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Wings
As if being a teenage girl wasn't hard enough already, Isabelle Parke has a significant other burden on her shoulders. Ever since a car crash killed both of Isabelle's parents and sister, she has been struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, 'friends' who don't stop talking about the fateful Accident, plummeting grades, a (stupid) therapist and a cranky adoptive aunt. So when Isabelle finds a guardian angel sitting in her bedroom, she just assumes he's another one of the side effects from the Accident. The angel introduces himself as Jophiel, assigned by God to help Isabelle accept and get over what happened to her. Again, totally PTSD. However, Jophiel begins doing things that no figment of imagination can: picking out tasteful outfits, bantering with Isabelle, and actually helping her when others cannot. Isabelle comes to realize that whether Jophiel is actually her guardian angel or she really is crazy, her life will never be the same.
- GenresFantasy
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 2014
23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 18, 2019
Olivia–I loved swapping books with you! It was so much fun.
Wings is a well-written novel that I would recommend to anyone who's looking for a beautiful, emotional read. The storyline is simple in retrospect, but the characters are so lifelike that you'll feel like you're actually living in their world, which is one of the things I like the most when I read a book. The layers of the plot were wonderful as well.
I loved how Scott talked about mental health positively instead of painting it as an "aesthetic", which does, unfortunately, happen in some books. I do wish the author had expanded a little more on Isabelle, however.
Overall, I really enjoyed Wings and the plot twist near the end helped deliver a powerful ending. 4.5 out of 5 stars!
Wings is a well-written novel that I would recommend to anyone who's looking for a beautiful, emotional read. The storyline is simple in retrospect, but the characters are so lifelike that you'll feel like you're actually living in their world, which is one of the things I like the most when I read a book. The layers of the plot were wonderful as well.
I loved how Scott talked about mental health positively instead of painting it as an "aesthetic", which does, unfortunately, happen in some books. I do wish the author had expanded a little more on Isabelle, however.
Overall, I really enjoyed Wings and the plot twist near the end helped deliver a powerful ending. 4.5 out of 5 stars!
May 9, 2020
Wings is a story about dealing PTSD and overcoming trials in your life. Isabelle has help dealing with the loss of her family through the help of a guardian angel named Jophiel.
It's been a very long time since I've read a book about angels/guardian angels, so it was very nice to revisit the topic. I also enjoyed reading a book about a protagonist who has a twin as I myself am a twin. It made Isabelle's loss that much more heartbreaking to me.
As far as the character personalities and development, I wasn't a huge fan of Isabelle. Her personality was a little all over the place. especially when she was angry. It made her not very likable up until the very end.
The guardian angel, Jophiel was a lot more consistent in his character. I enjoyed his humor and I loved the wings. Also, I really felt for him and the secrets he kept until the end. It was nice to see it all come full circle.
It's been a very long time since I've read a book about angels/guardian angels, so it was very nice to revisit the topic. I also enjoyed reading a book about a protagonist who has a twin as I myself am a twin. It made Isabelle's loss that much more heartbreaking to me.
As far as the character personalities and development, I wasn't a huge fan of Isabelle. Her personality was a little all over the place. especially when she was angry. It made her not very likable up until the very end.
The guardian angel, Jophiel was a lot more consistent in his character. I enjoyed his humor and I loved the wings. Also, I really felt for him and the secrets he kept until the end. It was nice to see it all come full circle.
August 12, 2018
I love Wings! It was lyrical and intriguing from the first page, which is a must if I want to read/purchase a book. I definitely related to the characters because of my own life experiences, which is great, and Scott’s writing is amazing for such a young age. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a beautiful contemporary read.
