Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
Beautifully written, as expected. I was glad to finally get some answers to the questions I didn't get answered in Unearthly.
I was frustrated with this book for a couple of reasons- I felt like there wasn't a lot happening in this one other than waiting for a very specific thing to happen (which I won't spoil). I know this is kind of typical for second books in trilogy. There was a lot of setting up for the third book. The other thing that frustrated me was the absence of a certain character that I have a soft spot for. I understand that the focus was on the other person in the love triangle but I didn't like that the other one was pretty much completely ignored. (I know I'm being vague but I'm trying not to include spoilers.)
I was frustrated with this book for a couple of reasons- I felt like there wasn't a lot happening in this one other than waiting for a very specific thing to happen (which I won't spoil). I know this is kind of typical for second books in trilogy. There was a lot of setting up for the third book. The other thing that frustrated me was the absence of a certain character that I have a soft spot for. I understand that the focus was on the other person in the love triangle but I didn't like that the other one was pretty much completely ignored. (I know I'm being vague but I'm trying not to include spoilers.)
Cynthia hand doesn't disappoint in this sequel to unearthly. I was hooked from page one wanting to know what was going to happen next leading me to stay up late just to read more
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
A wild ride! I could not put this down at all! I got so irritated when I had to do real life things. Yes, that's how invested I was. So many plot twists and mysteries revealed! Edge of my seat and biting my nails!! I can't say much because I don't want to spoil it. Clara's mom is amazing! Clara is perfect and develops more, which doesn't seem possible but it happens. On to book 3.
The series continues to be amazing, and to make me want to flail my hands. All the characters continue to be real people, with real talents and flaws, regardless of whether they are angels or humans. And I want to run around saying "This is not your mama's Angel Stories" and that says something coming from the girl who avoids them (...and drug herself, unhappily through the second half of A Need So Beautiful...).
But I am ecstatic about this series. And the big twists in this one were BIG. The serious one at the ending literally tore at my heart. I want to know where everyone is going and what is going to happen to them. Parents. Ex's. Friends. Everything. Radiant was waiting to be devoured right after this one, and Boundless needs to happen, oh, NOW.
Also. All those warnings about needing tissues for this book? People weren't wrong. Even having predicted who and how and what from chapter two, I was so near to tears so many times. It was just done so well, I felt it slamming me as it slammed Clara.
But I am ecstatic about this series. And the big twists in this one were BIG. The serious one at the ending literally tore at my heart. I want to know where everyone is going and what is going to happen to them. Parents. Ex's. Friends. Everything. Radiant was waiting to be devoured right after this one, and Boundless needs to happen, oh, NOW.
Also. All those warnings about needing tissues for this book? People weren't wrong. Even having predicted who and how and what from chapter two, I was so near to tears so many times. It was just done so well, I felt it slamming me as it slammed Clara.
3.5 stars.
I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the first. I felt like a lot of it was unnecessary and repetitive and could have been condensed into a book half its length. I still enjoyed it though!
Also, I love her dad!!!
I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the first. I felt like a lot of it was unnecessary and repetitive and could have been condensed into a book half its length. I still enjoyed it though!
Also, I love her dad!!!
Oh. My. God.
I thought Unearthly was good, yes, far above the average young adult paranormal romance. Still I was unprepared for Hallowed, and how much I liked it. What am I saying? I loved it. I’m talking about a 4.5 starts coming really close to a 5 here!
It was not only a captivating story, but also a very, very emotional one – something I hadn’t expected at all from a novel of the genre. After all, YA paranormal is what I turn to to be entertained. Here though, Cynthia Hand gets close and personal with death, grief and the sense of powerlessness that accompanies both. She delivers a story with depth where Clara goes through all kinds of emotions, and us with her.
Also, I can’t say enough of the author’s great writing of a fantastic romance. I have mentioned more than once before being tired of the love triangle, but this might be the exception. I felt that Hand didn’t hesitate to go where many authors won’t, tearing apart what was already established to start anew. Tucker is still a lovely boy, but as we get to know Christian better through time, it is impossible to resist his charm and good nature. Plus, his understanding of Clara was exactly what she needed, when she needed it. Without taking anything away from Tucker, Christian developed in his own character and we finally get to really know him.
