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Colt has been trapped inside a stone prison after Gabby believed he really did betray her. He’s reliving some memories of when he was imprisoned by Belphagor, a King of Hell for what was simply a mistake. But all he wants is a chance to prove to Gabby that he was framed; that he didn’t betray her and that it was her room mate from Mercy Academy.
Gabby, meanwhile is heartbroken. She’s still in shock that Colt apparently swapped the gem that she’d needed desperately to close the Tear that her aunt had once accidentally opened. The Tear that is allowing the Kings of Hell to smuggle demonic weapons to the mortal plane. Her father had hated Colt from the very beginning, but she had hoped that it was merely prejudice between Angels and Demons.
When Asmodeus frees Colt from Gabby’s prison, he comes with dire tidings. The Tear is unstable, and is about to implode – bringing the Demonic, Angelic and Mortal Planes together in an apocalyptic cataclysm that will end in death for everyone. Only Colt and Gabby can stop it if they can reconcile their love and combine their power. Can Half Angel and Demon ever overcome their inherent differences and is there such a place of grey in a world where good verses evil seems to reign supreme?
So, I especially loved that we got to find out more about Colt’s back story in Marked Angel; how he came to the Mortal Plane and why he was running from Belphagor for so long. It provides extra depth to an already extraordinary character, allowing us as readers to understand his motivations. We also get a bit of a deeper peek into Hell, and the other Demon Kings. It would seem that not all Demon’s are inherently evil, and some are simply seeking their own version of paradise. Or, maybe that’s a clever red-herring placed by Sloan, whose characters are never quite what they first appear to be. Gabby is also growing; she’s becoming even stronger, bolder and more determined to kick some evil arse than ever. We’ve already discovered that not all Angels are ‘good’, with the Grigori’s and their supporters nefarious plans being foiled by the half angel in the previous books. The Obsidian starts to weave it’s oily, insidious presence through Marked Angel, paving the way for it’s staring role over the next few books, I should imagine; as it’s already a major player in the other books of the Keepersverse. The fourth instalment for Gabby and Colt isn’t due out until May next year, and promises to focus on Gabby finding the three shards of the Spear of Destiny, so, who knows?
Marked Angel is the third book in the Keepers of the Light section of Sloan’s epic Keepersverse. A series which is growing from strength to strength. With Light being the first section of the stories (thus far, anyway – and not including Chaos Born, the prequel to the series), it’s interesting to not only see Gabby and Colt’s story evolve, but see the cameo appearances of lead characters from other arcs in the universe that Sloan has created. Every single characters’ arcs are so intricately woven together, that my mind boggles with how well she has been able to organise her books. Not all of the series are released in chronological order, and so if you read some of the other series’ – such as Keepers of the Chalice or Keepers of the Grail, you may find some clues as to what may happen with Colt and Gabby; even though those events haven’t been released. It’s kind of mind bending when you’re reading it, but it’s also a bit fun, too.
All there is to do now, is to wait for more of the Keepersverse to collide, to provide us with even more characters who must not only find themselves, but fight deadly enemies and find their true love, too.
S. A.
I received this e-book ARC directly from the author, Tamar Sloan, and am forever grateful to be included in reading her work.
Marked Angel is due to be released on Amazon on August 26th, 2022. It will also be available to read for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. You can purchase it or download it by clicking on the name of the book.