January 13, 2018
❝Isabelle frowned to herself. He was not in the least bit unattractive. Oddly enough, she could see him perfectly, even though he was on the other side of the massive cafeteria. The other students around him were slightly blurry, but his outlines were sharp and clear.❞
Wings is a beautiful story about overcoming a deep problem that can’t be solved on it’s own. In the beginning, I expected a romantic story about a girl who falls in love with an angel, a story we know in many books, but it was not at all like that, there was so much more…
Isabelle Parke is a teenage girl who is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and lives with her grumpy aunt and worries cousins. After what she calls ‘The Accident’, her friends are not her friends anymore, her grades have dropped immensely, and if everything hadn’t been going from worse to worst, she starts to hallucinate as well. At least, she thinks she does. First he appears in the cafeteria, but Ariel can’t see him. Then he follows her into class, but she decides to shut her mouth about it, it’s all in her mind anyways. But then, when she comes home and enters her bedroom…
❝Isabelle opened the door to the formes guess bedroom and proceeded to have a mini-heart attack. The boy from the cafeteria was sitting on her bed.
Isabelle stifled a scream and backed up against the wall. She was going crazy, she had to be. There was no explanation. Not only was the mysterious apparition that only she could see sitting on her bed. He also had wings. Wings.❞
The winged boy claims to be her guardian angel, sent by God to help her overcome her PTSD and to get her life back on trail. Obviously, Isabelle still can’t believe it and keeps saying it’s all in her head. Should she go tell her therapist about it? She decides not to.
The angel introduces himself as Jophiel, like the archangel, the patron of artists. Not only does he really seem like wanting to help her, he also knows everything about her past, especially about The Accident. ‘Of course he knows’, Isabelle thinks, ‘he is the result of my PTSD and I made him up’. But then, how did he let het phone appear when she needed it? How did he pick an outfit for her and braided her hair? And there really are things he couldn’t have known…
Isabelle doesn’t succeed in shutting him out, so she accepts her ‘hallucination’ and pretends to be okay with his help. But is it really pretending? Somehow, she feels safe when he’s in her room while she sleeps, she feels comforted when he puts his arms and wings around her when she cries and he does seem to know the right things to say and do to cheer her up. And then, he takes her back into the memories of her past, back to The Accident.
❝Isabelle knew the scene very, very well. She had seen it in her nightmares over and over and over again. It was The Accident. Her breath caught, and she felt herself start to hyperventilate. Jophiel squeezed her hand again. “You can accept it now,” he said. “It happened. You don’t have to wonder if they’re ever going to come back, if they really died that day.”❞
She sees her mom, her dad, her twin sister. She can finally let it go and move on to a next step. Jophiel changed her in all kinds she could have never imagined. He even starts to appear in human form to introduce himself as her boyfriend Hunter Jackson to her aunt and cousins and isabelle finally believes he is not in her imagination: he is really there for her. Isabelle can only giggle and is starting to enjoy her life again. But then, she discovers a deep secret Jophiel never wanted to talk about. What is the real reason behind his stay on earth and is there a way to overcome what she just found out?
Wings is a beautiful story about overcoming a deep problem that can’t be solved on it’s own. In the beginning, I expected a romantic story about a girl who falls in love with an angel, a story we know in many books, but it was not at all like that, there was so much more…
Isabelle Parke is a teenage girl who is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and lives with her grumpy aunt and worries cousins. After what she calls ‘The Accident’, her friends are not her friends anymore, her grades have dropped immensely, and if everything hadn’t been going from worse to worst, she starts to hallucinate as well. At least, she thinks she does. First he appears in the cafeteria, but Ariel can’t see him. Then he follows her into class, but she decides to shut her mouth about it, it’s all in her mind anyways. But then, when she comes home and enters her bedroom…
❝Isabelle opened the door to the formes guess bedroom and proceeded to have a mini-heart attack. The boy from the cafeteria was sitting on her bed.
Isabelle stifled a scream and backed up against the wall. She was going crazy, she had to be. There was no explanation. Not only was the mysterious apparition that only she could see sitting on her bed. He also had wings. Wings.❞
The winged boy claims to be her guardian angel, sent by God to help her overcome her PTSD and to get her life back on trail. Obviously, Isabelle still can’t believe it and keeps saying it’s all in her head. Should she go tell her therapist about it? She decides not to.
