Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready was popular back when I was in high school. I SO wanted to read it, but never got my hands on it. Eventually I did, and it got lost in the abyss of my house. Until, one day, I went through all of my books (yay for the Pandemic lockdown making us all bored out of our minds) and found it! It yet again sat on my shelf until recently when it kept staring me down. I realized I made a vital mistake... This book is so good!

I remembered why I adored these kind of YA books back in my teen years when I picked Shade up. It was fast paced, full of teenaged drama and angst, and on top of it all had a really interesting fantasy plot that kept me guessing the entire way. I binged the first half of this book in one sitting and then realized I needed to go to bed for work the next day (what a shame, honestly). I then managed to slow it down and finish the book two days later. Regardless, this book exceeded my expectations and I absolutely need the rest of this series in my hands ASAP. Anyone got a spare copy?

The gist of this story: Something big happened and suddenly certain people can see ghosts. Ghosts are stuck in this world because they haven't received justice or haven't completed some important thing that will make them rest. Some of these ghosts get pretty darn angry and lose control, becoming "Shades" (hence the title). Our lead's name is Aura (fitting for the story, eh?) and she is dating a hunky soon-to-be-rockstar named Logan. These cuties go to a big concert where he is performing and is being followed by some big named music producers. Unfortunately, things don't turn out well when Logan tragically dies and Aura (who can see ghosts, by the way) has to now live life with an undead/ghosty boyfriend. Oh, and did I mention the government also really likes people who can talk to ghosts? Because of course the government is weaponizing and monpolizing this power. Duh. Things haven't changed much from 2011, have they?

There's a new transfer student named Zachary who is a Scot (yay accents!). He joins Aura's school project and the two of them form an incredible friendship. Aura is inching away from her ghosty boyfriend Logan and seems to have interest in Zachary, but she's not interested in a love triangle (thank goodness). As Aura's perspective on life changes, Logan's family and friends want Logan to have peace. But what if he doesn't? He still cares for Aura and sees some potential for a future, even as a ghost. But... what happens when Logan thinks about Aura's future? Things get rough, things get ugly, and things get shady (Bonus marks for those who get the bad joke).

This book has a lot of mystery behind it - why are these powers a thing? What happened to cause this? Why did the government decide to get involved? Why is Aura so important?

I'll need these sequels ASAP because this was just so much fun! Go Jeri! You brought back the fun of my teen years in one book. What a ride!

Five out of five stars. ( )

I absolutely loved this book. it was easy to read and I loved the story. ( )

Point 1: this is a book about ghosts. About people who can see ghosts. The main character’s name is Aura. Cliché, anyone?

Point 2: chapter four has got to be the worst thing to happen to anyone, ever. On their birthday, no less. (okay, technically, it was, what, an hour and fifteen minutes after his birthday? Doesn’t matter. It’s still close enough to equal major suckitude.)

Point 3: in the book, there’s this group of people who are part of a band, and for the first four chapters, they go on about how any artist who has a song in the Top 40 list has sold out and is uncool. That is why I find it amusing that the author herself has sold out by embracing the love-triangle paradigm.

Point 4: about the love triangle… team Zachary, all the way. I can not stand against a man with an accent.

Point 5: as I read, I saw this quote: When Logan died, I’d stopped noticing Zachary’s hotness, as if all my senses had switches off. Now that Logan was back (sort of), I’d become Little Miss Ho-Bag again. and I couldn’t resist imagining the following conversation in my head:

Zoey Redbird: Two guys and you call yourself a ho-bag? Pathetic. I tell you what, once, I had two boyfriends at the same time, and I mean they knew each other, knew about each other, knew I was making out with the other each time I wasn’t with one of them… yeah. And then I had sex with my poetry teacher, and let me tell you, that was such fun. Of course, he died soon after… but that ha nothing to do with me. and there’s also this other guy who’s like a fallen god/angel and he’s totally evil but totally hot, and in a past life, I was created to love him, so I have an excuse to get with him too! Oh, and there’s Stark. He’s my Warrior, and he is so fine… Plus, by virtue of being a Vampyre High Priestess, I can technically be with him and the first two boys all at the same time without getting in trouble! Except, one of the first two guys was a jerk-face and I dumped his sorry butt, and the other one died while I was off being a ho with the evil fallen god.
See? And you dare call yourself a ho? I’ve got you beat by, like, a bajillion times.

Aura: Oh. Wow. Sorry, I had no idea that one person could be that big of a ho.

ZR: well, now you know. And don’t do you call yourself one again until you’ve reached the levels of true ho-ness!

Aura (muttering): I really hope that never happens.

ZR: What was that?

Aura: Nothing!

Yeah… I don’t think any book character will ever be able to call herself a ho without Zoey Redbird’s name entering the conversation and beating the ho-ness out of her.

Point 6: it should’ve ended here. this line would’ve made a much better, more dramatic and cliffhanger-ish ending than extra chapter that was added after this line:

“AURA,” he whispered. “DON’T WAIT FOR ME.”


( )

Original and dark this ghost tale takes us through the death and after life of a 17 year old boy and the girl that loves him. He has everything going for him, love, family and a hot career. ah, Then one stupid mistake takes it all away. Aura the girl was born after some mysterious shift giving her the ability to see and talk with ghost as all after the shifters can. But there is a dark side of ghosts, she finds out. An adorable Scott comes into her life with mysteries of his own, that tie them together, kind of. He Zack is my favorite of all the characters. You will be left hanging, the story does not end with this book. I though it was a fresh new story and the characters were smart and real. I look forward to reading more about them. I listened to this on audio which I would not recommend, the narrator made them all sound like seven year olds.
Warning; There is heavy teen drinking, drugs, language and sex. ( )

Audiobook

I really liked this one and as always Khristine Hvam does an excellent job bringing the characters to life.
Now to the next book. ( )