I have to confess, I put off reading this because I thought, “Oh, no, another paranormal romance book,” so I was pleasantly surprised when I finally gave in and started it. I really enjoyed it! It’s not about vampires, werewolves or other spirits; it’s about angels. Clara has just recently started to have the vision, the vision that will tell her what her purpose is. “All angel-bloods have purposes of different types –some are messengers, some witnesses, some meant to comfort, some just doing things that cause other things to happen –but guardian has a nice ring to it It feels particularly angelic.” She sees a bit more of the vision each time she has it, and her mom quizzes her carefully to try to tease out enough information so she can help Clara fulfill her purpose. Despite her mom’s close attention to the development of Clara’s angelic qualities, she is strangely reticent on sharing her own history and information about angels in general. It’s not until Clara finds out her new friend Angela (at the school Clara goes to now that her mom moved them to Wyoming where she thinks Clara needs to be for her purpose) is an angel, too, that Clara starts to get some real facts about her own kind, including Black Wings, or fallen angels. Well, you knew there had to be a good vs evil battle, right? I think my favorite thing is the description of Clara when she kisses the boy she cares about and experiences glory –“…then I realize that it’s too bright in there, too bright for the shady dark of the barn, and the light’s coming from me, radiating off me in waves. I’m in glory.” Even though this is the first book of a planned trilogy, it’s not too much of a cliff-hanger. Review by Stacy Church
