Review: Halflings [Halflings #1] by Heather Burch

Halflings
Published by: Zondervan
Heather Burch
Release Date: February 1st 2012

( Barnes & Noble / Goodreads )

After being inexplicably targeted by an evil intent on harming her at any cost, seventeen-year-old Nikki finds herself under the watchful guardianship of three mysterious young men who call themselves halflings. Sworn to defend her, misfits Mace, Raven, and Vine battle to keep Nikki safe while hiding their deepest secret—and the wings that come with.

A growing attraction between Nikki and two of her protectors presents a whole other danger. While she risks a broken heart, Mace and Raven could lose everything, including their souls. As the mysteries behind the boys’ powers, as well as her role in a scientist’s dark plan, unfold, Nikki is faced with choices that will affect the future of an entire race of heavenly beings, as well as the precarious equilibrium of the earthly world.
-Goodreads

*An eGalley was provided to me by Zondervan and NetGalley for review purposes.*

Thoughts/Review:

When I was approved to read and review this book through NetGalley I was more than excited. First off, the cover is just like pure beauty is it not? I have a thing for the color red I think. Secondly the blurb caught my attention right away. I love the whole angel theme, and this was a great little twist from other angel books out there. This book wasted no time catching your attention and hurling you into all the action. From page one it was like Heather Burch is telling you hold on to your seat, this is going to be one insane ride and it really is. From the characters whom you grow extremely attached to the insane plot that is driving the story, there is no time to calm down and gather yourself. You have to keep pushing through so you can understand it all, and quench the thirst the book leaves you with. Because trust me, this book leaves you hanging in so many ways.

One thing that I didn't enjoy with this book was after the incredible first two chapters you have so much information thrown at you and then loose site of where the book is going. I was sort of drifting in and out of this book for the first half. I knew a great story was there, I felt it in my bones, but I was just coming up short. It was page 179 that started really hitting it off with me. After you get to a certain point it starts to slow down and you finally see the world of this book come together. Once I hit it that groove I could NOT put this book down. I loved the characters even more than before and started to put together the puzzle pieces I had gotten earlier. This is no easy puzzle to put together though folks, the Halflings world is a crazy piece of literary genius.

Like any great YA book nowadays there was one hell of a love triangle. You have the bad boy Raven and the good hearted Mace. Now I loved them both, I really did, but I definitely had my favorite. [*cough* Raven *cough*] The thing with this love triangle is that no matter who she chooses, she could never be with either one. It put a huge damper on my heart when certain things happened and left me clinching my chest for the boys I had grown to love. Nikki was seriously a breath of fresh air in this book. She was strong, knew how to hold her own, and didn't let others get to her. She was far from heartless though, and the depth of her emotions is what really endeared her to me. I wanted the book to never end, I needed to know what happened to her and her fight to figure out what was going on around her.

The ending half of this book was my favorite, like I said, I honestly could not put it down. I was so attached to everyone at this point that I didn't want to let them go. As I kept flipping the last few pages I kept hoping the page numbers would somehow double because the ending in this book is killer. KILLER I tell you! I don't want to spoil it for anyone out there but be ready to pre-order the second book in this series, because you will HAVE to. After the last page I sat stunned in my chair for a good 20 minutes. I couldn't believe it just ended that way, no doubt Heather Burch knows how to keep her readers hooked. So, if you are asthmatic [like me] make sure to keep your rescue inhaler close because this book is going to take your breath away. This was definitely a great debut book and I will be keeping an eye out for the second to this dazzling series.

Rating:

★★★★½
Four and a half Stars 
[Seriously, that ending!!]

 **** **** **** ****

You all need to keep an eye out for this book right here! It comes out February 1st and if you don't have this on your to be read list I suggest you click that link up there and put it there!! Seriously folks, if you love the angel goodness that is been coming out of the YA genre then you need to pick this up. [: