shade

Title: Shade
Author: Jeri Smith-Ready

Release date: May 4, 2010
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Pages: 307

Source: Library

Goodreads: {via}

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.

Review:

I know I'm late to this party. But that's okay. The third (and final) book is coming out shortly, so I can consume the series in a short amount of time. 

Anna and the French Kiss was one of my favorite reads last year. Again, late to that party, but better late than never. For some weird reason, Shadereminded me a lot of Anna, only darker, twisty-er and with tons more paranormal attributes to it. I guess that shows you how good Jeri Smith-Ready is. It almost read as a contemporary. 

I really, really liked Shade. It felt very real, and the emotional intensity behind the whole story was awesome. I really felt the pain and suffering of all the characters, especially Logan's family and friends. And Aura. Oh, I felt Aura's pain. And her confusion.

The main characters, Aura, Logan and Zachary, were all wonderfully written. I have to say up front though, that I'm totally Team Zachary. I get that Logan was mad he died. Really, I do. But I felt as if he was selfish, self-obsessed and somewhat whiney. To put it bluntly. I got the relationship between Logan and Aura, but I loved her new relationship (even in its unknown state) between Aura and Zachary. Zachary, to me, pushes Aura in new and different ways. He makes her question things that she's always known. He pulls her out of her slumps, even when the rest of the world gives up on her. 

I also loved the mystery element to the novel. At first, I was a little "eh...." about the astronomy stuff. I find it interesting and all, I just couldn't really figure out where Smith-Ready was going with it. But now we've learned more about the DMP's and their British counterparts, I'm excited to see where this goes. 

I'm excited, in general, to see where the whole story goes. Fun read, cleverly written!