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    The Shadow Reader
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    The Shadow Reader
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    The Shadow Reader
    Audiobook12 hours

    The Shadow Reader

    Written by Sandy Williams

    Narrated by Amy Rubinate

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    A Houston college student, McKenzie Lewis, can track fae by reading the shadows they leave behind. For years she has been working for the fae king, tracking rebels who would claim the Realm. Her job isn't her only secret. She's in love with Kyol, the King's sword master-but human and fae relationships are forbidden. When McKenzie is captured by Aren, the fierce rebel leader, she learns that not everything is as she thought. And McKenzie must decide who to trust and where she stands in the face of a cataclysmic civil war.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Audio
    Release dateMar 12, 2012
    ISBN9781452676647
    Unavailable
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    Reviews for The Shadow Reader

    3.5/5

    152 ratings21 reviews

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    • 2/5
      Overall the story wasn't bad. I am just not into the romance-y type books. When I had started this one, I did not think there was going to be as much as there was. The storyline itself was interesting, and I like how there were separate realms between the Fae and Humans. Also how Humans were able to see through illusions of the Fae, and other aspects that affect fae/humans when in opposite realms. I could have done without the personal conflict the main character has between two opposing fae, and falling in love with both of them, and not being able to make a choice .... ugh. I don't care for romance stories. But the rest of the book was fine.
    • 3/5
      McKenzie can track the fae. She works for the fae king tracking dangerous rebels and is in love with Kyol, a high-ranking member of the fae king's court. She's content, at least until she's captured by the rebels and Aren, their leader, tells her some truths she's not ready to hear.

      I liked this. It was different enough to capture my attention and had enough conflict to keep it.
    • 4/5
      4.7 stars- I loved this fantasy. It is a new fresh look at the Fae human world mixing, and messed up Fae politics. We follow a young woman who has been serving the fae for 10 years, since she was 16. She has never doubted them, until she meets (kidnapped by him) one of the rebels that she has helped to thwart over the years. Aren, the rebel shares his knowledge with her and has her questioning her long time protector Kyol. War, death, mistrust and years of yearning all take their toll.
      This books takes off right from page one and never dulls down. I enjoyed every page and can't wait to get book 2.
    • 5/5
      There are a lot of books I have been excited about reading, and this was one of them. I found Sandy Williams when I stumbled upon her Magic and Mayhem blog (a blog with her and a couple of other authors whose books I'm also looking forward to reading). I must say that this book did not disappoint.Part of the reason I was excited about this book is because it involves the Fae. A lot of the urban fantasy books seem to be focused primarily on vamps or werewolves, and I personally believe the Fae are hugely underutilized. Williams did not disappoint, her portrayal of the Fae was quite interesting to say the least, and pulled me in by the time chapter one was finished. I do have to point out that the Fae in Williams' book almost remind me a little of the epic fantasy races that are common to that genre. That similarity, I think for me, made them all the more intriguing.The book doesn't have a lot of build up to the action, right from chapter one you are thrown into the thick of it, with the book's main character McKenzie being captured right off the bat. Normally I would say this is hard way to get to know the main character, but Williams' manages to not only get the reader to know McKenzie, but also to pull for her. I was right there with McKenzie the entire time, every time she was confused about how she was feeling, I was confused about how I wanted her to feel. Every time she was scared, I was scared for her. I was surprisingly, and refreshingly easy to identify with McKenzie. When I start a new book in a series, sometimes it can take two or three books for me to feel attached to a character, I can tell right now I am already attached to McKenzie, and I want to know what is going to happen next to her.The book also has a romantic element to it, and it all flows really well throughout the book. It never feels forced on the part of the author, it always feels organic to the character. Not only that but any scenes involving romantic elements were written really well, there was no cheesy descriptions or euphemisms, which only helped to make the actions more organic and truly helped the plot along.Another thing that I want to point out is that this book takes place in the middle of war. And war is a tricky thing to write. Fighting scenes can often become to chaotic and make it for the reader to follow, but this was never a problem for me. I think this was due to the fact it was all from McKenzie's point of view, so it really helped keep things in perspective. I'm also really impressed with the way Williams' portrayed both sides, like she says in the book, every war has two sides. Trying to determine the truth out of those two sides was hard for McKenzie and for me.I even like the other characters besides McKenzie. Kyol was hard and distant, but when he softened up around McKenzie I can totally understand what his appeal was. Aren was easy to like, and then in certain moments I had the urge the punch him in the face, I think he's a rather complex character and its going to be interesting to follow him. Lena is very much the mean girl, but I could almost understand her point of view being that she's in a hard situation. Kelia was easy to like, she super sweet, but hard when she needs to be. She's fierce about the people she cares about, and how can you not like someone who is willing to do anything to protect the people she loves. Overall the characters were really well fleshed out and enjoyable to follow along with. Williams' brings the characters to life in such a way that it made it almost impossible for me to put the book down. Overall, I'm pretty sure I really love this book. I think it has a lot of appeal to a lot of different people. I could easily see paranormal romance people loving this book. I could the average urban fantasy lover loving this book. And truth be told I also think if there are fans of epic fantasy who want to give urban fantasy a try, this would be the book I recommend; it shares a lot of the elements that are popular in epic fantasy but with a fantastic urban fantasy flare. So without question this book deserves a "Great" rating, and I have to say I think this book should be added onto a lot of Christmas wish lists.
    • 4/5
      I wanted her to end up with Kyol. I don't think I can read the next one because I think Kyol is going to end up with Lena and that's just not OK with me.
    • 4/5
      Full review to be posted soon:

