disappointed with Destine. The characters in this book seem to unfold before your eyes. Michelle starts out as a timid teenager who blends easily. But suddenly, there is a couple of new guys in school and her whole life is about to change. I absolutely loved seeing Michelle grow throughout this book, she grew into a strong young woman that any of us ladies would be happy to be. I can also say that I thought the way she did the whole end days, apocalypse thing. It was super good. Man, I’m trying to figure out how to tell you about the book without giving anything away. Ok, so… Michelle has mostly been raised by her father because her mother is basically thought to be crazy. No one knows why because it happened when Michelle was too young. Her best friend, she has known for her whole life, suddenly ditches her. And by suddenly, I mean like one day normal the next a big B word, and it’s all because of this new boy who is running for student council president. Yeah… if you know anything about the end times stuff that makes sense. Lol If you don’t, the book explains it. Anyhow, the only thing that even swayed my thinking at all would be, why would this happen in a small town, I mean… wouldn’t it most likely happen worldwide, but Katherine pulled it off because the story is so damn good that I didn’t even care about what would happen in reality. So, go pick it up and read it. I say it’s worth it! Oh, and there is a part with a sword that you will love!!
High school can be hell, for Michelle Cross that is quite literal. The four horsemen of the Apocalypse are headed her way and the dreamy Gabriel, with his uber hot back tattoo, tells her only SHE can stop them. What's an Apocalypse without a drool worthy dude? This is such an amazing concept from debut author Katherine Polillo I can't wait to see what she's got in store for us in book 2! Mostly I want more Gabriel..shirtless...Please?
I feel so happy to have been given this book to review for this up and coming new author. What a wonderful first book to debut. The characters are strong and the plot is so original. There is no book out there that compares to this one. It is a one of a kind gem! This story takes you on an end of the world journey you don't want to miss.
I recently had an opportunity to read the debut novel by author Katherine Polillo, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint! As soon as I began the first chapter I couldn’t stop. I was immediately sucked into the world of seventeen year old Michelle Cross.
The novel is set in the very small town of Shady Lane, New Jersey. Michelle did not have the perfect childhood, but she had her best friend Cami. Her mother was suffering from schizophrenia, so she was no longer an active part in Michelle’s life and Michelle had already spent the last five years of her life hiding this diagnosis. As the novel begins, Michelle is getting ready to start her senior year of high school. She expected it to be like all the rest, but boy was she was wrong!
There is a new student in town and Michelle has no idea how much Gabriel is going to change her life. Any sense of normalcy she once felt will soon be gone. As she gets to know Gabriel, Michelle’s world is thrust head first into the battle between good and evil. There is no way for Michelle to predict what is going to happen next in her life. Her best friend whom was once by her side at all times isn’t around anymore and everyone at school is acting really strange. The fate of humanity is in Michelle’s hands. Will she be up for the challenge? How is she going to deal with the literal Hell that is suddenly all around her? What will happen to her and the ones she cares about if she doesn’t succeed?
I totally loved this book from start to finish. It was one of those books that captivates you. I didn’t want to go to sleep last night because I was curious what was going to happen next. (Okay, I was dying to know what was going to happen). The characters were wonderfully well written. I was able to picture them in my head and fall in love with them. I became emotionally attached to Michelle and I could actually feel what she was going through. Destine did everything a first in a series should do. It sucked me in and left me wanting more in the end. Great job on your first novel Katherine and congratulations on getting it out there!
If you love a great story that will keep you on your toes and leave you begging for more, look no further. This is the book for you!
Let me start off by saying that I enjoyed this book so much. I had my doubts with so many angel, demon, and apocalyptic books out there but I was so wrong. And I am so glad I was given the chance to read this book for review.
We start off by meeting Michelle who is an ordinary seventeen year old high school girl with her best friend Cami. They are not popular but have each other and that is fine with them both until Cami wants their senior to be different and with the arrival of Gabriel things start to change for Michelle and she doesn’t like it. With her best friend off becoming popular and falling for the Antichrist, dealing with her mom who is schizophrenic who has delusions about angels and demons, a father who works all the time, and Gabriel who makes her feel weird Michelle doesn’t know where to turn. Until Gabriel gets her alone and tells her he is the Archangel Gabriel and that she the only person who can save humanity by battling the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Michelle of course doesn’t believe him until she goes home and her mother’s rambling starts to make sense to her. So she goes back to Gabriel and tells him she believes him but doesn’t know how she is suppose to win the battle. Gabriel tells her that he will help her and that the Archangel Michael will help when the time comes. But what shocks both Michelle and Gabriel is the love that blossoms between them.
