"Angel Eyes" by Shannon Dittemore

Shannon Dittemore is a fresh voice in Christian fiction, and she made quite an impression on me with this debut novel!

18-year-old Brielle Matthews returns to her home town of Stratus, OR, after spending the last two years at a boarding school in the big city. She is back earlier than expected, shaken and distraught over the murder of her best friend. She's sure it's somehow her fault. If only she had paid more attention to the warning signs. If only she'd said something, done something.

Frozen with fear and grief, Brielle tries to assume some kind of normal life to help her get through. Her father is loving but isn't exactly sure how to reach out to her. Her friends are alright, but she's changed so much since leaving. School is something to do. And then there's Jake, the new kid in town, who seems to be everywhere she goes. Is he trustworthy, or some kind of stalker?

One thing we know for sure: life is not always what it seems. There's a heavenly battle taking place over this earth and the people who live there. I have always enjoyed stories where angels are some of the main characters, and this was no exception. It brought back memories of Frank Peretti's "This Present Darkness," and parts of it also reminded me a little of Sharon Hinck's "Sword of Lyric" series, both of which I highly recommend. There are angels and demons at work whom we cannot see... but what would it look like if we had a glimpse into their world? Dittemore gives us a truly captivating view. This book holds suspense, romance, a range of emotions, and makes this a page-turner that I know I won't forget.

Although this book was written for a young adult audience, it is 300+ pages which I wouldn't hesitate to promote for all readers. It never felt like a YA book to me, probably because of the depth of Brielle's struggles. Another thing that was of great interest to me, as an avid reader and also a teacher, was that Dittemore employed the first person present tense for most of the novel. Where a normal sentence might read "Brielle stood and walked across the room," in "Angel Eyes" we read, "I stand and walk across the room." I don't know how she did it so well, but it definitely works. You feel like you're right there.

I cannot wait for the sequel, "Broken Wings," to come out next year. As much as I enjoyed "Angel Eyes," I did feel there was room to expand the story to include more about the role of prayer and the importance of Jesus Christ, and I have a feeling she'll get to those as this trilogy unfolds. I hope she does! She's certainly an author I will be keeping my eye on.