Moonlight Books

 A new young adult saga in the Twilight tradition about the love between a human and an archangel.

For years, Hope Carmichael, survivor of a shocking child abduction, has lived a sheltered existence under the protection of her fanatically religious father. Now, liberated by her mother, Hope prepares to start life over as a normal kid in an Atlanta, Georgia, high school.

Normal, that is, until Hope meets Michael, a gorgeous emancipated teen with a mysterious past and a strong interest in Hope. And soon, Hope’s life is filled with questions. What’s behind the angry looks Hope gets from Lucas, leader of a gang of students? Who’s responsible for sending Hope a strange valentine inscribed with Bible quotations? How does this relate to the sinister business of human trafficking that operates on the periphery of Hope’s suburban world? And is Michael really a protector, or something more sinister—and just why does he seem so familiar?

In an epic narrative that takes readers from the back streets of Atlanta to the height of Vegas penthouses and beyond, Dark Hope introduces readers to The Archangel Prophecies, a new young adult saga that blends the feeling of Twilight with a vast mythological scope and moral urgency, as well as to Hope Carmichael—a young woman instantly memorable for her endurance, heart, and determination—and Michael, Hope’s dangerous companion who’s fated either to save Hope—or to kill her.    

By: LazerBooks

Award winning author, advocate for women, voice against human trafficking wrote this amazing and inspiring book about a girl named Hope. In Monica McGurk's "Dark Hope” the main character three-year-old Hope is abducted while she is in the park with her father.  Later on she's found in a motel by a SWAT team, luckily shes unharmed with the exception of a weird scar on her neck. However the man that kidnapped her is found burned and she cant remember what happened. 10 years later Hope is still left with the scars of her past which causes her parents to spilt. She has to deal with a overprotective father, Don. Hope ' s abduction puts into motion the events that follow and leads her to question her parents motives for protecting her too much. Her father's overprotectiveness isolates her from other people so she decides to go live with her mother. After she goes to a new school she meets Michael.She struggled with her feelings towards Michael. She didn't know whether she should feel gratitude towards him for saving her since she also feels resentment towards his lies and having to be watched all the time. She also felt fear of what his presence might implied.    

“Had she done the right thing? she wondered. After Hope’s abduction, she had tried to make it work with Don. She hadn’t ever blamed him for what had happened. She knew how often she, herself, at the playground would sneak a glance at her mobile while her daughter played on the slide or in the dirt, trying to catch up on what was going on in the office. She knew how quickly it could have happened, and it could have happened on her watch just as easily as it had happened on his. No, she had never blamed Don. But he had been unable to forgive himself. Even though Hope had been returned to them whole—undamaged except for that damned mark on her neck—he couldn’t let go of the feeling that he was somehow responsible, and that there was more to the story. He couldn’t accept that their daughter had been taken randomly by a sick, sick man, a man who had died a fiery death, a man who was no longer a threat. Don’s vow to never let it happen again had been the poison that had destroyed their marriage. His vigilance became obsession until it was the defining thing in his life, crowding out the happiness they’d once had together, crowding out even his love for her, Mona, until there was nothing left but paranoia”.

In Dark Hope McGurk uses her knowledge of human trafficking and child trafficking to showcase strong girls and women overcoming challanges.  

The book was full of suspence from the first page I was hooked. The author uses a flashback in the beginning of the book and takes us back in time to explain why hope acts the way she does. And the story changes from Hope to Mona, hope's mom point of view. Through the voice of Mona we can feel the heartache and the sadness that she has to live with after hopes abduction changes the structure of what used to be her family.The real action doesn't start until Michael reveals to her that he's an angel and that other angels are going to try to harm her in order to get revenge on him for something that he did to them. 

Overall this book was EMPOWERING and full of knowledge on the topic of child trafficking. The fact that this happened so close to home HERE in the US is scary to think about.   

My rating: 4.5****

Favorite Quotes:

“I will keep you as the apple of the eye,

Hide you under the shadow of my wings."

 Praise for the Author:   Source:) Goodreads

“An effortlessly strong narrative voice, engaging writing style, and intriguing details that make you want to read on. What’s not to love?”
—Aaron Kite, author of A Touch of Poison, 2012 Watty Award recipient for most popular fantasy book.  

 "Young adult readers will be turning pages quickly as the battle of good and evil unfold before their very eyes. It is my hope that Dark Hope will inspire and propel another generation to action to protect children against trafficking."

--Cheryl DeLuca-Johnson, president and CEO of Street Grace, Inc. 

"An effortlessly strong narrative voice, engaging writing style, and intriguing details that make you want to read on. What's not to love?" 

--Aaron Kite, author of A Touch of Poison, 2012 Watty Award recipient for most popular fantasy book

"Young people are especially vulnerable to human trafficking, in great part, because there are not enough resources focused on prevention. Dark Hope fills that void. It is a compelling story that will appeal to young readers while giving them critically important information on how to escape this scourge and sparking conversations among each other."

--Deborah J. Richardson, executive vice president, National Center for Civil and Human Rights  

“A whirlwind of mythology and romance, Dark Rising raises the game on YA fiction, while taking a profound stand against modern-day human trafficking. Its unforgettable story will leave readers eager for more.”
—Cheryl DeLuca-Johnson, president and CEO of Street Grace, Inc.    

 

        ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 

           

Monica McGurk loves nothing better than to craft thought-provoking, multilayered stories, showcasing strong girls and women overcoming big challenges. Already a fan favorite, she received the 2013 TwiFic Fandom Undiscovered Gem award for Morning Star, her alternate ending to the Twilight series, written before the release of Breaking Dawn. Her first novel in The Archangel Prophecies trilogy, Dark Hope, was published in 2014. Dark Rising is the second novel in this series. The final installment, Dark Before Dawn, is expected in 2016.    

 

P.S, This ARC copy was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley.

★Also a portion of proceeds from this book will be donated to organizations that fight human trafficking.