Title: Angel Burn (Angel in the UK)
Author: L.A. Weatherly (site)
Published: March 31st, 2011 by Candlewick
Pages: 464
Buy: Amazon / Book Depository
Rating: 3/5
Synopsis:Willow knows she’s different from other girls, and not just because she loves tinkering with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into the future and know people’s dreams and hopes, their sorrows and regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where this power comes from. But the assassin, Alex, does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows more about Willow than Willow herself does. He knows that her powers link to dark and dangerous forces, and that he's one of the few humans left who can fight them. When Alex finds himself falling in love with his sworn enemy, he discovers that nothing is as it seems, least of all good and evil. In the first book in an action-packed romantic trilogy, L. A. Weatherly sends readers on a thrill ride of a road trip — and depicts the human race at the brink of a future as catastrophic as it is deceptively beautiful. (Goodreads)
Review: I love the world that this series is set in. Angels are really soul-sucking monsters that kill people. The worst part is that the victims enjoy the experience. They remember it as an otherworldly encounter with a being full of light, kindness, and grace. Even when they begin to develop cancer or lung disease, or any of the other horrific results called Angel Burn, they never suspect the angels. In fact, they have a huge following, tons of churches and members that worship (and feed) them. The scariest part? I can see this happening. Against these hordes of soul-sucking fiends and their crazed followers, we have one psychic and one assassin (both teenagers). This sounds like the setup for a truly amazing series. The first half of the book, where our characters meet and join forces, was amazing. Both Willow and Alex are believable, likable characters. Their adventures were exciting, the danger real, and the outcome never certain. I loved it. Then there came a huge section of book all about these two living in seclusion, just being together and being in love. This section of the story didn't just drag, it destroyed. By the time they left, I was so annoyed with them that I didn't care if they lived or not. The cheese factor was through the roof, which is okay in small doses, but this felt like a full third of the book. Falling in love while on the run is fantastic. Falling in love while on the run and then stopping for a year to just sit and enjoy being in love is dull. This section of the book should have been cut at least in half. I know it seems like I'm making a big deal out of a little thing, but I can't tell you how much this disrupted to whole story for me. I was loving this book and then suddenly it had fallen flat for me. Maybe this won't affect you as much as it did me, so I do suggest giving it a try. The beginning was amazing. Just be ready for the action to come to a complete stop for a while in the middle.
P.S. As of right now, the kindle version of this book is only $3.49!
