3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Ameekial by S.F. Hill is a dark fiction fantasy novel. It is the first book in a new series by S. F. Hill. It was published in September 2018. The book highlighted the complexity in the old narrative of good versus evil, light versus dark. The author showed how complicated this narrative gets when we have someone with both light and darkness. He also showed this by having the protagonist's parents originate from angels and demons. I appreciated how the book showed that angels could be responsible for atrocious acts, and demons could find themselves showing kindness and love. It was a refreshing stand. The book follows the life of the protagonist as she discovers her past.
Ameekial (Meeka) lives on Ashford Farms with her adoptive uncle, Honor. She has a well planned routine in her life, and all she wants is to continue living on the farm even after she graduates from high school. This all changes when her uncle finally agrees to hire help on the farm. He informs Meeka that his old friend Kalgan will be coming to help around. He also mentions that Kalgan has a daughter named Astin. Kalgan and Honor used to work for an organisation called Guardian where they learned about the existence of angels and demons, and their ongoing war. Kalgan and Honor share a secret from their time in Guardian. Meeka is no ordinary teenage girl. Her father is an angel, and her mother was a demon. She is the only one of her kind, a Nephalem. When Kalgan and Astin get to the farm, Astin has a strange reaction to meeting Meeka. She feels a strange connection to her and seems to know her full name, Ameekial. This irritates Meeka because Astin cannot give an explanation for knowing her full name. Astin realizes the strange occurrences around Meeka. When she confronts her father and Honor about it, they reveal Ameekial's past along with the shocking revelation that both heaven and hell are hunting her. Angels want to kill her for being an abomination. Demons, on the other hand, want to use her against heaven. When her childhood friend, Erios, has a negative reaction to Astin's presence on the farm, Meeka feels like she is being forced to choose between the two. Her budding connection to Astin is overshadowed by the secrets Astin is keeping. Honor has never told Meeka about who (or what) she really is. Astin, having learned the truth, is forced to keep this secret too. When Guardian calls Kalgan with the news about a captured demon, he thinks about going to interrogate the demon. He wants to find out what attacked a Guardian facility and killed his wife. The farm is warded against all angels and demons, but the risk of being found weighs heavily on Honor. Will he tell Meeka the truth about her heritage? Will Meeka finally discover her powers? What are her powers? Will she choose Astin over Erios? Will they be discovered by angels or demons? All these questions will be answered in this amazing book.
I have a deep love for reading fantasy and fiction. This book was like a birthday present for me. The author started the book with Ameekial's birth. I was shocked to learn that her mother, Elliana, died before she could give birth. This added to the suspense in the book, and it was only the first page. Meeka's father, Demetrius, had to cut her out of Elliana's womb. Baby Meeka was described perfectly. I could imagine a tiny bundle of a baby with tiny wings on her back. When Meeka grows up believing she is human, the main questions I asked myself was where her wings had gone. Her father's absence was another question for me. The author did an amazing job of making Meeka lovable. Her playful teasing with her friend, Nannie, was hilarious. It was a welcomed change from the suspense and mystery. The book has a fast pace, and I could not predict what would happen next. As a reader, this was one of the best aspects of the book. The protagonist who does not know she is powerful, the overwhelming threat that is always lurking around, and the twist of romantic drama made me compare this book to Roan by E. R. Barr.
The main theme I encountered in this book was mystery. Meeka's past and her father's whereabouts were one of the first mysteries in this book. Astin's connection to Meeka was another mystery. Astin's ability to perceive the differences in Meeka is another mystery I encountered. Another major theme I encountered was secrecy. Honor is keeping a big secret from Meeka. Conflict was a major theme in this book. Angels and demons have been at war for thousands of years. Demetrius and Elliana are in danger from heaven and hell because of their relationship. I encountered themes like friendship, family, love, grief, betrayal, loyalty, and justice. The author used these themes masterfully to make the plot memorable.
I rated the book 3 out of 4 stars. I found the plot captivating and highly addictive. The characters were developed masterfully, and I found them lovable and relatable. The book had a healthy dose of mystery and suspense. This kept me enthralled throughout the book. It was almost impossible to take a break. While the story deserved a 4-star rating, I could not overlook the punctuation errors in this book. The errors were widely spread throughout this book. This led me to believe that the book had not yet been professionally edited. This was the only thing that I disliked about this book.
I would recommend this book to fiction and fantasy fans. The book would also appeal to readers who enjoy adventure, mystery, suspense, and action. The author wrote from the perspective of various characters. This ensured that there was always a new and unique perspective on the plot. I could understand what drove the characters. This was an exceptional start to a series. I am eager to read the sequel to this book.
******
Ameekial
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Ferdinand_otieno's review? Post a comment saying so!
