The Invasion of Heaven

The big deep heavy. Gods and giant eyeballs. 

One of the characters says, channeling the author, perhaps, "When I was very young I remember wanting to write stories, and I did. Composing in a way that brings a reader in and takes them on a journey." I was feeling a tiny bit impatient while getting to know the characters. Loche Newirth is a painfully ordinary shrink, living an ordinary life, doing his best to help his patients through their pain. Until one turns up dead and authorities believe he is responsible.   

Okay, so where does the giant eye come in? 

"How else does a drama continue without treachery? Without betrayal? Without death?" There's a shocking reveal, and then we begin to learn the backstory. It takes a little while to get everyone into place, but when the story starts to rev up, you'll be hanging on for dear life.

I was reluctant in the beginning to give myself over wholeheartedly to the story, knowing that it is the first of a trilogy and I've been burned before. Cliffhangers suck; waiting and waiting for resolution until you only vaguely remember the plot and characters from the first book(s). Not a problem here. Three times I thought I was on the last page. But wait, there's more. Cool. "Oh, so that's what that was all about," says I. And, no kidding, even further revelations. Satisfying finale, and more than enough wonderment to whet my appetite for the following books. 

Received this book from netgalley in exchange for my honest-to-goodness review.

his book was not the normal genre of mystery that I read but it was a great read and the story has a way of drawing you in.  If you enjoy a touch of the supernatural and art mysteries, then you will enjoy this book.  Great Read.  I would like to thank the Publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this ARC.

Wow, just WOW! This is the best novel in all the thrillers and paranormal romance novels I have read in a year! Words truly cannot describe my reaction. If you sit down and read it I guarantee the twists and surprises in it and especially at the end will blow your socks off! I highly recommend this paranormal thriller to both genres! I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I would give 10 stars if I could.

Full disclosure: the author is from the Inland Northwest and lives in beautiful Coeur D'Alene, Idaho - my neck of the woods. This probably gave this novel an extra layer for me, as the descriptions of the Priest Lake area were even easier to picture and I laughed with some of the "that's Idaho for you" jokes. But it is so much more than that that made me award five stars to this excellent novel. It is smart and the language is beautiful. It is not a quick, easy read but if you engage your little grey cells you will be greatly rewarded. There are stories within stories full of Theology, Philosophy, History and the magic of dreams. The world that it creates is impressive in its complexity and the way that the characters interact with each other is highly realistic (despite the subject matter). The twists were unexpected and the ending was simply fantastic. I really look forward to reading more about the world that Mr. Koep has created.

I agree with some of the people that say this book was hard to put down. When I first got it I was entirely unsure of what to expect, but I was really riveted and  enticed through the whole thing. A brilliant story line, great characters. Very entertaining. I would recommend this book. 4,5 out of 5 stars.

This book is totally WOW! A  rollercoaster ride right from the beginning!! This is one of the best novel in all the thrillers/suspense/paranormal genres that I have read in a very long time. It's almost difficult to put into words how strongly this book affected me. A true page Turner from the start that sucked me in and I had a difficult time putting it down.  It is filled with surprises, turns, twists twists and honestly, the end blew me away.

I highly recommend this book to lovers of suspended, thrillers, paranormal!

* I would like to thank the author/publisher/Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest opinion*

Not only does Koep have a beautiful writing style, a flare for language, the book resurrects the imponderables of youth, bringing them yet again into the forefront of thought. That is a very good thing, indeed. I'm now onto the next part, "leaves of Fire."

3 1/2 Stars.  I got dizzy from all the twists and turns this story unveiled.

Good book  Very interesting

Hmmm, not even sure where to start this review.  Not doing a synopsis because I am unsure whether or not I can articulate the storyline well enough to even understand it myself!  

I feel like Alice in Wonderland when she fell down the rabbit hole.  Either someone was feeding me magic mushrooms as I read or the author was doing some "tripping" on his own when writing.  You must pay close attention to the story.  "What seems real could be false and what is false could be real". (That's my quote..ha).  I thought I had it figured out then the story snuck in some other tidbits that had me questioning my entire opinion.

A psychologist dealing with the death of a "client" could, himself, be delusional, suicidal or just dealing with a really freaky reality.  Finding himself front and center in a ploy to gain control of the "Heavens" he must find a way to come to terms with his so called "talent" (that he swears he doesn't have).  Is that the real story?  Or is he playing a masterful real life chess game to uncover the murderer of his client?  GEEZ...I'm still confusing myself.

