Helpful Score: 1
Teen paranormal romance is not my usual cup of tea at all but something about the synopsis of this book grabbed me and I decided that I wanted to read it and I am so glad I did! Incredibly involving, I could hardly put it down. Well written and researched with complex characters. My only criticism is that the ending is very abrupt but there is a sequel to this book and I can't wait to get my hands on it, so in that sense, the ending is very effective!
Reviewed by Andrea for TeensReadToo.com
Clara just recently found out that she is an angel...well, one-fouth angel, that is. Her mom is one-half angel, and her dad is a normal human. When she starts having visions, her mom tells her that she is coming upon the time when she will find out her purpose.
Her vision is the same thing over and over again, a little more involved each time. When she realizes it's happening in the mountains, her mom figures out where it is and moves the family. The first day in her new high school, Clara sees the boy in her vision. Christian is the resident king of the school and the boy whom every girl has a crush on, and he's dating the typical evil, popular girl.
But Clara knows that she has to find out more about Christian so she can prepare for her purpose. Meanwhile, she befriends Wendy, Wendy's twin, Tucker, and Angela. While Tucker gets on her nerves, she soon finds herself spending more and more time with him. Will her new friends make her lose her focus on her purpose?
I love a good character-driven story, and UNEARTHLY was definitely that. The main character, Clara, was just great! She was pretty but down-to-earth. She was true to herself when it came to friends. She wasn't rebellious, yet she wasn't perfect, either. And she was witty. I loved her comeback lines against Tucker. And speaking of Tucker - yeah, a perfect male character. He is the ultimate guy. Gentlemanly, funny, sarcastic, romantic, and has Clara's best interests at heart.
The plot of the story was interesting. For a while, I thought I knew what Clara's purpose was when it came to Christian, but I was very wrong. The only critique I have of this book is that I didn't like the ending. I think maybe it's a cliffhanger and that there will be a second book. At least I hope so, because I ended up having a lot more questions. We don't really get to find out what Clara's purpose is, which was kind of the whole point of the story. I think there is a way to wrap up a story but still have a cliffhanger, but I don't feel like this book really wrapped up anything.
But I do have to say, I really got into UNEARTHLY, and it left me wanting more!
Clara just recently found out that she is an angel...well, one-fouth angel, that is. Her mom is one-half angel, and her dad is a normal human. When she starts having visions, her mom tells her that she is coming upon the time when she will find out her purpose.
Her vision is the same thing over and over again, a little more involved each time. When she realizes it's happening in the mountains, her mom figures out where it is and moves the family. The first day in her new high school, Clara sees the boy in her vision. Christian is the resident king of the school and the boy whom every girl has a crush on, and he's dating the typical evil, popular girl.
But Clara knows that she has to find out more about Christian so she can prepare for her purpose. Meanwhile, she befriends Wendy, Wendy's twin, Tucker, and Angela. While Tucker gets on her nerves, she soon finds herself spending more and more time with him. Will her new friends make her lose her focus on her purpose?
I love a good character-driven story, and UNEARTHLY was definitely that. The main character, Clara, was just great! She was pretty but down-to-earth. She was true to herself when it came to friends. She wasn't rebellious, yet she wasn't perfect, either. And she was witty. I loved her comeback lines against Tucker. And speaking of Tucker - yeah, a perfect male character. He is the ultimate guy. Gentlemanly, funny, sarcastic, romantic, and has Clara's best interests at heart.
The plot of the story was interesting. For a while, I thought I knew what Clara's purpose was when it came to Christian, but I was very wrong. The only critique I have of this book is that I didn't like the ending. I think maybe it's a cliffhanger and that there will be a second book. At least I hope so, because I ended up having a lot more questions. We don't really get to find out what Clara's purpose is, which was kind of the whole point of the story. I think there is a way to wrap up a story but still have a cliffhanger, but I don't feel like this book really wrapped up anything.
But I do have to say, I really got into UNEARTHLY, and it left me wanting more!
This review originally appeared on www.emilysreadingroom.com on January 4, 2011.
Color me shocked, I loved this book. I don't love paranormal romance. I generally find it shallow and uninteresting and all about the romance. For the first few chapters I thought, "Eh, this is the same old thing I've read a hundred times." Then, it all changed.
