Book Review: Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Release Date: May 4, 2010
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 320
Source: Received from publicist/author for honest review

Summary:

Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.

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.

My Review: Shade was a hauntingly, endearing supernatural novel. I was utterly impressed with the flow of the plot and the unique characters. The world that Jeri created was very original and fresh. In this community, people born after the shift had the ability to see and communicate with ghosts. Pretty cool right? The violet-hued spirits were friendly while the dark "shades" were unpleasant and bitter. Aura was not the biggest fan of her ability. But, when her boyfriend Logan passed away, she was grateful for the chance to see him again. The raw emotions Aura went through was quite depressing. I could not imagine dealing with not only the loss of a loved one but also being surrounded by their ghost. I was saddened when Logan passed away, he was my favorite character. There was something about his demeanor that made me feel comfortable and fuzzy inside. He would of continued to be a great boyfriend to Aura if it wasn't for his stupid mistake. *sighs*

Now, throughout the book the suspense slowly developed with the mystery behind the Shift. No one with this ability was aware as to why this phenomenon occurred. Aura, a strong and passionate teen sought out answers behind her power, even though it was forbidden. I admired her determination and understanding that something shady was going on. Meanwhile, another character stood out to me, Zachary, a handsome new student from Scotland who held some interesting secrets. He genuinely cared for Aura and always kept her best interest at heart. The connection between the two was intriguing and I can't wait to see their progressing relationship in this series. Jeri concluded the first book perfectly, I am eagerly anticipating the sequel, Shift which comes out in May 2011. Overall, a great supernatural read which I recommend all YA lovers should read!

Read Chapter One Here

My Rating:
Book Trailer:

Author's Info:

Award-winning author Jeri Smith-Ready lives in Maryland with her husband, two cats, and the world’s goofiest greyhound. Jeri's plans to save the earth were ruined when she realized she was more of a “problem maker” than a problem solver. To stay out of trouble, she keeps her Drama Drive strictly fictional. Her friends and family appreciate that. When not writing, Jeri she can usually be found—well, thinking about writing, or on Twitter. Like her characters, she loves music, movies, and staying up very, very late.

For more info on Jeri, visit her site(s):
-Website
-Twitter
-Facebook
-MySpace

Other books by Jeri:
-Wicked Game (WVMP Radio, Book #1)
-Bad to the Bone (WVMP Radio, Book #2)
-Bring On The Night (WVMP Radio, Book #3) - July 27, 2010
-Eyes of the Crow (Aspect of the Crow, Book #1)
-Voice of the Crow (Aspect of the Crow, Book #2)
-The Reawakened (Aspect of the Crow, Book #3)
-Requiem for the Devil
-The Wild's Call

Look out for an author interview coming soon!