I fell in love with characters from the start. Watching Michelle transform from a timid unbelieving girl into a warrior who has embraced her destiny is truly amazing. Oh and Gabriel, well there are no words for him that will suit him. They just don’t make men like him ever. He is swoon worthy. This book will keep you guessing at every turn. Just when you think you know who the next horsemen are you are completely shocked when you find out who it is. I have completely fallen in love with this book and the characters in it. I am anxiously waiting for book two so I can see what happens next.
Katherine’s debut novel is amazing. If you want a book that has taken everything you thought you knew about angels, demons, and apocalypse and leaves you wanting more then rush out and buy this book. I promise you won’t be sorry. 5/5 Bats
Michelle Cross is your normal girl from a small town in New Jersey. Her mother has lost her marbles and her father deals by overworking himself. Her best and really only friend Cami is ready to make a change in her social life beginning with their senior year.
Michelle notices the new guy at school and obviously Gabriel is SWOON worthy.. Cami begins to end their friendship Michelle is devastated to say the least.. Cami is no longer the girl she once was.. Shes caught the eye of Alex the most popular guy in school.. Gabriel is there fr Michelle and their attraction is undeniable..
Okay this is where it gets FUN! Turns out Gabriel is like the voice of GOD.. He has been reassigned to help guide Michelle the Archangel Michael's vessel.. As she defeats the Antichrist.. Whos the antichrist? Well none other than Camis new boyfriend Alex.. The end of days is near as seals are being broken and the 4 horseman are being set loose.. You scratching your head about any of this yet? Because let me tell you i was maybe ive seen one too many episodes of Supernatural but when its made clear that Michelle is Michaels vessel i was totally confused by her relationship with Gabriel.. When i hear vessel i expect Michael to take over her body... Yeah he didnt and thank god cause that wouldve been a different kinda book entirely! So after i understood that little piece i was good! The story was brillant and right up my alley.. Oh you want to hear more of the story? Well i dont want to give too much away but i will tell you.. you wont be disappointed and you wont be able to get this out of your mind! be prepared for the book hangover :)
Reviewed by: Karina Book provided by: Author Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
The book started with the author laying down instantly what to expect from the book- no beating around the bush and straight to the point. My reaction was, “Wow! I like this! Next page please and fast!” It gave me the impression that this will be a fun read and it definitely was.
The protagonist is Michelle, a normal 17 year-old girl, who turned out to be having a not so normal life. I became fond of her easily. At first, she’s a bit timid and immature but because of unexpected events, she became a strong and responsible character. She will do everything to protect the ones she loves. Another thing that made me love her character is her humor. Despite the seriousness of some situations, Michelle said some lines that I couldn’t help but laugh or smile at.
The other important character is Gabriel, the Archangel Gabriel. He’s what you imagine an angel would be- good looking, kind and loving, but with raging hormones. When I learned that there will be a romantic relationship between the protagonist and Archangel Gabriel, it was unimaginable for me. He’s an archangel, how can he love a human? And then as I read the book, I understood how it happened. Although I think there’s a fast development of relationship between the characters, the author made it work.
It was a fast-paced, fun, exciting and action-packed story. So if you’re a fan of angels, demons, and paranormal romance, this book will absolutely live up to your expectations!
I really loved the concept for the plot of Destine, especially the setting, the range and build-up of action and the sweetness of the romance. The protagonist, Michelle, is a likeable character who in many ways is the epitome of normalcy. This really helps the reader relate to her character and cheer from the side lines as she progresses and develops so beautifully.
There are many curve balls thrown Michelle’s way, some are a complete shock, some are simply heartbreaking, and all are most definitely well-constructed and developed in the narrative. What is a notable achievement with the novel Destine is that it’s not laced with spelling and grammatical errors. This is so very refreshing; it allowed me to really become enraptured in the characters and their journeys.
I really enjoyed this novel from start to finish. There were a few times that I questioned Michelle’s reaction to the situations that she found herself in, yet I was able to talk myself into a justification and reasons for her responses. I highly recommend this book to YA paranormal, fantasy & romance enthusiasts.
Wonderful read! A high school student finds out she is destined to save the world. I loved how the refrences to the bible were linked into the story. Great book! I can not wait for part 2!
It started with a boy, doesn't it always? Well two boys to be truthful, one sent to help save humanity and one sent to destroy us all.
Well, I've done it again. I've had a book sitting on my TBR pile for a good ten months before I found the time to read it. And really a book this awesome shouldn't be sitting around waiting for me to get my act together, it should have been read and enjoyed so much sooner!!
