Angel

Angel #1

by L.A. Weatherly

Willow knows she's different from other girls. And not just because she loves tinkering around with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into people's futures, know their dreams, their hopes and their regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where she gets this power from... But Alex does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows Willow's secret and is on a mission to stop her. The dark forces within Willow make her dangerous – and irresistible. In spite of himself, Alex finds he is falling in love with his sworn enemy. The first thrilling chapter in the electrifying Angel Trilogy. Angels will never be seen in the same way again.
"If Eoin Colfer reinvented the fairy and Stephenie Meyer reinvented the vampire then without a doubt L.A. Weatherly has reinvented the angel in this powerful, dark and hugely suspenseful novel that switches effortlessly between fast-paced action adventure and heart-stopping romance... This is the first in a compelling and utterly mesmerising paranormal romance trilogy from a writer to watch." - Lovereading4kids
"Beautifully written, pacy and action-filled, as well as unfolding such a soulful and tender romance that no girl who reads it is going to want to be with anyone who doesn't live up to the gorgeous (outside and in) Alex." - Kelly McKain
Winner Leeds Book Awards 2011

Genres: Angels, Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy

399 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2010

About the author

Lee Weatherly was born in 1967 and grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. She lives with her husband in Hampshire, England, where she writes, goes on walks, tries out new recipes and has a cat named Bernard.

L.A. Weatherly is the pseudonym for Lee Weatherly. You can follow her on Twitter at @LA_Weatherly

Reviews

[Vinaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bollywood has a special genre of movies called 'Masala movies'. Masala, in case you're wondering, is a powdered mixture of spices to add flavour to Indian cuisine. Masala movies, on the same note, are a mixture of dramatic elements designed to appeal to the senses.

STEP 1: Boy Meets Girl



Boy and girl bump into each other/ meet at a wedding/ are introduced by friends and there is an instant 'connection' which will, of course, soon lead to true lurrve.

STEP 2: Girl Plays Coy



The path of true lurrve is never smooth, so of course, our hero and/or heroine hate each other on sight. Our heroine fight with, teases, yet secretly dreams of her annoying yet adorable hero.

STEP 3: Discovering Love through Song



What good is a Bollywood movie without a song?!!

STEP 4: Enter Bad Guy



Star-crossed lovers need a reason to be star-crossed, right? Cue Bad Guy. The role of the bad guy is simple: Look ugly, act threatening, kidnap and/or threaten to kill heroine.

STEP 5: Dramatic Separation



Of course, since the heroine must face the death at the hands of the bad guy, it is her duty to face her fate bravely, and just as bravely entreat the hero to save himself and not some after her (subtext: if you don't come after me, you bastard, I'll rise from the grave and cut your balls off). Since every hero has an ardent desire to save his genitalia save his true lurrve, the hero will, of course, ignore this brave advice and run boldly after the heroine. While he does so, of course, there will be a flashback of all his tender memories of the heroine, and a song.

STEP 5.1: Song of Remembrance




STEP 6: Hero Saves the Day



Arriving in the nick of time, the Hero bravely battles the bad guy while the heroine has swooned from her efforts to protect her chastity. Emerging the victor, it is time for the hero to do a victory dance.

STEP 6.1: Victory Song

[image error]


STEP 7: Happily Ever After (Song)



Our Hero and Heroine get married and live happily ever after.

STEP 7.1: Riding off into the Sunset (Song)



Ah, eco-friendly true love!


Now, on to the review:

Angel Burn would make SUCH a FABULOUS masala movie! I think I'll go tell Karan Johar to option the movie rights to this book right now!

P.S. I received a copy of this book from the publishers via Net Galley. No monetary or other considerations affected my review.

[Emily May · Rating 2 out of 5]

I realise it was probably a mistake to read another angel book so soon after finishing Angelfall, but it was amongst the gushing reviews and comments on the aforementioned that I read about these two books sharing a similar theme. This theme being that, rather than having pretty, sparkly, heaven-sent angels, the authors used the more traditional, violent creatures who have come to earth in order to take over. However, this is where the similarities between the two novels end.

Angel Burn has a much heavier focus on romance. In fact, the majority of the book is taken up by the development of the relationship between the male and female protagonists who are, of course, drawn to each other from the very beginning. I cannot help but be annoyed when the heroine pauses in life-threatening situtations to ogle this novel's piece of man candy. Is this normal behaviour? Surely myself and Penryn cannot be the only ones to prefer survival?

Naturally, they are already eternally, unconditionally in love by the novel's half-way marker. I also would guess that the equivalent of about sixty pages in total is given to Willow and Alex's kissing sessions. Way too much of this rather large book was about the romance. And what was the plot, exactly?

Like Article 5, like The Other Life, the bad guys are not actually that important. They are merely the tool needed to get the two lovebirds on the run together and allow for the road trip romancing to take place. Unlike Angelfall, the angel mythology is so underdeveloped. This could quite easily have been a book about vampires, werewolves, aliens - take your pick. You'd only have to change a few words and phrases here and there.

Perhaps it would not have been so bad if the romance hadn't been so damn corny as well. I'm not totally immune to the charms of a sexy guy in a leather jacket and the call of a touching romance, but this pulled some scenes that I'm pretty sure only Disney can get away with. You know what I mean, one of them is lying on the ground and no, please no, you can't be dead... I love you and then their eyes flicker open! Oh, please.

If you're a hardcore PNR fan or haven't already read way too much annoying paranormal novels then this could be for you. If you've read Angelfall recently, though, I recommend waiting a good while before reading this because, in my opinion, it pales in comparison.

[Wendy Darling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Free for Kindle right now! Download from Amazon before the deal ends. (Review edited 6/3/11 to include this freebie.)

There's something a-brew in the heavens, because there has been a streak of great books centered around angels lately. After disappointments like Hush, Hush, Fallen, and various other novels, it's exciting to have books like Unearthly and Mercy ...and now Angel Burn, which is the first in a trilogy previously published in the U.K. under a slightly different title.

What's unusual about this book is that it takes the whole notion of angels as kindly guardians and turns it upside down. Angels want something very badly from humans in this story, and their secret is a pretty devastating one. Willow is a clairvoyant who sees flashes of the future for anyone she touches, and is horrified by a disturbing vision she sees while doing a reading for a classmate. In the meantime, alternate chapters follow a sexy and mysterious young assassin named Alex, who first sees Willow as a nemesis, but who gradually helps her to uncover incredible secrets about her past--and about her future.

