Book Review: Silver Smoke (Seven Halos #1) by Monica Leonelle

Summary:

Siblings Pilot and Brie van Rossum are exiled to Honolulu after their mother's tragic death thrusts them into the paparazzi circus ring. It is there that Brie meets the Hallows, a superhuman race descended from archangels, and discovers the shocking secrets of her past that put her family's lives in jeopardy. Meanwhile, Pilot meets a mysterious girl who helps him research an ancient feud between two Hawaiian families and tries to figure out why his best friend Rykken is acting so strange lately...

The Seven Halos series consists of seven books about seven humans who are descendants of archangels and archdemons. Each of them must uncover the chilling (and sometimes sinister) mysteries of their lineage in order to save two races of superbeings from an all out war that no one can win. It's a story of love, death, heartbreak, betrayal, and the one thing that matters most--allegiance.

Release Date:  February 8, 2011
Age Group:  Young adult
Pages: 400
Source: Review copy from author

Review:
I need to preface this review by letting you know that I have some kind of mental block about books about angels and Nephilim.  Ever since Hush, Hush, I have had a prejudice about this sub-genre.  (See my first and second opinions of Hush, Hush).  I think that I unfairly compare all angel books to The Mortal Instruments series, which I absolutely love.  I just wanted you all to know that before I talk about Silver Smoke.  

Silver Smoke is the first in a new series about different races of humans who are descended from archangels and archdemons.  Some are descended from humans and demons, some from humans and angels, and some a combination of both.  The races are in constant conflict with each other, and Brie and Pilot (our sister and brother main characters) get caught up in the middle of it.  

I thought Leonelle's world building was very good.  The premise of the story was different in that there were more layers than the typical angel versus demon story.  The politics of the angel world were interesting and added depth to the story.  


I also liked that there were two blossoming romances in the story.  I always love reading about characters falling in love, so to read two love stories was a treat.  Well, actually it was one love story, and one evil seduction, but I don't want to give too much away.


Silver Smoke felt too long to me.  Leonelle has so much detail in the story (which I do like), but it makes for a long book.  I felt like the book started to drag in the middle, then it picked back up again to make a strong finish.  The other thing that I had trouble with was that there are a lot of characters.  I started to get the Hallows girls confused and had trouble keeping them straight.  Some of this may be because I have really bad 'mommy brain' and can only read a few pages at a time.  So, it takes me longer to read books and I tend to forget details along the way. 


I would recommend Silver Smoke to fans of paranormal YA.  Fans of angel books (such as Unearthly, Angelfire, Halo, and Hush, Hush) will love it!