Immortal City [Hardcover]

Scott Speer (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 3, 2012 | Series: Immortal City (Book 1)

Jackson Godspeed is the hottest young Angel in a city filled with them. He's days away from becoming a full Guardian, and people around the world are already competing for the chance to be watched over by him. Everyone's obsessed with the Angels and the lucky people they protect - everyone except for Madison Montgomery.

Maddy's the one girl in Angel City who doesn't breathlessly follow the Angels on TV and gossip blogs. When she meets Jackson, she doesn't recognize him. But Jackson is instantly captivated by her, and against all odds the two fall in love.

Maddy is swiftly caught up in Jackson's scene, a world of glamour, paparazzi - and murder. A serial killer is on the loose, leaving dead Angels' wings for the police to find on the Walk of Fame. Even the Guardians are powerless to protect themselves in the face of this threat … and this time it's up to Maddy to save Jackson.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Guardian angels really do exist, and they can be hired by wealthy humans through the Protection for Pay program. A cult of angel fascination has taken over the Immortal City (Los Angeles), where the most photogenic of the impossibly beautiful angels become celebrities. TV networks, advertisements, and countless blogs report on their activities, and now Jackson Godspeed is poised to become the youngest guardian angel ever. Instead, he falls head over heels for 17-year-old Maddy, an orphaned high-school senior who works in her uncle’s diner and has absolutely no interest in angels. Though savvy readers will have the predictable plot worked out early on, the fast-paced action, plentiful hooks, and myriad plot twists will keep them turning the pages. Speer, a music-video director and graduate of USC’s school of cinema and television, clearly knows the industry, and his fascination with and affection for Los Angeles create an atmospheric TV show of a book, with a cliff-hanger ending that guarantees a sequel. It’s not a deep read, but the style is well suited to the topic. Grades 8-12. --Debbie Carton

Review

"Strong writing, well-rounded characters, and an enticing hook [of] mercenary/celebutante angels breathe life into the world Speer has created."

(Publishers Weekly )

"An intriguing premise...with an action-oriented mystery sure to entice readers."

(Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Razorbill; First Edition edition (April 3, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595145060
• ISBN-13: 978-1595145062
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #591,938 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Scott Speer is a music video and film director who lives in Los Angeles. Immortal City is his first book.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Immortal City April 6, 2012

By princess bookie

Format:Hardcover

My Thoughts: I haven't read too many books based on Angels so when I come across one that sounds interesting, I jump right on it. I've seen more and more angel books floating around though lately.

We are introduced to Jackson who is an angel. He's not just any angel, he's going to become a guardian soon. What this means is he will get a person to protect and he has to do everything in his power to protect the person. It isn't a choice, its selected by someone above him and people pay angels to protect them. Jackson is used to being in the media. In this city, Angels are popular, they are considered royalty basically. Everyone follows who the angels are and what they are up too. The person they protect also sees his/her time in the limelite. Of course Jackson also comes from a popular family, everyone knows them.

Than we meet Maddy. Maddy is pretty ordinary. She lives with her uncle Kevin and helps him run his dinner. She waitresses to help him out since he can't afford to hire another waitress. She even gets up before school to help him with the morning rush. She doesn't follow the angel news at all. She couldn't care less. She doesn't see what all the hype is about. Now her best friend Gwen is the opposite. She always knows whose dating who, who each angel is, etc.

One day Maddy and Jackson meet. He comes into the dinner while hiding out and he instantly feels something with Maddy.

He wonders who this mysterious girl is and why she doesn't really like him. She doesn't care who he is, she wants nothing to do with him and this just makes him want her more.

Of course there is more to the story, someone is killing angels. First they are ripping off their wings, than murdering them.

While the stakes are high, someone is out to kill all angels and Maddy and Jackson are in danger!

Immortal City was a pretty good book. There were a few parts that drag on that I had to tell myself to keep going because at times it did get slow. I really liked Jackson even though he was popular. He didn't always act like he cared. He was just himself. Now, Maddy, of course I liked her. She was so ordinary and yet she was special and didn't even know it. I also liked all the side characters, like Mitch and Gwen. They both are so opinionated.

Immortal City was an enjoyable read and it was a great introduction into angels for me. Not everyone will agree probably because if you absoultely hate reading about celebrities and living life in the light you probably won't enjoy this one as much.

Overall: I really enjoyed it! I loved the characters, and I loved the story. As for the bad guy, in the back of my mind, I did have my suspictions about who it was but it still played out pretty good. I'm glad to see how much Jackson and Maddy cared about each other and how it did take a while for them to like each other. They didn't automatically like each other as in some novels. All in all, I really enjoyed Immortal City.

Cover: I like it enough, I love his wings behind him. And his arm has a nice tattoo.

What I'd Give It: 4/5 Cupcakes
___________
Review Based On Hardcover Edition

Taken From Princess Bookie

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars People Magazine. LA Noir meets Angels April 17, 2012

By Mary Bookhounds VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

MY THOUGHTS

LOVED IT

This story is a unique entry into the angel versus demon theme that has become so popular lately. Told is an almost People-esqe fashion, the story combines brand name dropping with extra beautiful people as angels who aren't quite as honorable as they should be. The angels have made themselves known to mankind and as guardians, they now work for those who can afford their protection services. For enough money, you can pay them to save your life. If this all sounds not quite as altruistic as angel lore, you are correct and that is the fun part about this book: angels that profit and are a bit bad!

The story centers around Jackson Godspeed, his ex, Vivian and the girl next door named Maddy. Maddy is an orphan, living with her uncle and working as a waitress in his restaurant. They are broke and Maddy knows she will be lucky if she gets to go to college. Los Angeles has been renamed as the City of Angels, literally, since this is now where they congregate. She pays no attention to the rock star angels unlike the majority of her school mates. When fate throw Jacks into Maddy's life she finds herself infatuated with this immortal creature, but doesn't fully buy into the lifestyle of the rich and famous.

Maddy finds herself in the middle of an angelic war when she herself is found be a missing link between the human and angelic worlds. There is a war unfolding and with Maddy's recently discovered skills and gifts, she could be the turning point in the battle. This book was a truly happy accident that I was able to read since I really enjoyed the whole thing and now look forward to the sequel.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars A new spin on angels August 3, 2012

By Book Flame

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

3.5 Stars

For some reason even though I am tired of reading angel books I still pick them up hoping for something new and original and Immortal City did a great job in putting a new spin on angels. I don't think I've ever come across a book in which angels only save you if you can afford to hire them to be your personal guardian angel. They are not this divine and all out good save the world type angels, they are in it for themselves and are the worlds biggest celebrities. And believe me when I tell you Speer's did a fantastic job describing what their red carpet lives are like.

This book could have been 5 stars all the way but there were flaws one being the main character and her indecisiveness with Jackson Godspeed the most famous soon to be guardian angel. One minute she wanted to be with him and the next talked herself out of it because she couldn't imagine a simple human girl and an angel ever working out. It got annoying but once she finally got over it I started to like her more. As for Jackson, he was well fleshed out and some of his actions made him a hundred percent swoon worthy.

Besides the romance between the two there was also a murder mystery going on as well. Someone was killing the angels in a very gruesome manner. I found the murders interesting but not the detective who was investigating it all, which ruined a little of it for me since at times I just wanted to skim past it but knew I had to read it if I wanted to know what was going on with the angel killings. I do give it up to Speers I really was in the dark until the end when it came to who the murderer was, I didn't see that one coming at all. But what I did see coming a mile away was Maddy and her big revelation at the end.

Even though I had the issues that I had with the book somehow it still worked. At the end of it I still came out feeling like I read a book that was worth the read and I didn't waste my time.