Amateur Angel Blog Tour Stop!

~ All About the Author ~

"As a first-time author, I cannot express- not even in words- how excited I am about the release of my debut novel, Amateur Angel.  It took a lot of hard work and sleepless nights.  There were many disappointments and rejections along the way, but in the end, my persistence and determination eventually paid off.  In many ways, I think writing a novel is easier than finding an agent to represent it and then a publisher to buy it.  Two years ago, I almost gave up on my dream to become an author, but then my son, Kyle, wrote a special poem for me, and it inspired me to write a new book and try again.  The new book was Amateur Angel."

I grew up in San Diego County and attended San Diego State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in English, a master’s degree in education, and my teaching credential. I am a high-school English teacher in the East County of San Diego where I also live with my husband, our son, and two dogs.

Being a lover of Victorian literature, my favorite author is Charles Dickens although I haven’t quite finished reading all of his books. Someday I’ll finally finish David Copperfield- I promise. If you are one of my students, you are either laughing or shaking your head at this. 

I lead a very busy life, but when I’m not teaching, grading papers, or attending my son’s soccer games, I find time to write novels, my greatest passion.

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Only 18-years-old, Ashley is no ordinary teenager. Not only is she dead, but upon her death, she mistakenly enters the wrong line in the afterlife, a line meant for trained, guardian angels. With a pair of wings on her back, Ashley is sent to Los Angeles to replace another angel whose "assignment" was none-other-than Cannon Michaels, a current member of the band Sendher, the sexiest man alive, and Ashley's celebrity crush in life.

While exposed to Cannon's selfish, judgmental behavior and his reckless, rock-and-roll lifestyle, Ashley is far from meeting the requirements of a true guardian angel. She misses her family and friends. Will she ever be able to accept her own death? What will she do when she jeopardizes her position as an angel and Cannon's physical safety by falling in love with him? 

~ MY REVIEW ~

This book made me smile, laugh and even tear up a bit. What a great debut novel for Karri! I really enjoyed reading this book and loved it's lighthearted tone. It was fun and witty, while also dealing with acceptance and the importance of not wasting a moment.

Amateur Angel has an original plot, one that I thought was really interesting. I always like to see what an author's take on angels is going to be and Karri's was really great!

The main character of this story, Ashley, was a bit frustrating for me, all though not in a bad way. I wanted her to magically excel at being a guardian angel--admittedly my expectations were a bit high--but then there wouldn't be much of a story would there? I appreciated that Ashley does grow as a character and begins to accept not only her separation from her mortal life but also her new role as a guardian angel. I ended up liking her character more and more as I was able to relate to her and understand the frustration of her situation. Actually, I think Ashley handled becoming an angel rather well for someone so young. 

Her first assignment, Cannon, is also her rock star crush which begins to make things a bit complicated. She forms a short of dependency on Cannon, to help her cope.

Cannon's character has many different sides to him which made him both likable and irritating. I got tears in my eyes when he visits the special needs children. You can tell, that despite his apparent short comings, he is a wonderful person with a big heart. You also get to experience Cannon's growth into a grounded individual as the story progresses. 

Ultimately, Ashley and Cannon fall in love. But, as his guardian angel, Ashley can not be with him the way she would like. I was, and still am, hoping that they will find a way to be together! 

Amateur Angel has a great ending that leaves the reader wanting more!

Karri has created some great characters that I look forward to following on their next journey. This book was a quick and entertaining read for young adults. I would gladly recommend it! 

Amateur Angel is available for purchase on:

Amazon / Barnes and Noble