Angel Eyes (Angel Eyes, #1)

May 28, 2012 Giselle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ebook, paranormal

Angel books are not a rarity nowadays. I have read my share and even though this one didn't absolutely wow me, I enjoyed it for the most part. It starts to feel long, plot-wise, after a bit, but the characters are engaging and the angel lore is enticing.

My immediate thought was that this was going to be the same old - full of clichés - kind of story. We have Brielle moving back to her old town, starting school and meeting the gorgeous new guy who, to her surprise, seems to be into her. Sounds fa...more Angel books are not a rarity nowadays. I have read my share and even though this one didn't absolutely wow me, I enjoyed it for the most part. It starts to feel long, plot-wise, after a bit, but the characters are engaging and the angel lore is enticing.

My immediate thought was that this was going to be the same old - full of clichés - kind of story. We have Brielle moving back to her old town, starting school and meeting the gorgeous new guy who, to her surprise, seems to be into her. Sounds familiar? It's not a very unique start, but as the story progresses it does get a lot more original with some surprising elements and, amazingly, no love triangle. I was also quite surprised by the direction of the heroine herself. I had imagined the usual cookie cutter plot where the protagonist finds out she's really an angel, so I was happy to get a different sort of twist that kept this story fresh. Brielle is a well-rendered character with raw emotions. I found her easily relatable as she's an average Joe but with a heavy, mysterious past that I was kept captivated by. The story itself alternates from a few different POVs, including the villain's which I always find intriguing as we get the anticipation of seeing their plans unfolding. I did find it sometimes got distracting, however, especially at the beginning where I felt flopped around from side characters I wasn't connecting with. But It does leave us with a deeper understanding of their whole world.

Jake could be seen as Brielle's savior. In him she finds a companion to whom she is able to open up to and move on from a place of sorrow and grief. It's a sweet, natural relationship that I would simply call nice. It's not filled with pulse pounding chemistry, nor is it monotonous, it's the kind of relationship where they just fit, balancing one another. It's not swoon worthy but it's satisfying.

Struggling with the death of her best friend, Brielle is questioning her faith and the existence of God. From someone who is not religious I wasn't too enthused by the strong religious undertone in this novel. Nevertheless I understand the importance of its addition in the story; it serves its purpose. Obviously, being an angel book I was expecting it, but this one can get particularly heavy in that department. I also appreciated that it doesn't force any belief system on the reader. It's merely commonly asked questions and reflections by someone who has been through such a devastating loss like Brielle.

There's not a whole lot that you can do to make angel lore original while keeping it inside common beliefs. Dittemore does stray from the usual notions, but by re-imagining, not necessarily recreating. The realms, the spiritual warfare, the angel's purpose, and my personal favorite - the halo, all have the common assumptions at their core, but with an added creative flair to leave it mysterious with some exciting twists. I thought it was all wonderfully described, keeping me fascinated - which has not been accomplished by many angel books to be honest. The pacing itself could have been better, especially at the beginning and end. It takes a while before we start getting some answers, then the ending feels overly prolonged. Otherwise, though, it flows nicely.

An enjoyable addition to its genre, Angel Eyes delivers beautiful angel lore with three-dimensional characters. Even though it didn't absolutely enchant me, fans of Angel stories will most likely find this one surprisingly up to par with the most recent popular angel titles today.

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For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

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Jun 01, 2012 Sam rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-galley, fantasy-or-paranormal, romance, paranormal

Angel Eyes is the tale of a guilt-ridden girl whose attempt to start over in her old town leads to the unexpected. When Brielle Matthews moves back in with her dad, the last thing she anticipates is for her world to be turned upside down – again. With fear proving to be something greater than she could ever have imagined, and unanswerable questions racing in her thoughts, Brielle soon finds herself caught in the middle of something out of this world – the war between demons and angels.

This is a...more Angel Eyes is the tale of a guilt-ridden girl whose attempt to start over in her old town leads to the unexpected. When Brielle Matthews moves back in with her dad, the last thing she anticipates is for her world to be turned upside down – again. With fear proving to be something greater than she could ever have imagined, and unanswerable questions racing in her thoughts, Brielle soon finds herself caught in the middle of something out of this world – the war between demons and angels.

This is a tricky genre, both because of the sheer number of other angel books out there and also because the handling of religious ideas. Shannon Dittemore’s take on angel lore proved to be a fascinating one, with not only alluring descriptions of both demons and angels, but also a strong presence of thought-provoking questions. There is a real sense of this story being more than just a typical paranormal romance, and that much shines through in the many issues Brielle addresses when it comes to faith. Like how an omnipotent and benevolent god could have let her mother die so young. These deeper themes were nicely balanced with lighter aspects, one of these being the sweet romance between Brielle and the new boy in town.

Jake proved to be an interesting character and the contrast between his livelier personality and Brielle’s deflated one brought a spark to the story. Admittedly, although I did enjoy the romance overall, it felt very clichéd at the start. Jake just happened to choose the empty seat next to Brielle on his first day, which felt all too familiar to me. Things did improve as the story progressed and most of the clichés were ironed out sooner or later. It was nice to see Brielle come out of her shell a little and display some confidence in the second half, and I hope to see the author take that further in the next book.

What I really appreciated in the plot was the element of mystery that shrouded Brielle’s past. The tragedy that she was escaping from was something I was eager to find out more about, and was impressed with the way Shannon Dittemore intertwined events of Brielle’s past with the angels and demons. The latter part of the novel was fast-paced and full of action. Even up until the final pages new twists were revealed – one in particular that makes me eager to get my hands on the sequel.

I have mixed thoughts on this book overall, and while it didn’t blow me away, I still thought it to be a good addition to the angel genre. The author’s writing was lovely, and the pacing was nicely controlled, but it didn’t quite leave an impression. Still, this is worth a read, especially for people who are strong fans of angel books.

