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beecheralyson's review
5.0
After about five days of flipping through books trying to find one to get lost in, I finally openned up Saundra Mitchell's SHADOWED SUMMER. Why hadn't I just gone to the book first? It had come to me highly recommended, so why didn't I just start there? Regardless, I did start it and it was amazing. SHADOWED SUMMER is a southern gothic ghost story. From the first pages, Mitchell drew me into her world and kept me reading. Her setting - A small Louisanna town in the summer where you can almost feel the heat and humidity and the laziness of the days. Her characters - Richly developed, and come alive on the pages. There is friendship, secrets, and more. Mitchell's background as a screenwriter lends itself to crisp writing without excessive words and pacing that never drags. If anything, I wanted to spend more time in her world and was sad to see the story end even though the length was very appropriate. And even though part of me thought I knew how the book was doing to end, I was still surprised.
I would highly recommend this to anyone, and I can't wait for future offerings from Ms. Mitchell.
I would highly recommend this to anyone, and I can't wait for future offerings from Ms. Mitchell.
lorny's review
4.0
I recently read (and loved) Saundra Mitchell’s The Vespertine, so I knew I had to get my hands on Shadowed Summer. Luckily, I liked Shadowed Summer quite a bit!
The book is part ghost story and part coming of age tale. Saundra Mitchell does a great job of combining the two themes, and the bleak, desolated Southern setting perfectly suits the novel. Saundra’s writing captures the essence of the South, and I very much enjoyed learning new phrases like “where y’at?” (something I tried saying to a friend, only to receive an odd look)
As far as characters go, Iris was an interesting protagonist. She begins the story with a childlike mindset (boys-are-icky and everything), but quickly matures through the course of the novel. I enjoyed her maturation, and the way Iris dealt with a ghost haunting her was kind of amusing. She went from “cool, a ghost!” to “oh shizz, this is majorly freaking me out!” If I had a ghost haunting me, I think I’d skip the first part.
The side characters, Iris’ friends Collette and Ben, were fun as well, and they provided excellent opportunities for Iris to learn some life lessons (jealousy, anybody?). Collette, when not making eyes at Ben, was a really great BFF to Iris, and I loved her for it.
All in all, I’d say the writing and the characters were what I most enjoyed about Shadowed Summer. The story was okay; Elijah’s ghostly business was kind of freaky, but by the end it was easy to figure out what he wanted (c’mon, Iris, haven’t you watched any Scooby Doo?).
I’d recommend the book to fans of Beautiful Creatures, because it shares a similar dismal Southern setting, and to younger teen readers, who might find it easier to identify with Iris.
The book is part ghost story and part coming of age tale. Saundra Mitchell does a great job of combining the two themes, and the bleak, desolated Southern setting perfectly suits the novel. Saundra’s writing captures the essence of the South, and I very much enjoyed learning new phrases like “where y’at?” (something I tried saying to a friend, only to receive an odd look)
As far as characters go, Iris was an interesting protagonist. She begins the story with a childlike mindset (boys-are-icky and everything), but quickly matures through the course of the novel. I enjoyed her maturation, and the way Iris dealt with a ghost haunting her was kind of amusing. She went from “cool, a ghost!” to “oh shizz, this is majorly freaking me out!” If I had a ghost haunting me, I think I’d skip the first part.
The side characters, Iris’ friends Collette and Ben, were fun as well, and they provided excellent opportunities for Iris to learn some life lessons (jealousy, anybody?). Collette, when not making eyes at Ben, was a really great BFF to Iris, and I loved her for it.
All in all, I’d say the writing and the characters were what I most enjoyed about Shadowed Summer. The story was okay; Elijah’s ghostly business was kind of freaky, but by the end it was easy to figure out what he wanted (c’mon, Iris, haven’t you watched any Scooby Doo?).
