Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unearthly
    Unearthly
    Unearthly
    Audiobook10 hours

    Unearthly

    Written by Cynthia Hand

    Narrated by Samantha Quan

    4/5

    ()

    Switch to ebook

    About this audiobook

    In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

    Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

    Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

    As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

    Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateJan 4, 2011
    ISBN9780062027559
    Author

    Cynthia Hand

    The Lady Janies are made up of New York Times bestselling authors Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows. They first met in 2012, when their publishers sent them on a book tour together, and they hit it off so well they decided to write My Lady Jane so they could go on book tours together all the time. Between the three of them they’ve written more than twenty published novels, a bunch of novellas, a handful of short stories, and a couple of really bad poems. They’re friends. They’re writers. They’re fixing history by rewriting one sad story at a time. Learn more at ladyjanies.com. 

    Related to Unearthly

    Titles in the series (3)

    View More
    View More

    Related audiobooks

    Children's Love & Romance For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Small Tortoiseshell

      Mar 8, 2022

      Small Tortoiseshell
      5 min read

    • Article

      Search and Destroy

      Oct 24, 2017

      My daughter has bugs living in her hair. It is my job to kill them. The post Search and Destroy appeared first on Guernica.

      7 min read

    • Article

      The White Fox

      Oct 13, 2017

      The White Fox
      10 min read

    • Article

      A WING AND a prayer

      Sep 28, 2021

      A raven saved my life Cate McMurray, 47, from West Midlands I ’d always known I was different. As a small child, I used to see and hear people who weren’t there. One day, I was playing hide ‘n’ seek with my two sisters, and tucked myself away in a cu

      4 min read

    • Article

      Blackberries

      Apr 5, 2023

      Blackberries
      24 min read

    • Article

      The Space Between Us

      Oct 9, 2019

      The Space Between Us
      8 min read

    • Article

      Out Of My TREE

      May 11, 2021

      Out Of My TREE
      3 min read

    • Article

      I Used to Give Men Mercy

      Feb 12, 2018

      I Used to Give Men Mercy
      12 min read

    • Article

      Ben Marcus

      Jun 15, 2018

      My wife, Gin, once knocked gently on my head, as if it were a door. “Hello,” she kept saying. “Hello. Who’s in there?” She and our therapist, Dr. Sherby, laughed a little about this, so I did, too. What fun. Keep knocking on my head like that, like i

      23 min read

    • Article

      Counselor of Chippewa Cabin

      Jun 26, 2020

      Counselor of Chippewa Cabin
      5 min read

    • Article

      Ongoingness

      Apr 21, 2022

      Ongoingness
      8 min read

    • Article

      What I Deserve

      Apr 13, 2022

      IN THE past two years I have opened a bookstore while keeping my day job; finished a novel draft and written another novel draft; grieved the death of a friend, and another friend; started and stopped multiple vitamin regimens; watched my mother slip

      8 min read

    • Article

      Penny

      Jul 2, 2020

      Penny
      6 min read

    • Article

      A Mother’s Love

      Apr 23, 2020

      A Mother’s Love
      2 min read

    • Article

      The Charm

      Jul 30, 2020

      The Charm
      5 min read

    • Article

      Chain Of Events

      Oct 9, 2023

      Chain Of Events
      6 min read

    • Article

      What The Magpie Says

      Oct 16, 2022

      What The Magpie Says
      8 min read

    • Article

      THE greatest LOVE

      Oct 21, 2021

      THE greatest LOVE
      10 min read

    • Article

      Jason the Heat Guy

      Jan 11, 2021

      Jason the Heat Guy
      11 min read

    • Article

      Shame Is Ever-Present When You’re Sitting in a Cell

      Oct 23, 2020

      Between a strained relationship with my family and the death of a good friend, I’ve struggled to feel like I’m worth something.

      5 min read

    • Article

      Carrie Fountain

      Mar 1, 2020

      Outside Dublin, Texas the radio stationsdisappear and I’m left alone with the faintvoice of a call-in psychologist talkingto a man in Cleveland about the voiceof the self, the narratives that voicetells, how they can be sharp and wrongand cut to the

      5 min read

    • Article

      The Billboard

      Nov 25, 2019

      The Billboard
      4 min read

    • Article

      Siphons

      Feb 6, 2020

      Siphons
      6 min read

    • Article

      Night Light

      Oct 25, 2019

      Night Light
      3 min read

    • Article

      Why, Dad? Why?

