Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

Nothing much happens in the sleepy town of Venus Cove. But everything changes when three angels are sent from heaven to protect the town against the gathering forces of darkness: Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, a teenage girl who is the least experienced of the trio. They work hard to conceal their true identity and, most of all, their wings. But the mission is threatened when the youngest angel, Bethany, is sent to high school and falls in love with the handsome school captain, Xavier Woods. Will she defy the laws of Heaven by loving him? Things come to a head when the angels realize they are not the only supernatural power in Venus Cove. There′s a new kid in town and he′s charming, seductive and deadly. Worst of all, he′s after Beth.

I’m not a huge fan of romance, especially the kind where the girl can’t rescue herself and instead has to depend on a boy to do it for her. As a result, this really interfered with my enjoyment of Halo because that’s basically what this story is about. So, if that's not your cup of tea, then this probably isn’t the story for you.

Bethany is an angel. Meaning, she’s a supernatural being with abilities that humans don’t have. She, along with two other angels, was sent by Heaven to improve life in Venus Cove. Gabriel and Ivy immediately set to work and get involved in the communities. Bethany goes to high school, presumably to help others. Except she doesn’t. She focuses on behaving like any teenage girl: making friends, doing homework, finding a boyfriend, etc. Which is fine—admirable, actually, because it helps her to better understand the humans she’s supposed to be helping.

But this is what I could not get over: I can count on one hand the number of times Bethany helps humans. And, each of those times, she didn’t set out to help them. Instead, she just happened to be in the area and reacted to the current situation. Not once did she actively seek out a way to carry out her mission. As a result, Bethany doesn’t drive this story. Not what I expect from an angel.

On top of this, she does nothing to save herself, or even protect the ones she loves, when a supernatural evil comes to Venus Cove. Since she’s an angel, I expected her to be on the front lines because she has to know that humans don’t stand a chance against that kind of power. Instead, she hides behind a human to protect her. Definitely not what I expect from an angel.

The idea of angels coming down to Earth (without 'falling') is so unique and intriguing, and I really wanted to like this story. If Bethany had been proactive (rather than reactive), then I think I would have. As it is, though...