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Fallen by Lauren Kate

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.

Where to start!? This book is a can’t-put-it-down type of book. The plot is original, creative, and captivating. Lauren Kate, the author, draws you into the world of Luce and Daniel with such dramatic visions of an unknown, uncontrollable darkness that has followed Luce all her life. Luce’s life seems tragic and destined for a dark ending. Until she arrives at the reform school, after a terrible incident involving death, Luce sees Daniel and she feels an unbelievable pull, and a knowing him that she can’t explain. No matter how mean and off putting he is, she is drawn to him. As the dark shadows befall Luce again and are increasingly more dangerous, Daniel appears to be more present to save her or guide her. Luce starts researching Daniel’s past as she is drawn to him. She has to know everything about him. This only leads to more shadows appearing and hurting those around her. Ultimately, Luce figures out why she has these vivid dreams of her past and of being with Daniel and realizes they have been together in past lives and no matter what they do they find each other, but they are soon driven apart upon Luce’s death. She only lives for 17 years each time and Daniel is heartbroken but so in love he falls for her each time. This time though things are different and Luce doesn’t die when Daniel and others expect her to and Daniel is doing everything he can do to keep her safe and break the cycle of losing Luce. As the angel war begins, Daniel is doing everything he

As an author of novels for young people, I have to stay on top of the trends. The trends have shown that girls these days are swooning over magical old men who sweep into their high schools and offer danger and breathy declarations of love. Stephanie Meyer is keeping the vampire fires burning with her upcoming novella and the Eclipse film. Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver has shown that girls dig werewolves too.  Lauren Kate’s Fallen has proven they like them winged and biblical. And Carrie Jones’s Need feeds the need for hot pixie-love. No, I’m not talking about Kim Deal and Black Francis.

Seeing how successful these books have become, I thought I’d jump into the game. So here, for the first time, is a sneak preview, an excerpt from a novel I am writing. Set in coastal South Carolina, it is known simply as Clover.

The violet light skipped across his face. I couldn’t always tell indigo from violet, but this was violet alright. It splashed soft highlights in his fiery hair and shrouded his freckles in inky, purple shadows. I reached down to touch his cheek.

“You’re old,” I said.

“Aye,” he said.

“In school, the boys are always bragging about being men and all that. Three years ago, they didn’t even know what shaving cream was.”

“Tis true,” he remarked.

“Your face is rough,” I said. In his stubble I could feel the hills of his homeland, the roots of soul.

“Twas a beard for many a snow,” he said. “The sands of Myrtle Beach know lil kindness towards a whisker me-fears. Barbers rule this land.”

“Myrtle Beach is cruel,” I said. I’d always believed it, but never had the courage to admit it to my friends or my parents. They all adored the golf and go-carts.

“Aye,” he said. Smoke trailed from the side of his mouth. If the breeze hadn’t stolen it, I would have sucked it up and felt its dangerous caresses on my lungs.

“There’s a dance,” I told him. “It’s not important or anything. It’s just something we do here. If we went for an hour, would that be awful? Together I mean. If we went together.”

“I do a jig,” he said. The velvet soles of his boots attacked the sand and the rhythm of the waves combined with the gentle scrape into a sensuous lullaby. I knew that Lance was still waiting at the concert. He’d texted me, “Wassup Jen? Where u at? Got the tix. Theez jams r gonna rock ur bra off!” I’d let him wait. I had my music here.

“The rainbow?” I asked him. “How long will it last?” In a tide pool, I saw that the colors were now cast upon my face.

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