Book Recap: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand (ARC)

Cover Inspection:
Ugh. Too bland.
The cover is the one thing that I don't like about this book.

SUMMARY (book description based on GoodReads):
For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

BOOK REPORT CARD:

Cover	2.5
Plot	3.5
Writing	3.5
Characters	3.5
Ending	3.5
Overall Rating	3.5 Superior! (93% to 96%) * highest rating possible is 4.0

LOCATION/SETTING:
Modern day Wyoming. The story is set right after the forest fire.

MAIN CHARACTERS:
The main character is Clara Gardner. She is an angel blood and is now staring her senior year. She is also an empath, one who feels the emotions of those around her. In this book, Clara was forced to grow up; I was actually proud of her for making really mature choices in life. Despite all the circumstances forced upon her, Clara remained simple and childlike throughout the book.

WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT:
The story takes place right after the forest fire. Clara is trying to get on with her life as she is starting a new school year. Nevertheless, Clara is still very much worried about not fulfilling her purpose, and this fact bobs in her minds throughout the story. In addition, Clara, being an empath, has been feeling an overwhelming sorrow. She has no idea whether this is coming from the black wing Samjeeza or from herself. It is rather important to note that Clara has this vision of a funeral procession. She doesn't know who will die, all she knows is that someone she loves will die. As to the romance, Clara is torn more than ever between Christian and Tucker. Tucker remains to be the love of her life, but she cannot seem to ignore that "celestial" connection with Christian.

LOVE:
I hate angel books. I really despise them. But this one seems to be the exception. I also have a thing for books that make me laugh. This one did. Many times. I loved Clara's voice. Her honesty is refreshing. Another thing I loved about this book are the two love interests: Tucker and Christian. The question presented is this: how can you choose between that perfect human boy and an angel? Both are good guys, and I understand why Clara cannot choose between the two. Truly a tough choice. I'd want to keep both too! I love the fact that Tucker is a very old fashioned boy. He's very careful with Clara's purity. I think he puts Clara on a pedestal, and worships her. It's hard not to fall in love with him. Tucker remains to be that sweet, sweet boy from Unearthly. Moving on to Christian... I used to hate him in Unearthly. He was a jerk, and wanted him out of the picture. But in this book, I saw that he's actually not that bad, and that he can be good for Clara. I am not sure if it is genuine love that Christian is feeling for Clara, if his feeling are motivated by obligation. I fell in love with him this in book because he was always there for Clara - not pushing, not hovering - just there for Clara when and if she needs him. He truly cares. There is this undeniable connection between them. They can speak with each other using their minds! I have a thing for those and so I want to see more of Christian in the next book.

NO LOVE:
Jeffrey, Clara's brother was heavily ignored by all those around him. He seemed lost and alone, like no one is there to guide him, and all are focused on his big sister. Everything was about Clara. I also did not like the way Clara was pushing Christian aside. Christian was just being a friend, at least for now. Although I understand that Clara might feel a wee bit guilty about letting Christian in as there is this very powerful connection between them. It is likely that she feels that she is betraying Tucker.

FAVORITE CHARACTER:
Clara. Clara Gardner has that ability to be simple, childlike, honest, awkward, and beautiful at the same time. She is refreshing. There is no pretense. I love her.

FAVORITE LINE:

I’ve learned that sometimes, when you’re afraid but you keep on moving forward, that’s the biggest kind of courage there is.

MUSINGS:
Wow. I liked this one. I enjoyed it! I really did! I can say that I liked this book better than the first. The first book was a long introduction of the characters and the plot. This one presented conflict between and among the characters. The first one was a little bit "light" for my taste - not enough conflict and problems. This book stirred so many emotions in me. This book is about life and death - about grief and letting go. It's about growing up and moving on. It's both sad and beautiful. At the same time it's about facing a brighter future. I am very excited to read what Cynthia Hand has in store for us in the next installment. The writing flows and I couldn't stop reading, and when I do, I found myself thinking about the characters - Christian especially! I don't know why... there is just something about him in this book that I probably overlooked in Unearthly. All in all, a beautiful story about life, love, and family and everything in between.

DOODLES:

AUTHOR'S WEBSITE:
Cynthia Hand

SIMILAR READS:
A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

CONTENT REVIEW:
profanity: mild
violence: mild
sexual content: moderate
mature themes: mild
age recommendation: 13+