Unearthly

Clara is part angel. As such, she will have a purpose. And hers seems to be connected to the terrifying visions of a forest fire and a beautiful unknown boy she has been experiencing. Meeting Christian, he is everything a girl could dream of – but then there is Tucker. How can she feel so attracted to him? What is her real purpose?

In this variation of the paranormal romance, it is not vampires who take the stage, but angels. Or rather Nephilim – angels who are part human and are dedicated to ‘good’. However, to ensure that there is tension, there are bad angels – Black Wings. Despite this background, Unearthly follows the pattern of the conventional teen romance in which the heroine finds herself having to choose between two equally desirable – but different – boys. As usual, one parent is missing – here the father – and there is a mystery surrounding his identity. Friendships, high school rivalries and jealousies – all are familiar ingredients and will be recognised by the intended audience. Perhaps, because this is the first novel in the now mandatory trilogy, it felt rather slow. It is very much setting the scene with the inevitable loose ends and the reader is left with the obligatory cliff-hanger. The stage is set for the next instalment. Young adult readers will certainly relate to the setting and the characters, while the angelic elements will intrigue.