rated T for Teen: Fallen

i finally read it: Fallen by Lauren Kate.

synopsis from hardcover version:

There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce--and goes out of his way to make that very clear--she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.

spoiler-free opinion: i think this is one of those books you can judge by the cover; fortunately, i love the gothic-ish cover, and i loved the dark, mysterious story. there were a few aspects of the story that frustrated me, but overall, i thought it was a worthwhile read.

(4.2)

warning: the following review contains spoilers. please skip if you haven't read the book yet.


Luce did frustrate me at times because of her complete obsession with Daniel (who treated her like a pariah at first....why is this sounding strangely familiar??...). however, the story did make a good excuse for her fascination, so i felt i could overlook it.

at the end, i felt the story became slightly melodramatic, and the author didn't explain some critical details (like why the boy Luce kissed at the beginning died, and why all the fallen angels were at Sword and Cross in the first place). explanations seemed to be promised in the sequel, though, so i'll save my complaints until after i've read Torment and can see for myself if the author finally delivers.

needless to say, i'm extremely curious to see how the second book will be!