A reincarnation-centric tale set in a decrepit reform school somewhere in a gothic backwater area of Georgia, the book has the feel of a sort of Evermore meets Girl Interrupted meets Beautiful Creatures. Fallen is a standard fare paranormal romance that may leave longtime YA readers wondering: "Wait...haven't I read this story already?" 
 The book was written in third-person limited, entirely from the point of view of Lucinda (Luce) Price. (Full disclosure: This reader is partial to third-person past-tense tellings, and was initially happy to see it--as it has become increasingly rare in YA.) 
 After the inexplicable death of a boy she liked (which she may or may not have caused), otherwise unremarkable 16-year-old Luce is sent off to a reform school. There, she IMMEDIATELY fixates on a boy (Daniel) who flips her off and then goes to great lengths to avoid her. So she does what any reasonable, non-psychotic girl in her situation could relate to--she obsessively stalks him, going so far as to sneak around looking into his private records. She also obsesses on a neurotic feedback loop when she sees Daniel with another girl under non-romantic circumstances. 
 Note: The book has repeatedly been held up as 'doing for Angels what Twilight did for vampires'--and while I won't contest this, I'm also not sure who that ends up complimenting and/or insulting. >.> But readers who didn't like Twilight (or perhaps only felt lukewarm about it) should probably skip this one altogether. Luce makes Bella Swan look strong, independent, and sensible. 
 Luce: "How can you love me?" she sobbed. "How can you even stand me?" 
 ...how can you be asking him questions like that when the doomy shadow-thingies are all around? Aren't you slightly more curious about what the heck is going on!? o.O 
 In a nutshell Luce is a lackluster creeper, out-shined by her quirky (yet better-developed) friend, Pennyweather. I found myself more curious and invested over Penn than any other character. I suspect I hung in there to the end primarily to see if Penn really was who she said she was. (Without dropping spoilers, all I can say is that it was a pretty spectacular letdown. I expect to recall my anger over this more than I recall anything about the actual plot.) 
 The worldbuilding side to this book doesn't begin to present itself until somewhere around page 350, and never really feels like it comes together by the end. What are the supernatural 'rules' to this version of reality? What, exactly, is at stake? ...should we actually be worried about anyone? 
 The pacing is pretty sluggish for the first 300 pages or so, largely due to the plot/character goals being nebulous and undefined. Readers are largely strung along by muddled hints and a whole lot of pining and angst. ("We loved each other in a past life because...fate!") Relationally speaking, it just wasn't a sufficient enough reason for invoking insta-love. At least give a reason for a mindless attraction that apparently usurps all free will. I'd settle for some meaningful memory from a past life in which they developed an emotional connection over...something. Anything, really. 
 Alas, this just isn't one this reviewer can recommend.