(This review also appears on my blog)
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May 06, 2012 Desiree rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, less-than-1-star

When I was about 12 or 13 years old my parents asked me to go to church with them. Even though I had decided that church wasn't for me a few years previous to this I had decided to go because it was my dad's birthday. While there the pasture got a sneaky look in his eyes and told the congregation that the church was planning on building a coffee house geared towards youth. He unashamedly went on to say that this coffee house would lure in teenagers with it's very unreligious seeming decor and mu...more When I was about 12 or 13 years old my parents asked me to go to church with them. Even though I had decided that church wasn't for me a few years previous to this I had decided to go because it was my dad's birthday. While there the pasture got a sneaky look in his eyes and told the congregation that the church was planning on building a coffee house geared towards youth. He unashamedly went on to say that this coffee house would lure in teenagers with it's very unreligious seeming decor and music and then once they were regular patrons the would slowly switch the music to religious rock and then eventually get these kids hooked on Christianity without even knowing it through the use of trickery. At the time I remember being appalled at this very idea. The fact that my local church, it's patrons and most of all my parents were supporting the idea of tricking impressionable teens into any belief system without their knowledge and consent was disgusting. I found Angel Eyes to give me the exact same feeling.
I know that a book focused on angels will most likely include the use of heaven, hell, the devil and god. There is a way of doing this without pushing your belief system on the readers. Angel eyes not only failed at doing this but I strongly believe that it was the main reason for publishing the book in the first place.
This book started out pretty good. I was enjoying it. The main character seemed to have an interesting back story, the heart throb was starting to make me swoon and Brielle's dad was awesome. In fact her dad just might be my favorite father figure in all of the YA books that I have read thus far. Then all of a sudden *bam* the story changed. Brielle's dad vanished on a work trip right at the most convenient time and never returned, Brielle's back story was fully revealed and was much less entertaining than the build up to it was and the previously swoon worthy heart throb became downright preachy and obnoxious. The story stopped flowing and started preaching to me about why I should change my beliefs. The dialog stopped being normal YA dialog and became an after school public broadcasting special on how not to end up in hell. The angels and demons alike had four wings, yes four wings (this bugged me to no end). By the last quarter of the book I had stopped reading to shake my head and scowl at Angel Eyes so much that I strongly considered just giving up, which in my world is unthinkable. In the end I pulled through just so that I could write a fully informed review although I did skin through a few chapters in there.

On a side note this book is categorized as both science fiction/fantasy and religion/spirituality. I did not see the former until finishing the book. While this does make the whole shoving religion down peoples throats a little better, the way in which it was done by being targeted at impressionable teens was still in my opinion shady. Not to mention how incredibly bad the dialog and story telling were.

A copy of Angel Eyes was provided by the publisher via Netgalley.(less)

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May 06, 2012 Chantel Law rated it 4 of 5 stars

First of all, I absolutely LOVE this front cover. It kind of reminds me Unearthly by Cynthia Hand, but this probably looks better! It suits the story perfectly well and the font of the title looks like it's made from those firework sprinklers! AWESOME!

Okay, so now actually onto the story. At first, it was actually quite confusing. I thought she was like stalked by a serial killer or something. But then that all cleared up after her Dad picks her up and etc. As i began to read on, I thought thi...more First of all, I absolutely LOVE this front cover. It kind of reminds me Unearthly by Cynthia Hand, but this probably looks better! It suits the story perfectly well and the font of the title looks like it's made from those firework sprinklers! AWESOME!

Okay, so now actually onto the story. At first, it was actually quite confusing. I thought she was like stalked by a serial killer or something. But then that all cleared up after her Dad picks her up and etc. As i began to read on, I thought this was yet again one of those stories where the girl is fragile and secretly contains like a super power, then falls in love with a hero. I wasn't wrong, this was kind of what happened, but there was a twist to it and that was what made me not mind it, it was also what made me read on. I liked seeing Brielle (loving the name!) slowly begin to get stronger and overcome the death of her Mother and her best friend.

There was a pinch of humor in this book, not a lot but when it was there, it was either cute or sweet. It didn't really make me laugh out loud, but it did put a smile on my face. For example, I just had to smile with my teeth when she first meets Jake in the...errr, weirdest way. I liked how they carried on this little "Joke" of theirs.

Jake and Brielle's relationship was quite predictable though very sweet. It did take them quite a while to actually kiss but they've kind of been building i suppose. Super cute couple! All I can really say about them to be honest.

The plot was interesting...I liked how Shannon Dittemore still kept to some of the original Angel stuff but adding a little twist of her own into it. I also liked the religious feel to it, like God being alive and helping them:)! It kind of shows us the praying does help!

My favorite character in this story would have to be Jake! He was just super cute and basically just the perfect boyfriend. Not really that much to say about him, read the book and you'll know what i mean.

I was quite shocked nearer to the end. I thought all that fighting was over, but then it practically came racing back again! I also got a little bit emotional with the characters...I'm not going to spoil it, but it did make me cry.

Shannon Dittemore's writing was very unique. Not in a bad way of course. The thing with her writing is that she doesn't really explain the things to you, you kind of have to take the hints and figure it out yourself. Normally, i don't like things like this but I actually kind of like it in this book! It just made me more curious and want to read on!

There was only 2 downsides to this book for me. The first one was Damien's POV, I felt like it didn't really fit in to the story that well. It helped me understand what was going on through both perspectives but i just found his ones a bit boring. The second one was when Brielle found out about Angels. Now, I would've freaked out if i found out that Angels were real. But with Brielle, it seemed like she took it well, a little bit too well.

Overall, I did enjoy this story a lot! It may not be something i would re-read, but it was definitely enjoyable. Totally recommend this to Unearthly fans!

Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5

http://chantel-law.blogspot.co.uk/(less)

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Jun 02, 2012 Courtney rated it 3 of 5 stars

More reviews at Rondo of a Possible World: YA Book Reviews

Angel books happen to be hit or miss with me since most revolve around the same pretext. Weary about reading Angel Eyes, but completely captivated by the cover, my senses took over and brought me to reading the book. Ultimately, I was not disappointed with the novel.

When you first start into the book, you noticed scenes that are commonplace in YA genre no matter it be contemporary, paranormal, urban fantsy--it's present in the many book...more More reviews at Rondo of a Possible World: YA Book Reviews

Angel books happen to be hit or miss with me since most revolve around the same pretext. Weary about reading Angel Eyes, but completely captivated by the cover, my senses took over and brought me to reading the book. Ultimately, I was not disappointed with the novel.

