Broken Wings

Angel Eyes #2

by Shannon Dittemore

Giant angels with metal wings and visible song. A blind demon restored from the pit of darkness. And a girl who has never felt more broken.

Brielle sees the world as it really is: a place where the Celestial exists side by side with human reality. But in the aftermath of a supernatural showdown, her life begins to crumble. Her boyfriend, Jake, is keeping something from her—something important. Her overprotective father has started drinking again. He’s dating a much younger woman who makes Brielle’s skin crawl, and he’s downright hostile toward Jake. Haunting nightmares keep Brielle from sleeping, and flashes of Celestial vision keep her off kilter.

What she doesn’t know is that she’s been targeted. The Prince of Darkness himself has heard of the boy with healing in his hands and of the girl who sees through the Terrestrial Veil. When he plucks the blind demon, Damien, from the fiery chasm and sends him back to Earth with new eyes, the stage is set for a cataclysmic battle of good versus evil.

Then Brielle unearths the truth about her mother’s death and she must question everything she ever thought was true.

Brielle has no choice. She knows evil forces are converging and will soon rain their terror down upon the town of Stratus. She must master the weapons she’s been given. She must fight.

But can she fly with broken wings?

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Christian Fiction, Angels, Romance, Paranormal, Christian

314 pages, Paperback

First published February 19, 2013

About the author

Shannon Dittemore is an author and speaker. Her books include the Angel Eyes trilogy, a supernatural foray into the realm of angels and demons, as well as the fantastical adventure novel Winter, White and Wicked. A sequel to the latter is expected in the fall of 2022.

Shannon's stories often feature strong female leads grappling with fear and faith as they venture into the wilds of the unknown. She’s often wondered if she’s writing her own quest for bravery again and again.

It’s a choice she values highly. Bravery. And she’s never more inspired than when young people ball up their fist and punch fear in the face.

To that end, Shannon frequently offers mentoring tracks at a local school where she provides junior high and high school students with an introduction to writing and the publishing industry. Tools she hopes will enable them to use their voice in new and powerful ways.

Together with authors Stephanie Morrill and Jill Williamson, she encourages young writers online at Go Teen Writers, an instructional blog recognized by Writer’s Digest four years running as a "101 Best Websites for Writers" selection.

Shannon is represented by Holly Root of Root Literary.

Reviews

[R.F. Gammon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felt like there was a lot of middle book syndrome here but I’ll definitely be finishing the series because I am invested in these characters on another level

[Rissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Broken wings 3.25⭐️

I really enjoyed seeing pearlas perspective on everything. Pulling us back and froth between hell and earth made the story more interesting and intense at times.

[Celestria · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ½ stars 🌟

Idk, I wasn't into this one as much as Angel Eyes

[Zac · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a review for the entire Angel Eyes trilogy

This series was absolutely amazing. My mind was (and still is) totally blown away. I'd heard good things about it before, but I never really took it to heart. But now I wish I had. My copy of Angel Eyes sat on my shelf, gathering dust, for almost two years before I actually read it. *shame* *head desk* Better late than never though, right?

Okay, so here's the short version: The Angel Eyes trilogy oozes with uniqueness, gorgeous prose, flawless writing, and characters so real you feel what they feel, hear what they hear, see what they see (or rather, don't see). Shannon Dittemore has really outdone herself with this debut trilogy. Not to be missed, and highly recommended!

Now for the long version. I will be breaking it down by reviewing (somewhat) briefly each book individually. Okay *rubs hands together* here we go.

ANGEL EYES

Whoa. *grasps for reality* THIS BOOK. I think it's my favorite of the entire trilogy. It just has the first-book adrenaline, you know? I said it before, but this book sat on my shelf for nearly two years before I read it, and that is one of my biggest regrets. I could have discovered this series so much sooner !!! Gah!!!

