Shannon Dittemore

DARK HALO is Tempting…

Dark Halo (Angel Eyes, #3)How can a person refuse a gift from Lucifer?

The Great Deceiver has only had one person in history deny his temptation—and we all know what happened to Him.

So, really it’s no shock that Brielle accepts Lucifer’s terrible gift. One designed to undermine her faith—not only in God, but in herself and the power within her.

DARK HALO, the final book in Shannon Dittemore’s ANGEL EYES trilogy, elegantly addresses temptation in all its forms. From simple deception to outright seduction, Brielle, Jake and Marco repeatedly risk loss of soul to Lucifer’s plans.  (Click for reviews of Angel Eyes or Broken Wings)

Continuing where BROKEN WINGS left us,  Jake is missing—captured by the demon Damien. He is soon joined by Olivia and Marco—and Canaan’s halo. Damien wishes to use the halo for his own purpose, but it weakens him.

Desperate with fear over Jake’s disappearance, Brielle and Kaylee set off to find him following communication from God’s Throne Room. The rescue is botched, however, allowing Damien to take Brielle and Jake to Danakil, site of a long ago battle between Lucifer and God’s host.

A sulphrous salt desert, Danakil is otherwise known as Hell on Earth. Canaan arrives to reclaim Jake, but cannot take Brielle until she has endured Lucifer’s temptation. Lucifer doesn’t want her soul…he wants her to wear his dark halo—to drown the Celestial from her vision.

Why not? For Brielle seeing the human fear and Celestial war is exhausting. She cannot even sleep without nightmares—who doesn’t want a good night’s sleep, right?

In the end, Brielle refuses his gift, but Lucifer slips the halo onto her before he disappears. Brielle’s challenge—to exist with the constant emotional overload of Celestial vision, or succumb to Lucifer’s temptation–forms the bulk of the narrative. Jake endeavors to keep Brielle sane, yet her moments of weakness are frequent and consuming.

Marco’s temptation is more personal. He promised to avenge the murder of his girlfriend, Ali. Olivia’s grandfather, Henry, is the man responsible. Among his other sins, Henry is pedophilic and ran a blackmarket baby-selling operation. Seems like a no-brainer to snuff his life, IMHO, but that’s not within God’s plan. And, while Marco isn’t particularly devout, he has learned a thing or three about his soul, thanks to Jake and Canaan.

By uncovering Ali’s story we learn a great deal about Jake’s origins, and the connections between Olivia, Marco, and Brielle’s mother, Hannah. Dittemore’s deft hands build tenuous connections into strong plot lines that engage the mind and heart.

What this story excels at:  revelation of story through multiple view points. The prose is spectacular and the decisions are meaningful and universal. What person out there hasn’t blamed a higher being for mortal woes? Who among us has never felt an overwhelming need for peace, at any cost?

DARK HALO is YA paranormal fiction suitable for all teens and up. The trilogy is enchanting, and a wonderful selection for readers who enjoy faith-based fiction. For myself, I found it to be compelling without feeling preachy.

You can pick it up today!

Available from:

photo B6096376-6C81-4465-8935-CE890C777EB9-1855-000001A1E900B890_zps5affbed6.jpg  photo 111AD205-AA04-4F9E-A0F4-C1264C4E9F30-1855-000001A1E8CEB6D7_zps9b730b94.jpg  photo B1426D4C-9EEC-4C0B-A1FB-90524B03C0CA-1855-000001A1E82B3B3E_zps17d98f4d.jpg  photo KoboIcon_zps515cdc1a.jpg

Also, super awesome Shannon Dittemore is having a Live Twitter Chat August 27th at 6pm (Pacific) where she will be giving away a Kindle Fire HD and other prizes! (How COOL!!)

Enter here:
http://shannondittemore.com/win-a-kindle-fire/

Here’s a bit more on the author:
shannon dittemoreShannon Dittemore has an overactive imagination and a passion for truth. Her lifelong journey to combine the two is responsible for a stint at Portland Bible College, performances with local theater companies, and a focus on youth and young adult ministry. When she isn’t writing, she spends her days with her husband, Matt, imagining things unseen and chasing their two children around their home in Northern California.

ANGEL EYES was Shannon’s debut novel and the launch of a young adult supernatural trilogy. It was published in the summer of 2012 by Thomas Nelson. The sequel BROKEN WINGS hit shelves in February, 2013 and the final novel in the trilogy, DARK HALO, will be available August 20, 2013.