The angel introduces himself as Jophiel, like the archangel, the patron of artists. Not only does he really seem like wanting to help her, he also knows everything about her past, especially about The Accident. ‘Of course he knows’, Isabelle thinks, ‘he is the result of my PTSD and I made him up’. But then, how did he let het phone appear when she needed it? How did he pick an outfit for her and braided her hair? And there really are things he couldn’t have known…
Isabelle doesn’t succeed in shutting him out, so she accepts her ‘hallucination’ and pretends to be okay with his help. But is it really pretending? Somehow, she feels safe when he’s in her room while she sleeps, she feels comforted when he puts his arms and wings around her when she cries and he does seem to know the right things to say and do to cheer her up. And then, he takes her back into the memories of her past, back to The Accident.
❝Isabelle knew the scene very, very well. She had seen it in her nightmares over and over and over again. It was The Accident. Her breath caught, and she felt herself start to hyperventilate. Jophiel squeezed her hand again. “You can accept it now,” he said. “It happened. You don’t have to wonder if they’re ever going to come back, if they really died that day.”❞
She sees her mom, her dad, her twin sister. She can finally let it go and move on to a next step. Jophiel changed her in all kinds she could have never imagined. He even starts to appear in human form to introduce himself as her boyfriend Hunter Jackson to her aunt and cousins and isabelle finally believes he is not in her imagination: he is really there for her. Isabelle can only giggle and is starting to enjoy her life again. But then, she discovers a deep secret Jophiel never wanted to talk about. What is the real reason behind his stay on earth and is there a way to overcome what she just found out?
May 5, 2018
I really liked Wings–like a lot! It was hysterical, creative, and fun, and I enjoyed my time reading thoroughly. There were a few things I disliked, but overall I found it a fun read.
I found the premise unique and fun, and Jophiel was absolutely hysterical. I’m not sure I agreed with all the theology behind the story, but it is a fictional book, and it did not demean or disregard any part of Christianity–didn’t even come close–so I didn’t find a problem with it. Like I’ve said, I just really liked Jophiel and thought his connection with the story was clever and well written. The author has a definite talent and it shows in the pages of this novel.
What I didn’t like: I didn’t like Isabelle. She felt very one-dimensional to me and just a little too plastic. I felt like someone in her situation would have a lot harder time “overcoming it”, and that it wouldn’t just be a few days’ magical transformation. I really liked the plot aspect of the growth—and I also liked how it was handled in a lighthearded way, so maybe I’m just missing something here. It just seemed to lack a little in delivery.
Negative Content/Notes:
None.
Overall:
Overall, though, I found it a clean, funny, lighthearded read sure to make you laugh and brighten your day.
Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Recommended to: Readers 10 & up.
Like my reviews? Follow my blog:
http://www.jcbuchanan.com
I found the premise unique and fun, and Jophiel was absolutely hysterical. I’m not sure I agreed with all the theology behind the story, but it is a fictional book, and it did not demean or disregard any part of Christianity–didn’t even come close–so I didn’t find a problem with it. Like I’ve said, I just really liked Jophiel and thought his connection with the story was clever and well written. The author has a definite talent and it shows in the pages of this novel.
What I didn’t like: I didn’t like Isabelle. She felt very one-dimensional to me and just a little too plastic. I felt like someone in her situation would have a lot harder time “overcoming it”, and that it wouldn’t just be a few days’ magical transformation. I really liked the plot aspect of the growth—and I also liked how it was handled in a lighthearded way, so maybe I’m just missing something here. It just seemed to lack a little in delivery.
Negative Content/Notes:
None.
Overall:
Overall, though, I found it a clean, funny, lighthearded read sure to make you laugh and brighten your day.
Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Recommended to: Readers 10 & up.
Like my reviews? Follow my blog:
http://www.jcbuchanan.com
February 6, 2018
‘Wings’ is a well polished character driven story with quality prose.
The feel of the book is very modern school-ish. Not my personal preference, but for those who do enjoy it; it was done well.
As I said before, the story is very character driven, which means the plot is not centered around the circumstance of events, but rather the thoughts and development of the characters. In a book like that, the characters need to be very unique and three dimensional to create a compelling story. The main character, Isabelle, is a good character, and in no way flat or cardboard. However, I think she could move the story forward better if her personality was a bit deeper and more interesting. That said, Isabelle’s development over her inner conflict is gradual, realistic, and over all very well done.
