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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
Willow knows she's different from other girls. And not just because she loves tinkering around with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into people's futures, know their dreams, their hopes and their regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where she gets this power from - But Alex does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows Willow's secret and is on a mission to stop her. The dark forces within Willow make her dangerous - and irresistible. In spite of himself, Alex finds he is falling in love with his sworn enemy.
“A Quirky, Fast Paced Thriller, With a Twist!”
I have to admit I understand the commotion over this book. It was different to what I expected but still amazing. I loved how it’s part of the fallen angel but not at the same time because they not fallen, just very very evil. From the moment I engaged in the book I loved it. It was a quirky, fast paced thriller with a twist, and I have never read anything quite like it. This book was so good it took me ages to write the review. It even got to the point where I was considering doing a Vide Review, but luckily my creativeness returned.
My favourite character was probably Jonah. I absolutely loved him. He was torn between the two worlds of good and bad but not in a cheesy way (I’m cheesy I <3 HARRY POTTER) He has a nice personality and I found myself instantly liking him and feeling sorry for him being at the command of the enemy. I mean he is literally caught up in the middle of everything but as people would say it’s for the greater good – Yet again CHEEEESY J
Anyway after a lot of scary psychic stuff she meets the boy. (Of course there’s a boy – DUH!) Alex, as always he is Edward Cullen perfect. Quirky, full of loss, sarcastic and finds it very hard to show emotion within in the first few chapters. Nevertheless the two eventually fall in loved and I find their love and bit overwhelming, because instead of spacing it out in-between the love Weatherly has packed it into the last five chapters.
That fact the angels were evil were my favourite twist because they are all white, glow and flutterby wings. But Willow – Half Angel – No offence but we all saw it coming. Again with her dad, I got halfway through the book and I already knew who he was. Intuition? No – Inference (we’ve been studying it in English so I just had to use the word somewhere – make me look clever – which I am by the way!)
The plot is a good one. The writing is little but descriptive. I just doesn’t go on, for once. It just tells you what you need and moves on. I think that it is a factor of a light novel (even it is 600 pages LOL).
The book is full of fiery passion, action, flare, love, darkness, light, killing, half angels, angel killers and angels and too be honest I absolutely loved this book. Yes I will read this again – SO BUY IT! GRRR – I SAID BUY IT!!!! GRRR
“A Quirky, Fast Paced Thriller, With a Twist!”
I have to admit I understand the commotion over this book. It was different to what I expected but still amazing. I loved how it’s part of the fallen angel but not at the same time because they not fallen, just very very evil. From the moment I engaged in the book I loved it. It was a quirky, fast paced thriller with a twist, and I have never read anything quite like it. This book was so good it took me ages to write the review. It even got to the point where I was considering doing a Vide Review, but luckily my creativeness returned.
My favourite character was probably Jonah. I absolutely loved him. He was torn between the two worlds of good and bad but not in a cheesy way (I’m cheesy I <3 HARRY POTTER) He has a nice personality and I found myself instantly liking him and feeling sorry for him being at the command of the enemy. I mean he is literally caught up in the middle of everything but as people would say it’s for the greater good – Yet again CHEEEESY J
Anyway after a lot of scary psychic stuff she meets the boy. (Of course there’s a boy – DUH!) Alex, as always he is Edward Cullen perfect. Quirky, full of loss, sarcastic and finds it very hard to show emotion within in the first few chapters. Nevertheless the two eventually fall in loved and I find their love and bit overwhelming, because instead of spacing it out in-between the love Weatherly has packed it into the last five chapters.
That fact the angels were evil were my favourite twist because they are all white, glow and flutterby wings. But Willow – Half Angel – No offence but we all saw it coming. Again with her dad, I got halfway through the book and I already knew who he was. Intuition? No – Inference (we’ve been studying it in English so I just had to use the word somewhere – make me look clever – which I am by the way!)
The plot is a good one. The writing is little but descriptive. I just doesn’t go on, for once. It just tells you what you need and moves on. I think that it is a factor of a light novel (even it is 600 pages LOL).
