Review: Unearthly #3, Boundless by Cynthia Hand

Blurb from Goodreads

The past few years held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner ever could have anticipated. Now, with the fallen angel who attacked her watching her every move and the threat of Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfill her destiny—a destiny that includes Christian Prescott by her side. But in order to complete her purpose, Clara must first find a way to give up the thing she wants most . . . a future with the boy she loves, Tucker Avery.

ebook, 283 pages

Published January 22nd 2013 by HarperTeen (first published January 1st 2013)

edition language: English

series: Unearthly

genre: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

My Thoughts

This is one of the best angel series I’ve ever read and is definitely one of my favorite series. The angel story here is taken from story that everybody knows with archangel, fallen angel, nephilim, heaven, hell and God’s tasks. All of it become an enchanting story makes me want to know more about angels. Cynthia Hand delivered it with perfection. In some part I get a religious feeling more than other angel stories, especially in YA paranormal romance yet not being lectured by her.

And the romance, most of my friends are gushing about whose team they choose. Yet for me, I think it isn’t the love triangle that I care about it isn’t whether I’m in team Tucker or team Christian. It’s the way Cynthia Hand wrote love story between Tucker, Clara and Christian. Yes, I can guess from the beginning whose will Clara choose and my guess was right but along the way, she makes me doubt it and I keep wondering whether it is right or wrong. I want Clara be with the one that I prefer but I also love the other one. It torn me apart, I can’t choose between them, that how good she wrote their love story and that is what I care about, the way she wrote it. In the end, I guess I’m in team Cynthia Hand.

To Cynthia Hand, thank you for writing such a beautiful amazing series.

Result: 5 out of 5 stars

Review: Unearthly #2.5, Radiant by Cynthia Hand

Blurb from Goodreads

Clara is desperate to get away—from the memories that haunt her in Wyoming and the visions of a future she isn’t ready to face—and spending the summer in Italy with her best friend, Angela, should be the perfect escape. . . .

For as long as she can remember, Angela has been told that love is dangerous, that she must always guard her heart. But when she met a mysterious guy in Italy two years ago she was determined to be with him, no matter the costs. Now she must decide whether she can trust Clara with her secret, or if telling her the truth will risk everything she cares about.

Alternating between Angela and Clara’s perspectives, Radiant chronicles the unforgettable summer that will test the bounds of their friendship and change their lives forever.

ebook, 94 pages

Published December 4th 2012 by HarperTeen

edition language: English

series: Unearthly

genre: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

My Thoughts

From the beginning of Unearthly, I’m always curious and wondering about Angela. Although her wings are white and Clara trusts her completely, I can’t trust her the way Clara do. And she’s so intense I sometimes thinking that she has something more that she said. This novella fits perfectly to the series, she has more stories here. Story that makes readers more understand her especially about her insecurity and her jealousy to Clara that start slowly begins to consumed her. And it is a good bridge for her story in the final book, Boundless.

And the ending of this novella is so perfect It’s a decision that I will always regret a single sentence that tempted me more than anything to read Boundless. It doesn’t mean that I’m not interested in reading it but sometimes I don’t read series back to back, yet this series so addictive I cannot stop until I finish it.

Result: 3 out of 5 stars

Review: Unearthly #2, Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Blurb from Goodreads

For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn’t prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves 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.

In this compelling sequel to Unearthly, Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are.

ebook, 248 pages

Published January 17th 2012 by HarperTeen

edition language: English

series: Unearthly

genre: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

My Thoughts

Although I have one thing I’m not quite understand *SPOILER* Why Maggie didn’t pay more attention to Jeffrey and only focused to Clara and then so did Michael. I feel it’s against their nature. I mean Maggie is a good mother who always take good care of her children and I kind of hope that Michael has more effort to be close to his son *End of SPOILER* But then maybe it’s the way it is and I believe it needed for its sequel, Boundless. I love every single little thing from this book, from the story to the supporting characters.I love that it takes from the original angel story, at least as original as I used to read and known. Cynthia Hand creates it with her own thought without remove the basic theme. It becomes her own story.

It is beautifully written, not only literally beautiful but also the way she writes the world building and the emotion so beautiful, even the sad one. I especially love chapter 11 Storm’s Coming. I can feel emotions in it. I can feel Clara’s sorrow, Jeffrey’s anger, Billy’s determination, another angel-bood fear as much as they strong-will and the scene when Clara’s mom surrounded by angel-blood is so sad yet beautiful at the same time.

I also love the romance. This is YA books so of course there is a romance and a team that you choose. I’m not in either team Tucker or team Christian though I have a preference whose I will choose for Clara. As the story goes, neither of them shows less than another or more than the other. They have their own virtue that I love from each of them. At this point, the love triangle kind of story, I usually choose my team but here I cannot do it, I love both of them, they both deserve to be happy with Clara.

All in all, I cannot say anything more than I love and enjoy this book. It will definitely be on my favorite book shelf.

Result: 5 out of 5