When you first start into the book, you noticed scenes that are commonplace in YA genre no matter it be contemporary, paranormal, urban fantsy--it's present in the many books published out there. The "new girl" effect. Though Brielle was from the town, she moved away and came back. Still covered in that "new girl" persona. Not to mention there's a new guy and the connection between the two instanly commence. It's the unlimate young adult cliche. Though it's not a beginning that wowed me or a unique one at that, the plot does expand upon that notion and gets much more intersting. Alternation POVs serves its purpose to expand upon the novel and speed up the flow, though some parts tended to drag for me, and you get a a first person v. thrid person with the alterations. Even though I felt it would have been better if all the POVs were arranged as first, the third person does a nice job with description and the villain being subjected to a POV, it's interesting to watch the plans and idea unravell while your reading in.

As you can expect from an angel book, there is biblical refrence and scripture refrence and it tends to get pretty heavy during the later part of the novel. I do go to church (sometimes) though I don't find myself very religios, I do enjoy the religious portions in this novel though some parts did seem too heavy for me to enjoy. It's not a bad thing at all though, it's purpose does since Brielle is suffering from the death of her best friend, another common that popps up in YA, and starts to question her faith and whether God exists. Even so, the novel does not sway an opinion of belief onto you, which is a wonderful thing, it does not force any belief system down onto you, it is merely purposeful to the plot and I liked that a lot.

When diving into an angel themes novel you tend to estimate what lore is going to be expanded upon. The use and explaniation of the spiritual realms, the angelic warfare, the gift the is casted down upon one sole character that sets her/him apart from the rest. It's all there but the underlying twist and immiganation that sets Angel Eyes apart happened to excite me and kept me facinated. It's hard to shake up common lore, espeically about angels, beings that have been talked about and read though so much history. Even so, Dittamore does a wonderful job with the description of the beliefs and does have you excited whith descritptions and explaniation.

Definitely one to give the benefit of the doubt to, Angel eyes deserves a nice placement in the genre. The divine angelic lore and characters that don't fall flat, defintiely a novel to check out.
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Mar 27, 2012 Book Angel Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars

Really enjoyable and fabulous use of theology.
It may not be for everyone with the religious theme but I enjoyed it.

I will begin by saying that although I really enjoyed this book I can see it isn't going to be for everyone. There are heavy religious undertones which are only to be expected from an author whose father and husband are both preachers. Although the religious aspect is fundamental to the story-line it doesn't advocate a particular belief system, which was refreshing. Both sides of t...more Really enjoyable and fabulous use of theology.
It may not be for everyone with the religious theme but I enjoyed it.

I will begin by saying that although I really enjoyed this book I can see it isn't going to be for everyone. There are heavy religious undertones which are only to be expected from an author whose father and husband are both preachers. Although the religious aspect is fundamental to the story-line it doesn't advocate a particular belief system, which was refreshing. Both sides of the theological debate were equally depicted giving the reader plenty of food for thought.

Told in dual first person narrative from the perspective of Brielle and Jake. Brielle has just returned to her home town following a tragedy in New York. This tragedy is shrouded in mystery, cleverly woven into the narrative adding an ingenious plot twist as all the elements are revealed. Having lost her mother at an early age, Brielle doesn't have much faith in God. Jake is the opposite, he oozes faith and calm, the mysterious new boy at school Brielle is drawn to.

As the story unfolds fate and destiny are examined closely, showing beautifully the way free-will and external influences can alter the path we choose to take with our lives. The writing style is vividly descriptive balancing deep philosophical debates with touches of humor and engaging characters.

The clever weaving of the Old Testament into the plot gave depth to the story as a whole. The theological debate within the story was very interesting; begging the question I am sure most of us have thought at one point or another - why does God let some people suffer or die while others that may deserve to suffer don't. Is there a bigger picture, does God have some sort of plan, do people move onto another plain where they have a purpose to fulfill??? The examination of faith was skilfully depicted no matter what your belief system.

I especially liked the way fear was portrayed, used by evil as a means of control. How fear holds people back in more ways than we fully comprehend at the time, how it can paralyze and corrupt.

I have to say the ending was really unexpected and has completely left me longing to know what happens next. I have become invested Brielle and Jake's future. I cannot believe I have to wait an entire year to find out what happens.(less)

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Apr 05, 2013 Laurie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013

I am always on the look-out for books about angels. They have become one of my favorite otherworldly creatures. I jumped at the chance to host the Broken Wings tour and I'm glad I did. I found the beginning of Angel Eyes a bit slow going as I tried to figure out what was going on with Brielle and why she was so sad and felt guilty about a friend's death. One thing I will mention is how tired I am of the new kid at school and the main character sharing this instant connection with as it turns int...more I am always on the look-out for books about angels. They have become one of my favorite otherworldly creatures. I jumped at the chance to host the Broken Wings tour and I'm glad I did. I found the beginning of Angel Eyes a bit slow going as I tried to figure out what was going on with Brielle and why she was so sad and felt guilty about a friend's death. One thing I will mention is how tired I am of the new kid at school and the main character sharing this instant connection with as it turns into, most of the times, insta-love. I understand love at first sight and chemistry, I just don't think it happens as frequently in real life as it does in YA today (steps away from podium).

The angel lore the author created in Angel Eyes was alluring. The world of angels and demons and the questions about good, evil, faith and conviction made for an inspiring read. Shannon Dittemore's amiable descriptions and graceful prose, along with the mystery of what happened in Brielle's past, kept me reading. The pace picked up and having another narrator in third person along with Brielle's first person POV helped gain me perspective as the story unfurled. The addition of some surprise twists and turns made me reach for the next book.

Luckily, I had Broken Wings on my e-reader and dove into with ease. First off, the tag line had my fingers itching to get reading. I actually enjoyed this story more than the first. Since the foundation was laid in Angel Eyes, the author really packed the story in Broken Wings. We learn more about the Sabres, celestial beings, and adoration as the war draws closer. Brielle's unique sight and those nightmares add to the tension. Brielle and Jake have to a lot more adversity to face as Damien pursues them. Brielle's dad is not a fan of Jake's, especially since the guy has secrets of his own. Her dad has more of a presence here as he gets to date Olivia, his drinking becomes problematic, and a secret from his past is revealed. Brielle's friend, Kaylee, is another character I liked and her tendency to voice my thoughts made her a fast favorite.

