roroth's review against another edition
5.0
Well, I do have to say Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore is a bit of a different book than I usually read. It is a Young Adult book that’s one thing I do know, I do not know if I should classify it as a christian fiction novel, it does discuss a lot about God, Angels and Demons and everything that entails however some might think it is also Paranormal too. It is from HarperCollins Christian Publishers and Shannon Dittemore is a daughter and wife of preachers so I am sure she would classify it as Christian. As an Agnostic, I obviously took it more for paranormal but I am sure there will be tons of different views about it which I like!
Now, even though it is about God, Angels, and Demons and one girls belief about what is real after having two people in her life taken away from her far too soon I really enjoyed it and I give it a surprising 5 stars, It was not at all “preachy,” It was written amazingly well, there were very few parts that were boring or dragged on and on. Shannon describes things so vividly that you can really imagine being in Brielle’s world. One thing that at times got me confused was the many names Brielle goes by. Her birth name is Gabrielle, some people call her that, some call her Gabby, some call her Elle and some call her Brielle. I understand having nicknames and she does explain the Gabby and Brielle names but it was at times hard to keep up with but that would be the only flaw in this amazing book. It has a bit of romance in it but being a young adult book, it doesn’t really go pass kissing so pretty much anyone could read this. Young or old. I know that most of my blog readers know I do love the adult romance books this was a breath of fresh air to read a good, wholesome novel for once again.
I hope the christian stuff doesn’t scare anyone away, please take the time to read this and I am sure you will love it as much as I did!
Thanks!
Rochelle
Also, please check out the Blogs facebook page I have some swag I am giving away today!!!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Medicine-for-a-Book-Hangover/566957873371215
Now, even though it is about God, Angels, and Demons and one girls belief about what is real after having two people in her life taken away from her far too soon I really enjoyed it and I give it a surprising 5 stars, It was not at all “preachy,” It was written amazingly well, there were very few parts that were boring or dragged on and on. Shannon describes things so vividly that you can really imagine being in Brielle’s world. One thing that at times got me confused was the many names Brielle goes by. Her birth name is Gabrielle, some people call her that, some call her Gabby, some call her Elle and some call her Brielle. I understand having nicknames and she does explain the Gabby and Brielle names but it was at times hard to keep up with but that would be the only flaw in this amazing book. It has a bit of romance in it but being a young adult book, it doesn’t really go pass kissing so pretty much anyone could read this. Young or old. I know that most of my blog readers know I do love the adult romance books this was a breath of fresh air to read a good, wholesome novel for once again.
I hope the christian stuff doesn’t scare anyone away, please take the time to read this and I am sure you will love it as much as I did!
Thanks!
Rochelle
Also, please check out the Blogs facebook page I have some swag I am giving away today!!!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Medicine-for-a-Book-Hangover/566957873371215
juliebihn's review
3.0
A speculative take on angels that, while not strictly Scriptural, seems to be in line with Biblical principles, and I found that aspect fascinating. The target audience is teen girls, which I haven't been for quite a few years. So not surprisingly, I wasn't a fan of the point-of-view character and her angst, and I felt like the plot the main characters find themselves wrapped up in at the end was perhaps a bit too much. (Teen girls might disagree. :) ) Overall, it's a promising start for a new author.
Full review at http://kinynchronicles.blogspot.com/2013/01/review-angel-eyes-by-Shannon-Dittemore.html
Full review at http://kinynchronicles.blogspot.com/2013/01/review-angel-eyes-by-Shannon-Dittemore.html
marmeelovesbook's review against another edition
4.0
Beautiful and heartbroken Brielle Matthews shows up in her old, small hometown of Stratus, Oregon after being gone for a while chasing her dream of being a dancer/model at a fancy art school in Portland. But tragedy hits as the death of her good friend Ali, her friend at her Portland school, haunts her and leaved her adrift and shaken and full of fear. Even being at home doesn’t help things and the heaviness that is a part of her life now. However in the midst of this oppressive darkness someone new has come to town. His name is Jake, Jake Shield and he keeps popping up everywhere- her calculus class, around town. She starts to feel as though she now has her own bonafide stalker, albeit a really cute one.
