17 Jun Book Review: Fallen by Lauren Kate

I picked up Fallen during a nostalgic binge of early 2010s YA paranormal romances. I read it over a weekend, curled up on my couch with a cup of tea, eager to revisit the era of brooding boys and forbidden love. Lauren Kate’s novel was a bestseller when it came out in 2009, riding the post-Twilight wave with its own gothic flavor and a story that hinges on fallen angels, eternal love, and past lives. It promised dark secrets, romance with stakes, and that juicy slow-burn tension I was in the mood for—and honestly, it delivered on all fronts.

What’s it about?

Fallen opens with seventeen-year-old Lucinda “Luce” Price arriving at Sword & Cross, a reform school in Savannah, Georgia, for kids who’ve either broken the law, acted out, or in Luce’s case—been involved in something horrible and unexplained. A mysterious fire killed a boy she liked, and though she doesn’t fully remember what happened, she’s been haunted by eerie, shifting shadows for years. The kind of thing that gets you institutionalized, apparently.

Sword & Cross is as grim as you’d expect: old buildings, iron gates, security cameras everywhere, and a vibe that’s less school and more haunted asylum. Luce quickly gets a lay of the land and meets her new classmates: Arriane, an edgy, unpredictable girl with an odd sense of humor; Molly, who seems to have it out for her from the start; Penn, the daughter of the school’s recently deceased librarian who knows all the ins and outs of the place; and then there’s Cam and Daniel.

Cam is all swagger and smiles—immediately charming, overly friendly, and clearly interested in Luce. He’s the classic bad boy with mystery behind the smirk. Daniel, on the other hand, is cold and aloof. When Luce sees him for the first time, she’s overcome by this weird feeling of déjà vu—like she’s seen him before. He responds by giving her the finger. Charming.

From here, the book begins to build out its central mystery. Luce finds herself drawn to Daniel, even though he’s hot-and-cold and obviously trying to push her away. Cam, in contrast, keeps pursuing her, setting up a triangle that’s not just romantic but increasingly unsettling. Luce starts noticing more of the dark, shadowy figures that have followed her throughout her life—ones she’s never understood, but now seem to be tied to whatever’s going on at Sword & Cross.

There’s an eerie tension hanging over everything. Students start dying. Secrets swirl. The school is clearly hiding something. As Luce continues digging, with the help of Penn and Arriane, she uncovers clues about Daniel’s past—specifically that he may be far older than he appears, and not remotely human. Eventually, she discovers the truth: Daniel is a fallen angel, and their paths have crossed before.

Here’s the twist: Luce and Daniel have been in love over and over again through the centuries. Each time she gets close to remembering her past lives, she dies. It’s part of a curse that’s been repeating for thousands of years. And this time, something’s different. She’s survived longer than usual. Why? No one knows. But it’s enough to send both sides of a celestial conflict—angels and demons—scrambling to figure out what it means.

In the final act, the story picks up speed. Luce is targeted by darker forces—some of whom are fellow students. There’s a massive supernatural showdown in the school’s cemetery, where the veil is lifted and angels, demons, and shadows all collide. Luce finally learns that she’s not just some girl caught in a love triangle—she’s a critical piece in a divine war, and people on both sides are ready to use her for their own ends.

The book ends on a note of uncertainty. Luce now knows who she is—or at least who she has been. But what does that mean for who she gets to become? And will she and Daniel finally get a shot at love that doesn’t end in tragedy?

What This Chick Thinks

Atmosphere Over Action

The setting of Sword & Cross is a huge part of what makes Fallen work. It’s gloomy, decaying, and feels like something out of a Southern Gothic ghost story. There’s a lot of mood-building here, especially early on, which might feel slow to some readers—but if you’re someone who loves a good creepy backdrop (hi, it’s me), it’s kind of perfect.

The Romance Is… Complicated

Daniel is definitely from the Edward Cullen school of YA love interests—mysterious, emotionally unavailable, but also devastatingly devoted. If you’re not into the whole “he’s mean because he loves her” trope, this might not hit for you. But once you learn about their past and the scope of their history, it gives the romance more weight than just insta-love. Also: Cam. Honestly? Way more fun than Daniel. If you like your love interests with a touch of danger and a lot of charisma, he’s the scene-stealer.

It’s a Setup Book—but an Effective One

You can feel Fallen laying groundwork for something bigger. It’s filled with foreshadowing and unanswered questions, and the pace is more mystery than thriller. But it does a good job establishing its mythology without dumping too much at once. And that final act? Totally worth the slower burn of the first two-thirds.

Final Thoughts

Fallen delivers classic paranormal YA vibes with a heavy dose of romance, secrets, and slowly unraveling past lives. It’s not fast-paced, but it’s drenched in atmosphere, and the payoff at the end lands. If you’re into the idea of eternal love mixed with angelic politics and gothic boarding schools, this one’s for you. It’s definitely the kind of series you keep going with because you need to know what happens next.

Rating: 7/10

Try it if you like:

• Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick – Another tale of forbidden love between a mortal girl and a fallen angel, filled with suspense and romance.
• Evernight by Claudia Gray – A gothic romance set in a mysterious boarding school, where secrets abound and love defies the odds.
• The Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong – Follows a group of teens with supernatural abilities uncovering dark secrets, blending action with emotional depth.