      Oct 2, 2022

      Why, Dad? Why?
      7 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Unearthly

    4/5

    832 ratings151 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Really beautiful writing and storytelling for a first novel. This story shows how fickle life can be, no matter how much you plan for something things don't necessarily go as planned. And sometimes you have to make difficult decisions and still feel like crap or make a mess of things no matter what route you choose. This story was far different from any other paranormal books about angels I've read, it was probably the most interesting too. Clara is an angel with a purpose and her teenage life will be consumed with successfully completing that purpose. Destiny has Clara's life in the palm of her hand's and is playing a game of emotional ping pong with her life. And I will say that I am probably more pissed off than Clara is.

      I really like the characters, there seems to be a mystery surrounding everyone, it's like everyone has a secret, and the fact that the book ended with most of their secrets intact is a good sign for what's to come in the next book. I was so captivated and engaged in Cynthia Hand's character and story building, can't wait to see where it goes.

      This is not a fast paced story, but it was so interesting that the tempo was not a problem for me. I think it was more about what would you or could you give up to take the path your heart desires most. And about some angels and other stuff too.
    • 4/5
      The word that comes to mind is ""refreshing."" Unearthly has the same elements present in similar YA paranormal fiction novels, but it's smarter. Clara Gardner  is a 16-year-old girl who is part angel. The immediate difference between her and let's say Nora (Hush, Hush) or Ellie (Angelfire) is that she doesn't have to keep this knowledge a secret from her family. Her mother and brother, Jeffrey, are part angel as well and this is a family legacy they all share and a secret they must keep together.

      A lot of the major conflict in stories like this come from the main character trying to live a normal life while keeping their their identity a secret from those closest to them. I'm always questioning why parents can't know and how keeping people in the dark protects them. The female protagonists tend to be poor role-models; they fall for the wrong guys, go against their parents and their own principles and generally come off gullible and extremely naive. The saying ""common sense isn't so common"" definitely applies to a majority of the characters in these stories. What I like about Unearthly is how it manages not to fall into these traps.

      I like Clara. She is an average teenage girl who wants to fit in, but not at the expense of good judgement. She's the new girl at school, but she's not ""the weirdo"" or ""the loner."" She's self-conscious but not self-deprecating. She likes boys, she has hobbies, and is trying to navigate her way through high school. Outside of being an angel-blood, she's normal, and like everyone else her age, she's trying to find her place. Most of her struggle comes with finding out what her purpose is and learning what her powers are and how to use them. Her mother keeps a lot hidden about her own past, while her brother seems to be indifferent.

      The characters are well-developed. Clara has two good friends who have very distinctive personalities; Wendy, who is sweet, humble and kind of understated and Angela who is more quirky and conspicuous. There is the obligatory boy, Christian, but he's not this secretive, brooding, bad boy who masks his heart of gold under an aloof attitude; he's charming and, for all intents and purposes, a good guy. There's the ""other boy,"" Tucker, Wendy's cheeky brother, who is also charismatic and kind, a good guy as well. I love the fact that both of the potential love interests are worthy of being admired, as opposed to being detestable, barely tolerable people.

      The story is well-written and the narrative voice fits the character. You believe that the person telling the story is a teenage girl, but language and grammar don't suffer for it. The scenery is vivid and beautifully described. The plot for me was fairly predictable — a lot of what I guessed would happen happened — but I don't believe I'm the majority. There are a few twists and revelations that open up more possibilities. I enjoyed Unearthly and look forward to seeing  the story develop even further and more revelations about the characters.


      3.75/5*
    • 3/5
      First of all, this book cover is absolutely gorgeous. The silvers and greys with purplish tints, the effect is stunning and I love having this book on my shelf.

      I think Unearthly is a wonderful debut by Cynthia Hand. Clara is one fourth angel-blood and now that she is 16, she is well on her way to discovering and fulfilling her earthly purpose. Her visions point her to a certain boy in a burning forest so she and her mother and brother pack up and head to Jackson Hole Wyoming where Clara can find this mysterious boy that her visions are telling her she must save.

