A Gift of Wings

This book is a wonderful mix of the familiar and the unexpected. For anyone who has lived in Chicago, the underlying setting is comfortable, known and superbly recreated. Layered on top of this setting is a new world, unknown to most, where good and evil, and those who protect us, wage an ongoing battle. One young woman, more special than she could possibly imagine. Stephanie does a wonderful job taking us on Lucky's journey from a human teen to an independent young woman who becomes so much more. Her joys, fears, triumphs and confusions are realistically portrayed as she navigates this new world. Her struggle to maintain who she is while adjusting to changes within herself that she cannot stop are wonderfully written and will resonate with the young adults for whom this book is intended as well as for those of us who remember these times. I highly recommend this book and look forward to the sequel.

I've read vampires, werewolves, witches, zombies, shape-shifters, ghosts, demons, etc.; however, the limited knowledge I had of angels came from Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instrument Series, so this was basically new territory for me. A Gift of Wings was completely refreshing and a highly enjoyable read. Stephanie Stamm is a first time author and she's done an incredible job with this book. The writing flowed so well, it was hard to believe this was her debut novel. As a reader of many independent books, I've come across numerous mistakes in publishing, but if this book had flaws, I completely missed them. Something that really impressed me was the diversity of the characters, an aspect I think is lacking in many YA and New Adult books. Diverse characters add to the depth of the story, in my opinion, and are a better representation of today's world. Lucky Monroe was a strong female protagonist and I genuinely liked her. Her journey through life hasn't been easy and judging by the end of this book, her struggles have just begun. Aiden Townsend wormed his way into my heart from the first page. I've always had a soft spot for sexy guys in leather jackets who ride motorcycles - who wouldn't? The author also gave the reader wonderful insight into the supporting characters, and I particularly liked Zeke. To me, he was the embodiment of safety, knowledge, strength, and reassurance. The story was well-paced, offering some twists I didn't see coming and I look forward to its continuation in the second installment. I'd recommend this book to any YA/New Adult readers and feel it's appropriate for ages 15 and up. I received a digital copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.