Scan barcode
novelbloglover's review
5.0
Book Review
Title: Beautiful Angel
Author: David Ho
Genre: YA/Religious/Contemporary
Rating: *****
Review: The opening chapter to beautiful angel was unusual, we meet Morgan Stern who is a young dancer already confronted with many challenges. Her group are offered to perform at the annual Christmas tree lighting but she has to drop her best friend Laura from the group because of her physical appearance which Morgan doesn't want to do and the decision weighs heavy on her shoulders as she is the group's leader. We learn of Morgan's sad home life, her parents are barely keeping their heads about water and are struggling finanicially. Morgan wants to better her life with a good college and job but all the while she holds out for a miracle and there is something quite mysterious about the old woman she helped earleir on in the day and I couldn't wait to find out what it was.
After a lecture from a particular handsome and wealthy man, William Hightower III, Morgan makes her decision about dropping Laura and where she wants her life to go, we then jump forward from 1995 to 2010. Now in her 30's Morgan is exactly where she wanted to be; a great job and massive salary but she has changed she is quite cold even dismissing staff without even hearing why they have been taking days off. She still works for Hightower and partically runs his company for him and she doesn't even spare a thought for her old friend Laura, which leads me to ask what happened to the bright, kind and ambious girl? After leaving work one day Morgan runs into several homeless people which she ignored and even berates one of whom is an old school friend, George who confronts her and is bushed off. George happens to own the angel doll rescued by the old woman and as he sat crying he sees a car heading for Morgan he tries to warn her but its too late. As we approach the 1/4 mark in the novel, Morgan is in heaven and agrees to risk everything to be sent back but in exchange she has to save George's soul only she doesn't know it.
After the accident Morgan wakes up in her parent's house 18 year old again, having to re-do the fateful day that set on the course of her life, the day William Hightower III spoke at her high school. The first big decision she faces she choosing between the life she knows or the unknown each symbolises by a physical item and to my surprise Morgan decides to change. Much to Morgan's surprise George isn't stupid just poor like herself and they actually get along well and withsome outside influence she gets him to go to the Winter Formal Dance with her, her new challenge is finding the money for a dress to wear there. We learn more about George and how he and his mother live at the homeless shelter after his father died, and that a local drug dealer is trying to recruite him as a runner. I feel really sorry for George and I really want Morgan to get over her prejudicies and help him like she is supposed to be doing. After going to the shelter Morgan learns the truth about George and his situation and her views on the homeless begin to change slightly. By the half way point in the novel Morgan is really beginning to change even going as far as to organise a charity event to help raise money for the homeless shelter which the older version of Morgan would never had done. The way morgan goes about getting the money for the shelter is ingenious and a praise the author for creating such a smart and determined character in Morgan. Things become a lot harder for Morgan when her dance group refuses to perform at the shelter and George gets arrested but where there's a will there's a way and Morgan is determined to save the shelter and George from the life he is going to have.
As we cross the 3/4 mark of the novel and after some set backs the tide is beginning to turn for both Morgan, George and the shelter, and everything is coming together. As everything is coming together George is beginning to believe that Morgan's plan isn't going to work but whether he is right or wrong remains hidden to us the readers. As we enter the final section of the novel, the final performance goes well with a minor hitch but it ends on the most perfect note. But despite all their hard work they didn't raise enough money and when all hope was lost they find their Christmas miracle, the last thing Morgan has to do is save George from Virgil the drug dealer which she does. That scene literally made me cry my eyes out as Morgan has fought so hard and this particular scene among others was heartbreaking, and the final chapter draws everything together beautifully.
Overall Beautiful Angel was the most beautiful and heart-wrenching novel I have read this year. I highly recommend this novel to everyone, it is different and original and will open your eyes to the true miracle that everyday people can make happen. This novel was wonderful and definitely deserves it's rating.
Title: Beautiful Angel
Author: David Ho
Genre: YA/Religious/Contemporary
Rating: *****
Review: The opening chapter to beautiful angel was unusual, we meet Morgan Stern who is a young dancer already confronted with many challenges. Her group are offered to perform at the annual Christmas tree lighting but she has to drop her best friend Laura from the group because of her physical appearance which Morgan doesn't want to do and the decision weighs heavy on her shoulders as she is the group's leader. We learn of Morgan's sad home life, her parents are barely keeping their heads about water and are struggling finanicially. Morgan wants to better her life with a good college and job but all the while she holds out for a miracle and there is something quite mysterious about the old woman she helped earleir on in the day and I couldn't wait to find out what it was.
After a lecture from a particular handsome and wealthy man, William Hightower III, Morgan makes her decision about dropping Laura and where she wants her life to go, we then jump forward from 1995 to 2010. Now in her 30's Morgan is exactly where she wanted to be; a great job and massive salary but she has changed she is quite cold even dismissing staff without even hearing why they have been taking days off. She still works for Hightower and partically runs his company for him and she doesn't even spare a thought for her old friend Laura, which leads me to ask what happened to the bright, kind and ambious girl? After leaving work one day Morgan runs into several homeless people which she ignored and even berates one of whom is an old school friend, George who confronts her and is bushed off. George happens to own the angel doll rescued by the old woman and as he sat crying he sees a car heading for Morgan he tries to warn her but its too late. As we approach the 1/4 mark in the novel, Morgan is in heaven and agrees to risk everything to be sent back but in exchange she has to save George's soul only she doesn't know it.
After the accident Morgan wakes up in her parent's house 18 year old again, having to re-do the fateful day that set on the course of her life, the day William Hightower III spoke at her high school. The first big decision she faces she choosing between the life she knows or the unknown each symbolises by a physical item and to my surprise Morgan decides to change. Much to Morgan's surprise George isn't stupid just poor like herself and they actually get along well and withsome outside influence she gets him to go to the Winter Formal Dance with her, her new challenge is finding the money for a dress to wear there. We learn more about George and how he and his mother live at the homeless shelter after his father died, and that a local drug dealer is trying to recruite him as a runner. I feel really sorry for George and I really want Morgan to get over her prejudicies and help him like she is supposed to be doing. After going to the shelter Morgan learns the truth about George and his situation and her views on the homeless begin to change slightly. By the half way point in the novel Morgan is really beginning to change even going as far as to organise a charity event to help raise money for the homeless shelter which the older version of Morgan would never had done. The way morgan goes about getting the money for the shelter is ingenious and a praise the author for creating such a smart and determined character in Morgan. Things become a lot harder for Morgan when her dance group refuses to perform at the shelter and George gets arrested but where there's a will there's a way and Morgan is determined to save the shelter and George from the life he is going to have.
As we cross the 3/4 mark of the novel and after some set backs the tide is beginning to turn for both Morgan, George and the shelter, and everything is coming together. As everything is coming together George is beginning to believe that Morgan's plan isn't going to work but whether he is right or wrong remains hidden to us the readers. As we enter the final section of the novel, the final performance goes well with a minor hitch but it ends on the most perfect note. But despite all their hard work they didn't raise enough money and when all hope was lost they find their Christmas miracle, the last thing Morgan has to do is save George from Virgil the drug dealer which she does. That scene literally made me cry my eyes out as Morgan has fought so hard and this particular scene among others was heartbreaking, and the final chapter draws everything together beautifully.
Overall Beautiful Angel was the most beautiful and heart-wrenching novel I have read this year. I highly recommend this novel to everyone, it is different and original and will open your eyes to the true miracle that everyday people can make happen. This novel was wonderful and definitely deserves it's rating.
More...