I wanted to give this 3.5 stars...and I'm not sure how I am going to give a review without spoilers....hmm...

Okay - I can't review this without spoilers, but I will try to limit them. First of all, I did enjoy the book overall and I will be reading the next. There were some very emotional scenes which were written very well - you may even need a Kleenex. There were also some nail-biting moments that were very well done. However, I am not as happy with "Angel-Girl" as I was in the first book. In fact, I am a little bit irritated with her. Her mother is dying and all she can think about is how she can spend some time with her boyfriend - what? And if she's so eaten up with him that it knocks her dying mom to the rear, why does she continue to put him in danger like she does? Also, her brother - what in the world is up with him hiding the fact that he discovered his "purpose" in the first book? Isn't fulfilling their "purpose" supposed to be the most important thing these Angel-bloods do with their lives? And knowing that his is all mixed up with his sister's makes it even more perplexing that he never bothered to tell anyone anything - not his mother or his sister.

I like the dad showing up. That was good. And I liked the "Angel Conference" they had and the introduction of some new characters and the mild fleshing out of some of the ones that were introduced in the first book. The ending was well done and I am looking forward to the next book, but still...I'm a little disenchanted with Miss Clara. She acted like a 12 year old through much of this installment. I hope she grows up a little before she starts college. ( )

I NEED to read Boundless before I head up to heaven to get it myself. ( )

The series continues to be amazing, and to make me want to flail my hands. All the characters continue to be real people, with real talents and flaws, regardless of whether they are angels or humans. And I want to run around saying "This is not your mama's Angel Stories" and that says something coming from the girl who avoids them (...and drug herself, unhappily through the second half of A Need So Beautiful...).

But I am ecstatic about this series. And the big twists in this one were BIG. The serious one at the ending literally tore at my heart. I want to know where everyone is going and what is going to happen to them. Parents. Ex's. Friends. Everything. Radiant was waiting to be devoured right after this one, and Boundless needs to happen, oh, NOW.






Also. All those warnings about needing tissues for this book? People weren't wrong. Even having predicted who and how and what from chapter two, I was so near to tears so many times. It was just done so well, I felt it slamming me as it slammed Clara. ( )

I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. The author relly captures that senior year of school (even if most characters are angels!) ( )

Hallowed picks up not long after the events of Unearthly. Clara's having to deal with the consequences she made regarding her purpose on the day of the fire. She's started having new visions and these tell her that somebody she loves is about to die in the very near future. On top of that, Clara's struggling with her feelings for both Tucker and Christian.

I felt like Hallowed really kicked up the intensity on all levels. I wanted a little bit more action and clarification on some issues. I was impressed that Hand was able to make me indecisive on my feelings between Tucker and Christian. Maybe I'll be able to make up my mind before the end of the next book. ( )