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Monday, November 7, 2011

Review ~ Shade (Shade #1) by Jeri Smith-Ready


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.
(From GoodReads)

In One Word ~ Overwhelming

Honestly, one word could never do SHADE justice. It was also: Astonishing, Shattering, Breathtaking, Beautiful, Funny, and Sad. Does that just about cover it? Not a chance.

I debated writing this review. In some weird way, I wanted to take SHADE and the emotions it drug through me and just hold them tightly to myself, keep it private. Mine. But then I thought about the massive, and I mean MASSIVE amount of conversation that was started on Twitter with me simply saying that I was starting SHADE. People I "talk" with on a daily basis, occasionally, and never before responded. We all had this happy, hilarious and passionate conversation. It was about the books, the characters, whose Team we were on (I'm still officially on what Jeri calls "Team ShadeBoys", I love them both), kilts, music, kisses, and tears. When a book can inspire that kind of commitment and intensity, you know that you've come across something that sort of transcends... well, it just transcends being simply a book. I realized that SHADE is the type of book that binds people. People who would have never laughed, or squee'd with happiness or even talked to one another have become linked by their love for this series and the author, Jeri Smith-Ready.

Oh yeah, this was supposed to be a review. I guess I should be writing reviewer-ish stuff, huh? SHADE is full of everything that makes a fabulous book. Engaging, smart, smartass, beautifully infuriating characters. SHADE has a extremely unique, well-developed plot that involves our world, with a slight tweak that seems entirely possible. Like, I was really looking around for violet-hued figures, lurking in the background.

I read SHADE while traveling twelve, count em, twelve hours with my cranky husband and lovable but really whiny kids. I zoomed through this book in about two and a half hours. The tears started leaking as soon as I opened it. I cried the entire time. But don't get me wrong, SHADE is also a super funny book.  The dialogue is amazing, so funny and sarcastic, just how I like it.

SHADE gave me a really, really good day. Every time I look at this book, I will remember Logan, Aura, and Zach; crying in a car with a box of tissues on my lap; and my brilliant friends who made me feel as if they were reading it for the first time, with me.

Favorite Quote ~


Aura," he whispered, "I wish I could wipe away just one of your tears. Then I'd 
 feel like a person again. Like I'm something more than a bunch of light."



The Shade Book Trailer





Hardcover, 309 pages
Published May 4th 2010 by Simon Pulse
You can find Shade at:
GoodReads  |  Constellation Books (Jeri's hometown bookstore) |  Book Depository  |   Barnes & Noble  |  Amazon

8 comments:

  1. I really, really liked Shade, too. Actually I can't believe I haven't picked up Shift yet and right now I'm getting angry at myself for that. :D
    I'm glad you enjoyed this as much as I did (and everyone else). Great review. :)

    Carina @ Fictional Distraction

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  2. yay!!! I'm glad you love it and I'm so happy you are Team ShadeBoys woohoo! haha...I was reading all your updates on twitter and couldn't but feel everything all over again. (Angry, sadness, etc.) I love this series so much.

    Did you finish Shift? What did you think?!! (River scene? Zach and the prom?! argh)

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  3. Oh wow! You make me want to run out and buy this! I have had it on my TBR list fro a while but never really paid attention to any reviews!

    Giselle
    Xpresso Reads

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  4. I love the quote! It's perfect for getting my attention. I also really like your first paragraph! I have my copies of Shift and Shade at home waiting for me to become a part of the Team Kilt craze. ♥

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  5. You are too cute. :) I love how emotional you get over books. It's a testiment as to how sweet and caring you are as a person.

    Love that you mentioned this... "SHADE has a extremely unique, well-developed plot that involves our world, with a slight tweak that seems entirely possible."

    I really loved that about this book, but failed to mention that in my own review.

    I still have to buy Shift.. I kinda want to wait until I can get them all with those pretty new covers though! :)

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  6. Thanks, girls!

    Ana Lucia~ I finished Shift. I was all over the place with that book! I went from happy, to mad, to sad over & over again. I loved Dylan! Yes, I'm happy to be Team ShadeBoys!

    Giselle~ You should def read this series ASAP.

    Mindy~ You need to read them! Now!After everything I'd heard, I was prepared to be Team Kilt. But, it wasn't as simple as that. I really, really loved Logan!


    April~ As always, you make me smile!

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  7. Just <33333 there's not much more I can say! You know how I feel about Jeri's books and the boys in them ;)

    -J

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  8. I keep hearing such good things about this book, and I wasn't sure what to think of it for myself. But, I'm sold, according to your review. It's a must-buy for me, then!

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