I was a little suprised by the story, and to be honest, the length of the book. I got this as an e-book through the member giveaways, and although I read the discription of the book, I don't know if it truly covered what I read. I did enjoy the book, although it was much darker in subject than I was prepared for. I became very involved with the shear hopelessness of the main characters and the family in general. I can say that we as teeneagers, have more than likely felt that sense of not belonging. However this wwent much deeper and darker into the side that most people are lucky enough not to have to incounter. ( )

A deeply troubled family from New Orleans suffer through a series of events that will bring them back together... or blow them apart!

Hailey, a young teen girl and the story's narrator, accompanies us through her world. Sex, drugs, partying, and searching for what growing up means. Her parents are so myopically involved in their own problems that they don't see what's happening to Hailey right before their eyes. Her older brother Cyrus, one of the few stable people in her life, is going through growing pains of his own.

The novel is a down and dirty look at urban life through the eyes of a teen. The choices, good and bad begin to shape her life. What has she done to deserve the mess she's in? And can she survive and escape?

The author's unusually descriptive prose help set the grim mood of the proceedings. My only criticism is that I wished the events that climax the book were more fleshed out. They all occur within the last 25 pages and seem to run together. Some very heavy stuff would be better served by being described in more detail.

I thought this book showed great promise from the author. I like the style (even if the plot was very dark), and am looking forward to reading more of his work. ( )

What an interesting book. Typical family set up, mother, father, and 2 kids. In the first couple of pages you realize how disfunctional they are. Haily, the main character feels like she is searching for a normal family. Mom is depressed, after losing a baby, father drinks and plays pool, brother is a theif running with the wrong types of people. Really enjoyed the story and following the character of Haily. Great job! ( )

I had a hard time getting through this book because it was so sad. (Plus reading on the computer is not very comfortable)

The characters are well developed and the story line all too real.

I'd recommend it to anyone who is interested in the subject matter but not as a purly fiction book unless you want to be sad.

Compelling. Tusa’s debut novel Dirty Little Angels is gritty, and really something out of the ordinary.

I usually find myself propelled through a book because I can empathise with the characters or find some parallel to my own life. But in this case, my compulsion to continue reading was not borne from empathy for or a connection with the characters - far from it in fact. On many an occasion I found myself saying in my head, “No, don’t do that!”. I then asked myself why was I so hooked on this story and characters whose destiny seemed so pre-determined? The answer for me was Tusa’s stark and confronting writing style, one like I’ve never read before. I found his use of metaphors such as ‘the black worm holes of his eyes’ and ‘little cobwebs of grief’ both refreshing and haunting.

In this novel Tusa does not shy away from the harsh realities of the lives of some in the community. He poses the age old question of what’s right and wrong, and shows us how the answer to that question is different for each and every one of us, depending on the situation we’re in and our experiences and role models up to that point. A story about the darker side of the human psyche and the strength of the human spirit – one well worth reading. ( )