In the Arms of Stone Angels (2024)

For the life of me, I just could not get into In the Arms of Stone Angels. From start to finish, my interest in the story and characters was mild at best - it was easy to put down, and I went days at a time between readings without the urge to pick it back up again. Even after finishing it, In the Arms of Stone Angels hasn't made a terribly strong impression on me; I'm left more with half-interested observations than any strong praise or even IMPASSIONED RAGE. I wonder if that isn't almost worse...

Anyway, despite having eight published books to her name, In the Arms of Stone Angels is new territory for Jordan Dane: it's her first YA novel, and apparently her first paranormal as well (most of her previous stories were in the mystery/thriller genre). And...well, it shows.

I'm not shocked Angels is her first YA - there are a few tell-tale signs. Her protagonist, Brenna, is unevenly written, sounding alternately too young or too old for her sixteen years. When she's in "teen" mode, Brenna generally resides in the PC Cast land of "I-speak-in-slang-and-say-duh-therefore-I-must-be-young", but there are occasions where not only her narration, but her interaction with other characters give the impression that she's ten years older.

Brenna is also an incredibly obnoxious heroine, thanks to the resoundingly inauthentic ~tortured~ and ~rebellious~ personality Dane tries to give her. Brenna and I got off on the wrong foot right away, right around the time she decided to grace us with her thoughts on style: she "isn't your average Abercrombie girl" and doesn't wear advertising brand names, which is "a life choice and a religion", okay? She doesn't care about fitting in with the masses because she's just different, way more different than normals like you could ever understand.

Ugh, can I smack this girl now, please? It's not that she dresses "like a bag lady" - I could care less what the heroine wears - and it's not even her desire to be different, I'm sure a lot of teenagers and adults can relate to that. No, it's that attitude - the pretentious, self-serious way she describes her beliefs and motivations. Brenna is the kind of misfit cliche who talks back to her mother because she could never understand her ~pain~, who loudly declares herself ~different~ and looks down on the kids who aren't, who feels like she and the other ~different~ boy she finds when she is fourteen share such a ~deep connection~ and ~understanding~, that no one else could ever ~understand~, because they're just so much deeper than normal people, you know, and they know what it's like to be different. She's the kind of kid who cuts herself and then runs off in the middle of the night to sleep in graveyards because that's where she's thinks she's most comfortable. Yes, she literally sleeps in graveyards. UGH.

In short, Brenna fits into the same sort of mold as characters like Raven from Ellen Shreiber's Vampire Kisses series (who, just for the record, I hated with a fiery passion) - both are teenage misfits written by authors who just don't get the difference between the behaviors of attention whor*s and actual misfits.

There is a difference between Brenna and Raven, though, and it's a vital one that keeps In the Arms of Stone Angels from delving too far into Vampire Kisses territory...

Read more at You're Killing.Us.

This ebook was provided to me at no cost by the publisher.

I must say, going into this book I wasn’t quite sure what I was expecting. I think I was expecting something supernatural and romantic, something that I’m used to seeing. Instead, I feel like I got something very different. While there was a supernatural aspect to this book, I feel like it took a back seat to everything else that was going on. Even the romance between Brenna and White Bird wasn’t overly strong. This story was more a spiritual tale of one girl as she came to terms with who she was and understood everything she was and the world a lot better. It was a tale of growth and coming to know one’s self. Not to mention going with what you feel, as opposed to what society sees as right. It was about facing your fears and learning to trust yourself.
This book was incredibly well written; the writing was flawless. There was plenty of mystery, and I did like that I never quite knew what was going on. There was always one more question, one more answer to discover. The book did have a slow pace, I will admit that. At times it felt like nothing was really happening and yet I didn’t find myself bored.
I feel like the author has done a really great job with this book. For what it is, and the storyline, she’s managed to create a really great spiritual tale, one which actually made me stop and think.

I liked Brenna, I really did. I feel like she was a very real teenager, with real problems. Obviously she’d been through a bit more than most teens face, but she still dealt with the same things they did. One of the things I enjoyed about her was that she didn’t care about what other people really thought. She was her own person, and while she had her fair share of insecurities and faults, she didn’t let them destroy her life. She loved White Bird and even though a lot of people felt their bond and relationship was weird and wrong, she stood by it. Race and skin colour didn’t mean anything to her and I admire a heroine like that! Brenna had faced a lot in her life; especially the situation with White Bird and Heather Madsen. While I did dislike the fact that she dobbed in her best friend, I can understand why she did it, and morally there was nothing wrong with what she did. She found White Bird bent over the dead girl, acting strangely and she did what most people would do.....she called the cops. The thing I think that sets her apart in this situation is how she felt about it afterwards and how it tormented her and impacted on her life.

Unlike most other people who would make up their minds about what happened and how they felt, Brenna began to question what happened and she could never completely accept what people believed about Heather’s murder. I think the fact that she realised that White Bird may have been innocent and actually decided to do something about it; trying to prove him innocent and help him to begin with, really shows something about her character. Yes, she regretted not standing by him in the beginning, but there really was nothing she could do about that. It was in the past and the only way she could even attempt to make up for it was by trying to do something for White Bird in the present. And she did that.
I do however feel that the relationship between Brenna and White Bird was lacking. For what they were supposed to be I never really felt it. I wanted to. There were plenty of times during the story where I wanted to feel the strength of their love and relationship, and yet I just couldn’t. I did enjoy the glimpses into their past and seeing how they acted, but I feel like the relationship between them could have been a tad better. Considering how amazing everything else was in the book, I expected more.