Willow and Alex are both fantastic characters on their own, making mature decisions and doing their best in an impossible situation, but they become stronger and even more appealing together. Throughout most of the book, they are on the run and alone in the car, so it's a testament to the writer that the reader remains engrossed in the mounting tension of the story as well as the slow burn of a relationship between the unlikely pair. Willow and Alex are deeply connected and funny and honest, and it's refreshing to read about a boy and a girl who are actually nice to each other, even when they have every compelling reason not to be. Angel Burn is a terrific page-turner with unforgettable characters, and readers will be on the edge of their seats waiting its sequels.

This review also appears in The Midnight Garden. An advance copy was provided by the publisher.

[Fani *loves angst* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply put, I think this is the best young adult paranormal book I've read (though admittedly my knowledge in the genre is rather limited). But whereas YA books usually bore me with the endless descriptions of everyday high school life, this one took a different approach, much more to my liking: that of a road-trip.

Willow has always been psychic and has the ability to see glimpses of the future. One day while reading a girl's thoughts she sees a real angel. Surprisingly though, the angel seems to be hurting her friend rather than helping her and Willow tries in vain to stop Heather from joining the newfound Church of the Angels. When Willow herself goes to the Church for a last attempt to stop Heather she sees more angels feeding off humans, leaving them drained and weak.
Unbeknownst to Willow, the angels have been notified of her existence and consider her a threat. For this reason, they send someone to kill her; someone who's in fact an Angel Killer. When Alex, who's the assassin, meets Willow, he realizes that something is very wrong with this mission and decides to watch her a while before actually killing her. So he follows her to the Church of the Angels only to see the Angels attacking her. And since 'my enemy's enemy is my friend' as the old adage goes, he decides to save Willow until he knows why the Angels want her dead. Thus, they both get into his car and their road trip begins.

For one, there is no way that this book is going to bore you. The action and suspense is non-stop till the very end, while the on-the-road element added much to my enjoyment. These two constantly meet new people, visit new places and in between they get closer to each other. Thus when they finally admit to their attraction, I could actually believe it, since they were not strangers at that point.

I liked the writing, simple and to the point but with some beautiful descriptions of the desert and later the mountains that made me feel as if I was actually there. I liked the characters too; both calm, composed Willow and lonely, decisive Alex. Although they were only 17 and 18 years old respectively, they both acted maturely like adults, which was very understandable and realistic considering their childhoods.

If -like me- you read only a couple of YA books per year, make this one of them. It's definitely worth your time.

[Stevie Oberg · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible. Simply terrible. The switching view points was the worst especially since one of them was annoying as heck. I probably would have finished it if it was just written in Alex's perspective. There needs to be more books from a guys perspective. All these girls POV's are getting on my nerves. They are all the same "we're sooo unique!" Then they turn around and do everything every other YA Main Character does. x_x

Worst of all, 30 pages in and there wasn't even a hint at a plot! I'd imagine to meet some sort of archvillain or at least hear of one by this point...

Anyways, I wouldn't recommend it at all. It was boring and it was horrible to get through the 30 pages I did.

Never. Again.

[Nic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favourite Quote: "It' worth it you know," said Alex, smiling into my eyes. "What is?" I said. His thumb moved slowly over my cheek. "All of this. Having you. It's worth - anything."

I have found another awesome angel book. Last year it seemed I was having the worst run with angel themed books. They were all a little too similar and I was thinking maybe they weren't for me. But Angel is nothing like any other angel book I have read before. Not only does it have a unique concept but has great blend of heart pumping action, surprising twists and turns and a captivating romance.

First off the mythology is really something that makes this book standout from the rest. Angels feed off humans causing them death, insanity and disease and it is called angel burn. And most people can't see it as they are too blinded by the angel's beauty. The mythology though is easy to understand and comes together well as the story is explained and is quite interesting.

Angel alternates from both Willow's and Alex's points of views and smoothly changes from one to the other. Also every now and then you get a point of view from two of the secondary characters that play an important part in the story. The pace is mostly quick and engaging. There are couple of slow points in the book but it is 500 pages long and overall held my interest the whole way through.

The characterization was good. Willow is a little different from the average girl with her psychic abilities and love of cars. She is instantly likeable. Alex is the dark, sexy, mysterious type and completely crush worthy. Their romance builds slowly at first but then turns into that epic type of love. Very mushy but in a good way.

Overall, this was fantastic start to this trilogy and I can't wait for more!

Bookers Warning: Some of you lovely ladies at SCB may find the romance in this book too mushy for your taste.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This brilliant, action packed page turner will have you on the edge of your seat craving for more!! This is a MUST READ for 2011!!!

This story is about a girl named Willow, who isn’t the typical high school student from Pawtucket, a sleepy little town crouched in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains. Willow has always been able to read people by touching them and by doing so she can see into their future.

The story starts off with a classmate of Willow’s wanting a reading. Willow was feeling a little apprehensive because she had a bad feeling about it. This is when the story really starts to evolve and the characters start to emerge.

L.A. Weatherly executed the timing just right when she introduced the beautiful and cunning assassin Alex. He’s quick on his feet and fighting for a purpose but when he is sent on a mission to terminate Willow, he has a change of heart and upon watching her in the shadows, he finds her to be beautiful.

The story takes off quickly from this point and doesn’t stop until the very end when the page is blank and you are thirsting for more. I loved the action and adventure in this book. All I can say is that you yourself will have to read this for yourself. This will be added to my favorites of 2011.

Thank you Candlewick Press and NetGalley for this AMAZING read!!

[Sassy Sarah Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly

First in the Angel Trilogy

5 stars

Willow has always known she was different from other girls and just because she’s a pro at fixing cars. Willow can see the future and know people’s dreams, hopes, regrets, and their paths that can be taken just by touching them. She doesn’t know where this power came from. Alex, an assassin, knows. Alex isn’t just any assassin he’s an AK (Angel Assassin). Angels aren’t heavenly beings they suck out human energy leaving cancer, mental illnesses, and other diseases in their wake. Willow is a half-angel. Something that isn’t supposed to be possible and now Willow and Alex are on the run. When Alex finds himself falling for Willow he starts to see that not everything is black and white. This book was amazing. Pure, absolute awesomeness and I’m just dumbfounded. Even though this book was somewhat predictable I wasn’t expecting the ending and I need more now. The plot was fantastic and the whole concept of angels being evil completely new and fresh. I loved it. Being introduced to new ideas like this is what makes reading so enjoyable. The writing was a little hard for me to adjust to, but I have the same problem I pick up a J.R. Ward novel, but I usually absolutely love her works and I loved Angel Burn it was just fantastic. Really the only thing that bothered me was the writing at first after that there was no problems for me. I thought this book was perfect and I loved it.

