There are tons of werewolf, vampire, etc. love stories out there, but this is the first angel love story I have read. I really enjoyed it. It has a hint of an X-men vibe, I really liked seeing glimpses of the angels individual powers. I can’t wait for the next book!

This second book follows FORBIDDEN (2012). Claire has learned that she is half angel and her boyfriend Alec has left the ranks of the Grigori who track down Fallen and is trying to be an ordinary teenage boy.

The main problem that Claire is facing is trying to find her father who disappeared when she was a baby. Her own visions and her grandmother's visions have indicated that he's still alive but they can't track him down. Claire has a number of questions about her life and her gifts, including one that is just manifesting. Her grandmother has told her that it is a dangerous gift and that she shouldn't use it. Nothing could make it more tempting for Claire.

Her new gift has made her particularly attractive to the Fallen who will do anything to try to recruit her, even telling her that they know where her father is. They also threaten to let the Guardians know where Alec is and Claire will do anything to protect him.

Alec and Claire both try out for the school musical. Claire winning the part in Guinevere almost ruins her friendship with her best friend Erica who also wants the part of Guinevere and has wanted it for much longer than Claire. Claire tries out for the musical mostly so that she can spend more time with her friends who are involved in the production. With Alec cast as Arthur, things should be good. But Claire's former boyfriend Neal has been cast as Lancelot which is making Alec jealous. With Erica mad at her and Alec jealous and Brian dating a new girl, Claire's circle of friends is disintegrating.

Alec is also feeling some regrets about leaving the Guardians to spend time with Claire. He still feels the need to stop the bad guys but doesn't have the authority to do so. He and Claire begin keeping secrets from each other; Claire has been experimenting with her new power; and Alec is trying to track down a Fallen plot. That puts even more pressure on their relationship.

This story was entertaining. It was filled with teenage drama, scary but charming villains, friendships tested, paranormal powers, and romance.

Rating 4/5

This was a fun teenage drama filled read with a touch of paranormal! I really enjoyed the theatrics with it and especially liked the characters - even the villains were enjoyable! It was very entertaining and I hope there's not a huge gap like this one if there is another book :)

I received an e-ARC for this book from the publisher and NetGalley.. I also received an e-ARC for the first book in the series, Forbidden, from the authors themselves. However, I forgot about that until I was a couple chapters in and wondering why the plot was moving along so quickly. I feel like this book can be read as a standalone, though the first book would (I'm assuming) have more background on the origin of all of the main characters' primary, supernatural abilities. There were enough references to the first book for me to piece together what happened.

I really liked the way that the visions a couple of the main characters had were written. The characters were all quite realistic, and the teenage characters were very much written like they were average, everyday teenagers. There was an even balance of the characters going about their regular lives (going to school, socializing, going out on dates, hanging out at home with their families, etc.) and dealing with the supernatural. That's pretty rare nowadays, especially in science fiction/fantasy novels, movies, and TV shows. The end of this book left enough loose ends for me to suspect that there will be a third book eventually.

I plan on reading and reviewing Forbidden soon, as a prequel of sorts.