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nicholeb84's review against another edition
3.0
A good start to what I think will be an interesting take on the whole ghost/paranormal romance genera. A solid 3.2 out of 5 - get it from the library.
janina_reads's review against another edition
3.0
This book is definitely among the better paranormal YA books I’ve read this year.
The world building was great, especially since the author didn’t feel the need to explain every small detail – no matter how unimportant - right at the beginning, but left the reader to make his own assumptions. I dislike nothing more than being given all the explanations to why a certain aspect or ability is like it is and how it works exactly on the first twenty pages.
And although I hate the fact the almost every book in this genre contains the standard love triangle, the one in Shade felt believable to me. I could understand Aura’s love for Logan, but I could also see why she was drawn to Zachary. Both boys had something special about them and I can’t say who I liked more.
The world building was great, especially since the author didn’t feel the need to explain every small detail – no matter how unimportant - right at the beginning, but left the reader to make his own assumptions. I dislike nothing more than being given all the explanations to why a certain aspect or ability is like it is and how it works exactly on the first twenty pages.
And although I hate the fact the almost every book in this genre contains the standard love triangle, the one in Shade felt believable to me. I could understand Aura’s love for Logan, but I could also see why she was drawn to Zachary. Both boys had something special about them and I can’t say who I liked more.
reddyrat's review against another edition
3.0
I eagerly picked up Shade after reading tons of rave reviews about it. Unfortunately, it was not for me.
On the bright side, I loved the concept. After the "shift," an obscure date, every person born could see ghosts. Not every dead person became a ghost - depends on how they died. Interestingly, the few people who could see ghosts before the "shift" now can no longer see them. Other than this paranormal element, the world is just like modern day. In the Shade world, however, society has radically shifted to adjust to the ghostly presence. The dead can sue to avenge their deaths and hopefully gain some peace. The government is recruiting teenagers to join their ghost squad. Ghosts can be good, but can go evil - become "Shades" who must be eradicated permanently. These bad ghosts can't find peace; they just disappear.
So you see that the ghostly idea is fabulous. Ms. Smith-Ready does a lovely job in creating a ghost paranormal story like no other. But that's the peak of this novel for me.
I liked Aura. She's a normal teenage girl who loves her boyfriend, is close with her aunt (her parents are dead), and likes hanging out with her friend. She's not a wilting daisy, but nor is she a prize fighter. Logan - the boyfriend - is another story. He's an idiot who thinks he's a big shot, because his band's about to go big. He gets drunk and then is stupid enough to mix alcohol with cocaine, because of which he kicks the bucket. Part of me sees why Aura loves Logan. Both as a human and as a ghost, he has a mix of vulnerability and arrogance that is enticing. He's sweet and you can see that he genuinely cares for Aura and his siblings. But he quickly turns into a whiny, angry jerk when he doesn't get his way.
This is one of those love-triangle stories. Our third leg, Zachary, is a new kid from Scotland. I really like him. He's funny, kind, and smart. He has a hint of danger, but he's one of those good dangerous guys. Unlike many lovers of Highland romance, I don't find a Scottish brogue sexy; I find it rather irritating, actually. Give me an Irish or British accent any day. So the Scottish thing was a turn off. But Zachary is definitely the guy I wanted Aura to be with.
My biggest problem with this book was the plot. Early on, Logan dies and returns as a ghost. Aura meets Zachary and struggles between Logan and Zachary. That's all fine and good, but it didn't feel like a story. I kept wondering when a larger element would show up, as you see in most paranormal novels. It does finally appear, but not until 2/3-3/4 of the way through the book. It's an interesting element, but the book ends before my curiosity is really piqued. I don't like it when I'm forced to turn the pages of almost an entire book wondering why I should care.
I wish I'd liked Shade more. I know many people did, so I wouldn't steer clear of it simply because of my review. Perhaps if I'd liked Logan better, it would have been different. There was some nice, hot romantic scenes in the story, but romance alone is not enough to carry a paranormal novel for me. I wanted a stronger plot and do not have the patience to wait until the second book to see it fully developed.
Rating: 2.5 / 5
On the bright side, I loved the concept. After the "shift," an obscure date, every person born could see ghosts. Not every dead person became a ghost - depends on how they died. Interestingly, the few people who could see ghosts before the "shift" now can no longer see them. Other than this paranormal element, the world is just like modern day. In the Shade world, however, society has radically shifted to adjust to the ghostly presence. The dead can sue to avenge their deaths and hopefully gain some peace. The government is recruiting teenagers to join their ghost squad. Ghosts can be good, but can go evil - become "Shades" who must be eradicated permanently. These bad ghosts can't find peace; they just disappear.