In the end when Isabelle overcomes her inner conflict, I felt like there were way to many flashbacks of scenes I’d already read and I must admit that I skimmed a little since I’d already read what was being recounted. I few flask backs like that are fine, and I think if just a few were taken out it would be great, it was just too many.
Okay quick weird thing that confused me: why does Isabelle see memories of her mom and sister to help her move on from their death, but not any of her dad? Maybe I missed something but that really confused me.
Also, the ending felt a bit too long to me. Mostly that last chapter, I almost feel like we could have done without it, or at least with a shortened version. The ending might have felt more hopeful if we left the story when Isabelle was still young, giving the reader room to imagine what happens next.
All that said, there were definitely some great things about this book. And while it’s not perfect, as book is, if has some great potential.
The personalities of the side characters were perfect! Just the right mix of quirk and depth, plus super realistic. And that’s a really easy thing to mess up too! Max was adorable, and all the others, Isabelle’s aunt, cousins, and friends, were all very interesting people. And not only interesting, but very likeable.
The author does a great job showing realistic and gradual change through character growth.
The jokes are really funny, and had me laugh out loud on more than one occasion with the author’s excellent dry humor.
All the prose was extremely well polished. The sentence structure never confused me, and the meaning was always crystal clear.
The plot twist was great, I definitely didn’t see it coming. ;)
I look forward to see what this admirable young author has in store for us next. It takes a lot of bravery and determination to give your masterpiece to the world, and I wish Olivia luck with her writing.
The feel of the book is very modern school-ish. Not my personal preference, but for those who do enjoy it; it was done well.
As I said before, the story is very character driven, which means the plot is not centered around the circumstance of events, but rather the thoughts and development of the characters. In a book like that, the characters need to be very unique and three dimensional to create a compelling story. The main character, Isabelle, is a good character, and in no way flat or cardboard. However, I think she could move the story forward better if her personality was a bit deeper and more interesting. That said, Isabelle’s development over her inner conflict is gradual, realistic, and over all very well done.
In the end when Isabelle overcomes her inner conflict, I felt like there were way to many flashbacks of scenes I’d already read and I must admit that I skimmed a little since I’d already read what was being recounted. I few flask backs like that are fine, and I think if just a few were taken out it would be great, it was just too many.
Okay quick weird thing that confused me: why does Isabelle see memories of her mom and sister to help her move on from their death, but not any of her dad? Maybe I missed something but that really confused me.
Also, the ending felt a bit too long to me. Mostly that last chapter, I almost feel like we could have done without it, or at least with a shortened version. The ending might have felt more hopeful if we left the story when Isabelle was still young, giving the reader room to imagine what happens next.
All that said, there were definitely some great things about this book. And while it’s not perfect, as book is, if has some great potential.
The personalities of the side characters were perfect! Just the right mix of quirk and depth, plus super realistic. And that’s a really easy thing to mess up too! Max was adorable, and all the others, Isabelle’s aunt, cousins, and friends, were all very interesting people. And not only interesting, but very likeable.
The author does a great job showing realistic and gradual change through character growth.
The jokes are really funny, and had me laugh out loud on more than one occasion with the author’s excellent dry humor.
All the prose was extremely well polished. The sentence structure never confused me, and the meaning was always crystal clear.
The plot twist was great, I definitely didn’t see it coming. ;)
I look forward to see what this admirable young author has in store for us next. It takes a lot of bravery and determination to give your masterpiece to the world, and I wish Olivia luck with her writing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2019
Wow!
I was gifted this novel for a book club discussion, and I have been thoroughly impressed with the outcome, especially having learned that the author is self-published.
Of course, there were a few grammatical mistakes here and there, but the actual plot was so intriguing that I could not put this book down! I appreciate that there were no loose ends at the end of the story, and that we got to see Belle united with her family once again.
I would not consider myself a religious person and was a little apprehensive as this book did portray itself as having religious themes. However, the religious aspect of the book wasn't overt and came off as quite tactful--no holier-than-thou attitude portrayed here. I'd call that an achievement, especially as one of the main characters(Jophiel/Hunter) was literally an angel, as well as God's voice being heard by both Belle and Jophiel on several different instances.
