Hallowed

December 1, 2011
Readers who enjoyed the steadfast characters, plotting and romance of Unearthly (2010) can expect more of the same in this equally satisfying sequel. Picking up after the fire in which she rescued rodeo star Tucker, discovered that Christian (the boy from her dreams) is an angel like her and failed to fully realize her "purpose" as an angel, Clara Gardner faces her senior year with a new set of problems. She's started having a different set of dreams, which reveal that someone close to her is about to die. As she tries to piece together clues and a new purpose from the dreams, she must also be on constant watch for the evil fallen angel (known as a Black Wing) Samjeeza. Although it's clear which direction Clara's increasingly petulant younger brother, Jeffrey, is heading, occasional literary and pop references ("First rule of Angel Club, you do not talk about Angel Club") keep the first-person narration snappy. As in the first novel, unexpected twists lead to surprising revelations (this time helping Clara learn more about the lives of angels and her own special angel qualities), and the incessant conflict between destiny and free will drives Clara's actions—and heart. While it's readers' fate to wait for a third book in the series, they'll do so willingly to discover the answers to lingering secrets. (Paranormal romance. 13-17)

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January 1, 2012
Grades 7-10 Surprising revelations continuously punctuate the second book of the Unearthly series, which circles around Clara's vision of a funeral. The part-angel Wyoming high school student is still torn between Tucker, a bronco-busting human, and the otherworldly Christian, but Hand has more in mind than just paranormal romance. The exploration of angelic hierarchies fascinates as does the tension built around concepts of free will and divine purpose. Can Clara literally stop an ordained death? Plot points skillfully set up the next book's action, which should be eagerly anticipated by fans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)