Until Next Time Blog Tour: Book Review Stop

Welcome to the Until Next Time blog tour! I have a review of Amy Lignor's book for my stop on the tour today. You can view the full schedule here to read other reviews, check out guest posts, interviews and more. 

Title: Until Next Time
Author: Amy Lignor

Publisher: Tribute Books

Published: Feb 01, 2012

Find On: Goodreads | Amazon UK

Until Next Time focuses on the theme of angels, but it is unlike any other angel book. Amy Lignor puts her own unique spin on a genre that has been visited countless times and she manages to successfully craft a story that stands out from the rest. With an intriguing mix of fantasy and romance, and a wonderful set of believable characters, Until Next Time proves to be a wholly original and entertaining read.

The author approached the angel idea in a very interesting and engaging way. For once, we are given a YA fantasy that is not set up for the inevitable girl-meets-boy scenario – it is so much more than that. Matt and Emily are angel partners who are, supposedly, soul mates. As part of their mission to understand humans and gather knowledge, they are both assigned to two human shells in which they will spend their time while on Earth. The only trouble is, neither of them will remember anything of their ‘real’ lives – the ones they live up in heaven as angels. For Emily, that means she won’t remember who she belongs to, she won’t remember Matt…and her human heart starts reaching out for another.

This story is most certainly a complex one. While we are on Earth, we are essentially reading through a set of characters, Liz and Daniel, who are very different to Matt and Emily but are still Matt and Emily – only they don’t realise it, and in turn, the reader begins to forget the fact too. When Liz starts losing herself to unconsciousness every now and again during her sleepless nights, she is, in actual fact, being returned to herself as Emily in heaven. Every time Emily returns, she does so will a full set of memories from her human life and even more conflicting emotions and questions. However, when Liz returns to consciousness, she has no recollection of the angels and heaven and nothing but confusion on her mind.

Enter Jason, human love interest, and someone who is definitely not Matt. Warming to Jason isn’t difficult at all. The reader is quick to appreciate his caring manner and believable character. And so is Liz, in fact. The romance between Liz and Jason is one to be admired, regardless of the irksomely quick speed at which it developed. Amy Lignor writes each scene between the two exceptionally well, playing on the reader’s emotions with ease. The ending, in particular, consolidates the reader’s appreciation of the romantic element of this story. It is both touching and perfectly presented, setting the foundations for an equally enjoyable, if not better, sequel.

Overall, Until Next Time is a must-read for fans of YA Paranormal, especially those who are growing tired of the repetitive structure of formulaic books in this genre. This story is nothing but original and will most definitely appeal to a wider audience. It may not be a completely seamless read, but it is a surprisingly memorable one. If you are looking for a different approach to angels, this is the perfect book to pick up. 

Rating: 3.5 stars