Michelle and her best friend Cami have been friends since Kindergarten. Not popular and really going unnoticed by most of the other kids in high school, they at least can always rest assured that they have each other. Michelle's home life is far from what most kids her age have. Her father spends most of his time at work and her mother, whilst there in body, her mind is a different story, having been diagnosed with schizophrenia after she started having delusions of angels and demons. Then the new guy at school Gabriel tells her that he is an angel cast from heaven and she is the one that humanity will look to too fight evil and save them all.
Every other guy in the room suddenly looked like a boy compared to the man standing in front of me. And those eyes; it was like staring into the clearest, coldest water, and I wanted to let myself drown.
I'm a real swooner. I can't help it. I adore my book boyfriends. And this book has a doozy!! Gabriel is beautiful in body and soul. He is beautiful in mind and heart. Loving, caring and protective it was impossible not to love him.
For you and I have just met, and already I would sacrifice everything to keep you safe.
But in saying that, I think I have a bit of a girl crush on Michelle. She was just all things awesome!! She had the most incredible sarcastic whit that I absolutely loved. She was fierce and strong, loving and caring. But then she had a sweet vulnerability. She didn't cry at the drop of a hat and the few times that she was brought to tears they were completely warranted and justified. She experiences so much in this book and her growth was amazing. The Michelle we meet at the beginning of Destine is shy and timid compared to the Michelle that he have by the end of the book yet she still maintains all the goodness that she had at the beginning.
He kissed me as if I was the very air he needed to breathe, the very gravity that held him to the ground, and the very reason for life itself.
Didn't I tell you that he was swoony? The romance between Michelle and Gabriel was beautifully executed and I could really feel their deep love and connection. It definitely wasn't instant and progressed as you would expect when there is an attraction between two people who are spending time together.
"I loathe killing the ones that simply whimper and cry in my presence"
The action really escalated throughout the book. Whilst there is no real cliffhanger, the story is by no means all neatly wrapped up and the ending sets everything up perfectly to continue the journey in the next book. Katherine Polillo's writing was spectacular. For me there were no dull points or periods when the story was lagging at all. I was completely engrossed all the way throughout.
So if angels verses demons and good verses evil is your thing, or if you love a strong female protagonist then Destine is a must read for you.
MALDICIÓN. ¡ESTOS BENDITOS ÁNGELES SEXYS VAN A HACERME PECAR!
Bueno, vamos a ello:
Michelle Cruz es una chica normal de New Jersey que esta a punto de empezar su último año de instituto, y junto con su amiga Cami que esta segura de que este año sera diferente.. y que manera de ser diferente. A su último año llega un nuevo alumno llamado Gabriel, que oh por Dios, ojos como el hielo, cabello negro desordenado, -¡uno para mi por favor!-. Gabriel llega tirando abajo toda la normalidad en la vida de Chell.
Y ahora su madre diagnosticada esquizofrenica por el hecho de gritar que ángeles y demonios andan detrás de su hija es mas coherente para Michelle de lo que nunca lo fue, y que su mejor amiga Cami ahora comportándose como una perra podría deberse a que sale con el Anticristo.
¿Y qué hará una chica normal como Michelle con toda esta locura, y encima enamorada del nuevo chico que dice ser el Arcángel Gabriel?
OH POR DIOS. AQUÍ VAMOS. ¿YA DIJE QUE LO AMÉ?
O sea, si, lo sé, dirán: Seguramente es un típico libro de ángeles y demonios. Pero no chicos, no, ¡es malditamente wow! Es original, es fresco, es juvenil, y malditamente real, ¿saben? O sea, me refiero a real en el sentido en que cualquiera podría sentirse identificado, déjenme explicarme:
Michelle es una chica normal de diecisiete años, y cuando se entera de que ella es la 'elegida' para salvar a la humanidad, bueno, actúa como cualquier adolescente quien le dijeran eso. Chell es jodidamente real. Bueno, dejenme decirles que algunas veces pensé en ella como tonta y eso, pero no, maldición, entonces pensé que yo hubiera hecho y pensando lo mismo.
Amé muchísimo como evoluciono el personaje de Michelle, o sea, fue madurando, ¿saben? Dejo de ser esa chiquilla que estaba bien con su vida tal y como era, y creyó, creyó en lo que estaba pasando, en los ángeles, en Dios, en el Apocalipsis, y se convirtió en una jodida-patea-culos-del-cielo.
El Infierno no conocía furia tal como el desprecio de una adolescente.