      I really enjoyed some of the characters in this book, Clara and her brother were fascinating, discovering that they are part angel and having to deal with understanding the extraordinary powers that accompany that, but also trying to fit in a normal society without standing out. I also really enjoyed a lot of the background characters, such as Clara’s friends Angela, Stacy, and Tucker. However, Christian, the mysterious boy that Clara is meant to save, seemed like a very shallow character that could have used a little more work.

      While I was fascinated by the background of the Nephilim, one of the complaints I have about Unearthly was that there are entirely too many things left unexplained, questions unanswered, which, to me, left too many holes in the plot. I understand that the reader learns things at the same time as Clara does, but I find it hard to believe that she is able to accept such incredible things and react to such unusual circumstances with barely any explanation as to what is going on or why. Clara’s mother is super secretive throughout the book and absolutely refuses to explain what it means to be an angel and what the higher “purpose” is all about.

      That being said, the characters kept me interested in the story. I loved that there was a unique twist on the “immediate attraction” thing that is so common in YA today. I thoroughly enjoyed the teasing friendship that builds between Clara and Tucker. I was surprised by how quickly I was able to finish this book, it doesn’t really seem like a page turner since there really isn’t much action, but I think it was the unanswered questions that kept me reading, wanting to understand more about these angel-bloods. Unfortunately that doesn’t happen in Unearthly, so I’ll have to eagerly await the next in the series.

      Rating 3 – I liked it but hope the next in the series answers more questions and explains things much better.
    • 5/5
      At the halfway point and this story is hypnotic. I want to get to the end, while at the same time don't want to miss a word. I love young adult fantasy - and this debut novel is captivating.
    • 2/5
      Personally speaking, I really don't think this book was as brilliant as everyone made it out to be. I've read quite a few fallen angel/Nephilim books and this was probably one of the weakest. Looking back through it, I felt that the first half of the book wasn't really relevant; aside from us learning about Clara's destiny, I could just started reading around the 200ish mark. The blurb pretty much told me what was going to happen but good heavens it took nearly half the book for the story to progress further than Clara moaning about her hair and gushing about Christain's hotness.

      Did anyone else thing that Hand had 400 pages to develop the Tucker relationship and she left it until the last possible minute to bring them together, therefore making this book one of the worst cases of 'instalove' ever?
      Boring.
      Hand, you had a good opportunity and you just fell into the same pitfall everyone else seems to - love within the blink of an eye.

      I really didn't like Margaret as a character, she was just so ridiculous I couldn't warm to her. I understand why she didn't reveal too much information but she was literally just this rock hard character I absolutely hated. I also felt like I couldn't trust Angela, she was this questionable character and was hiding something that couldn't put my finger on. I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up being root to all evil.

      Overall, I say it was an alright read. The ending was seriously poor; there were literally no answers and I feel like it was just random babble throughout three quarters of the book but some parts were enjoyable.
    • 3/5
      Would have given another star if the narrator wouldn't have miss pronounced Teton throughout the entire book why can't someone get something that simple correct it takes from the story every time she says it
    • 4/5
      When I’m listening it sounds like a different voice sometimes reading the book it’s weird throws me off not like the reader is making a voice just a completely different song one
    • 5/5
      I got an advanced reading copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program. This was one where I was drawn to the cover and the story, but wondering if it was going to be another one of those teen love triangle paranormal books. Well it kind of was, but it was a really fantastic book that (although there was a love triangle) there was also really neat ideas about angels, predestined actions, etc.Clara has always known she is one-quarter angel. When she starts having visions her and her mother realize that her one true purpose is being revealed. Unfortunately that purpose takes place in Wyoming, not in their current home of California. So Clara, her mother, and brother move. Now Clara is in a school, with all new people and her angelic powers are making themselves known in the most embarrassing ways. The boy she believes she is destined to save is one of the popular ones, and Clara just can't seem to get him to pay attention to her. Then over summer break Clara finds herself falling in love with someone different. Now Clara is torn; will this new found love mess up her one true purpose? This was a fantastic book. I loved Clara and her family. There is just a lot of love and honesty (most of the time) between Clara and her mother; it was nice to see such a functional family setting in a teen book like this. Clara was a very likable heroine; she tries so hard to do what it right and is pretty normal...except for all of the angel stuff. The angel stuff is pretty neat; Clara gains some powers that are really nifty but never overwhelming.Clara's two love interests work very well. Both of the boys have good and bad traits to their personalities. Loved the stuff about the angels and how Clara's crazy smart friend Angela does all of the research to better understand angelic history. I am very curious to see what we learn about angels and their powers/history in the upcoming books because this book just barely scratches the surface of all of that.The books moves at a good clip, I was never bored and really enjoyed reading it. The writing was spot on, super easy to read and beautiful at times as well. The dialogue sounded very natural. The plot was well done leaving enough things mysterious that it really pulled you forward. The book ended well, wrapping up the main storyline while revealing some new mysteries for the next book. There were some crazy twists at the end that I kind of suspected were going to happen; I still ended up being surprised though by the way things worked out. I love a story that can surprise to the end.Overall a really excellent debut in the paranormal young adult genre. Definitely a series I will keep reading and I am so glad I read this book. I basically loved everything about it. So if you like young adult reads and angel mythology check out this series. It is incredibly well-written an easy and fun read; the story will suck you in with the mysterious plot and the engaging characters. Really looking forward to the next book in this series.
    • 5/5
      My fav series...it's just so good, i read it over and over
    • 5/5
      Wowwww! I haven't come across a book that swerves from typical YA cliches for so long! This book is unique in its own way and no matter how the plot flowed, the twist in the end was perfectly handled! Unearthly is not the average angel meets boy/girl plot. There is so much more contained and the narration is perfect; I still have to speculate on either Tucker or Christian. Clara hasn't come across as one of the Mary-Sue commonly found in many books. She is actually interesting and easy to relate to. Thus, the author has created an endearing character that's sure to please. Now all this is to stay hopefully in Hallowed...This is one of the most entertaining books filled with such an interesting concept. It's definitely one of the rare YA books that's so mesmerizing...everyone should read it!
    • 4/5
      Clara in one-quarter angel. She knows she has a purpose in life. When she starts having visions of a young man and a forest fire, her mother (who is half-angel) uproots the family to go where the visions lead them. Clara and her family wind up in Jackson Hole, Wyoming where she meets the boy of her visions. Christian is the school's golden boy. He's the one all the girls dream of but not can attain. Clara tries to develop a relationship with him because she feels she has too (and besides he's perfect). But she also meets a much more obtainable boy who starts out teasing her but who soon grows on her. They fall in love and now Clara is torn between the two boys. Should she follow her heart or the path her visions have shown her?
    • 4/5
      i liked the story and the characters. it took a while to get to the point and left lots of things unsaid. getting ready to read the 2nd book and hoping for a bit more action and less questions. the author and narrator are awesome.
    • 4/5
      3.5, again, but erring on the side of 4, because, while this book is nothing near perfectly written (especially the eye-wateringly YA romance tripe at the Prom and boy descriptions therein), I am so so So Impressed by the unexpected massive double-twist ending.

      This story could have ended in the most predictable of YA Romance/Mystical Angel ways, and it didn't. Two times over. And that makes me so much more driven to needing to dig my fingers into it. (And it's why even on the day I finished it I bought book two and read to the 32% before even being willing to fall asleep.)

      This is not your mother's angel story, and we get that pretty much from the get go. Dragging out all sorts of hints, confusion, revelations everywhere.
    • 4/5
      I liked this book a lot. The voice of the main character, Clara, is clear and enjoyable to follow. In the beginning of the story, Clara knows that she is approaching her destiny, which is finding out her purpose on earth as an angel. She is attracted to two boys - one she dreams about and seems destined to help. The other is more down to earth, literally. Clara is attracted to both boys, but Clara wonders if she will be able to make the choice between them, or will that choice be made for her. There is lots of action in this book, and the romantic triangle between these two characters keep the reader guessing throughout this book.
    • 4/5
      This was actually a 4.5 star read for me. I usually don't read much supernatural books but this one sounded interesting and I do like Cynthia Hand. It was a little slow at first and I wish it did explain a little more about Clara's situation. I am assuming since there are three books to the series that it will all slowly be revealed. It took a bit for me to get into the book but by half way it really had be hooked. I LOVE Tucker! He seems to be exactly what Clara needs and the fact that her mom and Angela aren't supportive of that especially when THEY don't even know exactly what Clara's visions mean was pretty annoying. I do love that Clara isn't backing down though. That may change in the next book though. I am not a fan of love triangles so hopefully the rest of the story is well done that it will keep me interested. Overall great start to a series and I am looking forward to seeing how it all plays out!
    • 3/5
      Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

      ARC kindle edition from NetGalley
      There were serious formatting errors in the kindle edition of this galley. Almost every chapter had hard to read sentences where e v e r y l e t t e r w a s o n l y o n e s p a c e a p a r t. I hope they fix that before people pay for the Kindle edition.

