Eyes like liquid silver: Interview with Robert, from S.L. Naeole's Falling From Grace

Okay, so I was pretty nervous because this is my first interview. With an Angel.

If you're not familiar, Robert Bellegarde is the male protagonist in S.L. Naeole's YA novel, Falling From Grace, the First book from The Grace series. Today, I had a chance to talk to him about some stuff, his dislike for marshmallows, a bit about the love of life, Grace, and ask (in passing) about his sister, Lark. :D

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Hi Robert! *smiles* It's very nice to meet you. My name is Kai. Actually, my real name is Grace. Errr, yeah, just call me Kai to avoid confusion. Maybe you could, uh, tell us something about yourself?

Well, I'm over fifteen-hundred-years old so there's a lot to tell. Where do I start? How about something simple: I like candy corn.

Does the name Robert have a special meaning? I mean Lark's name is... Lark. Which is very unusual for a girl. Compared to that, your name sounds pretty normal.

Robert is the name given to me when my real name became antiquated. It means Bright Fame, which is similar in meaning to my actual name, N'Uriel, which means The Light of God, and is far more normal than Lark's full name, which she hates. Lark is actually a shorter version of - wait, she says I'm not allowed to reveal that or else she'll clip my wings.

Do you have any fond memories when you were a child?

Yes. I think that for me, the best one was when I learned how to fly. I think it's every child's wish and to know that I could do it was like giving me every gift I'd ever wanted all rolled up into one. Too bad there weren't comic books back then; I'd have put a big "R" on my chest.

Can you share one thing about yourself that most people don't know?

I don't like marshmallow. For some reason people seem to think that Angels are supposed to like them but I hate them.

How's it like having Lark for a sister? Have you ever had serious fights before? Just curious. Uhm, I think she's glaring at me.

Lark is...she's a great person to help you plot revenge with. She and I have had serious fights before, one especially that probably triggered a slight forest fire, but we put it out and no one was hurt. Don't tell our mother that, though...

If you don't mind me moving on a topic I'm most eager to know, and I want to ask for an honest answer. Have you ever thought about what would happen if you haven't met Grace? Where will you be? What will you be
doing?

I have thought about it a lot, actually. If I had never met Grace, I would have continued on with my existence, bored and growing more jaded with humanity by the year. I think that none of us are truly ever living until we've met the person who brings you that life. She was my illumination, my first breath and without her, I would have simply been another dead soul.

What's the one thing you are most afraid of?

Losing Grace.

How has life changed for you when you met Grace? Is there anything special you are looking forward to now?

Life has changed by existing. She's introduced me to so many things, and it's wondrous, knowing that despite all my years of seeing things, I've never truly seen them the way she does. It's like regaining my sight. As for something special, as you read through Grace's story you'll see what awaits us. I won't reveal anything for those who have yet to do so but I do want you to know that no matter what happens, I love her in ways that defies light, darkness, life, and death. Even when she's being stubborn. Especially when she's being stubborn. She's not going to read this, is she?

*laughs* Thanks for sharing your time with us. I'd love to talk to Lark if I'm given the chance, I have tons of questions to ask her! Is there anything else you want to say?

You can ask her any question you want. I can't guarantee that she'll answer, though.

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It's an honor to have an angel interviewed! :)

Also, this is what I thought Robert would look like. *points to the picture in the left* Dark hair with amazing gray eyes... *swoons*

And who'd have thought that Robert would be so random? And why doesn't he like marshmallows? He likes candy corn! And who... WHO ON EARTH WOULD BE LIKE HIM? WHO DOESN'T LIKE MARSHMALLOWS? Any sane person would love it. Come on, Robert! :D

If you haven't read Falling From Grace, you definitely should! Get your copies here:

Amazon | Smashwords

Or if you just want to catch up with the awesome author, you can find her in Goodreads, Twitter and her official website.

Review: Falling From Grace by S.L. Naeole

This is why I love browsing through Goodreads. Once in a while I get to discover hidden jewels like this one amongst all the stellar books out there. It always makes me feel so proud whenever I find very underrated books which are very satisfying to read. I feel like I have the responsibility to get the word out there and make everyone read it.

