Rating: 
Summary: A Pleasant Enough Return to Samaria
Review: Jovah carried his followers to Samaria hundreds of years ago where they settled into a low-tech life, safe from the wars of their home world. Jovah also created a race of angels to watch over the people of Samaria and sing prayers for weather and plague assistance. Gaaron is about to become the archangel, the leader of the host of angels, and now searches Samaria for the wife Jovah has decreed for him through the oracles. Susannah, one of the Edori nomads, is becoming increasingly unhappy with the wandering eye of her lover Dathan. When Gaaron shows up at her camp and announces that she is his intended bride, she surprises everyone by agreeing to return with him.
Gaaron has little time for the reluctant Susannah, as the country is plagued with mysterious strangers that appear and disappear without a trace and the unexplained destruction of remote camps and farmsteads. As Gaaron tries to solve the problem of the strangers, the lonely Susannah befriends his recklessly wild sister Miriam. When Miriam is fostered in a distant city after one of her more disastrous exploits, she runs away to the Edori. But once there, she learns life-lessons in spite of herself and begins an unexpected romance.
This is Shinn's fourth book about Samaria. Even though this book is a prequel to the first three and can be read alone, you should probably read at least one or two of the earlier books in order to understand the setting. Samaria is a fascinating place and Shinn populates it with interesting characters and cultures. As world-building goes, it reminds me of Anne McCaffrey's Pern - with angels instead of dragons and more of an emphasis on relationships.
Shinn is very good at romance with a touch of science fiction, but this is not her best effort. The slowly developing relationship between Gaaron and Susannah isn't as compelling as it should be - Miriam's journey is far more interesting. The peril posed by the mysterious strangers feels oddly distant and somewhat contrived. After the leisurely character development that takes place in the bulk of the book, I felt short-changed by the quick wrap-up ending which I ultimately couldn't buy into.
Shinn can and has done much better as far as spark-flying romance and consistent plotting. Try Archangel or Jovah's Angel for a better introduction to Samaria, but if you just can't get enough of Shinn's angels, read Angelica as well.
Rating: 
Summary: Fans of Pern will love this novel
Review: On the world of Samaria, the angels live among mankind and mate with mortals whose children can be either angel or mortal. They sing in prayer to their god Jovah and they have power to change the weather or rain down medicine for the sick. The Archangel who in a few months will be Gaaron guides all the angels. He goes to the oracle to request she ask the god who his bride should be and she tells him it is Susannah, an Edori woman.Susannah loves the roaming life of the nomadic Edori and she is understandably shocked when Gaaron sweeps down in the middle of the clan and tells her their God expects her to marry him. She bows to Jovah's will and agrees to go to Gaaron's hold to be his wife. She struggles to acclimate to her new environment especially when the world is in a state of terror. Men from somewhere other than Samaria are randomly appearing and disappearing, leaving destruction in their wake. Gaaron is so concerned about the people that he ignores Susannah who is determined to force her angel to lean on her in times of trouble and learn to express what is in his heart. Fans of Anne McCaffrey's Pern series are going to love ANGELICA, the fourth novel that deals with the unique culture of Samaria. Readers will believe that this world where angels walk alongside mortals really exists because the author goes into minute detail about its social and cultural infrastructure. Sharon Shinn is a gifted storyteller who makes the readers believe Samaria exists outside of the creative imagination of the author. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous Read!
Review: Read this wonderful book on an airplane and simply could not stop. I have read all of Shinn's work and this is the best yet. I am hopeful about a sequel as the characters live on in my mind.
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Summary: Meshing Science Fiction, Romance, and Song
Review: Return to the planet Samaria, where a secretive god watches over the land, where winged angels sing prayers to control the weather, and where opposites meet and find true love...Once again, the talented Ms. Shinn had created one of her fascinating melanges of fine world-building, music, and excellent characterization. ANGELICA takes place only a few hundred years after the founding of Samaria by interstellar colonists fleeing seeking peace and harmony, and at first glance, the plot may seem to echo that of ARCHANGEL, Shinn's first book in this series: Susannah, a woman of the wandering Edori tribes, has been selected by the overseeing "god" to marry Gaaron, the archangel-to-be. But as the story takes place much earlier in the history of the culture, and with mysterious violent invaders threatening lives and stability, the fascination with these people and this planet is woven anew, and differently, and engagingly. What is not different is Shinn's marvellous ability to evoke the glories of song, whether in formal prayers in an angel hold, or around an Edori campfire, along with her talent for creating the most memorable of characters and a truly unique socio-cultural matrix. Shinn is one of my favorite writers working today, and as I applaud her for this novel, I am impatiently awaiting the next.