The book is full of fiery passion, action, flare, love, darkness, light, killing, half angels, angel killers and angels and too be honest I absolutely loved this book. Yes I will read this again – SO BUY IT! GRRR – I SAID BUY IT!!!! GRRR
You can find this review and many more at Mermaid Vision Books!
Release Date: May 24, 2011
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 449
Format: Paperback
Source: Finished copy received from Random House Canada
Tell Me More: I'm reluctant to read stories about angels because I don't particularly enjoy the way a lot of authors interpret the mythology. Some trusted blogger friends insisted I'd enjoy this series, and I decided to give it a go.
One reason why I approach angel stories with a modicum of caution is because I'm a practicing Catholic. The way I see angels is different from the way non-practicing people do, and while I don't mind alternative perspectives, it can get awkward. That's why I found L.A. Weatherly's take to be a chilling presentation of human nature and the presence of religion in our daily lives. The cover copy, while successful at hooking readers who want forbidden romances, doesn't capture the full scope of what Alex and Willow are facing.
The core of the story is belief, and the things we are willing to do in order to stay true to those beliefs. Willow believes she isn't special. Alex believes that he has to kill all angels. And everyone around them is in danger of literally believing themselves to death. Weatherly doesn't just focus on the budding relationship between Alex and Willow. She alternates their scenes with chapters looking in on the angels themselves, and the corruption lying beneath their peaceful gazes. The angels are strikingly similar to humans--they are selfish and ambitious. And like humans, they are also caught up in their own beliefs. They are willing to sacrifice the people they were meant to care for in order to survive, and worse off, they are willing to use those peoples' beliefs to kill them.
Make no mistake, I don't believe that Weatherly was trying to say all religions are evil. I do appreciate the dialogue that she opens up. The first mention of the Church of Angels gave me chills. Blind faith doesn't do anyone good, and that's not only a big issue in the story, but an important one in real life. Angel Burn has the capability to shock readers who are devout believers in their religions, especially if they actually don't know much about said religion.
While the themes of Angel Burn are startlingly complex, I did have some issues with some of the characters' early actions. I don't think enough attention was paid to Willow's home life, and so it becomes easy to forget about her mother and aunt. I also had some logical world-building questions that, thankfully, were answered in the second book. Lastly, the writing structure left me a bit confused: in one chapter, Weatherly gives us Alex's POV and then Willow's a few paragraphs later, without any noticeable pattern. However, I was interested enough in the story to at least put these things to the side while reading.
That's Not All:
> Love and the role it plays in keeping one true to a belief. I'll definitely be discussing this in depth in my review of Angel Fire.
The Final Say: Angel Burn surprised me with an explosive story and haunting questions about loyalty and faith. If you're looking to try something out of your comfort zone, L.A. Weatherly's story might just be what you're looking for.
Release Date: May 24, 2011
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 449
Format: Paperback
Source: Finished copy received from Random House Canada
Tell Me More: I'm reluctant to read stories about angels because I don't particularly enjoy the way a lot of authors interpret the mythology. Some trusted blogger friends insisted I'd enjoy this series, and I decided to give it a go.
One reason why I approach angel stories with a modicum of caution is because I'm a practicing Catholic. The way I see angels is different from the way non-practicing people do, and while I don't mind alternative perspectives, it can get awkward. That's why I found L.A. Weatherly's take to be a chilling presentation of human nature and the presence of religion in our daily lives. The cover copy, while successful at hooking readers who want forbidden romances, doesn't capture the full scope of what Alex and Willow are facing.
The core of the story is belief, and the things we are willing to do in order to stay true to those beliefs. Willow believes she isn't special. Alex believes that he has to kill all angels. And everyone around them is in danger of literally believing themselves to death. Weatherly doesn't just focus on the budding relationship between Alex and Willow. She alternates their scenes with chapters looking in on the angels themselves, and the corruption lying beneath their peaceful gazes. The angels are strikingly similar to humans--they are selfish and ambitious. And like humans, they are also caught up in their own beliefs. They are willing to sacrifice the people they were meant to care for in order to survive, and worse off, they are willing to use those peoples' beliefs to kill them.