There were some slow parts and as a reader I do get used to them--we need to rest too! We are privy to more of the goings-on through Jake and Pearla's third person pov. This is Christian fiction and there was more of a religious atmosphere here. The cliffhanger ending created more questions which I hope are resolved in the third and final installment in the series, Dark Halo. Overall, I enjoyed both books of the Angel Eyes trilogy and recommend this YA series to fans of angel books.
(dual review: http://www.readergirlsblog.com/2013/0...)
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Feb 19, 2013 Margay rated it 4 of 5 stars

First, I have to say that I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I love stories about angels and so this book fulfilled that need nicely. On the other hand, I don't like the whole apocalyptic, end-of-the-world genre and this book kind of had that feel to it. There is a sense of darkness and despair throughout this book, but very little hope. That darkness makes this story very atmospheric, but sometimes it can be unrelenting. I wonder if this was the author's intent. If so, it w...more First, I have to say that I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I love stories about angels and so this book fulfilled that need nicely. On the other hand, I don't like the whole apocalyptic, end-of-the-world genre and this book kind of had that feel to it. There is a sense of darkness and despair throughout this book, but very little hope. That darkness makes this story very atmospheric, but sometimes it can be unrelenting. I wonder if this was the author's intent. If so, it was beyond effective, but for me, it was just too overwhelming after awhile. It got to the point where I kept wishing for the end of the book, and not necessarily for good reasons.

My misgivings aside, I did enjoy some aspects of the book. It was well written and descriptive, but in a way that drew the reader along into the story and just immersed them in the world of the characters. Speaking of the characters, I just adored Jake and Canaan. All I can say about them is - wow! Wish I had guardians like that. They are both simply amazing characters, extremely well drawn and so noble. I truly enjoyed reading every scene they were in and struggled right along with them. And Brielle is also a well-developed character that you can easily identify with, hope for and worry about. The struggles she endures will have you wondering how she keeps her sanity, even as she discovers some inner power she didn't know herself capable of. The way she grows in this power and just in maturity is handled in a normal, believable manner. Then there's Helene, who is just amazing in her righteousness and beauty of spirit - love her! Of course, every good hero needs a bad nemesis and Damien provides it with a relish unseen since the heyday of Hannibal Lector. This character really gave me the creeps and every time he was on the scene, I cringed for what was about to happen. Bravo, Miss Dittemore, you have created a villain worthy of the worst of the worst in literate and cinematic history.

All in all,this was a satisfying read and I will be curious to see what happens to these characters in the future. Okay, I have to admit I want to read more about one of my favorite characters - Canaan. Please, please, give me more Canaan, I would happily read a book just about him (hint, hint). But I really would like to know what happens with Jake and Brielle, too.

Final verdict: Angel Eyes is kind of like The Hunger Games for the angel set - at least that's the way I see it. Do yourself a favor, read it and make your own conclusion. (less)

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Jan 25, 2013 Meagan Myhren-bennett rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: angels, christian, demons, devils, family, fiction, friendship, hidden, murder, romance, slavery

Angel Eyes
By Shannon Dittemore

Brielle Matthews' best friend has been murdered and she's returning to her hometown in Stratus, Oregon. Brielle Matthews is in pain and her life is shattered. When her Advanced Photography teacher Mr. Burns tells her, "It's okay to be broken." Brielle wonders how being broken could ever be okay. (pg 43)

But her pain over her loss and her fear has made her a target. An evil is stalking Brielle and it is about to find her.

Jake Shield and his guardian Canaan have been s...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Kaylea rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: see-blog-for-more-info

Imagine a literary blender.

In it you combine a heroine with a tragic past, a strange and romantic young man, a remote setting slightly similar to Twilight, a battle of good verses evil, a celestial battle involving demons and angels and a heavy subject - human trafficking.

Mix all of those things together and you have the newest release by Shannon Dittemore - Angel Eyes.

Angel Eyes is definitely interesting. Dittemore creates her novel using a dialogue that switches back and forth between the main...more

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Nov 23, 2012 Ryssmiles rated it 5 of 5 stars

Angel Eyes was one of those books where I read the press release and didn’t feel particularly drawn to read the book, but the novel kept popping up all over the place. Friends mentioned it. An author I follow included a reference to the book in her recent novel. Thomas Nelson offered it for review and then it also appeared on my Amazon Vine review list. With the all the attention the book was garnering I decided to give it a second look. I’m glad that I did.

Angel Eyes is a story of one author’s...more Angel Eyes was one of those books where I read the press release and didn’t feel particularly drawn to read the book, but the novel kept popping up all over the place. Friends mentioned it. An author I follow included a reference to the book in her recent novel. Thomas Nelson offered it for review and then it also appeared on my Amazon Vine review list. With the all the attention the book was garnering I decided to give it a second look. I’m glad that I did.

Angel Eyes is a story of one author’s imagination building on the principle that there is a spiritual realm just beyond our sight that is very, very real.

“The Celestial is every bit as real as the world we walk around in every day, and as I stare around this room of horrors, it occurs to me that the Celestial holds more truth that I’ll ever fully comprehend. The Terrestrial is a facade, a place where we can control how we’re viewed, how our friends and neighbors see us. Here, though, in this heavenly realm, nothing can be covered, nothing hidden.” pg 237

The thing that I appreciated most about Angel Eyes was that while the book was full of suspense and pain and conflict in the heavenly realms, it was not built on fear and horror, but on hope. I’ve read some of these types of novels where you set it down and think, “I shouldn’t have read that before bed.” With this story, by the time I finished chapter thirty-nine, I had a smile on my face.

Another thing that I appreciated about the novel is that while unresolved questions leave you awaiting the sequel, the story does come to an acceptable conclusion. I have a strong dislike of books where it seems that the author simply stopped writing. This is a proper first book in a trilogy, drawing you toward the next book while also presenting a story that is complete in itself. Bravo Shannon!

Written about teens for a young adult audience, but complex enough for adults to enjoy, the novel was well crafted, the plot fast paced, the characters fully developed and the sub-theme of human trafficking was presented in a manner that was clear and yet still appropriate for the target readership of the book (12 and older). I also thought that the Group Reading Guide contained insightful questions.

***I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion***(less)

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Nov 23, 2012 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was riveted, captivated and drawn into 'Angel Eyes' more than I have been in a long time.

Okay, I'm honestly not sure how many times I can say OH MY GOODNESS in this review before I lose you. So.... I'll say it once more and be done... OH MY GOODNESS!