As she gets to know Jake a bit better and his story unfolds she finds that there is more to Jake than meets the eye, especially surrounding his guardian Canaan. And as a whole new Celestial world opens up to Brielle, she sees things in a whole new way. However her heartbreaking past in losing her mother at a young age coupled with the death of her best friend Ali keeps her from really having a true faith and trust in God as frankly she doesn’t trust Him based on what she sees He has or hasn’t done with those she has loved. As she sees true forces of good and evil battling it out through people and celestial beings she gains more understanding and her relationship with Jake deepens.
There are a lot of different facets to this novel and a lot of things about it that I thought were well done. The author explores that “why would a good God let bad things happen?” question which many of us wrestle with, through Brielle’s’ past and her journey throughout the novel. I thought that the angels vs. demons portions were suspenseful and the characters believable. I definitely will continue to read more in this series as the author gives great foreshadowing, along with a bit of a cliffhanger making the reader really want to find out the future for these characters. Lastly I felt that Brielle’s journey was a good one, well paced and you felt for her through the whole thing.
So while I will definitely recommend this as a great YA read for teenagers, I really enjoyed it as well, so a great read for all ages.
4 stars
I was given a free digital copy of this book through the Booksneeze program in exchange for an honest, non-biased review. All opinions expressed are my own.
As she gets to know Jake a bit better and his story unfolds she finds that there is more to Jake than meets the eye, especially surrounding his guardian Canaan. And as a whole new Celestial world opens up to Brielle, she sees things in a whole new way. However her heartbreaking past in losing her mother at a young age coupled with the death of her best friend Ali keeps her from really having a true faith and trust in God as frankly she doesn’t trust Him based on what she sees He has or hasn’t done with those she has loved. As she sees true forces of good and evil battling it out through people and celestial beings she gains more understanding and her relationship with Jake deepens.
There are a lot of different facets to this novel and a lot of things about it that I thought were well done. The author explores that “why would a good God let bad things happen?” question which many of us wrestle with, through Brielle’s’ past and her journey throughout the novel. I thought that the angels vs. demons portions were suspenseful and the characters believable. I definitely will continue to read more in this series as the author gives great foreshadowing, along with a bit of a cliffhanger making the reader really want to find out the future for these characters. Lastly I felt that Brielle’s journey was a good one, well paced and you felt for her through the whole thing.
So while I will definitely recommend this as a great YA read for teenagers, I really enjoyed it as well, so a great read for all ages.
4 stars
I was given a free digital copy of this book through the Booksneeze program in exchange for an honest, non-biased review. All opinions expressed are my own.
the_lady_reads's review against another edition
5.0
As seen on Ed and Em's Reviews!
Angel Eyes was a great book. I grew obsessed with the story very quickly! As soon as I started, I knew I was going to like it.
Of course, my instinct was right. I wanted to read it from the moment I saw the cover. It's so beautiful and mysterious. Plus, it fits in perfectly with the plot and a specific scene in the book. I love when covers are beautiful and make sense in regards to the story.
The storyline in this book was awesome. I don't know what else to say about it. I was immediately captivated by the writing style. The characters were so easy to fall in love with. I connected with Gabrielle, or Brielle as she referred to, very easily. I've never been a dancer, but the book was writing so well, that I could feel Brielle's love for dancing. It made me wish I didn't have two left feet! I've always admired ballerinas, and I'm not sure what it was about Brielle, but her as a ballerina really intrigued me. That sounds so strange, I know, but you'll understand when you read it!
Brielle's father is great. He's there for her when she needs him and tries his best to ensure her happiness. He loves her dearly and didn't abandon her when her mother passed away like many parents in young adult fiction are known to do. Her friends, well the only real friends mentioned in this book are one from the school that she's returned to and one from her talent specified school. Both seem very nice, though the one from her school is a bit annoying at times.
I LOVE JAKE. His backstory is so interesting and his life is just crazy. He's a great match for Brielle. He cares for her deeply. Bonus? No insta-love. There is attraction and acknowledgement of a future together, but they aren't like: "Ooh, I love you so much. Let's get married right now and have a thousand babies because we knew immediately that we were meant to be forever." We all know what I'm talking about. Jake and Brielle's story wasn't like that at all. This book didn't focus on their relationship, though it did have a role in the story.
I haven't read a book about angels that I've really liked until this book. In fact, I loved this book. I've seen a lot of reviews that say people didn't really love it, they just enjoyed it. It wasn't phenomenal. I'll agree there were some issues that should have been edited, and a couple of modern references that seemed out of place in a book like this. Those things did not take away from the book in my opinion. The writing style was slow, but I really enjoyed it. I thought it read perfectly for the characters and the story.
