Review ~ "In the Arms of Stone Angels"

In the Arms of Stone Angels by Jordan Dane

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Source: Netgalley
Age recommendation: Older YA readers

Description from Goodreads: Two years ago, Brenna did the unthinkable. She witnessed the aftermath of a murder and accused her only true friend—the first boy she ever loved—of being a killer. 

Now sixteen, Brenna returns to Oklahoma only to discover that Isaac “White Bird” Henry isn’t in juvie. The half-breed outcast is in a mental hospital, frozen in time, locked in his mind at the worst moment of his life. And when Brenna touches him, she’s pulled into his hellish vision quest, seeing terrifying demons and illusions she doesn’t understand.

Feeling isolated and alone, she’s up against the whole town, targeted by bullying former classmates, a bigoted small town sheriff, and a tribe who refuses to help one of their own. But when Brenna realizes she’s as trapped by the past as White Bird is, this time she won’t turn her back on him. She’s the only one who can free them both.

Even if she has to expose her secret—a “gift” she’s kept hidden her whole life



My thoughts: You know a book has made an impact when you can't find the words to describe it.  I am really struggling to find the words to say my thoughts and impressions of this book.

This is a darker YA book. It deals with a young girl who saw the boy that she loves holding a dead body and chanting over it. She called 911 and he was arrested for the crime. She was never able to get over it, even after they moved away from the small town.

Two years later she comes back with her mother to clear her grandmother's home and get it ready to sell. Her grandmother had recently passed away. She was met with harsh treatment. People can be so mean! Many in the town think that she had something to do with the murder.

White Bird, the boy who was accused of the murder, has been in a catatonic state since the murder. Feeling guilty, she starts to question what she saw and tries to figure out how to help White Bird.

This book deals with many issues. One of them is prejudice. White Bird was part Native American and part Caucasian. He was never fully accepted in either culture. That's why he was an easy target, and law enforcement didn't search for further clues.

It also deals with abuse. Some of the kids in this story deal with alcohol abuse, drug abuse, mental abuse, and eventually murder. At point the kids gang up on Brenna, the main character, and physically abuse her.

I really enjoyed this book. That may sound weird with the subject matter, but it is well written and an attention grabber. My only issues would be the underage drinking, profanity, and sexual innuendo.  I would not recommend this book to young readers.  It takes an older maturity level to deal with some of the subject matter.

I was searching for more books written by Jordan Dane on Goodreads and came across this trailer.  I thought it was fabulous at illustrating the mood of the book.  I wanted to make it easy to share with  you by adding it to the review.