I’d recommend the book to fans of Beautiful Creatures, because it shares a similar dismal Southern setting, and to younger teen readers, who might find it easier to identify with Iris.
satyridae's review
4.0
I hate ghost stories and scary stories and suspenseful stories as a rule. Which makes Mitchell's book an exception for me, because I didn't hate it. The writing was so good that I could forgive it for being scary. This one is difficult to review in a spoiler-free manner, as there's so much going on throughout. Beneath the scary, this book is about relationships and secrets and growing up and trying to negotiate through all the currents of a small town. The characters are so finely drawn, so believable, and at heart so heroic that I found myself thinking about them as real people, wondering what happened next in their lives.
The cover of this book is so bad it makes my teeth hurt. Try not to let the cover influence you, because it's a damn good book, even if it is a scary ghost story. Read it soon, before the spoiler people get to you.
The cover of this book is so bad it makes my teeth hurt. Try not to let the cover influence you, because it's a damn good book, even if it is a scary ghost story. Read it soon, before the spoiler people get to you.
shutupnread's review
4.0
I expected a lot more from Shadowed Summer. I thought there would be more action and mystery. Instead, there were very few scenes where it had mystery and intrigue.
What I liked best about Shadowed Summer was the idea of a ghost story. When I first read the first chapter, I thought it’ll be scary like The Devouring or Deadly Little Secrets because the first chapter was scary. Especially that last line. However, as I progressed into the novel, I realized that the plot and writing didn’t rivet me. Of course, there were some scenes that totally captured my attention but as soon as the scene was over, my attention was gone. For example, the part where Elijah somehow conjured stones all over Iris’ bed made me freak out. Yet, when it was over, I was soon distracted by other things.
In the beginning, Shadowed Summer had a very nice pace going. Some details and such. On the other hand, the ending was too abrupt. It felt like the author was rushing to finish it – to finish the ghost story. So I didn’t really enjoy the ending all too much. Even though I didn’t like how the ending ended, it still surprised me. I totally didn’t expect that and when I read it, I remember going like, “-?! WTF?! HOW did this happen?!”
For the writing, I loved how there was a Southern drawl in each of the character’s accents, especially Elijah. The drawl seemed real, unlike some other author’s who just put “y’all” and that’s their Southern drawl. When I reading Shadowed Summer, I could literally say the words out loud and out comes a drawl.
The cover was really pretty as well. It had a mysterious outlook to it and was totally appropriate for the story plotline. Though it wasn’t what I had expected, I still enjoyed it to some varying degrees.
What I liked best about Shadowed Summer was the idea of a ghost story. When I first read the first chapter, I thought it’ll be scary like The Devouring or Deadly Little Secrets because the first chapter was scary. Especially that last line. However, as I progressed into the novel, I realized that the plot and writing didn’t rivet me. Of course, there were some scenes that totally captured my attention but as soon as the scene was over, my attention was gone. For example, the part where Elijah somehow conjured stones all over Iris’ bed made me freak out. Yet, when it was over, I was soon distracted by other things.
In the beginning, Shadowed Summer had a very nice pace going. Some details and such. On the other hand, the ending was too abrupt. It felt like the author was rushing to finish it – to finish the ghost story. So I didn’t really enjoy the ending all too much. Even though I didn’t like how the ending ended, it still surprised me. I totally didn’t expect that and when I read it, I remember going like, “-?! WTF?! HOW did this happen?!”
For the writing, I loved how there was a Southern drawl in each of the character’s accents, especially Elijah. The drawl seemed real, unlike some other author’s who just put “y’all” and that’s their Southern drawl. When I reading Shadowed Summer, I could literally say the words out loud and out comes a drawl.
The cover was really pretty as well. It had a mysterious outlook to it and was totally appropriate for the story plotline. Though it wasn’t what I had expected, I still enjoyed it to some varying degrees.
kellyhager's review
3.0
The problem with reading a lot of YA novels--which is what I've been doing lately, like you haven't noticed--is that you eventually find ones that are...well, more enjoyable if you're actually the intended audience.
This was fun, but I wish there had been a lot more to it.
