What I’m Reading Wednesday: Dark Rising by Monica McGurk #review #book

This summer has been full of reading – I have a stack of books on my nightstand waiting to be completed and this excites me so much. (I’ve barely watched television, and I’m ok with that.) I love my days on the elliptical because it means I can get in a few more minutes of reading (and a workout! Win-win!) The book I’ve been reading most recently is Dark Rising by Monica McGurk. (<–that’s an affiliate link.) Some of you may recall my post on Dark Hope (just over a year ago!)

Dark Rising starts off in Turkey. Hope Carmichael is searching for the artifact (key) that could open Heaven’s Gates, so she can hopefully destroy it before the Fallen Angels catch up with her. The Fallen Angels believe that Hope is their way to regain Heaven by force. Michael is the Archangel who is supposed to defend Heaven and now Michael has to decide whether he defends Heaven and spares Hope’s life, or does he take her life so the Fallen Angels don’t get hold of the key?

This book takes you through Hope and Michael’s journey to find the key and also deals with their relationship. It’s a great young adult novel and I do recommend reading Dark Hope before Dark Rising. I prefer Dark Rising over the first book. I felt the relationships were more developed and it was easier for me to read (and the last chapter…I couldn’t stop reading.) The book ends in Atlanta with Hope finally making her way home.

But that’s not really the end. The third and final installment of the Archangel Prophecies is set to be released in 2016.

McGurk believes in strong women (and it shows in her writing) and she’s passionate about ending human trafficking. She uses her books to get these messages across and I admire this. I’m a big fan of the Q&A at the end of her books and I can’t wait to find out what happens to Hope and Michael in the third book. (According to the Q&A, McGurk’s teenage daughter already knows what happens, which makes me a little jealous.)

The book description (from Amazon):

Can One Person Upend a Prophecy as Old as Time? Hope Carmichael is on the run. The only question is, from whom? The mark on her neck has branded her as part of an ancient prophecy, the Bearer of the Key. But the Fallen Angels have misunderstood and think Hope is their long-awaited way to regain Heaven by force. Now Hope is chasing down the artifact that could open Heaven’s Gates, while seeking to destroy it before the Fallen catch up with her. Will the Triad crime ring track Hope and exact their punishment before she gets the chance? Is the ragtag band of angels surrounding her now there to protect her, or imprison her? And will Michael, the Archangel sworn to defend Heaven at all costs, be forced to deny his love for Hope and take her life, instead, so that the artifact won’t fall into enemy hands? The epic narrative introduced in DARK HOPE continues in DARK RISING as Hope crisscrosses some of the most ancient sites in Europe and plumbs the depths of history in search of the truth about the Key, herself, and love. Exploring themes of identity, fate, jealousy, trust, and forgiveness, DARK RISING’s mythological scope and moral urgency deepen as we come to understand the choices and consequences faced by a young woman determined to follow her heart and chart her own destiny.

Ready to read Dark Rising? You can win a copy here! Just enter through the Rafflecopter below (giveaway is open for two weeks.)

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What book genre are you most into? When do you find the time to read?

**I received a copy of the book, Dark Rising, in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.