Heaven

Gr 8 Up—Following on the heels of Halo (2010) and Hades (2011, both Feiwel & Friends), Heaven is more angst-filled and tiresome than its paranormal predecessors. Against Heaven's rules, angel Bethany and her mortal boyfriend, Xavier, marry. This prompts the Sevens, rigid angel watchdogs, to pursue them relentlessly. To make matters worse, the couple can't consummate their union for fear of further angering the powers that be. After narrowly escaping a Seven at a remote cabin, they hide in plain sight as Ole Miss university students. Posing as siblings on campus leads to more heartbreak and jealousy for Beth as she tries to discourage all the other girls from crushing on Xavier. In an ensuing campus battle with the Sevens, Xavier dies. As he hovers between life and death, Lucifer takes over his body. Gabriel saves him but pays the price. Xavier's remarkable ability to remain unfazed by all of this comes as no surprise after Ivy, Beth's angel sister, confesses a long-held secret. Beth makes the ultimate sacrifice to leave Earth and Xavier behind to save his sister. Will she find her way back from Heaven to be reunited with Xavier? Clichéd? Absolutely. What calamity doesn't befall the ill-fated lovers? Minor characters are mentioned then dropped, and the religious aspects are heavy-handed. Bethany is supposedly a spirited rebel but her self-absorption grows annoying, as does her codependence with Xavier. This book is strictly for fans of the series.—Sharon Rawlins, New Jersey State Library, Trenton