      I really really enjoyed this book, I loved the heroine and the world-building and it had an interesting premise and world-building especially that of how the fae is presented. And although I am not a huge fan of the love triangle trope, which the heroine, McKenzie finds herself. I did like how it played out and the fact she makes a decision at the end and that it doesn't drag on in the next book. Non-stop action, great world-building and characters - I look forward to the next book!
    • 4/5
      I'm not a huge fan of novels that take liberties with established folklore, and I love the traditional view of the Fay as heartless, cruel, and unable to touch iron, but it didn't bother me here because this is urban Fantasy, and you can't have characters who have to stay far away from iron without dumb complications (it's just not possible in cities)--as also because, come on, this shit's not real.

      The cover cracks me up because what I love about McKenzie, our first-person narrator, is that she is strong, but it's in a very traditionally feminine way--she's a human with very specific cartography skills, and while all the female faeries are badass fighters, McKenzie's strengths are her brilliance, her stubbornness, and her capacity to love and forgive. I don't care how cheesy that sounds, I love this character, and I'm glad she refuses to fight with a sword. There has to be something she can't do.

      I like urban fantasy with strong female protagonists, so this was kind of a perfect book for me. If either of those things are not your cup of tea--if you're too silly to be able to suspend your disbelief and read fantasy--then this is not the book for you.

    • 4/5
      First 3/4 of the book were fab, but I struggled with the final part. Wasn't as strong I think. Still, interesting premise and an author I'd pick up again.
    • 5/5
      Sandy Williams debut book is a fun, action packed, emotionally charged adventure. I was intrigued when I saw the blurb for this on Goodreads and bought and read it the same day - any book that grips me so much that I stay up half the night reading is a keeper for me.

      McKenzie is a human woman with a talent that makes her invaluable to the fae. Not only does she have the second sight which enables her to see through Fae glamour, she is a shadow reader, which means that when a fae teleports, she can map where that fae has traveled to. King Atroth recruited her when she was barely sixteen and ten years later she is still called upon.

      Determined to lead a normal life, which is not possible when Fae are popping in unexpectedly wherever she goes, and it's affecting her life, her family thinks she's crazy, her school is running out of patience with her, and her crush on Kyol Taltrayn-the King’s sword-master, is going nowhere. But when McKenzie is abducted everything she thought she knew is turned upside down and she doesn't know who to trust.