So you see that the ghostly idea is fabulous. Ms. Smith-Ready does a lovely job in creating a ghost paranormal story like no other. But that's the peak of this novel for me.
I liked Aura. She's a normal teenage girl who loves her boyfriend, is close with her aunt (her parents are dead), and likes hanging out with her friend. She's not a wilting daisy, but nor is she a prize fighter. Logan - the boyfriend - is another story. He's an idiot who thinks he's a big shot, because his band's about to go big. He gets drunk and then is stupid enough to mix alcohol with cocaine, because of which he kicks the bucket. Part of me sees why Aura loves Logan. Both as a human and as a ghost, he has a mix of vulnerability and arrogance that is enticing. He's sweet and you can see that he genuinely cares for Aura and his siblings. But he quickly turns into a whiny, angry jerk when he doesn't get his way.
This is one of those love-triangle stories. Our third leg, Zachary, is a new kid from Scotland. I really like him. He's funny, kind, and smart. He has a hint of danger, but he's one of those good dangerous guys. Unlike many lovers of Highland romance, I don't find a Scottish brogue sexy; I find it rather irritating, actually. Give me an Irish or British accent any day. So the Scottish thing was a turn off. But Zachary is definitely the guy I wanted Aura to be with.
My biggest problem with this book was the plot. Early on, Logan dies and returns as a ghost. Aura meets Zachary and struggles between Logan and Zachary. That's all fine and good, but it didn't feel like a story. I kept wondering when a larger element would show up, as you see in most paranormal novels. It does finally appear, but not until 2/3-3/4 of the way through the book. It's an interesting element, but the book ends before my curiosity is really piqued. I don't like it when I'm forced to turn the pages of almost an entire book wondering why I should care.
I wish I'd liked Shade more. I know many people did, so I wouldn't steer clear of it simply because of my review. Perhaps if I'd liked Logan better, it would have been different. There was some nice, hot romantic scenes in the story, but romance alone is not enough to carry a paranormal novel for me. I wanted a stronger plot and do not have the patience to wait until the second book to see it fully developed.
Rating: 2.5 / 5
poledancingdinos's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. I bought this book in the cheap section of a book store so I didn't really care if it was good as long as it was inexpensive. It turned out to be exactly what I've been needing. It's just about the saddest and sweetest book I've ever read.
beastreader's review against another edition
4.0
Everyone born after the shift can see ghosts. Aura is unique. She not only can see ghosts but she is their lifeline to the present. This is cool but at the same time it can have its annoying moments like…when ghost appear unexpected and demand your help…or having ghosts yell in your ear, never giving you a minute of peace. Of course, Aura would never trade any of this, when her boyfriend, Logan ends up dead. It is up to Aura to help Logan pass through to the other side.
There is a new boy in town. His name is Zachary. There is something different about Zachary. What is Zachary hiding?
I have wanted to try out author, Jeri Smith Ready for a while. I decided to start with Mrs. Smith Ready’s young adult paranormal series. Shade is book one. This book is a ghost story but not a scary ghost story. More like a love story. I liked Aura. She was cool. She is like a typical teenager only she has the ability to see and speak to ghosts. I liked Aura and Logan together, even though I didn’t really get to know Logan. Zachary was nice. Though at times it seemed like Zachary was desperate to tag along with Aura, so he would than seem like not much of a love interest for Aura. I can not wait to “Shift’ my way into the next book.
There is a new boy in town. His name is Zachary. There is something different about Zachary. What is Zachary hiding?
I have wanted to try out author, Jeri Smith Ready for a while. I decided to start with Mrs. Smith Ready’s young adult paranormal series. Shade is book one. This book is a ghost story but not a scary ghost story. More like a love story. I liked Aura. She was cool. She is like a typical teenager only she has the ability to see and speak to ghosts. I liked Aura and Logan together, even though I didn’t really get to know Logan. Zachary was nice. Though at times it seemed like Zachary was desperate to tag along with Aura, so he would than seem like not much of a love interest for Aura. I can not wait to “Shift’ my way into the next book.
karireyn's review against another edition
2.0
This book had such great potential, but I couldn't get over all the swear words. There really wasn't any need for 30+ f words in the book. I was really disappointed.
audreychamaine's review against another edition
3.0
All kids born after a certain date are able to see the pale-purple ghosts of the dead. Aura happens to have been born at the very moment when this phenomenon occurs. Life is different for those who are able to see the dead. Aura doesn't pay too much attention (or tries not to), until her boyfriend dies in a very stupid accident. Now she can only see and hear, but not touch him. Things start to get complicated when she begins to have feelings for her living classmate. As if that weren't enough, she learns that she is being monitored by the government.
