Mercy (Mercy, Book 1)

The history of fallen angels and heavenly bodies has fascinated most people for thousands of years. The story of Lucifer and his twisted companions has been in debates throughout most theological colleges across the globe. The idea of a group of higher beings existing is fascinating alone, but seems fantasy at best. What would happen if one of these beings roamed the earth jumping from person to person? What if this being wound up unintentionally assisting people while trying to remember who she was? It would make one hell of a story and it just so happens this one is about a being named Mercy. A creature that travels from person to person suffering from perpetual amnesia. A lost presence that is desperate to remember who she was in her previous life, while she accidently helps those that she possesses. This story introduces the readers to Mercy who winds up possessing a shy singer with angelic potential. A girl stricken with a severe skin disorder that cripples her spirit and prevents her from truly shining in public. Mercy is not here to save her host, but is instead used to save the lives of several kidnapped girls. I really enjoyed this book and thought it was very refreshing. I enjoyed Mercy's personality and thought her mind set blended well with the story. Her character allowed her host to grow and improve while she occupied the body. However, she left her host with a better chance at living a healthier life. Whether Mercy realized it or not she was slowly improving the lives of her hosts. This book was a very fast read and easily got my attention. I finished it in about a day and a half. I would strongly recommend this book for a day out at the beach or any type of relaxed reading time. Once I started reading this book I did not want to stop. This story is apart of a series and I honestly am looking forward to the next book. Great job author and you have a new fan!

This was sweet and lovely. The mystery is terrible--poorly constructed, with an obvious bad guy--but I loved the characters and cannot wait to see where the next book in the series takes us.

I went into Mercy sight unseen. I'll admit that it was the cover that drew me in, and before I could even read the synopsis I was already opening the book to read. Yes, a classic case of cover lust. I'll be honest.

Anyway I'm fairly certain that this is why I was so confused when I first started reading. Mercy is instantly introduced as a being who is constantly travelling from body to body. As she wakes up at the beginning of the book, we begin to see that she never chooses where she goes, nor does she have any control over when she leaves. It never even occurred to me at this point that there were angels involved in this story. I was thinking more along the lines of a lost soul, or something of that nature. Then, as I continued to read, things began to become a lot clearer to me. Although I was a bit frustrated at the beginning, I was definitely more engaged as the story went on.

As a character, Mercy has a rather powerful voice. I enjoyed coming along on her journey, especially near the end when she really comes into her own. I thought that the concept of her borrowing her host bodies was interesting, especially because of the reason why she does, which is eventually revealed. This story is a lot like a puzzle. Mercy goes about her life, slowly figuring things out. It isn't until the majority of the pieces are in place that the story begins to make sense. Well, unless you read the synopsis. Yes, feel free to laugh at me.

I ramble. Overall this is a solid story, I just don't think that it was one I was ready for at the time. I liked a lot of aspects of Mercy, especially the connection between Mercy and her hosts, but I still wanted more. However, as the beginning to a series, I see this as the start of something great. I'm definitely in for the long haul. I can't wait to see where Rebecca Lim takes this next.

To call Mercy by Rebecca Lim another angel book is not something you should do. In fact, describing the book itself is complicated if you don't want to be too wordy. But this book has a lot of mystery inside. Starting the book was a bit strange, but mostly because Mercy, the main character, is disoriented as the book begins. I wasn't sure what was going on in the book but as more was revealed, the more I started to like the book. However, that does not mean the initial confusion the reader gets when starting the book goes away. As I was getting to know Mercy and Carmen, the newest host for Mercy, the storyline of Carmen/Ryan/Lauren was more interesting to me than with Mercy/Luc. So when Lauren's mystery increased, the more I didn't want to stop reading.Smaller subplots, such as the musical aspect in the book, surprisingly did not confuse me as much as I thought it would have.And once the mystery surrounding Lauren is solved and what happens to Mercy next, makes me really want to read the next book.

Mercy is one of those books that just drops you right into the action--but since that's exactly how life is for the main character, it's completely fitting. Mercy has become used to--if it's actually something one can become used to--waking up in a completely different body and life than the one she used to know. She's done it over and over again, after all. As she slowly comes to realize the person that she's suddenly become--in this instance, it's Carmen, a high schooler who is participating in a regional chorus concert in another town--Mercy also slowly remembers certain things about herself. Dreams that she always has, with a mysterious man named Luc, who only offers her cryptic and fairly non-helpful information. Snatches of other lives she's lived (sort of) and people she's helped (she hopes). Much of the beginning of the novel has readers struggling to figure things out, right along with the main character. Though it was frustrating at times, it really did help bring Mercy's plight home to the reader.

