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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
Review originally posted on Heise Reads & Recommends
In this second book in the trilogy, Clara is trying to find her place in the world as a part angel (which she discovered in the first book) while reconciling the fact that she doesn't think she fulfilled her "purpose" from the first book when she went to save her boyfriend, Tucker, instead of staying with Christian (another part angel). Meanwhile, her brother is being difficult and withdrawn ever since she saw him after the fire and she has no idea why, and her mother is holding back information which is frustrating to Clara because she doesn't totally understand what is happening. While that all worries her, she is so focused on herself because of the new visions she is having and what they might mean - and which boy is and which boy isn't there. She is struggling with not only her new angel self, but her non-angel boyfriend who she truly loves, but feeling drawn to Christian and not understanding why he seems to "get" her so well and how they can communicate. So, is it a triangley romance? Yes, but it's much more than that too.
I don't want to give too much away because part of the goodness of this book was discovering pieces of information along with Clara. When Clara gets it, we as the reader start to have more pieces fall into place, and we feel along with Clara. I can say that it is heart-breaking toward the end, which the whole book is leading up to, and there were tears for me. However, Clara does learn more about her family - both biological and friend and angel - and I am left with hope that she will have the support she needs to get through anything. This book is about Clara's struggle with being pulled in two directions, and whether she can find the strength to do what she wants or what she was meant to do. It's an inner struggle of how much free will does she wants to exert.
I really enjoy the characters in these books, both main and secondary. I also really enjoy the interactions between them. I especially like the introduction of Clara's father and everything that goes along with him being in her life again. There is a little bit of snark and sass and humor to the writing that keeps me entertained and helps take away from some of the heaviness of the book. I also like the way that there are times where it seems as if Clara is talking right to us as the reader. There were some very snarkily humorous direct references to other very popular teen books and the way in which some of the characters act. Clara's asides about how she never thought she'd be "that girl" but is anyway make me laugh.
As much as I like Cynthia's overall writing style, the one thing that throws me off is how time passes in her books. This book takes place over the course of a school year, but some times have many more events and much more detail, and others don't. But sometimes I would flip to a new chapter and not realize that we had jumped forward in time so much. Because of the transitions not being there, I felt confused at some times right when they chapters started. Overall, I really enjoy this series, and will be anxiously awaiting the third book to find out what will happen with Clara now that high school is over, but I also appreciate that this book didn't end on a cliffhanger, but just me wanting to stay with Clara a little longer.
In this second book in the trilogy, Clara is trying to find her place in the world as a part angel (which she discovered in the first book) while reconciling the fact that she doesn't think she fulfilled her "purpose" from the first book when she went to save her boyfriend, Tucker, instead of staying with Christian (another part angel). Meanwhile, her brother is being difficult and withdrawn ever since she saw him after the fire and she has no idea why, and her mother is holding back information which is frustrating to Clara because she doesn't totally understand what is happening. While that all worries her, she is so focused on herself because of the new visions she is having and what they might mean - and which boy is and which boy isn't there. She is struggling with not only her new angel self, but her non-angel boyfriend who she truly loves, but feeling drawn to Christian and not understanding why he seems to "get" her so well and how they can communicate. So, is it a triangley romance? Yes, but it's much more than that too.
I don't want to give too much away because part of the goodness of this book was discovering pieces of information along with Clara. When Clara gets it, we as the reader start to have more pieces fall into place, and we feel along with Clara. I can say that it is heart-breaking toward the end, which the whole book is leading up to, and there were tears for me. However, Clara does learn more about her family - both biological and friend and angel - and I am left with hope that she will have the support she needs to get through anything. This book is about Clara's struggle with being pulled in two directions, and whether she can find the strength to do what she wants or what she was meant to do. It's an inner struggle of how much free will does she wants to exert.
I really enjoy the characters in these books, both main and secondary. I also really enjoy the interactions between them. I especially like the introduction of Clara's father and everything that goes along with him being in her life again. There is a little bit of snark and sass and humor to the writing that keeps me entertained and helps take away from some of the heaviness of the book. I also like the way that there are times where it seems as if Clara is talking right to us as the reader. There were some very snarkily humorous direct references to other very popular teen books and the way in which some of the characters act. Clara's asides about how she never thought she'd be "that girl" but is anyway make me laugh.
