Series: Angel #1
Genre: Paranormal YA
Published by: Candlewick Press on May 24, 2011
Format: eARC
Pages: 282
Source: NetGalley
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Willow knows she's different from other girls, and not just because she loves tinkering with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into the future and know people's dreams and hopes, their sorrows and regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where this power comes from. But the assassin, Alex, does.
Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows more about Willow than Willow herself does. He knows that her powers link to dark and dangerous forces, and that he's one of the few humans left who can fight them. When Alex finds himself falling in love with his sworn enemy, he discovers that nothing is as it seems, least of all good and evil.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
An exciting new twist to the angel lore where the beautiful creatures with wings are the predators and not the protectors!
Willow Fields (don’t you just love that name?) is a teenage girl who happens to have the gift of foresight. This makes her stand out among her high school peers and she tends to keep to herself and focus on fixing cars instead. When a popular classmate named Beth asks Willow for a reading she agrees but sees an impending danger in her future. Fearing for Beth, Willow tries warning her of the angel in her vision but Beth chooses not to believe Willow, dropping out of school and joining the Church of Angels. Soon after, Willow receives a disturbing visit from the very angel she saw in her vision that leaves her troubled…and with good reason. The angels have sensed Willow as a threat and will try to eliminate her at any cost.
Alex Kylar is an angel assassin who knows the truth of these larger than life beings and has the ability to recognize them. Losing his mother, killed by an angel, he knows just how dangerous the angels are to the human population. When he’s hired to kill Willow, Alex travels to her home and observes her before completing his task. He follows her all the way to the Church of Angels and believes she doesn’t seem like much of a threat in his eyes. When Willow is attacked by angels, Alex intercedes and is convinced of her innocence. Now on the run, these two embark on a road trip that will lead them to self-discovery and a heavenly romance in the midst of a supernatural battle!
Angels are typically the beautiful protectors in many stories but Ms. Weatherly gives us an unexpected reality where angels are the villains, feeding off of human’s energy in order to survive. It was great to see that dark new world of angels as villains…they are pretty scary! An author definitely has my attention when they think out of the box when it comes to supernatural creatures and flawlessly deliver…and that’s exactly what you’ll find in Angel Burn.
Weatherly’s characters are refreshingly genuine. Willow and Alex are great characters on their own and equally adorable when they’re together! Willow is strong willed with a kind heart and I love how distinctive she is among typical protagonists. She has a good head on her shoulders for her age and is not a prissy teenage girl. Alex is the total package, he’s smart, thoughtful and a protector…and it doesn’t hurt that he’s smokin’ hot! He starts off a little rough around the edges but soon shows a softer side that will have you swooning. Their relationship grows as they bond on their “road trip,” feeling natural and not rushed. What I absolutely love in this story is that despite their intense feelings, Willow and Alex resist giving into their desires and focus on staying alive…I don’t know how they did it but applaud their willpower!
My only struggle through this book is the switching of first person narrative from Willow’s point of view to third person narrative, the story becomes a little unbalanced with the constant transition of narratives. Yes, it’s a little long but the story is so gripping you’ll want to stay up all night to finish. This story has great character development, wickedly evil villains and a pure and innocent romance that will capture your heart, making this a must read for the young adult and paranormal romance fans alike. ANGEL BURN is without a doubt one of the best young adult novels I’ve read this year!
Great review! I haven’t heard of this book, but I do like the idea that it’s not a typical angel story — great twist. I’m adding this to my TBR list right now. 🙂
I can’t wait to read this one!!! Great review woman!
Great review. I really enjoyed how this book showed angels as the bad guys. You really do not ever see that. It was a nice refreshing twist to the usual angel books out there. I can’t wait to read the next book.
I recently came across a great review of this book. But I wanted to know more about it before adding it to my TBR list! Your review certainly helps!!!