To read this you must want to just go along for the ride and try to keep the facts straight as written.  You also need a lot of wine or something to allow your mind free reign with the story.  Believe it for a while, then decide it's all a "dream-like sequence" but be prepared for an ending that still really doesn't answer any questions you might entertain.

I couldn't decide whether to give this 2 stars or 5 stars.  The writing was really impressive but the author had to be ADD!  I can't understand how he kept his own storyline straight!  You will either LOVE this or not even finish because you HATE it.  I don't think there will be any in-between..  I am settling for 3.5 stars!

Two brothers with special gifts. The power to protect Heaven. This is an intriguing book. It has all the elements that are needed to create an interesting and edge of your seat work of art. The author is truly imaginative and takes to places unknown. Extremely well written. I am so excited to hear there will be a sequel to this exciting book. 5 Stars

Grabs you from page one,couldn't put it down

I'd like to thank the author for a copy of the book and the chance to review it through the NetGalley First Reads program.

If Steven King’s “The Stand” and Dan Brown’s “Da Vinci Code” were to have a baby, it would be this book. It was a long tale of a story with the intrigue of religious mythology. 

Pros: I really enjoyed this book. I found it a bit confusing at first. It’s one of those books that starts off with ½ a chapter from near the end, then the next chapter starts back weeks before chapter 1 without a clear indication of how or why. It took a few chapters before I stopped saying...”Huh??” It did have a few “round-about” parts where I couldn’t tell who was crazy and who was just plain lying. There were lots of twists and turns and several surprises. Who to trust? Who to believe? Where to go? What to do? All the makings of a thrilling ride. It involves many characters, each with their own distinct personality and purpose. 

Cons: Holy Cow!! This book is in desperate need of an editor. Or at least someone with a spellchecker. There were sentences with no spaces between the words. Paragraphs that only went a few words before going to the next line. And several sentences that were spliced with other sentences. It really disrupts the flow of the story; not to mention, it was extremely aggravating! Hopefully that will be fixed before going to print.

Definitely a 4 star book. I’m looking forward to book 2.

I requested this title solely on the blurb I read on NetGalley. I was intrigued and felt the need to read it. I am happy I did. The story is very well written with many twists and turns to keep readers captivated.

Loche Newirth, is a psychologist, that is introduced to you in the first chapter. A patient of his, supposedly, committed suicide and he finds himself being questioned by the local police. This is an interesting story based on Gods, immortals and 2 brothers with powerful gifts.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading "The Invasion of Heaven" and look forward to reading the next book in this series.

THE INVASION OF HEAVEN by Michael b. Koep is a wholly original read.  Because of this, it is hard to classify.  Loche Newirth, a psychologist, is being hunted for his life after he sees a mysterious painting that opens a window onto the after life.  There is a special, ancient order of men that want to control these art afterlife "windows" and they are willing and able to pursue Loche and those he cares about across the world, time and more.  

This book is tightly wound and saturated with mystery, myth, betrayals of love and friendship, killings, madness and time travel.  You will have to pay attention and maybe even take notes to keep track of what's what!

Along the race for his life Loche loses a client to what he believes is suicide, but he is blamed for negligence, he discovers his unknown past and unearths the truth that ancients are walking amongst us.

Go on the journey with this creative author!  Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Michael B. Koep for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

http://shereadit.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-invasion-of-heaven-by-michael-b-koep.html

Mystery, Madness, Fantasy, Adventure, Spiritual, Heavenly.  All of those words describe this book. Loche Newirth is a psychologist who finds himself thrust into a conspiracy that goes beyond this world.  He discovers lost relatives, a history he knew nothing about and a gift he isn't sure he wants.

Loche's world is turned upside down.  His gift could help or hurt the world, it really depends on who you talk to.  There are people who want to control it, want to harness it, but who is to be believed? Well written with lots of twist, turns and mythology that almost make your head spin.  Well written, well thought out and sucks you into this strange trip.  I found myself wandering wondering about the ideas presented.  If a book stays with me even after the cover is closed I have to give it props.  This one is sure to be on the shelves with Tolkien, Gaiman, and others for a very long time.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Invasion of Heaven kept me tightly in its grasp from the first page to the last. Reality itself became something fluid, percieved differently by each person, yet firm and strong to each.  Heaven and hell, life and death, lover and enemy all become the same.   I would (and will) recommend this book as a 12 out of 10.  I'm already waiting anxiously for the sequil, "Leaves of Fire."   This review will be posted in its entirety on my Blog.

This book is difficult for me to review and rate. I'm not going to rehash the description since it's easily accessible.