The novel really picks up, though, once Mercy/Carmen meets the son of the family she's been assigned to stay with for the duration of her stay in town, Ryan. Ryan's twin sister Lauren, a singer like Carmen, disappeared over a year before and everyone but Ryan has given her up for dead. Carmen is actually staying in Lauren's old room, a room which has been preserved pretty much exactly--and eerily--as Lauren left it. Mercy/Carmen is drawn into Ryan's search at the same time she is drawn to Ryan himself. What follows is a suspenseful and action-filled read and a real page-turner. I had a hard time putting this one down while in the final third of the book, and will be looking forward to the second installment in Lim's series.

Mercy definitely was not what I was expecting. My expectation was that it would be another of the paranormal fantasy wave, something about angels, judging from the girl on the cover. While the paranormal stuff is there, it's mostly just an afterthought, though. What this book is, more than anything else, is a mystery. It is about the search for Lauren and her captor and/or killer.

It was so much about that actually that the paranormal gifts that helped Mercy accomplish everything seemed like a bit of a cop out. She can read people by touching them and has powers appear to help her out of tough scrapes.

As for the characters, I do rather like Mercy. She's brash and strong, says what she thinks, even when it's inappropriate. It should come as no surprise that I like that in a heroine. Most of the supporting cast did not interest me at all, especially Mr. Dream Boy Luke. He can just gtfo. I am much more interested in Ryan and am really wondering whether he will make a reappearance in the series or if this will be episodic, with Mercy in a different body and dealing with different people each time.

Mysteries aren't my genre of choice, but the story did keep me reading. The novel was a bit uneven, too, but I am still curious to try the next book in the series to find out what's going on. I am also curious whether it too will be a mystery or something different.

I enjoyed this enough to want to read the rest of the series. Obviously she is jumping on the supernatural teenage romance bandwagon, i am 39 so it's somewhat of a guilty pleasure, However, unlike some of the bandwagon books, it's readable! and has some depth. Some of the writing is an obvious attempt to address the repetitive prose of Stephenie Meyer (not a problem really as i have read The Twilight Saga several times and am a big fan) but it feels a bit forced sometimes. Very similar to Lauren Kate's Fallen series. Worth a read.

I was really intrigued by this book, but ultimately felt let down by the choppy writing and the totally obvious "mystery" that is its core plot point. I still want to read the next book in the series though, so it must not have been that bad.

I put off reading this book for a long time, wrongly thinking that it was just like all the other angel related YA available. However, Mercy is written as a murder-mystery-thriller type book with elements of paranormal romance thrown in. It’s a fresh change from the usual YA that I read, and I loved it.It’s a well executed novel, a real ripping yarn, and I was hooked literally from the first page as Mercy wakes up into a new girl’s life. Her confusion is captured perfectly: I felt really disoriented in the first few chapters, the author shows how hard it is for Mercy every time she is uprooted and forced to inhabit a stranger’s body. I found it odd that the first time Mercy met Ryan, she told him she is wondering how he is bed, but I came to realise that Mercy needs to have a hard exterior and can’t let people inside her shell if she is to survive.Mercy is a great protagonist - strong and brave, and aiming to better the lives of her ‘hosts’ while inhabiting them. I like to think that she has improved the futures of many of the girls she has ‘been’. I also enjoyed Mercy’s scenes with Ryan. He’s just the right amount of bad-boy and hopeless romantic, and I like his sense of humour. The romance between them is slow and sweet - never taking the front seat to the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Ryan’s sister. I will freely admit that I misjudged this series initially, but having read Mercy, I have raced through the available books and eagerly await the publication of Fury later this year. This is a great series of YA books that I think most people will enjoy.

Mercy starts off a bit confusing, and I was a little put off by it. Then as I read I realized that the author's unique writing style and first person POV are done so well that your reactions are directly connected to Mercy's. When she is confused, so are you, when she's smug, so are you. It was a great reading experience, and I quickly found myself falling in love with the book.Mercy is struggling to piece together her memories and dreams to discover who and what she is but that isn't the main theme in the book, she's also trying to help Ryan find his missing sister who everyone else believes is dead. It's a really intriguing murder mystery. There are so many seemingly plausible suspects and almost nothing to go on, besides Ryan's faith and mercy's determination to help a girl she never knew while trapped inside the body of another girl she doesn't know. It's a pretty gripping set of circumstances. Mercy is an inspiring character, she sets aside her own personal issues, which are great and many to help people in need. She shares tidbits of information from past possessions and always seems to improve the lives of her host, despite it usually meaning she's kicked out of that body and into a new one once she accomplishes it.Ryan is just a big, broody mess, but sometimes through it you can see the guy he used to be before he lost his twin sister. Once he warms up to Mercy a bit you get to see he has a sarcastic streak and he's very loyal. I loved them both, and I'm really hoping I get to see more Ryan in the next book. Overall it was a fantastic, and I can't wait to read Exile, 5 out of 5.