So, here we're introduced to Brielle, an 18-year-old professional dancer who's coming back home to Stratus, Oregon after a tragic event her pregnant friend Ali was brutally murdered Her life is crumbling around her, and emotions are on the fritz.

In comes Jake. The overly friendly and uncomfortably attractive guy who's really hot. But not "hot" hot. Heat literally pulses off his body. Brielle can feel it without even touching him. Why is he so warm?

Fast forward a little bit. A creepy guy named Damien HE'S A DEMON, LOOK OUT BRIELLE! enters Stratus, Jake's guardian Canaan is an angel, and Brielle has obtained a glowing halo that makes her see into the Celestial, an angelic, heavenly realm. Things are getting pretty whacky. Then comes Marco Ali's supposed killer. Now things are seriously ballistic. And the story is full-blown addicting from thereon out.

I found no flaw with Angel Eyes. It was, to me, about the closest a novel could get to perfection. I never wanted to stop turning the pages; my attention was always gripped the moment I cracked the spine till I closed the back flap. Encore! 5 stars to Angel Eyes.

BROKEN WINGS

Fast forward about six(?) months. All is well in Stratus, in the Celestial, and in Brielle's life. Her and Jake's relationship has bloomed into something beautiful. Brielle hasn't loved anyone more in her life; she wouldn't trade what she had with him for the world.

Well, this book starts out pretty happy--and actually stays that way, surprisingly. Only a few bumps in the road (a mysterious woman that rubs Brielle the wrong way named Olivia Holt has come into town, and Brielle's dad is drinking again) keep this from being a fluffy read.

Then we get to about page 30. No, I'm kidding. But seriously. Gigantic angels called Sabres have come down from heaven, and they're tearing down the Veil between the Celestial (angelic realm) and Terrestrial (earthly realm). Their worship and song is beautiful, but what will happen once the Veil tears and the realms collide?

And to add onto that, Damien and the Prince of Darkness himself (Satan) are after Brielle and Jake for their supernatural gifts.

I really didn't care for the ending. A cliffhanger, but not an emotionally gripping one. It literally just left you hanging. Almost like this book and Dark Halo were originally one book, and were separated to make a trilogy. Hmm.

Altogether, I didn't enjoy Broken Wings as much as Angel Eyes, but it was still fantastic nonetheless. Dittemore's writing remained punchy yet musical, and the characters and situations felt real as ever. Bravo! 4.5 stars to Broken Wings.

DARK HALO

Book 3. The finale. As soon I cracked open the spine, I could my heart strings being tugged. This was it. The ending to the trilogy I'd read throughout the summer. It was very bittersweet.

Dark Halo picks up right where Broken Wings left off. Jake and Brielle have been separated--Brielle in Stratus, Jake taken by Damien to the Prince of Darkness. Brielle is heartbroken, desperate to have her true love back. Her faith that's grown so strong throughout the series is dwindling. She's losing hope. What if she and Jake were never meant to be together after all? there is a subplot involving this throughout the trilogy and it is. Heart. Breaking.

But then Brielle receives instructions from the Throne Room (the place where all instructions, etc., comes from in Heaven) that lead her to Jake.

So Brielle and her best friend Kaylee (who I've failed to mention up to this point it seems) hit the road, intent on rescuing Jake.

But they're walking right into a trap. Now Brielle is stranded in a desert with Satan himself. And he's offering her another halo--a mirrored ring that will destroy her Celestial vision.

Will Brielle trade the beauty of the Celestial to taste the feeling of being ordinary again?

Okay, enough summary. This was probably my least favorite book in the trilogy (but holy hot sauce, definitely my favorite cover! I MEAN LOOK AT IT!). There wasn't anything wrong with it, I just prefer it least overall. Maybe it's the grimness of the story? I don't know. It was still a marvelous book.

And the ending. Well, more like the last 50 pages.

PERFECTION.

It really was. The way everything came together i.e. Jake and Ali are twins! What?!?! was just mind blowing, and the way everyone came out redeemed...it was beautiful.