I've just recently became aware of this wonderful author. Shannon is a delight to tweet and Facebook with! I bought 'Angel Eyes' and added it to my 'To Be Read' pile (which is about 40 books deep) and placed it just under the last two book I've rev...more

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Nov 04, 2012 The Teen Book Blog rated it 4 of 5 stars

She had wanted to run away. From her problems, from her grief, and the icy cold feeling she had deep inside.
Ever since her best friend's murder, Brielle has always put the blame on herself. She can't escape from the hurting inside, so she decides to come home to the tiny town where her father resides. There she meets Jake, the 'new guy' at school-but there's something different about him. Why does his body burn like fire whenever he's around? Why does he always seem to watch her? As Brielle deal...more

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Aug 09, 2012 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle

This is book 1 of the Angel Eyes trilogy. I would classify it as YA Christian fiction. Brielle has just returned home to Stratus, Oregon. She has been away at a boarding school for Arts. She is filled with grief and guilt over the death of her best friend Ali and blames herself for her death. Brielle meets a new boy at school named Jake and they are attracted to each other but Brielle is wary of him. He ends up giving her a gift which turns out to be a halo. The halo has given him the power to h...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Lizzy Lessard rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, ya, reviewed

I really wish books like Angel Eyes came with a disclaimer. Warning: This is not your typical YA paranormal novel. Cause it’s not. It’s too “happy” and “safe” for my liking. I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters, particularly Brielle. She felt over-emotional and moody. Like she’d be one to watch Titanic 12 times in a row and still cried when Jack died. I think her over-emotional behavior was intended…meaning it related to the supernatural elements in the story, but it really hurt her...more I really wish books like Angel Eyes came with a disclaimer. Warning: This is not your typical YA paranormal novel. Cause it’s not. It’s too “happy” and “safe” for my liking. I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters, particularly Brielle. She felt over-emotional and moody. Like she’d be one to watch Titanic 12 times in a row and still cried when Jack died. I think her over-emotional behavior was intended…meaning it related to the supernatural elements in the story, but it really hurt her likability for me.

Jake is super creepy. I don’t know why Brielle liked him so much right off the bat, but if some guy happened to be everywhere I was, I’d call the cops. It was even so ridiculous that she was out in the middle of her woods in pitch black, he finds her before anyone knew she was missing, takes her to her shed, and magically heals her. And she didn’t think any of this was odd. Hmm. Oh, and Brielle is constantly saying how “hot” Jack is. As in, physical body temperature.

And then, Brielle finally comes home way way late with Jack. She runs into her father who says that he had filled a missing person report. Brielle tells him where she was and her Dad was completely level-headed. Yeah…teenage girl stays out late, comes home with strange boy, and Dad is all honkey-dorey?

What I did like was the detail put into Brielle’s hobby of photographing. I like how it played a role in the plot and wasn’t an afterthought. The plot for me was fairly slow. The story doesn’t start having a purpose until half-way through where we find out that someone is after Brielle. The pace slows down again. More explaining and other stuff. There were a few gems hidden in the novel, parts that I definitely enjoyed, but overall it was either lackluster or non-realistic.

Besides the 1st person narration of Brielle, there is also Damian, who is a fallen angel trying to corrupt both Brielle and Jack. I found that his narration was more intriguing to me than hers. I’m always in the mood for a good villain and though I know early on that he probably won’t succeed, I can’t help routing for the guy.

This book is completely not my style. It’s suppose to be uplifting and whatnot, but I really don’t enjoy books like that. If I had known, I wouldn’t have bothered picking it up to begin with. The writing style is bland, coherent but bland. I wish there was less emphasis on dialogue and more on action. It seemed like most of the interesting things in the book happened before the book takes place.

Also, there are Christian themes that by themselves wouldn’t bother me. There’s a lot of talk about fate and predetermined choices and non-believers. I don’t mind it in a story, but I wish it took up less space in this book. I’d rather be entertained than preached at. Angel Eyes isn’t a bad book and I can see how people will love it, but I think its targeted audience will be disappointed.(less)

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Jul 08, 2012 Leah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-from-june

Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore. I'm not sure where to begin in my review. I'm not sure exactly what I expected from this book, but I don't think my expectations were correct.

The book's description:

Brielle's a ballerina who went to the city to chase her dreams and found tragedy instead. She's come home to shabby little Stratus, Oregon, to live with her grief and her guilt . . . and the incredible, numbing cold she can't seem to shake.
Jake's the new guy at school. The boy next door with burning...more Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore. I'm not sure where to begin in my review. I'm not sure exactly what I expected from this book, but I don't think my expectations were correct.

The book's description:

Brielle's a ballerina who went to the city to chase her dreams and found tragedy instead. She's come home to shabby little Stratus, Oregon, to live with her grief and her guilt . . . and the incredible, numbing cold she can't seem to shake.
Jake's the new guy at school. The boy next door with burning hands and an unbelievable gift that targets him for corruption.
Something more than fate has brought them together. An evil bigger than both of them lurks in the shadows nearby, hiding in plain sight. Two angels stand guard, unsure what's going to happen. And a beauty brighter than either Brielle or Jake has ever seen is calling them to join the battle in a realm where all human choices start.
A realm that only angels and demons-and Brielle-can perceive.

My perceptions:
When I first began the book, I was struck immediately by the similarities to Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. Unlike some of my readers, I was a huge Twilight fan, reading and rereading them multiple times. Angel Eyes struck me as a Christianized version of the popular series with angels and demons as our stars instead of vampires and werewolves. There was the teen girl coming back to her home town, lost in the midst of sorrow and angst. She's an outsider in her home town now, not really fitting in since she has returned with this sorrow hanging over her head. There is our male hero. He makes her feel immediate relief from her crushing sorrow and pain. He heals her in some miraculous way. He has powers beyond the realm of the natural, and Brielle (think Bella) is determined to find out more.

I won't continue because, if you decide to pick up this book, I'd hate to spoil the ending. But, suffice it to say that fans of Twilight will catch many similarities throughout. Twilight is even referenced once or twice.

It's a love story. It's a story of spiritual warfare. It's a supernatural thriller. It's a picture of the sovereignty of God.

If you can overlook the fact that is a Twilight book rewritten, the story line in captivating and kept me wanting to see what happened next. There's a little too much angst and drama for my taste, but it wasn't a bad read.

I'd give it 3.5 mediocre stars. It's a G rating. I think teen girls would enjoy picking up this one and reading- especially Twilight fans.
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Jul 06, 2012 Ashley Tahg rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've grown to really love the Angel genre that seems to be growing in popularity. As soon as I saw this book, I knew I had to have it. As I got into it, I was slightly confused, since it kinda starts out in the middle of something. I checked to be sure it wasn't a sequel, and then pushed on. The confusion quickly dropped. While Brielle's emotional struggle couldn've annoyed me, seeing how it really wasn't her fault Abi died, it didn't. For some reason, Brielle hit a spot on my heart, and I was g...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars

Brielle left her small hometown in search of fulfilling her dreams, but when tragedy strikes, she returns home broken. She finds herself constantly bumping into Jake, a new guy, whose warmth draws her in despite her best efforts to ignore it. When a spiritual battle breaks loose in their small town as evil threatens the lives of innocent children, the two are drawn into a world where the supernatural and natural meet and choices that determine forever are made.
For fans of Christian fiction, pict...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Amy Bradsher rated it 5 of 5 stars

Angel Eyes is the kind of Christian book that our young adults will be excited to read. It's action-packed, full of mystery, and not blind to the emotional drama experienced by teens every day. A reader of Angel Eyes will see that it's okay to have doubts and questions - it's okay not to have all the answers - and that that's when faith steps in - and you don't have to understand that perfectly, either.

Brielle is the perfect main character. She's attractive, draws your sympathy, and you want to...more

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Jun 26, 2012 Jennifer Defoy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads

Angel Eyes was a fascinating story. The premise that angels live among us - and also demons - wasn't anything new but the way Dittemore "twisted" it made it not just another "good vs. evil" novel. It was captivating right from the beginning. As we're brought into the story we know that something tragic has happened, but it takes a but for Brielle to let us in on what's going on. As her story unveils itself we're also introduced to Jake who keeps showing up when Brielle least expects it. As the s...more

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Jun 18, 2012 L_manning rated it 4 of 5 stars

Brielle has lived a charmed life until recently. Receiving the chance to move to a bigger city to live out her dreams seemed like an amazing prospect. Then tragedy struck, and Brielle will never be the same. When she moves back to her small hometown, she meets a new boy. Jake will open Brielle's eyes to a world she never knew existed. As Brielle learns the truth about her present and her past, she will be forced to make some hard decisions and live with some difficult truths. Luckily, she has wa...more

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Jun 10, 2012 Rambling Readers rated it 4 of 5 stars

Angel Eyes is an exciting debut novel by Shannon Dittemore that will leave readers eagerly anticipating the sequel. You definitely don't have to be a young adult reader to enjoy the characters, plot, and message. Like popular mainstream fantasy novels, Angel Eyes transcends age boundaries with an action-packed plot and appealing characters. Dittemore blends these elements with a strong Christian message that is unique and thought-provoking without being preachy. Vampires and wizards are replaced...more Angel Eyes is an exciting debut novel by Shannon Dittemore that will leave readers eagerly anticipating the sequel. You definitely don't have to be a young adult reader to enjoy the characters, plot, and message. Like popular mainstream fantasy novels, Angel Eyes transcends age boundaries with an action-packed plot and appealing characters. Dittemore blends these elements with a strong Christian message that is unique and thought-provoking without being preachy. Vampires and wizards are replaced by angels and demons in the classic, but very real battle, of good versus evil.

Although I am typically drawn to historical fiction novels, I do enjoy fantasy novels like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. Angel Eyes certainly ranks with those books, and I was drawn into the plot from the beginning. There are plenty of danger and action-sequences to keep the story moving along, but there are also introspective moments that provide dimension to the plot and its characters. Dittemore tells the story from the perspectives of two teens, Brielle and Jake, as well as an angel and a demon. Each character offers different insights into the "Terrestrial" world and the "Celestial" world. The demon's perspective was the most disturbing and slightly graphic of the four, but clearly illustrated the poisons of greed, hatred, and fear.

Dittmore's depiction of fear is particularly relevant to readers since it is something that most of us deal with to some extent daily. Whether or not events in the Celestial realm play out like they do in Angel Eyes, the novel provides an illustration of how our human weaknesses can be turned into instruments of evil. Just like Jake and Brielle, we engage in battles of good versus evil daily whether mentally, emotionally, or physically. Reading Angel Eyes, opened my eyes to the fact that something as ordinary as fear can spread, multiply, and lead us down the wrong path. This message is important for young adults facing the pressures of growing up, but it is equally important for adults.

Angel Eyes is a story about faith, wrapped in a covering of a fantasy-action novel. The beginnings of a love story also flow throughout the plot, providing a respite from the fighting and danger. But it is all of the elements together that make me ready for the second and third novels.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from LitFuse through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”(less)

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Jun 10, 2012 Chapter by Chapter rated it 3 of 5 stars

Angel Eyes, I have to say that the title threw me off guard. Not in the way that you think. At first, and before reading it, I thought that it had been about Halflings. That maybe the main character Brielle is a Halfling. I’m going to bring up the fact that this has nothing do with having literal angel eyes. It’s about a halo that gives Brielle (which is short of Gabrielle, which is something that I, being a Gabrielle myself, envy) the ability to see into the realm where angels and demons are vi...more Angel Eyes, I have to say that the title threw me off guard. Not in the way that you think. At first, and before reading it, I thought that it had been about Halflings. That maybe the main character Brielle is a Halfling. I’m going to bring up the fact that this has nothing do with having literal angel eyes. It’s about a halo that gives Brielle (which is short of Gabrielle, which is something that I, being a Gabrielle myself, envy) the ability to see into the realm where angels and demons are visible.

Cool, I know, it does sound pretty cool. The start of the novel, did give me that total Twilight feel because it starts off with Brielle just returning from the city to her small hometown of Stratus, Oregon after going through a tragedy that has left her grieving and mournful. Not only did I personally find her Dad funny and nice, but the story was definitely great at finding ways to add in details as well as creating the emotions that Brielle would feel whether it was a flashback or if it was when she was with Jake.

I’ll get to Jake in a moment, really I will, but firstly I just wanted to mention the multiple chapters that came in the different point of views of different characters in the story. While Brielle’s were ones that were expected (since she is the main character) I was unsure if the constant switching was genius or not. Some of them, that were in the “bad guy’s” POV, had me intensely into the story and had me wanting more and others were so well detailed and enchanting that I wanted it to last just a paragraph longer.

The relationship between Jake and Brielle was different than the ones usually found it YA. I found it to be cute and the interaction between the two character reminded me of the interactions that were in Across the Universe. I don’t want to say much, but I know that everything between Jake and Brielle have my hopes up that I end up with somebody like him.

The entire novel itself, only takes place after a series of days, which seems like a short amount of time for people to fall in love, but soulmates are soulmates. I was personally interested in the way that author Shannon Dittermore described Canaan being an ethereal Shield and found the chest where fellow angels would send objects from the Throne Room to Jake and Brielle outstandingly cool. The story not only held multiple intense action scenes, but it also ended with a bang.

Author Shannon Dittemore has a writing style that is one that I found refreshing and unique, Fans of Twilight, Hush, Hush and Unearthly are sure to enjoy.(less)

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Jun 09, 2012 Jenni Arndt rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads.

I have had some great luck with angel books. I know a lot of people tend to shy away from them because they haven't been so lucky, but when I was asked to join the Angel Eyes blog tour, I didn't even hesitate. Now, I'm not religious, I won't go into my whole belief system but just know that I am not big on Godly talk and all that jazz. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel! I ate it up in one day and have very few complaints. The love s...more You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads.

I have had some great luck with angel books. I know a lot of people tend to shy away from them because they haven't been so lucky, but when I was asked to join the Angel Eyes blog tour, I didn't even hesitate. Now, I'm not religious, I won't go into my whole belief system but just know that I am not big on Godly talk and all that jazz. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel! I ate it up in one day and have very few complaints. The love story was sweet, the MC had her head firmly planted on her shoulders and it made me laugh. I was captivated and drawn in with the fresh take on angel lore, though the last 50 pages did feel very dragged out to me.

As I was reading I came to all these conclusions in my head about who Jake was and what purpose he was going to serve in Brielle's life and every one of them was wrong. This story put a new spin on the typical angel story which I really appreciated. The characters were relateable and I felt so sad for Brielle. What she went through when she lived in the city was terrible and the fact that she blamed herself was heart wrenching. Watching her come back from that dark place made for an enthralling read that I was totally invested in.

When Brielle meets Jake her life starts to look up, she goes from a cold, dark place to feeling warmth and getting back to who she was. At first Jake totally creeped me out, I thought for sure he was going to be another typical stalker boy, you know, the creepy ones that are way too popular in YA these days. But he was a pleasant surprise and in the end I really liked him. The story of his life was interesting to say the least, and as it unfolded it added a profound amount of depth to his character.

Angel Eyes, in case you couldn't tell from the cover, is pretty heavy on the religion. There is no undertone here, it is the central part of the story and all actions and reactions revolve around it. This may not be the book for everyone because of that, but I was surprised to find myself really enjoying it. My one complaint is that the final battle felt completely dragged out, every time I thought it was over, someone else popped up and I would find myself groaning and wishing it would wrap up.

Overall I thought this was a great read with some fantastic characters. It is the beginning of a trilogy, so there is a lot more to come. I'll definitely be looking out for the other books in this series as I am excited to see more of Jake & Brielle and find out more about where all the characters come from.
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Jun 04, 2012 Kathleen (Kat) Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-literature, christian-action-adventure, christian-fantasy-fiction, christian-fiction, christian-suspense-fiction, christian-teen-fiction, fantasy-adventure-fiction, romance-fiction, science-fiction-and-fantasy, supense-thriller-fiction, young-adult-fiction

Just how far would you go for the ones that you love? Would you be willing to lay down your life for theirs? How about if you just met? How long would it take and just what is the value of a life?

Brielle Matthews is about to find out when she returns home after the death of her best friend, Ali and the ongoing investigation into her death in which Brielle feels personally responsible for. She feels this is a death she could have prevented. She had seen the signs, the fear, the long-moments in be...more Just how far would you go for the ones that you love? Would you be willing to lay down your life for theirs? How about if you just met? How long would it take and just what is the value of a life?

Brielle Matthews is about to find out when she returns home after the death of her best friend, Ali and the ongoing investigation into her death in which Brielle feels personally responsible for. She feels this is a death she could have prevented. She had seen the signs, the fear, the long-moments in between visits and phone calls and of course the bruises all over her body. Not to mention the fact that her new boyfriend, Marco seemed to like to keep her all for himself lately. Now it's too late but how can Brielle expect to find a way to move forward in her life when fear and despair are keeping her captive.

Jake is the new kid in school this year and Brielle finds every single girl in school wants to meet him. Fortunately she has him in two of her classes and he seems to have a special interest in Brielle. Maybe it's that smoldering look in his eyes or perhaps it the incredible heat that comes off him whenever they are near one another especially in the middle of winter and somehow she is drawn to him in a way she can't explain. She soon finds herself confiding in him with her issues and spends her free time getting to know him. It turns out he is an only child and is being raised by his guardian, Canaan after a tragic childhood himself. It seems that Jake and Brielle are destined to be together and soon he will tell her just why he has come into her life.

In the darkness, evil waits in the town of Stratus, Oregon. An evil that wants nothing more than to control and rule, but since humans are hard to find with special gifts, Damien searches for a way to satisfy his hunger. When he learns that Jake has the gift of healing, he soon plots for a way to kidnap him and lure him away from God and into what he has been planning. Only his guardian angel stands guard to protect him at all costs and soon the battle lines will be drawn and both human and angels will be called to war.

In the debut novel, Angel Eyes, by Shannon Dittmore, the reader is immersed in the story of two different worlds, one seen and one not seen. The world of humans and how angels and demons can work between them. In this story we are given a rare glimpse into the roles angels play in the lives of Brielle and Jake and how the demons will stop at nothing to kill either of them. What purpose Jake and Brielle have in coming together is explained in this wonderful new series that enables them to use a special gift from God to help battle against the enemy. For those of you that love This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness, then I know you will love this new series of books.

I received Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittmore compliments of Litfuse Publicity for my honest review and can't wait to read the sequel Broken Wings coming out soon. I love stories that combine spiritual warfare in the unseen world parallel with our own human world and this one does an outstanding job at drawing the reader in. This is both a love story and an action adventure from a Christian perspective. The writing is astounding, poetic and lyrical in how she describes the unseen world from God's eyes. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and now have another new favorite Christian author whose writing speaks to my parched soul. (less)

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May 31, 2012 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Losing my best friend would completely devastate me. Just thinking about such a tragedy makes me feel alone and depressed. Brielle is living that horror after losing her best friend and returning to her hometown in Oregon. When Brielle meets Jack, a boy who warms her at a touch, she knows something in different about him… and she will not stop until she learns what it is…

Really, what would make a better target for the forces of darkness than an emotionally depressed, self-loathing teenage girl w...more Losing my best friend would completely devastate me. Just thinking about such a tragedy makes me feel alone and depressed. Brielle is living that horror after losing her best friend and returning to her hometown in Oregon. When Brielle meets Jack, a boy who warms her at a touch, she knows something in different about him… and she will not stop until she learns what it is…

Really, what would make a better target for the forces of darkness than an emotionally depressed, self-loathing teenage girl who has just lost her best friend? Not much. That’s one of the things I understand and like right away, I understand why the “bad guys” are lurking around. They see easy prey and they go for it, makes sense. When the story first starts rolling it’s clear Brielle has some problems and that they revolve around her best friend’s death and guilt but the whole story is left unclear. As the plot line, progresses the events become clearer and are slowly revealed.

When I meet Brielle, the depth of her emotions astounds me. I really connect with her feelings and it even seems plausible that her depression could morph into the physical feeling of perpetual coldness. With all the details adding to the string of turbulent emotions it really gives them a 3D feel that grabs me and helps me connect.

Jake is a very interesting character, and at first I wasn’t sure I would like him. Don’t get me wrong, Jake is sweet and completely devoted to Brielle but having the MC always feel cold and the love interest just happens to be able to warm her up didn’t sound all that original to me. For this reason I didn’t have my hopes set too high for liking Jake. Then I am introduced to him and he completely melts away all my doubts and worries. If Brielle doesn’t claim him soon I sure will!

One thing that I noticed was that this book was very religiously centered, which is not normally a problem for me, but it went on to the point of TOO MUCH. I had multiple occasions when I was tempted to skip pages on my Kindle because all the background information was convoluted and cramped into an area where it didn’t need to be. Because of the heavy religious undertone this is a book I could see some people not enjoying.

The Cover:

The girl, the forest, the halo, the title font… where do I even start? This cover comes together beautifully and the more I read the more elements from the cover tie into the story. The halo is introduced and more fully explained and the forest continues to be a place of mystery. The other thing I really though was awesome is the font used for the title. It reminds me of Zorro, which is just fantastic.

I give angel eyes 4 out of 5 hearts: Great Read!
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May 30, 2012 J. Andersen rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is far from what I expected… I’d a thousand times better!

I’ve read numerous angel themed books over the years, and I find they have one thing in common: The angels are basically humans with superpowers and wings. Now let’s be honest, people. Traditionally, angels are spiritual beings created to serve the Judeo-Christian God. I realize angels appear in just about any religion, but no matter what spiritual background you claim, angels report to a higher power. The current angel books on...more

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May 28, 2012 Victoria Scott rated it 5 of 5 stars

So, under the guidance of both my editor and literary agent, I rarely do book reviews anymore. But sometimes...sometimes I'm hit with the I-must-tell-everyone-about-this-book-or-I-will-die syndrome. There's absolutely no cure for this except to post a review. Doctor's orders.

ANGEL EYES was one of those books for me. Though angels have been done before, I assure you, they haven't been done like this. I adored the main character, Brielle, and her growth throughout her journey. I loved her beau in...more

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May 27, 2012 Tee loves Kyle Jacobson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-bound-blog-tours, arc-books, mar-2012

Thank you to YA Bound for allowing me to be a part of this tour. I have read a lot of books about Angels and Demons but Shannon has created a world where you feel like you are right there with the characters.

Brielle is a unique character in this story. She returns home after her friend is murdered. She blames herself and feels like she could have done something to stop it from happening but little does she know things or people are lurking in the background. When she is confronted with the thing...more

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May 26, 2012 Carrie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, romance, paranormal

I find I've been drawn to a lot of YA lately. When I saw the cover of Angel Eyes I was instantly intrigued. The story, happily, didn't disappoint.

Brielle Matthews returns home a shattered, broken version of herself. She struggles to move forward in a world that seems pointless after the tragic death of her best friend, seemingly at the hands of the girl's boyfriend. As Brielle settles back into small town life she encounters Jake, a new guy in town. Despite her grief, she feels instantly drawn t...more I find I've been drawn to a lot of YA lately. When I saw the cover of Angel Eyes I was instantly intrigued. The story, happily, didn't disappoint.

Brielle Matthews returns home a shattered, broken version of herself. She struggles to move forward in a world that seems pointless after the tragic death of her best friend, seemingly at the hands of the girl's boyfriend. As Brielle settles back into small town life she encounters Jake, a new guy in town. Despite her grief, she feels instantly drawn to him, though she tries to resist at first.

Eventually she allows a friendship to bloom with Jake and their friendship grows into something much more. Brielle is exposed to a world much different than the world she thought was the only one that existed and realizes that she has a bigger role in life than she ever could have imagined.

I really enjoyed the pacing of the story once it finally began to progress. The beginning was a bit slow for my taste and I kept waiting for some answers to be given about Brielle's state of health. She was to give testimony in the murder trial of her best friend but it was never really explained why until much later in the book. Nor was it explained why she felt so guilty about Ali's death until almost the end. I would have appreciated a few more hints dribbled.

Once the story began picking up, essentially when Brielle discovers her gift it was a roller coaster of action. While stories of angels and demons, heaven and hell, are familiar and sometimes cliched, I enjoyed the little twists in this story surrounding the origins of angel's halos and how a halo comes to be so important to Brielle.

The only thing I didn't really like was that Brielle's portions of the story were told in first person and any other characters were in third. I think it would have been stronger to keep it all the same.

This story is also quite heavy in religious ideology and minor sermons, particularly at the end. I'm not a religious person and I could see how this could really bother particular people but for me I just skim over anything like that. You can't have a story involving angels and demons battling for souls without scripture quotes after all. I understand the message the book is trying to say regarding religion but I didn't find it so heavy that it took away from the story itself and for me that is key.

I give this book 3.5 out of 5 and I'm going to keep a lookout for the second book in this trilogy. I like the characters, I want to see where they will go.(less)

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