      Angels seem to be the new fad in paranormal romances: fallen, half breeds, guardian, and arch angels. It’s an interesting concept even if the theology does get a bit murky. Clara discovers her family “heritage” on her 15th birthday after her visions start. Visions signify her life’s mission, but trying to figure out what exactly she is to do can be quite tricky. Mom is only slightly helpful, and one isn’t sure if she is being obstructive or following the “rules.” Unearthly follows the current formula of choosing between two boys and even having to pick one friend over another. Clara is an okay heroine, but she didn’t feel very strong personality-wise. I wanted her to feel powerful in her new role rather than hesitant and always waiting for something to be decided. I would only recommend this for rabid fans of the angel genre.
    • 4/5
      Clara Gardner is part angel. Part of the responsible of having angel blood is that Clara has a purpose on earth that she has to fulfill. Clara doesn't know her purpose but she gets visions of it and the visions show a forest fire and a handsome boy that she's able to trace to a new school. As Clara tries to fulfill her purpose she finds herself struggling between the boy from her visions and the boy who she's falling in love with.

      So this was my second angel book. I've never been that interested in them but, again, my sister insisted that I read this book. I'm glad I did. It's a good book and I love Tucker. Tucker probably ranks second behind Four (Divergent) as my favorite YA male hero. Go Tucker! There were twists in the end of this book that I could see coming but in the end it was okay. Other parts of the ending made up for that predictability and I felt like there was plenty of mystery to lead into the next book.
    • 3/5
      How do I start this review? I suppose I'll begin with the characters. I liked Clara. I thought she was very much an average teenage girl who is trying to understand her place in the world. Unfortunately for her, she has the added problem of trying to understand where her angel half fits in as well. Her friendships with Angela and Wendy were cute and believable. Tucker was a sweetheart. Then there's Christian. Perfect, flawless Christian. He was the one character that I really couldn't connect with. I think Cynthia Hand built some fantastic characters, but I feel as though Christian was just too perfect for his own good. Maybe this is setting him up for the next book, I wish I knew!

      In terms of writing, I thought that Unearthly moved along at a very nice pace, and that the writing flowed. I immensely enjoyed the fact that although Hand offers her readers a lot of descriptions, none of them go overboard. She allows you to settle yourself into the scene before taking off again, and I loved that! The best part for me was the romance aspect of the book. I liked that Clara is torn, and that she shows her true colors when she is around Tucker. The inner battle between her angel side and her human side really shows through her time with Tucker, and it makes her so much more deep as a character. This was my favorite part of the book, hands down. If not for Tucker, I would not have been nearly as involved in this book.

      The ending is what frustrated me most, and I'm not talking about just the last chapter. The whole end of the book spirals slowly and leaves the reader hanging on a string. I'm not one to be upset about cliffhangers. In fact, I rather love them! However this book just didn't feel finished. By the end of Unearthly my mouth was hanging open and I wanted to cry. There were just too many unfinished story lines, so many things that weren't tied up. It felt like someone handed me half a book and walked away. Perhaps it's just me, and it may well be, but I was a little upset about that. I know this is a series, but I still felt a little cheated.

      I'm being honest when I say that my opinion of this book was probably influenced by the fact that it was so over hyped before I read it, and that I had too high of expectations. That's not to say that Unearthly isn't a good read. It truly is! It's sweet, and well-written. However there are a lot of books about angels out there, and that makes it easy to fall into a set of rules that make every book seem like every other book. I liked Clara, I liked her story, I just didn't feel like it was anything that I hadn't read before. Add in the feeling of an unfinished storyline, and I just couldn't fall in love as much as I wanted to. I do recommend you give it a try though. Unearthly is the type of read that will leave you a little frustrated at the end, but hopefully wanting more.
    • 5/5
      Really beautiful writing and storytelling for a first novel. This story shows how fickle life can be, no matter how much you plan for something things don't necessarily go as planned. And sometimes you have to make difficult decisions and still feel like crap or make a mess of things no matter what route you choose. This story was far different from any other paranormal books about angels I've read, it was probably the most interesting too. Clara is an angel with a purpose and her teenage life will be consumed with successfully completing that purpose. Destiny has Clara's life in the palm of her hand's and is playing a game of emotional ping pong with her life. And I will say that I am probably more pissed off than Clara is.