And the way Brielle (and the others, kind of) defeated Satan was so emotional, so inspiring, heroic, and beautiful. How many times have I used the word "beautiful" in this review? Probably way too many, but that word alone just sums up this entire trilogy. Outstanding! 4.5 stars to Dark Halo.

Okay, so now I just want to briefly sum up some of my favorite things about all three books.

-The writing. Obviously.
-The humor. So many times I snickered or busted out laughing. Shannon has a great sense of humor!
-The characters. Again, obviously. But rather than Brielle or Jake being my favorite characters this time (though their journeys were both so, so beautiful), Kaylee takes the spot as my favorite. She grew so much throughout the trilogy, and she is hilarious! I love her so much. Everyone should have a friend like Kaylee.
-The faith. I don't even know if I should call it that. Spiritual relationship sounds better to me! It was so real. So inspiring. They way all the characters grew in or discovered God...it was like it was happening right in front of me. GAH! THIS SERIES, GUYS!

So. Overall? This is a trilogy I'll be reading over and over again. My only regret is not reading it earlier. Then maybe I could've enjoyed it more! I give all three books my highest recommendation. I hope you all read this trilogy one day!

[Henrietta · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story began a few months after the warehouse incident in Angel Eyes.

New characters were introduced and it seemed that Brielle’s life was spiraling downward. Her dad started drinking and seeing a young woman. Jake appeared to be hiding something and it didn’t really help when Brielle could see fear forming and dripping from Jake’s chest with her supernatural sight. Not only were the waking hours challenging, Brielle also experienced horrendous nightmares when she slept at night. As Brielle struggled with what she could do to keep herself and her life together, demons showed up in Stratus and something in the past started haunting Brielle in the most unimaginable way. Could Brielle find peace and strength in this tumultuous time?

I enjoyed reading this installment. The pacing is fast and consistent and I had an easy time connecting with the main characters. Jake and Brielle continue to experience things that would challenge their faith and I like that their problems are relatable. I could see myself standing in their position questioning about free will and destiny. I empathized on what Jake had to go through. Who wouldn’t feel fear when what you surely believed was yours was being taken away? At the same time, I found Brielle growing to become braver, stronger and bolder. I liked the way she went about finding answers to things that she didn’t comprehend and I enjoyed how her honesty helped her establish firm friendship with those close to her.

Catching glimpses of how powerful the angels could be, I was a little shocked when the demons seemed to have gained the upper-hand towards the end. I like how the story touches on destiny and divine intervention, and I’ll be eagerly waiting on the final installment, Dark Halo, when it comes out in August 2013.

--
Originally posted on Leisure Reads.

A copy of the book was provided by publisher for review purposes.

[Jill Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review by Jill Williamson

Brielle and Jake are growing closer, but her father doesn’t like it—doesn’t seem to like Jake at all. Brielle is certain it’s because of Jake’s faith, but there seems to be something more that her father isn’t saying. And then her dad starts dating Olivia. Brielle doesn't approve. It’s just a feelings she has. But feelings aren't enough to convince her dad of anything, so all she can do is stand by and watch… and pick up the pieces if things go bad.

Meanwhile, Jake still doesn't know why the ring has vanished from the wooden chest. He hasn't told Brielle that it’s missing, either, and she can tell that he’s keeping something from her. And unbeknownst to Brielle or Jake, Damien in hunting them both, hoping to take the boy who heals and the girl who sees to his master. The Sabres are coming. And Brielle learns more about the reoccurring nightmare she’s been having, and it’s leading Jake and her closer to something big.

I couldn't put it down! This is a fantastical story of Biblical proportions and yet Dittemore make it feel so real. Brielle learns that faith isn't a quick fix. That tough times still come. And the ending… Gah! You’ll be desperate for book three once you close this one.

This is one of my favorite new series. Dittemore has accomplished a rare feat with Broken Wings: she’s written a sequel that’s as good as/better than book one. Beautiful, romantic, and fascinating. I couldn't stop reading this enthralling page-turner. I’ll be the first one in line for book three.

