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    Covenant: The Books of Raziel
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    Covenant: The Books of Raziel
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    Covenant: The Books of Raziel
    Ebook408 pages5 hours

    Covenant: The Books of Raziel

    By Sabrina Benulis

    3/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    The haunting gothic tale started in Archon continues-a mesmerizing work of the paranormal in which a young woman discovers that she is caught in a labyrinth of intrigue where angels, demons, and all the creatures between Heaven and Hell will stop at nothing to possess her.

    A year ago, Angela Mathers, a talented artist with a tortured soul, enrolled at the Westwood Academy and encountered the angels who haunted her dreams. Then she discovered the dark truth … she is the Archon, a being of supreme power who will determine the fate of the universe. But with such power comes great danger, and for every force seeking to aid Angela there is another burning to stop her. After a scheming demon kidnaps the Book of Raziel, Angela must find her way through a nightmarish game and enter the Door to Hell to rescue her only friend before it is too late.

    The perilous fate of both Heaven and Hell rests on her success.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateApr 1, 2014
    ISBN9780062069443
    Unavailable
    Covenant: The Books of Raziel
    Author

    Sabrina Benulis

    Sabrina Benulis lives in the Pocono mountains of Pennsylvania with her husband, daughter, and a spoiled but sweet cockatiel. When she isn’t writing or cooking up another story to tell, she’s learning to be Supermom. She is the author of the Books of Raziel trilogy. 