Mercy wakes up in new body on a bus heading for Paradise, Paradise Town that is. She's an Angel who has been travelling from body to body, this time the body belongs to Carmen Zappacosta. Carmen has a wonderful singing voice and she's taking part in a choral workshop, staying in Paradise. The family she's staying with lost their daughter two years ago and her brother is determined to find her. Ryan is troubled by the disappearance and so is his family. As Mercy unravells the issues she finds herself questioning what's happening with the lives around her.I did enjoy the read. While Mercy had power she also had pretty stringent limits that added to the tension and the experience of the book and the eventual unravelling of the mystery was interesting. I'm looking forward to more in this series.

Mercy doesn't know why--or how--but she keeps waking up in new bodies, with no memory of who she is, or who they are. Left sometimes with vague, soon to disappear memories of her former host, Mercy has to find her way in this new person's life.With a sense that she has something to accomplish, Mercy works her way through these new lives . . . hoping she leaves the hosts in a just as good, if not better, place as she found them.Mercy doesn't know why she finds herself in these new lives and neither does the reader. The only constant in all of her 'lives' is Luc a boy she dreams of who gives her murky, confusing messages/explanations for why she is who and the way she is. (The synopsis goes into a lot more on this and who Mercy is, but none of that's actually in the book.)In this first book in the series, Mercy finds herself in the body of Carmen, a teen on a school singing trip.It's with her host family that Mercy thinks she's found why she is Carmen for the time being, what she has to do.Mercy is a great mix of Quantum Leap (more people should watch those repeats) and the angel lore from Supernatural. I can see Mercy and Anna (from SPN) working together. It's really unlike anything I've read before. It's about an angel - something you know more from the cover and talk about the book than the book's actual text, so the story itself doesn't rely on 'she's an angel.'I would really have liked to see some flashbacks either of Mercy's previous 'lives' or - if that wouldn't have actually advanced the story - some more looks into Luc wherever Luc 'lives' or Mercy before this all started. Though, that might be coming in latter book(s). Something that really brought the reader into who Mercy is/was aside from her Carmen time would have really drawn the reader in. As it was, the beginning was better than the middle (which slowed a bit) but the ending was better than both the beginning and the middle.Definitely a different book than I was expecting but now I'm looking forward to the next book

Mercy begins when our main character wakes up in the body of Carmen Zappacosta, a gawky and awkward teenager with an amazing soprano voice, heading with a bunch of other students to Paradise for a musical performance.Mercy is only slightly aware of who she really is. She believes she knows her true name and has a tiny inkling of what she really looks like. Mercy has inhabited so many bodies they all kind of blend together, but circumstances with Carmen are different. Mercy can "feel" Carmen at times and she has a special ability that allows her to feel and see things from other people she touches.In Paradise Mercy meets Ryan Daley, who is determined to find his twin sister - Lauren - who has been missing for 2 years. Everyone else in his family has given up, presuming her dead, but Ryan is certain she is still out there... somewhere.The first half of the book what a bit slow-going for me but the second half quickly picked up. The paranormal elements of the story are not heavy and only minimal amounts of Mercy's past are revealed, but it is just the right amount the leave the reader intrigued and waiting to get their hands on Exile. I'm hoping more will be revealed in the second novel of this series.I grew to enjoy Mercy as a character. Even in the body of shy and quiet Carmen, Mercy is feisty and spunky. She definitely took matters into her own hands... for Carmen, Lauren, Ryan and herself. I really liked Ryan, as well. His devotion to his sister was extremely heartwarming. There are a few characters who remain a mystery to readers in this first book, but will most likely come to light in the subsequent books of this series. I can't wait to find out more about them.I really enjoyed the interaction between Carmen (occupied by Mercy) and Ryan. Carmen is a shy, skinny girl with skin problems. Not exactly the girl every guy dreams of, but Ryan sees what (or WHO) is inside, not out.With quite a cliffhanger ending, I can't wait to get ahold of Exile. I'm looking forward to seeing where Mercy's journey takes her next, what happened in her past and why she occupies others bodies. I want to know if Ryan and Mercy are able to work things out.Overall, I enjoyed Mercy. Definitely a series I think readers will want to keep an eye on.

I feel like because of a few books (which I will not name), "angel books" have been given a bad name. But honestly, if this book didn't have a girl with wings on the cover, I don't think I would have even thought that Mercy was an angel. Is that a good thing? Well, that's for you to decide. My point was that this book isn't to be categorized with other "angel books" because it is not a stereotypical "angel book". Personally, I really liked that aspect a lot.Mercy is constantly waking up in the bodies of different girls. She doesn't know much about her actual form, she can't remember. All she knows is that she calls herself Mercy and she is looking for her lost love in every new body she inhabitants. But while she is in whatever body she was given (taken?), she must pretend to be that person, even though she knows nothing about them. She does her best to try and improve their situation, regardless of what it is. But this time is different. This time she wakes up as Carmen, a girl who is on a school chorus trip. The family she is assigned to live with is stricken by grief as the anniversary of their daughter, Lauren's, disappearance is coming up. Mercy has to chose between helping Carmen with her dreams, or helping the family find out what happen to Lauren. Mercy's choice may not just lead Carmen, but herself into grave danger.I found the plot to be very interesting. I'm not sure if you have, but I haven't read a book like this before. The plot surrounding Carmen as Mercy as she looks to find answers was suspenseful and even creepy at times. But the thing is, not only does Mercy not know anything about Carmen, she seems to not know much about herself either. I was kind of confused by Mercy's actual backstory. The reader is given bits and pieces of her story, but never the full picture. This kind of confused me. Carmen's story is somewhat tied up, but there seems to be a lot of loose ends with Mercy's. So overall, if you are interested, I'd say give it a shot. Mercy is a super quick read, I read it almost straight through. After all, this book is the first in a series (some of the consecutive books have been released in Australia, I'm not sure of their release dates in the US), so I'm sure those loose ends I spoke of will be tied up in later books.

