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Unearthly (Unearthly, #1)
by Cynthia Hand (Goodreads Author)
by Cynthia Hand (Goodreads Author)
Nomes's review
bookshelves: 2011, lived-up-to-the-hype, paranormal-stuff, faves-of-2011, i-had-no-idea-i-would-love-this-so, i-own, love-triangle, rainy-day-comfort-reads, swoon-worthy-crushes
Feb 22, 11
bookshelves: 2011, lived-up-to-the-hype, paranormal-stuff, faves-of-2011, i-had-no-idea-i-would-love-this-so, i-own, love-triangle, rainy-day-comfort-reads, swoon-worthy-crushes
Read on February 15, 2011
4.5 and a definite favourite of mine :)
My review: ...in which I RAVE about a paranormal YA (!)
Mate, how much did I LOVE this book?
So... when I read Unearthly ~ it was just the perfect book for the mood I was in:
seamless, well-written prose that's easy to sink into (the pages fly by ~ OKAY, so I got addicted and couldn't put it down...). A main character to love, a couple of fictional boys whom I was oh-so-delighted to be introduced to, and a story that kept me charmed the whole way through.
You know when you read a book and then later emerge from the pages and feel like you have literally been transported to another place and time? That was me and Unearthly ~ the setting was LOVELY ~ I just soaked it up. It was so easy to become immersed in it: the small town vibe, the high school halls and the forest ~ all beautiful.
The characters are REAL, man. Like contemp characters: fleshed out and interesting and Clara is an MC you will fall in love with. She's spunky and fun, and also a little unsure of herself. I LOVED her brother and her mum and the family dynamic. I liked the semi-complicated girl friendships, and I ADORED the two boys in Clara's life
I LOVE a convincing and anti-melodramatic love triangle. Hand has NAILED it in Unearthly. She has all the right components that make it a compelling, non-cliche, tangled-up swoon-y triangle. AND, the LOVE STORY that emerges in the second half of the book would rival some of your favourite YA couples ~ it has so many funny, fun, genuine, butterflies in your tummy moments. Sigh... I LOVE that feeling of swooning along with the MC and I would DARE you not to swoon in this book :) Young TUCKER has leapt on to my literary crush list ~ what a guy ;)
The whole VIBE of the book was just refreshing. It's a book you could happily pass on to younger YA readers (the angle lore was done really well, it felt good and clean and intriguing) ~ yet will also appeal to anyone who enjoys a GOOD coming-of age. There was nothing tacky or cringe-worthy about it.
Unearthly also features a pretty STUNNING kind-of twist in the climax ~ which has me SO hanging out for the sequel ~ yet it didn't leave me with a painful cliff-hanger. Perfectly done.
Recommended: why, yes, yes, yes. You know when Anna and the French Kiss came out ~ and non-contemp readers were falling all over it and in love? Unearthly is (for me) it's paranormal equivalent. I have fallen in love with it ~ I couldn't put it down. I swooned, I found it utterly compelling with gorgeous prose and charming characters. It's a definite favourite of mine. <3 <3 <3
My review: ...in which I RAVE about a paranormal YA (!)
Mate, how much did I LOVE this book?
So... when I read Unearthly ~ it was just the perfect book for the mood I was in:
seamless, well-written prose that's easy to sink into (the pages fly by ~ OKAY, so I got addicted and couldn't put it down...). A main character to love, a couple of fictional boys whom I was oh-so-delighted to be introduced to, and a story that kept me charmed the whole way through.
You know when you read a book and then later emerge from the pages and feel like you have literally been transported to another place and time? That was me and Unearthly ~ the setting was LOVELY ~ I just soaked it up. It was so easy to become immersed in it: the small town vibe, the high school halls and the forest ~ all beautiful.
The characters are REAL, man. Like contemp characters: fleshed out and interesting and Clara is an MC you will fall in love with. She's spunky and fun, and also a little unsure of herself. I LOVED her brother and her mum and the family dynamic. I liked the semi-complicated girl friendships, and I ADORED the two boys in Clara's life
I LOVE a convincing and anti-melodramatic love triangle. Hand has NAILED it in Unearthly. She has all the right components that make it a compelling, non-cliche, tangled-up swoon-y triangle. AND, the LOVE STORY that emerges in the second half of the book would rival some of your favourite YA couples ~ it has so many funny, fun, genuine, butterflies in your tummy moments. Sigh... I LOVE that feeling of swooning along with the MC and I would DARE you not to swoon in this book :) Young TUCKER has leapt on to my literary crush list ~ what a guy ;)
The whole VIBE of the book was just refreshing. It's a book you could happily pass on to younger YA readers (the angle lore was done really well, it felt good and clean and intriguing) ~ yet will also appeal to anyone who enjoys a GOOD coming-of age. There was nothing tacky or cringe-worthy about it.
Unearthly also features a pretty STUNNING kind-of twist in the climax ~ which has me SO hanging out for the sequel ~ yet it didn't leave me with a painful cliff-hanger. Perfectly done.
