Almost exactly a year ago today my reading world was brightened with the introduction of Shannon Dittemore and her Angel Eyes trilogy. Angel Eyes and Broken Wings were both fantastic novels, and I have eagerly awaited this conclusion of Brielle's story.

Let's review: Brielle is the girl who can see beyond the Celestial veil and into the world of angels and demons. She and her friend Jake, who also has a special gift from God, found themselves targets of the enemy's forces in "Broken Wings," and the ending of that book set the stage for a final showdown over the town of Stratus, and hinted that Jake and Brielle would come face to face with the Prince of Darkness himself.

"Dark Halo" picks up only hours after the previous book leaves off. Brielle must pray and wait for instructions while worrying about Jake's fate. When word comes from the Throne Room, Brielle sets off on an adventure that does lead her into a conversation with Satan. He has an offer for her: he can make her unsee the spiritual realm if only she will wear his halo. When the battle for Stratus arrives and the lives of her loved ones are at stake, will Brielle be able to hold to the truth and resist the temptation to give up her angel eyes?

One thing I love about these books is how human the characters are. Brielle has come so far and learned so much, but she still gets conflicted over the hard things that God allows even in His perfect faithfulness. I can strongly relate to Jake's need to do something in times of crisis. On page 234 it says of Jake: "Having the ability to act, to do, to fix, frees him from [fear]." That sounds like me! It's when I'm unable to do something that I get discouraged and fearful.

I only had one issue with this book. Jesus Christ was never mentioned or even alluded to. While stressing the importance of prayer and worship as vital battle tactics, and mentioning the Bible more than the previous two books, I thought it a big mistake to leave out our Prince of Peace. It is only through Him and His blood that we are even able to take part in the fight against evil! There is talk of God, His will, and how He will always triumph over darkness, but there was a very definite void where Christ is concerned. While I want to believe that Shannon Dittemore left Him out because, as she explains in a recent blog post on her blog, the enormity of God often leaves her without words. Another part of  me wonders if it wasn't an intentional omission to make the book more accessible to the general public. Nothing would be so offensive to them as a mention of Jesus Christ. I can't tell you why Shannon wrote it that way, but I would encourage every reader to keep Jesus in mind. He is key!

This book did make me want to be more aware of the spiritual world around me. I want to pray more, to worship more, in order to make more of a difference in this world. We too often forget how real that battle is. Thank you to authors like Shannon who come along every now and then to remind us to be alert and not passive bystanders in the fight.

I review for BookSneeze®


I received my copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this honest review. All opinions are my own.



Spiritual warfare is happening over the town of Stratus, Oregon, in this much-anticipated sequel to one of my favorite books of 2012, "Angel Eyes." The Prince of Darkness is after Brielle, the girl who can see through the celestial veil into the world of angels. He's also hunting Jake, Brielle's boyfriend, on whom God has bestowed the gift of healing. Once again we're in for heavenly battles as good fights against evil.

It was such a joy to see how much Brielle has grown from one book to another. Having only become a Christian towards the end of "Angel Eyes," it's wonderful to see her memorizing Scripture, praying, and learning to sing her redemption song in order to fight the dark forces of the enemy. But now she's having disturbing nightmares - or are they visions? - and is unsure how to deal with them.

Jake, one of the steadiest characters of the first book, is fighting an inner fear. I enjoyed reading his struggle, as I felt it very realistic for anyone who tries to follow the directions of the Throne Room of God. They often seem confusing to our human mind! Sometimes God does have us start something and then tells us to finish it is not His will, and that is what Jake is terrified of.

We're introduced to a new angelic character in this story. Pearla is a cherub, a small angel spy. A friend of Michael the archangel, she carefully watches the enemy and reports what she discovers to the leader of the heavenly host. She proves a valuable asset as the long battle unfolds.

Many characters return, including Marco and Kaylee, who are about to learn the full truth about what Jake and Brielle can do. Brielle's father is having a very difficult time, falling back on the drinking that has caused him problems in the past. A strong reaction from Canaan's halo and an angelic disturbance at Brielle's mother's grave set a series of events in motion to uncover the past and set up a compelling story for the final installment of this trilogy, coming out in August 2013. I can hardly wait!

"Broken Wings" will be available at bookstores everywhere on February 19, and is available now for preorder. I would definitely recommend reading "Angel Eyes" first, and then diving straight into this engaging second installment. What will stick with me most from this story is how our prayers, our worship, our faith impact the unseen world around us. We know that with our heads, but being able to see it so beautifully brought to life gives us new understanding. I am on board with the truths Shannon is drawing out in this series!

I review for BookSneeze®

I received my copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for this honest review. All opinions are my own.
2012 held so many good books. This was a hard list to compile. Please click on any of the titles below to read my original review!

Historical Fiction
The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen

Fans of Downton Abbey will love this story. The wealthy Margaret Macy must pretend to be a lowly housemaid to avoid the unscrupulous man her stepfather plans to force her to marry.

Young Adult Fiction
Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore

Brielle Matthews is frozen with fear and grief after her best friend's murder. She slowly becomes aware of the spiritual battle around her, angels and demons in combat over the souls of men. Amazing.

Contemporary Fiction
Right Where I Belong by Krista McGee

Although this is actually a young adult title, it was the best of all the contemporary setting books I read. Natalia is 17 and her father is divorcing for the third time. Deciding to leave her home in Spain to go with her stepmother to Florida, she must adjust to a new country, new friends, and a new school, as well as all the decisions reaching adulthood brings.

Speculative Fiction
H2O by Austin Boyd and Brannon Hollingsworth

The Ice Queen, Kate Pepper, is devoted to her life of business. Her world is shattered when she begins having visions, sparked by contact with water, of a Living God who desires a personal relationship with her. The imagery in this novel is outstanding!

Non-Fiction
By Faith, Not By Sight by Scott MacIntyre

A finalist on Season 8 of "American Idol," Scott is a musician who was born blind. This is primarily the story of his struggle with kidney failure and the road God took him on to overcome many obstacles in order to fulfill his dreams. I would recommend this book for everyone!

Classic Literature
Sanditon by Jane Austen

This was an Austen I'd never read, and was truly a treat for this longtime fan. I thought the author who finished it did a fantastic job and gave a wonderful gift to Janeites all over the world.

Angel Eyes cover

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.

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