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    Reviews for Covenant

    3/5

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    • 3/5
      Many books draw the reader in and keep them turning the page making it hard to stop reading but this book almost seemed to push the reader out. The writing, especially at first, felt awkward and disjointed and I had to fight the impulse to give up reading it and move on to something else. I was curious about some of the passage like the prologue so I forced myself to stick with it and it did get better and more interesting, but it was not very well written imo. Some interesting ideas but it didn't seem to flow together very easily. The characters were confusing especially with them often being more than they appeared, either through reincarnation and/or possession, and sometimes it was difficult to keep straight who was who or what. The Supernals like Israfel were often described as so powerful that it seemed no human or even half-human could stand against them, They were described as being able to take a life with a thought and seemed able to mesmerize and control at their whim, yet at times much weaker characters seemed able to stand up to them in ways that didn't seem realistic if they had such enormous power. Some of the motivations of the characters were confusing as well, and it wasn't always clear why some of the characters were making the decisions they did or what their actual goal or reward was. Things didn't seem to be very well explained and I kept expecting things to become clearer the further I got into the book but it really didn't seem to happen. In fact, things seemed to become more muddled and confusing. That said, it was interesting and different and I did find myself thinking about it and wanting to see what was going to happen, so I didn't give it as low a rating as I might have with the way I felt at the start. I think it's one of those books that if a reader is curious about it they should give it a try and see if they want to make the effort to muddle through it. I'll be curious to see if the author settles in more and improves with the next book.
    • 2/5
      I was eager to read Archon with it's interesting premise and enchanting cover. After about 150 pages, it didn't hold my interest. I still wasn't sure what the novel was truly about and I think it should be pretty apparent by that point. Some of the scenes were a little confusing. There were absolutely no redeeming characters. Angela has a horrible, obvious name for a book about angels and her attitude is horrible. She's terribly self centered and doesn't really care about anyone else. She didn't even seem concerned about the fact that she killed her parents in a fire that she meant to kill herself in. I didn't really care what happened to her or any other of the not-so-memorable characters.
    • 3/5
      When I first read Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop, I found myself on shaky ground. I'm an extremely visual reader, creating scenes and characters in my head as I read the words on a page. I picture everything. With the first book in the Black Jewel's Trilogy, however, I had trouble seeing the world the author had created in my mind's eye. I can't explain why, just that it's so. Perhaps it was the way the author jumped right into the story and took off running. It was the same for me with Archon by Sabrina Benulis. And yet both books captivated me, drawing me into their worlds. Even when I wasn't reading, I felt a little like I had one foot in the book and the other in reality. I love it when a book has that effect on me.Set in Luz, a city on the cusp of all that is holy and hell, the novel is about a damaged young woman who wants nothing more than to die. Only she can't. Every attempt she makes ends in failure. Haunted by visions of angels, Angela longs to join them. She is sure she will find answers at the Vatican's exclusive university in Luz.A prophecy foretelling the end of the world warns of the coming of the Ruin or Archon. The Archon is believed to be the reincarnation of the once powerful angel, Raziel. Angela is one of many who fit the description of this alleged Ruin with her red hair, pale skin and mystical powers. Considered freaks of society and ostracized, the blood heads are both feared and hated.Angela becomes the target of a particularly nasty sorority leader who will stop at nothing to prove that she, Stephanie, is the Archon. Soon Angela finds herself at the center of the struggle between Heaven and Hell--where good and evil are blurry at best and where the likely outcome is life or death.Despite my initial difficulty picturing Luz, I found Archon to be an intense and entertaining book. The characters were fascinating--flawed and mysterious, beautiful and yet ugly. The whole evil versus good came into play time and time again and was upended just as many times throughout the book. It was hard not to feel sympathy for even the darkest of characters. Angela, the main protagonist, is a strong young woman despite her insecurities. She shows courage and decisiveness when she most needs it. And yet clearly she is quite damaged, having been terribly abused as a child because of her blood head status.The angels in Archon are more like the ones in the television show Supernatural than they are from the show Touched by an Angel. The angels are prideful and self-centered, having their own agenda that doesn't always include the humans. It makes it all the more interesting. I confess I didn't see the allure of any of the angels really. Sure they were beautiful, but their personalities left a lot to be desired.Of all the characters, the one that I was most drawn to was Sophia. She is a mystery right from the start. Kim, too, was an especially interesting character. He and Angela seemed well suited for each other. I was never quite sure of Kim or Sophia--where their loyalties lied. Both are still a bit of a mystery and I hope to learn more about them in future books.It's hard to believe this is a debut novel. The author expertly weaves the characters and their stories together. There are several moments throughout the book that left me holding my breath, afraid of what was to come and yet dying to know what would happen. I picked up Archon to read on a whim and am so glad I did. It was an exciting read and I look forward to seeing what else Sabrina Benulis has to offer. I just hope she doesn't take too long!
