Series: Strange Angels, #1
Publication: May 19, 2009 by Penguin
(293 pages, paperback)
Summary: Dru Anderson has what her grandmother called “the touch.” (Comes in handy when you’re traveling from town to town with your dad, hunting ghosts, suckers, wulfen, and the occasional zombie.)
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Then her dad turns up dead--but still walking--and Dru knows she's next. Even worse, she's got two guys hungry for her affections, and they're not about to let the fiercely independent Dru go it alone. Will Dru discover just how special she really is before coming face-to-fang with whatever--or whoever--is hunting her?
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My thoughts: I wasn't honestly expecting more than a fast-paced, action-packed novel from Strange Angels. But it was actually deep at times, and I felt really connected with Dru. She had self-confidence, and apart from being really hard-headed and stubborn at times, I really liked her. It definitely wasn't predictable, and the writing was good too.
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Despite her major flaws, Dru was everything I ask for in a heroine; she was tough, dependable, and smart. At times she drove me nuts, and I wanted to shake her because of her occasional denseness, she was still a great character. I loved Graves, especially though. He was loyal, intelligent, and honest. I really liked the witty banter between him and Dru, too. I'm not so crazy about Christophe; he seemed all right, but he was a little too cocky. But I did like the element his presence added. It made the book a little bit heavier when it got to dependent on the action.
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Speaking of which, the action was great. I was holding my breath at times. The suspense really was suspenseful, and best of all, I had no problems following it. The language was clear and it was exciting. My problem was that at times Strange Angels seemed a little too soap-opera-y. I like a love triangle and drama just as much as any other teen girl (well, maybe not any) but I also like some meaning. There were times when Dru seemed really girly and not at all like the tough girl I loved.
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The writing was satisfactory, if not fantastic. I liked the way Dru thought. At times the writing was a bit tedious, but I'd blame that more on the story than the actual writing. The information was well-spread out. And thank God for paranormal (er, urban fantasy?) novels that have characters who are aware of the supernatural at work in their worlds. Dru's knowledge of all things paranormal (er, most things?) was made the book far less boring than it could have been. After reading so many books that go over the same vampire/werewolf/faerie rules over and over again, Strange Angels was refreshing.
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So, overall, Strange Angels was a great, exciting read, and a promising start to a series. I'm looking forward to the sequels, and hoping for some improvements. I'd recommend it to anyone who is a fan of urban fantasy/paranormal, with a bit of romance and a bit of substance for a change.
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Covering the Cover: To be frank, I'm not a fan. It's boring and like a lot of other paranormal books. And the slogan isn't true at all, which I find kind of hilarious. "Knife throwing": none. "Night hunting": none. "Heart breaker": not yet at least.
Characters: 4.5/5
Plot: 3.5/5
Writing: 3.5/5
Overall Rating: 4 stars
2 comments:
Glad you liked strange angels. I was suprisby how much I liked it too. Even more suprised to find I liked book two better and book 3 best. Look forward to reading your thoughts on those as well.
KJovus
kjovus@gmail.com
Oh, yay! I was just looking at this book at the store today and I couldn't decide if I wanted to pick it up or not. I'm glad you liked it! I'll have to give it a chance.
Thanks!
Jennifer of Little Shelf
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