In The Arms Of Stone Angels

By Jordan Dane

Two years ago I did a terrible thing.

I accused my best friend of being a killer after seeing him kneeling over a girl's body. That moment and that outcast boy still haunt me. Now my mom is forcing me back to Oklahoma and I can't get White Bird out of my mind. But when I find out he's not in juvie—that he's in a mental hospital, locked in his tormented brain at the worst moment of his life—I can't turn my back on him again.

No one wants me to see him. My mom doesn't trust me. The town sheriff still thinks I was involved in the murder. And the other kids who knew the dead girl are after me. I'm as trapped as White Bird. And when I touch him, I get sucked into his living hell, a vision quest of horrifying demons and illusions of that night. Everything about him scares me now, but I have to do something. This time I can't be a coward. This time I have to be his friend. Even if I get lost, as well…

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Jan 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781408969540

Jordan Dane

Bestselling, critically-acclaimed author Jordan Dane’s gritty thrillers are ripped from the headlines with vivid settings, intrigue, and dark humor. Publishers Weekly compared her intense novels to Lisa Jackson, Lisa Gardner, and Tami Hoag, naming her debut novel NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM as Best Books of 2008. She also pens young-adult novels for Harlequin Teen. Formerly an energy sales manager, she writes full time and shares her Texas residence with two lucky rescue dogs.

Reviews for In The Arms Of Stone Angels

[kelly_mills-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I had no idea what to expect with this book. I hadn't read anything else by the author, however the synopsis sounded interesting. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself drawn in rather quickly. I connected deeply with the main character, Brenna. So much so, that at the end of one chapter I was almost in tears. I think the fact that I was at work was the only thing that kept me from actually being in tears. And I'm not one to tear up easily over a book. There is a lot of Native American influence in this book which I enjoyed as that is an area of interest to me. Though this is a paranormal book, the paranormal takes a backseat to the main story. This is a very plot driven book, again something I liked. The very real issue of bullying is touched upon. I was fortuante enough to never have been bullied, but the bullies in this book truly scared me. They were almost like sociopaths. But Brenna's evolution is at the heart of this beautifully written story. I highly recommend this book and plan to read more by this author.

[bookworm_lisa · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[jessibelle_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jordan Dane has created a wonderful young adult story. Set in the fictional town of Shawano, OK. Brenna Nash has returned to help her mother clean up her grandmother's home after her passing. It has been two years since that fateful day made her and her mother run from this town. Two years since she had last seen the person she loved the most in her life. The book starts out well. It grabs your attention with the dead of Heather, and Brenna seeing her love/boyfriend sitting naked covered in blood close to her mutilated body. All of this is told in a quick little flashback. Brenna turns in Isaac "White Bird" Henry, but is also accused of being an accomplice. Although she vehemently denies it, the town can't help but think she had a hand in it, since it was 3 in the morning that she found both the body and White Bird together. When she returns, old faces pop up and harass her, including the town sheriff. The book touches on many different prejudices that developed in the town and were festering since she left. White Bird is still locked away in his head, and the town still believes she had a hand in Heather's demise.Brenna goes on a whirlwind of a journey, trying to find out the truth and save White Bird at the same time. Did he really kill Heather? Or is something or someone more sinister tricking everyone.

[lanoratm_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Review:In The Arms of Stone Angels is a fiction book geared towards young adults. Brenna, the protagonist is angsty and struggles throughout the novel with her inner demons and secrets.Author Jordan Dane creates a very dark setting that rotates around numerous deaths. Brenna is not only struggling with the death of her grandmother, but the death of a local girl who she believes has been murdered by her first love. Though out the book, Brenna struggles with acceptance, understanding, forgiveness and regret. Teens who have been bullied or can identify with bullying, might find Dane's novel an interesting read. The book also gives American Indian cultural history.Personal thoughts:There were some difficult parts in this book for me to read. I struggled with them because I felt that the "fiction" aspect of them went a little too far. I found it very difficult for me to identify with any of these characters. Brenna seems to be a weak little mouse that turns into a lion - for someone who has been put through so much, she still hasn't lost her mind. There are also some unrealistic parts in this book. I am not talking about Brenna's secret either. I gather they are from a small town, but it sort of frightens me to think that small towns are only good at shoving things under the carpet.

[amusingmother · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a fairly action-packed book. The teens in this book do not play nice by any stretch. I have mixed feelings about this book. I'll start with what I liked - the protagonist was interesting and willing to grow. Her mother, although first painted as the usual enemy, once apprised of the truth, becomes Brenna's fiercest ally. I also really enjoyed the education on vision quests and a glimpse into the challenges of today's Native American population. Enjoyed the story and the symbolism used in the vision quest.What I didn't like: I know these are small things but they really bugged me. First of all, the psychiatrist breaching his ethical standards by calling the sheriff when there is a change in White Bird's status. Huge lawsuit regarding doctor/patient confidentiality. He won't discuss treatment with the Shaman but he will call the Sheriff? License revoked.I just realized I can't share another irritation because it would be a huge spoiler. Let's just leave it at the way the law is handled. One of which is that the sheriff should have had some consequences regarding something he did although I appreciated the justness of his conscience. The second part is the swiftness regarding resolution. Not the way the justice system or social services works. The process is long and painful.Besides those irritations, the story is interesting, enlightening and disturbing.

