Waiting on Wednesday BOUNDLESS by CYNTHIA HAND @CynthiaHand @HarperTeen

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Book Description

Release Date: January 22, 2013 | Series: Unearthly

The past few years held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner ever could have anticipated. Yet through the dizzying high of first love to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she could no longer deny was that she was never meant to have a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seemed like the best option, so she’s headed back to California—and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfill her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must choose her fate once and for all.

About the Author

Cynthia Hand is a native of southeastern Idaho and currently lives with her husband and two children in Southern California, where she teaches writing at Pepperdine University. She has graduate degrees in creative writing from Boise State University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Instead of a muse, Cynthia has a guardian angel named Buster. He wears a Stetson in place of a halo, prefers a beat-up pickup truck to flying, and loves to correct Cynthia’s grammar.

Details Reading level: Ages 13 and up Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: HarperCollins (January 22, 2013) Language: English ISBN-10: 0061996203 ISBN-13: 978-0061996207

AND THE WINNER IS: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand (ARC) @ZDz59001

DENISE Z.



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GIVE@WAY & REVIEW: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand @harperteen @cynthiahand

Book Description

Series: Unearthly | Publication Date: January 17, 2012

For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn’t prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought.
Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.
In this compelling sequel to Unearthly, Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are.

About the Author

Cynthia Hand is a native of southeastern Idaho and currently lives with her husband and two children in Southern California, where she teaches writing at Pepperdine University. She has graduate degrees in creative writing from Boise State University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Instead of a muse, Cynthia has a guardian angel named Buster. He wears a Stetson in place of a halo, prefers a beat-up pickup truck to flying, and loves to correct Cynthia’s grammar.

Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (January 17, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061996181
• ISBN-13: 978-0061996184

SOURCE: PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS

LOVED IT

*** spoilers if you haven't read Unearthly ***

Clara is still conflicted about her decision to save Tucker and let Christian fend for himself during the fire. She questions her purpose and what exactly she should have done.  Patience, my dear reader, it all will be revealed and then you will be stuck wanting to know the answer to even more questions!  ARGHHH!  I loved Unearthly so much and the way the words just flowed together and this installment matches that one in tempo nicely.  So after finishing this one, I now have even more questions and even more about what will come in the next book.

Clara still thinks Tucker is the perfect guy for her and in a lot of ways he really is.  He gets her off beat sense of humor filled with sarcastic comments.  He respects her and wants to see her fulfill her purpose even if that means she will never be the perfect girl for him.  He is just an all around good guy, especially for a teenager and especially for a guy.  I have to give giant kudos to the author for making him three dimensional and well rounded as well as believable.  The incredible part about this story is that I have even developed feelings for Christian, that way-too-perfect person that has some secrets of his own.  Oh what a tangled web of a triangle romance that has now been woven between Christian, Clara and Tucker!  

My other fav character of Angie plays a wonderful supporting role in making Clara think about what is going on with her life and that the fact her mother keeps silent about just exactly what her purpose is makes it more interesting.  I would adore a spin off of Angela or even more of her in the next book.  Jeffrey and Wendy are pretty much a walk on in this one and I kind of miss them.  I don't understand how such a typical teenage triangle could make me enjoy a story line like this since it is a real staple of young adult fiction these days, but the way Hand puts the words together make me want to read about how Clara brushes her teeth and even mundane things become truly heartfelt and interesting.  I am seriously too old to be swept away by a romance like this, but the whole thing is just a really wonderful read.  

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BOOK TRAILER TUESDAY: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand @harperteen @cynthiahand

Another amazing book from Cynthia Hand.....I will have my review up later today and someone can have my ARC! 

REVIEW: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

 Description

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.

About the Author

Cynthia Hand divides her time between Southern California, where she lives with her husband and son, and southeast Idaho near the Teton Mountains. She teaches creative writing at Pepperdine University. This is her first novel.

Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (January 4, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061996165
• ISBN-13: 978-0061996160

SOURCE:  AROUND THE WORLD ARC TOURS

MY THOUGHTS:
LOVED IT

I am adding my voice to the mass of people who love this book.   This story approaches angels in a whole different direction that the multitudes of books recently released on this subject.  The whole story is background on Clara and her family and doesn't get to the super-page-turning point until the last 75 pages or so.  Once I put it down, I now can't wait for the next book in the series.  It left me with a ton of unanswered questions.  I really thought the book was looking to conclude at the end of one book, but the author completely surprised me!  This book would have been absolutely perfect except that I thought the descriptions were a little bit too much.  I know that is me since I am more of a dialog person.  OK, so how much longer until the sequel?

Clara is a really strong character, but it bothered me that she would blindly follow the path her mother and tradition has laid out for her.  It isn't until her visions uproot the family and they move to Wyoming that she really becomes a person in her own right.  When she meets Angela and Wendy, her two new BFFs, there is a true dichotomy of good versus evil.  Wendy is so sugary sweet, while Angela has a tiny, little pitch fork, being part fallen angel.  I think Angela might play a more important role in the next book.  There is of course, the evil elements in the Black Wings, those fallen angels, who aren't quite demons.  There is an excellent point made that there really isn't true good or true evil, only shades of each.

There is of course the all important Love Triangle in the form of Tucker and Christian -- ok -- there are a few name plays going on here, but it works.  Christian is a complex character and again there is more than meets the eye with him.  I can't wait to see if Angela and Christian have some sort of angel club happening in the next installment.  

This is probably safe for most children over 12 years old since there is not much more than kissing.  There are references of rape which helps the evil angle. I don't remember any overt alcohol or drug references.