Y bueno, ahora vamos a nuestro querido Gabriel, o sea, ES GABRIEL, ¿el Ángel que se le apareció a la Virgen y eso? Bueno, eso me impresiono bastante, porque en si en los libros de Ángeles y Demonios, hay un Ángel que se llama Gabriel pero NO se especifica que sea él, y bueno, maldición, fue malditamente dulce, un amor, tan sexy sin quererlo y... no es muy bueno siendo un adolescente hormonal jajaja
"Las emociones son suficiente para volverme loco, pero las hormonas son ridículas."
Fue un gran debut, Katherine hizo un gran trabajo en adentrarnos en lo sería estar en el Apocalipsis pero.. en un instituto, aunque el instituto ya es un infierno de por sí, ejem. Pero fue muy muy original y me encanto, me encanto mucho.
Sus merecidas 5/5 estrellitas, realmente me encanto, y NO puedo esperar al segundo libro, ¡muero por él!
A quiet seventeen-year-old girl living in a quite American town where nothing happens and everyone knows everyone. A new boy at school, with pale skin, pale eyes and a mysterious back story who, every time he sees the girl, makes her feel all tingly inside. Wait, doesn’t this sound familiar?
Yes that’s what I thought too when I started reading Destine by Katherine Polillo, it sounds a lot like Twilight (the movie, not the books, I haven't read them). But to be fair to the book there are some slight differences. The first is that (as his name suggests) the new boy at school Gabriel, is in fact an angel, who has been drawn to Michelle (the quiet girl) because she is the saviour of humankind and is the only person who can stop the imminent arrival of the apocalypse. This is because Michelle is the human embodiment of St. Michael, the angel who defeated Satin and sent him to Hell! Michelle must use St Michael’s powers and Gabriel’s guidance to defeat the Antichrist and prevent the apocalypse!
Now, the Antichrist is not the monster depicted in the bible but a young, good-looking high school boy called Alex Chase who wants to become class president. Michelle and Gabriel believe that Alex’s first step in his political career may see him becoming President and therefore become the most powerful man in the world. However, it is not just Alex they have to defeat but his three henchmen; War, Famine and Death (who are all high school students)! Will Michelle have what it takes to defeat these creatures of evil and save humanity from destruction, or will Alex and his gang of high school horsemen take over the world?
As you can probably tell, I was a little sceptical about this book. It’s not a genre I usually read but I was willing to give it a go because the book was originally meant to be part of a Blog Tour. At the start, the links and similarities to Twilight really annoyed me because I thought that it was going to go down similar lines. However, I was pleasantly surprised with how the story ended up and really started to like the characters of Michelle and Gabriel whereas Bella and Edward really, really annoyed me! However, I do think narrowing the apocalypse down to a high school does sound a bit daft! I think in the next few books, Polillo could make the battle between good and evil truly epic because Michelle and Gabriel have finished school and go on the hunt for Alex.
I’m not sure whom I would suggest this book to because I haven’t really read any other book like it. Maybe if you have read Twilight you should give this book a go to see the similarities and differences. I think if you are into these sorts of paranormal/teen romance books, then you will probably enjoy Destine.
4.0. Nothing absolutely new here, but there were some interesting twists and lots of sexual tension. A quick, easy and entertaining read. It would have been even better if there weren’t grammatical errors on every other page.
Plot: Michelle is starting her senior year with her best friend Cami. Even though her mother’s insane and her father is closed off, Michelle is pretty happy with the status quo. Cami, on the other hand, is bound and determined to be popular. She finds a new boyfriend, Alex, and starts ignoring Michelle. Michelle begins spending time with Gabriel, the new boy in school. Gabriel tells her that he is the archangel of the same name and that she is the human vessel for Michael in the apocalypse. To make matters worse, Cami’s new boyfriend is the antichrist. In addition to getting Cami away from Alex, Michelle and Gabriel must defeat the four horsemen so that evil doesn’t prevail.
Characters: Michelle is your usual snarky girl high school senior heroine, but she does care a lot about the ones she loves, and she’s willing to do anything to save them. Gabriel is the dark-haired new boy with a mysterious past. They’re understandably drawn together by their common goal, but I thought they fell in love entirely too quickly. Still, once they did get together, there was TONS of sexual tension.
Cami is your typical boy crazy, energetic, blonde best friend. As with Michelle and Gabriel, Cami’s relationship with Alex developed way too quickly, but the book provided a legitimate explanation. Alex was creepy-gross, foul-mouthed and just plain mean. He pretty much had no redeeming qualities, and that’s what I would expect of the Antichrist. The other primary characters were Michelle’s mother, whose condition is not as cut and dry as everyone thought; her father, who’s basically in the book for one purpose and one purpose only; and Gabriel’s brother Michael. We all know why he was there. We also met a couple of the horsemen.
