Adam Slater

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

"Once every century, the barrier between the human world and the demon realm begins to break down. Creatures gather, anxiously waiting to cross the divide, to bring death and destruction from their world to ours. This time is called The Shadowing."

This book was so deliciously creepy!! I had such a good time being scared while I read it! I stayed up late last night reading it because I couldn't go to bed until show more I found out what happened, and that, to me, is the sign of a good book! Poor Callum Scott has always seen ghosts, but he has kept it to himself, kept his head down, and tried his darndest to be normal. But things are starting to heat up and odd (or I guess, oddER) things are happening, and it's becoming harder and harder to keep it a secret. I can't say much more because I really don't want to give anything away. I want you to be able to experience it as it happens, the same way I did!

This is a very quick read because the story moves along at such a good pace. The characters are well developed, and there is character growth as Callum learns that he cannot ignore his gift anymore, and he starts to accept what he is. Callum lives with his grandmother, and their relationship changes over the course of the story as well. The characters are never sacrificed for the plot, they act and react just the way they should. But don't get me wrong, there is lots of action in the book to keep you on the edge of your seat! The suspense and build up to the end is what kept me up reading til the wee hours!

I am SO happy that this is the first in a series, and I am anxiously waiting for the next book! The story was wrapped up in a way that left it quite obvious that this is just the beginning, and I for one cannot WAIT to find out where the author takes us next! show less

This is a YA Horror and I am a mature reader – a grandma, in fact. I loved this book! Callum is an orphan who lives in a very rural area with his Gran. They are happy in their snug cottage at the edge of the Marlock Woods. For as long as he can remember, Callum has been able to see ghosts. It is bothersome to Callum who just wants to be a normal kid. He has kept this ability hidden worried that his no-nonsense Gran would not believe him – Sometimes Callum himself thinks he might be show more crazy.

Suddenly, though, Callum is seeing and being stalked by something much worse and when his powers intensify, Callum finds out that some things are not as they seem.

The author did a phenomenal job describing the small hamlet and the surrounding area. Beautiful, yet eerie; there is such an ethereal feel to the countryside, as if, like a ghost, one could just float through to a different place, another dimension. The ancient Marlock Woods seems like it marks a sort of boundary to the Netherworld. The tiny cottage, in contrast, feels like a safe fortress, standing strong, unyielding against the coming tempest.

This book easily captured my imagination and held me in its thrall. The spooky story, the mystery, the atmosphere, and a handful of unusual characters all conspire to make this an auspicious beginning to what I am sure will be an amazing new series.

Thanks so much to Egmont publishing and Net Galley for allowing me to read and review this novella. show less

Adam Slater's The Shadowing: Hunted blends modern day with ancient legends for a horrifying tale.

The Hunter is coming, and it hungers for children's eyes. Callum Scott has always been able to see ghosts, but when visions of murdered children enter his nightmares, he realizes it is just the beginning. He's being hunted too. With a school friend, a ghost with a grim, and his Gran, he must face the dark and what is out there, or it might be too late for them all.

The Shadowing: Hunted narrows show more the fine line between the supernatural and natural worlds. The beginning horrors are a bit too quick and almost lack a terrifying impact because we hadn't gotten to know the protagonist yet, but Slater remedies this when Callum is in school and saves a fellow classmate from certain death. A sense of immediacy sets the reader on edge during the present tense Hunter scenes. The spooky atmosphere is downright creepy. I fell in love with the characters and the myths and legends Slater uses to tell his horror story. The best thing is this novel is just the beginning. The Shadowing is almost here, and I'm ready to read more.

I would recommend Adam Slater's The Shadowing: Hunted on a cold autumn's evening with a cup of hot tea. The beginning may have been a tad sudden for my tastes, but keep reading. Horrors abound and the pace will keep you up at night! show less

Love. So. Much. Love. This book was amazing and creepy and exactly what I needed following a string of lackluster reads. I picked this book up from NetGalley because the synopsis sounded awesome (the cover does nothing for me. Sorry. I really think a new cover would benefit this book.), but I was apprehensive going in. However The Shadowing did not disappoint.

I don't want to give too much away because there is a lot of stuff the reader should experience on their own. But I will tell you show more that it's dark, shocking, and all-around full of awesome. And it's DIFFERENT. For one, it's told from the POV of a teenage boy. It was super refreshing to not only find a male mc, but one that I could connect with and root for. I generally read a lot of adult novels as well as young adult, but I've been on a straight YA kick for some time now, so this has been seriously lacking in my reading.

It was sufficiently disturbing and the pacing was excellent. Slater's writing style was good, skin-crawlingly (yeah, I made that word up. So?) good. It was sometimes repetitive, but not enough to distract me from my overall enjoyment of the book. And the plot--again, just so much love. I can't wait for the sequel, Skinned!!

I'm going to go ahead and recommend this book to anyone who likes a darker paranormal story. Those looking for a heavily romanticized read with gorgeous/sparkling supernatural creatures should look elsewhere. show less