[kl1028 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'm usually really good at predicting what is going to happen in books but boy was i thrown for a loop...this was an awesome read and i would recommend it to those who like mystery with a dash of the supernatural thrown in and a touch of romance. The characters made you feel for them and as other reviewers have said it was an emotional read but i loved every twist and turn!

[pacey1927 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"In The Arms of Stone Angels" is the first book I have read by author Jordan Dane. Its partly a romance, partly a paranormal, partly a mystery and those parts add up to one impressive story. In "Arms", teenager Brenna Nash and her mother go back to thier old hometown to take care of the house left empty after her grandmother's death. Brenna goes back with a heavy heart because they left town two years earlier after Brenna had been investigated as a part of a murder investigation. Brenna was actually the one who called 911 to report finding her best friend, White Bird, holding the body of Heather, one of their classmates. White Bird was covered in Heather's blood and also holding the murder weapon. Ever since that time, Brenna has been second guessing her response to what she saw that night. White Bird could never be a killer, he was too gentle. And he had nothing to do with witchy, snobby, Heather or equally snotty friends, right? But now White Bird is in a mental hospital, locked in a world only he can see and unresponsive to everyone. His health is going downhill and the local townsfolk would just love to see him regain his sanity and be found fit to stand trial for the murder. But if White Bird was the guilty one, why is Brenna being picked on by the local snobs for coming back to town and why does her reappearance seem to spark such disgust in the entire town? Dane weaves quite an amazing story. There is so much going on. The story touches upon bullying (with a very disturbing sequence that left me truly horrified and upset), bigotry, Indian culture and practices and young romance. The mystery is done well and I was mildly suprised by the way that part of the story turned out. The paranormal aspects deal with the Indian practices and it was uniquely done, however I would have liked a little more of the paranormal action. The premise of this part of the book is almost like a 'hallucination' and I found the details somewhat vague and confusing and I would have liked some more explanation for those scenes. One or two scenes were brief and one was more extended and to me, more confusing. I loved White Bird and was disappointed that most of what we see of his character is done through flashbacks that detail the friendship and then relationship between White Bird and Brenna. He was one of the most interesting characters and I really wish there was more of him! The other Indian character was an older tribe leader and I loved also what he added to the story. The snobby clique was portrayed realistically nasty and I sure wouldn't want to have to run into those kids. One of the greatest strengths of this story is the relationship between Brenna and her mother. They don't see eye to eye and Brenna gets on her mothers nerves as much as her mother gets on Brenna's. The relationship comes across very natural and also true to life. Yet Brenna eventually trust her mother with the details of her situation, even the freaky ones, and her mom is there for her. Far too often in YA literature the parents aren't in the story, or the parents never learn about what their children are going through. This is very much a quick and unforgettable read and I encourage anyone with interst to buy this one.

[readingfanatic1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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!

[b00kah0lic · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I have to say, I did not particularly enjoy reading this book. I put off reading it for a while, and when I do that with a book I end up just wanting to get through it. I didn't feel a connection to the characters, I didn't even like them. I found them all to be slightly irritating. Once I started the book I was able to keep reading all the way through, so it did grab my attention. The plotline was fairly intriguing, but some scenes made me roll my eyes. I don't like giving bad reviews, but I just didn't enjoy it very much.

[claudette1_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Rating Clarification: 2.5In the stillness of headstones, darkness is my blanket.And forever is an endless song.In the arms of stone angels, I'm not afraid.Because finally and completely, I belong.Both the paperback and the galley cover are gorgeous, and the quote printed on the page before the prologue is so striking I read it over and over again.I had very mixed feelings about this book, especially during the first part, where the heroine managed to reach the top ten of my most-irritating-protagonist list. It just felt like she was forty and knew everything to know about life and that the rest of humanity wasn't worth looking at.Seriously, I'd burnt the damn book if it wasn't on my kindle.And what about the town sheriff? He was even more arrogant than Brenna, and blind, too. How could he not notice all the troubles his nephew caused? And how could he be so irrevocably racist, at the point to accuse a boy of cold-blooded murder and don't consider any other possible suspect?Apart from the big-headed characters, this book was ok. Brenna became much more tolerable towards the end and the plot was pretty good, I liked both the mystery and involvement of the Euchee tribe, and I didn't see the end coming. I think Withe Bird had a lot of potential, too bad he was in a catatonic state for most of the book. I didn't really get why Brenna made such big deal out of her "powers", I think her seeing the dead was just pointless since it didn't help the progress of the book at all.Overall, it was an okay read, but I think the author has to work more on her characters, sometimes they were just too unrealistic.

