Halo by Alexandra Adornetto
pages: 454
released: August 2010
publisher: Feiwel & Friends
cover love: ♥♥♥♥
Three angels- Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, the youngest and most human- are sent by Heaven to bring good to a world falling under the influence of darkness. They must work hard to conceal their luminous glow, superhuman powers, and, most dangerous of all, their wings, all the while avoiding all human attachments. Then Bethany meets Xavier Woods, and neither of them is able to resist the attraction between them. Gabriel and Ivy do everything in their power to intervene, but the bond between Xavier and Bethany seems too strong. The angel’s mission is urgent, and dark forces are threatening. Will love ruin Bethany or save her? (From Goodreads)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON 1/6/2011 ON BOOKSLIKESTARS.NET
Review:
If I could choose two words that sum up this whopping, almost 500 page book about angels (and love, let’s not forget love) they would be: sleepy and preachy. When my eyes finally glazed over the last few sentences and it was finally time to close the book on Halo, it did inspire me to one thing. I got down on my knees and prayed to God and thanked him that the tale of Bethany Church was finally over.
I could not connect with any of these characters or with the plot for that matter, there was no excitement or thrill, it was more like, “been there, done that”. I also don’t like when authors have characters that deem themselves virtually flawless because it always leaves room for hypocrisy. The main character, Bethany, was very naïve, spoiled and selfish. She wanted Xavier so bad; she didn’t care if Venus Cove or the whole world rotted in damnation. She made it very clear that her only mission on Earth was to get it poppin’ with Xavier Woods. Bethany and Xavier’s love for each other was rushed and fluffy and syrupy and I felt like banging my head against a wall reading about their endless love for one another. The way Bethany talked about her love for him seemed like he was more like a piece of property she’d won instead a boyfriend. There was a lot possessive talk, a lot of “you’re mine and only mine, forever, and don’t you forget it”, going on. The whole story, including the romance, just had me napping. It dragged on and on and seemed like it would never end…just like a day at church. Oh, and let’s not forget the bad boy wannabe that was thrown in the last hundred or so pages because according to some unofficial handbook, you can’t have a sellable, young adult, supernatural novel without the use of a love triangle. The only thing I could find great about this book was the cover, it’s very lovely.
Unfortunately, I will not be continuing the rest of the Halo series. Sorry if this review was more of a rant but I’m tired of books following the Twilight format. The YA supernatural genre definitely needs some fresh material.
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