Gabriel, Ivy and Bethany Church are three angels sent to Earth on a mission—to redeem the world from the dark forces of evil through works of charity and good examples. Stationed in the cozy coastal town of Venus Cove, the angels adjust to their human forms by blending in with the town's tight-knit community; Ivy lending a helping hand with various advocacies and Gabriel and Bethany entering the school of Bryce Hamilton.
Bethany, the youngest and most inexperienced of the three, immediately roots herself to the human world as charming schoolboy Xavier Woods captures her attention. As Bethany struggles to learn the language of adolescent girls and academics, she figures that among her siblings, she is by far the most human and the most vulnerable for non-celestial affection. Yearning to become truly part of the world of the boy she has learned to love, Bethany forms a romance with Xavier, and as dark forces threaten the star-crossed lovers, Bethany discovers that the power of love can defy both Heaven and Hell and all who wish to go against it.
What I liked about the book:
1. The cover
Come on, guys. Whoever did this cover from Feiwel and Friends was a GENIUS. The cover encompasses everything you need to know about the book. Moreover, it urges you to purchase it because it would look perfect in your shelf. The sunlight captured between the protagonists sheds light on the idea of divinity and celestial beings, and the silhouettes of Bethany and Xavier appear mysteriously dramatic and accurate at the same time.
The cover is golden (as its color suggests it), but more than that, it captures the true essence of the book and allows readers not to judge it but to see right through it. It is simple and easy to understand as what its text presents, and its cover has delivered justice to what its story can offer.
2. The all-too almost realistic setting
Adornetto's experience with studying in various schools has helped her construct a concrete atmosphere for Bryce Hamilton high school. In Bethany's gateway to the human world, different cliques and personalities are presented through a menagerie of students experiencing good, old high school drama—prom dates, rugby games, wild parties and locker gossip. This set-up, which Adornetto decorates with school memorabilia close to the heart, allows young adult readers to easily identify themselves as part of the book rather than a bystander watching by the sidelines.
3. Vividness and description
Having written this at an early age, a young woman like Alexandra Adornetto must be commended for her descriptive pen and paper skills. She paints her story with dynamic colors that gifts readers with a clear and beautiful picture of what is happening on each chapter. The words she uses in descriptive sentences are carefully chosen and appropriate for the narrator's voice and the story's setting. Details such as a character's hair or eye color become repetitive as the story progresses, and I find it helpful for readers who do not want to get lost as it provides a true-to-life picture rather than a hazy, unfathomable image.
4. The angel is a GIRL.
This is a refreshing take on the YA Angel genre as we are accustomed to protagonist angels being that of the male sex. It's very interesting that Adornetto decided on twisting things around and allowing us to get inside a female angel's perspective. Aside from drawing the line between the difference of the male and female angel mindset, the book gives us a taste of the different and explores the YA Angel genre at a different angle.
What I didn't like about the book:
1. It bored the HELL out of me. (pun intended)
Although Adornetto describes her characters and her setting skillfully, most of the time I found her writing style too wordy and boring. She writes like an 8th grader, and honestly speaking, I can do a whole lot better than that. Her sentences are too simple, and her story is too cliché although as I've said, her choice of words were a good selection. There is poor plot development, and I could not feel my connection with the characters however simple they were. "Halo" is slow-paced and excruciatingly painful, and its ending did nothing to satisfy my tough ordeal. By the time I finished the book, it didn't strike me as remarkable, and I decided that I'd let this sappy love story rot in my shelf.
2. THE CHARACTERS
Okay. *breathes in deeply, straightens back, breathes again*
Let's start with Bethany.
AM I THE FIRST PERSON TO FIND HER SO STUPID AND NAIVE?
I know that you're new on Earth. I get that. But you don't have to emphasize it like a neon sign flashing repeatedly in the dark. If you really want to keep your cover Bethany, you should act more mature and more careful. If you're an angel, Bethany, then maybe you SHOULDN'T BE SO SELFISH ALL THE TIME WONDERING ABOUT YOUR PRETTY BOY. WHY CAN'T GOD EVEN SEND HER BACK??? It's obvious that she's useless and only spending her time on Earth with her one, true love who, by the way, had her at 'hello'. Literally. It was too predictable that he's going to be her love interest. *rolls eyes, grabs fistfuls of hair* Ughhhhh! Because of Xavier, she's forgetting her duties as an angel and ends up doing more harm than good.
Speaking of Xavier...