There’s still an element of danger with the Black Wings more or less hanging around, making Hallowed a constant roller coaster of emotions and adventures. We learn just so, so much about angels in this book that it kept me constantly on my toes, trying to guess what was next. I was very happy to see many of my predictions come true! Because of Hand’s fantastic writing, I didn’t feel as if it had been predictable; there was always an element of surprise in the details, or with the moment chosen for new revelations and twists.
I’m so glad this turned out to be even better than I expected! Book three will only be coming out in 2013, and this seems a bit too far from now for my taste!
I thought Unearthly was good, yes, far above the average young adult paranormal romance. Still I was unprepared for Hallowed, and how much I liked it. What am I saying? I loved it. I’m talking about a 4.5 starts coming really close to a 5 here!
It was not only a captivating story, but also a very, very emotional one – something I hadn’t expected at all from a novel of the genre. After all, YA paranormal is what I turn to to be entertained. Here though, Cynthia Hand gets close and personal with death, grief and the sense of powerlessness that accompanies both. She delivers a story with depth where Clara goes through all kinds of emotions, and us with her.
Also, I can’t say enough of the author’s great writing of a fantastic romance. I have mentioned more than once before being tired of the love triangle, but this might be the exception. I felt that Hand didn’t hesitate to go where many authors won’t, tearing apart what was already established to start anew. Tucker is still a lovely boy, but as we get to know Christian better through time, it is impossible to resist his charm and good nature. Plus, his understanding of Clara was exactly what she needed, when she needed it. Without taking anything away from Tucker, Christian developed in his own character and we finally get to really know him.
There’s still an element of danger with the Black Wings more or less hanging around, making Hallowed a constant roller coaster of emotions and adventures. We learn just so, so much about angels in this book that it kept me constantly on my toes, trying to guess what was next. I was very happy to see many of my predictions come true! Because of Hand’s fantastic writing, I didn’t feel as if it had been predictable; there was always an element of surprise in the details, or with the moment chosen for new revelations and twists.
I’m so glad this turned out to be even better than I expected! Book three will only be coming out in 2013, and this seems a bit too far from now for my taste!
After finishing Unearthly I was pretty excited to read the next book in the series. I really loved that book. But one of my big loves for the book was Tucker. So I was also really hesitant going into Hallowed because I had heard people say it will turn your feelings around to rooting for Christian more, and I didn’t want that!
As far as the love triangle goes, I’m really torn. I feel like Tucker’s character was changed and purposefully pushed into the background in this book in an effort to draw us to team Christian. But I’m just not feeling the chemistry between him and Clara that I was feeling between her and Tucker. They’re friends, I can see that. But more? I’m not buying it. It feels like they want to be together because they’re supposed to, and that just isn’t enough for me. I can see why they would be good together, but sometimes love isn’t rational or logical. The heart wants what it wants. So it doesn’t seem like Clara is really following her heart, but instead going with what she feels is easy or meant to be.
Aside from the love triangle, a lot happened and at the same time a lot didn’t happen in this book. When I think back on the bigger picture, it seems like Clara didn’t really move forward any as far as her purpose goes. But at the same time, a lot of personal issues (inside and outside the romance) make up the story. This of course is important for Clara’s character to grow and move forward, but I’m hoping sort of a bigger theme will form in the next book. I don’t know if this is supposed to be a trilogy or just ongoing? Either way, it just needs a little something aside from Clara growing into who she is.
But this was a good book. Like with Unearthly I had trouble putting it down. I love the touches of sarcastic humor thrown in and, despite my uneasiness with the love triangle for this one, I do love all the characters individually. Like I said above, I just hope the next book(s) form a larger theme, possibly working off of what Clara’s purpose is, and I’m excited to learn more about that.
As far as the love triangle goes, I’m really torn. I feel like Tucker’s character was changed and purposefully pushed into the background in this book in an effort to draw us to team Christian. But I’m just not feeling the chemistry between him and Clara that I was feeling between her and Tucker. They’re friends, I can see that. But more? I’m not buying it. It feels like they want to be together because they’re supposed to, and that just isn’t enough for me. I can see why they would be good together, but sometimes love isn’t rational or logical. The heart wants what it wants. So it doesn’t seem like Clara is really following her heart, but instead going with what she feels is easy or meant to be.
Aside from the love triangle, a lot happened and at the same time a lot didn’t happen in this book. When I think back on the bigger picture, it seems like Clara didn’t really move forward any as far as her purpose goes. But at the same time, a lot of personal issues (inside and outside the romance) make up the story. This of course is important for Clara’s character to grow and move forward, but I’m hoping sort of a bigger theme will form in the next book. I don’t know if this is supposed to be a trilogy or just ongoing? Either way, it just needs a little something aside from Clara growing into who she is.
But this was a good book. Like with Unearthly I had trouble putting it down. I love the touches of sarcastic humor thrown in and, despite my uneasiness with the love triangle for this one, I do love all the characters individually. Like I said above, I just hope the next book(s) form a larger theme, possibly working off of what Clara’s purpose is, and I’m excited to learn more about that.
‘Hallowed’ continues the amazing story of Clara Gardener, a part-angel teenager who is discovering what her angelic purpose is on Earth and who is fighting to make her own choices, rather than have them dictated for her. It is an extremely emotional book; there is no way to not be moved by the way Cynthia Hand depicts Clara’s struggle. She’s going through an incredibly tough time and all you want to do is reach through the pages and give her a hug.
I love that we find out more about the angel world during this book. Once again there’s a strong focus on what an angel’s purpose is supposed to mean and how to deal with it. But I was more interested in discovering more about Black Wings and angels in general. We get a bit more of the history (partly through the fantastic researcher, Angela); I only wish we could have had a bit more of it because the Black Wings are an intriguing group. ‘Hallowed’ is a very informative book. Where Clara was missing information in the previous book, she’s discovering a lot more about her world this time around.
I had a small issue with the love triangle (seriously, who doesn’t have issues with love triangles these days?) There is never a good love triangle. I like to think I’m ok with them, especially when both guys are loveable; but sometimes you just can’t help finding faults within one guy and it becomes obvious which side you’re on. That’s what it is like for me in this series. I adore both guys. They have their faults, but they’re deeply in love with Clara and would do anything to protect her. But the issue of having a purpose, which in Clara’s case seems to involve Christian being the centre of her world, annoys me slightly. The idea of having a destiny is romantic, especially when it involves finding someone to love for eternity, but to think that an angel’s purpose seems to just be predetermined situations that they’ve all been told they must follow blindly. There is no free will, no chance to make you own decisions; and I’m annoyed that Clara – who fought to make her own choices in ‘Unearthly’ – didn’t fight so much in this book. But, despite adoring both guys, I’m 100% Team Tucker and hope to see a lot more of him in the next book; I just don’t think I got enough of him in ‘Hallowed’.
Desperate to see what happens in book 3, I just hope it’s slightly less painful than ‘Hallowed’ was.
I love that we find out more about the angel world during this book. Once again there’s a strong focus on what an angel’s purpose is supposed to mean and how to deal with it. But I was more interested in discovering more about Black Wings and angels in general. We get a bit more of the history (partly through the fantastic researcher, Angela); I only wish we could have had a bit more of it because the Black Wings are an intriguing group. ‘Hallowed’ is a very informative book. Where Clara was missing information in the previous book, she’s discovering a lot more about her world this time around.
I had a small issue with the love triangle (seriously, who doesn’t have issues with love triangles these days?) There is never a good love triangle. I like to think I’m ok with them, especially when both guys are loveable; but sometimes you just can’t help finding faults within one guy and it becomes obvious which side you’re on. That’s what it is like for me in this series. I adore both guys. They have their faults, but they’re deeply in love with Clara and would do anything to protect her. But the issue of having a purpose, which in Clara’s case seems to involve Christian being the centre of her world, annoys me slightly. The idea of having a destiny is romantic, especially when it involves finding someone to love for eternity, but to think that an angel’s purpose seems to just be predetermined situations that they’ve all been told they must follow blindly. There is no free will, no chance to make you own decisions; and I’m annoyed that Clara – who fought to make her own choices in ‘Unearthly’ – didn’t fight so much in this book. But, despite adoring both guys, I’m 100% Team Tucker and hope to see a lot more of him in the next book; I just don’t think I got enough of him in ‘Hallowed’.
Desperate to see what happens in book 3, I just hope it’s slightly less painful than ‘Hallowed’ was.