Whimsical Writing Scale: 5

The main female character is Willow. Willow is a great heroine. She has a backbone and when Alex was being a jerk she didn’t let him push her around like some heroines in YA would. I respect her struggle with her coming to terms with the fact that she’s half-angel. Willow was just a good YA heroine and I can’t think of very many faults and the ones I can think of aren’t worth mentioning.

Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 4.75

The main male character is Alex. Yes he was a jerk to Willow, but since we got POVS from Alex’s POV I understood why he pushed her away. I like Alex. No, I’ve come to love Alex. He’s very protective of Willow and I can’t wait to see where their relationship goes.

Swoon Worthy Scale: 4.75

The Villain- The Angels, but if we want a specific villain let’s say Raziel. Raziel is the ringleader of the angels and he has a strong hold over humans and angels.

Villain Scale: 4

Jonah was another POV. I liked Jonah and I have a feeling he’s going to be a big help in defeating the angels in the next books. I like Jonah, but I hope he doesn’t become a love interest for Willow. I highly doubt he will, but I don’t want a love triangle.

Character Scale: 4.75

I’m happy to inform there was no insta-love. There was a connection, but for a while they ignored each other and Willow was mad at him (I don’t blame her), but their hate turned to love then friendship then love. I didn’t think it was rushed. They spent so much time together I would’ve been shocked if they hadn’t developed feelings for one another. I’m so glad I picked this book up at my library. I can’t wait to read Angel Fire. My expectations are high and I’m going book hunting. Hopefully my library has Angel Fire. Angel Fire I need you...

Plotastic Scale: 5

Cover Thoughts: I like the cover. The girl looks like she’s standing next to a fire and it’s captivating, but my favorite part of the cover has to be the little design around the title. If you’ve seen the cover in person you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Other Reviews in This Trilogy:
2) Angel Fire 4 stars
3) Angel Fever 2.25 stars

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

My bar for ranking new angel books is admittedly low--I mean, look at the comps and see the lack of competition. Until Unearthly, I was beginning to think it may be impossible to write a decent angel book. Out of all paranormal creatures, angels have received the worse treatment in YA books BY FAR. I won't go into the examples--we all know what they are.

With Angel Burn, I was pleasantly surprised. The wearisome elements plaguing other angel books (TSTL heroines, creepy obsessive love interests, shoddy mythology) were largely absent. Both Willow and Alex are unique and likeable. While they are immediately attracted to each other, the actual romance builds for much of the book, and the insta-love is kept to a happy minimum. Yes, it was the hunter-falling-in-love-with-his-prey we've seen done before, but the chemistry between Willow and Alex and the way the author let the attraction simmer for chapter after chapter had me hooked.

Although Angel Burn has a slow start, the pacing picks up immediately once Willow and Alex begin their road-trip escape. The story does descend into gooey teenage love about 2/3 of the way in, but at least the author let Willow and Alex spend time together and get to know each other first.

While I'm not sure why these creatures are called angels (they're certainly not angelic in the traditional sense and don't seem to come from Heaven) they were the perfect villains--sufficiently creepy and evil. The mythology is developed enough to make sense, and it's definitely unique.

I'm happy to say that with its original mythology, likeable main characters, and simmering romance, Angel Burn far surpasses many of its angel book competitors.

[~Tina~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

TBR Reduce Challenge #15- 2011 (Stefanie)

I've read a lot of Angel books and sometimes I find ones that has a different take on the traditional lore. But, Angel is probably the most unique of them all, and while I'm not use to seeing angels as the bad guys, being hunted, I still think this was an excellent concept. Mix it with suspense, grip and forbidden love and how could I resist?

Fresh, smart and fantastic! Can't wait to read the next book; Angel Fire!

[Steph Sinclair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another decent angel book! Hell must be freezing over! Lol.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

14/01/2013 Proud owner of the audiobook as well!


I was waiting for this book months and the moment i grap it i have no idea what happend and i held back on reading it at least 2 weeks!I wish i wouldnt done it to be honest because simply i was thrilled with the book!

Yes you may heard right that the book is for an angel and it might sound to you similiar with some other book you might read recently!But i personally enjoy it and in fact i finished in 3 nights ending with red eyes without proper sleep!

I have to say that Alex and Willow is a great couple.. and when i mean a great couple i really mean it!I like that that they started completely hating each other but slowly and slowly getting to know each other and to fall in love with other (not out of the blue like in some other books goes)

I pretty much like Willow the character how she become in love with Alex but the basic thing is i Loved how strong and confident she was when she had to do ... what she had to do anyway ;) even that she scared and all of these things!

Alex is/was lovely!I felt so sympathy with him how his past was how he had to deal with the situation with his family and all!And i gotta say i really like how He as well become in love with Willow at the same time she did as well!

Writing was good and you may comfuse a bit in the start because the POV of things switch back and forth from Willow and Alex and other characters too (''bad'' as well)but you get used of it eventually and i dare to say i even like it too!

The basic thing i was thrilled in a way with this book is because the romance and the action is switch on and off i mean one chapter there is the development between Alex and Willow and all then there is the action happening! I pretty much like how those 2 stuff was on and off without you getting bored and having all the suspense whats going on what is going to happend keep you continue reading it even that they actually start ruuning from the first chapters!

What i didnt like?Well i was very dissapointed how the dark/evil side of Angels describe...OK we know they are bad and they using humans and all BUT the describion was more like...I just wasnt able to picture it they way it did in the book! I felt more like a shapeshifter with wings was on rather than an Angel with bad purpose and all of this stuff!

Overall i like it and i am waiting for the second book!

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book from the Book Depo, since it's been released in the UK for several months now, but I didn't actually read the story until I had a copy of the US galley in hand. I'm not sure why I waited so long, my fellow UK bloggers had all but demanded that I read this book! I am a fan of the US cover over the UK one though! Though they both are beautiful.

Angel Burn is unlike any angel themed story I've read. When I think of angels I think of goodness and white lights... healing touches, yada yada. That's isn't the case for Weatherly's angels.

The angels in Angel Burn, are for lack of a better word... straight up EVIL! They (well almost all of them) feed on humans. Drinking their very essence of life. Yet the humans they feed from are left with thoughts of elation. These angels have touched their lives in the most positive way. Yeah, that's messed up!

Cue Alex, who is an AK. Yes, an angel KILLER! He is one of the few people that can see the angels doing their dirty work, and it's his personal mission to kill every last one of them. Too bad he ends up falling for one of them.... well a half one of them anyway, cue Willow.

