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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
Comparing aspects of your novel to Twilight as some sort of excuse for them is getting really old. Most of the twists were not surprising at all, and although I don't mind love triangles in general, this one grates. Still, I'm interested to find out what happens next.
I LOVE this cover! Here I was thinking it couldn't get better than the first one... I was indeed wrong :)
* Reviewed on 5/20/12*
First off, I want to say thank you Ms. Hand for the mini refresher at the beginning because I was a little worried about how far ago I had read Unearthly and if I would be lost reading this. But she put a couple of events in there and I was able to move on easily and memories of what happened came flooding back.
On to the story. This book is FULL of emotion. I went from happy, sad, frustrated, to surprised, to devestated. To make the feelings I had even more promenient, the fact that she could read feelings made them stand out even more. And the way she handled all those emotions she felt and all the decisions she made, made it clear that Clara had grown quite a bit since the last book.
I will say that some things were definitively predictable, but not wholly if that makes sense. Like there were some things I could pick out, but only one small detail would be different from what I thought. Even still, it makes for a really great story.
I also liked the addition of the new characters and the new powers that the other angels had. It was nice to see that as angels there are some with "higher powers" (pun intended lol). I also enjoyed the fact that Clara finds out more and more about herself. It was a bit of a coming of age for her where she realized that her mother hid things, but for good reason. She and us, the readers, learned more about her, her abilities, and her heritage as the story went on, and it was a very emotional ride. I admit, I found myself crying towards the end. If you read it, you know why. I was also crying at the last two pages. So very, very sad.
Last but not least, if you are a Tucker fan (like myself) be forewarned.... This book is very Chrisitan oriented. I mean I like Christian and all, but who would take him over a hick with a country accent, startling blue eyes, muscles for days from hauling hay, and a cowboy hat? *SWOON* Well Clara, if you don't want him, I DO! lol
* Reviewed on 5/20/12*
First off, I want to say thank you Ms. Hand for the mini refresher at the beginning because I was a little worried about how far ago I had read Unearthly and if I would be lost reading this. But she put a couple of events in there and I was able to move on easily and memories of what happened came flooding back.
On to the story. This book is FULL of emotion. I went from happy, sad, frustrated, to surprised, to devestated. To make the feelings I had even more promenient, the fact that she could read feelings made them stand out even more. And the way she handled all those emotions she felt and all the decisions she made, made it clear that Clara had grown quite a bit since the last book.
I will say that some things were definitively predictable, but not wholly if that makes sense. Like there were some things I could pick out, but only one small detail would be different from what I thought. Even still, it makes for a really great story.
I also liked the addition of the new characters and the new powers that the other angels had. It was nice to see that as angels there are some with "higher powers" (pun intended lol). I also enjoyed the fact that Clara finds out more and more about herself. It was a bit of a coming of age for her where she realized that her mother hid things, but for good reason. She and us, the readers, learned more about her, her abilities, and her heritage as the story went on, and it was a very emotional ride. I admit, I found myself crying towards the end. If you read it, you know why. I was also crying at the last two pages. So very, very sad.
Last but not least, if you are a Tucker fan (like myself) be forewarned.... This book is very Chrisitan oriented. I mean I like Christian and all, but who would take him over a hick with a country accent, startling blue eyes, muscles for days from hauling hay, and a cowboy hat? *SWOON* Well Clara, if you don't want him, I DO! lol
Really good! I really like Christian in this one. Interesting revelation in the end.... I do like Clara's dad though. :)
adventurous
emotional
“There's nothing more inspiring than the complexity and beauty of the human heart”
This review appears on my blog, Starting the Next Chapter.
WARNING: Spoiler Alert! Do NOT read this review is you have not read Unearthly.
I had no idea what I was in for with regard to the next book after I finished reading Unearthly last summer. I thoroughly enjoyed that book, but wondered how I would react when reading the sequel. Would the dreaded middle book syndrome strike again? Would I like it as much as the first book? All of these questions, and more, ran through my mind as I began reading Hallowed. There are noticeable differences, as well as a few things scattered throughout the book that struck me as overly convenient, but overall, I really enjoyed my time reading Hallowed.
The first noticeable difference is in Clara. Gone is the awkward, obsessively distracted Clara of the bright orange hair. In is the more self-confident Clara, no longer with orange hair and gone completely over the moon about her boyfriend, Tucker. She is a much less painfully awkward character to read about in Hallowed and is less likely to make readers feel sorry for her. However, she isn't necessarily at her best, either. She is a much more conflicted character in Hallowed. Her problems aren't always met with the best reactions and she spends an inordinate amount of time worrying about her love life, no matter what alarming events are occurring in the periphery. This made for an overwhelmingly conflicted love triangle that came to be too much, at times. Overall, it made her more difficult to connect with as a character this time around which, I have to say, I found a little disappointing.
The sense of danger was handled very well this time. The menace of the Black Wings is much more up front in this book, which makes for a more intense sense of danger. Samjeeza is an alarming villain thanks to his ulterior motives and his total lack of morals. He holds an insidious presence throughout the book that not only imparts a feeling of dread, but also leaves behind a sense that something larger is going to happen. His madness and desperation come together to form a truly dangerous, unpredictable character.
