Tuesday 29 March 2011

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto


Pages - 484
Published by  Atom Books in 2010
Book - part of the UK Book Tour organised by the lovely Lynsey

Our arrival didn't exactly go as planned. I remember it was almost dawn when we landed because the streetlights were still on. We had hoped our descent would go unnoticed, which it mainly did, save for a thirteen-year-old boy doing a paper round.

Every time I think about Halo, my thoughts instantly return to one mind blowing detail. The author is only 18 years old and had first book published at 16. Wow! Regardless of what anyone including myself think about the book, that is one hell of an achievement for someone so young. I only wish I had been as creative and accomplished as her at that age.

Halo brings us the story of three angels brought down to Earth, to bring goodness back into society.  There is Gabriel the warrior, an archangel and one of the Holy Seven; Ivy the healer, a seraphim and one of the angels closest to the Lord and  Bethany, a young angel who resides at the bottom of the angel ladder.

They all arrive on Earth with the intention of bringing peace and harmony, but somehow Bethany gets a little sidetracked on the way. Being the most human of the three angels she falls in love with a mortal and the other angels begin to worry that she might just not be able to complete the job she was sent down to Earth to do.

Many of you know that I am a sucker for an angel book and this one did not disappoint.  I loved reading about how the angels tried to settle into normal every day human life, which was as foreign to them as living in an igloo would be to me. 

I found within Alexandra's writing that she captured the essence of first love so accurately, I found myself stepping back in time to my own teenage years.  The feelings were those intense, gut wrenching,hunger suppressing, cannot be apart for longer than an hour kind of  feelings. Alexandra has managed to evoke emotions and memories in myself that had long been forgotten. ( That makes me sound old. Eeek!)

I did find Xavier, Bethany's mortal boyfriend,  a little over protective, but then Bethany has to be the most innocent lead character I have ever come across, although that fits perfectly with her character as an angel on her first visit to Earth.

The book was a little longer than I would have preferred. I would have liked it to be compacted a  little more with perhaps the bad boy Jake turning up a little earlier in the story. However I still really enjoyed the story as it progressed and didn't find myself desperate for the action to start.  I am over the moon that nearly every loose strands of the story are wrapped up in the book, and although I know everything  wasn't completely finalised, I felt contented to wait for the next book.

This story does have a lot of religious overtones which did not bother me at all. I have read a lot of non fiction angel books and felt that Alexandra had definitely carried out a lot of research on her subject matter.

I am just so impressed by Alexandra's writing talents that I cannot wait to watch her grow as a writer. I think Stephanie Meyer may have a little competition here! (Don't tell her though, lets keep it a secret!).

20 comments:

  1. Oh god I desperately want to read this one next now. Shuffles shuffle TBR pile

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  2. Wonderful review, Vivienne :) I'm not sure about this book, I feel that I've read a few too many too long YA novels lately(Angelfire was one of those for me).

    A 18 year old compared to Stephenie Meyer? Sounds like she might just be an awesome writer in a few years time then.

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  3. Wow, ony 18?! -adds book to 'to be read' pile- Thanks for the review! (:

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  4. I'm very impressed with Alexandra's accomplishment - she is definitely an author to watch.

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  5. Great review, I want to read this now :)

    Jules

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  6. I need to pick this one up - I've heard so many good things about it!

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  7. Only 18, if for no other reason I have to check Halo out.

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  8. I never knew she was only 18! Oh wow! Looking forward to reading this one :)

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  9. Wow! She is a very young author. Terrific review, Vivienne!

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  10. oooo...hope I'm signed up for this at the UK booktour, if not I'm off to sign up x

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  11. So glad to hear you enjoyed this one! I've had it in my bookcase for months but have been daunted by the length... my attention span seems to be short lately. I'll be sure to pick up Halo soon!

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  12. I read this one when it was released in the US and I couldn't get into it at all. It's a shame as I was really looking forward to it, but it just wasn't for me. I found the whole tone of the book very preachy!

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  13. Well I sure hope she is better than Meyer cos if she is anything like that..I am staying away

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  14. Asamum - DM sent to you over this book.

    Ladybug - I can understand that. Sometimes you need to mix it up a bit with some adult books.

    Renu - mad isn't it.

    Bermudaonion - I am quite taken by Alexandra. Can't wait to read more.

    Jules - enjoy

    Coffee and A Book Chick - it seems to have quite mixed reviews, but I really enjoyed it.

    Petty Witter - I was compelled to read after that.

    Carmen - you will love it.

    Suko - thank you.

    Katrina - enjoy.

    Meg - I must admit I am looking to smaller books to read soon. I have had some hefty ones recently too.

    Leanna - I suppose the preachiness didn't bother me as I find angels fascinating and love non fiction books about them too.

    Blodeuedd - did you not love Meyer. I think she is fab.

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  15. That is amazing that she is so young. The book sounds great. I've seen it around.

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  16. I quite enjoyed this too, but a few plot holes bothered me - in particular, if God is omniscient then s/he would know who the bad guys were and just send the angels to tackle them, instead of sending them there to investigate.....but apart from that I found if I just ran with it, it's an enjoyable story. I agree, I wish Jake was introduced earlier too. I'm looking forward to the next in the series too.

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  17. Oh this sounds really good! Thanks to the Blue Bloods series, I've become intrigue with angel books and this sounds right up my alley!

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  18. The author is so talented! I must look out for the book. I hope I can find it at my bookstore.

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  19. Glad you liked it Viv. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for her next one.

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  20. I think this would be a book I'd like to read once this phase of not-enjoying-paranormals is finished. It fascinates me that the author was so young when she wrote it.

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