If you haven’t read Unearthly (book 1) of this series, you can take a look at my review of Unearthly or my guest post on Epic Reads of the top ten reasons why YOU should read the Unearthly series!
Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
If I had to pick a “least” favorite book of the series, Hallowed would probably be it — but that’s not even fair because SO MUCH BIG STUFF happened in it …things that made me cry, things that made me rage and things that made me have a really hard time finishing this book off at while at the hairdressers without them kicking me out for being crazy. I really did LOVE it. Cynthia Hand wrote some of the most intense and gut-wrenching scenes in this one and REALLY made me Queen FlipFlopper when it comes to my Team loyalty. After reeling from the ending of Unearthly when we find out that Christian is an angel, I was so torn because suddenly Christian isn’t just the “guy she’s supposed to save.” I commend Cynthia Hand for how she continually manages to really flesh out the characters of Tucker and Christian and make us really fall in love with them and really KNOW them — wish makes us dread Boundless for we KNOW she can only have one…unless there is a polygamist sect of angels that Cynthia is going to throw out at us. I also really thought after the events of Unearthly, in addition to the continually building character development, Hallowed did a good job of showing Clara’s guilt and confusion after her seemingly failing her purpose and I loved that because we really got to see her grow in this book. Girl went through some TOUGH things. So many tears were shed for MANY reasons. Book two brought the feels and showed us a new depth to Cynthia Hand’s storytelling abilities. I fell even more hard for this series!
Boundless by Cynthia Hand
OH MY GOSH. I’m just going to tell you that this was one of the BEST LAST BOOKS I’VE EVER READ and honestly the best book in the series. Was everything wrapped up the way I wanted to? Not exactly — one thing left me a sad panda and there were a few issues I had because I didn’t feel like we understood the purpose of some characters — but honestly EVERYTHING ELSE was perfect. Just perfect. You know how I said Hallowed brought the feels? Well Boundless showed up and was like “You haven’t seen anything yet. Get out your tissues, bitches!” And sob I did during three very poignantly written parts where I was crying for very different reasons. The action and the story arc were just PERFECT oh my gosh. I was clenching that book so hard and ravenously turning the pages until the final pages because Cynthia built the suspense with the precision of an architectural genius. Not only was I DYING to see how Clara and company would tackle their purposes and her super intense vision but I was anticipating/nervous for/neurotically biting my nails over which boy Clara would choose. Because if you thought you were confused about who Clara should end up with, well your head will be spinning during this one! I honestly didn’t put ANYTHING past Cynthia the way things were going down! ALSO. SAMJEEZA. That is ALL! Super sad to see this series end but I had a great time binge reading it!
Have you read this series? What did you think of Hallowed and Boundless? Were you happy with the series ending? What were some of YOUR most memorable moments from these two books? If you want to check out my top 5 favorite scenes of the Unearthly series (as drawn by my 6 year old niece), go here!
DannyBookworm says
Ah I need to read Boundless!!! I love this series but I am a little afraid of it to be honest.. *sigh*
Jamie says
I was the same way!!! So super excited but SO SO SO nervous and sad it was ending! I cried three times in Boundless!!
Christina (A Reader of Fictions) says
So what you’re saying is that sometimes your laziness is boundless? *slaps knees*
I need to read these!
Jamie says
Hahahaha Christina I love you! And YES YOU DO!
April Books & Wine says
I always do that too, end up reading emotional books while getting my hair done. Totally not my most brilliant idea.
ALSO. Pretty much these books are keeping Kleenex in greenbacks, I swear.
Alexa Y. says
I am so, so scared to carry on reading this series! It’s not so much that I don’t want to find out what happens to Clara and Tucker and Christian (because I definitely do!), but because I’m scared my heart’s going to be broken. EEP. I shall prepare the tissues!
Annette says
Uhhhh…. I shall have to prepare myself for tears. I cried during the second one, so I guess it’s to be expected. Thanks for the warning (and the great review!)
Jen says
I loved the Samjeeza story arc. Honestly. Totally touched my heart in a way I did not expect. And WAHH, Hallowed. Okay, let’s be honest. I cried throughout the whole series. So happy you loved it, too!
Hannah @ so obsessed with says
I’m reading Boundless now, but I’m not very far into it! I kind of set it aside this week because I knew I didn’t have the time I needed to actually devour it and didn’t want to get hooked and not be able to finish the whole thing. SOOO all that to say, I’ll be tweeting you with the feels this weekend!
Asheley Tart (@BookwormAsheley) says
Yes!
I cannot even believe that I read an entire series in a short amount of time. That just kind of goes against my whole entire GRAIN of my reading self. Doggone #TheEndIsHere. I love it, I hate it. Haha, I love it, actually. I’m *trying* to get through as many of those series as I can this year because I don’t think I’ve read any of them. But back to this one. Straight thru, and I NEVER do that. And it made me an emotional wreck and nearly did me in. I am amazed that I never picked a “team” at all throughout the entire trilogy, which stressed me like crazy for the first two books. BUT BUT BUT by the time I got to Boundless, I had accepted that I liked both Tucker and Christian equally and I would just wait and see what happened, and I was able to enjoy the book SO MUCH MORE. So much less stress, Jamie! Oh my gosh! And it ended up being my favorite book in the series. Like you, I have some big questions left unanswered for a few of the characters (GRRR) and my ABSOLUTE favorite character in the entire series is SAMJEEZA FOREVER. Good gracious, what a character that one! But yes, Boundless was my favorite book of the three, I actually read the first 80% of the book in one morning and MADE MYSELF STOP so I could do real-life things like eat and use the bathroom. I was supposed to be reading it along with someone else but I FAILED SO MISERABLY.
(I’m doing the Delirium trilogy now. I’m scared.)
Asheley Tart (@BookwormAsheley) says
Also, oh my gosh the tears, Kleenex, and sucker punch that ended up being the ending and Clara’s choice and the epilogue! I knew it would hurt because I loved them both, but I wasn’t expecting to FEEL. ACTUAL. PAIN.