      Mckenzie unlike most urban fantasy heroines isn't strong, brave or amazingly powerful, she's just a normal girl who happens to have a talent for tracking. She relies on her wits to help her escape rather that her powers and manages to keep her head when all around everyone is losing theirs.

      I'm not normally fond of love triangles but this was so well done and the characters so real that it didn't bother me at all, I found both Kyol and Aren intriguing and the romance was built gradually that it felt natural, though I do admit the end felt a bit 50s love scene. Apart from a few minor niggles which are barely worth mentioning as I was having too much fun reading, I found The Shadow Reader a enjoyable book and look forward to reading more from this author.




    • 2/5
      This is the first book in the Shadow Reader series, this series is a trilogy. This was an okay urban fantasy read. I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style, the characters or the story...everything was just okay.The story about a human woman named McKenzie who can read the shadows to help fae teleport to different places. McKenzie would love to leave the Shadow Reader job and have a normal human life. However, when she is kidnapped by Rebel Fae her whole life turns topsy turvy.My main issue with this book is that it sounded very YA but the heroine is a woman in her 20's. I found this very odd; like the book couldn't decide what it was. Writing style, conversations, and the simple story were very YA in style...I kept thinking this character was in her teens and then being reminded by the author that she was much older.This book really focuses on a romantic triangle, which I am not a fan of. The heroine's skill to read shadows was interesting but this really took a backseat to the romantic triangle (she is going back and forth between the warlord of a Fae court and the battle commander of a Fae rebel group). The story was very simple and unimaginative.Overall this book wasn't something I liked all that much. I won't be continuing the series. I wouldn’t recommend because there is much better adult urban fantasy out there.
    • 3/5
      I enjoy a dash of romance with my urban fantasy; The Shadow Reader is more like paranormal romance with a dash of urban fantasy. It’s fast-paced, and the worldbuilding is interesting, but the plot is almost incidental to the love triangle. What’s more, the characters aren’t developed enough to make the romance all that compelling. Aren is pretty much a blank slate; McKenzie isn't interesting enough to have two guys chasing after her; and their meager interactions don't explain how such a strong bond springs up between them in so short a time. We do get a little more insight into Kyol’s motivations, but not by much. I enjoyed the story, and I wanted to care about these characters because they have some great moments. But, ultimately, The Shadow Reader missed the mark for me. There’s just not enough about the characters, or the war they’re fighting, to really get me invested. Romance fans may get more mileage.
    • 1/5
      The story could have been great but the main character was stupid.
    • 5/5
      Wow, THE SHADOW READER is the kind of urban fantasy that doesn't come along every day. Fantastic world building with great pacing, and worm through out it all the kind of nuanced characters that are impossible to resist. Williams doesn't let tropes do her writing for her, she spends enough time with both sides of the war (and all sides of the love triangle) that it is impossible not to get caught up in Mackenzie's struggle. Even better, Williams didn't let one side of the issue implode to make the end a foregone conclusion. A fantastic story, bound to be a favorite, I can't wait to read more in this world or more by Williams.
    • 5/5
      There are a lot of books I have been excited about reading, and this was one of them. I found Sandy Williams when I stumbled upon her Magic and Mayhem blog (a blog with her and a couple of other authors whose books I'm also looking forward to reading). I must say that this book did not disappoint.Part of the reason I was excited about this book is because it involves the Fae. A lot of the urban fantasy books seem to be focused primarily on vamps or werewolves, and I personally believe the Fae are hugely underutilized. Williams did not disappoint, her portrayal of the Fae was quite interesting to say the least, and pulled me in by the time chapter one was finished. I do have to point out that the Fae in Williams' book almost remind me a little of the epic fantasy races that are common to that genre. That similarity, I think for me, made them all the more intriguing.The book doesn't have a lot of build up to the action, right from chapter one you are thrown into the thick of it, with the book's main character McKenzie being captured right off the bat. Normally I would say this is hard way to get to know the main character, but Williams' manages to not only get the reader to know McKenzie, but also to pull for her. I was right there with McKenzie the entire time, every time she was confused about how she was feeling, I was confused about how I wanted her to feel. Every time she was scared, I was scared for her. I was surprisingly, and refreshingly easy to identify with McKenzie. When I start a new book in a series, sometimes it can take two or three books for me to feel attached to a character, I can tell right now I am already attached to McKenzie, and I want to know what is going to happen next to her.The book also has a romantic element to it, and it all flows really well throughout the book. It never feels forced on the part of the author, it always feels organic to the character. Not only that but any scenes involving romantic elements were written really well, there was no cheesy descriptions or euphemisms, which only helped to make the actions more organic and truly helped the plot along.Another thing that I want to point out is that this book takes place in the middle of war. And war is a tricky thing to write. Fighting scenes can often become to chaotic and make it for the reader to follow, but this was never a problem for me. I think this was due to the fact it was all from McKenzie's point of view, so it really helped keep things in perspective. I'm also really impressed with the way Williams' portrayed both sides, like she says in the book, every war has two sides. Trying to determine the truth out of those two sides was hard for McKenzie and for me.I even like the other characters besides McKenzie. Kyol was hard and distant, but when he softened up around McKenzie I can totally understand what his appeal was. Aren was easy to like, and then in certain moments I had the urge the punch him in the face, I think he's a rather complex character and its going to be interesting to follow him. Lena is very much the mean girl, but I could almost understand her point of view being that she's in a hard situation. Kelia was easy to like, she super sweet, but hard when she needs to be. She's fierce about the people she cares about, and how can you not like someone who is willing to do anything to protect the people she loves. Overall the characters were really well fleshed out and enjoyable to follow along with. Williams' brings the characters to life in such a way that it made it almost impossible for me to put the book down. Overall, I'm pretty sure I really love this book. I think it has a lot of appeal to a lot of different people. I could easily see paranormal romance people loving this book. I could the average urban fantasy lover loving this book. And truth be told I also think if there are fans of epic fantasy who want to give urban fantasy a try, this would be the book I recommend; it shares a lot of the elements that are popular in epic fantasy but with a fantastic urban fantasy flare. So without question this book deserves a "Great" rating, and I have to say I think this book should be added onto a lot of Christmas wish lists.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      The best urban fantasy debut I’ve read in a while – though, just to be snarky about it, pickings have been thin for the past few months – with a vivid, sympathetic heroine who deserves the love of the two handsome fae trying to win her loyalty.