Hallowed was just as absorbing as Unearthly and I found myself reading chapter after chapter in an attempt to find out what was going to happen next. While I didn't agree with all of the choices made in the plot of this book, I wound up being just as intrigued. For all of the characters' foibles and my misgivings about certain plot elements, I couldn't help but sink right into this book until I reached the very last page. This is definitely a book that I encourage readers to read in order to come to their own conclusions. There is a lot going on here and it can't be summed up by one reader alone. Personally, however, I give Hallowed 4 hoots.
Obligatory legal statement: This eGalley was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via Netgalley. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.
WARNING: Spoiler Alert! Do NOT read this review is you have not read Unearthly.
I had no idea what I was in for with regard to the next book after I finished reading Unearthly last summer. I thoroughly enjoyed that book, but wondered how I would react when reading the sequel. Would the dreaded middle book syndrome strike again? Would I like it as much as the first book? All of these questions, and more, ran through my mind as I began reading Hallowed. There are noticeable differences, as well as a few things scattered throughout the book that struck me as overly convenient, but overall, I really enjoyed my time reading Hallowed.
The first noticeable difference is in Clara. Gone is the awkward, obsessively distracted Clara of the bright orange hair. In is the more self-confident Clara, no longer with orange hair and gone completely over the moon about her boyfriend, Tucker. She is a much less painfully awkward character to read about in Hallowed and is less likely to make readers feel sorry for her. However, she isn't necessarily at her best, either. She is a much more conflicted character in Hallowed. Her problems aren't always met with the best reactions and she spends an inordinate amount of time worrying about her love life, no matter what alarming events are occurring in the periphery. This made for an overwhelmingly conflicted love triangle that came to be too much, at times. Overall, it made her more difficult to connect with as a character this time around which, I have to say, I found a little disappointing.
The sense of danger was handled very well this time. The menace of the Black Wings is much more up front in this book, which makes for a more intense sense of danger. Samjeeza is an alarming villain thanks to his ulterior motives and his total lack of morals. He holds an insidious presence throughout the book that not only imparts a feeling of dread, but also leaves behind a sense that something larger is going to happen. His madness and desperation come together to form a truly dangerous, unpredictable character.
Hallowed was just as absorbing as Unearthly and I found myself reading chapter after chapter in an attempt to find out what was going to happen next. While I didn't agree with all of the choices made in the plot of this book, I wound up being just as intrigued. For all of the characters' foibles and my misgivings about certain plot elements, I couldn't help but sink right into this book until I reached the very last page. This is definitely a book that I encourage readers to read in order to come to their own conclusions. There is a lot going on here and it can't be summed up by one reader alone. Personally, however, I give Hallowed 4 hoots.
Obligatory legal statement: This eGalley was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via Netgalley. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.
A lo igual que el primer libro de la serie, me gustó mucho! Es entretenido y con una historia original, siempre querés saber qué va a pasar a continuación! Los capítulos finales son los más interesantes. Voy a continuar con la serie ni bien salga el próximo libro.
Ah, I am madly in love with this series! Something I've noticed with trilogies is the middle one is kind of a let down compared to the first and last. It's usually more filler than anything else, and generally isn't as fun as the others are. We see a bit of that here, with the jumping ahead months at a time and just seeing Clara slog through her days, but it still really set up for the next book as well as piggy backed on the first. We learn more about Angel Bloods. We learn more about Clara and her family. It really is a book of its own and that's something I've had trouble finding in the second of trilogies, so it was a wonderful change.
I'm a little annoyed with the pushing of Christian and Clara's relationship. What Clara and Tucker had was so wonderful, and completely real. Their relationship grew naturally as a healthy relationship should. It was wonderful. A great change from most YA I've read. Now it's Christian and Clara are fated to be together so it must be so. Even though Clara and Tucker are so great together. I don't really care much about relationships in books (unless they play an important role in the plot)and won't point them out unless there's something seriously wrong with them. (See [b:Open Minds|12727768|Open Minds (Mindjack Trilogy, #1)|Susan Kaye Quinn|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1389593158s/12727768.jpg|17864554]) But here it's taking a great relationship, something younger readers can look at and actually aspire to have, and throwing it out the window just for *~fate~*. I do hope this is plot relevant or I will be very disappointed.
I love the little twist with Clara's mom. I had narrowed the new vision down to two suspects a bit before Clara did and it was the same two she came up with, but there was still that mystery there because you didn't know who was in the vision and it just worked really well. I'm not sure how I feel about Clara's father showing up and being who he is. I kind of liked book one Clara with her being mostly human and really just your average girl who happened to have a bit of angel blood in her, but this is character development and her coming to terms with who she really is, and facing destiny, and it's really important.
I'm glad we got to learn a bit about hr brother's purpose. I mean I kept wondering why all the focus was on Clara when clearly her brother should be going through the same thing. We also get a look at insider angel life, which is something I was super curious about. Even if it's just a tiny sneak peek, I'm so happy it was there. And finally, Samjeeza. He's great because he's not exactly an enemy, but everyone treats him as one. He really has potential for a great antagonist, but at the same time can possibly be a powerful ally and I love that.
