By Cynthia Hand
Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:
In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .
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.
Darkfallen's review full of squee:
It's been a while since I've been able to do a 5 star review on a YA book. I don't know what has been happening. Why all YA has been falling short. I started wondering things like...
Is it me? and...
Have I outgrown YA? Is it possible for me to not find joy in a genre that once brought me nothing but joy?
Cynthia Hand, here I stand in front of you, to bow before your feet. To kiss the ground that Clara walks on. The ground that you created perfectly. The ground that restored my faith in YA. This may have been your debut novel, but you are nothing less than a master of your craft. Pat yourself on the back for a very VERY job well done!
Clara is, like most teens, a girl trying to fit in. Hating knowing that no matter what she never truly will. Because unlike most teens, she isn't entirely human. She is an angel-blood. Her mother is half angel, and her and her brother are quarter angel. While it seems that no matter what her brother as no problems fitting in...Clara couldn't be more opposite. Seems like being an angel-blood is easy for her younger brother, but for Clara is just makes her more awkward. Now that she has received her purpose she has a destiny to fulfill.
Clara's character was written flawlessly...NO really I challenge you to find a flaw! There simply isn't one, and from me that's saying ALOT. But if you think you can, please take me up on my challenge. In the end you will be thanking me for the wonderment that is this story. Clara isn't all nail polish and bubble gum lip gloss, or all bad ass tough as nails WAY older than her age. She is just simply a perfect balance. I believe her has a teenager. A teenager that I would love to be friends with. A teenager that sounds alot like me. She will make you laugh one minute, and bring you to tears the next. Her thoughts are short and precise, bouncing from one thing to the next and then back again. Just like most teenage girls I know. It is absolutely refreshing seeing Clara's world through her eyes. Watching her grow. It's raw, it's messy, it's REAL.
Yes there is a bit of a love triangle here, but it's far from the typical norm that has become YA. It's a triangle that has a major twist. I found myself saying things like....ok first I hated you, then I grew to like you, and now I'm here CRYING for you...really?!?! And then in the end...all I can say is WOW. It's a real love. It's believable, and somehow ME, the punk rocker girl that I am, as fallen for a stetson wearing, pick-up truck naming, horseback riding rodeo cowboy. If that doesn't tell you how great of a writer Cynthia Hand is then I don't know what will.
When I think of the relationships Clara builds in this book, a song comes to mine...
Is it me? and...
Have I outgrown YA? Is it possible for me to not find joy in a genre that once brought me nothing but joy?
Cynthia Hand, here I stand in front of you, to bow before your feet. To kiss the ground that Clara walks on. The ground that you created perfectly. The ground that restored my faith in YA. This may have been your debut novel, but you are nothing less than a master of your craft. Pat yourself on the back for a very VERY job well done!
Clara is, like most teens, a girl trying to fit in. Hating knowing that no matter what she never truly will. Because unlike most teens, she isn't entirely human. She is an angel-blood. Her mother is half angel, and her and her brother are quarter angel. While it seems that no matter what her brother as no problems fitting in...Clara couldn't be more opposite. Seems like being an angel-blood is easy for her younger brother, but for Clara is just makes her more awkward. Now that she has received her purpose she has a destiny to fulfill.
Clara's character was written flawlessly...NO really I challenge you to find a flaw! There simply isn't one, and from me that's saying ALOT. But if you think you can, please take me up on my challenge. In the end you will be thanking me for the wonderment that is this story. Clara isn't all nail polish and bubble gum lip gloss, or all bad ass tough as nails WAY older than her age. She is just simply a perfect balance. I believe her has a teenager. A teenager that I would love to be friends with. A teenager that sounds alot like me. She will make you laugh one minute, and bring you to tears the next. Her thoughts are short and precise, bouncing from one thing to the next and then back again. Just like most teenage girls I know. It is absolutely refreshing seeing Clara's world through her eyes. Watching her grow. It's raw, it's messy, it's REAL.
Yes there is a bit of a love triangle here, but it's far from the typical norm that has become YA. It's a triangle that has a major twist. I found myself saying things like....ok first I hated you, then I grew to like you, and now I'm here CRYING for you...really?!?! And then in the end...all I can say is WOW. It's a real love. It's believable, and somehow ME, the punk rocker girl that I am, as fallen for a stetson wearing, pick-up truck naming, horseback riding rodeo cowboy. If that doesn't tell you how great of a writer Cynthia Hand is then I don't know what will.
When I think of the relationships Clara builds in this book, a song comes to mine...
(oh yea if you tell anyone that I even know who Taylor swift is...I'll have to kill ya *winks*)
So before I go and spoil anything I'm just gonna leave you with a quote from the book to give you a glimpse of what I'm talking about. I don't usually do quotes in my reviews, but I think this one needs it.
"I feel like Cinderella sitting in the middle of the road with a pumpkin and a couple of mice, while Prince Charming charges off to rescue some other chick."
and...
"I've essentially given up on the idea of flight all together and accepted that I'm going to be an angel-blood who stays earthbound, a flightless bird, like an ostrich maybe, or in this weather, a penguin."
Now you see what I mean about the writing? LOVES IT!!
Buy it,rent it, borrow it, steal it if you have to, but you have got to READ this book!!
So before I go and spoil anything I'm just gonna leave you with a quote from the book to give you a glimpse of what I'm talking about. I don't usually do quotes in my reviews, but I think this one needs it.
"I feel like Cinderella sitting in the middle of the road with a pumpkin and a couple of mice, while Prince Charming charges off to rescue some other chick."
and...
"I've essentially given up on the idea of flight all together and accepted that I'm going to be an angel-blood who stays earthbound, a flightless bird, like an ostrich maybe, or in this weather, a penguin."
Now you see what I mean about the writing? LOVES IT!!
Buy it,rent it, borrow it, steal it if you have to, but you have got to READ this book!!
Until next time....
LYMI ~Darkfallen~
NICE!! Is this one of your chunky books that is going to break my librarians back once I request it? LOLZ!
ReplyDeleteI dig that she can't fly. Superman couldn't do that at a young age eiether. Yes.... I will compare your book to Smallville! HAHAHS! You've been spandexed ;)
But the quotes sound uber fabulous. I'll add it to my list.
It IS 435pgs long. But I would say the thickness is about Beautifal Creature thick! Lol like my measuring system?
ReplyDeleteSee your rubbing of on me with the YouTube. Lolz
LOLZ! I love the youtube!! YES YES!! Soon you will have a song for everything ;)
ReplyDeleteOH! Nice! BC thick. I totally know what you mean by that. I probably can handle that. It sounds very interesting. I'm going to add it to my TBR pile. Librarians!! Wear your weight belts!!