From Goodreads: Marley Claviger is just trying to get her life together. Stumbling into an ancient conflict between celestial forces is going to make that a whole lot harder…

When Marley wakes up to a phone call from a pair of terrified children, she doesn’t expect to be pulled into a secret war. She rescues them from an empty house and promises to find their missing uncle. She even manages to feed them dinner. But she barely feels competent to manage her own life, let alone care for small children with strange, ominous powers…

And when a mysterious angelic figure shows up and tries to claim the girls, it all falls apart…

Plagued by visions of disaster, Marley has no idea what she’s gotten herself into, but she knows one thing: magical or not, the kids need her.
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This is a very intense story with great world building and characterization.  Marley, a young woman struggling to keep herself afloat, suddenly finds herself in the midst of a battle between good and evil, throwing her already chaotic life into even more disarray. 

I thoroughly enjoyed Marley’s character, especially as she matures throughout the story, going from a woman full of anxiety to a more self-assured person willing to do anything to protect those she cares about.  She is a very believable character, and I loved that she is flawed, just like the rest of humanity.  It was refreshing to have a genuine heroine that wasn’t always sure of herself and was afraid, and yet persevered to do what is right.  Having no previous dealings with children, it was also comical to see her interact with the four-year-old twins who are being sought after by a band of sinister creatures.  Marley’s inexperience shines through as she tries to figure out what to do with the girls, what to feed them, how to communicate with them—and as if this isn’t anxiety provoking enough for Marley, the girls uncanny abilities, and the abilities of those attempting to take the girls from Marley, all add to this enticing story.

Now, the young girls do see a lot of things that no child should ever see, and some readers may find this a bit jarring—especially as the children become extremely distraught on many an occasion, worried that the adults in their lives will abandon them as everyone seems to have already done.  It’s a bit heartbreaking, and I definitely thought, many a time, that these girls were witnessing way too much to come away unscathed, and my heart hurt for them.  Although a fantastical story, Tzavelas gives her characters and their feelings extreme human qualities, which, in my opinion, makes it a very well written story and the girls are an interesting pair, adding depth to the story.

I really enjoyed the otherworldly feel of this novel as well.  While good and evil converge on Marley’s world, confusing her beyond belief, the author creates an amazing array of action sequences as Marley finds herself on the run.  Unsafe and scared, Marley must trust people she wouldn’t normally give the time of day, and rely on them to keep the girls, and herself, safe.  This is a really good read.  Four stars.

Matchbox Girls is set to release tomorrow, February 21, 2012

I received a ARC of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.