Unearthly

By Cynthia Hand


In the beginning, there’s a boy standing in the trees…

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she’s part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn’t easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there’s another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara’s less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she’d have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

 
I keep thinking if I look long enough I will find an awesome angel book. Sadly, though I was excited about this one, it didn't live up to my expectations. It was a bit strange, though I liked it much better than Halo, and had some incongruencies with my own personal beliefs...I guess that could be my problem. Clara was fine as a character, but I was put off by the whole new school, meet the hot guy, fall for him plot (thank you Twilight) and that irritated me. But I was very pleased with the way the love-story played out until the very end...then I was irritated again. Don't get me wrong, you peoples who are liking the books that are popular right now with this similar high-school paranormal love plot line will really like this one. I just like it when I find something that make me feel happy when I'm done. (Doesn't mean happy ending necessarily) This didn't do it. The writing was good, the story interesting enough for me to read it fairly fast, and the angel stuff was credible and not overdone or underdone. I just didn't care for it was all. Happens sometimes. 
 
3 out of 5 (average for me)