Fallen Angel by Heather Terrell

Ellie Faneuil is a special girl. She can read people's thoughts and memories simply by touching them. It's a good life for her, despite having to hide her secret from everyone who knows her. Then a new boy, Michael, begins at her school and Ellie is instantly drawn to him. He is equally attracted to her, and as he moves closer to Ellie, they find they have unique powers in common. Plus more. A whole lot more, including Ellie's parents revealing secrets about her past, a mysterious man following her around, and the popular girls at school cooking up a cruel prank.

Even with all of the angel-themed books I have been reading lately, this one was not what I expected. It was a little slow to get to the real action, but I found that I didn't mind so much, as long as I could keep seeing more of Michael. My heart swelled seeing Ellie and Michael thrive in the comfort of having someone else like them. He was so alluring, especially in the beginning! I don't want to give away any spoilers, but the high school hoax already feels a little outdated. It might be relevant currently, but I am not sure it still will be when the next book in the series comes out. This is not Terrell's first book, but it is her debut YA novel, and it reads a little amateur. Even Ellie's friend Ruth seemed off somehow. I liked her for the most part, but thought she was undeveloped, even for a secondary character. Still, Fallen Angel serves mostly to set up the world Terrell has created, and successfully does so. Hopefully book two, called Eternity, will pick up the pace with some much needed action.

Overall Rating: 3 Stars