Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore

Isn't this cover pretty?

Several years ago, Brielle left her small Oregon hometown and her widowed dad to pursue ballet stardom. Now, after the murder of her best friend, she's come home to await the murderer's trial. Although she feels disengaged from most of her old friends, a newcomer, Jake, makes her feel inexplicably safe again. Then a late-night encounter in the woods proves that Jake is more than he appears. Before long, Brielle learns the true natures of Jake and his guardian, and her eyes are (literally) opened to the Celestial, a spiritual realm that she never knew existed. The more she learns, the closer she gets to the truth of what happened to her friend – and the discovery of her own gifts and purpose in life.

Boiled down to its elements, this novel is Twilight meets Frank Peretti's This Present Darkness (which I read multiple times as a teenager). But it has its own interesting complexities, as well as a sense of humor (Dittemore throws in a few winks at Twilight to show you she's in on it). This novel successfully conveys a faith message without being mega-cheesy or pushy. Like Peretti's novel, it reminded me of the invisible spiritual battles that are probably happening all around us. It's a good addition to the growing Christian YA genre. I enjoyed it and will look for the sequels. 3.5 stars!

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