Pages: 398, paperback
ISBN: 9781444901863
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Date Released: August 4th, 2011
Genre: YA / romance / paranormal / angels
Source: review copy sent by Hachette
Premise:
Tania's heart belongs to Orlando. Nothing can rip them apart. Until the seduction begins in a flurry of glamour and magic, music and parties all orchestrated by the mysterious and mesmerising Zoran, an iconic rock star who has retired to a remote ranch in the nearby mountains. And there Tania meets the dark side. Can she resist temptation?
(Taken from Goodreads)
Buy it From: Book Depository / Amazon
From the beginning, we’re introduced to one of the most terrifying of enemies: fire. Tania lives in a town surrounded by dense forests, where fires can start with little to no warning. I think it’s really imaginative to make a natural disaster like forest fires to be a prevalent source of tension, fear, and hope in the book. Fire is the worst enemy: it doesn’t have a motive, it doesn’t care who gets in its path, and when it’s strong enough, it’s nearly impossible to fight. But, on the other hand, fire can also bring about new life. And I love how Dark Angel embraces all of these points. Tania rises from the ashes to become a completely new person, someone who is strong enough to fight an even scarier enemy.
Angels are usually seen as something pure, innocent. It’s where we get the word angelic from. But the angels in this book are anything but. These angels kept me on the edge of my seat, kept me biting my nails, and kept me up until 3 or 4 am each night to find out what happens next. They are evil beings, their only motive is to destroy.
When Tania’s best friend, Grace, has a complete personality about-face, Tania knows that it’s up to her to save her. Grace suddenly begins to hang out with the beautiful, ridiculously talented and rich folk at the ranch. She abandons her friends and family. She hurts everyone around her. I really hated how Grace acted, but at the same time, I was scared for her. You could tell that it wasn’t her acting the way she was. There was something sinister behind her, and it was terrifying finding out.
The best thing about this book was the relationships between the characters. The characters were all very real, but it was their relationships that defined them. Grace and Tania the best friends. Grace and Jude, the perfect couple, always in love. Holly and Tania, the friends-who-are-only-friends-because-they’re-neighbours. Holly and Aaron, the on-again, off-again couple. And finally, Tania and the sexy Orlando, the couple that no one can get between. I fell in love with Orlando from the very beginning, and I felt as if I was friends with everyone else.
I think the only downfall of the book was the writing. While it wasn't horrible, it still could have been better. It felt like it was a first draft at times. And since Maguire has had 4 previous book published, you'd think that she'd have honed her writing skills.
I can’t wait for the sequel, Twisted Heart (pre-order it now.). I’d give up my first born child to read it now.
This is a book that everyone should dig into.
Also, since I have an extra copy of Dark Angel, and I'm feeling particularly generous, I'll be hosting a giveaway in a few days. So keep your eyes peeled for that. (Note: as I'm new and lacking in followers, it'll be a follower only giveaway, so be sure to click the join this site button!)
Cover Art: 2
Plot: 3.5
Characters: 4
Writing: 2
Level of Interest: 3.5
Total Rating: 3.5 stars
A good angel YA! *cheers* These are so hard to find.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I noticed that you shelved this as "bad romance." As in, unhealthy romance or was the romance aspect just not well-written?
I don't want to give too much away, but there's a sort of love triangle where the characters are forced to fall for the other person. It kind of really really freaked me out.
ReplyDeleteIn the end, I liked how everything panned out, but the middle was just a mind fuck.