Writing: It was really interesting to see how Polillo took the events of Revelation and equated them to high school. I also liked how she started each chapter with a Bible verse to foreshadow what would happen. What I didn’t like was having to wade through thousands of misspelled words (even those in the Bible verses). There were also several sentences that were missing their periods they ran together much like this one.
The Bottom Line: If you’re into paranormal romance and apocalyptic events, and you know something about the book of Revelation, this will be a great read for you. Think of it as Twilight minus Jacob with a twinge of Willow in Buffy’s sixth season set in Season 5 of Supernatural. That makes for some good reading!
Destine: The watcher���s Trilogy Book 1 Katherine Polillo Reviewed by S. Bree High
I am going to start off by saying as a rule anything with religious undertones scare me. Yes it really does scare me. I am not trying to start any type of debate on anything religious. I am just making a statement of the truth for me. So normally this book would not be something I would read. I would have read the synopsis and most likely put the book aside. I have a few exceptions to the rule, and this book is one of them. The author does such a wonderful job of combining the scriptures with the story, it flows nicely and pulled me in and did not let go. In the end it added the story and made the perfect backdrop. Yes we have apocalyptic threats and fallen angels. However I loved it. It was dark, in a wicked make me not stop reading it page after page way. I realize this is not for everyone. I would have said before I read this book, it was not for me. Again I am so glad I read this book! Michelle is our 17-yr-old high school student. She has a best friend named Cami. Honestly Cami is really her only friend. They have been friends since an insta- bonding moment in Kindergarten. They are not in the in group at school and basically have each other. Until senior year and everything seems to change. I mean the world drop out from under your feet and you wonder which way is up changes have occurred. Your best friend seems to not be your best friend any longer. Michelle and Cami are not even speaking. She seems like a whole new person. Michelle finds out her destiny. . I mean it is not every day you learn you are chosen to be Archangel Michael's vessel, right? Oh and did I mention that this news just happened to be delivered via one hot guardian angel that is here to help guide her.(Gabriel) It seems the Anti-Christ is a classmate and the four horsemen just happen to be around too. Yes you can say change is an understatement. Whew! I became so caught up in this book, I gave up sleep. I had to know what happened. It was just in my opinion that good. I mean the little town of Shady lane is happening!
Katherine I fell in love with characters! I loved the growth of Michelle and how she learned to embrace who she is and what she has to do. Gabriel, well I want one of my very own please. Seriously! Do you think you could work that out for me? Just when you think you know well guess what you do not know and another twist and turn. I was shocked, awed and shocked and awed again. I cannot wait to see what happens next. I was left wanting more and trust me you will be too. Read it and love it, review it!
Destine: The watcher’s Trilogy Book 1 Katherine Polillo Reviewed by S. Bree High
I am going to start off by saying as a rule anything with religious undertones scare me. Yes it really does scare me. I am not trying to start any type of debate on anything religious. I am just making a statement of the truth for me. So normally this book would not be something I would read. I would have read the synopsis and most likely put the book aside. I have a few exceptions to the rule, and this book is one of them. The author does such a wonderful job of combining the scriptures with the story, it flows nicely and pulled me in and did not let go. In the end it added the story and made the perfect backdrop. Yes we have apocalyptic threats and fallen angels. However I loved it. It was dark, in a wicked make me not stop reading it page after page way. I realize this is not for everyone. I would have said before I read this book, it was not for me. Again I am so glad I read this book! Michelle is our 17-yr-old high school student. She has a best friend named Cami. Honestly Cami is really her only friend. They have been friends since an insta- bonding moment in Kindergarten. They are not in the in group at school and basically have each other. Until senior year and everything seems to change. I mean the world drop out from under your feet and you wonder which way is up changes have occurred. Your best friend seems to not be your best friend any longer. Michelle and Cami are not even speaking. She seems like a whole new person. Michelle finds out her destiny. . I mean it is not every day you learn you are chosen to be Archangel Michael's vessel, right? Oh and did I mention that this news just happened to be delivered via one hot guardian angel that is here to help guide her.(Gabriel) It seems the Anti-Christ is a classmate and the four horsemen just happen to be around too. Yes you can say change is an understatement. Whew! I became so caught up in this book, I gave up sleep. I had to know what happened. It was just in my opinion that good. I mean the little town of Shady lane is happening!
