Angelfire

Although the angel subgenre isn't languishing, reworking traditional Judeo-Christian beliefs to suit one's plot still takes chutzpah, and first-time author Moulton has no qualms about amping up her fight scenes with the risk of damnation. Not for her 17-year-old kick-butt heroine, Ellie Monroe, who is eternally reincarnated, but for those she fails to protect, who are dragged to Hell. Ellie doesn't know she's the powerful "Preliator" at first, and is more concerned with her lousy grades, her parents' fighting, and the car she's getting for her birthday. When Will, a handsome stranger, approaches her, she thinks it's flirtation until a monster attacks. Will awakens Ellie's latent power, most importantly her ability to wield angelfire to destroy demonic "reapers." Moulton attempts to work in and revise so much angelic lore that the nature of the reality Ellie has awakened to is a bit garbled. The Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon clarity of the fight scenes, however, is unimpeachable. Ellie can be maddeningly slow on the uptake, but this is one heroine who's happy to take matters (and angelic swords) into her own hands. Ages 14–up. (Mar.)