Title: Falling From Grace
Author: S.L. Naeole
Pages: 502

Summary:

When you wake up in the morning and your eyes take in the first hints of light that shine through your window, the dust motes catching and reflecting the sun’s rays like little diamonds, the shimmering hues of yellow and orangey gold breaking through into your room, the first thing you think about usually isn’t how you’re going to make it through the worst day of your life.

Unfortunately for Grace Shelley, that’s exactly what she’s facing as she ponders what to do now that she’s going to be starting out her last year in high school without her best friend. She’s not exactly the most popular girl in school - well, not the most popular girl in school to like, anyway - and everything seems to be hinting at another status quo year for her until she bumps into a stranger who leaves her stumbling for words and chasing after her heart.

The new guy in school is different. Robert doesn’t care about the rumors he’s heard about her or that no one else seems to see her the same way that he does; he only wants to be her friend. That’s when things get complicated. When Grace learns that he’s not your typical high school boy and that he’s actually a wingless angel who’s looking for someone to trust, she’s thrust into his world where not all angels are meant to protect human beings, and where the changes she brings into his life changes everything in hers.

I rarely see books with main protagonists having mixed heritages. I don't know if its because they are more complicated to write, but S.L. Naeole took advantage of Grace's mixed parentage and created a character that is true and honest and real.

Half-american, Half-korean Grace Shelley has been an outcast all her life. A freak to most kids her age, having survived a devastating car accident that took her mother's life. When Grace survived unscathed, the rumours started and Grace was never "normal" in the eyes of everyone. She doesn't have any friends other than her next door neighbor, Graham, and when she fell in love with him, confessed and got rejected by him, Grace felt like her life was one big disaster. She was alone and friendless on her last year of high school.

I have to admit that my having the same name as Grace helped connect with her more. It was easier for me to feel her character. She was a girl who's one wish was to be normal. Yes, at some point I pitied Grace, however I don't think she's abnormal. She's just unique, and she lived in a town where being unique and different is a bad thing. There are times when I got irritated with her, but I learned, that dealing with death isn't easy. That made it easier for me to understand why her mother's death was very much an important part of Grace. Death was the beginning of a lot of things for Grace.

I have to give S.L. kudos for the way Angels were portrayed in this book. It was very interesting. They wear the same faces as us, though bound by a different set of laws. And they live amongst us. That's what Grace learned after that faithful day, bumping into a boy with eyes like liquid silver, Robert.

And her life was never the same.

Robert grew on me. I never liked male protagonists who are always described like he was the most beautiful guy in the planet, but Robert proved that he was more than a pretty face. He grew as Grace grew. Robert felt what its like to love and be loved not because of what he looks like, but for what he really is. Grace made him "live".

Reading the novel itself was a very fulfilling experience. I was skeptical when I first saw the page count. Keeping a 500 paged book interesting to the very end is a very big challenge for both the author and the readers, but S.L. wrote it in such a way that you wouldn't mind reading through it. Yes, the novel was long, but it was worth reading every page. Why?

Because, for me, as a reader, there's nothing more delightful than to see the characters grow with each turn the page. I cheered Grace on as she finally found friends, as she got back what she thought she had lost (Graham) and that she finally realized that she didn't need to be "normal". Grace looks at herself as someone different, but Robert showed her that she's not. There's a certain intensity when it comes to Robert and Grace's relationship/interaction that just makes you want to know more. I sure felt that way.

I guess one of the good things in reading a long novel is that there's so much room for the development of its characters. Also, you wouldn't get bored with reading about the same characters over and over, because Falling From Grace has a set of strong supporting characters. They are also an integral part of the story. Their back stories can be easily explored. You know there's more to look forward to, not just with Grace's and Robert's story, but even those around them as well.

Give this book a try, you wouldn't be sorry. Like I said, its a hidden jewel that's just waiting to shine amidst all of the great books out there.

Content (plot, story flow, character):



Stunning: Worthy of a Goddess' Praise!

Cover:

Yes - The Goddess Approves!

If you guys are interested to read the book, you can buy them/ get info from:

Amazon | Goodreads | Smashwords