The Edge of Over There

The Day the Angels Fell, Book 2

by

Shawn Smucker

Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Publisher: Revell
Date of Publication: July 3, 2018
Number of Pages: 384

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The captivating sequel to the award-winning The Day the Angels Fell

Abra Miller carries a secret and a responsibility she never expected.

Before the Tree of Life, everything in Abra Miller’s life had been predictable. Safe. Normal. But after the Tree, everything has felt fragile . . . like holding a soap bubble in the palm of her hand. After years of fruitless searching for the next Tree, she begins to wonder if it was nothing more than a vivid dream.

Now sixteen, Abra finds a clue to the whereabouts of the next Tree of Life when an ominous woman—who looks exactly like a ghost from her past—compels her to travel to New Orleans where she’ll find one of seven gateways between this world and Over There. But she’s not the only one interested in finding the gateway. There’s also a young man searching for his father and sister, who escaped through it years before. As Abra enters the Edge of Over There and begins her pursuit of the Tree once more, she doesn’t know whom to fear or whom to trust.
She’s also starting to think that some doorways should never be opened.

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Praise for The Edge of Over There

“Blending Biblical elements and urban myths, Smucker creates an enthralling story of supernatural battles between the forces of good and evil.” — Publishers Weekly

“The Edge of Over There is a mesmerizing, menacing fantasy. Shawn Smucker fuses New Orleans lore, Christian themes, and dystopian landscapes in a thorough exploration of love and its unintended results.” — Foreword Reviews (Starred Review)

If you are looking for a YA book filled with descriptive text and a look at what might be heaven or hell, then check out this series. The first book is The Day the Angels Fell and it is probably best to start with this book. I have not read the first book and while the author does a great job of filling in gaps, I think any reader would have a better grasp on the characters and setting reading that book first.

The book starts with a brief recap of what I can assume was part of the first book. I appreciated that set up because it made a little more sense as I read the book. There is an interesting cast of characters with several story lines. There is Leo, Ruby, and Amos. Ruby is deathly ill and her father, Amos, will do anything to save her, including taking her to “Over There”. Leo, her brother, is left behind but he doesn’t forget about Ruby and 8 years later is able to try and find her. Samuel and Abra are neighbors and grew up together from the time they were born, their mothers were best friends. There is an even bigger twist about this whole situation at the end that was very intriguing and wasn’t anything I expected to read. There are some evil characters that throw kinks into everyone’s plans.

The main story is that Abra has a task to fulfill as the keeper of the keys (or the sword that acts as a key). Her story is being told to Samuel because he has inherited them from Abra’s husband after her passing but doesn’t know what to do with either the sword or the atlas. Only in the telling of this story by Mr.Henry to Samuel, do we learn the truth of what happened to Abra over the course of her life. The story does end abruptly but in a good way because it left me wanting another hundred pages or so to know what happens next.

One of my favorite lines was – “Fear always comes with a door, a door that leads straight through.” This could be interpreted so many different ways and I think each reader will take it mean something different.

The author weaves this tale and you do need to pay attention because the various story lines intersect multiple times and while dark at times, there is light and hope you just have to grab hold at various points in the book.

We give this 4 paws up

 

Shawn Smucker lives with his wife and six children in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The Day the Angels Fell is his first novel.

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GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

GRAND PRIZE: Both Books in the The Day the Angels Fell series + Color Changing Tree Mug + $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card

2ND PRIZE: Both Books + Tree of Life Journal

3RD PRIZE: Both Books + $10 Starbucks Gift Card

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July 17-26, 2018

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Check out the other blogs on this tour

7/17/18	Author Interview	Texas Book Lover
7/17/18	Book Trailer	Hall Ways Blog
7/18/18	Excerpt	That’s What She’s Reading
7/19/18	Review	Reading by Moonlight
7/20/18	Review	The Clueless Gent
7/21/18	Top 10 List	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
7/22/18	Notable Quotable	The Librarian Talks
7/23/18	Author Interview	Max Knight
7/24/18	Notable Quotable	StoreyBook Reviews
7/25/18	Guest Post	Rebecca R. Cahill, Author
7/26/18	Review	Forgotten Winds

 

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