It's about Iris, a 14-year-old tomboy from Louisiana. She and her best friend Collette practice witchcraft (creating intricate spells that don't work) and a ton of other things involving imagination. Except now Collette is more interested in boys and much less interested in just spending time with Iris.
So of course now is the summer when Iris finds a ghost, who may or may not be the only interesting thing to ever happen in their hometown.
Elijah Landry is a local boy who disappeared one summer, leaving only a few drops of blood on his pillow. Some think he ran away, some think he was murdered and his mom thinks God just took him up to heaven--literally.
So Iris has to solve the mystery and convince Collette to help.
I would've loved this when I was little, so I'm sure the intented audience would, too.
This was fun, but I wish there had been a lot more to it.
It's about Iris, a 14-year-old tomboy from Louisiana. She and her best friend Collette practice witchcraft (creating intricate spells that don't work) and a ton of other things involving imagination. Except now Collette is more interested in boys and much less interested in just spending time with Iris.
So of course now is the summer when Iris finds a ghost, who may or may not be the only interesting thing to ever happen in their hometown.
Elijah Landry is a local boy who disappeared one summer, leaving only a few drops of blood on his pillow. Some think he ran away, some think he was murdered and his mom thinks God just took him up to heaven--literally.
So Iris has to solve the mystery and convince Collette to help.
I would've loved this when I was little, so I'm sure the intented audience would, too.
prationality's review
5.0
Anyone who has grown up in a small town will understand the frustrations and limitations that Iris and her friend Collette feel. For a teen its not fun to see the same people do the same things day after day. And a graveyard is a strong temptation (one that I found irresistible at their age and in their situation). I could, despite being a decade older then either Iris or Collette, easily identify with them. Mitchell writes their reactions believably and with honesty--who hasn’t gotten tired of their friend who is constantly flirting and dragging you into their busy ‘couples’ life only to make you feel like an outsider? Or anxiety that what you had with that friend is disappearing as you grow older and have less in common?
Mitchell’s history with screenwriting is especially apparent in her attention to detail with the characters’ responses and the surroundings. The use of ‘Where y’at?’, a common local phrase from New Orleans (according to my handy dandy slang dictionary) is perhaps the most chilling part of the book for me. Each time Iris would hear it, I just got a chill down my spine and goose bumps on my arms.
An important motivating factor for the book is the friendship between Iris and Collette and how turning fourteen changed things for them. Collette was on the verge of wanting to be treated like a young woman--she wanted to primp and preen herself on the off chance a cute boy would happen by. Iris was content to keep things as they were--making up magical stories, ‘talking’ to spirits and throwing stones at the boys. As the two of them dig deeper into Elijah Landry’s disappearance--with the help from Ben, Collette’s new boyfriend--they’re both forced to confront the truth of their friendship and its future.
Shadowed Summer is sure to keep your attention from start to finish and keep you guessing as to what really happened to Elijah. In fact the resolution to the mystery forces a series of events that changes Iris’ perception of not only herself, but also of her town.
Mitchell’s history with screenwriting is especially apparent in her attention to detail with the characters’ responses and the surroundings. The use of ‘Where y’at?’, a common local phrase from New Orleans (according to my handy dandy slang dictionary) is perhaps the most chilling part of the book for me. Each time Iris would hear it, I just got a chill down my spine and goose bumps on my arms.
An important motivating factor for the book is the friendship between Iris and Collette and how turning fourteen changed things for them. Collette was on the verge of wanting to be treated like a young woman--she wanted to primp and preen herself on the off chance a cute boy would happen by. Iris was content to keep things as they were--making up magical stories, ‘talking’ to spirits and throwing stones at the boys. As the two of them dig deeper into Elijah Landry’s disappearance--with the help from Ben, Collette’s new boyfriend--they’re both forced to confront the truth of their friendship and its future.
Shadowed Summer is sure to keep your attention from start to finish and keep you guessing as to what really happened to Elijah. In fact the resolution to the mystery forces a series of events that changes Iris’ perception of not only herself, but also of her town.
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