WHY IS HE SO PROTECTIVE OF BETHANY AND HAS TO REMIND HER TO EAT OR DRINK A GLASS OF WATER JUST BECAUSE HE PROMISED HER BROTHER TO PROTECT HER? HE EVEN FORCEFULLY FEEDS HER A PROTEIN BAR WITH AIRPLANE SOUNDS AND ALL.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? DOES THAT MEAN THAT US GIRLS CAN'T TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES AND BOYS KNOW BETTER TO SHOULDER OUR RESPONSIBILITIES (EVEN THOSE THAT COME INVOLUNTARILY)? Oh come on, Adornetto, you're every feminist's enemy author now, and YOU, YES YOU have a lot of explaining to do. *grumbles and roars*
*composes herself, fixes hair, grins*
At one point in the book, Adornetto drops a hint of the suffering Xavier endured before Bethany. I'm not going to let it out here since I'm assuming that not everyone who comes across this blog has read the book, but I would like to point out my disappointment towards the topic not being fully explored by the author. Had it been shed with more light, it would've molded Xavier into something more stronger and human. Adornetto could've used it to her advantage and manipulated readers so that they could feel the same 'head over heels' feeling that Bethany has for Xavier while exposing the vulnerabilities on Bethany's so-called 'other half'.
3.THE BOOK IS TOO FREAKIN' IDEALISTIC
NO, WE DO NOT LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE A KIND ACT OF CHARITY CAN GO AHEAD AND CONVERT A WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD. NO, WE DO NOT LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE THE GIRL GETS THE GUY OF HER DREAMS DURING THEIR FIRST ENCOUNTER. NO, WE DO NOT LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE IT'S ALL RAINBOWS AND BUTTERFLIES AND UNICORNS.
NO. JUST NO.
WE LIVE IN A WORLD OF UPS AND DOWNS. WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE LOVE AND FAITH TAKES TIME. WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE NOTHING IS PERFECT AS IT SEEMS, AND IT'S ABOUT TIME ALEXANDRA ADORNETTO REALIZES THAT. The setting of her book might've been an utter utopia if you'd ask me, and this is the reason why human beings are often misled in believing in something their hearts cannot still fully grasp. Books like this are the reason why teenage girls assume that their crushes like them back and end up weeping with broken hearts. Books like this are the reason why people do an act of kindness and become repulsive when that act of kindness is not returned in their favor. Books like this are the reason why people prefer to dream and live in fiction rather than face the horrors of reality with sheer will and a clenched fist.
IT'S ABOUT TIME YA BOOKS DO NOT PRESENT THE IDEAL.
It's about time that they present severe consequences to one's actions. It's about time that they reveal stories of broken hearts and shattered relationships. It's about time that YA presents something that can both be fictitious and tangible at the same time.
"Halo" is too predictable. Moreover, we know that the guy would end up with the girl, so why bother with the whole series? It will just bore you and have you facepalming over and over again because of its nasty characters and cliché storyline.
4. INSTA-LUUUUURVEEEE
AGAIN. ANOTHER GRAVE OFFENSE BY A BOOK I HAD HIGH EXPECTATIONS OF.
INSTA-FCKING-LOVE
Bethany sees Xavier fishing. Bethany is attracted to him and asks him something. Bethany enrolls in high school and meets Xavier on the first day. Xavier and Bethany feel a spark. They go out on a date. Bethany TRUSTS HIM ALREADY. Xavier and Bethany can't stop thinking about each other. Bethany reveals that she's an angel after knowing Xavier for only A WEEK OR TWO. Bethany questions GOD is now ready to TURN HER BACK on Heaven just because she met this boy whom she barely knows bur claims to entirely know.
My, my, my.
Is this how authors perceive adolescent love nowadays???
You can't just trust a person completely after going out with him once and knowing him for a week or two. Most of all, you can't reveal your deepest, darkest secret to a person you've barely spent your whole life with. Either Bethany is just SO STUPID or Adornetto wanted things to become fast-paced and failed miserably.
5. #CLINGY
Bethany and Xavier are rarely apart in the entirety of the book. SERIOUSLY. Beth ALWAYS yearns to be with Xavier, even going against the rules just to see him as if she's never going to see him again. Yeah, yeah, I get the point that she could be gone anytime soon, but doesn't she know that DISTANCE CAN SOMETIMES BE HEALTHY FOR A RELATIONSHIP?
Oh, wait. I forgot.
BETHANY KNOWS NOTHING OF LOVE AND ITS THINGAMAJIGS.
*facepalms*
Moving on....
I don't get the point in writing a scene where the two main characters just snuggle and DO THEIR HOMEWORK while exchanging cheesy lines.
MY GOD.
THEY DIDN'T EVEN FINISH THEIR HOMEWORK BEFORE THEY BEGIN SNOGGING.
I guess Adornetto ran out of things to write about and decided that homework would be the most entertaining option.
