Review: Heartborn by Terry Maggert

Book Blurb:

Her guardian angel was pushed.

Keiron was never meant to be anything other than a hero. Born high above in a place of war and deception, he is Heartborn, a being of purity and goodness in a place where violence and deceit are just around every corner.

His disappearance will spark a war he cannot see, for Keiron has pierced the light of days to save a girl he has never met, for reasons he cannot understand. Livvy Foster is seventeen, brave, and broken. With half a heart, she bears the scars of a lifetime of pain and little hope of survival.

Until Keiron arrives.

In the middle of a brewing war and Livvy’s failing heart, Keiron will risk everything for Livvy, because a Heartborn’s life can only end in one way: Sacrifice.

Fall with Livvy and Keiron as they seek the truth about her heart, and his power, and what it means to love someone who will give their very life to save you.

My Review:

3 Out Of 5 Stars

Genre: Angels, Audiobook, Supernatural, Teen--

Keiron knew he had to do the right thing, even if it meant that he had to give up his wings and fall to earth. On earth, Livvy lives with only half a heart, a medical miracle. Every breath and action is hard for Livvy, the act of walking a feat almost too much. But when a new boy shows up at the library she works at, Livvy feels alive and whole again.

This was a story about love and sacrifice, being who you were meant to be no matter what. It was a very sweet romance that just so happens to also have supernatural elements thrown in. I did have a disconnect from the characters, I thought the world was interesting but the people themselves were more of an idea than real people. For example, Livvy cries at nothing just because the idea of her life is upsetting. And yes, I get that her life is hard and she talks a big game about being brave and accepting her life, and then breaks down every chance. I just wanted more depth and spunk from her than what I received and it made me a little disappointed in the book. The best books to me have great plots as well as realistic developed characters, and this only hit one out of two in my opinion.

The world building the author created was really quite epic, the best part of the book hands down. His world of "angels" was unlike anything that I have read before. The word angel was not really used, but instead it is as if they are a different species completely, not heavenly beings meant to watch over humans. They have their own society with hierarchy, powers, wars and issues. And the best part, they live among the clouds with wings and invisible spirit beings and crazy new animals. Being powerful means that you can rule.

I can be really picky with my audiobooks and my attention is a fickle creature. I really enjoyed the narrator of this audiobook, she was able to create personalities for the characters that allowed me to identify who was speaking and not be so overwhelmed by the enormity of the complicated world. The pacing of the narration and sound quality was well done, no complaints from me and my attention only waned a few times. I do not have any complaints about the audio portion of this book, it was all spot on. I would gladly listen to this narrator again.

The book got consistently good reviews on Goodreads so it just may not have been for me. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a sweet love story about sacrifice that has a different take on the traditional angel myth.

I received this title in return for my honest review.