Book Review: MARKED, by Kim Richardson

Marked
Reading level: Young Adult

Paperback: 280 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (March 18, 2011)
ISBN-10: 1461017092
Rating (1 to 4 *): ****

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Marked-Soul-Guardians-Kim-Richardson/dp/1461017092/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
Kim Richardson's facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/KRAuthorPage?sk=app_163325500392236
Kim Richardson website: http://kim-richardson.ca/
Book Review: Marked, by Kim Richardson


Sixteen-year-old Kara Nightingale has important things to do. In fact, she's on her way to an important presentation at the art gallery when she is unfortunately sidelined by a bus. The next thing she knows, she's on an elevator, manned by a not-very-helpful monkey. As it turns out, she's on her way to Horizon (AKA Heaven), where she finds out she not only won't be making her presentation, but she won't be seeing her family and friends ever again, because she's dead. Instead, she gets to be a rookie in the Guardian Angel Legion, whether she wants to be or not.

She is quickly matched up with bad boy (but sweet and way too cute) David, her petty officer, who guides her on her missions. Even though she is less than spectacular at her job and she has been mysteriously marked as a traitor, which has a terrible effect on her friendship with David, Kara is assigned to a mission that will decide the fate of the whole Legion--and David won't be there to keep her from failing.

Marked is the first in the series called Soul Guardians, although it is not clear at the end of the book how the series will continue. This is a really fun book, particularly for the Young Adult reader. Kim Richardson manages to work in the teenage issues kids deal with, but in a completely different story and setting from most books for this age group. I would like to see some more character development, and the dialogue was a bit too silly, the main character just a bit too slow to understand things. Because of this, I think this is a book that will have a lot of appeal for teens and not so much cross-over appeal for adults. However, it was definitely an enjoyable read with a really fun premise.