[Rampion · Rating 5 out of 5]

AAHHH! I am going to have to start on book 3, like, TODAY! This ended on a sort of cliffhanger, so I'll have to read book 3 soon. This book was beautiful, amazing, AGGHH! Already I love this trilogy! I don't know what to say, except, READ THIS SERIES, LIKE RIGHT RIGHT NOW!!!

Clean rating: some bloody fights.

[Shantelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughts to come! Looking forward to reading Dark Halo now!

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Thomas Nelson publishers and Netgalley.)
This is book 2 in the ‘Angel Eyes’ series, and kicks off not long after the end of book 1.
After the show down at the end of book 1, Brielle is still living with the halo protecting her and warding off nightmares, and Jake is also doing his best to protect her. They now attend church regularly, much to Brielle’s father’s disappointment, and Brielle continues to see ‘the celestial’ when she wears the halo on her head, and can also see people’s fears as black goo surrounding them.

There are problems in store for Brielle from both of her parents though, (yes, even her dead mother), along with the introduction of her father’s new girlfriend Olivia, and there’s also issues surrounding the exposure of the halo to two of Brielle’s friends.

The threat of Damien is still unending though, even after the events at the end of book 1, and Brielle and Jake are constantly waiting for him to reappear and make his next move.
How will Brielle’s powers evolve? What is going on with her mother? And when will Damien be back?


Parts of this book I liked and other parts I didn’t. Some parts were good, and the story seemed to be progressing, other parts were just slow and dragged. The religious parts were okay to an extent, but were very OTT in other places, and some of the bits with the ‘cherubic spy’ very just confusing. I also had some problems remembering what happened in the first instalment, and there wasn’t much of a recap, especially as the story went straight in to demons and hell and stuff.

In my opinion there is a lot more religion in this book than the first. The first 10% and the last 10% of the book are especially heavy on this, with scenes from the point of view of a ‘cherubic spy’. Both Brielle and Jake are now big church-goers, and there’s quite a lot of discussion about praying and reading the bible and stuff. Jake even goes so far as to tell Brielle that ‘scripture is like acid to fear’, and that by using the halo and praying, she can rid people of their fear.
While I try to be fairly open to religious ideas and beliefs, occasionally I do find myself rolling my eyes at such things. I probably just don’t understand the terminology, but what exactly is Jake telling Brielle to do? Is she supposed to just quote the bible or something to destroy the black goo that is how she sees people’s fear?
One of the very few funny moments in this book though was when Brielle told her friend Kay that her current plan for getting them out of the demonic situation they were in was to pray, and Kay replied
“That’s it. That’s all? I’m going to text and you’re going to pray?”, “No offence, Elle, but that’s a crappy plan.”
I’m glad somebody had the guts to say it!

Brielle has more parental problems in this book, even her dead mother is causing problems, and her father’s drinking is becoming a real issue too, not to mention his new girlfriend (who the halo dislikes). The fact that her father also has a problem with Jake doesn’t help either. Whether this is purely a dad vs. boyfriend sort of thing, or a dad vs. god sort of thing as Brielle suggest I‘m not sure. Either way, this animosity doesn’t help Brielle and Jakes relationship.

This book is told from some different viewpoints; Brielle (first person), Jake (third person), Pearla (a cherubic spy?)(third person), which is a little different to what I expected. This method of storytelling worked, but I think some people might find this a little difficult to grasp, especially as I know some people don’t like switching perspectives, or changes from first to third person.

The ending of this book leaves us with a bit of a cliff-hanger, and loads of stuff to be resolved in the final instalment. Right now, I want to know what happens to Brielle and Jake, but I’m not desperately waiting for the next book either.

