UNNATURAL

Title: Unnatural (Archangel Academy, #1)
Author: Michael Griffo
Release: March 1, 2011

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Kensington (March 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758253389
• ISBN-13: 978-0758253385

In the town of Eden in northwestern England stands the exclusive boarding school known as Archangel Academy. Ancient and imposing, it’s a place filled with secrets. Just like its students…

For Michael Howard, being plucked from his Nebraska hometown and sent thousands of miles away is as close as he’s ever come to a miracle. In Weeping Water, he felt trapped, alone. At Archangel Academy, Michael belongs. And in Ciaran, Penry, and especially Ciaran’s enigmatic half-brother Ronan, Michael finds friendship deeper than he’s ever known.

But Michael’s only beginning to understand what makes the Academy so special. Ronan is a vampire—part of a hybrid clan who are outcasts even among other vampires. Within the Academy’s confines exists a ruthless world of deadly rivalries and shifting alliances, of clandestine love and forbidden temptations. And soon Michael will confront the destiny that brought him here—and a danger more powerful than he can imagine…

 

one drop

two drops

three drops

four

floodgates open

the waters pour

cool and

warm and

clean and

red

am I alive?

or am I dead?

These were the first words in the book that quite pique my curiosity, simple yet, striking. But soon I found these words scattered all over the novel and just really says that it's quite significant and hints what the story is all about.

First I would like to talk about the cover, it's wonderful! At first glance, it may look like it's a love triangle, a blonde and a brunette, fighting over a redhead! (chuckling), but then Lesson no. 1 NOTHING IS EVER WHAT IT SEEMS, and so it seems that behind the gorgeous cover, more complicated situations lies and that's enough to make you grab this book and settle for a late night read.

This book is about vampires ( one of the fiction genres I enjoyed the most), and this story, though I find shocking onc3 I realized the truth behind the covers, overwhelms me. I was plunged down deep in a kind of love story others might not and will never comprehend. I was even hoping that as the story unfolds, that somehow, they'll change and be normal boys again. But Mr. Griffo held on to what he'd already written from the start, and I unexpectedly find myself loving every words he wrote. 

Not that the lover's situation isn't absurd, it still is, but I find myself sympathizing with them and linking my thoughts and apprehensions too. It felt like, I was there with them, experiencing the same ecstasy, fear and actions that was all throughout the novel.

I daresay that the characters develop slowly but with such impact that you can't let the book down and always ask yourself who is and who's not. The author had adequately sprinkled the right amount of mystery to each of his characters that made you want to find out and know them more. There were some questions that hadn't still been unanswered, but maybe that's the use of the second book, right?!

This book was definitely phenomenal and would hit to young adult readers out there, and would make you out of your comfort zone,but in a good way. This one was filled with a different kind of romance, mystery, love and just plain reality--that anyone could relate into.

I hope this isn't just nonsense and that I didn't blab too much, because I don't want to spoil a good read. Overall, this is an exciting, engaging and unique book!