Halo

Gr 8 Up—Three angels in human form are sent to the small town of Venus Cove to offset the forces of evil and restore faith in the community. Bethany, young by human and celestial standards, was chosen for the mission because of her seemingly natural affinity with humans. She attends a local high school and despite the edict to avoid close relationships and exposure as an angel, falls deeply in love with fellow student Xavier Woods. The arrival of an exchange student, Jake Thorn, leads to conflict between the couple and danger for the community as it becomes clear that Jake is not what he seems. The first title (Feiwel & Friends, 2010) in a planned trilogy is narrated by Australian author Alexandra Adornetto, herself a teen, with a fairly consistent American accent. Her youthful voice reflects Bethany's innocence and naïveté and lends authenticity to the performance. The narrative is slowed by overly descriptive passages and is at times weighed down by Bethany's dependence on Xavier, but fans of supernatural or paranormal romance will likely overlook this.—Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL