Customer Reviews

Azrael Loves Chocolate, Michael's A Jock: An Insider's Guide to What Your Angels Are Really Like

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This is a book for EVERYONE, regardless of your religion.

I was hesitant at first about buying a new book on angels by a new author, but after years of reading about angels and never really making any connections with them, I was desperate to give this book a try. Heck, it was new, hopefully she had something to say that other authors (i.e. Doreen Virtue) hadn't.

I now can't live without this book and I've wound up give four copies away so far.

Azrael Loves Chocolate has to be the funniest, most open, most honest New Age book I have ever read. (I used to work in a New Age store, so I've read dozens.) Lysette keeps it real when talking about angels and to loosely quote her, she doesn't use all those woo-woo New Agey trappings that have just become the norm for the genre. Fresh, witty and sassy, Lysette paints the angels in a way that has made them more real to me than ever. I've learned that they're not just these solemn divine beings that we can go to for help, but they have personalities, and they have qualities about them that make me as a human feel better about connecting with them.

Lysette discusses twelve archangels that she's interviewed (she's a professional angel medium) and asks them every day questions like what their favorite music is, how they feel about the state of the world, and what their favorite pasttimes are. While in any angel book on the market, you can find out that Archangel Michael is the patron of warriors and police officers, Lysette brings the angels to life and up to date. I found out that Michael loves football, rock-n-roll, buffalo wings and surfing. Archangel Sandalphon digs jazz and was the inspiration for the god Cupid. Yes, Azrael, the angel of Death, loves chocolate...and classic movies and popcorn.

Lysette was even brazen enough to ask them what their ideal date was and there was not a time when I wasn't laughing at the angels' responses. Finally, for the first time in forty years of searching, the angels feel real to me.

Another feature of this book is a review of each angel's mansion and a write-up that discusses what point in your life each angel will appear. Another first for me, I feel that Chantel wrote the book for me, that she knew me and understood what it's really like wanting to live a spiritual life in a mundane world.

There is some material that really goes against the grain of what New Age has been saying all these years, especially if you've followed things like "The Secret." Amidst the humor, Lysette also offers some new images of Heaven, discusses the purpose of life as taught by Archangel Gabriel, and explores the philosophy of fate vs. free will. Her writing doesn't come off preachy, but her presentation definitely gives one a moment for pause.

Still, even if you don't agree with the philosophical part of the book, you will love reading the angel interviews. Lysette is definitely a fresh new voice in New Age...and it's about time we got one.

Aside from the book, I went hunting for Lysette to see if there was any information on the internet about upcoming stuff and signings. This woman is everywhere on the net! I wrote her a few months ago and got a letter back from her that was genuine and heartfelt. And her humor knows no bounds, my god is she sassy...and I love it! She didn't come off like some glassy-eyed spiritual guru that sits on pillows in robes to quietly discuss the evolution the universe. She's real, up front, and proposes spirituality in a way that is actually logical, practical and achievable.

I got this book after reading an interview with the author on Llewellyn.com

Because of their being tied to Christianity, I've been averse to even thinking about angels. Learning that they don't care about one's beliefs was surprising and a great blessing. I have an intense disdain for Christianity and "organized" religion and know that the Divine has nothing to do with any particular religion.

I've recommended this book to my sisters and friends. If one is on a quest to find out if s/he's alone, this book will give you the absolute answer, 'no'. While I've known this all my life, I enjoyed learning that there are more beings than I'd considered pulling for me to follow my life's path and become the person I was born to be.

Chantel's easy manner and realism make this a very quick, fun read.

Enjoy!

This has become one of my favorite angel books of all time. Chantel's view of the angels is funny, original and well thought out. Instead of regurgitating what I've seen in so many other angel books, Chantel gave me a whole new perspective and a lot of things to ponder about the reality we live in.

She's not preachy and she doesn't write like she has her head stuck in the clouds. She seems grounded and knowlegeable about the angels and it's easy to see how much she truly adores them. If you're looking for a book on angel magic and a bunch of new age junk, you won't find it here.