Make no mistake, I don't believe that Weatherly was trying to say all religions are evil. I do appreciate the dialogue that she opens up. The first mention of the Church of Angels gave me chills. Blind faith doesn't do anyone good, and that's not only a big issue in the story, but an important one in real life. Angel Burn has the capability to shock readers who are devout believers in their religions, especially if they actually don't know much about said religion.
While the themes of Angel Burn are startlingly complex, I did have some issues with some of the characters' early actions. I don't think enough attention was paid to Willow's home life, and so it becomes easy to forget about her mother and aunt. I also had some logical world-building questions that, thankfully, were answered in the second book. Lastly, the writing structure left me a bit confused: in one chapter, Weatherly gives us Alex's POV and then Willow's a few paragraphs later, without any noticeable pattern. However, I was interested enough in the story to at least put these things to the side while reading.
That's Not All:
> Love and the role it plays in keeping one true to a belief. I'll definitely be discussing this in depth in my review of Angel Fire.
The Final Say: Angel Burn surprised me with an explosive story and haunting questions about loyalty and faith. If you're looking to try something out of your comfort zone, L.A. Weatherly's story might just be what you're looking for.
So I'll start with saying that this review contains spoilers, so don't read if you don't want to be spoiled ^^
--
But I have to say: congratulations to L.A. Weatherly. Honestly, it took me a while to get used to the idea of Angels being the bad guys in this story who are basically energie-sucking-aliens... But I liked the plot, it was well thought and in my opinion, well-written as well :). Taking everything into account, it was a good story and I loved it, honestly :). Those last 100 pages, they were pretty intense and I could feel my heart racing as Alex tried to save Willow and Willow sacrificing herself in order to save the whole planet...
Which brings me to their relationship :) for once it didn't feel forced. There was a nice build up and you could feel their love for each other growing and I loved how it all played out. Alex is an amazing guy ! Too bad, he isn't real ;) I'd like to meet him.
Anyway, this was a brilliant first one, I can only hope that the second one is as good as this one. There are a lot of questions unanswered and I see enough potential to write a second one so I can't wait :). 4,5 STARS.
--
But I have to say: congratulations to L.A. Weatherly. Honestly, it took me a while to get used to the idea of Angels being the bad guys in this story who are basically energie-sucking-aliens... But I liked the plot, it was well thought and in my opinion, well-written as well :). Taking everything into account, it was a good story and I loved it, honestly :). Those last 100 pages, they were pretty intense and I could feel my heart racing as Alex tried to save Willow and Willow sacrificing herself in order to save the whole planet...
Which brings me to their relationship :) for once it didn't feel forced. There was a nice build up and you could feel their love for each other growing and I loved how it all played out. Alex is an amazing guy ! Too bad, he isn't real ;) I'd like to meet him.
Anyway, this was a brilliant first one, I can only hope that the second one is as good as this one. There are a lot of questions unanswered and I see enough potential to write a second one so I can't wait :). 4,5 STARS.
This-right here, is the epitome of angel literature. A surprisingly not niche market. Especially not in the 2010’s…
Okay, yes, this was instalovey. So what? Honestly I think if you go on a road trip with only one other person and there is a high chance of death you are going to fall in love with them. Fact.
I also have a huge soft spot for this book because CULTS!! I am a true crime fanatic, and you don’t get any more dodgy than a good ol’ fashion cult. And it just made the world so awesome! If the Church of Angels was a thing- this is what would happen IRL. You gotta admit that making angels that suck away life from people seem realistic is quite the feat.
And do you know what? I don’t mind that Willow was not like other girlsssss Yes, it is overused and involves a lot of girl hate most of the time. BUT don’t even try to say it is a bad trope if you read books with bad boy love interests that are either a) only nice to them and technically abusive in a ‘cutsie’ way or b) 1000 years old (bonus points if he is both!)
So now nice guy Alex and Tom-boy Willow don’t seem too bad, eh?
Also, this book gets mega respect for the ending. Things go too well for the MC’s of books waaaaay too often. Make. Them. SUFFERRRRRRRRRRRRR!
