Hardcover, 496 pages
Published August 31st 2010
by Feiwel & Friends
ISBN 0312656262
4 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads “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.”

So, first of all…the cover. Sometimes when I pick up a book I get done reading and think “what does the cover have to do with the story?” In this case; the photo fits perfectly and it is breathtaking. Main heroine Beth is introduced along with her perfect siblings to life away from heaven as an emissary for good. She starts off incredibly innocent. But her capacity to love is much deeper than other angels and meeting Xavier Woods forces her to make some choices which could alter her eternity. Beth is so swept up with these new feelings of love that it’s only natural her entire world would orbit around Xavier. He is a perfect gentleman with just the right mix of sass and charm. Truly, their relationship is selfless. What I appreciated about this book is the overall message that good overcomes evil, that little deeds add up, and that love is powerful and has a real force. It brings mainstream religious beliefs into the young adult world; it’s a perfect medling of paranormal and pop teen culture. Overall, the book has a slow moving pace which really picks up in the last few chapters. There are a few dark moments once evil forces are recruiting power, but Halo has a redemptive tone. There is also mention of sex, but the two main characters choose to wait. I’ll definitely pick up the sequel. My favorite scene is when Beth accidentally become drunk at her first party and Xavier comes to the rescue. “Of all the gallant knights who could come to my rescue, why did it have to be Xavier Woods? What was our Father in His Infinite wisdom thinking?” p.97 Alexandra Adornetto has accomplished something wonderful with Halo and I am excited to see more from her. At age 17 she is already a three times published and New York Times bestselling author.