From Goodreads: In the beginning, there’s a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she’s part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn’t easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there’s another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara’s less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she’d have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

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I put this book off for sometime because of the cover.  I know, I’m shallow.  I’d heard the novel was good, but it has sat on my shelf for the better part of a year, mainly because I have many books to review, but also because the cover didn’t call to me. But the writing?  The writing did.  This story is amazing, and though I feel like angels and fallen angels aren’t a unique topic anymore, this story is.  It’s riveting.  Beautiful… I LOVE IT! And I’m kicking myself in the butt for not reading it as soon as I bought it… But, on the plus side, the sequel comes out in just under a month, so I guess my timing is okay after all.

Hand blew me away from the very beginning of this novel.  I honestly don’t know what I was expecting, but Hand delivers a masterpiece of a story, full of mystery and intrigue.  I spent a majority of the novel trying to figure out Clara’s purpose.  I concocted all types of bizarre endings for the book, including making Christian out to be a murderer, based on the visions Clara has throughout the novel.  Yet, I was pleasantly surprised by the ending; I never even came close to figuring out Clara’s purpose, and I think that’s half the fun of a great read like this: trying to figure out what’s going to happen based on past events and foreshadowing.  Hand proves that she is a master storyteller, keeping the reader guessing as the story unfolds, while enticing them on with the exceptional characterization that will capture the reader’s heart.    

Tucker is my favorite.  And this a different, because I’m almost always a “first” girl, meaning the first person the main character falls for is the person I’m automatically routing for.  However, Hand made me fall in love with Tucker and not Christian, though they both have charm and are well written characters.  But, there’s just something about Tucker, about the forbidden, and I fell hard for him.  Very hard.  Thus, I am dying to read the sequel because I must know what happens next for Clara and her suitors.  Five stars.