The book had a rough start for me. The reader is dropped in the middle of the action within the mind of a character that is confused about what is going on. This was very disorienting for me and I kept trying to get a grasp on the plot. It did finally even out a bit. The story is told from a few POVs and told out of order, which doesn't aid the reader to form a coherent vision of the story.

The story has the feel of a thriller, has several plot twists, and a touch of the paranormal. There is an off-kilter feeling of being watched and manipulated. There are powerful people and conspiracies. When you're caught in the middle, who do you trust? What is the meaning of life?

There is a thing that that isn't answered. And this frustrated me. It IS perhaps my biggest complaint and brought the book down in rating for me.  Other readers may not be bothered by this at all, but it makes me consider not reading further in the series. After so many labyrinthine twists and emotional investment, I wanted clarity. I wouldn't care what answer it was....I just wanted an answer.

Also, the book seemed long, but perhaps it was because the tone is so "Big deep heavy".

Kudos to the author on a fresh idea with amazing execution. I enjoyed the story (with the exception of the unanswered thing), and appreciated the skillful writing.

Thank you Netgalley and Will Dreamly Arts for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Interesting concept.

A remarkably inventive story told in an imaginative way. A story within a story actually. Looking forward to reading more in this series.

I really enjoyed story line. The theme was fascinating and I would definitely recommend it to friends.

this book is a psychological thriller!!  With Dr. Locke Newirth, a psychologist the lead character of the story, who has a patient take her own life. Oftentimes they blame themselves by trying to figure out what they missed, but most often the family or police blame them first.
Add in Basil Fenni, an artist that keeps all of his art secret and refuses to let people view it. Basil thinks the gods look through his paintings to see each of us.
It's up to the good doctor to figure out Basils twisted psyche and then for good measure his own. Only he has lots of help muddying up things to keep the readers on the edge of their seats and clueless about what could possibly happen next!!
"Life is a blatant act of imagination." Jess Walter Bright and stark...then horror.

The Invasion of Heaven, review

I am halfway through this book and have mixed feelings about it. Part of me wants to abandon it, the other part not being able to let it down! It is a very strange story, with different PoV and flashbacks, so not easy to follow nor to know when the event you read about took place. What also confuses me is the fact I am currently reading "The Portrait of Dorian Gray" and both books have a character called Basil being a painter. But the intrigue is strong and I'll give more feedback when I'll have finished the book.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX FINAL REVIEW  Very strange, I can't tell how I feel like about this book!
It was difficult for me to "enter" in the story until half of it.
It is a mix of different genres of literature : fantasy, poetry, mystery, ...
I loved the poetry of the writing, but the way the story is told confused me.
It was difficult to know when an event was taking place, as there were flashbacks not clearly defined.
I spent an evening and part of the night to finish the last hundred pages, as I wanted to know the end. But being a trilogy, there was a taste of wanting to know more! I felt the influence of several other books in it : The Portrait of Dorian Gray, The Prophecy of the Andes, The Da Vinci Code, ...
There are also a very interesting psychological analysis of different characters, and a lot to think about our life on Earth.
I really thank NetGalley which gave me the opportunity to read this book for free, allowing me to experience a totally different genre of literature I was used to. I'll buy the second volume hoping it will be as gripping as this one.

Amazing book. I can't wait to read more.

I have no idea how to explain the plot of The Invasion of Heaven by Michael B. Koep.  Psychologist Loche Newirth loses a patient to suicide, and comes under fire for his care of her.  He discovers he has a brother with powers; his paintings are windows to "The Center", and immortals are fighting to use those paintings to rule the world.  Those paintings have never been seen, they are too powerful. Newirth is told that he, too, has powers that haven't developed yet. The power of the word.  Newirth goes on a journey, leaving behind a journal for his mentor and the woman who has come to mean a great deal to him.  The story unfolds through the journal.  

I can honestly say that the ending shocked me.  I have not seen a twist like the one in this book since the movie The Sixth Sense.  That alone makes this a 5 Star book for me.  But the reader must pay attention, because it is so very easy to become confused.  Hang in there, the payoff is well worth it.

Michael Koep's book had me on the fence until I settled into his style of writing.  It's got to be the most unique book I've read all year!  I'd say it has something for everyone.  A little mystery, a little suspense and particularly the spiritual component of the quest into the afterlife.  I'll be interested in the next installment of this series.