Had I picked up Mercy right before bed, it would have easily turned into a read that kept me up well past my bedtime. My afternoon was taken over instead, though, as I found myself completely consumed by this story and finishing it in one sitting. When Mercy wakes up she finds herself on a bus in the body of Carmen Zappacosta. Though she only vaguely remembers her previous "hosts", she knows that she's not them and that she's merely inhabiting bodies for a short period of time to help them in some way. As Carmen, she is led to the Daleys, a family that is still reeling from the disappearance of their daughter, Lauren. Ryan, Lauren's brother, is adamant that his sister is alive and he and Carmen join forces to track her down. The mystery behind the disappearance of Lauren was gripping and Rebecca Lim did a great job at keeping me guessing the ‘whodunit’ until the end. It wasn't OMGSHOCKING, but I enjoyed the conclusion from that reveal. It was easy to grow attached to Mercy. She was so straightforward and matter of fact while also evolving throughout the course of the story into someone more understanding and sympathetic. Furthermore, Mercy has spent lifetimes in other bodies before Carmen, so she has a very full history that I hope we continue to get details on. The romance is a slow one. Some might even say that there was no progress with it at all, but I enjoyed the pace at which Ryan and Mercy's relationship began to develop. They both had so much going on that anything more than what they had here would have felt rushed. I was clearly attached, though, because the ending left me wanting more of them!Rebecca Lim recently announced the U.S. release date for the second book, Exile, as being May 15, 2012. I've taken quicks peaks at the Australian reviews, since they've had the book in their stores for a while, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing where Mercy's journey goes next!

Mercy, an angel in exile, is kept off balance by the knowledge that on the whim of a higher power she can be plopped in any human body of any age at any time in history. The only common thread is that a blindingly bright being, Luc, offers her guidance in her dreams. As an angel, Mercy is expected to observe but not interfere in the course of earthly events but her strong sense of justice prevents her from abiding by that mandate. Today Mercy finds herself inside the body of Carmen, a talented but socially awkward teenager with the best soprano voice in the region. Tiffany, whose voice ranks second, takes every song as a personal competition and, followed closely by her snobbish posse, intimidates Carmen at every turn. Their high school choir joins three other area choirs in the sleepy town of Paradise for a cultural exchange that will culminate in a concert intended to challenge even the best voices. As part of the exchange, each teen is a guest at the home of a host family. Carmen (Mercy) is placed in the home of the dreamy but deeply frustrated Ryan whose twin sister has been missing for two years. Through Mercy’s paranormal ability to see into the life of anyone she touches, she discovers that Lauren is alive and being held captive somewhere in Paradise. Despite Luc’s strong warnings Mercy is compelled to help Ryan find Lauren. As they search for Lauren another singer is kidnapped. The author offers enough red herrings to keep readers guessing as to the abductor until his identify is finally revealed. Mercy’s instinctive response to that revelation will pleasurably surprise and startle readers. In "Mercy", Rebecca Lim takes on the difficult challenge of writing in the intimate first person point of view. She struggles in the early chapters as Mercy tries to introduce herself without being fully aware of her own true identity and as Mercy awakens and tries to get her bearings in yet another human body. Once Mercy becomes immersed in her new mission the author’s struggle ends. Readers will reach a point where "Mercy" cannot be put down. Reluctant readers may be encouraged to push through the beginning if they consider it to be Mercy’s profile page on a social networking site where self-promotion and the copious use of “I” is conventional. The ending will leave readers eagerly awaiting the sequel.