Overall; this is a YA paranormal novel, which has a firm basis in Christianity. If you like Christian YA books, I’m pretty sure that you will love this, if you’re not a big fan of books with religion, I’d say it’s probably best to steer clear of this series. If like me, you’ve read the first book and liked it, then it’s probably worth reading this one to continue the series, but this book really will not be for everyone. If you were put off by the religion in the first book, then don’t expect this one to be better.
6.75 out of 10.

[Kathleen (Kat) Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sabres.

"I look more carefully at the angels before us. They're larger than any I've seen before, and brighter. I count them on approach - a dozen - and then I watch them, trying to understand their movements. Light curls around them, tendrils of incense rising into the sky.

"What are they doing?" Jake asks.

"They're worshiping," I say awestruck.

Is there a rhyme or reason to where they've positioned themselves? Some of them kneel, some of them stand staggered across the rock, but the one thing they all seem to have in common is their wings. They're metallic. Not just in color, but in their very construction, it seems. I have an inexplicable need to reach out and touch them, to run my fingers over a single feather.

"They're huge," Jake says. "How tall are they, Canaan?"

"Eight, nine feet." There's no mistaking the amusement in his voice.

We're close now, so close that I can see that touching a Sabre's wing may be the fastest way to lose an arm. I set to examining the nearest one. He's gigantic, like Jake said. And his eyes are pure white, trademark white. Like Canaan's. Like Helene's. He has the celestial gaze of one who'd lay down his life for another. His skin, too, is white, so white it looks almost silver. His muscled arms and chest make Canaan look trim. But as much as I can find things to admire about his physique, it's his wings that so separate him from any other angel I've seen.

Their beauty is staggering, their design inexplicable. Where I expect to see rows and rows of snowy white feathers, one blade lies on top of another - thousands of them - sharp and glistening silver. I can't help but compare each and every one of them to the dagger that pierced my chest this past December. To the instrument of death that bled me dry on a rooftop.

Yet these blades are pristine, polished, organic even. The Sabre adjusts them and they ripple, a trilling tune making its way to my ears. His kinsmen do the same, and the skies fill with music. Loud, warlike, with a tremor of delicate strings woven through it. It's unlike anything I've ever heard. My throat tightens with emotion, and I gasp again and again."

In the second book in the Angel Eyes Trilogy, author Shannon Dittemore pulls back the celestial veil once more to reveal the spiritual realm in her novel Broken Wings. Brielle has been given a unique gift and it's just that gift that has her the target of the darkness in spiritual realm. Now the Palatine, a demonic army is on the move and is now looking to find Brielle and Jake, two humans who have been gifted with divine powers. They now have to do whatever they can to stay one step ahead of the enemy and one they can't risk telling anyone about. After all, how many people do you know that have the ability to see angels and demons when they remain invisible to everyone else?

The author picks up just where we left off in the debut novel Angel Eyes, and Brielle is just coming to terms with the fact she is now the wanted by the demonic army. She has been given a unique gift of being one of God's redeemed and thus her supernatural gift that before she was only able to use when holding an angelic halo. Now her vision is being honed in a remarkable way and she soon learns that prayers and scripture memorization have more power than she ever imagined. Will she be able to save those she loves while she learns something about her past that my break more than her spirit?

I received Broken Wings by Shannon Dittemore compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Tours for my honest review. I have not received any monetary compensation for a favorable review. I simply live for books like these since reading my first "Darkness" book from Frank Peretti! Shannon takes that a step further endowing her characters with a sense of frailty even though that have spiritual gifts that most of us would die to have. They fail to realize that the real power doesn't come from their gifts but from the God who created them and until they apply those same spiritual principles that are available to all of us, they remain weak despite their talents. I rate this one another 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to pick up Dark Halo that comes on in late 2013. I would highly recommend that you read, Angel Eyes before picking this one up or you will be completely lost at the concepts discussed that make this book so incredible to inhale.

[Jane Maree · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect sequel for Angel Eyes that I was hoping for! I have so many emotions on finishing this story and I'm not even sure what to do with them all.