Three characters I also really liked were Brenna’s mum, Joe and Officer Tate. The author has created a great cast of characters in this book, each with their own purpose and place within the story.
At first I was very disappointed with Brenna’s mother. I felt like she had really let her daughter down during the time when she should have been the one who supported her the most. Instead of standing by her daughter, she was upset over the issues it caused in their lives. However towards the middle of this book and afterwards, she changed. It was wonderful watching her grow and change and stand up for Brenna. The best part about it for me was that she actually knew that she’s made a mistake. She knew she’d done the wrong thing and that her actions were not the proper ones in the kind of situation. I enjoyed seeing Brenna’s relationship with her mum strengthen, and grow and while they both have a long way to go, I think they can get there.
Joe was a good character too. He was a great person to guide Brenna and teach her to trust herself more and go with her instincts. A lot of Brenna’s problems were that she was often unsure of how she should go about things, and Joe was the perfect man to give her that extra little push.
Officer Tate was a breath of fresh air compared to Sherriff Logan. Sherriff Logan I just DID NOT LIKE. I don’t care what his excuses were. He did the wrong thing, time and time again, jumping to conclusions and assuming things when he was dead wrong. I really hate people like that and I think we needed Officer Will Tate to offset that. He was knew to town and he was really the only person within a place of power who was willing to give Brenna the benefit of the doubt and he actually considered that maybe there was more going on that what first appeared.

I was shocked to discover who the killer actually was. It wasn't someone I was expecting. I honestly believed that either Jade had killed her by herself or that she’d had Derek help her. And really when you think about it, that’s what makes it so great. It wasn't the person I was expecting and I like being surprised.
Overall I was very impressed with this book. It was unique and fresh and while not the type of thing I usually go for, I did enjoy it.
I recommend and i hope to see more stories by this author!

Jordan Dane is one of the best YA story tellers I've come across, her book In the Arms of Stone Angels is inventine, emotional, myyserious, hypnotic its like you cant put the put the book down until your done and in the end you'll still be wishing for more. The characters where so real the air of mysery was tangible there where several time where I found myself breathless in antisipation. She brings the stroy life giving the characters depth and insight. I loved her mixture of the supernatural with native american trad's and with the suspence that comes with a good mystery novel. It keeps you on your toes with suprises around the corner. It was so heartfelt and the character Brenna was very relatable. She was spunky, sassy, intelligent, unique, but also caring. Its hard to describe such a good book, it was amazing, for me, the scenes where described vividly, the characters where real like, and the whole small town stereotype was spot on with the mentality of people who come from a community such as theirs. I loved how Dane told the story she led me on a mysteriosly dark tale that took many sharp turn. The ending was a wickedly god surprise one I would never had seen comming.
I know I WILL be picking up another of Ms. Danes books.

I enjoyed this not for the story but for the characterization of Brenna, who I became attached to right away. I like Dane's writing style, and she really brought to life Brenna's voice. I also enjoyed seeing her relationship with her mom develop. Considering Brenna's devotion to White Bird, I feel Dane could have included more flashbacks detailing their relationship to make her love more understandable. As it is, his character comes across as way too old for his age, and just a hastily sketched outline of a character. All the side characters have much better characterization and depth to them.

White Bird's only trait seems to be "I am an Indian and proud of it." Kind of stereotypical. Even his psychologist has more depth than poor White Bird. I mean, who is he anyway? We're told he has no parents. Why? Who does he live with? Even just a sentence or two explaining his background would have sufficed, but we don't even get that much.

As for the mystery....there were aspects I didn't guess, but the culprit is far from shocking. His/her motive is a bit trite, and I wished the whole thing had been more creative, considering it is the main plot and all.

Still, I found Brenna fascinating and relatable so I did enjoy the read.

At first, I thought this was going to be an awesome and eerie read. While it had the creepy and dark story I was craving at the moment, it didn't reach the awesome that I was looking for. It touches on many subjects including murder, racism, sacrifice, and cruelty. Usually, this could make for a deep and dark read, but the characters irritated to the point to where I almost didn't finish this book.

Brenna was the most obnoxious and irritating girl in this book and she was the main character. I couldn't stand her from the beginning, she pushed my buttons in the middle, and she still was on my last nerve at the end. I just couldn't bring myself to like her character.

White Bird, while at times could have been great, he is in la-la land for most of the book. He had the potential of saving this book, but there wasn't much of him in a normal state of mind to enjoy.

Again, while some people might enjoy the angst of the deeper emotions and plot, I was not a fan of it. I thought the cover was gorgeous, but it didn't help me enjoy the story. Frankly, the only thing that kept me from rating this as a one star was the small scenes of White Bird when he was lucid.

What a surprising coming of age tale. I couldn't put my nook down. Teen outcasts bonding, rival teens plotting, a clueless parent and the local authorities taking a blind eye to what is really happening in this small southern town.

With great skill the author takes us on a journey back to the epicenter of our main character's problems. She is a teenager who doesn't quite fit in with the local teens. She does however form a close bond with the other local outcast, a half breed indian boy, White Bird or Isaac Henry. This realationship is the cause for most of this teens problems. Its when she happens to see her "friend" white bird hovering over a dead girl that things go crazy for her. She turns him in to the police. What else could she do? Her mother then decides they need to move. So after being out of this town for two years, and after the death of her grandmother they need to return to that small town and take care of business.

I give this story 4 out of 5 stars. Very entertaining. Inspiring story that will be enjoyed by all

This ended up being a very emotional read for me. People can be so mean, so judgmental and you really see it in this book. It was a quick read even at over 300 pages because the writing is good. There were times when my heart felt like it was going to break with the wrongness that was occurring and other times, when I wanted to yell "good for you" when things were made right!

The mystery element in the book is very good. It had lots of twists, and every time I thought I knew what was going to happen, I was wrong!

3.5 stars out of 5

While I'm sure this is a great and spiritual book, it wasn't for me. The writing is remarkable, so much so that Dane has captured such intense emotion in me that I couldn't control what I was feeling.
That emotion was; Rage.
These characters are such prejudice assholes! Vicious, cruel and I had no desire to keep reading.
To be fair this is quite an intriguing read. It just wasn't my kind of escape....

