by
3.92 of 5 stars
I met someone who changed everything. Matthias. My autistic sister's guardian angel. Honest. Inspiring. Funny. Hot. And immortal. That was the p... read full description

reviews

Dec 01, 2011
Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens has been a book I have eagerly been anticipating to read. I had read several wonderful reviews. Let me tell you Jennifer Larens did not disappoint with Heavenly, this book exceeded my expectations.

There are so many things I would like to share however I will keep them at a minimum so I don’t spoil this book for anyone. I would like to share, what usually draws me into a book is the romance between the characters however this family’s struggles is what More...
31 comments like (4 people liked it)
Dec 06, 2010
Inspired Kathy rated it: 4 of 5 stars
Giveaway open until 12/16 Heavenly, Penitence or Absolution:
http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com...

4.5 Stars
I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed reading Heavenly. Although classified as fantasy, Jennifer Lauren's version of "guardian angels" is a version I can believe actually exist.
See my full review:
http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com...
2 comments like (2 people liked it)
Mar 22, 2009
Mirrormarie rated it: 5 of 5 stars
This book blew my mind. I read it in one sitting, I was so enthralled. It captures so well the struggle of a family dealing with an autistic child, as well as teenagers who abuse drugs and alcohol. I speak from experience when I say that this novel described with perfect accuracy the struggles, heartache, and emotions a family like Zoe's would live through. Her relationship with Matthias is beautiful - fulfilling the need within all humans to be loved for who they are, even with all their flaws More...
0 comments like (5 people liked it)
Aug 18, 2011
Darkfallen rated it: 3 of 5 stars
First I wanna say a special thanks to Jennifer Laurens for giving my this copy for review. I have had Heavenly on my TBR for a LONG time and when she asked me to review it I jumped at the chance...so Thank You!

So like I said I have been wanting to read this for close to forever now, so I naturally wanted to love it. But in the beginning it was quite the opposite of love I was feeling. Zoe is a 18 yr old teenage girl whose little sister, Abria, is autistic. But in the beginning Zoe ju More...
1 comment like (2 people liked it)
May 17, 2011
Ren rated it: 4 of 5 stars
Read paperback version and write the review in my own languange, Indonesia


Zoe merasa kehidupannya tidak sama lagi setelah kelahiran adik perempuannya Abria. Abria yang autis membuat keluarga Zoe sangat protektif terhadapnya, dan membuat hubungan Zoe, adik laki-lakinya Luke, dan orangtua mereka menjadi renggang, karena orangtua Zoe lebih memfokuskan perhatian mereka terhadapa Abria. Untuk mengisi kekosongan dalam hidupnya, Zoe melakukan satu-satunya hal yang dia tahu : berpest More...
7 comments like (1 person liked it)
Dec 06, 2010
Zoe's baby sister Abria has a severe type of autism which keeps her whole family tied up in emotional knots as they try to deal with her many behavioral challenges. Zoe is into partying and guy-hunting as a means of escape from her home life, and her younger brother's small drug problem is gradually becoming a big drug problem. The whole family is sinking further into hopelessness and depression, but fortunately for Zoe, a divine intervention in the form of guardian angel Matthias comes along to More...
0 comments like (3 people liked it)
Mar 04, 2009
Rachel rated it: 5 of 5 stars
This book is amazing. I read it in a day and a half. One word: REAL.
Often times I've found myself reading YA books where you get the feeling the author hasn't even TALKED to a teenager/young adult in ten years, let alone knows enough to write for them. This book has an amazing story, characters you won't forget and leaves you thinking about it. This book is far from just fluff, so if that's what you're looking for, don't read it.
All in all, five stars. The book didn't try too hard l More...
0 comments like (3 people liked it)
Feb 17, 2009
Kim rated it: 5 of 5 stars
I loved this book. I totally didn't see the ending coming. Just what I needed.
0 comments like (1 person liked it)
Jan 26, 2011
Lisa rated it: 5 of 5 stars
I finished this book a few days ago and have been having trouble really putting my feelings about his book into writing. I was so touched by this book. Each character felt so real, like I could meet them anywhere. I could feel how connected the author is to the story making it much more than just a story rather a movie unfolding before my eyes. Each person was so well defined, it was not like just the main people were defined but each and every person. When there was pain, I felt it like I More...
0 comments like (2 people liked it)
Mar 11, 2009
J rated it: 5 of 5 stars
one of the best books I've ever read. The story, the language, the characters, are so real you really feel for all of them. Its kind of Twilight Done Right, if you ask me. A forbidden love story with some REAL meat.
0 comments like (2 people liked it)
Jul 02, 2011
Jade rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Original review at http://inkscratchers.blogspot.com/

I really was a bit dubious about this book as I was really worried that it would just be another book about a human falling in love with an immortal, full of angst about how they can never be together, with another whiny heroine crying over a guy she met two days before.


Okay, so Zoe is a bit whiny but in all fairness she has every right to be, her sister is autistic, her brother is addicted to drugs and Zoe feels like More...
Jun 22, 2011
Gillian rated it: 5 of 5 stars
I could not put HEAVENLY done and when my sister told me how she thoroughly enjoyed the book I had no regrets that I would be lost in the world of Zoe and Matthias :)



From the period that I am living at the moment i could relate to Zoe in away of blaming her autistic sister for the changes that have taken place in her but no matter how angry she got at her parents, brother or sister she always loved them and that for me as a family person is the most important factor and it h More...
Apr 22, 2011
Mindy rated it: 2 of 5 stars
I wanted to read this YA book because it seemed to have a storyline I had thought up back when Twilight was so popular. It is essentially about a girl falling in love with an angel. It was a fast read. I didn't love it or hate it. I thought it was okay. The writing is typical for YA books (not noteworthy). Some things that fell short for me was the relationship between the two main characters seemed unsubstantial, maybe a little lustful, which was hard to imagine with an angel. Also, the c More...
0 comments like (1 person liked it)
Apr 02, 2011
Pamela rated it: 5 of 5 stars
In an age where YA has become a universal phenomenon, it can be increasingly difficult to produce a book completely original. But that is exactly what Jennifer Laurens has done.

With a trend comes the risk of being compared to other authors, other stories. The rise in popularity of the angel novels has seen many new takes on the creatures, but I can honestly say, hand over heart, that none have been done that can even be compared to Heavenly.

Though obviously a paranormal novel More...
0 comments like (1 person liked it)
Feb 11, 2011
fennie rated it: 3 of 5 stars
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here
0 comments like (1 person liked it)
Jan 12, 2011
It took me a few pages to actually get into Heavenly, but once I was snagged - I was there for the rest of the book. Heavenly was a great read with real-life issues packed into the story to make it relatable to anyone that may pick up this book.

I think the best part for me was the characters. They were flawed and sometimes made the worst decisions ever, but their actions and solutions were all very realistic. I loved Zoe and could definitely relate to her. I don’t know if I agreed with More...
1 comment like (1 person liked it)
Dec 18, 2010
Heavenly was a true delight to read! Very authentic. I would categorize Heavenly as realistic fiction with hints of the paranormal. The struggles that come with raising a child with autism is highlighted in this book. There is an incredible depth to this story, whose solid foundation comes from the fact that Laurens has a lot of personal experience with raising a child with autism. What I loved about this book was that it’s more than just a paranormal romance between Zoe and Matthias, who is the More...
Nov 12, 2010
Cassandra rated it: 5 of 5 stars
I received this book for review from the lovely and generous Jennifer Laurens who is an indie author. I was first introduced to Jennifer’s work by Tynga who mentioned Jennifer on her blog. I started looking into Jennifer’s work, reading reviews and I just had to get my hands on a copy of Heavenly. I was lucky enough to win one in Jennifer Blogger contests.

Jennifer puts so much emotion into the book that we feel exactly how Zoë and Luke feel with the stress of having an autistic sist More...
Oct 27, 2010
Laura rated it: 5 of 5 stars
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here
Sep 17, 2010
Maria rated it: 5 of 5 stars
A veces en nuestras vidas, estamos solos y perdidos y justo cuando has perdido la fé en todo
y en todos, aparece alguién que te puede salvar, y te hace ser mejor persona.
Me ayudó a sentir emociones,tales como el amor y el dolor....aunque veaís que hay angel de por medio...Este libro ha sido emocionante para mí ,me ha hecho,llorar más de una vez. Mathias ayuda a Zoe a ver las cosas de manera diferente, muchas veces necesitamos a ese alguién.
El lenguaje del autor es único, os daréis More...
Aug 20, 2010
Kristina rated it: 5 of 5 stars
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here
1 comment like (2 people liked it)
Jun 23, 2010
Lindsey rated it: 4 of 5 stars
Hey Jennifer, I finished reading Heavenly last night and wanted to tell you how much i loved it. I hope how and what i wrote expresses my true appreciation for this novel the way i intended!

Heavenly, was a majestic and passionate novel, with a captivating and easy to read story line. The fragile relationships between the characters play a massive role in constructing the narratives mood.

My strongest like in this novel was the relationships and how honest they were. The r More...
May 19, 2010
Sarah rated it: 3 of 5 stars
Zoe is 18 years old and her family life has fallen apart since her 5 year old sister Abria was diagnosed with autism. Abria is unable to talk and has no idea of danger - she loves to run and takes off with no notice, she loves to climb and she is facinated with windows. Keeping her out of harms way is a full time job for the whole family. Zoe's parents spend so much time dealing with Abria that Zoe & her brother Luke feel left out. Zoe deals with this by partying, drinking and hooking up wit More...
May 19, 2010
Cleverly rated it: 5 of 5 stars
I was taken away be Heavenly. Zoe may have been to outsider's a typical teen but she was so much more at heart. Having to deal with distant parent's due to her little sister having Autism and the care she required. Zoe found ways to release her frustration, anger and hopelessness. When life starts to break at all angles as if you dropped a mirror and shattering into dozens of pieces. Can that mirror be put back together? Abria may have Autism but she is beautiful at heart. Matthias was sen More...
Mar 31, 2010
Lilibeth rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Zoe's life has been difficult ever since her little sister, Abria was diagnosed with Autism. Zoe tries to avoid her little sister but helps out when absolutely necessary--or if she got paid for it. When Abria runs away like usual under Zoe's watch she starts to freak out a bit. Until, of course, a man holding Abria appears out of nowhere and gives her such a penetrating stare that Zoe immediately feels at ease. Even though she doesn't know why. Matthias.

Going home to the unpredictabl More...
2 comments like (1 person liked it)
Aug 18, 2009
Heavenly was kind of hard to get into at first. The main character seemed a little self centered and was always thinking badly about her autistic sister. As I read further, however, I began to see how hard it was to take care of someone with a mental disability. Zoe's feelings and thoughts were normal and you could tell she did not mean them. They were brought on by stress and seeing her parents having to give up their whole lives for this one little girl. I so badly wanted to comfort Zoe as she More...
Jun 20, 2009
thebookblogger rated it: 4 of 5 stars
What Zoe discovers changes her world in ways she never thought possible. Matthias is a guardian angel, and he isn't the only one. Guardian angels walk the earth, unseen to those that aren't open to seeing, and protect their chosen. And in her messed up life, she finds herself develop an unspoken attraction to her sister's angel, Matthias.

The romance in this book is refreshing. I loved reading the scenes in which Zoe and Matthias were interacting. The connection always seemed to be th More...
May 08, 2009
Megan rated it: 5 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed reading this book. I really liked the fact that although the little sister had autism, the family was together. I can only imagine (and the book gave an excellent illustration) of how difficult and challenging it must be to keep a family together with the amount of stress that there was, but they did. I loved the fact that they went to church and were really a unit. Most YA books don’t incorporate the family unit as well as this book did. I could really relate to the relationsh More...
0 comments like (2 people liked it)
Mar 14, 2011
Aik Chien rated it: 4 of 5 stars
Zoe is falling apart. She lives the life of a walking corpse. On the outside, she looks just like any normal teenager, but on the inside, she feels empty. Abandoned. Her sister Abria is an Autistic child who has speaking disorders and the attention level of 5 seconds. Her brother Luke is drowning himself in drugs. To run away from the harsh realities, she parties and searches for casual relationships.

But everything changes when she meets the mysterious Matthias, who, according to him More...
0 comments like (2 people liked it)
Aug 28, 2010
If I had to choose just one word to describe this book, it would be: AMAZING. From the very first page, I was enthralled by the world of Heavenly and I couldn't stop reading until the very last page.

Zoe is a well-rounded girl who has her fair share of problems. She feels ignored by her family because of her autistic sister and uses alcohol to escape the pain. She feels so frustrated that life has dealt her with an autistic sister and wishes that her family could go back to being the More...
0 comments like (1 person liked it)