TLC Book Tours Book Review: The Angel Of Losses

Author: Stephanie Feldman
Title: The Angel Of Losses
Publisher: Ecco
Publish Date: July 29, 2014
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: TLC Book Tours
Book Blurb: 

When Eli Burke dies, he leaves behind a mysterious notebook full of stories about a magical figure named The White Rebbe, a miracle worker in league with the enigmatic Angel of Losses, protector of things gone astray, and guardian of the lost letter of the alphabet, which completes the secret name of God.

When his granddaughter, Marjorie, discovers Eli’s notebook, everything she thought she knew about her grandfather—and her family—comes undone. To find the truth about Eli’s origins and unlock the secrets he kept, she embarks on an odyssey that takes her deep into the past, from 18th century Europe to Nazi-occupied Lithuania, and back to the present, to New York City and her estranged sister Holly, whom she must save from the consequences of Eli’s past.

Interweaving history, theology, and both real and imagined Jewish folktales, The Angel of Losses is a family story of what lasts, and of what we can—and cannot—escape.


Review: I have to admit, the cover of this book is what drew me in at first. It has a very otherworldly feel to it, and that intrigued me.

When I started reading, I wasn't sure how I felt about the story. Marjorie and Holly aren't characters you can easily come to love, or even like.

I loved the Jewish folklore. I've always found myself drawn to stories of a religious nature, even though I'm not a devout practitioner of any faith.

I did feel that at times the story was disjointed, shifting between the folklore and reality, but overall, it was a good read that's part magical realism and part family saga.

Rating: 4 flowers

TLC Book Tours Book Review: The Enchanted Life Of Adam Hope

Author: Rhonda Riley

Title: The Enchanted Life Of Adam Hope

Publisher: Ecco

Publish Date: April 23, 2013

Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: TLC Book Tours & the publisher

Book Blurb:  The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope is an unconventional and passionately romantic love story that is as breathtaking and wondrous as The Time Traveler’s Wife and The Story of Edgar Sawtelle.

During WWII, teenager Evelyn Roe is sent to manage the family farm in rural North Carolina, where she finds what she takes to be a badly burned soldier on their property. She rescues him, and it quickly becomes clear he is not a man…and not one of us. The rescued body recovers at an unnatural speed, and just as fast, Evelyn and Adam fall deeply in love.

In The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope, Rhonda Riley reveals the exhilarating, terrifying mystery inherent in all relationships: No matter how deeply we love someone, and no matter how much we will sacrifice for them, we can only know them so well…

Review: First, let me say that this book is the whole deal, beautiful cover, those nifty jagged pages that make you think you have something special, and do you know what? You do.

The Enchanted Life Of Adam Hope is Rhonda Riley's debut novel and it is one that will stay in your heart for years to come.

This is one book that try as I may, I find it hard to review without giving anything away.

One thing I can say about this book, it is a love story of the most unusual variety

Suffice to say, Adam is not quite human and that knowledge, along with Rhonda's beautiful prose kept me reading long after I should have gone to bed. If I weren't reading this on work night, I probably would have been up until I turned the last page.

The relationship between Adam and Evelyn is so full of emotion and their life together is full of joy and sorrow, some of which stems from whatever it is that Adam is..(It would have been nice if the author would have shed some light on that..and that is my only gripe with this story)

I found the book to move slowly at the beginning, when Evelyn discovers A. who is Addie first but then changes to Adam...(So weird..yes) but once she marries Adam the story picks up and moves along quite nicely. Their children really made the story as they were part of whatever their dad was and part human.

This is definitely not a book for readers without an open mind, but if you do have one and like a little bit of fantasy/sci-fi in your reading, this is a great debut novel.

Rating: 5 flowers