YA supernatural, murder-mystery thriller for older teens age 17 and above

Two years ago, when she was fourteen, Brenna Nash stumbled upon her best friend, Isaac Henry AKA White Bird, of the Euchee tribe in Shawano, Oklahoma, in the aftermath of a brutal murder of a white, teenage girl. Though Brenna had known Isaac for over a year and had never seen him act in any but the gentlest manner toward animals and people, she instantly assumed he had committed the murder and turned him into the police. In spite of her status as a witness against her friend, her former friendship with him led to her and her mother, a real estate agent, being stigmatized in Shawano, and her mother soon moved them away.

After leaving town, Brenna sought no information about White Bird from her grandmother, who was still living in Shawano, and she descended into a rage-filled, self-destructive depression, manifesting as rebellion toward her mother, isolating herself, and deliberately mutilating herself by cutting her arms and legs.

Brenna's only comfort in her abject misery during that period post-trauma up to the present moment has been to visit graveyards. She has the gift of seeing ghosts and, far from frightening her, their presence feels comforting. No doubt in large part because they never speak, which prevents them from making demands as living people do.

Suddenly, when Brenna is sixteen, her mother informs her that her grandmother has died and left her home to Brenna's mother. Her mother insists that they must return to Shawano, prep the house and sell it. Brenna at first flatly refuses to return to the scene of the source of her despair, but eventually she succumbs to her mother's wishes.

Once she is back in Shawano, Brenna cannot resist finding out what happened to White Bird and discovers that he has not been sent to jail for murder, but is confined to a mental hospital where he has been in a catatonic state since the day of the murder. Brenna sneaks into the hospital, finds him sitting alone in a wheelchair staring into space, and touches his arm. She is instantly pulled into a hellish landscape and, since her paranormal ability has previous consisted only of seeing ghosts, she is terrified that she is going insane.

After this experience, Brenna feels guilty for her part in White Bird's terrible condition--and afraid for herself. Then, as if all that weren't awful enough, friends of the murdered girl make it their mission to confront Brenna on numerous occasions, letting her know that they blame her for the murder almost as much as White Bird because she was his friend.

Surrounded by enemies on all sides, with a mother who refuses to leave town, Brenna has nowhere to turn, and the dead--including the murdered girl--are no help at all.

In an unusual departure for YA--though not uncommon in adult thrillers--this book is written in many different points of view, at least four of them villains and several adults. To distinguish Brenna from the other point-of-view characters, her voice is in first person ("I said"), and all the rest are in third-person ("he/she said").

Though the heroine is presented as apparently suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there is no mention that she has ever had therapy. Yet many of her thoughts are those of a mature adult who, from some distant time, is reflecting back on this awful moment in her youth from the perspective of someone who has had therapy. For example: "I could have spared Mom the attitude...but attitude was all I had left," and "I guess Mom had her reasons and I had mine. And maybe we both had something to prove." Some readers may find this pulls them out of the story, but for me personally, the distancing this provided from the main character helped me to deal with the many awful things done to the heroine, by herself and by others.

The author of this book, Jordan Dane, has written many best-selling adult thrillers which are best known for their "very damaged characters" in plots sometimes referred to as "21st century noir." She states on her website that when writing this book, she was determined to create a gritty story for teens. She has certainly succeeded in her goal. This YA thriller is by turns shocking and frightening. So much so, including a scene with sexualized brutality (though not outright rape), that this book is best suited to the R-rated, over-17 end of the extended YA age range of 11-19.

This book is strongly recommended to fans of thrillers. Fans of Jordan Dane, in particular, will find this book an exciting read.

Review Posted on Reading Lark on 2/12/11: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2011/...

Jordan Dane has reminded me why I love mysteries and should read them more often. She has created a dark and twisted world in which a young Native American boy, White Bird, is accused of murdering the teen queen of the small town of Shawano, Oklahoma. To make matters worse, his best friend, Brenna Nash, is the one that calls the police after she finds White Bird standing above the dead girl holding a knife and covered in blood. Surely he was the one that killed her, right? Brenna soon learns that appearances can be deceiving.

The book begins when Brenna and her mother leave their home in North Carolina to return to Oklahoma two years after the murder. Brenna has no desire to return to the town that holds so many awful memories, but she isn't given a choice. The Nash's return to Shawano creates quite a stir amongst the town's citizens and the local police force. Brenna learns that White Bird never went to the trial for the murder of Heather, but rather he has been in a mental hospital lost within himself the entire time. Brenna must find some way to help him and clear his name if he is innocent.

Jordan Dane's writing style is one that instantly drew me in and kept me on my toes. She paints a picture of a small, eerie town that haunted my dreams and invaded my thoughts even when I wasn't reading. I kept trying to piece together the facts to figure out who the killer was, but I have to admit I didn't see it coming at all. I love mysteries that make me work for the answers. Dane has a mesmerizing cast of characters. However, the portrait she paints of racism and prejudice was often hard to read at times. I applaud her for not sugarcoating this harsh topic. I found myself frustrated with many of the characters for their views and actions.

Readers will be drawn in by Brenna's voice and her situation. It is impossible not to be rooting for her. My heart broke for her over and over again. She is so strong in spite of all the junk life has thrown her way. I like her perseverance and courage. I will admit that I did shed a tear or two during a scene in which Brenna attends a party and is attacked by the mean spirited party goers. I was shocked at the cruelty that people have in their hearts and actions. Readers should be prepared to be angry for a portion of the book.

I also loved the Native American culture that Jordan Dane presents on the Euchee tribe. I had never heard of this tribe, but it is obvious that Dane did her research on this one. I am inspired to learn more about this group of people and their traditions. I have always loved learning about Native American cultures and history.