Katherine I fell in love with characters! I loved the growth of Michelle and how she learned to embrace who she is and what she has to do. Gabriel, well I want one of my very own please. Seriously! Do you think you could work that out for me? Just when you think you know well guess what you do not know and another twist and turn. I was shocked, awed and shocked and awed again. I cannot wait to see what happens next. I was left wanting more and trust me you will be too. Read it and love it, review it!
When I started this book, I wasn't really sure what to expect as I just kind of dived in. I was a little unsure when the first chapter started with a verse from the bible. And was starting to wonder if I should continue, thinking it may be boring and just a bible push. I was SOOOOOOOO wrong. It is not that I am against the bible or church, I go to church and read the bible, just not a fan of being pushed in a religious direction. That being said....She blended everything well in how things happened and how things are happening in this story. You can't exactly have an Apocalypse with out God, Angels, Demons and us weak little humans...right?
I LOVED this book!!! It was not was I expected! It is about a teen girl Michelle and she is just an average teen that likes to sit on the side lines. She isn't the girl you see at the school football games or trying to be the most popular. A mom who has mentally checked out and a dad that is just there but kind of lost in how to handle things since his wife's break down Michelle has enough to deal with, but it is her senior year. Her best friend and sister by choice Cami has decided that the last eleven years of school have been ok, but this year is there senior year and it will be different! Things start fine, for the first time they get a new guy Gabriel and the whole school is buzzing about him. Michelle can't figure out what it is but there is something about him besides that fact she hasn't seen him talk to anyone since he started here! A few days later Cami gets hooked on this guy Alex and totally ditches Michelle. Things start to get crazy weird after that! Apocalypse on the rise, Michelle is fighting for the life of humanity with little help against the Four Horses of the Apocalypse. Read to see how Michelle does with her best friend since kindergarten against her and Hell out to get her! Angels, Demons,Love, drama, & action so much you won't be disappointed!
I have been reading rave reviews about this book since it came out last summer. I am often wary of so many rave reviews and find such books to be lacking something by the time I get to them. Not so much with this story. It was awesome.
In a world of paranormal saturation comes a different story idea. It's the Apocalypse, redone. Okay, it was written during the year that the Mayans had predicted the apocalypse, but I hadn't yet read any YA books about it. This was like a breath of fresh air in the genre for me.
Michelle has a lot to overcome. Her mother is schizophrenic. Her best friend decides to abandon her. And suddenly, she is in charge of saving the entire human race. You can see her strength build from the beginning to the end of the book, as she accepts her destiny in life and battles evil incarnate. With Gabriel by her side, anything seems possible, even in the face of supreme tragedy. But their story isn't over with just this first book. This one spans an entire trilogy, so there is more to come.
I felt like the book as a whole got stronger as the story continued. In the beginning, there was a lot of focus on what everyone was wearing, and other mundane details. Of course, these details help to illustrate how boring and "normal" Michelle's life was before Gabriel came into her life to reveal her destiny. As the action picks up, so did the writing. The plot developed with twists and turns that you didn't always see coming. Michelle's focus shifts to finding and stamping out the evil, before it ruins her and her loved ones. She doesn't care as much about those trivial topics that preoccupy so many high schoolers.
My only problem, really, was a bunch of typos sprinkled throughout the book. I encourage potential readers to try to overlook those, because the story is really a good one that is worth reading. I now understand the persistent buzz about it and greatly look forward to continuing it in the sequels!
Not another Angel book, quickly turned into Yes, another Angel book! I was expecting to be sucked in right away because normally books start with action that suck you in. This book did not, it didn't start with action and it didn't instantly suck me in but the characters were likeable so I was compelled to keep reading. Michelle and her best friend's school was like mine, invisibility was apparently my super power so I connected with them on that level. I struggled to read past the mundane set up but when chapter 2 came around and science class was mentioned (any YA reader worth her weight in gold knows that means hottie up a head. Twilight, hush hush...need I say more?) Enter dark curly haired, clear eyed Gabriel. Hell no. I'm never going to STOP reading this book now.
From the beginning I was already on the fence about Cami but it quickly turned into realization that I hated her. Michelle was more like me in H.S except she actually wanted a friend. I wasn't driven by that. LOL I started praying Chelle would get the guy and the rest of the school get sucked into the pit of hell. That's what this story is about right? No? Guess I better keep reading.
About midway through the book if someone had bothered to interrupt me I might have gone horseman on them and bit their head off. Zooomg! It got so good. I was on the edge of my seat. I was squealing. Michelle and Gabriel are the best characters ever. The storyline was unique. I loved this book so hard, I want to eat it. I cannot wait for book two. I want more. Like now!