Okay, yes, this was instalovey. So what? Honestly I think if you go on a road trip with only one other person and there is a high chance of death you are going to fall in love with them. Fact.
I also have a huge soft spot for this book because CULTS!! I am a true crime fanatic, and you don’t get any more dodgy than a good ol’ fashion cult. And it just made the world so awesome! If the Church of Angels was a thing- this is what would happen IRL. You gotta admit that making angels that suck away life from people seem realistic is quite the feat.
And do you know what? I don’t mind that Willow was not like other girlsssss Yes, it is overused and involves a lot of girl hate most of the time. BUT don’t even try to say it is a bad trope if you read books with bad boy love interests that are either a) only nice to them and technically abusive in a ‘cutsie’ way or b) 1000 years old (bonus points if he is both!)
So now nice guy Alex and Tom-boy Willow don’t seem too bad, eh?
Also, this book gets mega respect for the ending. Things go too well for the MC’s of books waaaaay too often. Make. Them. SUFFERRRRRRRRRRRRR!
This author really knew how to convey emotions. I felt like I was the character in most of the situations presented. While I liked this book, there was an underlying disconnect for me. I don't think I ever really caught on that the government knew about angels, or maybe the time was set too close to the present day, but it didn't quite seem believable. On the other hand, I liked that not all the angels were benevolent. In fact, the most powerful/evil angel was one of my favorite characters to read. It was interesting to follow his thoughts and see his scheme come together. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories about angels, vampires, or a "good" evil villain.
I'm honestly torn on whether I liked this book or not. I'm gonna say I'm leaning towards thinking it a pretty good story, but many elements of the way it was written just didn't sit well with me.
Half-human, half-angel Willow, unaware of her true nature, quickly finds herself catapulted into a world she never imagined possible. Using her psychic abilities, she discovers the existence of Angels. But they are not the friendly creatures she and the rest of the world thought them to be. They feed off of human energy, sucking away their life force and leaving them damaged and diseased.
Startled by this discovery, Willow sets out to the the Church of Angels to try to uncover the truth and to help those that the Angels are using as human cattle. But as soon as the Angels become aware of what she is, a being that shouldn't be possible because Angels can not breed, they order her death.
Cue the cute hero: Alex, Angel assassin extraordinaire!
Forced to go into hiding with Alex, Willow learns about a secret war that has been going on for years, one that pairs AKs (Angle Killers) against Angels. But the battle has only just begun, and the humans are already losing. A second wave of Angels is expected to arrive on earth, devastating more human minds with their glamour and ending humanity as we know it.
When it is revealed that Willow may be the only one able to defeat the Angels, will she risk her life and her love for Alex to do it?
Despite the middle that lulled and stalled, I thought the story was interesting. It opened with some fast action and ended much the same. Plus, the very idea of Angels feeding off of humans added a chill factor that you just couldn't shake. I found myself wanting to race through the slower parts to find out if the humans will be saved.
Some details were too incredible to be believable or too predictable, like Alex being seventeen and working for the CIA as an assassin or him learning accept what Willow was and falling helplessly in love with her, but still, it worked in an entertaining sort of way. The romance, despite the insta-love, was sweet, and took some time to develop, and by time I mean about 5 days. That's a lifetime when you are discovering love for the first time, eh? And, let's face it, nothing spells love faster than taking a dangerous road trip with a hot guy. Plus, there was something aching beautiful in the way that Alex and Willow both had haunted pasts that really did draw them to each other. So, yeah, I liked the story.
But, what really irked me was the fact that the prose was all over the place. Please, please, dear author, stick to one narrative style!
I'm really not sure if Weatherly was trying to be artsy or unique, but the constant switch from third person to first person really irritated me. It was over-stylized. Just as I was finally becoming comfortable reading from Willow's first person account, Bam! A swooping shift would occur in a way that ripped me away from how engrossed I'd become in the tale. More appalling/baffling was that this usually happened from one paragraph to the next, instead of from chapter to chapter, which is a bit more common if it is to happen.