Rating: 
Summary: My thoughts
Review: Sharon Shinn has such tremendous talent and ability. Her prose is magnificent. Just a few sentences bring the world of Samaria alive - both its people and its land. Her books make me want to sing! Her characters are fascinating - incredibly human,but fasicinating in spite of their very humaness. Ms. Shinn rarely falls into the trap of relying on stereotypes to fill in the details of her main characters. Unfortuately, Ms. Shinn cheated herself on the ending to this magnificent work. The end felt rushed and abrubt, as if Shinn was meeting a deadline, ran out of inspiration, or had a page limit. Though Angelica can stand alone, for your own benefit read the rest of Ms. Shinn's Samaria series before picking up Angelica.
Rating: 
Summary: Probably good for real Samaria fans
Review: Sharon Shinn's world of Samaria was an interesting concept in Archangel, and her blend of romance and SF did pretty well for the first few books. I think it's pretty much run its course by now. I won't bother to re-summarize the plot here, others have done it well already. I will say that there's nothing new here to keep us interested in this world. Shinn spends a lot of time setting up the characters and the danger they're in, but solves it in an unsatisfying rush at the end. And while these books can be read as stand-alones, unless you've read at least the first two you'll be totally confused by the ending. I like Shinn's characters and think she has a nice ear for dialogue and good skills in character-building, but she needs a new idea for this world. Die-hard Samaria fans will be happy to spend more time here, and I will give her next book a chance, but I hope it has more to offer than Angelica.
Rating:
Summary: Time For A Change!
Review: Sharon Shinn, one of my favorite authors, usually provides an intelligent and entertaining view of her wonderfully imaginative worlds. She introduced us to Samaria (a world colonized by Terrans so long ago, no one remembers that they're a colony) in "Archangel", a very good book. That was 5 books ago, and it is long past time to leave Samaria and open up fresh story lines. I know she can do it, because she has, beautifully, in "Summers at Castle Auburn" and in "Wrapt in Crystal." But, in Angelica, Shinn has simply plagiarized herself. This story line is done, and past done. If you've never read Shinn, you'll enjoy this book, because you won't know any better. But what's great is you can then go on to others much more worthy of a first rate author. I give "Angelica" 2 stars only because I'm comparing it to other Shinn novels.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Read!
Review: Since there is a synopsis already about the book - and several others have already reviewed the book - there's really no need to review the book again. I did want to say that I enjoyed this book very much. Actually, after reading "The Alleluia Files" I had assumed that Ms Shinn was finished with her Samaria Series. What a delight it was to learn that she decided to continue with a prequel (YAY!) As some of the other reviewers state - the book was somewhat lacking in certain areas. There really wasn't enough substance to pull the two main characters (Susannah & Garron) together. I found myself more interested in the activities of Gaarons sister instead. There were other situations in the novel which were alluded to - but never quite came to fruition (which was a downer).
Despite these failings, Ms Shinn is an excellent writer and I've enjoyed all the books that I've read that she's written. However, the "Samaria" stories are my favorite. Even though the book wasn't absolutely awesome - it was still very good - and I missed the "Samaria" stories - so I'm giving it 5 stars. Hopefully she will keep writing them - I am looking forward to more.
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Summary: Shinn back to what she does best
Review: This book ties up all the lingering questions from the first 3 Samaria books. After reading this book you'll know more about Jovah, the coming of the people to Samaria, and the firesticks. I was left wanting to know more about Gaaron and Susannah. But that didn't stop me from practically inhaling the book. :-)
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Summary: back on samaria at last!!!!
Review: This book was FANTAStic down to its very core. Sharon Shinn has brought me back to Samaria, right where I want to be. Those of you who didn't travel enough with the Edori in her former books will have another fresh gathering before you. Those of you who thought you knew where the heart of the Eyrie lies, then there is yet more to explore. Those of you who love the angels on Samaria WILL have a handfull of new charmers to light you up in a heart beat.
How does one make a book greater than "ARCHANGEL"? Truth is I don't think its possible and when reading "ANGELICA" I dont see it necessary to even try. Both these books are charming in their own ways. In "ARCHANGEL" it is the introduction to its landscapes,tales and leaders(even long gone) that build it into one divine masterpieace. Since we already know a few things about Samaria by now, what can possibly make "ANGELICA" as easy to love. Well, Shinn clearly proves it can be done.
She has not only brought forward great main characters (Gaaron and Susannah), but has managed to make secondary characters more prominent than one thought was possible. Miriam, Chloé, Sela, Zibyah are beautifully written characters with beautiful names brought together in a BEAUTIFUL chapter. This book has its shining moments which lie in the interaction and friendship between every angel at the Eyrie. It is very clear that this book is written by a woman in the way that every LITTLE MOMENT of this book(even though it doesnt change the outline of the plot) becomes unforgettable.
Its funny how the main plot about these black-clad threatening strangers were almost of no importance to me. It's the secondary characters that are the real diamonds. After I read the book i felt sorry to leave them behind. But off course, no one wants to leave Samaria by choice, but we all have to once the last page is sadly turned.
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