Before reading this, I was a bit nervous. As I said, I haven't read an angel novel that I've enjoyed. I'm not very religious and most angel books seem to shove religion down your throat. I didn't feel that way with this book. It felt more like a paranormal fantasy than a religious novel, which really made me happy. I really, really enjoyed Angel Eyes and I am excited to read book two. I know it will be just as wonderful as the first!
I received a free e-copy of this novel for a blog tour in exchange for my honest review.
Angel Eyes was a great book. I grew obsessed with the story very quickly! As soon as I started, I knew I was going to like it.
Of course, my instinct was right. I wanted to read it from the moment I saw the cover. It's so beautiful and mysterious. Plus, it fits in perfectly with the plot and a specific scene in the book. I love when covers are beautiful and make sense in regards to the story.
The storyline in this book was awesome. I don't know what else to say about it. I was immediately captivated by the writing style. The characters were so easy to fall in love with. I connected with Gabrielle, or Brielle as she referred to, very easily. I've never been a dancer, but the book was writing so well, that I could feel Brielle's love for dancing. It made me wish I didn't have two left feet! I've always admired ballerinas, and I'm not sure what it was about Brielle, but her as a ballerina really intrigued me. That sounds so strange, I know, but you'll understand when you read it!
Brielle's father is great. He's there for her when she needs him and tries his best to ensure her happiness. He loves her dearly and didn't abandon her when her mother passed away like many parents in young adult fiction are known to do. Her friends, well the only real friends mentioned in this book are one from the school that she's returned to and one from her talent specified school. Both seem very nice, though the one from her school is a bit annoying at times.
I LOVE JAKE. His backstory is so interesting and his life is just crazy. He's a great match for Brielle. He cares for her deeply. Bonus? No insta-love. There is attraction and acknowledgement of a future together, but they aren't like: "Ooh, I love you so much. Let's get married right now and have a thousand babies because we knew immediately that we were meant to be forever." We all know what I'm talking about. Jake and Brielle's story wasn't like that at all. This book didn't focus on their relationship, though it did have a role in the story.
I haven't read a book about angels that I've really liked until this book. In fact, I loved this book. I've seen a lot of reviews that say people didn't really love it, they just enjoyed it. It wasn't phenomenal. I'll agree there were some issues that should have been edited, and a couple of modern references that seemed out of place in a book like this. Those things did not take away from the book in my opinion. The writing style was slow, but I really enjoyed it. I thought it read perfectly for the characters and the story.
Before reading this, I was a bit nervous. As I said, I haven't read an angel novel that I've enjoyed. I'm not very religious and most angel books seem to shove religion down your throat. I didn't feel that way with this book. It felt more like a paranormal fantasy than a religious novel, which really made me happy. I really, really enjoyed Angel Eyes and I am excited to read book two. I know it will be just as wonderful as the first!
I received a free e-copy of this novel for a blog tour in exchange for my honest review.
emariegrace's review against another edition
4.0
Wow.
I mean.
Wow.
Wooooooooooow.
I need the second one pronto.
(unfortuantely I have no money and have to wait till my birthday or something IDK.)
JAKE THOUGH.
AND BRIELLE.
AHH.
SO MUCH LOVE.
I mean.
Wow.
Wooooooooooow.
I need the second one pronto.
(unfortuantely I have no money and have to wait till my birthday or something IDK.)
JAKE THOUGH.
AND BRIELLE.
AHH.
SO MUCH LOVE.
theliteratureladies's review against another edition
3.0
I’ll start this review off by saying I tried to find this series to read years ago when I was in high school. From what I could tell at the time, it was going to be right up my fifteen year old self’s alley: a protagonist who’s a ballerina, a mysterious (and, yes, very good-looking) new boy in town, and some supernatural craziness going on. And I was so disappointed because I could not find them to read anywhere. So, I never read them… until this past summer. I stumbled across the entire series available on my Libby app. I decided it was as good a time as any to see if these books lived up to my high school expectations.
In Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore, we meet Brielle Matthews, a dancer returning to her home in small-town Oregon who is reeling from a very fresh tragedy in her life – one that leaves her numb, cold, and full of fear. As she attempts to settle back in, she meets the new boy in town, Jake, who seems to be the complete opposite of her – warm, bright, and fearless. She can’t help but be intrigued. As she and Jake get to know each other, she finds herself thrust into a whole new realm – one of angels and demons, light and dark, hope and fear.
There’s a lot going on in this trilogy. Dittemore tackles some substantial, weighty subject matter. You know, like angels-and-demons-kind-of weighty. There’s also great grief, loss, murder, illness, alcoholism, abuse, and human trafficking. All the light, fluffy stuff. At times, I felt like there was a little too much going on; but, at other moments, I thought Dittemore was tying everything together pretty well. She definitely handles those tough issues delicately – in a way that doesn’t play any of them down – but keeps it appropriate to her young-adult audience.
Despite all that dark stuff, there’s deep love and friendship interwoven throughout the trilogy. And a lot of hope. Dittemore stands staunchly on the faith over fear, and that is a consistent theme in the books. Faith, trust, and hope even in – especially in – the midst of difficult circumstances. These are Christian fiction, and she is very direct about that faith being placed in God and nothing else. It is always encouraging for me to be reminded of that – God’s goodness and His control over everything – in my own life.
I admit I was a little skeptical about the whole angel/demon/celestial warfare part. It could be pretty easy to get that pretty wrong from a theological standpoint; but, in my opinion, Dittemore got it right. She conveys some heavy biblical truths about Satan, demons, and spiritual warfare clearly and carefully. I applaud her for tackling such subject matter and bringing it up in YA fiction.
I was most certainly entertained and very invested by this series; I read the trilogy in less than a week. I was thinking about the books when I wasn’t reading them, curious as to what would happen next. The characters are likeable (a little boxed into their defining characteristics in the first book, but they branch out some in the sequels); the plot is interesting; they’re clean, with a good dose of romance, some fitting humor, and a lot of intrigue. I would recommend to those wanting a YA read not filled with bad language, bad role models, and flippant sex.
In Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore, we meet Brielle Matthews, a dancer returning to her home in small-town Oregon who is reeling from a very fresh tragedy in her life – one that leaves her numb, cold, and full of fear. As she attempts to settle back in, she meets the new boy in town, Jake, who seems to be the complete opposite of her – warm, bright, and fearless. She can’t help but be intrigued. As she and Jake get to know each other, she finds herself thrust into a whole new realm – one of angels and demons, light and dark, hope and fear.
There’s a lot going on in this trilogy. Dittemore tackles some substantial, weighty subject matter. You know, like angels-and-demons-kind-of weighty. There’s also great grief, loss, murder, illness, alcoholism, abuse, and human trafficking. All the light, fluffy stuff. At times, I felt like there was a little too much going on; but, at other moments, I thought Dittemore was tying everything together pretty well. She definitely handles those tough issues delicately – in a way that doesn’t play any of them down – but keeps it appropriate to her young-adult audience.
Despite all that dark stuff, there’s deep love and friendship interwoven throughout the trilogy. And a lot of hope. Dittemore stands staunchly on the faith over fear, and that is a consistent theme in the books. Faith, trust, and hope even in – especially in – the midst of difficult circumstances. These are Christian fiction, and she is very direct about that faith being placed in God and nothing else. It is always encouraging for me to be reminded of that – God’s goodness and His control over everything – in my own life.
I admit I was a little skeptical about the whole angel/demon/celestial warfare part. It could be pretty easy to get that pretty wrong from a theological standpoint; but, in my opinion, Dittemore got it right. She conveys some heavy biblical truths about Satan, demons, and spiritual warfare clearly and carefully. I applaud her for tackling such subject matter and bringing it up in YA fiction.
I was most certainly entertained and very invested by this series; I read the trilogy in less than a week. I was thinking about the books when I wasn’t reading them, curious as to what would happen next. The characters are likeable (a little boxed into their defining characteristics in the first book, but they branch out some in the sequels); the plot is interesting; they’re clean, with a good dose of romance, some fitting humor, and a lot of intrigue. I would recommend to those wanting a YA read not filled with bad language, bad role models, and flippant sex.
theliteratureladies's review
3.0
A clean, thought-provoking YA novel that I remember wanting to read YEARS ago and never got around to. I enjoyed it.
faiththompson416's review against another edition
4.0
*SYNOPSIS*
Brielle has just returned to her small town of Stratus, Oregon, after a life-changing disaster in Portland rocked her world. Broken-hearted and unable to shake bitter cold, she goes back to high school in an attempt to normalize herself.
Here she meets the new boy, Jake, who's kind and charismatic and has the warmest hands she's ever felt. He tells her of an alternate reality: one with angels and demons and spiritual warfare. And only Brielle can see it.