I can't wait to pick up book three!
I'm a little annoyed with the pushing of Christian and Clara's relationship. What Clara and Tucker had was so wonderful, and completely real. Their relationship grew naturally as a healthy relationship should. It was wonderful. A great change from most YA I've read. Now it's Christian and Clara are fated to be together so it must be so. Even though Clara and Tucker are so great together. I don't really care much about relationships in books (unless they play an important role in the plot)and won't point them out unless there's something seriously wrong with them. (See [b:Open Minds|12727768|Open Minds (Mindjack Trilogy, #1)|Susan Kaye Quinn|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1389593158s/12727768.jpg|17864554]) But here it's taking a great relationship, something younger readers can look at and actually aspire to have, and throwing it out the window just for *~fate~*. I do hope this is plot relevant or I will be very disappointed.
I love the little twist with Clara's mom. I had narrowed the new vision down to two suspects a bit before Clara did and it was the same two she came up with, but there was still that mystery there because you didn't know who was in the vision and it just worked really well. I'm not sure how I feel about Clara's father showing up and being who he is. I kind of liked book one Clara with her being mostly human and really just your average girl who happened to have a bit of angel blood in her, but this is character development and her coming to terms with who she really is, and facing destiny, and it's really important.
I'm glad we got to learn a bit about hr brother's purpose. I mean I kept wondering why all the focus was on Clara when clearly her brother should be going through the same thing. We also get a look at insider angel life, which is something I was super curious about. Even if it's just a tiny sneak peek, I'm so happy it was there. And finally, Samjeeza. He's great because he's not exactly an enemy, but everyone treats him as one. He really has potential for a great antagonist, but at the same time can possibly be a powerful ally and I love that.
I can't wait to pick up book three!
I have been anticipating the release of the sequel to Unearthly ever since I finished the first one. If you know me, you know I raved about the first book for a long time. I absolutely loved it. It had drama, humor, angels, and romance. And Hand's writing is fantastic and compelling.
Hallowed is a good followup to its predecessor. The overall tone, however, is an impending doom and a little more melancholy than the first one. We find Clara a little more determined to decide her own fate, but I worry that she's becoming a victim. She still remains a very well-formed and developed character with loads more dimension than, say, Bella in Twilight but I wasn't as impressed with the Hallowed version of Clara. At first she is ready to bring the fight and not accept the vision, but I think she hesitates because of how badly it turned out the first time she went against her purpose.
There are some beautiful aspects to this book. The gathering is fascinating. The description of Clara's father is great. I love what Hand has done with the mythos of the angels. She has truly made it her own.
This book is also full of surprises. Hand proves that she is a master at the craft by revealing new information in just the right way and at the perfect moment.
Love triangles. Yuck. Clara even talks about how much she hates love triangles (and goes on to compare herself to Bella which I found funny because there is no comparison. Go Team Clara!) and I find that I agree with her, yet we're pushed into this love triangle story that only gets deeper and more involved. I don't think it's resolved yet. At least I hope it's not. The third book has a lot to answer for the way this one left off. However, I do have to say, usually there is one obvious better choice in a love triangle, but Hand has done a good job of making it seem like both would be a good choice. That makes the ultimate decision that much harder.
Finally a YA fiction series with smarts and good writing! I'm totally a fan. The only reason I only gave it one Woot! was because there was a little disappointment because it wasn't as big a page-turner as the first one. Is that unfair?
Hallowed is a good followup to its predecessor. The overall tone, however, is an impending doom and a little more melancholy than the first one. We find Clara a little more determined to decide her own fate, but I worry that she's becoming a victim. She still remains a very well-formed and developed character with loads more dimension than, say, Bella in Twilight but I wasn't as impressed with the Hallowed version of Clara. At first she is ready to bring the fight and not accept the vision, but I think she hesitates because of how badly it turned out the first time she went against her purpose.
There are some beautiful aspects to this book. The gathering is fascinating. The description of Clara's father is great. I love what Hand has done with the mythos of the angels. She has truly made it her own.
This book is also full of surprises. Hand proves that she is a master at the craft by revealing new information in just the right way and at the perfect moment.
Love triangles. Yuck. Clara even talks about how much she hates love triangles (and goes on to compare herself to Bella which I found funny because there is no comparison. Go Team Clara!) and I find that I agree with her, yet we're pushed into this love triangle story that only gets deeper and more involved. I don't think it's resolved yet. At least I hope it's not. The third book has a lot to answer for the way this one left off. However, I do have to say, usually there is one obvious better choice in a love triangle, but Hand has done a good job of making it seem like both would be a good choice. That makes the ultimate decision that much harder.
Finally a YA fiction series with smarts and good writing! I'm totally a fan. The only reason I only gave it one Woot! was because there was a little disappointment because it wasn't as big a page-turner as the first one. Is that unfair?
I was somewhat ok with Unearthly. I liked it, didn't love it. Hallowed was amazing! I thought it was much better than the first and loved reading the character development!
Can't wait to read Boundless!
Can't wait to read Boundless!