Shade was a fun enough read. Personally, there was too much emphasis on sex for my liking. Smith-Ready made it an integral part of the plot, but I found it to be awkward. I was embarrassed for Aura. I like the idea of young people being able to see the dead, and think it was interesting to see how having a remnant of the person still around disrupts the grieving process. The middle of the book was a bit slow for me, but I'll read on because I'm intrigued by the idea of having the Shift (the moment when people began to see the dead) explained.
Shade was a fun enough read. Personally, there was too much emphasis on sex for my liking. Smith-Ready made it an integral part of the plot, but I found it to be awkward. I was embarrassed for Aura. I like the idea of young people being able to see the dead, and think it was interesting to see how having a remnant of the person still around disrupts the grieving process. The middle of the book was a bit slow for me, but I'll read on because I'm intrigued by the idea of having the Shift (the moment when people began to see the dead) explained.
hollyollyoxenfree's review against another edition
5.0
I picked up Shade completely on a whim. I spend a lot of time at the library, and I remember seeing Shine on a shelf after it was newly released, so I looked into the series, and discovered Shade was the first book, and the concept sounded intriguing enough that I thought oh why not! And I am so happy I went for it.
I'm not sure what exactly I was expecting from this book when I picked it up, but whatever it was, it certainly wasn't what I got. Jeri Smith-Ready creates a world so fascinating, and so unique, I couldn't help but be sucked in. The youngest generation of teenagers and children can all see ghosts. But these are not the regular ghosts we are used to - they are violet energy, preserved to look as they did in their happiest moment. So that was the first unique aspect for me - often ghosts are preserved as they are at their death, and they are typically in technicolor. So I was like, okay, that's different, I like that. Then there are the Shades. I don't want to ruin this bit of uniqueness for everyone, but I absolutely loved this concept because it's something I haven't really experienced in other ghost books.
Another thing I wasn't expecting was the emotion of this book. Oh the FEELINGS!!! I was expecting Logan's death, it's on the back cover as well as in the description here, but oh dear! The emotion that went into writing it makes the tragedy almost tangible. You can feel how deeply it tears everyone apart. Jeri Smith-Ready does such a good job of making the reader feel every little pain that Aura and the family feels, you can't help but be overwhelmed. The story is so tragically heart-wrenching, you can feel the pain in your soul. I found myself growing so attached to all of the characters in such a short amount of time, I couldn't bear their pain.
Which brings me to the characters. Aura is an interesting protagonist. She is flawed, as are we all, but it makes her so very human. And so very relatable. Often times the heroines are so annoying, or whiny, or any number of obnoxious adjectives that frustrate me to no end, but Aura was none of these. She was grief-stricken, but appropriately so. She really tried to make the best of the situation as she could. I really enjoyed her so much. Logan on the other hand, and I may be shot for saying this, irritated me. He is rather cocky, and acts so stupid most of the time, but he also has a vulnerable side that pulls on the heart strings. I liked his character, he was an excellent contrast to others in the story, but he was not my favorite by a long shot. However, everything leading up to and after his death are completely believable for his situation, which helped the story feel that much more realistic. Zachary. Oh Zachary. Who doesn't love a Scottish accent? I love Zach's character - he is sweet and sensitive, and so very patient. And I love him. I again don't want to give too much away, but I felt his actions and attitude toward the events in this book were also quite realistic given the circumstances. The supporting characters rounded out this book nicely - I especially liked Megan and Dylan, and Mickey and Siobhan. Normally the supporting characters either don't interact much or are just one-dimensional fluff characters, but I felt all of them had substance, and depicted the many stages of grief very well.
Jeri Smith-Ready is a beautiful writer. The way she crafts her descriptions, and the depth of emotion, not only makes you feel like you're part of the story, but it makes you feel like you know all of these characters personally. She draws you into her world and traps you there, and you don't even realize you're not part of it until suddenly you reach the end of the book. The love you can feel between Logan and Aura is so real, and the way it is written is so beautiful, you can't help but feel it too.