It was so cool to see some of the characters growing even more, and taking a larger role. The relationships were so complex and so real.

Also the plot twists which I 100% saw coming, but they still slay me anyway.

Spoiler note on the romance: It makes me so sad when book two of a trilogy makes the characters' romance go all murky and hard and they kind of hate each other half the time. And reading the blurb for this had me worried it would turn out like that, but then it didn't! And I'm very happy! There was a few moments, but it wasn't as hardcore as I was dreading and I'm so pleased.

The ending has left me dead, and so so ready to start the finale!!

[Ronie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dittemore breaks the norm by IMPROVING on her debut YA novel, Angel Eyes. I loved Broken Wings more, and thought she really pushed herself and the characters. LOVE LOVE this series! So glad Shannon took the plunge of faith to write these stories. They so needed to be told!

[Laurie Treacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am always on the look-out for books about angels. They have become one of my favorite otherworldly creatures. I jumped at the chance to host the Broken Wings tour and I'm glad I did. I found the beginning of Angel Eyes a bit slow going as I tried to figure out what was going on with Brielle and why she was so sad and felt guilty about a friend's death. One thing I will mention is how tired I am of the new kid at school and the main character sharing this instant connection with as it turns into, most of the times, insta-love. I understand love at first sight and chemistry, I just don't think it happens as frequently in real life as it does in YA today (steps away from podium).

The angel lore the author created in Angel Eyes was alluring. The world of angels and demons and the questions about good, evil, faith and conviction made for an inspiring read. Shannon Dittemore's amiable descriptions and graceful prose, along with the mystery of what happened in Brielle's past, kept me reading. The pace picked up and having another narrator in third person along with Brielle's first person POV helped gain me perspective as the story unfurled. The addition of some surprise twists and turns made me reach for the next book.

Luckily, I had Broken Wings on my e-reader and dove into with ease. First off, the tag line had my fingers itching to get reading. I actually enjoyed this story more than the first. Since the foundation was laid in Angel Eyes, the author really packed the story in Broken Wings. We learn more about the Sabres, celestial beings, and adoration as the war draws closer. Brielle's unique sight and those nightmares add to the tension. Brielle and Jake have to a lot more adversity to face as Damien pursues them. Brielle's dad is not a fan of Jake's, especially since the guy has secrets of his own. Her dad has more of a presence here as he gets to date Olivia, his drinking becomes problematic, and a secret from his past is revealed. Brielle's friend, Kaylee, is another character I liked and her tendency to voice my thoughts made her a fast favorite.

There were some slow parts and as a reader I do get used to them--we need to rest too! We are privy to more of the goings-on through Jake and Pearla's third person pov. This is Christian fiction and there was more of a religious atmosphere here. The cliffhanger ending created more questions which I hope are resolved in the third and final installment in the series, Dark Halo. Overall, I enjoyed both books of the Angel Eyes trilogy and recommend this YA series to fans of angel books.
(Dual review for blog tour: http://www.readergirlsblog.com/2013/0...)

[Tricia Mingerink · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one, but perhaps not as much as the first one. Don't know why. Perhaps because the plot didn't seem to have the drive and clear goal that the first one did?

Still, it was an enjoyable book and set up a lot of stuff that came up BIG in book 3.

I listened to the audio version of it, and the narrator is excellent.

[Just · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm absolutely loving this series. I can't wait to start book three, Dark Halo! This story has really opened my eyes to a world that I already believed in, but never thought about how it covered my surroundings.

[JoJo Sutis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!!! Could not put this one down!!! And ended with such a cliffhanger!!! Check out my full video review here... http://youtu.be/4nZYlBFUzqs

[Grace Brazell]

OMIGOSH THIS HAD BETTER HURRY UP AND GET ITS BUTT OUT SO THAT I CAN DEVOUR IT.

[Hannah Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay… and here is the cliffhanger to rival the previous one.