[millett23 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book, I couldn't put it down. I loved the characters and the build up to the end. It was very interesting to see Bree be at total odds with herself over what happened and then to see the transition to finally freeing herself and getting over the tragic events that happened 2 yrs prior.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[dragonlibrary8 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[megtall · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In The Arms Of Stone Angels is seriously one of the best YA novels I have read in a very long time. I didn't know exactly what to expect when I started reading, and I should add that I am overwhelmingly surprised and pleased with the story. The novel has everything that teens want: adventure, paranormality, outcast issues, romance, mystery, suspense and a happy closing. I absolutely loved Brenna from the get-go. She was angsty, misunderstood, and smart-alecky. But she also had a depth and a maturity underneath that rou exterior that I found endearing. And, wow, that ending sequence had me on pins and needles! I was so worried that not only would Brenna never get to exonerate White Bird, but that she would be incriminated instead. What amazing writing! It's kept me up way past my bedtime the last few nights, and I've already recommended the title to several patrons. 5 stars all the way!

[bookswithbite · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[absconditas · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book brought me to tears. I felt as though I were right there alongside Brenna, experiencing everything firsthand. This book touched a lot of issues. There was racism, sexist, and plain old meanness. Brenna the subject of much ridicule because of the simple fact that she was a white girl in love with an Indian boy. The whole town frowned upon this faux-pas, and we saw her being persecuted over and over again. The picture that Dane paints is remarkable, so much so that she has captured such intense emotion in me that I couldn’t control what I was feeling. I felt hate, and white-hot rage for the townspeople, and was smitten and intrigued by White Bird. There are so many twists and turns, and you don’t know who to trust. The character development was top-notch, and Dane captured the true essence of humanity on these pages. All in all, this debut was utterly breathtaking.

[dearheart_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sixteen year-old Brenna is being forced to go back to Oklahoma after her grandmother’s death to help pack up the house and put it on the market. She and her mother had been driven out of town after Brenna’s best friend, a half-breed named White Bird, had been arrested for the murder of a girl. The awkward thing is Brenna is the one who called the police after seeing him bloody with a knife in his hand, chanting over the dead girl’s body. She’s horrified when arriving back in town that he’s been in a catatonic state since that day in a mental institution, and the dead girl’s friends have a reason to want to keep Brenna from nosing around.Brenna is not your average girl and not even her mother is aware of her ability to see the dead, or the comfort she gets from sneaking out of the house at night to sleep old cemeteries that have stone angels. She’s incredibly angry and dresses in her own unique homeless-look attire combinations.As an adult I had a difficult time relating to Brenna at the beginning of the story; at least until other people become involved and the focus shifts to the mystery. We then get to see her real personality, and she’s a pretty special person. The story contains a great deal of Native American wisdom and mysticism. This is somewhat of an edgy read, and I really enjoyed the mystery and drama. But I feel like the author dropped the ball by not following through on a couple of things that were important to Brenna, and I was sorry to see those aspects missing. The story doesn’t feel quite complete without them.Reviewed for Vine Voice

[rachybee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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!

[booktwirps · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Brenna Nash sees dead people. Not only does she see them, but she likes sleeping in cemeteries. This is her other “home”. Whereas most people would be creeped out by being in a cemetery after dark, Brenna finds comfort there.Brenna spends most of her childhood as an outcast. She never really fits in. While most girls enjoy shopping and playing dress up, Brenna likes playing outdoors and getting muddy. When she meets Isaac Henry, or White Bird as he prefers to be called, she finds the one person who doesn’t judge her. White Bird is a half-breed, “part Euchee Indian and part whatever”, and he is an outcast like Brenna. He is an orphan, and wants more than anything to be welcomed in to the Euchee tribe, but since he is a half-breed, they won’t let him in. White Bird and Brenna understand one another, and eventually her fourteen-year-old self falls in love with him. This sounds like the perfect setup for a nice teen romance, but that all changes when Brenna finds White Bird kneeling over the body of a girl Brenna went to school with, and Brenna turns him in, pegging him as the murderer.Two years later Brenna and her mother are now living in South Carolina, but when her grandmother dies, they are forced to go back to Oklahoma to clean up the house so it can be sold. When they get back to town, Brenna discovers that White Bird had never been tried for the murder. Instead, he has been locked up in a mental institution in a catatonic state. Brenna sneaks off to meet White Bird and is shocked at what she discovers and is even more shocked at what she sees in a vision when she touches him. She knows he is trying to tell her something but she doesn’t know what. She decides she owes it to him to try and piece together everything, but there are people in the town that want to leave White Bird just the way he is, and they will do anything to keep Brenna quiet.From the first chapter I immediately knew who Brenna was. Sometimes it takes a while to get a feel for a character, and what makes them tick, but Dane introduces the reader to Brenna so effortlessly and with such pin-point accuracy you feel like you are jumping in to a story with someone you’ve known for years. Everything about Brenna’s character was believable. Her FU attitude, her angst and the thoughts going through her head were all things that made her seem real. The rest of the characters are just as tightly drawn. I never found myself thinking “Wait, that seems totally out of character for that person.” The plot was perfectly paced and the resolution hit me like a smack to the head. I totally didn’t see it coming.Jordan Dane has written an amazing, breath-taking young adult novel. It has paranormal elements mixed with romance, Indian folklore and murder mystery. This book had everything I could have wanted in a great, suspenseful read. The only problem that I had with it was that it ended, and I wanted it to keep going.