Jeri Smith-Ready's descriptions are so profound, and so complete, you can feel them in your soul. It was overwhelming at times, the beauty that she created with her words.
Wow. Just wow. After I read that I just sat for a bit to contemplate what she was saying. I was speechless. It's so beautiful. So profound. Perfection.
Jeri Smith-Ready really knew what she was doing when she wrote Shade . I am in awe of the beauty of the story, the beauty of her writing, and the beauty in her characters. I felt this book was fairly close to flawless - it was a world in which I would be happy to live, and it was so amazingly unique to anything else I had ever read. The characters were so well crafted, and the story was kept moving enough to keep me reading, that it most certainly deserved every single one of the five stars I gave it. I highly, highly recommend you read this book, because not only will it entertain you, it will touch your soul.
**Side note: After reading this book I couldn't get Flogging Molly's song, Devil's Dance Floor out of my head. So I listened to it on repeat while writing this review, as an homage to the Keeley Brothers' last concert.
I'm not sure what exactly I was expecting from this book when I picked it up, but whatever it was, it certainly wasn't what I got. Jeri Smith-Ready creates a world so fascinating, and so unique, I couldn't help but be sucked in. The youngest generation of teenagers and children can all see ghosts. But these are not the regular ghosts we are used to - they are violet energy, preserved to look as they did in their happiest moment. So that was the first unique aspect for me - often ghosts are preserved as they are at their death, and they are typically in technicolor. So I was like, okay, that's different, I like that. Then there are the Shades. I don't want to ruin this bit of uniqueness for everyone, but I absolutely loved this concept because it's something I haven't really experienced in other ghost books.
Another thing I wasn't expecting was the emotion of this book. Oh the FEELINGS!!! I was expecting Logan's death, it's on the back cover as well as in the description here, but oh dear! The emotion that went into writing it makes the tragedy almost tangible. You can feel how deeply it tears everyone apart. Jeri Smith-Ready does such a good job of making the reader feel every little pain that Aura and the family feels, you can't help but be overwhelmed. The story is so tragically heart-wrenching, you can feel the pain in your soul. I found myself growing so attached to all of the characters in such a short amount of time, I couldn't bear their pain.
Which brings me to the characters. Aura is an interesting protagonist. She is flawed, as are we all, but it makes her so very human. And so very relatable. Often times the heroines are so annoying, or whiny, or any number of obnoxious adjectives that frustrate me to no end, but Aura was none of these. She was grief-stricken, but appropriately so. She really tried to make the best of the situation as she could. I really enjoyed her so much. Logan on the other hand, and I may be shot for saying this, irritated me. He is rather cocky, and acts so stupid most of the time, but he also has a vulnerable side that pulls on the heart strings. I liked his character, he was an excellent contrast to others in the story, but he was not my favorite by a long shot. However, everything leading up to and after his death are completely believable for his situation, which helped the story feel that much more realistic. Zachary. Oh Zachary. Who doesn't love a Scottish accent? I love Zach's character - he is sweet and sensitive, and so very patient. And I love him. I again don't want to give too much away, but I felt his actions and attitude toward the events in this book were also quite realistic given the circumstances. The supporting characters rounded out this book nicely - I especially liked Megan and Dylan, and Mickey and Siobhan. Normally the supporting characters either don't interact much or are just one-dimensional fluff characters, but I felt all of them had substance, and depicted the many stages of grief very well.
Jeri Smith-Ready is a beautiful writer. The way she crafts her descriptions, and the depth of emotion, not only makes you feel like you're part of the story, but it makes you feel like you know all of these characters personally. She draws you into her world and traps you there, and you don't even realize you're not part of it until suddenly you reach the end of the book. The love you can feel between Logan and Aura is so real, and the way it is written is so beautiful, you can't help but feel it too.
All I know is that I was ecstatically, painfully in love with him, waiting for him to slip away, leaving me with my palms singed from clutching a blue-hot star.
Jeri Smith-Ready's descriptions are so profound, and so complete, you can feel them in your soul. It was overwhelming at times, the beauty that she created with her words.
We were whispering now, because even the crickets had gone to bed. "I haven't seen a single ghost all night." Except Logan, I added mentally.
"That's not true. Look at the Milky Way." Zachary leaned back on one hand and swept his other over his head. "Some of those stars are already dead. In the thousands of years it takes their light to reach us, they could've exploded or burned out."
I gazed up at the long, blurry stretch of silver that could've been mistaken for a high cloud. "So we're seeing them as they were, not the way they are now."
We sat for a few more minutes in silence, and I began to understand why Eowyn was making us do this exercise. Three thousand years ago, people probably couldn't imagine the birth and death of stars. Those points of light were constant, dependable, eternal. Must have been comforting.
We packed up my car and drove home, under a sky full of ghosts.
Wow. Just wow. After I read that I just sat for a bit to contemplate what she was saying. I was speechless. It's so beautiful. So profound. Perfection.
Jeri Smith-Ready really knew what she was doing when she wrote Shade . I am in awe of the beauty of the story, the beauty of her writing, and the beauty in her characters. I felt this book was fairly close to flawless - it was a world in which I would be happy to live, and it was so amazingly unique to anything else I had ever read. The characters were so well crafted, and the story was kept moving enough to keep me reading, that it most certainly deserved every single one of the five stars I gave it. I highly, highly recommend you read this book, because not only will it entertain you, it will touch your soul.
**Side note: After reading this book I couldn't get Flogging Molly's song, Devil's Dance Floor out of my head. So I listened to it on repeat while writing this review, as an homage to the Keeley Brothers' last concert.
sparklingreader's review against another edition
4.0
This is a teen book full of heavy subjects such as drug abuse, death, drinking, teen sex, and more. In addition to these, there are also ghosts.
Ever since an event called "The Shift" young people born after that time can see ghosts. People born before The Shift cannot. Aura, the main character, was the first child born after the shift. Zack, a gorgeous Scottish exchange student was the last child born before The Shift. There is a connection between the two of them but nobody knows what it is...yet.
On the night of his 17th birthday, Aura's boyfriend Logan dies of an overdose. He returns as a ghost, complicating Aura's life. She is drawn to Zack, but feels a loyalty to Logan. Things go from bad to worse when Logan turns into a Shade, an evil ghost. Aura is sure she can bring him back, but it's never been done.
The story moves quickly with a good mix of action and dialogue. The connection between Zack and Aura is strong, as is the connection between Aura and Logan - an interesting love triangle between the living and the ghost. The characters were well developed with believable flaws and strengths. The world development is excellent with the ghosts, ways to avoid them (wearing red) and ways to keep them out of places (black (obsidian) rooms) and ways for them them move on.
The story is unique, a paranormal with an interesting twist. It's a strong book that touches on dark issues that all teens face - drugs, drinking, sex, death and more. It is, at times, a difficult book to read because of its intensity, but it is also very interesting. Be aware that these subjects are part of the story, but a minor part. The story is about the Shift and the ghosts.
I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the sequel "The Shift".
Ever since an event called "The Shift" young people born after that time can see ghosts. People born before The Shift cannot. Aura, the main character, was the first child born after the shift. Zack, a gorgeous Scottish exchange student was the last child born before The Shift. There is a connection between the two of them but nobody knows what it is...yet.
On the night of his 17th birthday, Aura's boyfriend Logan dies of an overdose. He returns as a ghost, complicating Aura's life. She is drawn to Zack, but feels a loyalty to Logan. Things go from bad to worse when Logan turns into a Shade, an evil ghost. Aura is sure she can bring him back, but it's never been done.
The story moves quickly with a good mix of action and dialogue. The connection between Zack and Aura is strong, as is the connection between Aura and Logan - an interesting love triangle between the living and the ghost. The characters were well developed with believable flaws and strengths. The world development is excellent with the ghosts, ways to avoid them (wearing red) and ways to keep them out of places (black (obsidian) rooms) and ways for them them move on.
The story is unique, a paranormal with an interesting twist. It's a strong book that touches on dark issues that all teens face - drugs, drinking, sex, death and more. It is, at times, a difficult book to read because of its intensity, but it is also very interesting. Be aware that these subjects are part of the story, but a minor part. The story is about the Shift and the ghosts.
I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the sequel "The Shift".
katiebookqueen's review against another edition
4.0
Shade has everything that makes up a good read: Humour, supernatural elements, great characters, oh and a hot Scottish guy thrown in as well! I totally loved Shade and couldn't put it down, I will definitely be picking up the sequel, Shift.