Broken Wings

March 1, 2013

Gr 8 Up- Broken Wings opens where Angel Eyes (Thomas Nelson, 2012) ended. Brielle and Jake are enjoying a relatively normal life in Stratus. Their love is strong and they know that they are destined to marry. At first glance things seem relatively quiet, although the teens are still guarded by their shield angels-Canaan and Helene. However, all is not as it appears in this small town where humans, demons, and angels interact with great frequency. Damien, the fallen angel from Angel Eyes who was responsible for the murder of Brielle's friend, as well as for organizing a pedophile ring, is back and has discovered that the teens have special gifts. Jake's hands have the power to heal and Brielle can actually see the Celestial world. Damien convinces Lucifer, the Prince of Darkness, to capture them for his own use. The plot thickens when the grave of Brielle's long-dead mother turns out to be empty, and her dad falls for a woman with evil intentions. Conflict ensues overhead as angels and fallen angels engage in an epic battle of good vs. evil-and Brielle, with her power to view the Celestial, sees it all, even when Jake is whisked skyward, away from her. At times the plot is confusing, but teens who like paranormal, edge-of-your-seat drama with a strong Christian message will enjoy this second installment in the trilogy.-Ragan O'Malley, Saint Ann's School, Brooklyn, NY

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2013
This second installment of the Angel Eyes series pits gifted humans against the demons of Abaddon, with assistance from some of the Heavenly host. The story does not recap the events of Angel Eyes (2012) but offers enough clues and explanations that new readers can infer what's going on. Brilliant dancer Brielle has a bracelet that's actually an angel's halo. When she wears it like a crown, she can see the Celestial--the otherwise invisible realm of the angels. A strange race of angels has torn through to the orange-glowing Celestial, where fear flows like a black liquid and worship rises like colored smoke to Heaven. Brielle's ability threatens Lucifer himself, so he dispatches Brielle's former foe, the demon Damien, to catch her. Damien also has an interest in Brielle's boyfriend, Jake, a healer who lives with an angel in disguise. Though the warring factions do plenty of sparring, Brielle and Jake function as observers and targets rather than as fighters. As a result, the book's suspense is not particularly immersive. Dittemore freely quotes from the Bible and Shakespeare, and she keeps the human side of her story real by giving Brielle's father a serious drinking habit. The Christian doctrine in the book is not soft-pedaled, but it remains far enough in the background to appeal to general readers. A sequel beckons. An unremarkable but solid addition to the current angel glut. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)

COPYRIGHT(2013) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.