Review: Jovah's Angel by Sharon Shinn

Title: Jovah’s Angel
Author: Sharon Shinn
Publisher: ACE
Date published: 1997
Type of book: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Pages: 358
Ideas expressed/message/plot: From back cover: “Return to Samaria, one hundred and fifty years after Archangel, where great storms and flood sweep down upon the land. And even the splendid voices of the angels – raised in supplication – cannot reach the god Jovah…”

I'm going to start off by saying that I absolutely love Sharon Shinn. I haven't read a book by her that I didn't like - and though the Jovah's Angel is different than books I would usually read, I still loved it!

Jovah's Angel is the sequel to Archangel, picking up one hundred fifty years after the previous book's conclusion. The story begins when the current Archangel, Delilah, suffers a fall that leaves her unable to fly, and therefore, unable to remain the Archangel. The angel Alleluia is chosen by the god Jovah to take Delilah's place. As in the book Archangel, Alleluia must find the man that she is destined to be with, but this time around, finding him won't be easy. Jovah, who knows all people who have been 'dedicated' to him, does not know the man Alleluia must find, referring to him only as: The son of Jeremiah.

Meanwhile, storms ravage the planet of Samaria and not even Alleluia can persuade Jovah to calm the weather that is destroying the planet.

Ratings (Out of 10):
Plot: 10
Characters: 10
Writing style: 10
Romance: 10
Memorable: 10
Total: 50/50 (A)

Seriously, this book is so AMAZING! It has an awesome love plot line, which is pretty much necessary for me to truly enjoy a book (there isn't anything like a good love story!). The book focuses strongly on the religion of the characters and their belief in the god Jovah, and for reasons explained by reading the book, technology. I found it relevant to today's world, despite the fact that it was a science fiction novel.

It is hard for me to say READ THIS BOOK! because I feel like so many readers shy away from scifi books. But this book, all of Sharon Shinn's books, are so much more that it doesn't even matter if you are a scifi reader. Here books have some of the best romantic plotlines I have ever read and the other plot lines (including religion) are so captivating that you forget that the characters are on another planet far across the galaxy!