This book was just ok in my opinion. I felt as if the pacing needed some work as parts of it definitely dragged. It just read a bit one-note all the way through. That said, I loved the concept. Grief is a terrible feeling, which can lead people to do mysterious things. I kind of wish that the author had gone a bit creepier with some of the characters, but I found myself interested in what they would each do next nonetheless. It will be interesting to see how the second book fits into it all.

🧚🏻Thank you so much to NetGalley, Revell, and author Shawn Smucker for providing me with my initial copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This book wasn't for me. I read it awhile ago, but to be honest, don't remember much about it. All I remember is the feeling it gave me, which was kind of a "meh" one. Grief is a difficult subject to write about, as well as read. I'm sure there is an audience for this book.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. Unfortunately it’s not the book for me. DNF @ 13%.

I really enjoyed The Day the Angels Fell and was riveted from the first page. The drama and suspense had me turning pages well into the night! This is a YA fiction book, but I think it is a great read for everyone. Thank you, Shawn Smucker, for such a well-written treat and I can't wait for the next one.

I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher.

*I reviewed this title on Amazon, but somehow I either forgot to review here or a glitch happened.

A very deep and thought-provoking book. I enjoyed the plot and the narrative between the older Sam and the younger Sam and how he deals with his mother's death. Topics of grief, the battle of good and evil and overall the story felt real. I also really enjoyed the idea of the Tree of life. It really makes you think.

The way Smucker handles the concept of grief is beautiful. It's always a difficult discussion point and The Day the Angels Fell really shines because of it.

Smucker is a talented writer and I enjoyed this book. A great read and story to get lost in. I would recommend it for young adults, and adults in general, for that matter.

Writing was lovely, world was lovely, characters were lovely, plot...was not.

The writer is clearly talented, however I think they need to spend more time on the plot, as I was often...bored. But their prose was lovely, and the idea was there, so I would be interested in reading anything this author publishes in the future.

I think when you tell a two timeline story, it helps to avoid using the past tense - it just doesn't add anything to the story that wouldn't be better told in the present.

The characters were likeble enough. It is a dark book and slightly creepy and a good surprise. But it leaves with so many unanswered questions. I honestly don't know if I am going to keep reading this books series. I also got some Narnia's vibes??? Anyway, I liked the book and that is it, nothing really interesting to add.

The story is well written. It was just my personal taste that I wasn't really fond of it, As I began it kept throwing me off as I tried to determine where this book was going.

This book is just...um...a lot. There is so much going on. There is a lot of time jumping, which sometimes makes it hard to follow. I feel like I need to read the second book in order to determine how I really feel.

It seemed like one huge metaphor for the story of the garden of Eden and the choice between good and evil. Sometimes, looking at it from that perspective, I thought moments were great, other times it made me a little uncomfortable.

This is one of those books that I feel everyone has to decide on for themselves. Read the synopsis for the book and make your decision.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Author: Shawn Smucker
Publisher: Fleming H. Revell Company
Publication Date: 2014

Audio & Print review. AMAZING story and fantastic narration. The descriptions and figurative language will blow-away the readers. I read this book and the next in the series, The Edge of Over There (both in print and with my ears), back-to-back, in two and a half days. I will re-visit both again, which is a rare thing for me. Excellent for YA and adult readers as well.

Don't be put off by the slow start, once the story picked up pace it was a decent read. Found the ending a bit confusing with the introduction of a few new 'important' characters. It gives you the the impression it is a jumping off point for future books instead of closing off this one. But the Adventures of Abra... I would pick that up in a heartbeat.

The Day the Angels Fell is about a 12 year old boy called Samuel who's mother dies unexpectedly, and with his best friend Abra tries to find the Tree of Life to bring her back, all the while trying to figure out truth from fiction and who they can trust. Initially I thought this book would be quite depressing as a boy losing his mother is always heartbreaking, but I found this story beautifully written, with the characters interesting and the adventure magical. I was saddened by Samuel's loss, and I felt the book made a good point of making you think; what would you do if you had the chance to bring back a loved one? What is death? My only complaint is that the ending seemed abrupt and unfinished making me think there may be a sequel, which I look forward to, if there is. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend reading it for a story with heart, adventure and hope

I loved everything about this story! I especially loved the imagery of light contrasting with dark. This book was hard to put down. I loved how the story switched from past to present and vice versa. I would love to read a sequel to find out more about Abra's adventures after that eventful summer.

