Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Review: Shadowlands by Kate Brian

Shadowlands by Kate Brian
Rory Miller had one chance to fight back and she took it. Rory survived… and the serial killer who attacked her escaped. Now that the infamous Steven Nell is on the loose, Rory must enter the witness protection with her father and sister, Darcy, leaving their friends and family without so much as a goodbye.

Starting over in a new town with only each other is unimaginable for Rory and Darcy. They were inseparable as children, but now they can barely stand each other. As the sisters settle in to Juniper Landing, a picturesque vacation island, it seems like their new home may be just the fresh start they need. They fall in with a group of beautiful, carefree teens and spend their days surfing, partying on the beach, and hiking into endless sunsets. But just as they’re starting to feel safe again, one of their new friends goes missing. Is it a coincidence? Or is the nightmare beginning all over again?

Review: 

From the first page, Shadowlands was a thrilling and heart-pounding read. This was my first Kate Brian book and it was unlike anything I have ever read before. I was completely engrossed in reading Shadowlands and by the time I got to the last page I was totally shocked. When will the sequel be released?!

After Rory Miller is attacked by a serial killer and escapes, her life will never be the same. Rory, her father, and her sister, Darcy, are forced to go into the witness protection program with new identities and a new home. Shadowlands was an intense thriller that had me looking over my shoulder and double checking my window locks. Rory's experience was terrifying and what made things worse was that she never felt safe, even after starting a whole new life.

Rory was a very likable main character and I felt terrible for all she had gone through. Her father was very reserved and did not play a very active role in her life, but once they reached their new home at Juniper Landing he began to open up more. Their relationship was a very nice aspect of the novel. I also enjoyed the interactions between Rory and her sister, Darcy. They were completely different in looks and personality, but they had a great sisterly bond.

The setting was refreshing and made the book that much more entertaining. The idea of being isolated on a vacation island was very different and the people Rory met on the island all made an impact.

Shadowlands had such a fast-paced and twisted plot. I have read some reviews where people mention they had predicted certain things, but it all completely shocked me. I never knew what was going to happen next and wanted to be reading this every chance I got. This is a challenging review to write because there are so many complexities, hidden layers, and mysteries revealed over the course of the book and even the smallest spoiler could completely ruin everything, so I'm sorry if things seem kind of vague!

All in all, Kate Brian's newest release was an action-packed, dark, and mysterious read. I liked the main character a lot and the only thing that frustrated me was the humongous reveal at the end with no further explanation. I do not know how I will be able to wait for book two!

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

January 8, 2013/Hyperion/336 Pages/Young Adult/Book One

Source: Publisher (ARC)
Other books by this author: The Private Series
-- He's So/She's So series under pen name Kiernan Scott 

5 comments:

  1. I lost track of Private, but was enjoying it while I kept up with it, so looking forward to this one. Great review, thanks!

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  2. It's so interesting that the story was fast-paced and thrilling because I would have never guessed that from just seeing the cover. It seems very... supernatural oriented / Secret Circle like, not an action-packed, dark, and mysterious thriller. Unless the serial murders do involve supernatural themes...

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  3. I've read two books by Kate Brian and adored both of them. I'm going to have to put this one on my wish list for sure!

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  4. Oh this is written by that Kate Brian. I always see her books in the stores. Like Christina I also thought this was a dystopian so I'm glad it's a thrilling contemp.

    I know a book is good when a reviewer can't giveaway too much

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  5. I haven't really heard of this, but this cover is awesome!

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