Besides changing eye color, some typos, misuse and over of words, also at one point the book seemed to be a week passing but it went from August to early October. Yeah it was odd. I was confused. Even with those oopsies the book was great. It was very entertaining and I look forward to the series.
This book, Destine by Katherine Polillo, gets 5 stars because it is exactly the kind of book I love to read! It's very captivating, and it's hard to stop reading! At the beginning of each chapter there is a Bible verse. I am familiar with the Bible and read it myself, so I was expecting this to be a religious book. It is not. Now, it does get it's foundation and outline from the Bible in terms of it's an apocalyptic book. A girl, Chelle, is a senior in high school and virtually invisible. She and her best friend, Cami, live in a very small town and don't want to be popular. As the school year begins, Chelle is fine doing like she did the years before and blending in to the background. Cami wanted a little more and turned herself to Alex, wanting him to like her, who was running for student counsel president. Cami totally turned her back on Chelle as her friend. She was all over Alex in more ways than one. A new boy in town, Gabriel, was myserious and very good looking with dark messy hair, penetrating eyes and a muscular pale body that looked like marble. Finally, Chelle spoke to him and there was an electricity between them. They had chemistry to say the least. Gabriel told her that he was an angel from heaven and was a guide for her. She was to save humanity; she was the vessel for archangel Micheal here on earth. As in Revalation in the Bible, at the Apocalypse there are 7 seals that are to be opened and 7 horsemen that come from them. The first is opened and it releases the Anti-christ. They come to find out the Anti-christ is Alex, Cami's boyfriend. As each seal is opened, they figure out each one. The first four horsemen are released and Chelle kills two of them. This is a great book, but my favorite parts are the ones where Chelle and Gabriel are together! Those parts are awesome! :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This book was provided free from the author in exchange for honest literary review. The opinions voiced here are solely my own with no coercion from the author.
Michelle Cross has to be having the worst senior year of any high school kid in the world. First, he mom suffers from bouts of mental illness that leaves her in a near catatonic state bonding with reality tv. Next, Cami her best friend since kindergarten has now decided that they can't be friends anymore. If it wasn't for Gabriel becoming her boyfriend, all would be lost. Alas, everything is not what it seems. Gabriel has been sent to fill Michelle in on the course of her destiny. She is the chosen one who is expected to save humanity from the evils that Satan has in place during the end of days.
I was really surprised at how well I liked this book. I usually shy away from religious books or mentions of the bible...but this sis actually a new take on things. It isn't religious at all, more of informative. I didn't know a lot of the story beforehand so it was all new to me. Michelle is a great character. She's very sassy and full of sarcasm as any teen is, which is hilarious at times. Even with the world thrown at her she does handle the pressure well. Even though the story seems long in the beginning, it is actually one that reads very fast. The flow keeps the reader drawn in and you really do not want to put the book down. Editing was amazing, found no errors in this book. Definitely a great start to a new trilogy. I am really curious to see where the muses take this story because the ending is so wide open.......it keeps us guessing for now. michelle mcqueen
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
So, here we have Michelle (Chelle), who's your average 17-year-old girl just trying to make it through her last year of high school alongside her best (and only) friend Cami. School starts, Cami falls head over heels for Alex, the boy running for class president, and runs away from Chelle like she's got the plague. So while Chelle's all mopey over losing her friend, the new kid in school, Gabriel, decides to chat her up. They chill, they talk, and eventually he tells her that not only is he THE Gabriel, the "text message from God," but he's there to protect and guide her, because she is to be the savior of humanity during the apocalypse. Not exactly what Chelle expected to happen during her senior year.
I have to say the storyline really pulled me in. The idea of the apocalypse starting in a random high school in New Jersey (and the irony of Hell on Earth happening in Jersey was not lost on me, no offense to anyone from N.J.) was just really interesting, and I like how Gabriel explains WHY it makes sense (the 7 deadly sins are widely apparent throughout high school, etc. etc.). I also liked how the author used the different Bible verses at the start of each chapter, as they helped to spearhead what that chapter was about.
I couldn't help but compare the story and the different horsemen to how it was depicted on the TV show "Supernatural," which I absolutely love. I was drawn in to the author's version though, which was very fun to read. I can't wait to see how she continues the story in the next book and how Chelle and Gabriel fair on their quest to save humanity from utter destruction.
