Book Review: Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore ( Angel Eyes Trilogy #1 )

Title: Angel Eyes
Author: Shannon Dittemore
Series: Angel Eyes Trilogy #1
Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Publisher: Thomas Nelson Fiction
Publication Date: May 29th, 2012
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Buy it: Barnes & Noble | Amazon
Summary from Goodreads;
Once you’ve seen, you can’t unsee. Everything changes when you’ve looked at the world through . . .
ANGEL EYES
Brielle’s a ballerina who went to the city to chase her dreams and found tragedy instead. She’s come home to shabby little Stratus, Oregon, to live with her grief and her guilt . . . and the incredible, numbing cold she can’t seem to shake.
Jake’s the new guy at school. The boy next door with burning hands and an unbelievable gift that targets him for corruption.
Something more than fate has brought them together. An evil bigger than both of them lurks in the shadows nearby, hiding in plain sight. Two angels stand guard, unsure what’s going to happen. And a beauty brighter than Jake or Brielle has ever seen is calling them to join the battle in a realm where all human choices start.
A realm that only angels and demons—and Brielle—can perceive.

Rating:

**** 4 stars, really enjoyed it

Thoughts:

The cover was what first caught my eye. Simple yet not. My first thoughts of it were "Finally, a girl wearing not a dress, but normal clothes." Plus, the woods in the background add some darkness and mystery to the cover. Not to mention the glowing halo.
The characters were great! The romance of Angel Eyes reminded me of Twilight, however, the characters didn't. The female character was much stronger and braver, at least, in my opinion. Brielle was "broken" yet she depended upon no one, just herself. Jake was described in such a way that he seemed perfect, even with his flaws and everything but you got to know him more in depth later in the book. I wish I'd gotten to know her friends and the angels and demons in more depth throughout the book since they play a pretty important role in the book.
The romance was ubber cute but a tad too quick; I wish I'd seen more development to it. I really liked how Shannon didn't focus completely on the romance though.
The pacing was consistent although it quickened as drama and action approached. I admit, in the beginning I was confused. I felt as if I was thrown into the middle of a series and I couldn't understand a thing but as I continued to read everything became much clearer. The writing was really easy to read and understand which I really enjoyed. Angel Eyes was told both in third point of view and Brielle's point of view which really gives readers a much wider view and understanding of the story.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for a riveting novel with a great plot and characters.
First Sentence:

"The knot in my throat is constant."

Quotes:

"I lurch upright and turn toward the window, my hair flying. The boy jerks upright. Caught staring and he knows it." - Page 24

" Has anyone ever told you that, though? How crazy your skin is? It's like werewolf hot."

He flinches at the Twilight reference, and I'm surprised at how much I enjoy the jab.
"Well, I rarely howl at the moon, if that helps." - Page 101