Book Review: Fallen Angel

Heaven-sent?

Ellie was never particularly good at talking to boys—or anyone other than her best friend and fellow outcast, Ruth. Then she met Michael.

Michael is handsome, charming, sweet. And totally into Ellie. It’s no wonder she is instantly drawn to him. But Michael has a secret. And he knows Ellie is hiding something, too. They’ve both discovered they have powers beyond their imagining. Powers that are otherworldly.

Ellie and Michael are determined to uncover what they are, and how they got this way . . . together. But the truth has repercussions neither could have imagined. Soon they find themselves center stage in an ancient conflict that threatens to destroy everything they love. And it is no longer clear whether Ellie and Michael will choose the same side.

In this electrifying novel, Heather Terrell spins a gripping supernatural tale about true love, destiny, and the battle of good versus evil.

–From Goodreads

Cover Inspection:
I fell in love with this cover early on. The model is gorgeous, although she reminds me a little more of an elf than anything else.

First Thoughts:
Definitely intriguing. Ellie is not your average teenage girl, that’s for sure.

***

My Review:
For the past 20 minutes I’ve been sitting here typing and erasing, over and over. I’m still at odds with myself exactly how to express my feelings about this book. Fallen Angel was one of the 2011 books that I was really looking forward to when it first appeared on my radar. The cover was stunning, the synopsis sounded more than promising, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy to read. I was really hoping that this would the be the book about angels that changed my mind about reading about them. I’m sad to report that it just didn’t happen the way I’d hoped.

Let me start with the fact that Fallen Angel does bring some new angel lore to the table. Heather Terrell manages to take a storyline that has been done, and done again, and twist it into something fresh. While I was reading I was definitely intrigued by the way that she incorporated everything that I had already learned from other books, but then added new information. I can’t share much without giving away an essential part of the story, but I will say that it was really interesting! As I neared the end of the book I actually found myself intrigued at what was going to ultimately happen with the characters.

Unfortunately it took me a long time to even feel like I was partially invested in the characters. I’ve learned over the past few months that not all characters are easy to get to know at first, and so I always take the time to read on. A lot of times they will get more depth to them as the story progresses. However, Ellie and Michael just never seemed to be that fleshed out to me. Ellie was a typical teenage girl with supernatural powers, nothing more and nothing less. I didn’t feel any uniqueness in her or any real personality that made me want to bond with her. Michael was the same way. A beautiful and mysterious boy who pops into our main characters life and becomes essential. I would have so loved to know more about the two of them.

My other big issue was that their romance was so rushed. I don’t mean that they moved quickly, but rather that the book was a little too short to allow them to fully develop feelings for one another. Weeks would pass by in a matter of sentences, and I wasn’t sure why Ellie was really so attracted to Michael. Was it simply their destiny? Was he an amazingly sweet guy who showered her with attention? It might seem a small quibble, but honestly that sort of thing really does matter to me. I like to know why the characters I’m following feel the way they do. Emotion is an important part of feeling invested for me.

Really, overall,  I liked Fallen Angel enough to finish it and feel good about the ending. The second half of the book picks up rather nicely, and a lot more action is thrown the reader’s way. If only the pacing had been a little more even I think I might have liked it even more. I’d definitely give this book a solid library recommendation. Check it out and see what you think for yourself. After all, as I always say, I am not the ultimate opinion on any book. You might fall in love with Ellie and Michael, and I’m okay with that.

Book Details
Title: Fallen Angel
Author: Heather Terrell
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: Paperback; 240
Source: Received for promotional tour
FTC Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.


Final Rating: 3 Keys to My Heart