Mini Reviews: Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen and Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore

From Goodreads: I don't do dangerous.  Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha-that's me. But I just couldn't pass up a surprise kiss from my number-one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me ... something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It's like part of me is missing - and I don't know if I can get it back. Then there's Bishop. At first I thought he was just a street kid, but the secrets he's keeping are as intense as his unearthly blue eyes. If he's what I think he is, he may be the only one who can help me. But something terrifying is closing in, and the one chance Bishop and I have to stop it means losing everything I ever wanted and embracing the darkness inside me ...

My Rating: 3 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Although Michelle Rowen’s Dark Kiss had a somewhat interesting take on angels and demons in that neither side was completely good or bad, it ended up being an average read at the end because its plot lacked cohesion at times. As well, I thought Sam came off as sort of wishy-washy and naïve, and found it ironic that she claims to mock romance of any form when her own romance with Bishop – another character who I thought lacked depth – was insta-love and not particularly great. The one character I did like though was Kraven since he was snarky and seems to have an interesting backstory. 

Dark Kiss was released in May 2012 by Harlequin Teen.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Harlequin Teen) for free via NetGalley.

original image from thegate.ca

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From Goodreads: 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.

My Rating: 3 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore is actually pretty different from the typical YA angel novel out there. For one thing, it has a strong religious undertone throughout the novel, which may not appeal to everybody. However, it doesn’t come off as preachy; instead, it nicely ties questions about faith in God and free will into the plot. That said, the latter half of the book did feel a little heavy with the religious aspect.

Another way that Angel Eyes differs is that it doesn’t succumb to common themes. For example, I was fully expecting Brielle to either be an angel or fall for one - and was pleasantly surprised to find that didn’t turn out to be the case.

Angel Eyes was released by Thomas Nelson Fiction in May 2012.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Thomas Nelson) for free via NetGalley.