Review: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Title: Unearthly
Author: Cynthia Hand
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: 4th January 2011
Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

Quick Review: 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.

Detailed Review: This book had that page-turning effect on me when I first read it. I had to stop my hands from opening the book when I was asleep at night because I just had to know what happened next. In the last few chapters, it's like the whole thing I knew come slamming back in my face telling me that I'm wrong. 

   Clara Gardner is not entirely human. She's a Quartarius, a quarter-angel. Her mother's a Dimidius, a half-angel. One morning, when Clara receives her vision, which appeared to be her purpose. After that, her whole life changed. She has to leave her normal life in California, which she definitely didn't see coming. The boy in her visions, Christian lives in Jackson, so it's there she goes.

   Just what her purpose is to be, she doesn't know. Every time she gets the same vision, she feels waves of sorrow which she doesn't understand. As she gets to know Christian, who studies in Jackson Hole High School with Clara, she gets pulled deeper into her purpose and into the world of angels. There she meets another angel-blood, Angela Zerbino, a Dimidius, and she learns more than her mother has ever let her know. Things that she hasn't been told before comes tumbling from Angela. 

   Wendy, Clara's best friend has her annoying twin brother, Tucker become Clara's tour guide around the country that she knows little of as her birthday present and soon sparks start to fly. Unconsciously, she starts to fall in love with Tucker.

   Which is very BAD.

   He's a distraction after all. Since her focus point is supposed to be Christian

   In the end, what happens is a painful choice she must make. She has to choose between the one she loves and the one she has to save. 

   If not, who knows what will happen?

   Two fires, two boys, and ONE choice.

   The difference?

   Christian is an angel-blood. Tucker is human. 

   What happens after that are questions that can only be answered in the next book, Hallowed.

   This book was completely unpredictable and that was what made it so entertaining. I'm definitely going to read the sequel!

   Brief Review: This book was completely amazing in many ways. It's definitely one of the best angel books I've read in a long time. I like how the characters are portrayed by the author and how she can manipulate the plot so well. This book is full of surprises that will jump at you when you turn to the next page! One point to Cynthia Hand!

Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing'

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