Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan’s band playing a critical gig and Aura’s plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend’s life. She never thought it would be his last.
Logan’s sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He’s gone.
Well, sort of.
Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan’s violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.
It doesn’t help that Aura’s new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.
As Aura’s relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura’s heart…and clues to the secret of the Shift. –Via Goodreads.
Shade, the first novel in a trilogy, reminded me a lot of a TV pilot. You get a glimpse into Aura’s ghostly world, the main conflicts are tied up, but enough unanswered questions remain to tease you of what’s to come in the series.
I loved the unique take on ghosts, and that only those sixteen years old or under can see them. In a way, it made the concept scarier, yet also sad since only the youngest people in the book can see their friends and family who have passed on.
Shade is also one of the rare books where a love triangle actually serves a purpose. Instead of Aura being too indecisive to choose between two boys, she’s torn between her ghostly former boyfriend, and moving on with her life and her new crush.
Aura is a strong, likable main character, and it’s easy to relate to her feelings of confusion and uncertainty about the role she plays in the post-shift world. I empathized with her heartbreak over the loss of her boyfriend, who was dead, but not really “gone” from her life, while still understanding her attraction to Zach.
Shade is a fast, fun read, with engaging characters and an action driven plot that propels you through the story. There is enough mystery, hint of conspiracy, and spookiness to keep readers on the edge of their seats.
As soon as I finished Shade (which I read in about five hours), I immediately moved on to the e-arc of Shift. I’m so curious about what’s next in Aura’s life, and dying to know more about what caused the original Shift in the world.
Keep an eye out for my Shift review soon!
4/5 Stars
Shade