Alex and Willow, loved them. They were both great characters individually and separately. They balanced each other out very nicely. Although their romance had me gagging at it's sweetness in certain aspects, the sugar fiend in me ate it up.

The story is told in multiple POVs which is something that I love! But I found myself getting a little confused with the change in narration... first person, third person... I got the hang of it after a while though.

The ending was a little abrupt, I felt like we were leading up to this big showdown... and for me it was a little bang and sizzle... instead of bang and EXPLOSION! Really looking forward to seeing where the rest of the story goes. I will be diving into Angel Fire come this December!

[Krystle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I prefer the UK cover to the US one but they both have their positives, I guess.

I’m a bit wary of angel books because they can either be exceptionally good, Unearthly, or absolutely terrible, Hush, Hush. Angel Burn falls somewhere in the middle; nothing offensive but doesn’t evolve past being anything more than pleasant.

There’s a lot of good things to say about this book though. Willow being savvy at fixing cars? Fantastic! And the whole angel mythology doesn’t revolve around heaven, Jesus, and all that stuff? Great! (I don’t have a problem with this stuff, just to be clear) The angels here are more like incubi/succubi from another realm come to prey on humans. I thought this was a new and refreshing take on them versus the overdone fallen angel or angel on a mission angle.

This book is one of those fun chase, adventure, and escape book with a slight touch of saving the word thrown in there. So if you’re tired of the whole high school drama angst-fest than have no fear, this is not what’s going on in here. The romance wasn’t that bad either. The guy, Alex, is not a prick and there is no dreaded love triangle in here.

At first I was really a fan of the romance because they were both awkward and bumbling around each other. They were both insecure and tentative as they worked toward their gradual relationship. But then once they got together there were oh so sappy. It made me want to gag. It didn’t help that they spent chapters hiding out in a cabin in the woods so all they did was profess overly saccharine sentiments to each other and on and on.

The whole race across the US felt a bit, I don’t know, flat after a while. I got tired of them just stopping over at random places and changing cars. The scenery and pacing was the same so, yeah, I wanted something more fun. But it did keep the pace up, so while I didn’t like it, I’m quite sure a lot of other people would love this part.

The writing reminded me of an adventure book. Very plain and straight to the point without much frilly descriptions. The majority of the book consisted of pov changes between Alex and Willow, which were actually done pretty well. When they switched over, the transition was seamless and not jarring at all. The book ended on a high note and wrapped all the loose threads so well, I have no idea how the sequel will be.

[Ash Wednesday · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 STARS

Though truth be told, coming in, I did have some high expectations seeing as I've read the better angel books ahead of reading this.

Angel Burn has quite the interesting twist in the angels sub-genre in that instead of having the usual religious backstory, angels are featured as beautiful, alien-like beings who come from a dying world and has come to our own using humans as sort of energy sources much like parasites. Shades of The Matrix' mythology now that I think about it. The title actually pertains to the residual effects of the angels feeding off humans that leads to blind angel adoration. What I found wholly fascinating about this story was how I realized that the scenario presented by this book is pretty realistic. In that in the event that angels make themselves known to us (wings and halo and all), knowing human behavior, forming a cult-like organization centered on them is not a too far off possibility.

The story kicks off when our heroine, Willow Fields, your typical high school girl who just happens to also have amazing psychic abilities, had to do a reading on popular girl Beth. Now Beth has been "touched by an angel" so to speak and seeks Willow's help in making a decision to leave her life and join the Church of Angels. When Willow warns Beth of the truth behind this "encounter" her life is placed in danger while she becomes fully aware on what her abilities are borne from.

This had all the right ingredients: a strong heroine, the hero is an Angel Killer who spent half the time in the book shirtless (!), a road trip set in the desert (!!) and a solid story setting to back it all up. But somehow the end product felt this side of bland.

The writing was okay but didn't hook my attention enough to keep my wandering thoughts away from nitpicking.There's a certain lack of emotional panache in this story. I do not seek all-out DRAMA especially in YA books but that subtle tug was sorely missed here. The characters were likable enough -- I liked Willow's quirk of being a car geek and a "skirt mechanic" so to speak and Alex' past of growing up in an Angel Killer camp, with a Sears catalog as his source of education was interesting. But somehow, the story failed to capitalize on these aspects to give them better chemistry with each other. I wish the author exploited these avenues (and my feels) better to make them beyond likable, because I feel like I could've cried for the right reasons at the right moments for these two.

But I just ended up crying in frustration.

Willow's character felt a bit small against the enormity of her role in the grand scheme of things. Even the circumstances surrounding her joining Alex didn't feel logically sound. Her powers as a half-angel seriously needed some limits because at times, I had to question what was the point of Alex taking her away from everyone when she had all these abilities. I'm also not a fan of the angel and human parts of Willow being separate entities , why can't they just be one and the same? It gets a bit confusing in the narrative.

Alex was a good hero but again, could've used a bit of drama on his past. He would've been a more interesting hero for me if he had to kill his brother himself after falling victim to Angel Burn than his actual story of guilt over watching an angel kill his brother in front of him.

On the other side of the fence, the evil mastermind Raziel felt underdeveloped while the nameless angels pursuing Willow and Alex felt cartoonish in their scare factor. It is horrible to think that these angels can give you cancer or MS or a massive stroke with their touch but again, this kind of takes away a bit of the dramatic horror I would've wanted to feel some of everyone's urgency and fear.

I want to nitpick some more but I'm putting away the red sharpie. This really had a good deal of potential but just lacked a bit of push to commit as a PNR. The book focused and failed a great deal on the romance between Alex and Willow but I have a feeling it would've fared better if this aspect of the story was kept to the background and the Angel Invasion was brought to the fore.

[Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and fun read that is unfortunately way too heavy on the eternal love after a few days for a higher rating.

I mean level with me here. Half the country, including governmental organisations, dogmatic cult followers and supernatural beings, is after you. Do you use your time hiding away in relative safety to make plans, back up plans and back up back up plans? Not if you're these two MCs. Instead you spend it waffling on about loving each other, telling campfire stories and singing fucking kumbaya. If you love each other so much put some bloody effort into keeping each other alive!

I enjoyed the read but I doubt if I'll look out for the next one.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is somewhat spoilerish be warned..