I had heard great things about Destine before I had even started reading it so I was very excited to read and review it myself! I completely have to agree with everything I was told about this book! It was amazing! Destine went at such a good pace and I never once lost interest as I read it. It just got better and better as you progressed through it and I absolutely loved it! Michelle Cross is the main character in Destine and I really liked her and I thought that she was easy to connect with! I felt sorry for Michelle as her mother had been diagnosed with Schizophrenia and also her best friend, Cami was starting to pull away from her because of a boy, Alex Chase who seems to play a bigger part in Destine than you would think and also so does Cami! Michelle grows so much through this book and it was great to see these changes happen and watch her take on every challenge with bravery and determination! Gabriel is the love interest of Michelle and of course he was hot and protective but he was also mysterious and I absolutely adored him! I loved Michelle and Gabriel's relationship through Destine and I thought that they were such a great couple! I thought that the references to the Bible were interesting and completely relevant as it suited the story as Destine had Angels and Demons in it. I loved the ending to Destine as it was full of suspense and I could not put it down! I cannot wait to read the squeal to Destine as I really loved this book that much! I really like the cover as it makes sense to you after you have read the book!
I was given this book to read for an honest review in part of a blog tour. Wow! I started and finished this book in a day! Even more impressive, it was my son's birthday! I had started reading this while all the kids were in the pool (I of course had to stop reading and continue spoiling my son after the pool)! We had 6 kids with us so it was an extremely long day however this book drew me in so far I HAD to continue reading it that night after the kids all went to bed! I was exhausted from the long day and that did not even stop me from staying up till wee hours of the night (or shall I say following morning) to finish it!
Poor Michelle, teen years are hard as it is but this girl manages a sick mother, a father whom is barely there , near social isolation and then finding out she's the one to decide what fate shall bring the world?!? Talking about massive peer pressure! And teens in real life think they have it hard! HA! Michelle goes through many more trials in this story including her feelings towards the fallen angel Gabriel (or, is he really fallen), fighting for her best friend and the loss of a loved one brought on by her own actions! Michelle proves to be so much stronger then she could of ever imagined!
I absolutely loved this story. The cover does no justice to the actual story! ( It's a gorgeous cover, however the story leaves you in awe ). I in no way expected to get this amazing of a book when I agreed to do this blog tour! However, don't come yelling at me when you are done with it and want to know more because I myself am sitting on the edge of my seat starring at my Kindle pouting because I have to wait to read more!
I received this book from the author for an honest review.
I couldn't put this book down! This is a fantastic start to what is sure to be an amazing trilogy and I can't wait for more! Combining scripture, Archangels, the Antichrist, and of course the horseman... this is an end of world story that has finally been told.
Michelle is not your average Senior in high school, she is an outcast, a loner, a nobody. So why has she been chosen to be Archangel Michael's vessel? She starts the school year off with her best friend Cami at her side who is determined to make this the best year ever! What neither of them realize is that not only will their friendship be tested to the limits this year, they will be playing for very high stakes, their lives. When Michelle realizes that Cami is moving in a new direction, she is left feeling more desolate than she has ever felt in her life. An absent best friend, a workaholic father, a mentally ill mother what more can life throw at her? Then a new student arrives named Gabriel who will change her world forever! A gripping tale that will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. Who would have thought that the battle to save humanity would take place in a high school in a little town called Shady Lane...
The Author does a fantastic job with the characters making them come alive right off the pages. She brings in just enough of lore and Biblical scripture to tie the story together in a believable way. This really is a must read for anyone who loves Fantasy and Angels... it will leave you looking for your very own Watcher.
I was given this book in return for an honest review. Michelle is a normal 17 year old girl getting ready to start her senior year with her best friend Cami. Michelle meets a new guy at school, named Gabriel who is a fallen angel and also her guardian angel, and Michelle finds out that she has a destiny to save all of humanity. On top of that Cami has stopped speaking to her and has started dating Alex, who is running for student council president. Guess what, Alex is the anti-christ and it looks like Cami belongs to him now. As if things weren't bad enough The four horseman of the apocalypse come down on the school and Michelle, who has by now found out she is the vessel of Archangel Michael, along with Gabriel must fight to save everyone. Maybe her mother was right, she had always said she had visions of angels and demons fighting over Michelle. Too bad nobody listened and put her away thinking she was crazy. Poor Michelle is definately not having the senior year she was planning on. Can she hold off the anti-christ and the four horseman while trying to keep her family safe as well. At least she isn't alone, she has Gabriel. I love apocolyptic books, and this was no exception. God, the bible, the end of days, powers, battles, love and friendship. You can't beat that. I highly recommend that you read this book, it is utterly fantastic. The author ended it such a way that I know there will be more coming.