In a culture dominated by vampires, werewolves and zombies, Laini Taylor offers up her own twist on the supernatural with her novel, “The Daughter of Smoke and Bone.”

The book follows a girl named Karou. By day, she’s an art student in Prague, known for her fantastic drawings and brilliant blue hair. By night, she enters the world of the chimera – the half-animal, half-human subjects of her artwork. She was taken in by them as a child, and, as repayment, she works as the errand-runner for their business.

Their line of work? Wishes.

However, when charred handprints begin appearing on doors and Karou’s link to the chimera is destroyed, it is up to her to solve the mystery of the winged strangers who have taken to Earth’s skies, find her way back home and prevent an otherworldly war from tearing apart her city.

“The Daughter of Smoke and Bone” is a beautifully-written take on the idea of forbidden love. However, romance isn’t even put into play until after the first hundred pages, which gives readers a chance to get a feel for the story before it turns romantic.

Fans of anything from “The Hunger Games” to “Twilight” should give it a chance. Besides, who can resist a story that starts with the line: “Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love”?