Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly

Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly

Candlewick Press; 24 May 2011; 464 pages 

Goodreads synopsis:

Willow knows she’s different from other girls, and not just because she loves tinkering with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into the future and know people’s dreams and hopes, their sorrows and regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where this power comes from. But the assassin, Alex, does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows more about Willow than Willow herself. He knows that her powers link to dark and dangerous forces, and that he’s one of the few humans left who can fight them. When Alex finds himself falling in love with his sworn enemy, he discovers that nothing is as it seems, least of all good and evil. In the first book in an action-packed, romantic trilogy, L..A. Weatherly sends readers on a thrill-ride of a road trip — and depicts the human race at the brink of a future as catastrophic as it is deceptively beautiful.

Angel Burn was a refreshing addition to my reading shelf.  I have started to be a tad apprehensive about reading these types of books because at this point I've read so many and some are definitely disappointing.  This one, however, delivered!  The storyline started out a bit slow and I wasn't at all sure I was going to enjoy the book.  The prologue and first chapter left me wanting a little something more.  However, as soon as Willow and Alex team up, the story turns into a non-stop adventure that I couldn't put down.  I found myself turning page after page just to see what would happen next. 

Willow and Alex were unique characters with strong personalities.  Willow especially was a breath of fresh air in a genre where so many female leads are written as weak or flaky.  Willow was strong and independent (no Bella syndrome here--this girl can fix cars and everything!).  The romantic interest between the two develops throughout the story, which I really appreciated.  It wasn't an instant happening that came out of nowhere and I really appreciated that.


The one thing that bothered me with this one was the use of first-person narrative from Willow's perspective but third person for anyone else (e.g. Alex).  The switching back and forth caught me off-guard a couple of times but did not deter from my overall enjoyment of this book.

I think this is a great read for other who enjoy a little paranormal romance paired with a good amount of adventure. I'm really interested in the reading the next book in the trilogy (although sadly I don't think the US release is until December!!)

(Many thanks to Candlewick Press and NetGalley for providing this book for my review!) 

What do you think of the current angel/were/vampire craze in YA fiction?  What have you read lately that fits in this category? What did you think of it?