As much as I like Cynthia's overall writing style, the one thing that throws me off is how time passes in her books. This book takes place over the course of a school year, but some times have many more events and much more detail, and others don't. But sometimes I would flip to a new chapter and not realize that we had jumped forward in time so much. Because of the transitions not being there, I felt confused at some times right when they chapters started. Overall, I really enjoy this series, and will be anxiously awaiting the third book to find out what will happen with Clara now that high school is over, but I also appreciate that this book didn't end on a cliffhanger, but just me wanting to stay with Clara a little longer.
4,5 Sterne.
Dieser Band war etwas ruhiger als der vorherige, dennoch habe ich ihn wieder verschlungen. Ich bin gespannt, wie die Geschichte im dritten Teil zuende geht.
Dieser Band war etwas ruhiger als der vorherige, dennoch habe ich ihn wieder verschlungen. Ich bin gespannt, wie die Geschichte im dritten Teil zuende geht.
Originally posted on my blog Kelsey's Cluttered Bookshelf. Visit to see the whole review.
After Clara fails at her purpose at the end of the last book and saved Tucker instead of meeting Christian, she feels like it’s all over, like she failed. She loves Tucker so much, and doesn’t regret what she did, but now she waits to see what the consequences will be.
When she starts to have more visions, in her sleep now as opposed to in daylight, she wonders if they’re like from before. Are they just dreams or something that must be done next. Her mom says one’s purpose can last longer, but now she’s even more confused as to what is expected of her. When the vision this time hints that she’s at someone’s funeral, she has to figure out who it is, and how or when they died.
In her final year, not only does she have her angel problems, like a certain Black Wing stalking her, but the idea of going away for College and leaving Tucker scares her. She doesn’t know what she wants to or should do. It’s a complicated time for her right now, and the impending loss really hits her. Of course the confusion of her feelings for Christian, the ones she should have had from the last book, keep coming back. She even mocks herself about love triangles!
There’s even more secrets and crazy twists in this book compared to the first! I loved every second of it, and think it’s the best angel series I’ve read so far.
Recommended for young adult fans of paranormal, angels and romance.
After Clara fails at her purpose at the end of the last book and saved Tucker instead of meeting Christian, she feels like it’s all over, like she failed. She loves Tucker so much, and doesn’t regret what she did, but now she waits to see what the consequences will be.
When she starts to have more visions, in her sleep now as opposed to in daylight, she wonders if they’re like from before. Are they just dreams or something that must be done next. Her mom says one’s purpose can last longer, but now she’s even more confused as to what is expected of her. When the vision this time hints that she’s at someone’s funeral, she has to figure out who it is, and how or when they died.
In her final year, not only does she have her angel problems, like a certain Black Wing stalking her, but the idea of going away for College and leaving Tucker scares her. She doesn’t know what she wants to or should do. It’s a complicated time for her right now, and the impending loss really hits her. Of course the confusion of her feelings for Christian, the ones she should have had from the last book, keep coming back. She even mocks herself about love triangles!
There’s even more secrets and crazy twists in this book compared to the first! I loved every second of it, and think it’s the best angel series I’ve read so far.
Recommended for young adult fans of paranormal, angels and romance.
This was the sloooooooooooooowest book starting out. It took me forEVER to get into it but around page 160 or so it started to pick up the pace. It was slightly anticlimatic at the end; there wasn't any bad ass battles or anything. I don't particularly care for how the author continually attempts to humanize Samjeeza because..well...hes not human and I prefer my villians 100% ruthless. But we'll see what happens in the final book. Other than that on the Epic Epiphany Scale 1-10 it got a 9.5 there are a lot of loose ends that get tied up and the author leaves you wanting to read the last book without an annoying cliffhanger. =) =) Smiles all 'round =) =)
I want to give this book five stars, but for some reason I can't. I think it was because I found this book harder to get into than Unearthly though I enjoyed it just as much, if not more! This book was an emotional roller-coaster, with the love triangle I find myself rooting for both Tucker and Christian at different points of the book but mostly I root for Clara. I didn't care who she ended/ends up with but not in a bad way at all, I didn't care because she is so REAL I want what's best for her and what makes her happy. This book devastated me, the scenes between Clara and her family often had me crying so much I had to put the book down. I want the next book right now and I don't know how I'm going to wait!