Yet, Weatherly didn't stop there. Not only did I have to endure the unrelenting change in narrative mode, I also had to deal with narrator shifts as well when the story alternated from Willow to Alex to Raziel and finally to Jonah's perspective. It was just too much.
Really, this is a matter of personal preference. And though I like point of view shifts between my characters and could have dealt with that better had it stopped there, I just couldn't appreciate anything about the constant changes in mode of narration. I would have enjoyed the story much more if it hadn't alternated like it did.
Half-human, half-angel Willow, unaware of her true nature, quickly finds herself catapulted into a world she never imagined possible. Using her psychic abilities, she discovers the existence of Angels. But they are not the friendly creatures she and the rest of the world thought them to be. They feed off of human energy, sucking away their life force and leaving them damaged and diseased.
Startled by this discovery, Willow sets out to the the Church of Angels to try to uncover the truth and to help those that the Angels are using as human cattle. But as soon as the Angels become aware of what she is, a being that shouldn't be possible because Angels can not breed, they order her death.
Cue the cute hero: Alex, Angel assassin extraordinaire!
Forced to go into hiding with Alex, Willow learns about a secret war that has been going on for years, one that pairs AKs (Angle Killers) against Angels. But the battle has only just begun, and the humans are already losing. A second wave of Angels is expected to arrive on earth, devastating more human minds with their glamour and ending humanity as we know it.
When it is revealed that Willow may be the only one able to defeat the Angels, will she risk her life and her love for Alex to do it?
Despite the middle that lulled and stalled, I thought the story was interesting. It opened with some fast action and ended much the same. Plus, the very idea of Angels feeding off of humans added a chill factor that you just couldn't shake. I found myself wanting to race through the slower parts to find out if the humans will be saved.
Some details were too incredible to be believable or too predictable, like Alex being seventeen and working for the CIA as an assassin or him learning accept what Willow was and falling helplessly in love with her, but still, it worked in an entertaining sort of way. The romance, despite the insta-love, was sweet, and took some time to develop, and by time I mean about 5 days. That's a lifetime when you are discovering love for the first time, eh? And, let's face it, nothing spells love faster than taking a dangerous road trip with a hot guy. Plus, there was something aching beautiful in the way that Alex and Willow both had haunted pasts that really did draw them to each other. So, yeah, I liked the story.
But, what really irked me was the fact that the prose was all over the place. Please, please, dear author, stick to one narrative style!
I'm really not sure if Weatherly was trying to be artsy or unique, but the constant switch from third person to first person really irritated me. It was over-stylized. Just as I was finally becoming comfortable reading from Willow's first person account, Bam! A swooping shift would occur in a way that ripped me away from how engrossed I'd become in the tale. More appalling/baffling was that this usually happened from one paragraph to the next, instead of from chapter to chapter, which is a bit more common if it is to happen.
Yet, Weatherly didn't stop there. Not only did I have to endure the unrelenting change in narrative mode, I also had to deal with narrator shifts as well when the story alternated from Willow to Alex to Raziel and finally to Jonah's perspective. It was just too much.
Really, this is a matter of personal preference. And though I like point of view shifts between my characters and could have dealt with that better had it stopped there, I just couldn't appreciate anything about the constant changes in mode of narration. I would have enjoyed the story much more if it hadn't alternated like it did.
Angel Burn offers a new take on the ever-popular angels. This is not your typically angel book in any way. L.A. Weatherly has created a new type of angel, one that is not benevolent, kind or angelic, which provides the basis for a good read.
I liked Angel Burn. It was not the stereotypical angel book, which made me enjoy this book a lot more. The angels in this book are down right frightening. One my level of scary angels, they are just below the weeping angels from Doctor Who. Weatherly has created a world based off these frightening angels. The angels are not nice at all, they feed off of humans leaving them with angel burn and it basically destroys the human’s life. I loved the whole aspect of the Church of Angel. The angels are disguised as humans and gain a human following, but the humans have no idea the effect the angels are having on them. The Church of Angels seemed like a cult, and was seemed like a frightening place to be if you know what those angels were doing. The angels that Weatherly created made me really like this book. The books stand-out from all the other angel books.