      I really like the characters, there seems to be a mystery surrounding everyone, it's like everyone has a secret, and the fact that the book ended with most of their secrets intact is a good sign for what's to come in the next book. I was so captivated and engaged in Cynthia Hand's character and story building, can't wait to see where it goes.

      This is not a fast paced story, but it was so interesting that the tempo was not a problem for me. I think it was more about what would you or could you give up to take the path your heart desires most. And about some angels and other stuff too.
    • 4/5
      I liked this book a lot. The voice of the main character, Clara, is clear and enjoyable to follow. In the beginning of the story, Clara knows that she is approaching her destiny, which is finding out her purpose on earth as an angel. She is attracted to two boys - one she dreams about and seems destined to help. The other is more down to earth, literally. Clara is attracted to both boys, but Clara wonders if she will be able to make the choice between them, or will that choice be made for her. There is lots of action in this book, and the romantic triangle between these two characters keep the reader guessing throughout this book.
    • 4/5
      Clara finds out she is an angel-blood (part human, part angel). She begins having visions, which lead her to her purpose on earth. But will she be ready when the time comes? Clara has to face many choices throughout the year that could change her entire life & purpose.

      I absolutely loved this book. I am a fan of the Hush, Hush & Fallen series, but this was soooo much better. There is a deeper emotional connection to the characters in this book. I didn’t have to imagine what they felt as they went through different situations, I felt what they felt. It isn’t often that a book does that for me. The characters were likeable, and well written. The writing also flowed very smoothly. In some novels I read I have to go back and re-read a paragraph or sentence a couple of times to grasp what they are trying to say. Not this one. If you love the series by those like Lauren Kate & Becca Fitzpatrick, you definitely need to read this.
    • 5/5
      I was pleasantly surprised and happy with this book. I definitely was Team Tucker from the beginning. I adored him and knew exactly what he was thinking when he was picking on Clara. I love Clara's family, even if something is up with them both, I heart them and was glad she had such a decent support system.

      The plot was fast paced, and decent, but the climax seems to jump up at you from nowhere, which is fine, I am just saying. I also liked the angel lore and twists the author added into the legends and stories to make them more her own.

      I really enjoyed this book and will look out for the next one.
    • 4/5
      I loved this book!!!!!
    • 5/5
      Clara is not only a teenage girl dealing with the usual teenage girl struggles, she's also a Quartarius--one quarter angel. Thankfully for Clara her mother is a half angel and there to help her through coming into her angel-yness (her father's not around or any part angel).

      Clara has started to have visions--well a vision, multiple times. The vision is there to tell her her 'purpose'. Every angel or angel-blood has a 'purpose', something they were put on Earth to do. After a while Clara is able to piece together the clues in her vision and knows where the event is going to take place.

      Soon, the family-Clara, her mother and her brother Jeffrey are moving to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to help Clara fulfill her purpose.

      On the first day of school she meets Christian--the boy at the center of her vision and their lives become linked. There's also Angela, the girl who possibly gives Clara a strange look during the classes' '3 Unique Facts About Me' exercise, Wendy--one of the self professed Invisibles who pretty much instantly becomes Clara's friend, and Tucker, Wendy's infuriating twin brother.

      And, of course, there's Clara's need to learn how to be a Quartarius, to learn what being an angel-blood entails and just how she's meant to fulfill her purpose. All while being the New Girl at the same time.


      Unearthly being about angels automatically made it different than the other, current paranormal stories, but Cynthia Hand's writing and imagination made it a different worth reading. Each of the characters had their own thing (or things) going on that made them interesting to read about and great additions to the story. I really loved that the setting was so fully utilized in this story, they didn't just live in some town because, the location inspired events in the story and was used almost as a character itself.

