Reviewer: Andrea
I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The Summary:
All Airel ever wanted was to be normal, to disappear into the crowd. But bloodlines can produce surprises, like an incredible ability to heal. Then there’s Michael Alexander, the new guy in school, who is impossibly gorgeous…and captivated by her. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she can hear the sound of pages turning, and another, older story being written. It is the story of an ancient family, of great warriors, of the Sword of Light, and the struggle against an evil so terrible, so far-reaching, that it threatens everything. Airel knew change would be an inevitable part of life. But can she hold on when murder and darkness begin to close in and take away everything she loves? Will she have what it takes when the truth is finally revealed?
The Review:
I’ve read several versions of “angel” paranormal literature, both young adult and adult, and they all have one thing in common—complexity. I suppose complicated plots in this subgenre is typical because of the various religious beliefs and doctrines involving God and His divine creations, and reconciling the existing tales with a creative new plot cannot be easy, but sometimes the convoluted maze loses the reader, especially when the story isn’t fully revealed. I’m afraid Airel falls into that category for me.
The novel centers—at first—on the story of Airel, and I quite enjoyed her story. She’s the typical “I don’t belong” teen, struggling with her identity and insecurities. The writing was smooth, easy-to-read, and I zoomed through these sections; however, the complication begins with the third POV chapters about 35 percent into the novel. When the story becomes split between Kreios and Airel, the frustration began. I enjoyed (mostly) Kreios’s story, and it’s clear the storylines will merge in some way later; however, the writing was so different with his chapters. Kreios’s chapters were as intricate as Airel’s are informal. While the words battled for dominance, chasing each other in a labyrinth of description, I lost my interest somewhat. I wonder how teen readers will deal with that?