Right in the feels the whole way through...and they were mostly sad feels
This series is what every other angel book wishes it could grow up to be.
Hallowed is "middle book" at its very best.
Out of all the paranormal creatures in YA, angels get by far the worst treatment. Three of the worst YA series all feature angels, and until Unearthly, I thought perhaps it was impossible to write a decent angel book. But Unearthly was not decent--IT WAS AMAZING. That delicious, slow-build romance between Clara and Tucker. A strong, likeable heroine with a realistic voice. A vivid, gorgeous setting. Intriguing mythology that makes sense. Tucker. (Did I mention Tucker?) Ever since I closed the pages of Unearthly, I've been clamoring for a sequel.
In Cynthia Hand's follow-up novel, she DELIVERS. She makes me feel things about characters that I never thought I could. She takes this in the direction hinted at throughout Unearthly, but she makes it work (in ways this Team Tucker girl didn't think were possible) and adds some complexity with other unexpected twists. My heart was aching--ACHING--when I finished this book.
Cynthia Hand, how did you make me like Christian? I'm as TEAM TUCKER as they come, and yet you drew me in to see Christian's goodness and charm and caring with such a sly hand. I'm no advocate of love triangles, but this one is as good as they come.
And the writing? As addictive and snappy and heart-breaking as ever. I love that Cynthia can poke fun at her own book and genre with funny little lines about stalker girlfriends and love triangles and jealous boyfriends. Her writing makes these characters feel REAL, so real that she can make me feel absolute joy and then devastation because of the struggles and choices these characters face. And trust me...you will feel a gamut of emotions reading this.
Cynthia Hand has shown that Unearthly was no fluke. This woman can WRITE. This series shines with stellar characterization, fascinating mythology, compelling choices, and Tucker (it needed to be said). I cannot wait to see what she has in store next for these beloved characters.
Hallowed is "middle book" at its very best.
Out of all the paranormal creatures in YA, angels get by far the worst treatment. Three of the worst YA series all feature angels, and until Unearthly, I thought perhaps it was impossible to write a decent angel book. But Unearthly was not decent--IT WAS AMAZING. That delicious, slow-build romance between Clara and Tucker. A strong, likeable heroine with a realistic voice. A vivid, gorgeous setting. Intriguing mythology that makes sense. Tucker. (Did I mention Tucker?) Ever since I closed the pages of Unearthly, I've been clamoring for a sequel.
In Cynthia Hand's follow-up novel, she DELIVERS. She makes me feel things about characters that I never thought I could. She takes this in the direction hinted at throughout Unearthly, but she makes it work (in ways this Team Tucker girl didn't think were possible) and adds some complexity with other unexpected twists. My heart was aching--ACHING--when I finished this book.
Cynthia Hand, how did you make me like Christian? I'm as TEAM TUCKER as they come, and yet you drew me in to see Christian's goodness and charm and caring with such a sly hand. I'm no advocate of love triangles, but this one is as good as they come.
And the writing? As addictive and snappy and heart-breaking as ever. I love that Cynthia can poke fun at her own book and genre with funny little lines about stalker girlfriends and love triangles and jealous boyfriends. Her writing makes these characters feel REAL, so real that she can make me feel absolute joy and then devastation because of the struggles and choices these characters face. And trust me...you will feel a gamut of emotions reading this.
Cynthia Hand has shown that Unearthly was no fluke. This woman can WRITE. This series shines with stellar characterization, fascinating mythology, compelling choices, and Tucker (it needed to be said). I cannot wait to see what she has in store next for these beloved characters.