      So McKenzie is a human with a particular skill. When one of the fae teleports, she can read the traces of their passage and determine where they’ve gone. That makes her sort of like a living instrument of military intelligence. For about a decade, she’s worked for the Court and suffered through a star-crossed love affair with Kyol, the King’s sword-master.

      McKenzie thinks she understands the Fae and her place in their world. It’s probably not a good sign that she’s decided, given that knowledge, that she wants out: she’s about to quit and try living a normal human life when she’s kidnapped by the fae rebels, who want to make use of her skills…or at least keep the Court from continuing to benefit from them.

      The rebels, and her protector/captor Aren, make McKenzie reconsider everything she’s ever learned abut the Fae. Williams handles this very skillfully, and seeing how McKenzie negotiates her place among the Fae – who, at Court, don’t think very highly of humans – was one of my favorite parts of the book. The most tempting thing about the Rebels is that they treat humans more like equals, inviting McKenzie to learn their language and understand their motivations, instead of just ordering her around. It’s not easy for her to learn that the prejudice against humans, and against cross-species romance, might be strongest – not weakest – at the Court.

      The greatest thing about McKenzie – and I’m not the first reviewer to notice this – is that she always tries to do the right thing. She’s been loyal to the Court for a decade, but she’s still open-minded enough to hear new information and reconsider her preconceived notions. At the same time, she’s no flip-flopper, and her loyalty is a powerful thing. Even though has no survival skills or supernatural powers, I was constantly amazed by her strength. She’s got grit. Even her doomed, reckless escape attempts made me like her more.