Broken Wings was the perfect continuation of Angel Eyes. It’s exciting to see Brielle growing into the faith aspects, and worshipping and putting her trust in God. I LOVED all the times when they were in danger, and Jake would just start praying out loud or spouting out Scripture over the situation. Can I marry him?

I can’t say I loved the tension between them because of the secret Jake was keeping, but then, it really wasn’t near as angsty or dramatic as other books I’ve read, and they are indeed teenagers, and it was indeed pretty significant, so I will cut them some slack. It wasn’t so bad that I ever sat back and rolled my eyes or ranted to my siblings. (Yes, take pity on my poor siblings.)

I loved the way we got to see some side characters develop, although goodness, Brielle’s dad was a train wreck in this book. It was interesting that rather than using Damien’s perspective, as she did in the first book, Dittemore created a cherubic angel who was a spy amidst the demons. I appreciated seeing things through Pearla’s eyes, and it was so sweet when she got to pitch in.

But also… I need book three. And *sobs* my library has ceased its Hoopla subscription (can’t blame them… it’s expensive), so I shan’t be able to listen to the audiobook. I’ll have to get it somehow… I can’t be left on this cliffhanger!

I read this book of my own free will, courtesy of my local library, and all the above thoughts are entirely my own. 😊

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jake and Brielle's story continues in this second installment of the Angel Eyes Trilogy. "Once you’ve seen, you can’t unsee. Everything changes when you’ve looked at the world through . . .ANGEL EYES." That is the first line of the synopsis of book one, Angel Eyes, and I think it describes Brielle better than any words I could write, because that is exactly what Brielle can do. It is her gift. She is able to see into the celestial realm with her own eyes, into the realm of angels and demons. At first she was only able to do this with the special halo that Jake gave her, but now, it is happening without it, and it is happening a lot more frequently. Jake is special also, he has the gift of healing hands, hands that have been used to save Brielle's life. Jake also lives with his Shield, which some of us would refer to as our "guardian angel," but the Shield's assignment entails much more. Canaan, Jake's Shield, is an angel that can also take on human form. He has raised Jake since he was a small child. Brielle also has a Shield, and her name is Helen. Helen doesn't live with Brielle and only was assigned to her after she met Jake and discovered her gift, but she would do anything to protect her.

Jake and Brielle thought the threat from the demon Damien was over when he was sentenced to the pit at the end of book one, but is very far from that. In fact, not only is Damien still after them with the approval of Lucifer himself, there is also a great battle going on in the heavenlies that is taking place over the city of Stratus itself. With the presence of magnificent beings called Sabres, who have metallic knife-like wings and posses song as their fiercest weapon, things begin to really heat up in Stratus. Brielle's mother's grave is desecrated revealing a secret that her father and others have kept from her for years. Her dad has started drinking again, and that is getting out of hand, and to top it all of Jake, who she never thought would lie to her, has been keeping the truth about what was in a sacred chest from her, though he did it only to protect her. When Jake receives a clue about his family and who they might really be, Brielle encourages him to check it out. While he is gone, everything in the celestial world crescendos as evil beings called the Palatines arrive over Stratus, and Damien reveals himself to Brielle in a last ditch effort to capture both her and Jake. With a little Angelic help, Jake manages to get back to Stratus, to Brielle, but Damien is persistent and won't let up. Meanwhile, the Sabres are battling on the side of heaven, while the Palatines are battling on the side of hell, and right in the middle of this battle are two teenagers, Jake and Brielle. One side is trying to protect them, while the other is trying to abduct them. What they don't realize, is that these two teens have more power than all of these supernatural beings combined. It is the power and song of the redeemed, and only humans are capable of possessing it. When Brielle is loses everything she loves, it is up to her to use it, but will she be strong enough, or will she give into doubt and the fear that threaten to consume her?