    • 2/5
      Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: A wild mix of angels and demons, each player having their own agendas, and the mortal with the power to destroy it all. LOTS of details and subplots to follow making this more political than romance in its presentation.Opening Sentence: “That’s an incredible painting.”The Review:This book turned out to be a hard read for me. There is an obscene amount of back story details and lots of little sub agendas for each character, that the overall story can get lost in the translation. I had to read it twice through in order to really appreciate Archon. This book, though worth it, will take a leap of faith on the reader’s part that things will begin to make some sense if you can just stick it out.Angela Mathers is apathetic to life. She has just been released from a mental institution and is about to start attending the Vatican’s prestigious West Wood Academy in Luz. Accepted into the Academy not only because of her exceptional paintings of angels, but because she may be the One prophesized as the Archon; the Supernal Raziel reincarnated as a mortal and possible Ruin of the known world. For someone not even interested in living, this seems far-fetched. All she knows is that her dreams are haunted by two beautiful angels and she is unable to kill herself no matter how many times she tries. But her personal concerns become unimportant with so many different people, demons, and angels testing her and speculating on whether she is the one they all have been waiting a millennia for.This is where most people are going to start to lose interest. There are too many different characters with too many agendas. Some want to see the Archon come into power, some would rather kill the Archon before she comes into her power. Is Angela the one foretold or isn’t she? Even at the end of the book, this fundamental question is still there. I have hopes that the series will start to make more sense as it progresses, because if the next book is like this one, I won’t continue reading it.Although each character is strong, they are all basically flawed; which makes them far more relatable. Stephanie Walsh is the queen of the school; full of confidence and attitude. But she is still chained to her adopted mother’s approval. Kim is the bad boy that Angela shouldn’t get involved with; but he is fragile emotionally and longs for Angela’s love. Even the Supernal Israfel, who is one of the top three elite angels, has vulnerabilities that make him seem more “human.” Each of the main characters has so much depth to them and too many secrets to do adequate justice to in this little book. It almost needs an additional 400 pages to fully explore each player’s background and rationality.The world itself is intoxicating. The City of Luz and its inhabitants are a major draw for me. An academy sponsored by the Vatican that encourages exploration of supernatural abilities outside their own Lexicon. I love all the little details of the dilapidated classrooms and dorms; how the townsfolk deal with murders like they are commonplace. Even the torrential and seemingly increasing violent weather are all indicative to the overall tension of the book. It is these details that help balance out the endless barrage of plots and subterfuge by the characters, helping the reader gage the mounting tension that is rising toward the climax of the story.One of the few things that I did not like about this book was Angela. At first, she is only going through the motions of life. She has no desire for anything other than her death. By the end of the book, she is looking forward to what is coming next in her life. So, where was the turning point for her having such a dramatic change of heart? Was it her sacrifice of her dreams to call up a spirit of an angel? Was it sleeping with her lover for the first time? Was it meeting the angel of her dreams and realizing that he is really not all she made him out to be? I’m not sure when it happens, but I am sure that it seems almost too drastic a change for it to be believable. It feels like Angela isn’t reacting faithfully to her essential character. I find it hard to relate to her as a person.So, what is the Archon anyway? I can’t give a good answer to that. There are so many different interpretations offered about the prophecy, that no one has been 100 % correct. I had hoped that it would become clearer at the end of the book but alas, it was not meant to be. Perhaps the next few books offer what has been teased in this first one; a decent explanation to what all of this stuff means. If you decide to take the plunge into Archon remember this: Don’t get caught up in the details and just let the book flow through you. If you do that, it makes it a much more enjoyable read.Notable Scene:I don’t care if I’m the Archon or not. I don’t have to open that damned Book to put Stephanie where she belongs.In Hell.She left the room, clattering down the steep staircase and along a hallway that emptied into the broken church. Angela splashed through the pebbles, hardly even giving a damn about her surroundings. Her brain burned like the stone around her neck, and it seemed to her that through that Eye, she could see the whole universe and everything in it, and how much it deserved to be in her hands rather than in those of a greedy, ignorant person like Stephanie.This is my world.Where was that thought coming from? It was the voice that had reminded her how to subdue Troy, and its pitch and tone was still like her own, but much more forceful. Briefly, Angela flashed back to that long-ago dream, when she’d stood before the angel who’d spoken to her so mysteriously.Now she remembered at least a fraction of what he’d said, though she wasn’t sure how much sense it made.For now, though, it seemed right to agree.This is my world. Time to enforce the rules.The Books of Raziel Series:1. ArchonFTC Advisory: HarperCollins provided me with a copy of Archon. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payment received came in the form of hugs and kisses from my little boys.