This was my introduction to Shawn Smucker's work...I liked this story. Raw...honest...thought provoking. Looking forward to more of his work.

Very entertaining but I can't say much more than that.

I received an advance copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I started this, but I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised.
I really enjoyed the language and the prose that Smucker used to tell his story. He did a beautiful job of portraying death as a gift and not something to be afraid of. Like everyone else giving reviews, I found that particular section of the angel's dialogue towards the end of the novel as really memorable.

There was a great balance between the real issue of death/ dying and fantasy. I loved the incorporation of myths and folklore from all over the world; it fed in nicely with Sam's father's and Mr. Tennin's storytelling.

My only real issue was with the ending. I felt that it was abrupt and I wasn't left with a feeling of closure. I'd also be interested in hearing about Abra, her journal, her adventures, and especially, what happened in New Orleans?!?!?!

Overall, I enjoyed it and I would recommend it to those interested in a different twist on death. I hope the author does write a sequel

I really wanted to like this book. But I never actually finished it. The story never gripped me in a way that I made time to finish the book, even though I was almost 80% through it. The writing was wonderful in and of itself, but I never could find the motivation to actually finish the book - but I think this lends more towards it just not being of the genre I enjoy the most, nothing against the book itself. (Disclaimer, it could also be from the sole fact that my own mother passed away recently and I just couldn't deal with that side of the story, which ties into most of the book).

I loved The Day the Angels Fell, absolutely loved it, and immediately started recommending it to others when I finished! It's YA fiction loosely based on the Genesis/Revelation accounts of The Tree of Life, so I don't think it will appeal to those who don't have basic biblical knowledge or interest of Eden. The story begins in the 1960's where a young boy's mom dies in a tragic accident. The boy is given the chance by two mysterious (and opposing) figures to find the Tree of Life, which would enable his mother to come back to life. The story is quick and fast-paced, and ends in such a way that we are guaranteed an exciting sequel to come. Shawn Smucker is an author I will eagerly read in the future if his books continue to be this good!

There is a lot of philosophical, quotable one-liners in this book about a young boy that loses his mother in a freak accident. If you are looking for a story that may help you or someone you know process death then I think The Day the Angels Fell is a good choice. Otherwise I'm not sure it's worth the read. It's very poignant and in places quite intense; but at no point did I really doubt what was going to happen.

The Story
Told in two parts; the first from the perspective of an old man, and the second, where we spend most of our time, from the perspective of the same old man as a boy. So there is never any doubt that our boy survives the bizarre and sometimes dangerous path he is following. I think Shawn Smucker intended for a 'reveal' at the end that makes you go, oh wow, and then cry. I did not get that and instead felt like the ending made good sense but wasn't anything super special.
The primary focus story centers around The Tree of Life. A tree that seemingly has the power to bring someone back from the dead. Of course our lead boy wants to find it so he can bring his just deceased Mom back. (This is not a spoiler it happens in the first chapter). Surrounding him in this desire are of course the morales of what it means to be dead and if death is a 'good' thing or place. There are some men involved that try to mess things up and impose their will on our young man. And while both of these men appear to be really important; however in the end they are just props to move the plot forward, in my opinion. They say a lot but I'm not sure they are contributing in a valuable way as characters to the overall novel.
\Quotable, but not enough
Overall someone could likely pull out a hundred quotes to use on mugs, posters, etc. from Smucker's debut novel; but for me that wasn't enough. While there is plot that constantly moves us forward in the story and characters that are interesting enough I just didn't care that much. I almost never felt sympathy or grief for our lead boy and so had a hard time connecting. Perhaps if you are in the throes of grief when you read this it would be more impactful? For me it just fell short of what I had hoped for.