I don't want to give anything away, but the main character does something in this book around chapter 13 that had me doing some serious celebrating. Clara is a woman after my own heart. She understands her destiny and her purpose, but she doesn't allow herself to be trampled on.
Reason number two that I loved this book. Tucker. Tucker is the best thing to happen to YA fiction since Gilbert Blythe. I loved that he called Clara carrots. Also, he has HOBBIES! He doesn't sit in his room and listen to music and brood. It's river rafting, fishing, hiking, and the like. Talk about a breath of fresh air.
Last major reason that I loved this story were for Clara's friends Wendy and Angela. They were both important to the story in different ways and weren't just a faceless filler for friends. (aka Jessica in Twilight). Her friendship with both of them was genuine.
Now, this wasn't the perfect book. I felt like the ending left a bit to be desired. I am not a cliff-hanger kind of girl. I like seeing more resolutions than more questions. And, unfortunately, there was a lot that wasn't answered. Also, I felt like there were a few gaps in the story towards the middle. Wendy and Angela go on trips/internships (oh so convenient) and it's like communication with them ceases until they return. I would have liked to have seen more interaction between Clara and her girl friends.
Overall, this book exceeded my expectations. It was the first book I read in 2011, and I chose very well. I can't wait for the sequel, and I have a feeling that I'll be recommending this book a lot.
And, as a PS, two other things I thought were done well were the angel folklore and the culture in Wyoming. Well done Ms. Hand. Well done.
Color me shocked, I loved this book. I don't love paranormal romance. I generally find it shallow and uninteresting and all about the romance. For the first few chapters I thought, "Eh, this is the same old thing I've read a hundred times." Then, it all changed.
I don't want to give anything away, but the main character does something in this book around chapter 13 that had me doing some serious celebrating. Clara is a woman after my own heart. She understands her destiny and her purpose, but she doesn't allow herself to be trampled on.
Reason number two that I loved this book. Tucker. Tucker is the best thing to happen to YA fiction since Gilbert Blythe. I loved that he called Clara carrots. Also, he has HOBBIES! He doesn't sit in his room and listen to music and brood. It's river rafting, fishing, hiking, and the like. Talk about a breath of fresh air.
Last major reason that I loved this story were for Clara's friends Wendy and Angela. They were both important to the story in different ways and weren't just a faceless filler for friends. (aka Jessica in Twilight). Her friendship with both of them was genuine.
Now, this wasn't the perfect book. I felt like the ending left a bit to be desired. I am not a cliff-hanger kind of girl. I like seeing more resolutions than more questions. And, unfortunately, there was a lot that wasn't answered. Also, I felt like there were a few gaps in the story towards the middle. Wendy and Angela go on trips/internships (oh so convenient) and it's like communication with them ceases until they return. I would have liked to have seen more interaction between Clara and her girl friends.
Overall, this book exceeded my expectations. It was the first book I read in 2011, and I chose very well. I can't wait for the sequel, and I have a feeling that I'll be recommending this book a lot.
And, as a PS, two other things I thought were done well were the angel folklore and the culture in Wyoming. Well done Ms. Hand. Well done.
Originally posted at: theirishbanana.blogspot.com
Have you ever loved a book so thoroughly that when you finished it you didnt know what to read next? Because nothing else you would pick up could compare to the magic of this particular book. Thats how I felt when I turned the last page of Unearthly.
Im the type of reader that when I sit down to read a romance (paranormal or otherwise), I want to know what couple Im rooting for. Given the summary, I was settled in to loving Christian. I went into this story, swooning when he saved Clara in the hallway her first day, and wanting to love him.
And then, I didnt. His little quirks started to annoy me, the way he so easily dismissed Clara irked me, and I found myself starting to doubt the glowing reviews other bloggers had given this book. Then I fell for Tucker, possibly harder than our heroine. And while I wont give away what happens next, I can honestly say that few paranormal romances have ever moved me the way this one did. I was thinking of it long after I set it back on my shelf, and even now my mind drifts back to it. I have an inkling that I will forever be comparing any other romantic pairing in books to the love created by Cynthia Hand in this book.