Recommended: why, yes, yes, yes. You know when Anna and the French Kiss came out ~ and non-contemp readers were falling all over it and in love? Unearthly is (for me) it's paranormal equivalent. I have fallen in love with it ~ I couldn't put it down. I swooned, I found it utterly compelling with gorgeous prose and charming characters. It's a definite favourite of mine. <3 <3 <3
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Reading Progress
| 02/15/2011 | page 57 |
|
13.0% | "paranormals is not really my thing but I'm really digging this so far ~ yeah :)" 3 comments |
Comments (showing 1-50 of 51) (51 new)
ahh, thanks nic - can;t believe I figured it out (4th time - now I can't remember what I did...)I dont know which cover I like best?
It is atmospheric. A bit a la Fallen/TormentIt's growing on me. Usually I am not a fan of anything too flamboyant/dramatic - but this one is enticing
Her hair is supposed to be that way? *scratches head* Well, whatever floats the author's boat, I guess.
Yep, they called her Bozo. Meanie heads...Hehe, you'll find out soon enough what's up with that orange hair ;-)
It's more a 4.5 stars! Tucker is definitely my newest crush.I couldn't put this one down. It was such a perfect read for what i needed right now! I'll have to check out some more paranormal stuff after loving this! :D
(also, I got this from my library ~ but am now oh-so-tempted to go out and buy my own copy so Tucker can be on shelves :)
It's the first paranormal I've *loved*(at least, that I can think of) and, now I know what it feels like to have to wait for a sequel ~ I don't read many series books. This is going to be painful...
This calls for a dancing banana.
I am so happy you enjoyed this. I will have to think now what else you might like.
yay for the dancing banana!bring on any recs :)
and tina ~ i am usually such a FAIL at paranormal but it always looks like everyone else is having SUCH A GOOD TIME WITH IT.
i have been feeling out of the loop.
Until Tucker came along :D
I know what you mean Nomes. I just started to like realistic fiction and YA chick-lit a little more in the last couple of months, but paranorm is still my favorite genre:)TUCKER ~SWOOON~
Swoons back :)I have actually already re-read all of Tucker's scenes already :) Even though I only picked up the book from the library last night,. read it one and a half times.
also liked that christian is a great guy too. just, you know, not TUCKER...
Tucker and the fishing scene ~swoons~. I need to buy my own copy this weekend, I feel a re-read coming on :)
Tucker and any scene! some awesome kissing moments too. sigh. But, yeah, that fishing scene is *perfect* I'll have to make sure I buy a copy before the next one comes out. Meanwhile, I'm holding onto my library copy for a little bit longer yet :) I'm not ready to part with it...
I loved all Tucker scenes. I think I spent a week just re-reading all the yummyness:D Awesome Angel book!
OMG ~ have you licked on the portuguese cover of this book? LOL. She's NAKED!!! (just above in the 'other editions' section.
Hehe^^Wow, I'm not sure what to say about that. It doesn't quite fit the book now does it?
The colorful one you posted in your review is really pretty, but I like my purple one since it's one of my favorite colors =D
LOL :). Glad you liked this one, Nomes! I'm really looking forward to reading it myself, but I'm kind of waiting for the paperback ... although it does sound like it's worth buying the hardcover edition (I love the Aussie cover, by the way, it's so much prettier).I think another one you could like is maybe Nevermore ... actually, a lot of reviews I've been reading state that the romance reads a lot like in contemporary novels - and I know you usually like these more ;) - but the paranormal aspect is fresh and interesting. And it has Varen ...
@ aRLENE: WELL, THERE'S NO FRANCE ~ BUT IT'S A LUSH SETTING, SWOON-WORTHY GUY, AND cLARA IS KINDA NA EVRY GIRL ~ LIKE aNNA :) fOR ME, IT HAD THAT SAME 'COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN' LOVE FEEL :)bugger! caps lock ~ can't be bothered re-typing that!
@ Janina ~ just sent the hubby out *right then* to get nevermore from my library reservations. Nervously looking forward to it :)
@ Nic: thanks :) I have SO MANY reviews to write. i wrote out a little list of books I want/need to review (that I've read this year) and stuck it up next to the computer. Might have to do mini reviews I think :)
Oh I believe you. Definitely reading this. Just have about 10 books before I get to that one. LOL about the caps. :)
I'm loving your review Nomes!--so cute and refreshing!I'm with you Arlene! Got about a dozen books to get through as well!
Okay now I understand your gushing in this review Nomes! This book = :o!!! That ending! :o When is the next book coming out?!
haha, Tina. I did gush a lot. I guess I really just had an awesome time reading it.Plus, the characters were GOOD ~ on par with ones in a contemp (I usually struggle with caring about characters in paranormal YA for some reason...)
I think the next one is coming out a year after this one? UNEARTHLY was out in Australia just before Christmas (is only coming out in the UK just now, US was January 2011)
To add picture click on (some htlm is ok) above and it explains.