I would definitely recommend this book to others, it deserves much more acknowledgement.
Beautifully done!!
I was gifted this novel for a book club discussion, and I have been thoroughly impressed with the outcome, especially having learned that the author is self-published.
Of course, there were a few grammatical mistakes here and there, but the actual plot was so intriguing that I could not put this book down! I appreciate that there were no loose ends at the end of the story, and that we got to see Belle united with her family once again.
I would not consider myself a religious person and was a little apprehensive as this book did portray itself as having religious themes. However, the religious aspect of the book wasn't overt and came off as quite tactful--no holier-than-thou attitude portrayed here. I'd call that an achievement, especially as one of the main characters(Jophiel/Hunter) was literally an angel, as well as God's voice being heard by both Belle and Jophiel on several different instances.
I would definitely recommend this book to others, it deserves much more acknowledgement.
Beautifully done!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2019
I read this book written by a fellow teen author in one weekend.
I won a paperback copy of this book from an Instagram giveaway, but it sat on my shelf for a couple months before I finally decided to pick it up.
This was a very powerful read. I was pulled into the story very easily. If did find the plot to be a bit slow in some areas, but I wasn't bored while reading it.
My favorite part of this book was all the characters. They were so fun and unique, and all had their pasts connecting to the main plot.
The family aspect was relatable and cute.
If you like books that aren't super long but still hold a powerful message, I highly recommend Wings!
I won a paperback copy of this book from an Instagram giveaway, but it sat on my shelf for a couple months before I finally decided to pick it up.
This was a very powerful read. I was pulled into the story very easily. If did find the plot to be a bit slow in some areas, but I wasn't bored while reading it.
My favorite part of this book was all the characters. They were so fun and unique, and all had their pasts connecting to the main plot.
The family aspect was relatable and cute.
If you like books that aren't super long but still hold a powerful message, I highly recommend Wings!
February 10, 2018
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Wings was fantastic. Tear-jerking and also hilarious, Wings is a powerful story of friendship and healing. Pretty much everything about this book - from the characters to the plot to the arcs and story layers - hits the nail right on the head. Anything bad I have to say about it is really just nitpicks.
Overall, this is definitely finding its way onto my favorites self, not just because it's simply beautiful, but because I'm a sucker for stories like Wings.
Wings was fantastic. Tear-jerking and also hilarious, Wings is a powerful story of friendship and healing. Pretty much everything about this book - from the characters to the plot to the arcs and story layers - hits the nail right on the head. Anything bad I have to say about it is really just nitpicks.
Overall, this is definitely finding its way onto my favorites self, not just because it's simply beautiful, but because I'm a sucker for stories like Wings.
December 10, 2019
Spoiler free!
Recommended? YES!
👼
I love this book!!! The characters are so loveable and you just want what's best for them from the very beginning. Overall, this book is extremely heartwarming and a fabulous read, but be prepared for all of the feels!! The storyline was extremely well done, too. If you are in need of a quick and easy, funny, sad, and everything in between kind of read I definitely recommend picking this book up!
👼
Favorite quote: "'Carpe the crap out of that diem.'"
Recommended? YES!
👼
I love this book!!! The characters are so loveable and you just want what's best for them from the very beginning. Overall, this book is extremely heartwarming and a fabulous read, but be prepared for all of the feels!! The storyline was extremely well done, too. If you are in need of a quick and easy, funny, sad, and everything in between kind of read I definitely recommend picking this book up!
👼
Favorite quote: "'Carpe the crap out of that diem.'"
March 18, 2018
This book beautifully portrayed the struggles of someone who suffers from PTSD. Aside from that, the story was heart-warming AND enjoyable. I had a hard time putting it down. Olivia did an amazing job!
January 22, 2019
A great YA selection.
August 12, 2019
This book is perfect for someone dipping their toes into the indie genre. The plot was a little predictable but I enjoyed the characters themselves. It was a good if simple, first book.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews