Fallen

Reader reviewed by Lia

Luce is enrolled at Sword & Cross, a school for delinquents. As she tries to overcome the shadows she see everywhere she can't help but think about Daniel Grigori. In place where nothing is as it seems Luce tries to make sense of the weird connection she has with Daniel.

I didn't enjoy this book as much as I hoped I would. I had great expectations, and I was let down. The paranormal aspect of the book came way too late. I kept reading because the story was building up to it the whole time.  I liked Cam, he was an interesting character to read about. You never knew what was up with him, until the end, and even then you were doubting his motives. The ending was good, so I'll give the sequel a try.

Reader reviewed by Yiling

I picked this book because of it's cover. (I know, Don't judge a book by it's cover -blah, blah, blah-)But I love the cover! So beautiful. I loved the story it will kept you guessing at what's going to happen next. I didn't really like the beginning of the story. But, when I finished the book, I went back to the prolodge and read it and it made more sense. I loved the ending and can't wait for the next book (Tormant) to come out. (I'm adding it to Books to come out in 2010 post) I give this book 4.5 stars.

Reader reviewed by shelley

OK so I have to say that the whole reform setting I love . OK, so I'm a freaky but I love it. ok so I thought that this was the same old good girl fall for the bad boy situation, but I was impress of the whole plot was. I got to admitt I love the book. I've read books that right half way into you start toget tired of the characters. this book give you crazy and sanity. It a page tuner.. I love it .. down below youll find the real description. and don't miss TORMENT.

Reader reviewed by Julie

WOW!:
The only word I can think of to summarize my review of "Fallen" by
Lauren Kate. Her debut novel not only sparkles, it charms to the core of
your soul.

I
could not put this book down. Staying up past midnight, I turned the
pages, telling myself just a couple of more minutes. Reluctantly, I had
to go to sleep. But the next morning, I immediately picked up the book
to finish it -- that's good fiction! What makes it even better fiction
-- I can't wait until September 28, 2010 when the second book,
"Torment," is released.

Not
only is the book cover one of the most stunning I've ever seen, but it
also feels like velvet (a trend I've noticed in recent hardcover books).
It definitely fulfills its promise of a thrilling book.

The
characters are engaging and unique, especially Luce Price, the
protagonist torn between mysterious Daniel Grigori and dangerous Cam
Briel at the boarding/reform school, Sword & Cross. Both of the male
leads oozed cool in their own unique way. Luce's back story is
extremely interesting, especially the scary shadows she's seen all her
life. I also like her parents and her loving feeling toward them despite
them putting her away for not being "normal."

The
residents of Sword & Cross are very clever. But the name of the
school confused me. I thought it was going to be a paranormal version of
Hogwarts which didn't seem to be the case. Nevertheless, I enjoyed
every word of the book, so much that I plan on reading it again.

SPOILER:
The one plot twist I wish I hadn't known was that Daniel was a fallen
angel and his reason for not wanting anything to do with Luce. Obviously
the publisher's synopsis mentions angels, but nothing more, however if
you were to read the synopsis on Barnes and Noble's website, it almost
gives the major plot twists away. I'm glad I didn't see that synopsis
before I read the book. END SPOILER.

The
Scoop: "Fallen" is, currently, in development by Walt Disney Pictures.
Kathyrn Price and Nichole Millard of Mayhem Pictures (Invincible, Secretariat, Tooth Fairy) are signed on as screenwriters. Here's hoping they do it justice because Invincible was a very good film, but Tooth Fairy -- not so much.

So...am I Team Daniel or Team Cam? I really like Daniel, but he seems
like he's not telling the whole truth about Luce's past. Despite his
dark side, Cam appears to be more genuine, so it's Team Cam for me. But
I'm sure he's hiding some dark secrets too. After all, they're at Sword
& Cross. Which interestingly enough wasn't explained. Will more
information will be revealed in the second book?

"Fallen"
was unlike any YA paranormal book I've read before. It goes on my list
of top fave books. "Fallen" gave me the same feeling after I read Harry
Potter for the first time: I want more!

Note: "Reprinted here with author's permission"

Reader reviewed by sariebearie08

I was extremely excited about reading Fallen, I have seen it everywhere
and the cover is absolutely stunning. So, I recently picked it up at
the bookstore and I took it on vacation with me. I was able to finish
it within a few days and here is what I think. Fallen was a good book.
What is one of my favorite books? No. But it was good. I think the
story was very imaginative and I adore Luce. I found her very
realistic, her actions were always in the realm of sanity for a
seventeen year old girl. In fact, all of the characters were very fun
to follow - especially Daniel. I found myself wanting to find out what
exactly was going on in his mind and why he was acting the way he was.
However, my one and only real problem with this book is that it seemed
to drag. I found myself repeatedly skimming paragraphs and sometimes
even pages, especially those that dragged on about the particular shade
of the shadow Luce was currently seeing. That being said, I truly
enjoyed this book and I cannot wait for the next in the series! 

Reader reviewed by Katelyn (The Bookshelf Sophisticate)

Hooked again! Personally, Im a series reader&.when I fall in love with a really great book, I fall in love with all of it. The plot, the characters, and the world the author has created for them and everything in between. This is why for me, when I learn there will be a sequel to a book Ive just fallen in love with its a silver lining that I grab on to.

Fallen by Lauren Kate has done just that&.hooked me to yet another series that I will be dying to continue reading and counting down the days until the next installment hits the bookshelves (how many days until September 28th?).

Kate created characters in Fallen like Luce, and Daniel and Arriane, who were so full of personality and mystery on top of it that as a reader I was reading as quickly as I could hoping to learn their secrets with each turn of the page. Some secrets came out, others have yet to be revealed. Fallen had me guessing until the very end, even when I thought I was putting the pieces of the puzzle together, new questions were thrown in, it was fabulous! Keeping with the way most series work, Fallen left readers wanting more.

Kate was able to integrate so many different elements throughout the novel and yet I wasnt feeling overwhelmed with all the information she was giving her readers. I will admit to being disappointed that I was left slightly anxious and nervous concerning the characters fates and futures, but anyone who picks up this novel will agree that the frustration over unanswered questions was worth it!

Now were all just anxiously awaiting the release of the next installment in the Fallen series, Torment.

Reader reviewed by Rebecca Pauley

            Fallen is one of those books that you just can not put down until you are done and then when you are done with it you crave more. i loved it, Luce,Daniel and Penn were my favorite characters. Although at first i didn't really like Daniel until the end when i found out why he was being such a meanie to Luce. This book is romantic, thrilling, scary (in a way), and dare i say it heavenly. Originally i checked out this book from my school library thinking it was not a series, but it was at first i wanted to stop reading it (i'm trying to get away from series). But i could just not put the freaking book down. I read this book in 6 hours. (fast reader). My absolute favorite part of the book is when Luce sees Daniel for real for the first time. The end is really good to. I would recommend this to anyone. Who likes action, romance, and a thriller. This was one of the greatest books i have read. 

Reader reviewed by Toni

It took me quite a while to read this when I normally read fast because I kept stopping. I liked the book but it was slow part of the time and sometimes a little iratating. But that dosen't stop me from likeing it nor is it going to stop me from buying the next book.

Reader reviewed by KeturCullen1340

Book Review: Introducing the book
I have been waiting all year for and quite frankly I was disappointed. I
waited all year for this "ultimate love story" to be disturbed that I
did not like it. This book is great, don't get me wrong, but I am the
type of person who gets bored very easily and this story went on too
slowly for me. Daniel and Luce are hardly ever together, although it was
like a "New Moon" not together. Daniel stays away to protect Luce. It
seems like the story focuses more on her time at the school and her
friends and not her love for Daniel. It sounds like in the story that
Luce is a stupid, lovesick girl and being in love makes you stupid, but
this was too much. I would have thought will Luce seeing those shadows
she wouldn't be so dependent. Since it is a series I was thinking that
Lauren will make Luce mature more and not make her seem like a little
girl. This is just the beginning for the series, so hopefully in the
next book, Torment, out in September 2010 will be more focused on Luce
and Daniel and not Luce and her friends. It seems like the next book
will also be continuing a Daniel-Luce-Cam love triangle. Since this book
moves slowly it might be read every once in a while, but I will hold
out for the next book before I go making assumptions about the whole
series. But maybe the reaction I had was what Lauren was going for
because now I can't wait to buy the next book so I can find out whether
things will get better. Even if I didn't like this book as much as I
would have like to, as long as Lauren continues making the books so long
and make them have such pretty covers, I will be satisfied. I
desperately need something to fill my time in my boring English class.
Go out and cop this book, people because if it's one thing I know it is
that not everyone sees the glass half empty.

Reader reviewed by Ari

Honestly I only wanted to read this book at first so I could trash it brutally screaming, "Why cant anyone think of a original plot line that doesnt follow the junk known as TWILIGHT!!" But I was actually quite surprised. Although I wouldn't recomend it for romance junkies this book was considerably brilliant when it came to weaving in the biblical story of the angels and the mysterious world Lauren Kate wished to create. Romance did not occur until maybe the last sixty pages which I found quite shocking considering the synopsis built up to it sounding like it would be 10 pages in and they would be making out. Although quite similar to Twilight I found this story was extremely unique. I loved some of the dangerous, adreniline enhancing scenes. I was shocked at some of the disturbing, grotesque scenes. I honestly never wanted to put this book down. Almost every chapter dealt with Luce trying to figure out Daniel, and what was happening. The begining of the story gives a great deal of background to Luce's history as to how she ended up in Sword and Cross. I loved the prolouge although I found the epilouge to be quite confusing. Written in third person we learn of Luce and Daniel's eternal love that could never die. Until something changed. Something crucial. That may cause everything to end.