However, in spite of my giving this book a 4 rating and loving it, there were some things I was frustrated with in my reading. I liked that the author varied the perspective as the story unfolded. Some parts are told in first person narration from Brenna's point of view while other parts are told in third person narration featuring the other characters who know things Brenna doesn't. I was frustrated because I didn't feel like the author gave enough transition between the two styles. There were often no page breaks and these would happen within one larger chapter. I often got confused about who was saying what; my only clue being the pronoun shift. I would have to stop, reread, and then get back on track. I think this would have been smoother if the author had inserted page breaks or created new chapters. Again, I was reading a galley and not the finished product. Perhaps this will be fixed by the time the book is released.

My other big criticism is Brenna's special ability. I won't spoil what exactly it is, but I don't understand why it was even included in this book. Sure it's a neat trick, but it doesn't move the story forward very much. It's not integral to solving the mystery and doesn't seem to serve any real purpose other than providing one more example of how Brenna is different from other teenagers in the town. I think the book could have been stronger if this gift had been more crucial to the plot.

One Last Gripe: I get so frustrated by racism in our world today. I was truly livid with the actions of some characters in this book. It was important to the story, but still frustrated me.

My Favorite Thing about This Book: The intense, fast paced plot

First Sentence: I sleep with the dead.

Favorite Characters: Brenna, Joe Sunne

Least Favorite Character: Jade

I finished this a few days ago but waited to post the review because I had to stop & kind of chew over what I was going to say about this book. The reason behind that is mostly due to the fact that I had quite a few criticisms with the book but still enjoyed it as a whole. If you don't want to listen to my criticisms (which I will warn you, are a little spoilerish) & just want to know if this is a good read, then I'll just say it right here: it's a good read & I do recommend it for the most part. Now on to the more full review.

As far as the plot goes, this had a pretty intriguing hook. This does deal with spirits & ghosts, but rather than just be another "girl sees ghosts & does some sleuthing" type of book, Dane tried to bring in elements of Native American mysticism & work slightly out of the box while still stick to the tried & true trope. (Not that there's anything wrong with the trope- being common does not equal being bad.) This part works out fairly well & Brenna's a nice spunky enough heroine in that she refuses to give up despite a lot of obstacles in her path.

That's where some of my spoiler criticisms come in. A few of the obstacles were far too underdeveloped. After turning in her friend & moving to another state, Brenna supposedly takes up cutting. This is a very huge thing, yet in the book it's very suddenly brought up & very suddenly dropped. We're pretty much given no hint that Brenna does this earlier in the book & after burying her cutting blade, that's really where the mention of the cutting stops. It's not brought up again later, something that I really found hard to believe- especially since Brenna's been given such a hard time by so many people in the town. I would have been happy with a few sentences sprinkled here & there about how Brenna had the temptation to cut or maybe more harassment by the local mean teens about it, but that's not here. For that matter, the way the local bullies discover that Brenna cuts is a pretty traumatic event. I'm not going to list what happened during or immediately after the event, but needless to say it's something that would cause many to curl up into a tiny ball & Brenna bounces back from it a little too quickly & cleanly. I also couldn't help but wish that we'd gotten a little more description about how Brenna learned about her abilities & how she'd dealt with them during her time away- it'd have made her cutting have more of an impact & given us more of an insight into her character.

Elements like these were woefully underdeveloped while other parts such as the Native American elements & her interactions with White Bird are far more fleshed out. It just made for a somewhat uneven reading experience.

I don't want you to think that this was a bad read, though. Despite my criticisms I managed to speed through the book pretty quickly & found it an addictive & easy read. It's something that I'd definitely recommend for you to read, but I'd probably suggest checking it out from the library or borrowing a friend's copy to glance through first. It's no Soul Screamers but it's still well worth reading.

(ARC provided by Netgalley)

14 years old Brenna Nash escaped for Oklahoma after a horrible murder of a girl in her class, a murder she accused to be done by her best friend, half-Caucasian half-Native Indian, White Bird. Now, two years later, she returned to Oklahoma and learned that White Bird was locked in a mental hospital since that day. Feeling guilty for not stepping up for her friend, Brenna decided to seek for the truth; whether White Bird is the true killer or not. Unfortunately the whole town seems to against her; the sheriff thought she was involved in the murder and the local bullies harassed her. Seeking comfort in graveyard, she tried to unrevealed the mystery, but some people who knew the truth will stop her at nothing.

I really enjoyed this book; I'm a mystery lover and this book satisfied my thirst for it. Along the way I guessed who might be the culprit was - and it turned out my prediction was correct, yeay. At first I felt annoyed with Brenna for being an angst teen, but along the way I saw more about her and I liked her. She has many layers and behind her seemingly egoist behaviors, she actually care a lot. Another thing I like about this book is there's no damsel-in-distress moment, wooohooo! I can't tell you how much I love it; I've read too many books (YA and non-YA) where the girls were just hopeless and constantly need to be saved. That's not what happened to Brenna. She was bullied yet she's still strong and continue trying to save White Bird. Of course, due to his condition, we could only met the 'real' White Bird near the end of the book but Brenna explained a lot about him, she made me felt like I knew White Bird too. Sometimes I was annoyed with the way the girls in YA book describe the boys she love, but not in here. It was clearly that Brenna loves him, but she never went over the board with her love; it's love, not adoration.

Not only that, this book also covers plenty issues; starting from racist, bullies, prejudice, and sexist.It was a bit unfair for the adult in this book; most of them portrayed either as prejudice people with hidden motives. But hey, sad as it seems, it's also the fact. It remind me how often we look at other people based solemnly on how they dressed and to think about them based on whether they have benefit for us or not. The supernatural element in this book was done subtly but nice; it didn't way over the top. Actually it seemed like something that could happen in our lives. I felt like I've learned something about Native Indian from this book; about their custom and practice.In these days where people of the world mixed together in almost everywhere, it was sad that in some areas (especially small town/village) racism is still alive and kicking.

I think this book is a must read for YA fans who like mystery, strong heroine and bigger issue than I-love-a-super-guy-but-I-can't-be-with-him-because-he's-immortal thing.

In the Arms of Stone Angels was a surprising breath of fresh air. This was one book I did not read the synopsis for, so it was a complete surprise what the book held and I'm glad I went that route because hidden in the pages of this book was a story of coming of age, murder, mystery, love and spiritual belief was a brilliant writing style that drew me in while painting the world around me.

This book was more than a murder mystery of a town stuck in its own ways and about the loss of life. The prejudice and hate toward White Bird, other wise known as Issac Henry, one of our main characters, was so thick and disheartening it really took the book to a whole other level.

The other main character, the one we followed most, Brenna Nash, was a pretty simplistic main character who was portrayed as complex and out of control teen. Brenna was those things but she was something more then that, she was haunted by her past. She was the reason the one person she trusted and loved most, White Bird, was partly in the situation he was. The weight of her actions and his possible betrayal was enough to tip the scales with her already hectic and strained, gifted life. Brenna's issues didn't come solely from herself but from the hate of others that followed her around, those who thought she was as guilty as White Bird.

Told in first person narration by Brenna and varying points of third-person mixed through out, I found this slightly confusing with little to no transition, but it did bring together all sides of the story so we could see past the eyes of the emotionally strained and determined Brenna. The storyline followed a pretty straight forward path to solving the mystery and closing the case of the murdered teenage girl, proving White Bird's innocence (or possible guilt), and the connection between Brenna and White Bird.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was different (read: different in a positive light). There were no vampires or werewolves and it wasn't a fluffy romance between the beauty and the geek. There were deeper driving points that drove this story from start to finish. Vivid, emotional, and real. If Jordan Dane meant for me to get angry, frustrated, and slightly over whelmed she accomplished just that. I couldn't put it down. I had to know the outcome, I felt like I had to prove the innocence of someone I wasn't even so sure was innocent.

Believe me when I tell you there is more to this book, but at the fear of spoiling the journey of Brenna and White Bird I figured I'd leave out some of the smaller, yet equally as important details, so you can solve the mystery yourself.

Brenna Nash grew up as a loner in Shawano, Oklahoma. Not one to follow the latest trends and fads, she dressed funny and spent time in the cemetery, probably because she could see dead people. Raised by a single mother, an outcast of her peers, she develops a friendship with White Cloud, an orphan Indian boy who longed to be adopted by the local Euchee tribe. They form a bond as only those who have been alone can but it all falls apart when Brenna finds White Cloud over the bloody body of a dead classmate.

Fast forward two years. Brenna and her Mom are returning to Shawano after having been forced to leave because of the rumors surrounding the killing. Her grandmother has died and they need to settle her estate. Brenna learns that White Cloud has been hospitalized in the local sanatorium, catatonic since his arrest for the stabbing of the local girl. Heartbroken and feeling guilty about accusing him without knowing the whole story, Brenna decides to investigate what really happened the night Heather Madsen died. The mystery that unfolds is truly gripping and had me guessing until the very end.

Every once in awhile you run across a book that proves to be a rare gem. Twenty pages in and I knew I had found such a book - something readers long for, a book that you can curl up on the couch with and disappear into for hours of pure pleasure. The book is sprinkled with colorful characters, the best being Brenna Nash. Anyone who has ever felt on the outside of the in crowd will recognize a piece of Brenna. Her loneliness, pain and strength came together to form one of the most unforgettable characters I have seen in a long time. I was rooting for her and more than once my heart broke for her. The growth she displayed over to overcome her personal demons and love herself was remarkable. The other characters are equally compelling, from the town bully to the local Sheriff. The small town was painted as a rural place where prejudice still lived and colored the opinions of those who live there. The incorporation of Native American lore and mysticism was just magic and so well done that you could tell the author did her homework on this one. The mystery of who killed Heather Madsen was compelling and I was surprised at the identity of the real killer. The wonderful combination of mystery, unforgettable characters, friendship and the power to overcome personal obstacles makes this one of the best books I have read in over a year, and one of the few books that have a permanent place on my bookshelf.

I received this from the publisher via Netgalley.com. It is available for purchase on March 28, 2011.

"In the Arms of Stone Angels" completely blew me away!

Brenna Nash’s betrayal of her best friend White Bird has ruined her life. She can no longer look forward, only backwards to the horrifying past when she saw her best friend standing over a murdered girl, bloody knife in his hands. Unfortunately she can’t escape her past. Her mom forces her back to Showana, OK and back to the memories that haunt her every moment. They’re going to take care of her recently deceased grandmother’s affairs but for Brenna the nightmare she’s been living in now gets worse as her return to town causes a stir among the residents.

What really happened to Heather Madsen? Does Brenna truly believe that White Bird murdered her? When she learns of White Bird’s current circ*mstances all the old feelings of love and friendship are too much to ignore and she has to see him. But that meeting sets off a chain of events that keep the reader on the edge of their seats. It’s a thrilling and emotionally draining ride as Brenna chooses to press through her terrifying ordeal and help her best friend.

I love Brenna Nash! She is such an intricate and deep character. I ached along with her as she constantly punished herself for her act of betrayal. I was sympathetic to her difficult relationship with her mother. I was intrigued by her ability to see the dead. She completely and utterly pulled me in.

Here are some favorite quotes of mine from her:

“Anytime something bad happened to me, I always assumed it was my fault. That’s how my brain was wired – then and now…”

“He [White Bird] could make me bleed with just a look. He still could. Everything he felt was in his eyes. And that made him beautiful.”

“And all that I wasn’t, and would never be, stared back at me through the blackness.”

“And now I had to have faith in something I’d never believed in before. Me.”

I just really identified with Brenna.I was so glad to see her triumph over her personal demons and gain a level of freedom that came from loving herself for the first time. There was wonderful healing and redemption in both her relationship with her mother and White Bird.

I was so impressed with this book and encourage everyone to pick it up and read it. It’s a compelling murder mystery but more than that, a story of redemption and the power of love and friendship

okay so i picked this book up last summer after i had finished reading some other angel-paranormal-romance schutff. yes a year. ago. so when i initially started reading it i was in that state of mind where you're waiting for an awesome book to come out and you pick something up to hold you over. well i started it last summer and after reading up to chapter 7 the book i'd been waiting for came so i put this aside and read my other book. i left it on my bedside table untouched until two days ago when i finished my summer choice reading.
well now this is where my actual review starts.
upon opening this book and restarting i realized why i had initially put the book down- and it wasn't just because a book i'd ordered finally came in. It starts as a tad of a dry read for me. but then again i was distracted again so...
anyways once you get past some initial plot stuff and questioning yourself about what really happened those 2 years ago, it gets good. like creeepy good.

WARNING! SPOILERS!!!

So there's a ton of speculation surrounding heather's murder. most of it points to our heroine Brenna and her love White Bird. after two years things are stirred up by Brenna and the local mean girls can't have her foiling their plans and revealing everything to the whole town.
Jordan Dane spins a web of deceit, lies, mystery, teenage drama, uniqueness, horror, and a dash of love that make a great book.

what i love though is a good murder. and of course the murderer. :)
heather's violent death- being stabbed mutiple times and being scalped....ewww....lol...make for some great speculatin as to wether or not White Bird did it. the whole time i read this i couldn't guess who the real murderer was. was it jade? was it derek? was it brenna herself?

but holy sh*t i never guessed until the last few ages before they figured it out and before brenna got to chloe's house tht it was......

drum rollllllll

(again HUGE SPOILER WARNING PLZ DON'T READ THIS B/C I DON'T WANT TO RUIN IT FOR YOU!!!!)

I never guessed it'd be chloe.

and that mad this book even better of a read. because twisted psycho girls always make for good drama and i thank Jordan Dane for making a 'Criminal Minds' or any other cop show come to life.

so read this if you love a good murder, a path to finding yourself, and just a spice of love.
;D

It’s not often that I think of a movie when reading a book. A song yes, I have even encountered the exact opposite and thought of a book while watching a movie, but with “In The Arms of Stone Angels” the very first thing that popped into my head was “The Cell” from 2000. While the plots are similar (not enough to say either copied each-other) that is not what caught my attention, the imagery was.

In short “In The Arms of Stone Angels” is a murder mystery (don’t be fooled by the very YA Paranormal cover art – which is beautiful but a tad misleading)

Brenna catches (or so she thinks) her best-friend (and 1st love) in a very compromising situation…hovering over a dead girl with a bloody knife in his hand, and in a moment of pure panic she calls the cops and turns him in. Now, 2 years later she is back in town and (realizing she made a huge mistake) is determined to find out who the real killer was. But… her being in town isn’t exactly the healthiest of things for her or the people around her. Why? Because the real killer is very desperately trying to drive her out of town (or…at the very least drive insane like her now psychologically comatose friend.) The book follows Brenna (her very unique ability to see dead people) and how she struggles against convention (and herself) to find out the truth and set her friend free.

Now, back to the imagery…Jordan Dane did an absolutely breath-taking job of describing dream-state in this novel. At one point the reader is asked to step outside of their comfort zone and enter a state that is considered “real” when actuality it is all inside of her friend’s mind. While this could have (very easily) read as hokey or ridiculous it instead reads as original and unflinchingly creative. I had no problem visualizing the scenarios that were introduced and that (in my own opinion) is the mark of a very good storyteller. Even more importantly was the twist at the end of the story which until the last 20 or so pages you couldn’t see coming. (A must in any murder mystery)

Overall, A very original story with hidden lessons and great writing.

Highly recommended for lovers of both mystery and YA.

Rarely do I have the chance to sit and chat with an author at great lengths about their novel but this was one of those rare moments. Jordan discussed her break-out YA novel in great detail, driving my need to read it through the roof. The cover alone was quite intriguing, with a mysterious quality that beckons you to flip to page one and beyond.

So... it begins with a girl making a choice that leaves her in complete turmoil. Brenna battles with her decision for two years, until she has no choice but to face the choice she made and her friend, Whitebird, that was on the negative end of the choice. She returns to the small town of Shawano, Oklahoma where, almost immediately, she finds her welcome in the town has run out. Facing the past is becoming more dangerous with each breathe she takes. Will she survive the obstacles before her?

I’m down for a good mystery suspense with paranormal qualities, and Jordan Dane has delved out a portion of each, blended together so well you are transported into the story yourself. Brenna is an unbelievably strong character. Every book has one but Brenna takes the cake; she rocks strength like I’ve never seen it before. The things she faces throughout the 313 pages will shock you and have you reeling for more.

The events that take place can be split into two categories. The first would be the magical qualities that deal with the Indian culture that gives the story a uniqueness that will blow your mind in the end. The second is that human beings can and will do just about anything to each other for reasons that will definitely make you shake your head in disgust.

Jordan Dane is the queen of suspense in my opinion. She created a YA novel that has the flare of an adult suspense/mystery novel with the heart of YA. I’m still completely stunned by the ending. Trust me when I say you won’t see it coming. I thought I knew how it would all end. I was wrong. I can only say that “In The Arms Of Stone Angels” should be on everyone’s must-read list, passing this one up would be a huge mistake. You Rock, Jordan!!