In the midst of so many other angel stories, Hand has set her series apart. She doesnt make the reader wait for a hundred pages for the heroine to discover her destiny. Everything is very upfront and easy to guess. She has blended reality with dream, fact with fiction so aptly that its hard to tell the difference. All I know is that this book is magical and everything its hyped up to be.
Have you ever loved a book so thoroughly that when you finished it you didnt know what to read next? Because nothing else you would pick up could compare to the magic of this particular book. Thats how I felt when I turned the last page of Unearthly.
Im the type of reader that when I sit down to read a romance (paranormal or otherwise), I want to know what couple Im rooting for. Given the summary, I was settled in to loving Christian. I went into this story, swooning when he saved Clara in the hallway her first day, and wanting to love him.
And then, I didnt. His little quirks started to annoy me, the way he so easily dismissed Clara irked me, and I found myself starting to doubt the glowing reviews other bloggers had given this book. Then I fell for Tucker, possibly harder than our heroine. And while I wont give away what happens next, I can honestly say that few paranormal romances have ever moved me the way this one did. I was thinking of it long after I set it back on my shelf, and even now my mind drifts back to it. I have an inkling that I will forever be comparing any other romantic pairing in books to the love created by Cynthia Hand in this book.
In the midst of so many other angel stories, Hand has set her series apart. She doesnt make the reader wait for a hundred pages for the heroine to discover her destiny. Everything is very upfront and easy to guess. She has blended reality with dream, fact with fiction so aptly that its hard to tell the difference. All I know is that this book is magical and everything its hyped up to be.
Absoutely LOVED this book! Only thing I didn't really care for was the nickname Tucker called her as it kept me thinking back to Anne of Green Gables. :) Other than that couldn't put it down and finished it in a day. Can't wait for the 2nd book in the trilogy!
I loved this book! I started reading it without high hopes and ended up reading the whole thing in a day. It has a little bit of sci-fi/fantasy, a little bit of drama, and a little bit of romance.
Fallen has got nothing on this angel series!!!! All of the characters and the storyline are far superiour compared to the other. I loved Clara and everyone in her world. The story felt refreshing which was nice. Most of the Y&A series I come across these days feel contrived and unoriginal. So far the only other angel series I have liked has been "Blue Bloods" which is Angel/Vampire. So glad to have found this series. Looking forward to the next book!
I wanted to stop reading this book. I thought I'd already read {more than enough} of this storyline. I thought this is {yet another} supernatural teenage love {triangle} story with a too-perfect-to-be-true indecisive main character.
But.... There are blurbs from well-respected authors like Richelle Mead (LOVE her!) on the cover, and excellent reviews by PBS members for a reason! So I stuck with it, and I loved this story!
4.5 stars {and now I'm on my way to the bookstore to pick up book #2!}
But.... There are blurbs from well-respected authors like Richelle Mead (LOVE her!) on the cover, and excellent reviews by PBS members for a reason! So I stuck with it, and I loved this story!
4.5 stars {and now I'm on my way to the bookstore to pick up book #2!}
What a ride! This one pulled me in from pretty much the first sentence and just did not let go. Although this is a book about angels on earth, its very different from the other angel books Ive read recently in the YA field.
First, our angelic being is the female character, Clara. And can I just say that I love the strong, heroic one being the female for once. It gets a little tiring seeing our lead female characters being the weak ones who need rescuing all the time.
To read the rest of my review, please visit:
http://www.dorolerium.com/?p=2276
First, our angelic being is the female character, Clara. And can I just say that I love the strong, heroic one being the female for once. It gets a little tiring seeing our lead female characters being the weak ones who need rescuing all the time.
To read the rest of my review, please visit:
http://www.dorolerium.com/?p=2276
I thought the paranormal romance YA genre was truly done for. It seemed like every single paranormal romance YA I read in the past two years were, at best, shoddy imitations of Twilight, or shoddy attempts to be the anti-Twilight. But Cynthia Hands debut novel, UNEARTHLY, brings some much-needed quality back to this genre.
I enjoyed, and would recommend UNEARTHLY, because of its characters. Clara is a gem. Even she, I think, would make fun of all attempts to label her as a personality-less damsel in supernatural distress. Clara has a refreshing sense of humor and attitude. She is above the need to engage in high school drama, which makes the drama she does inevitably get involved in easier to read about. I also really liked her family, how the hidden depths of her mothers character slowly unfold throughout the course of the novel, and Claras younger brother is wonderful, and their relationship, is so real, and relatable, despite the fact that, you know, theyre angels.