As if students even find homework pleasurable... Ugh. *rolls eyes*
6. What is this angelic mission that you speak of?
GABRIEL is an ARCHANGEL. Ivy is a SERAPHIM. And Bethany... Well, Bethany is NOTHING, but still, WHY VENUS COVE? The sleepy town is beautiful and comfy in itself, yet there are so many places these "powerful" angels could be sent to. They could've gone in a war zone and enlightened people with peace so that they would cease fire and surrender their arms rather than diffuse a fight between two schoolboys who are either high or too drunk to actually think rationally. They could've been deployed in Africa and other third-world countires to help with poverty and hunger rather than spending time as volunteers in soup kitchens and nursing homes. If these angels really were powerful and meant to fight back the forces of evil, then they should be sent somewhere where evil is at its peak and not some mansion located in a town where things seem perfectly normal and relaxing. It's like being in some sort of VACATION rather than being on a so-called 'angelic mission.' UGHHHHHHH. *grabs fistfuls of hair again*
And another thing, the ENEMY WAS SO OBVIOUS. I'd hate to believe that angels really were this ignorant and naive because if they really existed like this (which I doubt they do), then without a doubt, we would be at Hell's mercy by the time they set foot on Earth.
7. Can get too preachy at times.
I'm a devout Catholic. Believe me when I say I am. I'm proud to declare my faith and stand up to it, but I guess the mini-sermons and theological lectures just doesn't work for me. This book is classified under 'Young Adult Romance' and not 'Christian Romance'. All the while Adornetto is shoving us with her ideas of marriage before sex and good deeds and acts of compassion along with the premise that God exists and that there is Heaven, Hell, angels and demons. Personally, I think Adornetto is voicing out her opinions through Bethany, and it just doesn't work because not all of her readers are hardcore on their religion or have any religion at all. This is a heinous version of "Christian Capitalism". If Adornetto really wanted things to come out as holy and religious, then why can't she try her luck labeling her books as a 'Christian Romance'?
Oh right. There's more economy in Young Adult Fiction. Perfect reason.
Tut, tut.
8. Lines are TOO CHEESY, TOO MUSHY and TOO SAPPY.
For example,
“Did I mention I've finally decided on a nickname for you?"
"I didn't know you were looking."
Well, I've given the matter some serious thought."
"And what have you come up with?"
"Cookie," I anounced proudly.
Xavier scrunched up his face. "No way."
"You don't like it? What about Bumblebee?"
"Worse."
"Snookie-Wookie?"
"Do you have any cyanide?"
"Well, some of us are just a bit hard to please.”
B*TCH PLEASE.
Xavier was right. I'd rather take the cyanide.
Another one:
“Find x if (x)=2sin3x,over the domain -2piX=Beth
'Stop goofing around!',I said.
'I'm not! I'm stating the truth.You're my solution to everything',Xavier replied. 'The end result is always you.X always equals Beth.”
WHAT?
I'm sure if I was your Math teacher, I would be proving that X WOULD NOT BE EQUAL TO BETH, you LOVEDRUNK BASTARD. And 'x' does not ALWAYS retain the same value in all equations. IT VARIES WHICH MEANS YOUR LOVE VARIES IN VALUE, IDIOT.
And I thought you were oh so smart and perfect... *pretends to faint*
9. THE ENDING
I'm not spoiling anything, but...
COME ON ALEXANDRA ADORNETTO YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN A CHEESY ENDING THAT'S DRIPPING WITH CHILDISHNESS AND SAPPY STUFF. WE ALREADY KNOW HOW POWERFUL LOVE IS AND ALL THOSE *bleeps because spoilers and strings of curses follow*
So to sum it all up...
Describe the book in one word: BLEH.
Favorite character/s: Gabriel (because he's hot and I have a weakness for blond boys and he thinks rationally FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE)
Phantom (because I looove dogs and their loyalty towards their masters)
Any annoying characters?:
BETHANY. I doubt she's an angel seeing that God forgot to give her a brain when He created her. (or maybe when He did, He decided that she deserved a pea-sized one) *rolls eyes*
XAVIER. He is just a "flat" love interest. No schoolgirl vibes, no stomach butterflies and no jumping up and down the bed. Aside from his love and loyalty, I don't even know why Beth is wasting her time on him. Obviously, I don't even care if they end up happily together.
JAKE. He is a villain that's trying too hard to become a villain. I know he's evil and all, but I don't fear him. I just laugh at his petty and ineffective ways.
Favorite quote:
"Great love stories have to be tragic."
Rating: 1 out of 5 cupcakes
Is it worth your money?
Nah.
Worth your time?
If you're really bored, I guess...
Recommended to:
>Tweens who are so engrossed in instaluv
>Hardcore 'Twilight' fans. This series has a role reverse though.
>People who would like to criticize annoying books
>People who are addicted to the YA Angel genre
0 comments:
Post a Comment