    • 2/5
      Archon by Sabrina Benulis is one of those books that I have mixed feelings about. There are definitely a few pros and cons that make it hard to judge this book. Once again it's part of a series so maybe the next book will clarify things. One thing I really did like was the setting. The weather is bleak most of the time and the university is filled with old, rustic buildings that really add a gothic feel to this book. This really helps set the mood for the story. Angela Mathers is the main character in this book. She's what's known as a blood-head, which is basically some one with red hair. What's significant about this is that there was a prophesy that may or may not be really bad. So the Vatican brings the blood-heads to West Wood University to keep their eyes on them. Angela has a special gift. She dreams of angels and paints their pictures. Her dreams are almost like memories. Angela though is desperate to end her life. She's tried countless times to commit suicide only to fail over and over again. At one point in the story she asks a new acquaintance to kill her. This part of the story was a bit much. I knew going into this book that it would be dark but reading about Angela's repeated suicide attempts was a bit depressing. Another thing that was a bit confusing was there was no clear protagonist/antagonist. I watched a movie a few years ago where every character in that movie seemed corrupted. Even the 'good guys', I felt the same way about this book. Not that the good guys have to be knights in shinning armor but the angels and demons seemed to be on the same side, morally speaking. I didn't really didn't connect with any of the characters. There was nothing really likable about most of them. Although two of the characters in the end did have a redeeming moment for me and I felt sympathy for a character for the first time in the novel. The story line was okay. There were parts that I had to go back and re-read to try and clear up some confusion. However most of it was straightforward and easy to understand. This is a very dark, violent and detailed story. I like the intricate details the author put into Archon. This really helped me like the story more. As I said in the beginning, this might be a book you won't fully appreciate until you read the entire series.
    • 2/5
      The Good Stuff * Unusual and unique storyline * Poetic writing * Wonderful ability to set mood and landscape * Cover is awesome! * Scenes involving sexuality were done extremely tastefullyThe Not So Good Stuff * Religious in nature & has Angels and Demons -- soo not my type of story * Extremely violent and dark * Very little humour -- you guys know I need some * Seriously confused with who was who and what they were -- please remember I have no religious background so my confusion could be do to this (That and obviously she is far more intelligent than me) * Didn't care for or like anyone in the story - had nothing emotionally invested in anyone which made it a real challenge for me to finish * No sense of hope & really frickin depressingFavorite Quotes/Passages"Far from lovely and delicate, he was the picture of beautiful terror." "Kim was expendable in the long run, but there was no way she would let go of a toy without a fight."Who Should/Shouldn't Read * For the mature YA reader who has a real interest in Angels * Not for those who like a lighter read2.5 Dewey'sI received in exchange for an honest review -- sorry guys have to be honest
    • 4/5
      Archon: The Books of Raziel by Sabrina Bernulis was a bit of a challenge. Where the first few chapters were very confusing and I was so lost that I couldn't even remember what I read a few pages back. However, I did read on and finish the book, and I can say that at about 130+ pages the story started becoming very interesting. Sabrina Bernulis has a thought-provoking take on angels and it's a side which made myself more drawn to finishing the story. There were small tid-bits that were like 'Ah Ha!' moments that you should have seen coming, which I really liked. The way Luz was described in detail was well written and vivid that I imagined a dystopian demonic world or a medieval age revolving around Angels & Demon lore. What I didn't like is that early in the story there was a bunch of character dumps that I had difficulty catching up on whose who. And although it did get better as you read on there were still little hiccups that get me confused all over again.On a note on past reviews that have mentioned about Angela's constant attempts at suicide -- they were a bit exaggerated. It was mentioned from time to time, but it was because it leads to an important part in the story/climax.Final thoughts, It may not be for everyone but it is still worth reading if you're not easily driven away by literary hiccups.
    • 5/5
