Oracle of Philadelphia

Author:  Elizabeth Corrigan

Author Website/Blog: www.elizabethrcorrigan.com

Publication Date: March 20, 2013

Summary: Carrie works at a diner in South Philadelphia, dispensing advice to humans and angels wise enough to seek her counsel. But there are some problems that even the best advice can’t solve.

Her latest supplicant, Sebastian, is unique among those who have sought her aid. He sold his soul to a demon in exchange for his sister’s life, but his heart remains pure.

Carrie has lived for millennia with the knowledge that her immortality is due to the suffering of others, and she cannot bear to see another good man damned when it is within her power to prevent it.

In order to renegotiate his contract, Carrie must travel into the depths of hell and parley with the demons that control its pathways. As the cost of her journey rises, Carrie must determine how much she is willing to sacrifice to save one good soul. (Source of Summary and Book Cover: Goodreads)

Source: Author in exchange for an honest review

Rating: 4 stars 

Review: First and foremost, this book is not something I would typically pick up on my own. However, the author contacted me and was very upfront about the fact that she read and understood by review policy and was willing to take the risk. So, after reading the summary (and seeing the beautiful cover), I decided I had to give it a shot and I’m really glad I did. 

This book has a totally unique take on angels and demons. My favorite part is that this book is not preachy! There is clearly some religious inspiration, but I never felt like I was being given some subconscious religious message. Literally I laughed out loud while reading about the birth of Jesus and I loved the twist on the story of Cain and Abel. 

I loved the characters. I loved Bedlam from the start; he is mischievous but kind hearted. Carrie took a bit to grow on me, but I do like her.  I also immediately liked, Gabriel he seems like such a good guy. To be honest, I even kind of liked Lucifer (I know I’m not supposed to, he’s a bad guy, but I guess what I mean is he is a well written character). 

I enjoyed learning about the different times in Carrie’s life. The flashbacks were very interesting. However, there were a few parts where the plot dragged – especially the journeys to hell. I felt conflicted while reading them; I knew they were necessary to the plot and they were fairly short mini-stories, but I felt like they moved slow. Maybe it was the repetitive-ness. I also found the “solution” to be a bit obvious/predictable. 

Overall, I enjoyed the book and would continue reading the series.

 Book Two: