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tt_reads123's review
4.0
Wow this was a great read and I loved how the book dealt with tough issues, especially about why God allows bad things to happen to those who are good people. Inspiring, and poignant, I can't wait for the next book!
brendaclay's review
3.0
After the murder of her best friend, teenage ballerina Brielle returns to her widowed dad and her Oregon hometown. At school, she meets Jake, who inexplicably makes her feel safe for the first time since the murder. Before long, she learns the true natures of Jake and his guardian, and her eyes are opened to another realm she never knew existed.
If I had to encapsulate this story, I'd say it's Twilight meets Frank Peretti's This Present Darkness (which I read multiple times as a teenager). It's faithy without being mega-cheesy or pushy - a good addition to the growing Christian YA genre. I enjoyed it and will look for the sequels!
If I had to encapsulate this story, I'd say it's Twilight meets Frank Peretti's This Present Darkness (which I read multiple times as a teenager). It's faithy without being mega-cheesy or pushy - a good addition to the growing Christian YA genre. I enjoyed it and will look for the sequels!
inwonderland49's review
4.0
This book hooked me in from the very first chapter. Shannon’s writing is unique and quite brilliant. She doesn’t just tell you what is going on, she kind of leaves you guessing and trying to figure things out for yourself. Which, I personally liked. Considering this is a book about angels, I figured that there would be some kind of biblical aspects within the plot, which didn’t bother me one bit. I think that it goes along with the angel aspect.
This was the first angel book that I have read and I am glad that I did. It kept me interested and I really liked the whole angel thing, I wasn’t sure that I would. I love Brielle. And, come on, that name, is genius. Brielle is a dancer and she had moved to the city to chase her dreams, but at the beginning of the book she is on her way back to her hometown and she mentions something about a trial but she doesn’t go into detail; which only made me want to keep reading.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this book and cannot wait to finish this trilogy!
originally posted on my book blog: http://stephwonderland.blogspot.com/
This was the first angel book that I have read and I am glad that I did. It kept me interested and I really liked the whole angel thing, I wasn’t sure that I would. I love Brielle. And, come on, that name, is genius. Brielle is a dancer and she had moved to the city to chase her dreams, but at the beginning of the book she is on her way back to her hometown and she mentions something about a trial but she doesn’t go into detail; which only made me want to keep reading.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this book and cannot wait to finish this trilogy!
originally posted on my book blog: http://stephwonderland.blogspot.com/
roroth's review
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 against another edition
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
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.
emariegrace's review
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
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 against another edition
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
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.