I am so confused with how I feel about this book. I liked it, but there are just a few things that I am not comfortable/used to and that makes it hard for me. I went with a 4 star because the concept is very original and I have to give the author major props for looking outside the box.
Story first, Willow is not your ordinary girl. First of all she is a mechanic and no I am not being sexist I just haven't read many books where the heroine works on cars. The author even points out that this makes her stand out in a not so good way at school so my view point is taken directly from the author. Willow is also a psychic. She can read peoples future by simply taking their hands. The combination of these two things make Willow stand out as "weird" among her peers. When she agrees to do a reading for Beth, the most perfect and popular girl at school, Willow sees a man who says he is Beths angel and even though Beth thinks this man is her divine intervention, Willow suspects different. Beth ends up taking the path that Willow begs her not too, thus throwing Willow into a whole new world the Church of Angels. This community is more than what it seems and Willow finds out that Angels are not the pretty picture she was brought up to believe. Alex on the other hand has grown up knowing exactly what angels are capable of. He is known as an AK, angel killer. He was brought up at a camp run by his father training to become an AK and save the world. When certain events happen the CIA steps in and makes it mandatory that all AK's live and hunt alone. So for two years Alex just waits in hotels until he gets his next assignment. He is by far the best so when he gets a text telling him to go to Willows house and terminate the problem he goes without question. When he arrives at her house and realizes that Willow is not his regular target he starts to wonder why the CIA wants her dead. What follows changes both their lives and they learn that angels are not always what they seem.
That is the basic story and I enjoyed it I just don't know how I feel about Weatherly turning angels into life sucking fiends. I have learned when reading you have to suspend your reality and I can typically do that but with this one the reality just felt uncomfortable for some reason. I think given enough time and with the second book I will be able to buy this concept but right now I am just lost because I really liked the story. I even liked the angel burn effect that the author created. It made total sense and was very unique in my opinion.
My other problem was that the climax of the story sorta fell flat. I was really into it and then boom nothing. The story focused more on the will Alex get to Willow in time instead of will this plan actually work and save the day. I wanted more. That being said though I really liked the relationship between Alex and Willow. Yes, they love each other and it is that all consuming love, but I have come to realize that if I was in that situation and I spent every night and day with a hawt guy who took care of me and saved my life I would probably develop strong feeling for that said person. I get the who I love you stuff now in YA books. Think back to when you were a teenager, most girls and guys loved each other after the second week without all the intense situations that the teens in books are in. So I am getting off my soapbox and I am just going to say that I totally bought the romance and I loved every minute of it.
I think fans of YA will adore this book and I have a feeling that my problems with the angel concept are just my own. I am looking forward to the sequel.

Thank you Candlewick Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

[Kayleigh {K-Books} · Rating 5 out of 5]

Posted on K-Books
http://k-booksxo.blogspot.com/2011/09...

There are no words I could possibly say to get across the feelings I felt while reading this book. It left me completely and utterly speechless and the book I read afterwards I couldn't even concentrate on as all I could think about was this story.

Willow is half-angel, she has always had these powers that she has never understood or known why. Her mother can't speak to her and half the time doesn't even know who Willow is. That all changed when she meets the mysterious, devastatingly gorgeous Alex. Alex is an AK, an Angel Killer, his target? Willow. The half-angel who has no idea what she is let alone what she can do. Going on the run together both must cope with being together at all times, but will the two of them be able to fight their growing feelings for the other when they are supposed to hate each other?

I instantly fell in love with this book and the story. All the other angel books I have read have been about fallen angels so when I picked this book up I instantly thought it was going to be similar. God, was I wrong.
Angel is definitely a fresh new twist on angel stories. Never would I have imagined reading a book where angels are evil. I love that it's a new take on the angel story and you will not find similarities to other angel stories so far published in the young-adult genre.
I love how the book is so different to others in it's genre, when reading books that are about the same thing, e.g. Hush Hush and Fallen, you can easily get bored as it sometimes feels like you are re-reading the same story but wrote in a different way. You will not get that feelings with this book. It is so unique and one of the best reads I have read all year.

I love Willow, she is such a great character and the reader feels everything along with her troughout the book. You feel her confusion as she learns just what she is, how she tries to fight her growing feelings for Alex whom she believes truly hates her and her fear as she discovers her destiny and just what it is she's expected to do to defeat the angels.
Alex is one of the characters that any girl who reads it will not be able to help but love him. He's definitely the bad boy of the book and I loved him. I love how he has been through so much and he always puts on the tough guy image but when you read more about him then you see his more vulnerable side where all he wants is revenge for what the angels did to his family.

If there is only one angel book you read this year make sure it is Angel.
Angel is a fast-paced, unputdownable book that is so addictive it keeps you yearning for more. I can't wait to see what's going to happen next.
I loved every moment of this book, and it's a highly addictive start to what's looking up to being an amazing series, one that I will be rushing to the bookstore to get as soon as it is released.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid 3.5 stars. This was actually a pretty good book. At first glance, a lot of people would be turned off by what seems to be a cheesy, somewhat overdone plot line and a predictable romantic premise. But don't be fooled--underneath all of that is a gem of YA storytelling.

1. I admit I initially stereotyped the protagonists at first. The male lead is a badass, which set off alarms in my mind because usually the "bad boy" is so badly, one-dimensionally written that he quickly loses his appeal. Not so here! The author breathes life and motivations into Alex, the male lead. Admittedly, Alex's motivations lie behind past tragedy, but the author does it so that we can sympathize with his desire to protect himself. Similarly, I liked reading about Willow. Full disclosure: she is half-angel. And while reading that phrase makes me giggle, that I still liked Willow is a testament to how well she was characterized. The best thing about Willow was that she was sweet and genuinely caring without the slightest bit of arrogance. She wore her fear on her face, but despite it all, she fought.

2. Which brings me to the romance. Unlike some YA novels, romance doesn't take the most central role in the story. Or rather, romance is secondary to the threat of apocalypse. The threat that angels pose to mankind made me treasure Willow's and Alex's love more. The romance does get gooey, but I guess in order to love someone while fighting off a hoard of creepy, vampiric creatures, you have to show a lot of dedication.

3. Angels played the antagonists in the series. Surprising, as they weren't ever "fallen." Rather, it was interesting to think that angels would be driven by primal instincts like the rest of us non-celestial beings. I found it jarring yet intriguing, and I hope this gets further explained in the future.

4. This is the first YA book where most of the action takes place on the road. I found it refreshing and liberating, to be honest. In some ways, because the characters weren't grounded in one place, the road trip expanded the scope of the novel and heightened the feeling of urgency. The angels aren't just a problem in upper New York--no, they are a problem of national proportions.

Overall, I am impressed. This plot had many, many opportunities to turn sour or overly cheesy. As soon as I got through the first 50 pages, I seriously started to worry that the book would be a disappointment because the beginning was so strong. The ending was great, and I hope to read more of this trilogy.

[jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

My Thoughts: I may or may not have hit the ceiling when I got approved for Angel Burn. EVIL. ANGELS. YOU. GUYS.
And it's a loooooong read, so I was all prepared and shaking in anticipating for some detailed, delicious storytelling and slow-building of a lahve story.

Well, I was partially right.

I was so intrigued by the idea of a deceptive Church of Angels. I did enjoy the fact that we not only got a first person account from Willow, but also third person points of view from Alex, Jonah (the angels' secretary), and head angel honcho Raziel. This helped offer a well-rounded idea of what was happening in the beginning. The background on the AKs (Angel Killers) and Alex's family was engrossing and I found myself wanting to know more about his brother, Jake.

Willow was a cool chick. She had hobbies and friends and even though she was considered a freak, being psychic and all, it was good. She was an individual. She liked fixing cars and was awesome at it. Then the arse-kicking angel killer Alex enters the picture and her individualism melts into oblivion. I got my slow build, all right. Unfortunately, once the build was built, I was attacked by an army of gushy internal monologues about how much Willow loves Alex and how nothing else matters at all and how the world as we know it will burst into flames without him. I can't lie to you guys, I skimmed through several pages of Willow talking to herself about how she's going to make it without Alex. There was a two page stretch of it at one time.

The storyline was interesting enough at first, but as it dragged on, I found myself racing to be done, just to say I was done. This is a LONG READ. The lulls in action don't pass quickly and, though I loved Willow at first, her cheesy interaction with Alex became too much for me to handle. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be reading the sequel, but I can tell you that many people are going to gobble this book up.

[Wrathsqueen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is without doubt my favourite book!

Cover: I love both the UK and US versions of this book. I think the girl on the cover of the UK is a perfect Willow and is how I imagined the character to look which makes a change from covers that look nothing like the character they are meant to be.

Plot: Alex kills angels. They're not as we know angels but killers that feed off of our life energy. His next assignment is to kill Willow Fields...but she's like nothing he's ever seen before- half angel, half human...but that's impossible. Willow has done something to upset the angels and now they want her dead, and Alex finds himself protecting Willow and falling for her.

Sometimes the plot or synopsis make the book sound better than it is but not this one: the synopsis hooked me in and then from page one I was gone, could not put this book down, finished in a day. The romance between Willow ans Alex was amazing and is by far my favourite- there's an instant attraction but not love, then some hostility, progresses to friendship and then love and so I felt it really developed and therefore really meant something and was a true romance.

Characters: Willow and Alex were both great characters.

Willow- People think she's odd because she isn't a girly girl but would rather play around with car engines...oh and she's psychic. Willow doesn't know she's half angel until Alex tells her.

Alex- His life has been ruined by the angels- his mother, father and brother were lost because of them and so his life is killing them. He doesn't expect his feelings for Willow and his conflict is obvious- he feels if he loves Willow he is betraying his family.

Writing Styles: Wow this books pacing was incredible, pages just flew by. Wasn't hard to read at all. Amazing really.

Rating: 5/5 stars. Simple as.

[Georgie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This story is not about angels, it is not about saving the world; it is about two teenagers who fall in love at first sight. I thought this book was going to be good but it wasn't, a quite long book that focused almost entirely on the relationship aspect of the novel, ignoring the plot to serve their relationship.
Not that even their relationship was done well, the two of them have just met, and after a week together are claiming to be in love. There is no real build up; one minute they loathe each other, the next...
The plot meandered constantly, switching between Alex's oh-so tragic backstory and their trip to nowhere. They have no plan except to escape and it's only after Alex leaves the picture 3/4 of the way in, that any real action occurs.
The Angels themselves while mostly despicable were not good villians; if our planet was dying and we needed to feed off of inteligent lifeforms I know we'd do the same. If their own world wasn't dying I would have felt less sympathy for them; especially the ones that aren't bad.
The writing itself was subpar too, the same descriptive words being used repeatedly in each chapter.
I just hated this book, it failed on every level for me but it looks like a lot of people liked it.

[nightlyreadingheather · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been awhile since I read a book that I was completely absorbed in! This book will be released in May 2011 and I guarentee that it is one for anyone whom loves the YA genre to look out for. The author has a great storyline and one that is unique.

Willow is a teenager that finds herself a little awkward. She dresses quirky and enjoys working on cars. Alex is an AK (angel killer). He had grown up in a camp that trained people for angel hunting and killing. Their worlds collide when Alex is given an order to kill Willow. He just cannot bring himself to do it. He thinks she is so beautiful and when he reads her aura, there is something just not right. While Alex struggles with befriending a creature that killed everyone he has ever loved, Willow has her own struggles with becoming comfortable with who she is. The two hit the road for an incredible journey that they find themselves actually relying on each other more than they had thought. Their mission is to bring down the angels, and both stay alive in the process.

I am already looking forward to the next book in this series, Angel Fire. Unfortunately, I will have to hang on until October.

I would give this book 10 stars if I could!!!

[M J · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read it first when I was 14, regret re reading it lol.

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yet another hokey, cheesy, plot-hole ridden story about evil angels ::cough:: Hush Hush, Crescendo::cough::

I picked up Angel Burn because it was on sale at the bookstore. It looked good. I should have done my research. And I forgot I don't like angel books. Gag.

At first, It was an okay book —just every so once in a while there's some painfully bad writing. "Like a puma lying in the sunlight" you get the drift. It just makes me think the book wasn't edited very well. And the book changes voice a lot. That just bugs me. Alex in narrating. Willow is narrating. Now it's third person about what's going on. Now it's third person from some random person's perspective. Ugh. I didn't like the shifts.

And then there might of been a lack of research. Like, we have theses two teens on the run from an organization that's infiltrated the police. They're taking main highways but they're not caught. And they don't switch license plates. Oh and the book starts off with this kid driving a porshe. That's exactly the non-noticeable car an assassin would drive !?! There's also really random info dumps. Like Willow is good at fixing cars and Alex speaks spanish. Oh and he doesn't have a social security number despite the fact that he lived a normal life until he was 6. Most babies get social security numbers. Taxes? Ever heard of them.

The book is supposed to be a romance and I'm rooting for them to get together but what's the appeal? They're both attractive. Okay. She's half angel and he's the last angel killer. Okay. What else? The only thing they have in common is that both of their mothers had angel burn and that they're "older than their years because of hardship." He's got a lot of backstory, but still feels like the stereotypical uber-macho hero. The characterization could have been better for both of them. She doesn't seem to have as much back story, and her character is a little flat too. And some of the scenes that are supposed to be romantic make me want to vomit. Ugh.

And then when they do get together......blah.....she would do anything for him. Total complete selfless love at 16? Of course!