I received this book through Amazon Vine for review.

This book REALLY drew me in. Jordan Dane has written all of the characters so intricately and full of emotion and realness, that they are completely believable. Not only the main characters, but also the supporting characters. I cannot give enough praise in that area.

Brenna Nash is what I guess you would call a necromancer. She sees dead people. She is a social outcast but doesn't really care. Besides her ghostly "friends" she had one true friend in the world. Someone who really understood her. But she managed to screw up that relationship too. But then again, what choice did she have when she found him covered in blood, knife in hand, over a dead girls body...

The angst that Brenna feels is written on every page. Her guilt over her decision to turn her friend White Bird in, the pain she feels from her strained relationship with her mother, the awkward social interactions. Jordan Dane really captured the soul of a young outcast in this novel...and did it brilliantly.

I also loved the tie-in's with Native American culture. It really added a richness to the book. If you read the notes from the author at the end, she tells her story of moving to Oklahoma and the real-life people and experiences she based the book on.

My biggest criticism, which was nearly enough for me to knock off a star was my dislike of switching the point of view. I've seen it done before, like in Maggie Stiefvater's "Shiver", but that was alternating chapters with different point of views. This novel had it even within a single chapter. I found it quite confusing at times. It just was something I didn't like in the book. In the end, I decided that the other merits of the book justified the 5 star rating.

I look forward to reading more of Jordan Dane's novels. In addition, with the crazy YA paranormal phenomenon sweeping the nation, this would make an excellent movie, in my opinion.

I honestly feel I’m going to do this book no justice. Words are failing me as I’m wracking my brain to express how much I love this book. Brenna Nash, the MC of this story, brings us inside her haunted reality of how she views her world and herself through a dark and edgy first person narrative. For once, an author truly captures the teens of today—their talk, their swagger; their distorted and spot on perceptions through how they see their world. I was so connected to Brenna. She was as real as if I reached out and touched another person. And the relationship between Brenna and White Bird was utterly… I want to say romantic, but that word just doesn’t fit. They complete each other on a level that goes deeper than love. The other characters in this novel were amazingly developed also. I loved loving some, and I loved hating some, and I loved when I was confused at the end because some characters weren’t so black and white. It’s true to all humans, no one is simply evil or good—there are shades of gray, and Dane captured these shades beautifully—painting a town and characters that I will forever hold in my heart. The ending was powerful. I teetered on the edge of my seat, gripping at every word, studying every glimpse at new information, completely sucked into the story. I did not want it to end, yet I was completely satisfied with the ending. In the YA market, majority of the new stuff leaves you hanging, waiting for the next book, but I was so relieved when I was given an ending with amazing closure. I just can’t gush enough, and now I’m rambling. I feel there are no words for how strongly I feel for this book, so just do yourself a favor and read it. I promise you won’t be sorry. This one goes down on my list of all-time favorites.

After recently reading a book with a whiny young adult character, this book was refreshingly good with a strong character coupled with a superb plot and great character development.

Jordan Dane weaves a tale about two teenagers who care deeply about each other, drawn into the after effects of an evil plot to kill a girl at the top rungs of the local mean girl click - but it is so much more than that. The main character, Brenna, can see spirits and has a touch of sixth sense. The boy she grew to love, half Native American White Bird, is accused of a murder that even Brenna believes he may have committed, but he is in a catatonic state in the local mental hospital and isn't telling any tales. From there Brenna slowly unravels a mystery that keeps you guessing until the end.

Dane weaves this tale using both first person narrative and third person limited narrative. Not many authors can jump from first person to third person smoothly enough to keep the reader from taking notice with an abruptly disturbing the reader. Dane makes her transitions so smoothly, however, that I remained entranced by the story.

While I was reading this book the characters became very real to me as I was drawn into the story. Dane's character development is seamless and nearly perfect. Every book, however, has a flaw and this book was no exception. The only flaw in this book was the periodic over use of the word "real" (i.e. "real hard," "real fast," "real sorry," etc. I noticed it first in the first person narrative by the teenager and figured it was part of Dane's character development of a young voice, but then it began to occur with the third person adults' narrative. Still, in spite of that small error, this book still rates a solid 5 out of 5 as one an excellent young adult title.

In the Arms of Stone Angels by Jordan Dane

My thoughts:
Wow! I don't even know where to start or what to say about this remarkable story. I finished reading it with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat.
I have a friend who likes to ask me, "Bev, what have your read lately that was profound and thought provoking?" to which I usually answer, "Nothing Doug, you know I read fluff for pleasure." If he was to ask me today, my answer would be different. This story touched my heart and I will remember it always.
I usually talk about characters and world building and such when I write a review, but with this book... you truly MUST read it yourself and experience the power of what Jordan Dane has written. I think this book should be read by everyone. It encompasses so much in the worlds of so many.

So, for this one - here are some of my favorite quotes...

(Location 2818) Things that came from Joe always seemed important. Like White Bird, the man didn't waste words. "Stop questioning the tests that are put in your path. You're given only what you can handle. And those tests - making mistakes and figuring stuff out - that's what makes you stronger."
"Quit looking back, Brenna. The only thing you can change is what's ahead of you."

(Location 3200) "A journey takes time." The boy shrugged and looked him square in the eye. "And I guess the lessons we learn best, they come from the journey, not the destination."

(Location 3306) He looked tall and strong, the way he used to, but somewhere along the way, without me, he'd stepped into the shoes of a man.

Lately, I have been reading so many book about sacrifice. And if one thing I learn is that sacrifice means a lot. It means you love the person enough to do anything. Brenna accused her friend of the imaginable. She never thought he could ever do anything like murder. Hurt by the revelations, Brenna moves away and comes back. Little did she know that she find out exactly what happened.

This book touched a lot of issues. There was racism, sexist, and plain old meanness. Brenna was sought out by people because she was a white woman dating Indian boy. Their love was forbidden and the town frown upon it big time. So much that they hurt Brenna just to send a message. I was appalled by their actions and desperately wanted it all to stop. Nevertheless, Brenna never got their message and did what she could to clear her best friends name no matter what it took. You go girl!!

White Bird is a good young man. His reasons and his ties behind the murder were not what I thought. You know how you read a book or watch a movie and you think you know whats going to happen but in the end it was the exact opposite? Well I thought I knew, but Ms. Dane kept everything in the book really suspenseful and on my toes.

The research and information on the Indian tribe I loved learning. If one thing I love is to learn new things from a book. I learned a lot about the Indian tribe and the traditions that they have.

This young adult novel is darker than most with an intense edge that left me with three unforgettable characters that will be burned in my mind for many moons to come.

Written from Brenna's point of view, one quickly becomes involved with her pain and guilt over her decision of calling the police when she found her boyfriend, White Bird, standing over a girl, holding a knife and covered in blood. Then the understanding of what happened when Brenna and her mother left that small town to start over, only to have to return two years later with her mother to fix and sell her grandmother's house after her grandmother's death. One finds that her anger is justified, as when Brenna arrived, she is met with a hatred that is unjustly deserved. Being back also awakened more guilt and self-doubt when she went to visit her old boyfriend in the mental hospital. There is no way that the reader cannot get involved with Brenna as she is so "raw".

This story is filled with so many emotions: guilt, terror, sadness, love, shame, anger and forgiveness. It is a powerful story that makes one think about it long after they are finished. It makes one look at life and think all is not always as it seems - from the murder to Joe Sunne, a man Brenna finds that links White Bird to some interesting events.

This highly charged, dark and intense work is a book worth devouring, not only for young adults, but for anyone who enjoys an unforgettable story.

I almost didn't pick up this book, wasn't sure what I thought of the synopsis. But I am so grateful I did. I couldn't put it down, so many twists and interesting paranormal snippets. In the acknowledgments the author says it was meant as a "dark, edgy YA Novel" and I could not agree more. I loved the main character Brenna, she's a little on the weird, quirky side (clothing from curtains and can see ghosts, visions etc). Whitebird is a very endearing boy you just want to hug him. The other high school students are really mean and bully Brenna and Whitebird beyond belief and I was amazed at the torture, but I felt it added so much to both of these characters personalities to hear what they endured. I really enjoyed the sections where the story jumped to another characters points of view. (I think it's called head-popping). I have to say In the Arms of Stone Angels is one of the best books I have picked up this year, completely unexpected and one of my new all-time favorite reads. There just isn't enough words to describe the enjoyment that came from this book, just amazing writing.

Jordan Dane’s, “In the Arms of Stone Angels” is an unforgettable young adult story that will leave you sleep deprived as you soon come to realize this is a new, fresh take on the paranormal.

Brenna Nash, an unpopular loner, finally finds a boy she only dreamed about. They soon become best friends, that is, until the night that changed everyone’s lives in their small Oklahoma town for good. Brenna has accused her best friend, an Indian boy named White Bird, of killing the popular girl at school. Forced to relive her worst nightmare when she stumbles back to Oklahoma two years later, Brenna quickly discovers White Bird is in a mental institute instead of juvie. Brenna finds herself spiraling down the rabbit hole as she tries to save White Bird and herself.

Dane has gone over the top to create a wonderful and suspenseful book that any teen will love. Each page brings new and exciting events that are completely unexpected.
Reviewed for Suspense Magazine

I really liked this book a lot. Dane tells a great story and had amazing characters to back that up. Brenna was easy to identify with, even if she's just a teenager, I saw a lot of myself in her. After I got into the book, I really expected it to turn out how I figured it would but it threw me for quite a few loops and in the end, I was surprised to find out what was actually going on. My only complaint is that there was a lack of editing on the book itself, there were so many sentences that started with the word "And" that it became a hindrance for me to enjoy reading it. In order to finish, I had to train myself to just ignore the word and read the sentences as they should have been rather than how they were written. Other than that, I loved it. It had a great beginning, middle and end and I definitely enjoyed it.

I was extremely impressed with the very intense and often brutal accuracy with which the author described the teenagers in this book. Not just the lead character, Brenna, but every teenager in this book is extremely well written with all the angst and heartache that is often hidden under the surface of even the most popular kids.
I found some parts of the story shocking and terrifyingly familiar. In the 20 years since I left school teenagers have seemingly learnt nothing and parents are still blind to the downsides of the pubescent social ladder.
The love story in this book was sweet and grew slowly as the plot was revealed, and as Brenna grew into a more confident and honest version of herself.
With many twists and turns, In The Arms Of Stone Angels kept me guessing right to the end.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will definitely be recommending it to others

This was one of the most amazing books I have ever read! Right from the very beginning not only was I engrossed in the book but i literally felt like I was there with the characters. The story is absolutely phenominal & beautifully written! I could not & would not put it down until I had finished this amazing story! I ended up reading it in under seven hours! Ive read so many books but this one I will surely never forget! I most definetly highly recommend this book to anyone! You know an author has talent & a gift for writing when you literally feel every single emotion that the characters do and Jordan Dane did just and more! Go Read This Book!!!

I loved this edgy young adult mystery with a paranormal twist. Brenna has spent the last couple of years buried in guilt because she is the one who accused her best friend of murder when she found him with the knife in his hand over the corpse of one of the local mean girls. She and her mother moved away because of the pressures but now they are back to settle up her grandmother's estate. Brenna learns that her friend White Bird has been catatonic and in a psychiatric hospital since the murder. She is determined to find out what happened and to help her friend.