Finished Griffin Rising by Darby Karchut.  I received this book from the author.

Griffin is an angel.  More specifically, he’s probably best described as an apprentice guardian angel.  He’s 16, and soon he’ll have to pass a test to become a full-fledged angel, or Terrae Angeli.  His mentor, Basil, is a father figure to him, and they’re very close. Unfortunately, to pass the test, he’ll have to defeat his first mentor, Nicopolis, who is a complete jerk (which is phrasing it nicely).  If he can’t pass the test, he has to become mortal.

But there’s more to the story than that.  You see, there’s this teenage girl who lives across the street…

I really enjoyed this book.  There’s plenty of action and intrigue, but it’s also a sweet love story.  Griffin is a great hero and he’s impossible not to cheer for.  I wish I had gotten more of a feel for Katie, but I liked her, too.  And Basil is a wonderful person, and I wish everyone had someone like him in their lives.

I saw in the author’s note that she’s working on a sequel.  I hope it comes out soon; I really want to know what happens next to everyone.