Another fallen angel book, you say? Well, kind of – but it is different enough to stand-out apart from the others.When I started the book, I felt a bit lost and disjointed but then realized that the author was doing a fantastic job of making me feel exactly as our main character was feeling! Mercy really has no idea who she really is or what her past entails. She does know that she moves from body to body and retains only memories of the most recent “possessions.” When she awakens in Carmen’s body, on a school bus full of other girls in uniforms, we the reader struggle along with her as she tries to discover who Carmen is while also trying to figure out who she, Mercy, is. Carmen/Mercy finds herself drawn into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Lauren, a local teen who happened to disappear from Carmen/Mercy’s host-family’s home.This was an enjoyable, quick read that may satisfy a bit of the thirst of the fans of Lauren Kate’s Fallen series. But be aware that the love story of this book was far less intense – but may increase in coming installments – and readers will undoubtedly find that the mystery of Lauren’s disappearance is what keeps them turning the pages rather than any spark of love connections.Cautions: None that stand out. No language, mild flirtations

Author of Mercy, Rebecca Lim, brings to us a multifaceted story of Angels, mysteries and lost-loves. With never a dull moment, Mercy, is a gripping and strong opener to a series that seems to promise to continue the multifaceted trend.As much as our main character, Mercy, is disoriented as she is introduced to us and throughout the book, so was I. I am assuming the book is written like this to wrap us in a blanket of mystery. I truly didn't have any clue what was going on with Mercy when she was first introduced to us but as more was revealed to us it almost seemed to have the opposite affect on me, it felt like the less I knew. While we may have been introduced to Mercy's mind we ended up knowing the appearance and persona of Carmen, the girl Mercy overtook at the start of this book.I enjoyed the mystery within a mystery with Mercy, character and book, but I found it a little difficult to understand. There seemed to be little transition between thoughts of the present and the past, or was it a dream?I hoped for a little more closure where Mercy was concerned, even with another book set to publish in June 2011 (overseas), but somehow it all worked. I read on eagerly despite my qualms and I quickly checked up on whether this was a stand alone or a series so I can impatiently await the next installment of Mercy's story. With a little of this, that and a bit of 'ish', Mercy is a great read which will keep you on your toes. Note: Reading the synopsis before you crack into the pages of Mercy's story should clear up most of the initial confusion I felt when I started the book.

mercy is hard for me to describe without going too wordy. The best way to describe mercy is that it is a mystery wrapped in an even bigger mystery. Similar to Veronica Mars as she solves smaller cases while chasing after that BIG ? that won't get solved until the very end. That is how mercy begins for us, and Rebecca Lim delivered such a strong "small" mystery that will get you hooked into the series!Mercy is such a fascinating character. I mean, here is a girl who does not know who she is, but knows that the body she's inhabiting is not really hers and has to share with the original person. A potentially complicated dynamic, but Mercy has the upper hand and keeps the other person in check. Which is weird considering that throughout mercy the other person stays present, somewhere, somehow. Mercy doesn't even know how affected Carmen will be after this current ordeal. I'm curious as well, but I don't think we will ever know.The only aspect of mercy that threw me off is Mercy's dream encounters with strange men who seem to glow in the dark. Yes, it alludes to the larger mystery of Mercy's identity - but his doom-and-gloom premonitions seemed out-of-place when it showed up during the small mystery. Rebecca Lim dances around Mercy's identity with careful but deliberate steps, and unknowing readers like myself will delight in following the breadcrumbs to an unknown but surely grand finale.mercy gives a story unlike any other - and it will draw you in very carefully and then pounce for keeps as you become invested in the characters - Mercy and Ryan, especially - and realize that the current mystery has ran its course. I don't know about you, but I am definitely in line for exile when it gets released!

Not knowing what to expect with Mercy, what I got instantly drew me into an intense story that I couldn’t pull away.From the start Mercy and her crazy story, the journey of finding out who she really is and what need to happen in the life she now found herself in.Mercy was a strong character with a strong personality that knew what needed to be done and wasn’t afraid to do it. Her relationship with Ryan was compelling yet mysterious adding to the story. There was clear growth and development between their relationship without them falling instantly in love with each other. What stood out for me within Mercy was the plot. The suspense and intrigue was just as compelling. Taking on a ride I didn’t know what would happen next and who it would happen to. The story was filled with edge and drama. Also with the classic mystery elements of Who’d done it? and missing person rolled into one.Ms. Lim’s writing was clear and uncomplicated. Even with the dual stories being told they somehow worked together.Overall, Mercy was an amazing read, filled with a balance of great characters and even greater story. The ending was like the cherry on top. Leading to a start of an engaging series that I can’t wait to read.

What I LikeI liked the book, but I also have some issues with it. I want to read the rest of the series because it does leave you at a cliffhanger and I want to know who she is? What she has done to be punished? Who is Luc and what is he to her? I do like reading angel books, but you don't get really any information about it, so I can't wait till the later books when she discovers more about herself.Why I'm Still UndecidedI need more background about the charactersMercy wakes up confused and not knowing who she is or is suppose to be. I was just as confused as to what what going on in this book and I didn't start to understand till about 60 pages into it. Since Mercy doesn't know what is really going on and as the reader you don't get to know either, which is both frustrating and intriguing, but it does put you in a thinking puzzling state trying to figure things out as she learns them.Lots of loose endsOnly one loose end was ever tied up in this book and that was about the sister she is trying to help Ryan find. Other than that, you are left with even more questions than answers. I immediately went to the computer to find out information about the series. I read the summaries of all the next books so I can get a better feel for the series.RecommendationWhat I think : definitely a series to read, but I would suggest waiting till you have more than one to read at a time.