The love triangle was, I think, as reasonably good as a paranormal love triangle will get these days, in that both guys are actually very viable choices. Christian is the school god, yes, but hes also just a really good guy. But so is Tucker, despite his initial rudeness towards Clara. You really cant decide who Clara should end up withthough sometimes I suspect that Hand tries so hard to make both guys equal that they lose some appeal and realness as a result.
Definitely give UNEARTHLY a whirl if paranormal romance is your thing. And if its not, you can still give this book a try. Its the best YA book about angels out there. I dont think youll regret it.
I enjoyed, and would recommend UNEARTHLY, because of its characters. Clara is a gem. Even she, I think, would make fun of all attempts to label her as a personality-less damsel in supernatural distress. Clara has a refreshing sense of humor and attitude. She is above the need to engage in high school drama, which makes the drama she does inevitably get involved in easier to read about. I also really liked her family, how the hidden depths of her mothers character slowly unfold throughout the course of the novel, and Claras younger brother is wonderful, and their relationship, is so real, and relatable, despite the fact that, you know, theyre angels.
The love triangle was, I think, as reasonably good as a paranormal love triangle will get these days, in that both guys are actually very viable choices. Christian is the school god, yes, but hes also just a really good guy. But so is Tucker, despite his initial rudeness towards Clara. You really cant decide who Clara should end up withthough sometimes I suspect that Hand tries so hard to make both guys equal that they lose some appeal and realness as a result.
Definitely give UNEARTHLY a whirl if paranormal romance is your thing. And if its not, you can still give this book a try. Its the best YA book about angels out there. I dont think youll regret it.
"Unearthly" is a fabulous tale about a young girl, Clara, who happens to be part angel. She begins to have visions. The visions shed light on her purpose in life. Clara's visions are of a blazing fire and a boy, Christian, in a forest. She feels that she is meant to save him from the fire. Her family picks up and moves from California to Wyoming where she meets the boy in her vision at school. Soon Clara finds out that she isn't the only person in Wyoming that is special. Romance blooms and her purpose becomes more clear as events unfold.
I absolutely loved "Unearthly!" The characters are fantastic, giving a bold exciting new look at YA paranormal. Hand composed a beautiful YA paranormal novel that totally conforms with a romantic age-appropriate theme. The pace was great, allowing plenty of time to get to know each character and immerse yourself in Clara's new life in Wyoming. The history of angels made the plot that much more intense and enjoyable. The romance, as I said, was age-appropriate and realistic outside of Clara's "glory" shining through. Clara's love interests are both quite cute and a good fit in their own ways. I still can't decide who I think she should choose. The ending does leave you hanging with the lingering question, "What happens next?" I totally didn't see it coming and was quite pleased with the shock of it all.
Hand is a remarkable storyteller. Waiting to see how the visions play out is definitely suspenseful and drives you to continue turning the pages. The romantic side of the story was cute and added depth to the characters involved. I highly recommend this superb debut novel to anyone who loves reading paranormal/fantasy, especially in the YA category.
I absolutely loved "Unearthly!" The characters are fantastic, giving a bold exciting new look at YA paranormal. Hand composed a beautiful YA paranormal novel that totally conforms with a romantic age-appropriate theme. The pace was great, allowing plenty of time to get to know each character and immerse yourself in Clara's new life in Wyoming. The history of angels made the plot that much more intense and enjoyable. The romance, as I said, was age-appropriate and realistic outside of Clara's "glory" shining through. Clara's love interests are both quite cute and a good fit in their own ways. I still can't decide who I think she should choose. The ending does leave you hanging with the lingering question, "What happens next?" I totally didn't see it coming and was quite pleased with the shock of it all.
Hand is a remarkable storyteller. Waiting to see how the visions play out is definitely suspenseful and drives you to continue turning the pages. The romantic side of the story was cute and added depth to the characters involved. I highly recommend this superb debut novel to anyone who loves reading paranormal/fantasy, especially in the YA category.