      Angela Mathers has not had the easiest childhood; she has extreme reactions to vivid dreams and can see angels. For Angela, seeing is believing and she once again takes it to an extreme. She decides to try to kill herself, hoping that she would be able to live in a world with angels-she mistakenly believes angels are only around and with the dead or dying. In the beginning of the book, the author explains much of the necessary background a reader would need to fully grasp the concepts of this novel. The action starts about a quarter into the novel. The reader will get inside Angela's head and begin to befriend her. Angela may not be a perfect character, but that is part of her appeal. She has a bit of a "devil-may-care" attitude at times and can be very reserved. The reader will have to "work on" Angela to truly grasp her personality. The other characters are all intriguing. Each has a very different quality or characteristic from the rest. The idea that their alliances are not set in stone and the secondary characters are actually thinking, rather than just remaining set in their opinion, is really unique. Readers will not find that quality in many other books. The plot of this book is intricate. A reader will have to pay close attention; however, if a reader is committed to reading this book, there shouldn't be any confusion. The book was a suspenseful paranormal fantasy with a tinge of romance. Archon is recommended to young adult/adult readers.
    • 2/5
      Although I read a lot of urban and paranormal fantasy, both YA and adult, the realm of angels was new territory for me. I'm not entirely sure if it is my lack of experience in this sub genre or just this particular book but I found Archon, the first book of The Books of Raziel series, to be completely confusing. I never felt like I understood the world that Angela and the other characters inhabited. I didn't understand the rules, the prophecy, and even what was actually taking place at times. While it seemed that Benulis often provided details about the physical setting, the best mental picture that I could get was that everything was gloomy and falling apart. I never connected to the characters either. I had trouble distinguishing the good guys from the bad guys even when characters were labeled angel or demon. It seemed that everyone was simply out to destroy the earth and rule over everything or merely wanted to indulge their own selfish desires. The true motivations behind the characters' actions were often hidden in the midst of the chaotic events and manipulation of others seemed to be the main goal. While Angela was the central character of the story I never felt that I understood her any better than any of the other characters. I simply didn't care what really happened to any of them. It is also difficult to say what actually happens in this book. While the action and killing seemed to be non-stop, I didn't really see the point in most of it. At the end it felt like very little had actually changed for the characters who survived. The ending definitely has the feel of the first book in the series, as there are so many unanswered questions, but I'm not going to struggle through another book in the series to try to actually understand what is going on. If I had not received this book through the Amazon Vine program, I would not have read all the way to the end.
    • 3/5
      Like others, I was drawn in by the beautiful cover art and the exciting description about a dead archangel being reborn as a human. Ultimately, I was left disappointed. This could have been a fantastic book! The mythology is a clever reworking of angels and demons, with many new ideas to bring it to the next level and make it unique and interesting. I loved the clever twists regarding the Devil and Raziel's book. I also appreciated that the author didn't have pages and pages of information dumping. I prefer being thrown into the world-building and picking it up as I go along. The story is set in the city of Luz, run by the Vatican (though it is never clear if this is part of our world, or a new one). Angela has been dreaming of, and painting, two angels since she was small. The one comes through clear, and divinely beautiful. The other is more abstract and subtly menacing. These dreams are what supposedly motivate her. Only, Angela never comes across as motivated about anything except regret that she can't seem to kill herself. And therein lies the major downfall of this novel - poor characterization. Like so many reviewers, I didn't like ANY of the characters. Worse, I didn't even hate any of them. I just did not care. Characters shouldn't be solidly black or white hats, I get that. Complexity makes for interesting people. However, I do need a side to root for, or against - and I need the characters to be developed. Angela spends most of the novel pining that she can't kill herself and be with the beautiful angel in her dreams. All her actions are like going through the motions of living. Only, she is going through the motions of a plot. None of the characters are three dimensional. There's Kim, who is more than he seems and has been searching for the Archon a long time. Angela has sex with him, but there is no relationship (let alone a romance). She is drawn to the mysterious Sophia, but again, no real connection. Angela's nemesis Stephanie is just a typical, power-hungry "mean girl" who Angela can't even bring herself to hate because she matters so little. Even the angels and demons fall flat. I have read stories before where angels are not the gentle, wise beings of lore. They are contemptuous and dismissive of mankind because we are beneath them - but they have motivation, personality, charisma. These do not.In addition to the problems with characterization, there really isn't a plot. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of movement in the story, even action. Angela encounters angels, demons, Jinn, half-breeds and more on the journey to discovering she is the Archon (not really a spoiler since it's in the description). She faces her enemies, flees from danger, investigates (sort of). But, the underlying foundation is never built - why does Raziel need to be reborn as this messiah-like Archon? Is there an imbalance in the universe? Should he not have died? I have no idea, and with no one to connect with, plot it vital. Overall, I am left torn over this book. The mythology was so interesting and engaging, it kept me reading to the very end. And I would like to know more. But I just don't care about any of these characters. I'm still not sure if I would read a sequel...