Also, this book is L-O-N-G. And I think the author just stopped trying. Cookie cutter characters, been-there done-that plots you name it. By the end of the book, there was nothing original or likable. It was vomit. Why the F was the published? It definitely needed a rewrite.

So here's the plot of Angel Burn boiled down. SPOILERS AHEAD

Tough guy character drives a Porsche. Perfect non noticeable car for an assassin. Tough guy kills an angel. Angels are evil. (except this one).

Girl, who likes vintage clothes and fixing cars in parking lots, gives a popular girl a psychic reading.

Psychic Girl: Angels are evil. Better stay away.

Popular girl: ::blissed out:: Angels are wonderful. I better go join a cult and tell my angel about you.

Popular girl's angel shows up at psychic's house. OH NOZ.

Tough guy gets instruction to kill another angel. BUT WAIT! She's HOT. So he just creeps in her house for a while.

Psychic's girl's friend talks her into going to the cult BECAUSE THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. Psychic and hot guy run into each other. Half flirt. Angels are trying to kill Psychic. Tough guy kills the offending angel and they drive away together into the sunset.....

Wait, we're not done yet. Tough guy tells psychic she's HALF ANGEL, even though THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE. But she's still hot. They buy a mustang. The car breaks down. Girl can fix it but they take it to an auto shop anyway. They hang out in a hotel room anyway playing quarters and cards. Neither of which games involved alcohol or stripping :( Oh, and that cult is totally after the smokin' hot psychic. Psychic also gives an unwanted reading to a diner waitress and tells her not to kill herself. Tough guy is in LURVE.

They drive across the country to see tough guy's Southern stereotype of a best friend. He's their LAST HOPE. OR NOT, he's actually an angel zombie. They shoot (but don't kill) Southern stereotype and go hang out in a romantic cabin without indoor plumbing. They finally kiss and admit their undying teenage love for each other.

With nowhere else for the plot to go, we get to meet NEW CHARACTERS that are here to save the day. Yay new characters. Good (not evil) angel tells us that the angels homeworld is dying and that they're evacuating baby superman angels to Earth because energy vamp is the new way to go in Angel Town. Only not all angels want to be all energy vamp. Selfless good vamp would rather WIPE OUT HIS ENTIRE RACE. But in order to kill ALL THE ANGELS, half angel will have to close this gate the angels are crossing into this dimension. She's the only one who can do it being half angel and able to exist in 2 planes at once. (TOTALLY BELIEVABLE!)

Half Angel: Okay. Sure I'll be your martyr. Sounds awesome :)

Tough guy: I'm not going to watch you die.

Half Angel: By-ee!

Tough Guy: Come back. I've changed my broody mind.

Everybody heads to the church where the next wave of evil angels are going to start the invasion. Popular girl is inexplicably there. She spots psychic girl and tries to ruin the whole plan. Half-angel throws some silly angelic rock into the portal (despite the chaos) and even more chaos begins. Tough guy shows up. ::cue hero music:: Oh noz. Half angel is hurt. Her aura is fading. He thinks she's dead.....but then by some hokey miracle she's not. They head out. Evil head angel is GASP half angel's father. BIG SURPRISE!!! Tough guy knocks evil angel out. They meet the insider who helped plan this stunt. They leave him on his own. Who the hell cares buddy? And then they RIDE INTO THE SUNSET ON THE BACK OF A MOTORCYCLE. Original, huh?

[Chloe Reads Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really loved it, but very cliché! This is understandable as it was written in 2010!! I’m exited to see what the sequel brings!

[Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Willow’s life is a struggle. She lives with her mom, who is suffering from some form of mental illness and her Aunt, a woman that reminds Willow daily how much of a burden Willow is on her time and resources.

To help with the finances, Willow fixes cars (not a common occupation for a girl) and does psychic readings (again, not a common occupation for a girl). The problem with Willow is her psychic readings are real. Since she was a small child, Willow could “read” people. It is a psychic reading of a popular classmate (Beth) that will turn Willow’s life upside down.

It seems Willow is not exactly “human” (I think the cover gives that away so it is no spoiler). It also seems that both sides- the Angels and the Angel Hunters want her dead. The Angels are not the typical Angels you read about. While they are beautiful, mesmerizing creatures, they also feed on humans for their life force. When the Angels feed, they hypnotize the humans into believing they are helping them. Their “feedings” are the cause for an escalation of depression, disease and eventual death.

One of the Angel Hunters is Alex. Immediately the reader thinks “bad boy”. However, he is much more than your typical hero “bad boy”. Alex was “hired” to kill Willow since she is part Angel. However, he quickly realizes (thankfully, before he kills Willow), that something major is wrong. The author manages to give Alex vulnerability, compassion, and a history filled with sadness and loneliness.

Willow and Alex end up going on the run. The story really takes off here. Willow and Alex’s travels, narrow escapes, and their budding romance, was by far, the best part of the book.

I did have some problems with the book, 1) I felt the cast of minor characters could have been developed more. While this book was about Willow and Alex, to draw the reader into the story more, I think the author could have developed the other characters and given them more depth. 2) The use of the word “um” in the dialogue. I do realize the author was trying to show Willow and Alex’s nervousness, hesitation and shyness by having them say “um” when they were speaking but it was way overdone. I actually started to cringe when I saw the word and had to consciously read the sentences without reading the word “um”. I cannot imagine how the author’s editor or beta readers allowed this word to be used so often. I was hoping for the use of any other words besides “um” but that was the sole word that was used to display nervousness, and shyness. 3) One of the problems when reading very quickly (I finished the book in one day), is I have a tendency to completely immerse myself in the world that author has established. As a result, I seem to “catch” mistakes that the author has made in the story or gaps in the world building logic. In Angel, it happened a few times especially towards the end. I was frustrated because Willow did not do “something” (cannot say- spoiler) that she should have done considering what she was capable of doing.

Even with the problems I had with the book, the story was extremely good. I am very eager for book two to come out.

[Ni_kii · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review can be found at http://themidnightreaders.blogspot.com/

This book surprised me, I was completely expecting to hate it after 30 pages when the POV had shifted a million times but, surprisingly, I loved it. It reminded me a little of the Host and a little of the TV show supernatural.

Alex is an Angel Killer. Forced into a life of hunting Angels by his father after an Angel killed his mother (see the resemblances here...!) he finds himself isolated and alone after the CIA take over the operation and force all the Angel Killers to work individually.You see, in this book, Angels are aliens from another dimension who feed on humans life-force, leaving them with "Angel-burn", which is the facination and adoration of these creepy etherial beings, plus the suseptibility to mental degeneration and a whole host of other diseases. His next assignment is Willow, a half-angel (who doesn't know it!) who he can't bring himself to kill. They go on the run together, managing to evade both the Angels and the Church of Angel (a host of creppy fantatics with Angel burn) until it becomes apparent that only Willow can stop the forthcoming invasion.