This was an excellent young adult paranormal romance about a fallen angel who has lost her memory and who repeatedly finds herself "waking up" in the bodies of young girls. In this episode, Mercy wakes up in the body of Carmen a sixteen-year-old with a remarkable voice. Carmen is attending an choir exchange and staying in the home of a family whose 16-year-old daughter Lauren was taken with no explanation two years earlier. Lauren's twin Ryan doesn't believe that she is dead and has put his life on hold to try to find her. Mercy agrees to help him. Lauren was a gifted singer too and Mercy is sure that someone involved in the choir exchange had something to do with it. Wonderful first person story. I can't wait for the sequels.

When I first started reading this, I couldn’t help getting that old TV show Quantum Leap out of my mind. If you aren’t familiar with the show, some scientists were working on an experiment and one accidentally leaped out of his body and he leaped into others throughout time. He had limited amount of time to spend in that host body. He would then try to fix glitches in history of things that shouldn’t have happened or to make sure that things that were supposed to happened did.Other then jumping into other people’s bodies, that is where the similarities end though. Mercy had to make sure that no one found out that she was one of the fallen angels. So she would do what she could to remain inconspicuous. That was until she popped into the body of Carmen.Carmen was in a student exchange program through her schools choir and was going to stay with the Daly’s for a short period of time. However, the Daly’s were going through an upheaval in their lives. They daughter went missing 2 years ago and is presumed dead. The Daly’s are trying to get on with their lives the best they can. However, their son Ryan doesn’t believe his sister is dead.So Mercy, under the guise of Carmen, assists Ryan in trying to find out the truth about what happened to his sister.This was such a well written, fun book to read. I know that she has three lined up for this series. I can’t wait to read the next one.In conjunction with the Wakela's World Disclosure Statement, I received a product in order to enable my review. No other compensation has been received. My statements are an honest account of my experience with the brand. The opinions stated here are mine alone.

I have only read on other book like this and I like it. I like the plot, the characters and most importantly how the story flows. A person or soul going from body to body, using them as a host until the find a new one. And in each body it's a different life, different place.Mercy traveling from body to body just intrigues me so much! I just love to see how her encounters not only change her life but the life's of the ones she taken over temporarily. I really enjoyed the plot. I thought that way it was written and told was perfect. I like how as the reader, we get clues to her past, but also what is happening right in front of your eyes. We see Mercy trying to piece together the disappearance of finding Ryan's sister.The love interest is rather funny! At first Ryan was mean to Mercy. He told her off. But what I like was how well Mercy responded. She put him in his place real fast. I really enjoyed her giving it to him. It was funny because he never really expected her to act like that. I knew that they fall for each other eventually. It was just a matter of time.Mercy is great, non-stop mystery. Filled with lots of anger and hurt, Mercy goes on a great adventure to search not only who she is, but who she is to become. This is an angel story like no other that you will definitely enjoy!

Mercy has grown accustomed to finding herself inside a new body with no knowledge of who the person is, or why she is there. She is a fallen angel with no memory of why she fell in the first place. She inhabits the person's body for a few days and then moves on. When the book begins, she finds herself inhabiting the body of an awkward, eczema-stricken girl named Carmen. Carmen is part of a school choir and will be spending a few weeks at a host school for a joint choir presentation. She has been assigned to live with the Daly family. The Daly's daughter went missing almost two years ago, and while they are trying to move on and accept that their daughter is more than likely dead, their son, Ryan, is convinced his sister is still alive. Soon, Mercy (Carmen) finds herself caught up in helping Ryan solve the mystery of his missing sister, and in the process, risks revealing who (or what) she is.This book was an interesting read, and I liked parts of it, but I couldn't help but feel there were too many stories going on. The mystery of the missing girl was intriguing, but I found myself wondering why the story of the fallen angel was mixed in with the missing girl story. I get that Mercy is a fallen angel, and she is sent to help people, but I felt the story would have worked just as well without that element. Perhaps it is because there were still so many questions surrounding Mercy at the end of the book that I felt it was incomplete. All in all it's a good read, I just felt it was lacking in answers, and had too much going on to make it truly cohesive.