I thank the author for his creativity, and the publisher Will Dreamy Arts and Netgalley.com for allowing me the experience of this novel.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review and honestly I don't know what to think about this book.  On the one hand it kept me intrigued enough to finish it.  However, I read almost 10 OTHER books in the nearly two months it took me to finish the book.  The story was a great concept but the execution, not so much.  I liked the feel of journal vs. present day leading to the events in that happened in the beginning of the book. The build up to the end (or the beginning) was great but the ending felt like a cop-out. And it was a cliffhanger (grrr I hate cliffhangers).  I probably WON'T read the next one - even if it's free.  Overall the story was good but at the same time I contemplated not finishing it multiple times which drops it to just okay.  It was slow-going at first but really picked up it's pace and suspense toward the middle of the book and I'm glad I did continue to give it a chance.  If you like mysteries with a lot of twists and turns with a supernatural/existential aspect then this book is for you.

The Invasion of Heaven: Part one of the Newirth Mythology by Michael B Koep
	This suspenseful novel is full of tricks, turns and slight of hand.  The writing style is unusual and takes some getting used to.  From the beginning I thought there was some time shifting and it made things a bit confusing.  It’s a complicated story and all I can say is: I didn’t see THAT coming!  If you enjoy suspense, conspiracy theories, a bit of a thrill and something out of the ordinary, give this novel a read. 
	The publish date is in August and I would definitely put this one in my To Be Read pile.  

-an honest reader review in exchange for an ARC

This was an exciting book for me to read, because it's quite unpredictable. The characters were interesting, and there was just the right mix of fantasy and suspense to make this a hard book to put down. The ending was far from anything I would have ever expected, and it took me by surprise (in a good way).

The book can be a touch confusing at first, because it is a story within a story. One character, Marcus, has gone in search of the main character, and the story of his journey is told. The story of the main character, Loche, was recorded in a journal, which Marcus is reading along the way. In the Kindle version, there are small icons, one of an open journal, one of a closed journal, that let the reader know which storyline is being told. The open journal represents Loche's activities, and the closed journal means that Marcus's story is the focus.

Overall, I thought this was an excellent book. I'm looking forward to reading the second one in the series!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes.

This book was intriguing and I kept wanting to read more. I like how the story unfolded. I will read the next ones.

This has a bit of everything in it-love, betrayal, fantasy, love, hope.... Loche Newirth is a psycologist that has some very odd patients.  When one dies, it sends him into a tailspin and he retreats to his cabin in the mountains.  He has an experience there that leads him to believe that he saw an eye in his lake, a window to the afterlife. He discovers he has a brother, Basil, whose gift is painting, Again, Loche sees this eye to the afterlife after viewing one of Basil's paintings.  Is he crazy?  Is he being watched? And by whom?  He begins to journal his experiences with those he refers to as "the Immortals and  the Orathom,"  and it is up to Julia and Loche's mentor, Marcus Reardon, to find him and help solve the mystery.

This is quite a challenging book to review or describe.
It consists of layers of "reality" and "illusion" intertwined and overlapped.
Even at the end I was not certain what had actually happened and what had not.
It is a good challenge for the nimble mind that wants to consider the nature of reality and how mutable it is.

Michael B. Koep wrote a brilliant and phenomenal sci-fi, mystery, thriller. The beginning is a little slow and confusing. However, when it picks up, it picks up, and you are on the ride of your life. This is the first book in the "The Newirth Mythology, The Invasion of Heaven". This book defys anything out there now and in the past.

It has a story within a story. First, Psychologist Loche Newirth is dealing with the sudden suicide of one of his patients, and the aftermath. He puts his faith in his mentor, Doctor Marcus Reardon. Secondly, he finds out that he had a brother, separated from the birth of the baby brother, Basil, the painter who must paint but never shows his work from everyone. He thinks the paintings are too strong for ordinary eyes. He thinks there is a door to the Gods.

There are watchers, whom the brothers fear. They meet a man who tells them he can help them, but they have to hurry. This is when twists and turns are sensationally exponential. It will blow your mind. If you pay attention to the storylines, you will have no problem with the transition between the two storylines. This isReardon clearly a new genre of book, and I love it!

Thank you Michael B. Koep, Will Dreamy Arts and NetGalley for giving me a free e-ARC of this book to read and give an honest review.

I'm probably a little biased with this book - I love that it's partially set in Idaho, and that the author lives here!
The book really is good, though. It's exciting without tons of violence or anything like that, though there is some of that. The end is really good - but don't expect to be satisfied with it on its own. It sets up a really interesting paradox that I can't wait to read more about, so reading the next book in the series is a must.
I found out about this book when I won the second part to it in a giveaway, and I went onto NetGalley to get a copy of The Invasion of Heaven, but before I got to reading it, I received a signed copy of this one, too! It's very cool. Worth reading, and I'd say if you can get your hands on a signed copy, do it. The author signs with quill.