I adored this book. First thing that I should note about it is it is Young Adult. There is no swearing, no sex and the violence (although incredibly creepy) is not written in a graphic no-holds-barred kind of way. I wouldn't class it as Romance, but as Urban Fantasy as the main storyline consists of the Angels. The romance is sweet and I can see that it will build over the next three books. One of the main critisms that I have read about this book is that it never really reaches that whole next level but, between the main characters finally accepting their feelings and the end of the book, is a period of about a month...I feel it was appropriate for a Young Adult book that they never "get it on". The Angels and their parasitic relationship with the Humans takes up the majority of the plotline and it's creepy. I think if I hadn't have read the Nalini Singh Guildhunter books, and therefore already been introduced to this whole idea that Angels can be as evil as everything else, I would have been more shocked and possibly a little less receptive to what this book is about. It really is a break from the norm!

It takes Willow almost 3/4 of the book to come to terms with her Angel, infact Alex, who has seen most of his family die via Angels, accepts it quicker! The only experiences she has with Angels are bad and it comes as quite a shock to learn she is half this supposed monsterous race. I loved it when she finally accepted that evil is a personal choice, not a genetic one. This was a book filled with personal growth for the characters.

I have just added the next one to my want-to-read list. I can't give it any higher praise than that!

[Vampire-lk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this novel!!!! Fun quick read!!!! Brilliant in its simplicity their love for each other shows one doesn’t need hot n heavy sex scenes to get some readers to read a romance novel! That being said it was part of this novels charm how sweet & clean their love was with the slow build up on their dynamic chemistry!!!!

I am not sure if will continue with this series as it looks like there will be a love triangle & more angst than before in the next two novels in this!!!! I absolutely loved how engaged I was even when they were hidden up in the mountains so I do give credit to the author for her skill at writing!! It is a true skill to keep me engaged in the characters when it is just scenery & over use of descriptive words to describe said locations!

Highly recommend this novel, but only this novel still undecided about the rest in the series or the author as of right now!!

[Crowinator · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 stars.

This book gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “touched by an angel”.

Because as we learn in the book’s opening pages, angels? Will bad touch you to death. Angels aren’t guardians of humanity or messengers of God; they are inter-dimensional beings who feed on our life force, causing serious physical and mental illnesses in the people they’ve fed from. (Sort of like Glory in Buffy, Season Five.) It’s called “angel burn”, and though the people burned by angels get sick and eventually die, they believe they’ve had a beautiful, transcendent religious experience, which has caused them to band together and create the Church of Angels, a creepy new religious movement that is basically taking over the world. The Church is great for the angels, because it’s like getting a free pass to the best buffet ever, and it’s gotten so good that they’ve decided to leave their crappy dying world/dimension and invade ours.

Alex is an AK, or Angel Killer, contracted by the CIA to hunt down angels and destroy them by shooting their halos to bits. He’s kind of a mix of Dean from Supernatural and Fenton/Adam from Frailty, right down to his driven nature, terrible childhood trained to kill things, and family issues. Willow is the other narrator of our story, a typical high schooler, except that she’s psychic and can awesomely fix your car when it breaks down. They meet when Alex is sent to kill Willow by an anonymous CIA text, but as it turns out, she’s only half-angel and he’s too busy trying to puzzle out how that’s possible to pull the trigger. This is lucky for both of them, because Willow may be the only one who can stop the coming Angel Invasion, and when the angels find out, both Alex and Willow have to go on the run.

If you predict that Alex and Willow dislike and distrust each other in the beginning and then eventually fall in love, you’d be right. Doesn’t the assassin always fall in love with his target in these books? Still, it’s handled pretty well; they start with basic lust because they’re both attractive teenagers trapped in a car and various seedy motels together, and through danger and saving each other’s lives every two seconds, grow into love. I believed it. Then they go too far and become annoyingly schmoopy, with declarations of endless devotion and whatnot, for far too long; it’s like the author decided, “now I must reinforce their feelings by forcing them to hole up in a cabin together where they have nothing to do but gaze into each other’s eyes and talk about how in love they are”. Meanwhile, the angels are all plotting their takeover, taking over the CIA and AKs and ensuring that their mind-controlled supporters are everywhere, and basically being a lot more proactive.

Happily, this "stuck in the cabin" section eventually ends and the more thrilling plot, whereby they attempt to stop the Angel Invasion, recommences. And it didn’t go quite where I expected (dammit, I should have seen this was a trilogy!).

Despite the book being all about the new religious movement that sprang up around the angels and how dangerous the power of belief can be (at least, when that belief is fueled by mind control), Weatherly doesn’t have to deal with the problems a lot of other “angel” books do: namely, God. It’s clear these angels are just another species, one escaping a dying world and trying to survive by any means necessary, and have nothing really to do with our human religions. This makes sense to me and is kinda cool. Angels have fooled humanity into trusting them by appearing as gleaming figures adorned with halos, wings, and flowing robes, and they exploit the religious fervor they leave in their wake, but they don’t believe in it. They’re like evil, self-serving magical con artists.

But here’s what I don’t quite get. All of this doesn’t explain why they think of themselves as angels, which they clearly do – they use the word “angelic” and “seraphic” and so on to describe their home world and its governing council, but for them, there are no religious connotations. I find it hard to divorce the words from the ideas behind them, so I can’t understand why beings from another world/dimension would refer to themselves using ideas and language from our world, the same way we would. They even refer to the damage they do to humans as “angel burn”, which seems odd to me – that seems like a term the hunters would have cooked up, and the angels themselves would have a different way of describing it. The point is, they aren’t really angels.

The only way I can really reconcile it is if the angels have been coming to our world for so long that they actually gave rise to their own mythology as religious figures. That’s kind of a cool notion, if the angels in the Bible and so on were actually aliens, controlling humanity even way back when, but it’s not one really supported by the book.

Anyway, none of this detracted from my enjoyment of the story. I puzzled about it, sure, but I let it go. In truth, this is a classic story of invasion and colonization, with a twist that feels new even when it isn’t (I mean, aliens coming to this world because their world can no longer sustain them and tricking humanity into rolling over with a fight isn’t exactly a new story). It’s also a fairly decent paranormal romance between characters who are equals and who are both likable – they react like real people with believable motivations.

I'll be reading the next one just to see where the author takes the Angel Invasion plot.