What you will find is angelology for the real world put into very real terms.

I come to this book as a person who's had some extra sensory experiences, but no mediumistic experiences. As such, I'm willing to listen, because I know there are more things in heaven and earth...

I like Chantel Lysette's general style - she doesn't expect any reverence for being a medium (I can't stand the ones who take themselves so mystically seriously). She does get a little cutsie sometimes, but this book is, in general, an enjoyable read.

The book is largely based on interviews Chantel performed with archangels, both while typically aware in this earthly space and while in a mediumistic trance for traveling to their side. Though I think Chantel is sincere, I have trouble "buying" her whole story. This is due, as much as anything, to my personal prejudices.

For example, I understand her feeling that religions are creations of men, and the Power each believes in is really the same Power - it doesn't care what you call it. This is "God has many faces". In spite of that, Chantel couches almost all her writing in Judeo-Christian terms, which is kind of annoying given her self-described "pantheistic spiritual view".

An angel tells her the story of Judas Iscariot as someone who volunteered to follow Jesus Christ to earthly existence, and be the human who performed the necessary deed of insuring Jesus was crucified as was in the script. But we're not told if Jesus and/or Judas were angels or if Jesus was actually a son of the Power. Did Jesus mean to fulfill one religion or start a new religion or was he a man of enlightenment who was misinterpreted by the humans he left behind. How does that fit in with pantheism. I am confused.

One part I have trouble agreeing with her on is FATE. According to Chantel, as related to her by the angels, our time on earth is scripted, there is no free will. We came to earth for the scripted experience (and when we leave this life we'll go on to other experiences, perhaps in different dimensions). Nothing we do will change the script of what's going to happen to us in this life. The plan is that we will spiritually evolve while we're here. I have a tough time with scripted fate. But that may be human ego.

Chantel sprinkles quotes here and there, and as a nonfiction book, it could use more attribution. There's a bibliography, but no footnotes. So when she says that St. Thomas Aquinas "is often credited with" saying something, the reader is left in a quandry as to whether he said it or not. Who credits him where, and why do some not credit him. That's a little sloppy.

While reading this book, I kept comparing it to Michael Bodine's "Growing Up Psychic" and Echo Bodine's "Dear Echo". Both of them deal more with spirit guides, which Chantel briefly addresses (not in a dismissive way) as not the same as angels. Though the Bodines do tend to talk only in Judeo-Christian terms, their stories do mesh with some of the things Chantel describes. For example, Echo was ghostbusting and a particular ghost could not be encouraged to go over to the other side because it was badly decomposed and delirious (don't ask, read the book). Her spirit guides went and got a couple of angels to take the woman to the other side, since she could not go on her own. That is, Echo agrees that angels and spirit guides are different.

All in all, I recommend "Azrael Loves Chocolate" as light reading, though, for me, it's not the last word. On the back of the book, Chantel calls herself an "angel intuitive". If anything is going to make me doubt her veracity, it's making up titles like that.

When I first saw "Azrael Loves Chocolate, Michael's A Jock," I had to re-read the title and the description in the Llwellyn New Worlds catalog again. The title caught my eye, and I couldn't help but chuckle out loud at it. I was drawn in from the start.

I bought the book and I must say that I'm quite satisfied with it. It's serious, yet comical. Although it talks about the Archangels, it's an entertaining read. I enjoyed learning about the Archangels listed, and I felt I'd grown closer to them from it. This book opened a new doorway for me to connect with them.

I'm glad I got this book and I highly recommend it. If you want to get to know the Archangels better? This is the book to get. I guarantee you, the journey you are lead on will be quite an interesting one. :)

I like the concept of angels, but I couldn't get into this book. I found nothing useful or informative about it. I'm sorry to say I didn't even find it entertaining. I came away from reading this only with the impression that the author has a dismal outlook on life. This book reads like escapism fantasy (complete with castles and dragons - literally - not kidding). I couldn't relate to anything in it, not on an intuitive or personal level. The angel interviews made me feel like I was reading a junior high fangirl magazine. Oh, and Michael, the "jock", apparently likes to run around naked. Not a terrible idea, but I don't want to imagine talking to an angel I have to keep turning away from because my face is getting red.

