Eternal

Smith, Cynthia Leitich. Eternal. Candlewick Press: 2009. ISBN: 9780763635732.

Summary:
Miranda is a shy, quiet girl in high school with a guardian angel named Zachary who is with her every moment of every day. Miranda's best friend Lucy makes arrangements to meet some boys in the cemetery late at night. Against her better judgment, Miranda goes. At the cemetery the girls get separated and Miranda is saved from death by Zachary. Unfortunately, heaven's plan was for Miranda to die and Zachary was wrong to save her. Now Miranda is undead and has been taken by the Dracula. Life with the Dracula is complicated. Once the undead process is complete Miranda assumes the role of royalty in the vampire hierarchy. Zachary has been demoted and is left to roam the earth without any powers or assistance. Determined to find Miranda, Zachary roams aimlessly for a time until an angel friend brings a message from heaven.

Evaluation:
Told in alternating voices, each chapter is a first person account. This ability to be in each character's head connects the reader to the story. At its core this story is about good versus evil with the line blurred on occasion. Between the lines is the budding romance between Zachary and Miranda, which when you realize she is a teen still in high school and he watched her grow up, is creepy. Teens who are fans of the vampire, paranormal genre may enjoy this book.

Reader's Annotation:
The line between heaven and hell is not always clear.

Bibliotherapeutic Uses:
Most teens are searching for their own voice. Standing up and facing situations take courage and confidence. Miranda makes the transition from afraid and lack of confidence to a leader with confidence.

Genre:
Paranormal

Why I Included This Book:
My database needed another paranormal book and this author was recommended.