Review of Halflings

Goodreads Summary: "After being inexplicably targeted by an evil intent on harming her at any cost, seventeen-year-old Nikki finds herself under the watchful guardianship of three mysterious young men who call themselves halflings. Sworn to defend her, misfits Mace, Raven, and Vine battle to keep Nikki safe while hiding their deepest secret—and the wings that come with.

A growing attraction between Nikki and two of her protectors presents a whole other danger. While she risks a broken heart, Mace and Raven could lose everything, including their souls. As the mysteries behind the boys’ powers, as well as her role in a scientist’s dark plan, unfold, Nikki is faced with choices that will affect the future of an entire race of heavenly beings, as well as the precarious equilibrium of the earthly world."

I tend to avoid books with religious tones at all costs. I'm not a particularly religious person myself meaning that I don't go to church every week, regularly read my Bible or even pray. I avoid books about religion, or with religious motives, because often times they come across as entirely too preachy and feel more as if I'm reading a sermon than a work of fiction which totally ruins the story for me. Its because of this that I hesitate when someone recommends a book about angels to me as it is often difficult to toe the religious line, including enough for a good back story while not making me feel as if I'm at a pew. Halfings was both so I was hesitant to start it.

However, I'm really glad that I gave Halflings a chance. While religion, Christianity, was prominent I did not feel as if I was getting beat over the head over it or like it was a book that set out to convert its readers. It read as a book about half-angels and a girl who wasn't entirely sure she believed in their existence.

Nikki Youngblood won me over as soon as I discovered that she had a blackbelt. This was not your typical damsel in distress, she could and would save herself if she had to. She wasn't overly feminine to the point where I wanted to beat my head against the wall, she wore baggy jeans and vintage band shirts [Hm...this is starting to sound familiar.] and didn't go out of her way to be noticed by the opposite sex. She was just...Nikki, herself.

The romance was surprisingly steamy and had me switching sides fairly consistently. But I did ultimately choose a side, and should you read this and know me at all, you'll know exactly who I chose. When it comes to fictional boyfriends I definitely have a type and I don't often veer away from the certain type, for those of you that are curious...this was NOT one of the times when I veered away from my usual guy.

Halflings' plot was fast moving, throwing you into the midst of the action from the first page. Heather Burch is not one of those author's that gives you an info dump; rather the reader, and characters, are given the information/details just when they need them and nothing more and it never detracts from the actual action of the novel. I enjoyed Heather Burch's debut and am curious where she will take her story in the future.

Rating: 3/5