Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

Title/Author: Halo by Alexandra Adornetto
Publisher/Date published: August 31st 2010 by Feiwel & Friends
How I got this book: own it
Why I read this book: I'm a bit embarassed to say it was mostly cover love (isn't it amazing??), the story sounded vaguely interesting but I don't know if I would have read it if it hadn't been for this amazing cover.

Goodreads summary: "Nothing much happens in the sleepy town of Venus Cove. But everything changes when three angels are sent from heaven to protect the town against the gathering forces of darkness: Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, a teenage girl who is the least experienced of the trio. They work hard to conceal their true identity and, most of all, their wings. But the mission is threatened when the youngest angel, Bethany, is sent to high school and falls in love with the handsome school captain, Xavier Woods. Will she defy the laws of Heaven by loving him? Things come to a head when the angels realize they are not the only supernatural power in Venus Cove. There′s a new kid in town and he′s charming, seductive and deadly. Worst of all, he′s after Beth."

I have issues with this book. I did like the general idea, but 496 pages of reading how much a teenage angel loves her boyfriend is a bit much. I had expected to love it based on the cover (a bit naive, I know).

Interacting with humans on even a friendly basis is actually a big no-no we learn at the beginning of the book. I'm a bit clueless as to why they would send Bethany to a high school if she wasn't meant to befriend other teenagers. But falling in love with a human is a huge taboo and sure enough this happens and I expected devine retribution or something like that. And I waited for it. And waited. And waited. And then the book ended. Which was kind of disappointing, since we're not really given a clear reason as to why this doesn't happen.

Whenever I think of angels, I always picture serene, wise, loving creatures. I did like the whole order and different abilities Adornetto presents, but I couldn't really picture Bethany as an actual angel because she acted like a regular teenager.

I was actually glad the bad guy (who had a big sign with I'M THE BAD GUY over his head, only Bethany couldn't tell it was him somehow) came along to spice things up, because after pages and pages of Bethany doting on Xavier and telling us how he was so beautiful and him somehow thinking he had to protect her from everything (seriously, sometimes he felt more like and overly concerned mother than a boyfriend) the story needed it. I didn't really get why Bethany had to be protected so much, surely God wouldn't send his angels down to earth if he didn't think they could handle it right? Besides, Xavier is just a boy, she's an angel! She has enormous wings and heals superfast and stuff! And besides, she could bore them to death talking about her boyfriend if all else failed (ok, now I'm being mean).
The ending felt a bit like a deus ex machina experience to me and my mind just went: "seriously??"

Anyway, I sound really negative and the book wasn't that bad, it just disappointed me on different fronts. I also hadn't realised this was the first book in a series when I started it. I did like the concept of angels coming down to earth in disguise to help people and how a rebel-angel would complicate things, but I just couldn't really connect with Beth, she was a bit too weak for a should-be kick-ass immortal being.

My rating: 2.5 stars