Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Genre: YA Fantasy
Series: Unearthly #2
Release Date: 17th January 2012
Pages: 403
Book Source: HarperCollins & NetGalley


Synopsis: 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.
My Thoughts:
Many of you know how much I loved the first book in this series UNEARTHLY, it made my favourite read list for 2011 so I was beyond excited to receive automatic approval from HarperCollins and get a copy of HALLOWED and I'm pleased to say it didn't disappoint. 

Hallowed is quieter than Unearthly, it focuses on relationships but with the same unputdownable, mesmerising quality of the first book. It's a book to be savoured! 

In Unearthly I was team Tucker all the way; I loved that Clara followed her heart with Tucker, exercised her free will to make a choice that was possibly at odds with her 'purpose'. But in Hallowed you can feel the internal war raging between Clara's angel side and her human side so I forgive Clara her fickleness. I'm almost as torn as she is over Tucker and Christian. 

“Your hair smells like wind, did you know that?" 
Yep, me and Tucker, smelling each other. 

"This isn't going to become one of those creepy situations where you show up at all hours of the night to watch me sleep, is it?" he asks playfully. 
"Every moment I'm away from you, I die a little," I say in return. (giggle giggle)
I confess I have a love/hate thing going with Christian, he's good and constant and caring, not to mention drop-dead gorgeous and compassionate but it did grate that he's so assured and just a teensy bit arrogant. I guess I'm still Team Tucker??

Secrets are slooooowly revealed in Hallowed, (patience is not my virtue) there's finally more disclosure from Clara's mother Maggie. Revelations abound surrounding the unique angel lore, but I have almost as many questions as answers provided. I'm drooling at the prospect of the next book but at least we're not left dangling over a precipice. Much appreciated Ms Hand :)

Hand's prose is still breathtaking, Hallowed is sweet and tender and heart-breaking ... and I cried. Books that induce tears (not of the frustration kind) earn my seal of approval. Three words emotion, emotion, emotion!


 
The US cover is the one I've used at the top but I have to say my favourite is the Aussie cover, followed by the UK. How 'bout you?

Aussie cover
UK cover


Visit Cynthia Hand's website to find out more.

 Want to see my gushy review of Unearthly ~ click on the title

7 comments:

  1. Ohhhh this sounds GOOD! :):):):):):):):):):):)

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    1. do you ever sleep girl LOL and yes it was awesome, have you read Unearthly?

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  2. Emotion puts me over the edge...I must read both of these immediately!

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  3. I'm so glad that this was so great! I still need to read Unearthly first - I'm going to have to read it soon so I can get my hands on this. Great review :)

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  4. im reading it now (more than half way through), but im a TOTALLY TEAM TUCKER fangirl, and well no offense cynthia hand but she skipped A LOT, and i almost feel like shes already given up on Tucker :/ , hopefully it will change as i read on. but i have to admit Cynthia Hand is a marvelous author and i LOOOVE her novels and this book is no exception..but however i couldnt imagine an Unearthly book without Tucker and Clara TOGETHER! (totally off topic) i love reading fanfics, and im disappointed theres currently only 2 stories on unearthly...

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  5. I thought Unearthly was ok but nothing outstanding besides being the best of the angel books that I had read up to that point. Hallowed on the other hand totally blew me away! I loved it!!! I reviewed it but really it's just babbling about how awesome it was and definitely Team Tucker but Christian is starting to grow on me.

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