      My main problem with THE SHADOW READER is that McKenzie chooses between her two love interests, Aren and Kyol, by the end of the book and…no spoilers…she doesn’t pick the guy I liked best. I can think of a whole slew of other series (Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy books and the Twilight series spring to mind) where I was similarly unhappy with the heroine’s choice of hero. This is really frustrating for me, now that it’s starting to seem like a pattern.
    • 4/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: Love triangles amid all out war.Opening Sentence: My skin tingles a moment before a slash of white light flashes at the front of the lecture hall.The Review:In this series about the fae and the humans who love them, there is a civil war of sorts going on, or maybe a coup d’etat is more like it. The current king has made some disturbing decisions as of late and a band of rebels have taken up against him.Enter into the story the king’s sword-master and best bud Kyol Taltrayn. Kyol is in charge of some of the king’s troops, and for the last ten years, the safety, training and well being of their best shadow-reader. What no one counted on was Kyol developing feelings for the young woman, or her feelings for him.And in the other corner we have Aren Jorreb, rebel leader. When Aren and company learn of the identity of the court’s secret weapon, they do not hesitate in snatching her from her realm, and dragging her with them. Aren also didn’t count on falling for the woman, nor did he assume that he could not win her to his side, thinking himself one heck of catch. *roll eyeballs*And torn between these two is McKenzie Lewis, Houston college student and to the fae a nalkin-shom, or shadow reader. She has the ability to not only see the fae but also determine where they came from or are going to by reading the shadows of the images left behind when they magically pop in and out. Neat trick, that. When she is kidnapped by the rebels, she meets their leader, and is attracted in the same manner to him as she is to her wannabe boyfriend from the king’s Court. Believing she is just suffering from a case of Stockholm syndrome, she continuously tries to escape him, and his army, to return to her previously scheduled life. But the rebels are having none of it, and are keeping her hidden with them until she agrees to help out their cause. Also while with the rebels, she learns a lot of things, including the fae language, which the king previously forbade her to have knowledge of. Handy when you want to keep the girl completely ignorant of your real reason for hunting the fae you want gone.But in the end, by the time she is attacked, injured, nabbed and threatened by the King, she has switched her allegiance to the side of the rebels, and is determined to help them achieve their goal of an end to the war. And that she does, with the help of none other than the king’s best bud himself, Kyol. When things settle down, she is forced to choose between her loves, and she picks….. (sorry, you’ll just have to read the book for that one)I can sort of see her point for picking as she did, but I’m not altogether sure he’s the one I would’ve chosen. But then, I am notoriously on the side of the loser at most times, so that’s just the way I roll.So, I’ve heard rumors that there will be a next book after this one, which is cool. I want to know where everything went from here, how the new royal is taking on to her new role…hey maybe she can even find someone, might make her less of a nasty witch even. Sorry, she wasn’t exactly my favorite character.Notable Scene:“Kelia!” Naito flies across the forest floor almost as quickly as Aren fissures here. He drops to his knees, takes his hand in hers. “Baby, hang on.”“Naito,” she whispers, focusing on his face.Aren takes out a knife, cuts through the bindings on her side. He flings the cuirass aside to place his hands over Kelia’s bullet wounds. His hands glow blue as he flares his magic. The tension floods out of Kelia’s body. An instant later, she vanishes.I stop breathing. No. She couldn’t have died. Aren was healing her. He was…A spasm wracks through Naito. An anguished scream rips from his throat.“No!” He reaches for her rising soul-shadow, clutching at the air as if he can keep it in this world. “No!”The white shadow dissipates.“No!”I back away. Kelia’s dead. Kyol’s gone. Fae are still dying around us. I don’t know if any rebels have made it to the Sidhe Tol. Don’t know how much longer until the reinforcements from the other attacks arrive.Naito screams again. His pain brings tears to my eyes.God, we shouldn’t be here. We shouldn’t have come.I take another step back. My tears stream down my face, mixing with the rain.Another step back and I hit something. I put a hand behind me to balance against the tree, only it’s not a tree.I start to turn, but something wraps around me. Something invisible.The forest blurs, darkens, then reappears in a shade of blue. A hand covers my mouth. I can’t suck in enough air to scream.I shiver. Not from the icy grip of the In-Between but from the wet tongue that slowly licks up my neck.McKenzie Lewis Series:1. The Shadow Reader2. The Shattered Dark (October 30, 2012)FTC Advisory: Ace/Penguin provided me with a copy of The Shattered Dark. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 5/5
