I put this review off for a week or so, partly because of the holidays and partly because I needed to let it all settle. I loved Unearthly. A lot. And I really wanted to love this book but was afraid it would suffer from book-two-itis.
For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose-the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.
So, I really enjoy Cynthia’s prose. There’s just something about the way her writing gels with the plot…I can’t imagine this story being told with any other words. You know? It just fits together. Like a puzzle.
And her characters! And the world building! I liked that there was mystery and intrigue and morally ambiguous characters (I NEED to know more about…uh…his name escapes me, Clara’s brother. What is going on there?????) and death and destiny and fighting destiny. There was so much that I loved about this book.
But, ultimately, I am worried. Because the ending was so…arg….if…if…If things don’t end up how I want them to end up (In a Clara/Tucker way) I am going to retroactively hate this series. But, it’s just so good (and PRETTY!) that I don’t WANT to retroactively hate it.
Okay, okay, back track. I loved that we got some answers. Unearthly had such an upsetting lack of answers in it, I was afraid Hallowed was going to be the same. But, no, we got some answers. We had to wait a little longer than I wanted and there were times I didn’t buy Clara’s acceptance of not getting answers but in the end…well, it was what I thought it was going to be and I was happy that we got to learn it.
Well, it was what I thought it was going to be but in a completely different way than I thought it was going to be. No spoilers sucks.
But, I hate Christian. I just…I don’t find his character to have one redeeming quality at all. On page he says he has no intention of being the guy who makes a move on another guys girlfriend, then later THAT SAME CHAPTER he does just that. And he totally takes advantage of Clara. Takes advantage of her grief and her secrets (which he totally works out before she does and then DOESN’T TELL HER!!!) And he’s just an ass. And if they end up together I’m donating all my beautiful hardcovers to the library. And ripping a page first. An important one.
Tucker is just as awesome as ever. With his NOT taking advantage. And NOT pushing Clara. And NOT being part of some stupid vision thus DESTINED! His just understanding and gives Clara whatever she needs. And…that last scene with them was just heartbreaking. But…I can’t see how Tucker is even going to be in the next book but I NEED him there. And I need Christian to die or turn out to be evil or something. I just don’t like him at all.
I want CHOICE to win. Not DESTINY! Stupid destiny.
Yeah….so. I can’t really say if I liked this book until after I read the third one. But, it certainly affected me.