I wish I could recommend a good angel book but I haven't read any I absolutely love. I've read part of Denny Sargent's "Your Guardian Angel and You", but it was a bit too weird for me, with pagan-like rituals in it - I couldn't finish it. I have read a few of Doreen Virtue's (if you read a few, you realize you could've gotten by with one). She's a bit too hippy-ish for me, but at least she is more positive.

Sorry I couldn't write a better review, but I just couldn't get into this book at all. To each his own, I guess.

I like this book. It is really funny, but I think I will have to re-read it and work with it for a while before I can say for shure how true I think it is.

I quite enjoyed this book. It was recommended by my Teacher in my Angelic Communications Certification class. She said it was a very good read and it was.

She is an entertaining writer that keeps you enthralled and wanting to know more. She captures your attention and holds it with every detail.

I was overjoyed and found myself overwhelmed with emotion upon the realization that we can actually visit the angels and I look forward to reading Angel Code, which I have purchased.

I have lent my book out and am trying to get it back, but it keeps getting passed on and everyone who has read it say's they need to get their own copy and I agree, so I can have mine back.

Thanks to Chantel for this very entertaining heartfelt honest book.

Azrael Loves Chocolate, Michael's A Jock: An Insider's Guide to What Your Angels Are Really Like

When I first heard of this book, my initial reaction was "Either this lady has an incredible sense of humor or is just plain crazy." I managed to find a copy in my local B&N store and read a few pages in. It was incredibly funny and yet thought provoking as well. I couldn't imagine the mighty Archangels that inspired fear in my childhood could behave with human humor. I instantly decided I needed to read the rest of it for myself and ordered it online. Best $6 I could have spent to amuse myself.

I discovered this book while reading Amazon reviews for a different book on angels by another author. (I truly love it when reviewers cite other books they've enjoyed in the same genre!) I've read several books by a few of the leading authors on the subject of angels, spirit guides, and channeling/mediumship, and it seemed after a while that I was merely reading the same information again and again but presented in different chapter formats. Granted, these other authors have provided a wealth of knowledge on the subject and while reading their works my knowledge and ability have grown immensely. I bought Lysette's book hoping for something new and refreshing, and was not disappointed.

This book is an incredibly fun read, regardless of whether or not you believe that she is able to channel and communicate directly with the ArchAngels. The opening chapters which explain her background and how she came to write this book are interesting and somewhat insightful. I honestly enjoyed reading the chapter about life scripts, fate, and Judas because Lysette's explanations and messages were right in line with my own theories...she merely went into far more detail than I ever have. Whether or not you agree with the chapter, it certainly provides food for thought for the reader who is willing to consider an alternative to what we all grew up learning in church or other social settings.

The profiles on each of the ArchAngels were intriguing and extremely delightful. I found myself reading and rereading those chapters several times, lingering on details that inspired and contemplating other details that sparked curiosity and questions. Some may accuse Lysette of irreverence, but I feel she finally makes our angelic companions more approachable and personable. ArchAngel Michael has an excellent grasp of the modern vernacular, and knowing that he's "got your back" resonates nicely in a genre where many who meditate to connect with spirit are hindered by dogmatic misconceptions or Hollywood grandeur. By enhancing the reader's understanding of each angel's personality, Lysette makes it easier for others to relate to and connect with their heavenly helpers.

Chantel Lysette has a refreshing, sassy style and I look forward to reading more of her works. Whether or not you completely agree with what you read in Azrael Loves Chocolate, you can at least rest assured that it is not the same old information recycled over and over under new chapter titles. It's definitely new, fun, and something that you may end up reading more than once just because it makes you think as much as it makes you smile.