A Fractured Light

January 1, 2013

Gr 9 Up-After the explosive ending of A Beautiful Dark (HarperCollins, 2011), Skye wakes up to find herself fully healed from Devin's betrayal and assassination attempt. Now aware that she is descended from angels on rival sides of a holy war, she must decide whom she can trust and on which side she will fight. Though she pledges herself to Asher and the Rebels, she finds herself continuously questioning her own balance of powers and her intuition that Devin can be redeemed. As she learns more from her guardian about her parents' decision to fight and where her own human friends may fit into her life, Skye is forced to make some very tough choices. Her love may be strong, but her determination to find her true path will turn out to be even more powerful. While some readers might fear that this novel seems to have the most overdone tropes of the genre-a love triangle and a main character unsure of herself and led by others-those who stick with the story will be rewarded. Davies pushes through and delivers a main character who defies expectations and chooses her own path, refusing those blatantly offered. She neither neglects her human life nor allows herself to be blindly led into a new world by an amazingly good-looking boy. Readers will once again be left breathlessly waiting to see how Skye tackles the challenges set before her, but will find themselves confident that she will find a way to save the day-and herself.-Jessica Miller, New Britain Public Library, CT

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2013
Picking up after [cf2]A Beautiful Dark[cf1]'s suspenseful ending, Skye has survived the attack from Guardian Devin and has committed herself to rebel angel Asher. Her focus is on honing her supernatural powers and mending her damaged relationships. But secrets are revealed that make her torn between sides in a looming showdown. Like its predecessor, this melodramatic paranormal romance is merely standard fare.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 15, 2012
This first sequel to A Beautiful Dark (2011) works mostly as romance and exposition, setting up the final book in the planned trilogy. The opening scene resolves the ending of the first book, but this volume focuses mainly on Skye's emerging supernatural powers and her continual indecision between the two warring angel factions--and between her two rival angel boyfriends. As she struggles to learn how to control her new abilities, even as she discovers what specific abilities she has, she continues her effort to decide which side of the angel war to take, no matter that she has already decided firmly for the rebels. So attracted to Asher, the rebel angel, that fires break out when they touch, she still can't get over her feelings for Devin, the "Guardian" angel, despite his hostile acts toward her in the previous book. Plus, she has Guardian abilities, so shouldn't she be on that side? Skye also delves into her family history, learning secrets that help to explain her situation. This book features little action beyond ski races, cryptic visions, dangerous weather and looming threats from the two factions, maintaining suspense mostly through Skye's continual indecision. Although mostly exposition, this installment appears to point to plenty of action in the final book. Readers will have to wait and see. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)

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