Mercy is a fallen angel that has been exiled from heaven for reasons she can no longer remember. Mercy may not even be her real name. Mercy’s rules are: she must always re-establish ties. She must tread carefully or give herself away to her enemies. She must survive. She must keep moving, but she doesn’t know why. She is her own worst enemy. Mercy thinks of herself as a grave robber, a body snatcher, and an evil spirit. She moves from body to body, and remembers each and every one of them. If the body she inhabits dies, she immediately flees to a new one.Mercy wakes up on a bus in the body of Carmen Zappacosta, a singer, and lead soloists for the St Joseph’s Girls School as they head for Paradise. Luc, her beloved, has warned Mercy that his brothers, 8 in number, are looking for her. If they find her, they will destroy her. Save for Luc, they are the most powerful enemies one can have. One of those, Uri, finds her in Paradise and actually learns that she has in fact changed her ways, and is not the ruthless non caring angel she was in the past. He also warns her to leave things be and not continue to search for Luc.Mercy soon meets Ryan, an eighteen year old with a huge chip on his shoulders, and his family who are still reeling from the loss of his twin sister Lauren, who was kidnapped two years ago. Everyone else has given up hope, and presumed she is dead. Not Ryan. Ryan feels her presence and continues to search while putting everything else, including school and sports behind him.Mercy believes that Ryan is telling the truth, and sets out to help him find his sister since she seems to have the ability to search her out. Whenever Mercy comes in contact with a person, she can “feel” their emotions and strongest memories, she can also detect if they are lying or not. Ryan has strong emotions, but it seems he is telling the truth. Unfortunately, she doesn’t get the chance to touch the person responsible for her disappearance and she ends up as a target because of her singing ability which is amazing.There are clues as to who the bad guy is, and before this story is over, Mercy and another girl will fall prey to his sadistic kidnapping ploy. Luckily, Mercy has a few surprises up her sleeves.This is a Young Adult centered storyline, but, the lead character is a very old angel who manages to take over the bodies of young women. She has been a 26 year old drugged addict with a daughter, to a rich girl who mother issues. Adults should find this story appealing on some level as well.Recommended to everyone Exile and Muse are the next books in the series by release.Expected publication: May 17th 2011 -- Recvd A-R-C from publisher via Netgalley.com

Mercy is a lost soul. A drifting heart who doesn't seem to remember who she is or where she's going. More importantly, Mercy is an angel who has been exiled from heaven and is doomed to remain forever on earth, living out the lives of different people, but without exposing who she really is. It's not the life she wants -the relationships with family, friends and others can't be real in this type of life, and Mercy may never know when she'll be ripped out of her current life and placed in another without any explanation of who she is or what's going on.In Mercy, the first novel in a new series, Mercy takes on the persona of Carmen, a young girl who attends a prep school and sings in the school's choir. While trying to adjust to her new life as Carmen, Mercy meets Ryan, a boy who is also a member of the choir. Mercy develops feelings for Ryan, even though she can't show him her true self. As their romance thickens, a girl is kidnapped and it's up to Mercy to rescue her.Not sure where to start with Mercy -the overall concept is fairly interesting, but, I was a little disappointed that the plot never really thickened much or got past a basic teen romance with a few other elements thrown in to try to keep it interesting. I suppose I was hoping for more, since that's my personal preference, but this is the perfect approach for certain readers, who would enjoy the simplicity of Mercy. Mercy is also a very short, quick read. Not a bad thing at all, since this forced the pacing to stay up virtually the entire time without much room for pointless fluff. I also enjoyed Mercy as a character. She's very unique and her reactions to suddenly being thrown in a strange new persona with no knowledge of what is going on. I would have liked it if she was a little but of a stronger protagonist, and if the other characters in Mercy, like Ryan, had a little more of a chance to shine.Ideal for teens who enjoy a good, simple romance with some light paranormal elements, Mercy is a quick read that's worth the time.

This book’s blurb grabbed me as soon I found it on goodreads a few months ago, so I knew I just had to read it. Thankfully, netgalley to the rescue once again! An e-galley fell into my lap, and so I happily dug in.From the first page, this book sunk its claws in and never once let go. Lim has an extraordinary talent of retelling the oldest of tales and making them new again. Girls getting kidnapped combined with an amnesiac angel in a pseudo-war with archangels and her lover, Lucifer? All of this rewiring of the old has made my head spin, but I enjoyed every single second of this book. I can’t wait for the US release of this first book, and the second book will be released in Australia next month. And should I have any extra cash, I might just import it. This series does what “Hush, Hush” hasn’t been able to, and what “Fallen” has been able to do only halfway (in terms of the mortal-angel-amnesia love triangle) – and that says something, seeing as “Fallen” was my favourite in the genre so far up until I picked up this series.Definitely refreshing for this genre. I seriously can’t say enough good things about this book (except the ending felt a bit rushed, but seeing as how there are two more books on the way, and compared to how the book began, it fits). Highly recommended, one of the best of 2011 so far!(crossposted to goodreads and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)

The Quickie Review Mercy mixes an intriguing romance with a suspenseful mystery in which Mercy, our heroine, attempts to not only discover the fate of a missing girl but also more about herself, specifically who she is exactly and why she’s been exiled from heaven and forced to return repeatedly to Earth. With utterly beautiful descriptive prose and a unique take on the angel genre, Mercy by Rebecca Lim definitely stands out from the pack of other angel themed books that are currently available. The Full Blown Review Mercy has no memory of why she’s forced to return repeatedly to Earth inhabiting a human females’ body for a period of time which differs for each individual. Mercy has no idea how long she will stay ‘borrowing’ a body and when she will leave that body, which isn’t by choice, it just suddenly happens and Mercy wakes up in another’s body with a vague recollection of who she inhabited previously but no information on whose body she is ‘borrowing’ now. Whist she may not understand what’s going on her dreams always come back to the illusive and intriguing Luc, an angel who tells Mercy she must not give up and continue to search for him all the while she must also look out for his eight brothers who will destroy Mercy if they find her. Now Mercy has woken up in another’s body once again, Carmen a teenager with an exceptional singing ability, and it is in this newest body she has borrowed that Mercy may just get some answers to the questions she so desperately wants to know. In the process of getting closer to answering her questions Mercy also may help a family grieving the disappearance of their daughter by attempting to solve the mystery of her disappearance, however as Mercy gets closer to the truth her life just may be in jeopardy, someone sinister is lurking around the town of Paradise and she’ll have to watch her back.What is it about angel books at the moment, is it me or there seems to be so many coming out at the moment? I have read so many in the previous couple of months that I find I am now quite picky with which angel themed books I like and what I don’t like. That said however I am happy to alleviate all your fears and tell you all that Mercy is one angel novel I definitely enjoyed (I just finished another I did not). I found the concept of Mercy to be both intriguing and also quite novel. I particularly liked the idea of suddenly waking up in another individual’s body with no idea whose body you are inhabiting and having to quickly adapt to your new situation. Lim managed conveyed Mercy’s adaption to her new ‘borrowed’ human life in Carmen’s body beautifully. Mercy has to act as a detective trying to piece together Carmen’s life, for instance, who are her friends and why is she in Paradise at all, whilst also trying not to alert ‘her’ friends and teachers that there’s something wrong. What struck me while reading Mercy was that as a reader I never thought of Carmen and Mercy as the same person even though they inhabit the same body as Mercy’s voice was so detached from Carmen’s body and life, they were always separate entities, never joined. The first couple of chapters of the book definitely drew me in, however I found that towards the middle there was a lull in proceedings but things happily did pick up towards the climatic and suspenseful ending. I especially loved the first chapter which introduces the reader to Lim’s beautifully written prose, there is just something about that first chapter that I love, it draws me in every time I read it. “There’s something very wrong with me. I can’t remember who I am or how old I am, or even how I got here. All I know is that when I wake up, I could be any age and anyone, all over again. It is always this way. If I get comfortable, I will wake one morning and everything around me will have shifted overnight. All I knew? I know no longer. And all I had? Vanished in an instant. There’s nothing I can keep with me that will stay.”- page 1Mercy was an interesting protagonist principally due to the fact that her voice was written with such clarity and her thoughts were conveyed in such a way that I really felt for her situation and wanted to know why this had happened to her. Her voice also conveyed the fact that she was much older than her ‘borrowed’ teenage body. I found Mercy to be a confident character, who knew how to stand up for herself and Carmen, who wasn’t very good at standing up for herself. Throughout the book we have Luc telling Mercy (through her dreams) not to trust his ‘brothers’ which I went along with up until we meet one of these ‘brothers’, Uri, who in once encounter made me question my assumptions I had made about Luc, can Mercy really trust him or is Uri spinning a lie to her?“Luc wants you for his own. He cannot be trusted. Do not allow past feeling to interfere with your judgment. Do not fall to him or all will be lost. You may not know it, will not necessarily thank us, but it has always been for you, always”- page 193This encounter with Uri has me thinking that there will definitely be more interesting revelations to be revealed not only about Mercy but Luc and his ‘brothers’ in the next installment of the series.Whilst Mercy is trying to come to terms with her existence she is also attempting to help Ryan find his sister Lauren who disappeared and is believed by most (except for Ryan) to be dead. Ryan is haunted by his sister’s disappearance, dropping out of school to continually follow up leads, his whole life is about finding his sister there is nothing else. He’s convinced she’s still alive as he can still ‘feel’ her presence, Lim’s reasoning for this is that both Ryan and Lauren have this kind of twin telepathy going on. Totally random thought but I just have to say I’m a twin (I have a brother) and unfortunately I have no pseudo telepathy going on, dang I’m upset I want me some telepathy! But I digress, back to the review, at first Ryan was quite hostile to Carmen/Mercy though Mercy can definitely hold her own and soon they both develop a kind of trust in each other. Their relationship however was really just limited to investigating his sister’s disappearance together, but they do bond together over it. I felt that there was no real romance between the two of them at all until towards the very end when it’s evident that they both care for each other very much. In fact there’s not much romance in the book, I do have the feeling that Mercy is in love with Luc but they only have very fleeting encounters with each other. So if you’re a real romance lover and pick Mercy up solely for the romance aspect you may be disappointed. I found the ending to be extremely suspenseful even though I already had a pretty good idea about who the mystery abductor was (and my suspicions were proved correct). The final couple of pages were bitter sweet, I was sad for both Mercy and Ryan, all I can say is I hope we meet up with Ryan again, so bring on the sequel, I’ll definitely be reading it!Thanks to Trish over at HarperCollins Australia for sending me Mercy.