I really liked the shifting point of views. The story was told from first person from Willow but also let the read see the point of view of Alex and even the angels at times. The different perspectives worked really well into building the story. I also really liked that both Willow and Alex had very strong, distinctive voices.
However, I felt the pacing on this book was a bit off. I wish at parts that the pacing was slower and at other parts that it was faster. Also, there was bit too much of instant-love for me that made me really wish Alex and Willow’s relationship was slowed down a lot. The action at the end happened very quickly and left me a bit confused as to what happened that I need to reread a few pages to figure it out. There needed to be a better balance with the pacing of this book.
Overall, I enjoyed Angel Burn. The angels that Weatherly has created are awesome and they make the book for me. I’m interested to see where the next book in the series takes us and to learn more about the angels.
I liked Angel Burn. It was not the stereotypical angel book, which made me enjoy this book a lot more. The angels in this book are down right frightening. One my level of scary angels, they are just below the weeping angels from Doctor Who. Weatherly has created a world based off these frightening angels. The angels are not nice at all, they feed off of humans leaving them with angel burn and it basically destroys the human’s life. I loved the whole aspect of the Church of Angel. The angels are disguised as humans and gain a human following, but the humans have no idea the effect the angels are having on them. The Church of Angels seemed like a cult, and was seemed like a frightening place to be if you know what those angels were doing. The angels that Weatherly created made me really like this book. The books stand-out from all the other angel books.
I really liked the shifting point of views. The story was told from first person from Willow but also let the read see the point of view of Alex and even the angels at times. The different perspectives worked really well into building the story. I also really liked that both Willow and Alex had very strong, distinctive voices.
However, I felt the pacing on this book was a bit off. I wish at parts that the pacing was slower and at other parts that it was faster. Also, there was bit too much of instant-love for me that made me really wish Alex and Willow’s relationship was slowed down a lot. The action at the end happened very quickly and left me a bit confused as to what happened that I need to reread a few pages to figure it out. There needed to be a better balance with the pacing of this book.
Overall, I enjoyed Angel Burn. The angels that Weatherly has created are awesome and they make the book for me. I’m interested to see where the next book in the series takes us and to learn more about the angels.
Fascinating and unique take on angel lore. Their vampiric-like nature completely creeped me out. Appreciated that the author went big with the conflict. I definitely felt the desperation that Willow and Alex are confronting against a large-scale societal attack by angels. Not only are they hard-pressed to find anyone to believe them, but they angels are pretty much destroying the human race. Loved the slow built up of their relationship. It was delightful to watch Willow and Alex learn to trust each other and then fall in love. The depth of their feelings felt very realistic to me, especially with the amount of time that they spent together, as well as danger they faced. Really enjoyed crossing the country with them as well. The author’s descriptions of locations were marvelous.
I will say that I did think that the story was slow in parts, and though I love Alex and Willow, I am really looking forward to the addition of characters in the next book. I feel like we have so much more to learn about the angels and how to fight them (I hope we do anyway!). And I’m honestly not sure that Alex and Willow could go up against everything their facing without more help.
When an author uses multiple voices, I usually dislike switching from first to third person narrative. But it didn’t bother me so much in this book. For some reason it worked for me here. Not sure why.
I did feel like Alex was rather young for all he had accomplished. Working for the CIA alone since he was barely 16? That didn’t seem plausible to me. I would have liked him to have been written a few years older. But that’s a minor detail.
I will say that I did think that the story was slow in parts, and though I love Alex and Willow, I am really looking forward to the addition of characters in the next book. I feel like we have so much more to learn about the angels and how to fight them (I hope we do anyway!). And I’m honestly not sure that Alex and Willow could go up against everything their facing without more help.
When an author uses multiple voices, I usually dislike switching from first to third person narrative. But it didn’t bother me so much in this book. For some reason it worked for me here. Not sure why.
I did feel like Alex was rather young for all he had accomplished. Working for the CIA alone since he was barely 16? That didn’t seem plausible to me. I would have liked him to have been written a few years older. But that’s a minor detail.