Book Review: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Title: Unearthly
Series/Sequel? The first of the Unearthly series, followed by Hallowed
Author: Cynthia Hand
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Age Level: YA
Page Count: 435

Summary from inside flap of book: Clara Gardner had 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, insn'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's have to make - between honesty and deceit, long and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Review: Wait, this book was 435 pages? Really? Let me tell you, it didn't seem like it. I went through this book so quickly, I thought it was my typical 300 page book.

I've never been much of a fan of angel books. I was just never interesting on perfect, beautiful, amazing beings with wings. Probably because they were so perfect and beautiful and amazing and flawless. I'm sorry, but I cannot relate to someone to totally flawless.

But I liked this book. I liked how Clara was pretty much a normal teenage girl. She made mistakes, had fights with her friends and family, and was slightly hormonal. She was not perfect or flawless or (not that I would consider) especially beautiful. I loved reading from her point of view, and I feel like it would have greatly detracted from the story if it was written in third person.

Tucker + Christen = a love triangle I cannot decide on. Seriously. They were both awesome and hot and date-worthy in their own ways, and I'm glad there are no surefire teams, cause I have no idea who I would able to decide on.

I've read a lot of books in my lifetime, and I can normally guess fairly accurately what is going to happen next, or that someone isn't who they seem to be, that they are going to turn out to be the bad guy, the love interest, etc., etc. But with this book, I couldn't. I didn't guess that people were going to be. I was so surprised (but in a good way) when I found out.

Now, for all I loved in this book, there were a couple of problems. Clara starts dating SPOILER! Tucker. END SPOILER! As she is dating this boy - actually, after she's bee dating him for only a couple of months, she says that she is honest-to-goodness in love with him. Like, must-be-with-him-or-I-will-die in love with him. And, I'm just not sure how realistic that is. I understand that her love for him shaped events in the book that couldn't have possibly happened if she didn't love him so much, I still saw it as unrealistic and annoying.

All in all, a very good Paranormal Romance book, which I am looking forward to getting the sequel to.

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