Unearthly by Cynthia Hand - Review

Title: Unearthly
Author: Cynthia Hand
Paperback, 432 pages

Expected publication: January 1st 2011 by HarperCollins Australia
Series: Unearthly #1
CharactersClara Gardner, Jeffrey Gardner, Christian Prescott, Wendy Avery, Tucker Avery, Kay Patterson, Angela Zerbino, Samjeeza (Sam)
Setting: Mountain View, California (United States) and Jackson Hole, Wyoming



Cover Currently Out



My Favorite Verison of the Cover

PLOT:

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 it 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 deciet, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

My Thoughts:

Ah, where to start. I devoured this novel in one day. I just couldn't get enough of it. The beginning started off a tad slow, just because you're just kind of thrown into the story. It took me a minute to get the hang of things, and how her world worked, but once I got the idea...I was hooked.

For me, the story took off when Clara and her family get settled into their new home in Jackson Hole. The snow covered setting and the clear division of the Haves and Have-Nots was a nice change of pace from most YA novels. Clara wasn't the instant most popular girl at her new school like we see a lot in YA, and the bad hair dye job of bright orange hair didn't help her much in that department. Clara was a fun MC to read, and Ms. Hand's writing style really brought her to life.

My most favorite character in the novel was Tucker Avery. He leaps off the page and has more personality than you can shake a stick at. His cowboy charm is infectious, and I loved every minute of it. He made the novel for me. Now, I can't wait for the second novel in this series just to get my Tucker fix.

So read this one if you are into ANGELS, underdog MCs, and lovable cowboys!