Three angels are sent down to bring good to the world: Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, a teenage girl who is the least experienced of the trio. But she is the most human, and when she is romantically drawn to a mortal boy, the angels fear she will not be strong enough to save anyone―especially herself―from the Dark Forces. Is love a great enough power against evil? Gr 7 Up–The first in a trilogy, Halo is the story of the angel Bethany, who has been sent with two other angels posing as her older brother and sister to a small town to encourage the human residents to seek a higher purpose and drive back impending evil. But Bethany is a young angel and finds the lure of high school, earthly friends, and the love of a human boy far more temptation than she ever expected. In spite of her youth (she's 18), Adornetto has written a compelling novel of good and evil that will find an audience among girls who can't get enough of otherworldly characters and situations and heart-wrenching romance. The novel suffers a bit from too much teen angst, but the author shows definite promise.–Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK α(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Angel Bethany Church and her heavenly siblings Gabriel (yes, that one) and Ivy have been sent to a small town on a vague goodwill mission. Bethany’s territory is high school, where she tries to blend in despite her ethereal glow and blissful naïveté. Soon she is swept up into a chaste romance with impossibly good boy Xavier Woods while being tempted by a potential demon, Jake Thorn. Jake shows his horns by engineering the suicide of Bethany’s classmate, and the forces of heaven and hell predictably clash. But when Bethany’s and Xavier’s lips meet in a kiss of true love, Jake is flung back to hell. The 17-year-old author’s angel mythology is solid, though her self-conscious writing often lapses into cliché, and her plotline follows a path that has been well trod post-Twilight. Still, there never seem to be enough lengthy tomes to satisfy the legions of paranormal-romance fans, and this first title of a planned trilogy fits the bill. For readers who have had enough supernatural star-crossing, recommend A. M. Jenkins’ superior Printz Honor Book, Repossessed (2007) instead. Grades 7-10. --Jennifer Hubert “Her [Adornetto's] dialogue feels fresh and real, pulled from the mouths of her peers without any cultural markers necessary to prove relevance. . . . If it were not for young adult readers like her, the Y.A. boom never would have happened and publishing would be much gloomier.” ― The New York Times Book Review “These angels are the optimistic, hope-filled cousins of the tormented fallen angels in other paranormal romances. . . . Xavier is gorgeous, honorable and so protective of Bethany that you’ll be crushing on him after the first chapter.” ― Justine magazine “A compelling novel of good and evil that will find an audience among girls who can't get enough of otherworldly characters and situations and heart-wrenching romance.” ― School Library Journal “The 17-year-old author's angel mythology is solid . . . there never seem to be enough lengthy tomes to satisfy the legions of paranormal-romance fans, and this first title of a planned trilogy fits the bill.” ― Booklist “This is the first book of a trilogy. The next installment is Hades , due in the Fall of 2011. Look for it. Doubtless it will be another winner.” ― New York Journal of Books “ Halo was absolutely brilliant! I am in complete love with Halo ! The characters are so complex and the plot is a rollercoaster you will not want to get off of. The writing is so intricate yet it is read with an ease that one can truly appreciate. Adornetto has raw talent and I can't wait for the next novel in the series to come out!” ― Moonlight Book Reviews “ Halo is addictive, passionate and coarse with vibrancy. Alexandra Adornetto has drawn a beautiful start to what I can only imagine will be an epic trilogy.” ― Book Crazy “I was swept away when I was reading Halo . The setting is beautiful and the characters quickly captured my heart.” ― YA Book Addict “It's one of those stories you want to live in... feel what they feel... all of that. It's just a beautifully written story.” ― The Ninja Librarian “A wonderful novel of the old-fashioned style that will have youngsters asking for more.” ― Reading Time review for The Shadow Thief “Adornetto writes vividly…As well as being humorous, the writing is often sophisticated…original and sparkling.” ― Viewpoint for The Shadow Thief “…an exceptional debut novel, it hurtles along in leaps and bounds, and sparkles with originality. Alexandra Adornetto's flare for the English language is fast-paced and refreshing, and her story tell recalls that of J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan .” ― Invernell Times (Invernell, AU) for The Shadow Thief “Fans of Harry Potter and Lemony Snicket's