      And I can't say enough for my love of the romance in this book. It was not solely a romance but the romantic relationship in Unearthly was better written than most I've read in books where there was no supernatural element or other plotline. Hand created two characters I was rooting for from the beginning all the way through to the end. I loved both of them and I loved them together.

      The first few chapters of the book had me thinking it was just a really good book, but then when I picked it up again and it really got going, the story sucked me in and I couldn't put it down. (I had a cold and I kept thinking, 'Just a few more pages,' until I got up to take my cold medicine but the only getting up I did until the ending was to turn on a light!

      The development, pacing, characters, plot, and mythos of Uneartlhy are all brilliant. I really can't wait to read more from Cynthia Hand and I applaud her for this fantastic debut.

      a glorious 10/10


      (read this both via NetGalley egalley and a print ARC I won from PitchDarkBooks)
    • 4/5
      Really enjoyed this one. An angel based YA romance surprisingly well written. Great world building, fantastic characters. Also managed to handle the religious side of the angel theme very well without being annoying and preachy. Really unique on angel powers.

      There was a love triangle, but the turn it took wound up really surprising me! Another great thing about this book was...a YA parent who wasn't clueless or an absentee parent. Clara's relationship with her mom was a breath of fresh air. So great to see a parent who's really involved with her daughter and without being too over protective. Not all smooth sailing, they did have some issues to work through. But it was very well done.

      All in all a fantastic read.

      And a square crossed off for Book Bingo - a Strong parent/child relationship.
    • 4/5
      A much better use of angels than Halo. Waiting for the second!
    • 4/5
      *No spoilers or plot rehash.
       
      Sooooo, Angels, huh? I was weary when I read the description, but then I saw the deluge of good reviews and I decided to give it a go. I'm so glad I did! I loved it so very much. Yes, it's YA. Yes, it's a teen protagonist. Yes, it's a high school setting. And yet, it's so much more.
       
      I love the way that Hand writes. She says it all without having to say too much. There's no endless litany of overly-emotional nonsense. I've read so many books (not just YA), where there's a runaway train of page after page of inner turmoil and we get taken on that annoying ride and are forced to watch the characters think and rethink everything, just to make stupid-ass decisions. That doesn't happen here and I love Hand for it.

      Clara as a female heroine is believable and likeable. She's not perfect and she is not all-powerful. Instead, we get to watch her come into her own - in time. She's a regular teen thrust into a role that requires her to take very serious actions. She's not a mushy pushover and she doesn't take shit from cute boys simply because they're cute. She's tough, but doesn't try to be and it's endearing. My one Clara complaint? She has the requisite unruly hair. That is the only clichéd thing about her, though and in comparison to all of her good qualities, it's not a huge deal.
       
      Did I mention that I read this in one sitting? Cuz I did. I was entertained from beginning to end and there were definitely swoon-worthy moments. The difference with the romance in this novel as opposed to many of the other YA novels I've read is that the relationship is healthy, as many others have mentioned. How refreshing not to see a teen girl throwing herself at the clichéd "bad boy".
       
      The last couple of chapters were nail-biting for me and had me on edge (in a good way). All in all, I'm thoroughly impressed and while I originally thought "4 stars" when I finished reading, I find that the more I mull it over, it's heading into 4.5 - 5 star range for not falling into the YA PNR mold.
    • 4/5
      "What did the fish say when it hit a concrete wall?" he asked me. We're sitting on the bank of a stream and he's tying a fly onto my fishing rod, wearing a cowboy hat and red lumberjack-style flannel shirt over a gray tee. So adorable.
      "What?" I say, he grins. Unbelievable of how gorgeous he is. And that he's mine. He loves me and I love him.
      "Dam!" he says.

      The book is about Clara, who recently discovered that she's part angel. As an angel-blood, she have to fulfil a purpose that is given to each one of their kind. Her's was to save a not in a forest fire but everything else is really not that clear to her at the beginning. What was really the thing that she's supposed to do?

      I loved this book. Seriously, I thought this was going to be some kind of meh-read but no. This was different from other angel-related books I read namely Fallen and TMI. I do not find myself being bored. I enjoyed it for the most part.

      The MC, Clara, is actually likable. I liked her lame attempts at joking, lol no. I liked her sarcasm. I understand her frustration about not knowing anything I mean, it's really hard to face anything blind you know? She's not a perfect heroine. She has flaws and I like her that way. I don't like the part where she sneaks out to see Tucker. I mean, I totally ship them together but it's blood first before boys right? We'll, anyway just a side comment XD

      Err. From the very start, there's no denying the fact that I root Tucker for Clara. Oh gawd, the feels. He's so sweet, cute, funny and adorable. I totally undferstand how he felt when he saw Clara in her glory and all. That must be pretty overwhelming. I thought Clara was going to save Christian first and I FELT GREATLY GRIEVED BY THAT THOUGHT AND I'm just so happy she chose Tucker. Ha. If you haven't notice yet, I loved Tucker haha.

      Christian is okay. I just do not understand him for the most part. Maybe we'll get to know him more in the second book? I think that there's something important that's going to happen that involves him but still, I don't want Clara to end up with him. (Okay, whatever, but there's just a tiny chance that I'll maybe change my mind.)

      I liked Angela and Wendy! They're so good in the bestfriend department. At first, I was kinda wary of Angela and I thought she's a hidden villain waiting for her chance to attack but no. And Wendy is the best when she loaned Tucker to Clara! Ahhh. Please feel free to stop reading now if you're already getting annoyed of my feels.

      When the book ended, I have so many questions. Not the type of questions that makes me frustrated or angry at the author. I have things to ask because of sheer curiosity and it's a good thing because it shows that I will likely read the next book in this series.

      I recommend this series to everyone. This is obviously a lot better than the Fallen series. This book had been in my tbr-list since forever and I'm glad I already picked this up. Definitely worth reading!
    • 4/5
      I haven’t had much experience with angel books, but the little experience I’ve had has not left me with a whole lot of confidence in books that carry that label, which is why Unearthly was such a breath of fresh air. The angel mythology in Unearthly is definitely a new twist, but retains enough roots that it’s still recognizable. And the angels in this book are actually useful, not just humans with wings, which is nice.

      Clara was a pretty great main character for the most part. I liked her, even when her flaws were shining through. She’s angelic, so she KNOWS she has a mission from God and she struggles with balancing that against other teenage predicaments. She’s far from perfect, and she has a tendency to be a bit self-absorbed, which other characters are quick to call her out on. However, she’s still a teenage angel I’d want on my side. Clara’s entire family is a really heart-warming portrayal in YA. There’s some sibling stuff with her brother, and Clara and her mom are pretty close, though they have quite a few disagreements as Clara tries to sort out her purpose.

      The plot was well-paced and fairly interesting, with a few surprises here and there that I didn’t see coming. It wasn’t the most tightly woven plot or the most exciting in some places, but overall I was interested in the book, and if anything, this was the biggest weak point in the novel, which is a pretty good indicator to how GOOD the book was overall.

      And perhaps the best part of reading Unearthly is that I finally understand why people love the Christian/Clara/Tucker love triangle so much. It seems like every time I read a review for the Unearthly series, bloggers LOVE this triangle, even bloggers who typically loathe triangles, which naturally made me curious. And I think the love triangle in Unearthly is a love triangle in the best possible way: It shows two sides of Clara, and her dueling with herself between the two. While it’s nice to not have a bad boy/good boy love triangle and I think BOTH love interest are pretty good male characters, I have to say at this point I’m rooting for Tucker, which should again point to Hand’s writing ability since I try to stay far away from cowboys and country boys as much as possible(I’m from Texas–I’m over the cowboys), so for me to actually root for one says quite a bit.

      Final Impression: As far as I have found, Unearthly really is the best YA Angel book available. I’m excited to read the sequels, but even without the knowledge of a series, Unearthly has interesting and likable characters, a well-placed plot, and a love triangle I actually really enjoyed. 4/5 stars.
    • 3/5
      Good world-building as teen discover she is part angel and that she has a specific purpose here on Earth; fits well with the YA triangle of which boy to love and struggles with friends, sibling and Mom.Also, great sense of place --an essential for a book set in the American West -- and huge props for knowing Washington State University has __the__ vet school to which students rightly aspire to attend.Missed a fourth star for ending that is little more than build-up to next book, too much "Mom knows what's going on but won't tell me" and a story that could have been trimmed.Looking forward to Book 2 but hope the story continues to move forward