      Originally posted on Lovey Dovey Books.Sandy Williams reminds serious readers why Urban Fantasy is a genre to stick with. Her hot heroine McKenzie Lewis is a one of a kind shadow reader, tracking fae through fissures all while trying to earn a college degree. Caught in the middle of a war between the Court fae and rebels, McKenzie stands her ground with the nobles until rebel Aren gets into her head.The Shadow Reader is one novel of which I can safely say that I loved each and every character. Even the evil ones were perfectly malicious! The first person narrative centers the focus of the novel on McKenzie, but there are about 12 characters moving the story along with their reoccurring roles or consistent presence. The many characters introduced aren't wasted in the story and it never feels like Williams spends incessant time describing them or trying to give them a brighter spotlight than they deserve.Williams is a smooth storyteller. She doesn't get caught up in too many action scenes or history of the fae. It's fortunate because I can only imagine how much history is certainly involved in the political aspect of the war between court fae and the rebels. As the story progresses Williams hands out pieces of information here and there, but even before the end of the plot all those pieces have completed the big picture.A big worry I usually have when it comes to fantasy novels is the names. I'm so glad to have been able to sail through The Shadow Reader with minimum issues with the fae names and language. Most of the words just roll right of the tongue and give the writing a romantic tone.I am one hundred percent committed to The Shadow Reader Series. I ache with excitement to see what happens to McKenzie now that the war has taken a sharp turn and loyalties have become an important factor to the fae. Book 2 in the series, The Shattered Dark, has big expectations to meet.
    • 3/5
      Why is this not a 5 star or a 4 star book for me? I have put off writing this review for a week or so because I am confused as to why everyone I know on goodreads loved this book but me. In part, I think this may be a "Its not you, its me" kinda thing. I may be over my urban fantasy binge. Hey, it was a good ride. It started summer 2010 and lasted until now. When I hear about new titles or series in the paranormal, they just do not interest me -- with the exception of my favorite authors and series. So, my thoughts on this book should be put into that context -- that urban fantasy just does not have the same pull for me. Another issue for me that should help me feelings on this book be put into context -- for an urban fantasy book to thrill me, I need the main struggle to be something other than the romance. That is why I prefer UF over paranormal romance. And I know may of my goodreads friends can point out several paranormal romance series, historical romances, and contemporary romances that I love. Yes, I do enjoy a romance that is well done -- but my well done is this. I enjoy the angsty romance plot line too, but the true struggle/fight/confict for me needs to be about the world/story. And the characters and relationships in the book need to be three-dimensional with growth and progression. I did not see this in Shadow Reader. In my opinion, the main conflict in Shadow Reader is the romance. And that is fine, but I didn't buy into the characters feelings for the individual that made up the third part of the love triangle. Which poses a problem for me as a reader, if I don't believe in the romance, which is the main struggle of the book -- then the book falls flat for me. The romance with the guy who is the third leg of the triangle (I am trying to be vague and non-spoilerish) just was not believable for me. What I saw was an incredibly sexy guy that the lead character was attracted to and he was attracted to her as well to her. But when did they develop love? I did not see a relationship developing at all. I never felt or believed in the "who should she choose" storyline. I had strong opinions about who she should drop and then maybe move on in her life, but choosing someone else to fill the void of the person just dropped? Nah, Sandy Williams did not convince me. There was a side conflict to the storyline -- where should MacKenzie place her allegiance? The court or the rebels? Again, I thought this was not set up well nor was it done believably. MacKenzie places her allegiance with any one side based solely on emotion and relationships, not on critical evaluation. I know people do this in real life, but I find that downright scary. But whatever, my criticism of decisions aside I do not think the author convinced me as to who MacKenzie should be loyal too. So those were my problems. I liked the characters, I liked the world, and I really enjoyed the beginning. I do think this should be labeled paranormal romance or romance based urban fantasy though. Positives about the book: The world building is done very well and there are some interesting side characters. There is solid writing and some good action scenes. If readers are okay with the main conflict being about who will she choose, then I think this book will be a win for those readers. I think fans of Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh would enjoy this book/series. I am one of the few people in the urban fantasy reading world that is not a fan of the Guild Hunter series for the same reason Shadow Reader missed the mark for me.
    • 5/5
      The Shadow Reader is the first Urban Fantasy book in a new series by Sandy Williams. McKenzie Lewis has the Sight, that is to say she can see the Fae that 99.9% of other humans cannot. But what makes McKenzie even more special is that she can read and map the Shadows which are left behind when one of the Fae opens up a fissure and teleports to somewhere else. McKenzie has been reading and mapping shadows for the Fae King for 10 years. In that time she has found a forbidden love with Kyol the King’s sword master. It is a love that Kyol fights as a human and Fae relationship is not allowed at Court. McKenzie is so special that she is kidnapped by Aren the leader of the rebel Fae who hopes he can turn her against the King and make her see that the rebels are not the bad folks that they are made out to be. The time has come for Mckenzie to choose which side she is on.We are thrown straight into the action with this book, so much so that I thought my copy had some pages missing at the beginning. This threw me a little bit and it took some time to get into the story, plus Fae are not my favourite supernaturals to read about. But once I did I couldn’t put it down and finished it within 24 hours of starting it that is very fast for me. I was totally engrossed with the story, the world building is spectacular, the characters are interesting and the plot was fantastic. I really liked McKenzie although at times she also did annoy me somewhat. The author constantly throws massive twists at us throughout the book so you don’t know who is lying and who is telling the truth. At one point I thought a certain character was telling the truth only to have it turned on its head. No wonder poor McKenzie is confused, especially when it comes to the two men in her life Kyol and Aren. Yes readers there is a huge love triangle going on. Now I know some people don’t like love triangles but they don’t really bother me except this one which had me on the edge of my seat hoping McKenzie would pick the guy I wanted her to pick. The sexual tension and chemistry between McKenzie and one of the guys is amazing. The scenes where they are kissing actually took my breath away. This book is absolutely awesome and I would not hesitate in recommending it. For me it was one of those books where you don’t want it to end and after finishing I immediately went in search of news for book 2. Good news is there will be a book 2 it is called The Shattered Dark but bad news it is not out until November 2012. A long wait but it is on my tbr list. I am going to award this book 5 stars.
    • 3/5
      I loved the premise of this book, and found the story very engaging by the end. However, the author's writing style is still being developed. I am curious to see how her next book will turn out.
    • 4/5
      I received a ARC of The Shadow Reader from Goodreads. I really enjoyed the book. It was a great combination of our world and the Fae world. McKenzie is a great character who never loses hope against her captors and always seeks out a way to fight what stands in her way. The author does a great job of showing us McKenzie's internal struggle with what she has been taught and what is the reality. I don't want to spoil the book for anyone, but I will say that the author does a great job of mixing McKenzie's love for a man and her growing into herself. I really admired the ending where McKenzie stands up for herself and realizes she has put herself on hold for 10 years and she will no longer do so. I look forward to the author's next book and hope it will be about McKenzie and the Fae.