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)

Halo

By Alexandra Adornetto

Three angels – Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, the youngest and most human – are sent by Heaven to bring good to a world falling under the influence of darkness. They must work hard to conceal their luminous glow, superhuman powers, and, most dangerous of all, their wings, all the while avoiding all human attachments.

Then Bethany meets Xavier Woods, and neither of them is able to resist the attraction between them. Gabriel and Ivy do everything in their power to intervene, but the bond between Xavier and Bethany seems too strong.
The angel’s mission is urgent, and dark forces are threatening. Will love ruin Bethany or save her?
 
 
Okay, first I will admit that I didn't completely "read" this book. I got about 3/4 the way through and was bored to tears. I sorta skimmed the last few chapters. This is pretty run of the mill since Twilight came into the limelight. Pretty paranormal girl meets too-good-to-be-true handsome boy. They both are obsessed with each other, they have to fight some evil dudes from breaking them apart. This book bugged me because I thought, 'hey, this might be different, it's angels.' Nope. Beth, the heroine is pretty much a human with wings. I liked Gabriel and Ivy better. Also, I don't think that an angel would fall prey to peer pressure or drink alcohol. Just saying. It was a little too Twilight-esque for me. We need a new fad people- and I need to quit falling for books with awesome covers that I know aren't going to be good...(sigh).