I really enjoyed this book. It has a lot of emphasis on God and Church, but this is the core message of the book, so that is expected. Jake and Brielle continue to pursue their faith in God, and also try to figure out their instructions from the throne room about what they need to do next. I really love Jake, he is so swoon-worthy and he loves Brielle so much, to the point he wouldn't hesitate giving his life for her. I liked Brielle to. She has been through so much, yet she perseveres. We get to see more of Marco in this book, and are also introduced to a new character, Olivia, who Brielle is not crazy about, but is an intricate part of the puzzle they are trying to solve. Shannon Dittemore has done an excellent job with her world building, creating a celestial world that rivals even the best of high fantasy fiction novels. Personally, I found it all fascinating. The romance between Jake and Brielle is sweet and adds a lot to the story also.

The one quote that touched me the most in the entire novel causing me to look at Brielle in a whole new way, occurred when she was at her lowest moment. She had lost everything, none of her questions were being answered, and she was totally broken. Yet she says, and I quote, ".....then I stand as the tendrils of sound and light surround me. I breathe in and let the music take me. I let myself dance. I may not have the confidence to sing my redemption song, but I can wield it anyway. My arms and legs can fight even when I don't have the courage to move my mouth. The orchard doesn't provide the easiest dance floor, but my heart doesn't care.........Even though everything I love has been taken.....I'm broken, but here in the red orchard, surrounded by the sweet smell of worship, I raise my hands above my head, and I believe."

I found that statement absolutely beautiful. I really enjoyed this book, if you have a problem with religiously based books, then this may not be for you. Personally, I don't. I believe in God, in heaven, and in hell, and I like to think that there is more to heaven that just sitting on a cloud playing a harp for eternity. Shannon Dittemore really gives you something to think about, and I would pick her heaven over the retirement cloud in the sky any day. I recently read an interview by Miranda Kelly, the author of Catching Jordan, Stealing Parker, and Things I Can't Forget, books which also contain a lot about faith and God. She was talking about her upcoming release and said, "Things I Can't Forget is all about learning to have your own beliefs, but learning to respect the beliefs of others as well." That sentence says a mouthful and very profound. It is a nugget of wisdom I think everyone good glean from. I know I did, and I ended up really enjoying Broken Wings, and I am really looking forward to seeing how the series concludes in the next book, Dark Halo.

[Angela Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Told through beautiful language and creative imagery, "Broken Wings" by Shannon Dittemore is a truly unique story with multifaceted characterization. Brielle and Jake are heroic as well as flawed, which makes them feel all the more real. But it's the supernatural characters that really make this book shine! I love how Dittemore created the different ranks of angels—the guardian Shields, the undercover Cherubs, the worshiping/warring Sabres, etc. I also like how the demons and their prince are described as "dripping with fear."

I highly recommend this series for those looking for a page-turning and poignant read.

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this YA Novel that reminds me a bit of Frank Peretti's "This present Darkness"' for a new generation. I think we all need the reminder that there is more than what we can see with our eyes. I'd recommend it for older teens and adults. For some reason I didn't find this and the first in the series as scary as Frank Peretti's books . I'd say the first in the series was darker subject matter than this one.

[JJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follows the first book very well, picks up where you left off and it's very exciting. To be honest I still loved the first book more, probably because it's the first one I read and I wasn't able to grab this book for a while so I've read book 1 more but this one is still very good and the writing reminds me a bit of a more mild Ted Dekker, you feel the suspense and excitement, but in a way that if you read it at night you don't have to have a light on.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though this book also had clear religious overtones, it really expanded on the characters and events from the first book. This book was packed with plenty of well-connected plot points, but it seems that many questions were left unanswered for the final book in the series!

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed

[Alisha Brook · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

[~Jennifer~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Nicolette Remi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not gonna lie, this series just keeps getting better. Plus it's a quick and easy read, highly recommend.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Jenny Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

[Katherina Kunz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the emotions and the situations that this book dealt with. It was all handled with so much grace, and even with the ending it doesn’t feel hopeless which is something I really appreciate.