Author Links:
photo iconwebsite-32x32_zps1f477f69.png  photo icongoodreads32_zps60f83491.png  photo icontwitter-32x32_zpsae13e2b2.png  photo iconfacebook-32x32_zps64a79d4a.png  photo iconpinterest_zps6fcf02a7.png

***GIVEAWAY***

5-sets of the Angel Eyes Trilogy including Angel Eyes, Broken Wings and Dark Halo.  US only. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Flying With BROKEN WINGS

Broken WingsBrielle Matthews has learned seeing the handiwork of God’s creation can be a bit overwhelming.

BROKEN WINGS, the second in the Angel Eyes trilogy by Shannon Dittemore, returns Brielle to the role of heroine. (See my review of ANGEL EYES here)

Picking up six months after ANGEL EYES, Brielle, Kaylee and Jake have just graduated high school. Stratus is celebrating the opening of a new community center, spearheaded by Kaylee and funded by Olivia Hart’s foundation.

Brielle knows something isn’t right about Olivia–Canaan’s halo burns hot whenever she comes near, but Brielle’s even more unsettled by her father’s behavior. Seems Olivia brings out the alcoholic in her dad.

Coupled with her Celestial vision–Brielle observes Angels and Demons within the human realm–she is being haunted by dreams of her mother’s demise. Learning that her mother’s coffin was buried empty is a shock of the first order. Could she still be alive?

And why are Angels circling her home?

Meanwhile, Brielle is affected by the tar-like fear rolling off everyone she meets. It is only in worship and prayer that she sees the fear disintegrate. So why is Jake–the most devout person Brielle knows–sweating fear?

Jake’s love for Brielle shines through his steadfast gaze, yet she is stunned by his fear.  They are meant for each other–God himself gave Jake an engagement ring for her–so, what is he hiding?

In the Celestial realm, Damien has met with Lucifer and revealed his knowledge of Jake and Brielle’s gifts. He is able to garner Lucifer’s interest and secure instructions to collect them in two week’s time. Damien uses Olivia to not only capture Jake and Brielle, but also Canaan’s halo.

See, Lucifer is planning a battle, and Stratus has become Ground Zero.

Despite the bond between Jake and Brielle, doubt remains. Jake’s risky mission to discover his parentage separates them at the absolute WORST time. And, when he doesn’t return, Brielle’s fledgling faith is put to the test.

Again, Shannon Dittemore has spun a beautifully crafted story of love, faith, doubt and keeping our demons at bay. For those who enjoy paranormal fiction, BROKEN WINGS is a fantastic tale. Contemporary themes and realistic emotional content keep this story grounded firmly in the Terrestrial, with eyes to the skies and hope for a safe resolution.

The final story in this trilogy, DARK HALO, will be released next week–so readers won’t have long to wait for the conclusion. (Review for DARK HALO coming soon!)

BROKEN WINGS can be purchased (paperback or eBook) in all the right places…

photo B6096376-6C81-4465-8935-CE890C777EB9-1855-000001A1E900B890_zps5affbed6.jpg photo 111AD205-AA04-4F9E-A0F4-C1264C4E9F30-1855-000001A1E8CEB6D7_zps9b730b94.jpg

A View Through ANGEL EYES

Angel Eyes (Angel Eyes, #1)Where do humans exist within the universe?

Somewhere between angels and demons, squarely within the Terrestrial according to Shannon Dittemore‘s YA paranormal ANGEL EYES.

Brielle has returned to her hometown of Stratus a shell of the graceful ballerina who left two years prior on a prestigious arts school scholarship. Instead of being the star on stage, Brielle is set to become the star-witness against Marco, the young man accused of killing her best friend Ali.

Barely able to contain her grief, Brielle has no desire to dance and struggles to attend school. Even when the new boy, Jake Shield, takes a serious interest in her.

Unknown to Brielle, forces are working both for and against her. Canaan Shield, Jake’s guardian, is an angel whose new mission is to keep Brielle safe, while the demon Damian discovers Jake and Brielle possess gifts rare among humankind.

Currently in disgrace, Damian quickly realizes Jake and Brielle would be valuable assets to Lucifer, if only he can corrupt their purpose. His role in a child-slavery business draws Brielle into danger, the same danger that killed Ali, and her new gift allows her to be the heroine of more than just her own life.

ANGEL EYES’s beautifully written prose unravels more than a forgiveness tale; it is an epic battle between goodness and evil which challenges the reader to take a new vision of the world surrounding us.

I very much enjoyed the fresh perspective. The mostly-linear plot facilitates both understanding and anticipation, especially considering the multiple points-of-view.

ANGEL EYES is the first in a trilogy. It is available for Kindle and Nook.