As the mystery of what happened that night in Portland becomes unraveled, Brielle must question all that she believes - but how is she to judge what is really happening in her life?
WHAT I LIKED
-Brielle. She was a strong female character, but not so overly strong that she came across as unrealistic. Her gifts had good explanations, and she sees what is happening in her life in a way that feels very realistic to what someone in her shoes would feel.
-Jake. He's just so sweet and - not perfect, but pretty close. That's the kind of boyfriend I'd want someday. (Just sayin'.) He understands better than Brielle what is happening, and I liked the way he ran off in the middle of a conversation to go pray.
-The writing was gorgeous! Sure, the dialogue was somewhat unrealistic, but it made sense with the writing style of the story. I'm not complaining.
-The mystery's pacing was great, and the unreliability of Brielle's narration in not knowing what was going on made the twists really come out of nowhere.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
The biggest problem I had with this book was the lack of God. It openly advertises itself as a "Christian book", complete with angels, demons, supernatural signs, and other such things. But God himself (especially Jesus) seems incredibly absent. This was troubling, especially with the premise being what it was.
That was about all I didn't like!
There's my review of this book. It was really a sweet story and I need to get my hands on the rest of the books in the trilogy. I totally recommend it! Just take it with a grain of salt if you're looking for Christian fiction with Jesus all over it.
Brielle has just returned to her small town of Stratus, Oregon, after a life-changing disaster in Portland rocked her world. Broken-hearted and unable to shake bitter cold, she goes back to high school in an attempt to normalize herself.
Here she meets the new boy, Jake, who's kind and charismatic and has the warmest hands she's ever felt. He tells her of an alternate reality: one with angels and demons and spiritual warfare. And only Brielle can see it.
As the mystery of what happened that night in Portland becomes unraveled, Brielle must question all that she believes - but how is she to judge what is really happening in her life?
WHAT I LIKED
-Brielle. She was a strong female character, but not so overly strong that she came across as unrealistic. Her gifts had good explanations, and she sees what is happening in her life in a way that feels very realistic to what someone in her shoes would feel.
-Jake. He's just so sweet and - not perfect, but pretty close. That's the kind of boyfriend I'd want someday. (Just sayin'.) He understands better than Brielle what is happening, and I liked the way he ran off in the middle of a conversation to go pray.
-The writing was gorgeous! Sure, the dialogue was somewhat unrealistic, but it made sense with the writing style of the story. I'm not complaining.
-The mystery's pacing was great, and the unreliability of Brielle's narration in not knowing what was going on made the twists really come out of nowhere.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
The biggest problem I had with this book was the lack of God. It openly advertises itself as a "Christian book", complete with angels, demons, supernatural signs, and other such things. But God himself (especially Jesus) seems incredibly absent. This was troubling, especially with the premise being what it was.
That was about all I didn't like!
There's my review of this book. It was really a sweet story and I need to get my hands on the rest of the books in the trilogy. I totally recommend it! Just take it with a grain of salt if you're looking for Christian fiction with Jesus all over it.
rebelbooks101's review against another edition
slow-paced
3.0
This book was okay for the most part. I did enjoy it. The characters were entertaining. I found one of my new favourite book boyfriends which was a bit surprising because this wasn't my favourite book ever and it did take me a while to get through. Some parts I did get bored and I wouldn't want to read it and know what happens next sometimes. At one point I was debating putting it down and trying again later but I am glad I pushed through. The second half of the book was a lot more entertaining than the first half which made me fly through it. I am excited to read the next book, hoping it's similar to the second half of this one and I also saw we get to see from jake's pov in the second one which I'm excited about since I love him! Overall this was a decent read and I do plan on reading the next book to see what happens next.
lis_ellie_'s review against another edition
5.0
This was an engrossing, exciting, captivating story :D It had a bit of a "Twilight" feel to it - but in a good way. If you can imagine that.
The whole thing about angels and demons was beyond interesting. Usually when books have an extra point of view - not one of the mcs' - I jump it. I was expecting to skip the demon Damien's pov as well, but nope. Too interesting. #extrapoints
I'm always a little ... careful ... reading about the supernatural in fiction ... supernatural which is real. I want it to be rightly portrayed, and in this case, I feel that it was. Obviously we don't know the details about angels' and demons' lives and much of this came out the author's imagination but the idea was right. It shows the spiritual realm + the unseen battles going on. And it's interesting, because while this wasn't "real", it is "real". (i.e. This is fiction - but such things could be taking place. I believe such forces DO EXIST. ) We don't actually know all this could happen, but it brought a good kind of awareness. Do I usually think about what is going on in the sky? #nope. And as a story - as a plot - as characters - these were fascinating and unlike anything I've read before.
Brielle was a nice character. It was interesting that a lot of important information about her was in her past. The story started here - but the backstory was oh, so important. It was a great character arc about brokenness and believing and healing. And she was a talented girl - and I like heroines who ARE GOOD AT SOMETHING. Who have specialty. And Jake was just perfect. Sweet and good and selfless. (So maybe you'll complain about too much perfection but this time I don't care ;D)
I liked those little side details along the way. About school and the classroom and her home and dad and the food and donuts and cars and photos and bedrooms ... it made it feel so everyday and real and relatable. I could visualize it so well. It brought a wonderful realism to it.
This dealed with choices and healing and brokenness and truth and eyes being opened. Great themes. And I think the themes were really symbolized and personified in Jake's and Brielle's gifts. It was pure awesome.
And the view of God + the spiritual was different that usual - because most of it was from the angels' and demons' perspective. That was really new and ... good.
The major conflict/problem had to do with human trafficking. A harsh subject but to me - a kind of awareness-raising, interesting, different, eye-opening kind of issue/conflict. And that is just how I saw it. It wasn't as if the author was blatantly trying to make her readers aware of this - it just naturally flowed out of the story. And so I am pleased. But it's a mature issue, so maybe a 13+ recommendation? If you/the potential reader is under that age use your own judgement :D
The interactions, the dialogue, the plot, the conflict, the action, the flashbacks, the mystery, the daily life, the supernatural, all wove together beautifully to create a wonderful and engaging story - slightly intriguing and a bit disturbing in a good way. It left many thoughts behind.
4 1/2 stars. I highly recommend :D
The whole thing about angels and demons was beyond interesting. Usually when books have an extra point of view - not one of the mcs' - I jump it. I was expecting to skip the demon Damien's pov as well, but nope. Too interesting. #extrapoints
I'm always a little ... careful ... reading about the supernatural in fiction ... supernatural which is real. I want it to be rightly portrayed, and in this case, I feel that it was. Obviously we don't know the details about angels' and demons' lives and much of this came out the author's imagination but the idea was right. It shows the spiritual realm + the unseen battles going on. And it's interesting, because while this wasn't "real", it is "real". (i.e. This is fiction - but such things could be taking place. I believe such forces DO EXIST. ) We don't actually know all this could happen, but it brought a good kind of awareness. Do I usually think about what is going on in the sky? #nope. And as a story - as a plot - as characters - these were fascinating and unlike anything I've read before.
Brielle was a nice character. It was interesting that a lot of important information about her was in her past. The story started here - but the backstory was oh, so important. It was a great character arc about brokenness and believing and healing. And she was a talented girl - and I like heroines who ARE GOOD AT SOMETHING. Who have specialty. And Jake was just perfect. Sweet and good and selfless. (So maybe you'll complain about too much perfection but this time I don't care ;D)
I liked those little side details along the way. About school and the classroom and her home and dad and the food and donuts and cars and photos and bedrooms ... it made it feel so everyday and real and relatable. I could visualize it so well. It brought a wonderful realism to it.
This dealed with choices and healing and brokenness and truth and eyes being opened. Great themes. And I think the themes were really symbolized and personified in Jake's and Brielle's gifts. It was pure awesome.
And the view of God + the spiritual was different that usual - because most of it was from the angels' and demons' perspective. That was really new and ... good.
The major conflict/problem had to do with human trafficking. A harsh subject but to me - a kind of awareness-raising, interesting, different, eye-opening kind of issue/conflict. And that is just how I saw it. It wasn't as if the author was blatantly trying to make her readers aware of this - it just naturally flowed out of the story. And so I am pleased. But it's a mature issue, so maybe a 13+ recommendation? If you/the potential reader is under that age use your own judgement :D
The interactions, the dialogue, the plot, the conflict, the action, the flashbacks, the mystery, the daily life, the supernatural, all wove together beautifully to create a wonderful and engaging story - slightly intriguing and a bit disturbing in a good way. It left many thoughts behind.
4 1/2 stars. I highly recommend :D