Book Review: On a Dark Wing by Jordan Dane

On a Dark Wing by Jordan Dane

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publish Date: December 27, 2011

Paperback, 384 pages 
Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal
 ISBN: 978-0373210411

 
My Review:

I've read Jordan Dane's adult romantic suspense and I have to say she does a great job switching over completely to the young adult genre.  I know this is her second YA book, but this is the first one I have read by her and I really enjoyed it.  I thought the setting of Alaska was fresh and interesting and the take on the paranormal she uses is different as well.

I liked Abbey, she has her problems.  She is dealing with guilt, she has some trouble fitting in but she has an amazing best friend in Tanner who like her has been in an accident, but his has resulted in him being in a wheelchair.  But that was the cool thing to me, Abbey and Tanner don't let that bother them.  The book starts at the end of the school year, and Abbey is crushing on Nate, the swoon-worthy guy at school hard.  Abbey and Tanner plan on spending the first few weeks of summer listening in on how Nate, Josh and Nate's Dad's expedition up Denali goes on the radio frequency.  But several things from a kink into that plan.

Of course that is where the plot begins to get interesting and complex.  I will admit to getting a little confused at times, but Ms. Dane does a good job of holding your hand to make you understand the world she has constructed.  The main gist is that Abbey meets Death and that complicates things.  I won't go into it any more than that because you know I don't like to spoil things for you.  But the spin on death and the story kept me turning pages.  It's definitely an interesting plot to follow.

My favorite thing about the book though is the character development.  Watching Abbey is amazing.  You just have to read it to see, and there are many other surprises in store, ones that I did not see coming.  I have to say that On A Dark Wing made a perfect rainy day weekend book.  I felt I escaped to a place I was unfamiliar with and yet Ms. Dane made me familiar with it.  I also felt I got to know each of the characters pretty well.  One last thing I really liked, parents that were involved in the teenagers lives.   Each family had parents and parents that cared.  That was a great thing to see.

A great story, characters that felt like your own friends by the end and hauntingly beautiful scenery make for a wonderful story that is well-worth picking up for the entertainment value alone.  On a Dark Wing was a winner for me and while I was already a fan of Ms. Dane's romantic suspense books, I am now a fan of her young adult books as well.

My Rating: 4.5/5.0

Parental guidance: A fairly clean book, I can't remember much in the way of language, so if there was any it was minimal.  Kissing is the only thing that takes place.  The characters are around 15 and sex is not really mentioned except for in one part in the beginning of the book where a website is referenced, but that is brief and not graphic.  I would recommend this one for anyone 13+.

About the Book:
The choices I had made led to the moment when fate took over. I would learn a lesson I wasn't prepared for. And Death would be my willing teacher.


Five years ago, Abbey Chandler cheated Death. She survived a horrific car accident, but her "lucky" break came at the expense of her mother's life and changed everything. After she crossed paths with Death—by taking the hand of an ethereal boy made of clouds and sky—she would never be normal again.

Now she's the target of Death's ravens and an innocent boy's life is on the line. When Nate Holden—Abbey's secret crush—starts to climb Alaska's Denali, the Angel of Death stalks him because of her.


And Abbey finds out the hard way that Death never forgets.


About the Author (from Goodreads.com): 
Avon/HarperCollins launched Jordan Dane's debut suspense novels in a back to back publishing event in Spring 2008 after buying the 3-book series in auction. Pursuing publication since 2003, Jordan had received awards in 33 national writing competitions and was an energy sales manager in the oil and gas industry prior to selling. Now she is following her passion and writes full time.

Ripped from the headlines, Jordan's gritty plots weave a tapestry of vivid settings, intrigue, and dark humor. She loves challenging a reader's moral barometer with the borderline ethics of her characters and their flawed personalities—dark, angst-ridden antiheroes pitted against unforgettable villains. Publishers Weekly compared her intense pacing to Lisa Jackson, Lisa Gardner, and Tami Hoag—"romantic suspense that crosses over into plain thriller country with tight plotting and exceptional male characters, both bad guys and good."

Jordan and her husband share their residence with two cats of highborn lineage and the spirit of an intelligent canine who is impossible to forget.

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FTC Information: I received this book through Netgalley and Teen Book Scene for an honest review.  I do make money from purchases made at The Book Depository and B&N.com, but all money is used to fund giveaways and shipping for giveaways from the blog.