A Beautiful Dark

December 1, 2011

Gr 9 Up-After her parents' deaths, Skye strives to outrun sadness with success. She is a competitive skier and is on the fast track to Columbia. At her 17th birthday party, though, she meets two boys who defy the normality Skye desires. Dark and teasing Asher encourages her to embrace her feelings for him and the powers she is beginning to display. Controlled Devin also calls to Skye, who longs for peace in a way only he seems to understand. While she is slowly falling for one boy, and unable to stay away from the other, both are drawn to her-a complication that none of them can afford when the reason for their coming to Skye's small town is revealed. A daughter of Prophecy, Skye has powers that could potentially mean the end of the world. She must decide where she stands and which celestial force to join, and she must do it before her powers reach their peak. Davies introduces a unique new twist on angelic mythology. Though this book has the now-familiar paranormal romantic triangle, the characters are fleshed out and steeped so deeply in the world that their shared passion is eminently believable. Fans of Lauren Kate's Fallen (Delacorte, 2009) and Cynthia Hand's Unearthly (HarperTeen, 2010) will devour this new offering. A well-done debut.-Jessica Miller, New Britain Public Library, CT

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