Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Genre: YA Fantasy
Series: Unearthly # 1
Copyright: 2011
Pages: 435
Book Source: Harper Teen & Netgalley

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees...

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

Review:
*Squeal* This is it! THE angel book of the year!! What an enchanting, captivating, refreshing, intriguing, delightful, effortless read. But that's probably enough superlatives, put simply, Unearthly is simply wonderful.

Cynthia Hand's writing is gorgeous, her descriptions of Jackson Hole, Wyoming are breathtaking, and quite honestly Hand's prose put me right in the moment, made me feel like a participant rather than an observer. The angel lore is fabulous and the whole vision and 'purpose' theme makes for an original concept, one that I loved.

Clara is a Quartarious angel-blood and a breath of fresh air. She's genuine and so 'normal' for someone not completely 'normal', if you get my drift. All the characters are well rounded and just so likeable; Clara's mother and brother, her best friends Wendy and Angela, and lastly the mysterious, too-good-to-be-true Christian Prescott and my favourite, the adorable, funny, Tucker Avery. And now to the romance; one word ... PERFECT.

The ending is ideal, well, apart from ... ending. Fortunately there was no cliffhanger but I can't wait for more. Thank you Cynthia Hand :) Now hurry up with HALLOWED ... pretty please!

Duty, destiny, choices, love, heartache, this book was all I could wish for ... and more. For those jaded by the recent surge in angel themed novels I urge you to give Unearthly a try. In my humble opinion it's a winner!

Visit Cynthia Hand's website to find out more.