Good story for Juvenile. Read it because it was a Texas Bluebonnet for 2019. Need the next one because they left me hanging at the end of the story and I need to know what becomes of Lady Aisling and Dar. It was quite an intriguing story and I want to know if they can save the Garden of Souls. Comet Rising is the next one and I now need to get it.

Emmeline has special magic weaving skills using the shadows that surround her; she loves to use her weaving skills to play tricks on servants & visitors. However, Emmeline's shadows magic cause so much trouble that even her own parents fear her.
Thrilled to hear that a noble family may hold the key to a cure, her parents welcome them to visit and take Emmeline away...but Emmeline and her shadows have other plans.

A mysterious and thrilling adventure that will pull you in and keep you reading! ( )

Emmeline has special magic weaving skills using the shadows that surround her; she loves to use her weaving skills to play tricks on servants & visitors. However, Emmeline's shadows magic cause so much trouble that even her own parents fear her.
Thrilled to hear that a noble family may hold the key to a cure, her parents welcome them to visit and take Emmeline away...but Emmeline and her shadows have other plans.

A mysterious and thrilling adventure that will pull you in and keep you reading! ( )

This was such a great story and I am so happy that there appears to be a planned sequel. It's a fantasy-horror-mystery that is both exceptionally well written and deeply engrossing. Emmeline is a wonderful protagonist. Her loneliness and longing for belonging are palpable and even as you know she is making mistakes, you understand why she is making them. Even as you sense Dar's malevolence, you understand Emmeline's loyalty to her. And really it's the exploration of friendship, of self-acceptance and self-reliance that make this book so captivating. Although, yes, the whole shadow and light magic interplay is interesting too ( As I noted as I read, "It's like the Darkling and Alina if they were kids...and gender swapped...and in stead of being evil, the Darkling was just under the influence of a most likely malevolent spirit.") as is the mystery behind those "bad people" kidnapping magical children. It's just an all around great read and I cannot recommend it enough. Definitely one of my favorite middle-grade reads this year. ( )

Fans of Serafina and the Black Cloak and The Night Gardener will devour Shadow Weaver, the first in a dark middle-grade fantasy duology that’s filled with shadows, danger, magic, and has the feel of a new classic.

Emmeline’s gift of controlling shadows has isolated her from the rest of the world, but she’s grown to be content, hidden away in her mansion with Dar, her own shadow, as her only company.

Disaster strikes when a noble family visits their home and offers to take Emmeline away and cure her of magic. Desperate not to lose her shadows, she turns to Dar who proposes a deal: Dar will change the noble’s mind, if Emmeline will help her become flesh as she once was. Emmeline agrees but the next morning the man in charge is in a coma and all that the witness saw was a long shadow with no one nearby to cast it. Scared to face punishment, Emmeline and Dar run away.

With the noble’s guards on her trail, Emmeline’s only hope of clearing her name is to escape capture and perform the ritual that will set Dar free. But Emmeline’s not sure she can trust Dar anymore, and it’s hard to keep secrets from someone who can never leave your side.
Out January 2018

MY THOUGHTS:

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
A girl who can control her shadows; a companion shadow that talks to her and is mischievous, and an adventure into discovering who she really is and why she can do what she can…

A great middle-grade read! Filled with fantasy, magic, shadows behaving unnaturally, suspense, and adventure… you can’t go wrong with this book. The relationship between Dar and Emmeline is cleverly written. The MC’s character arc develops perfectly, with Dar helping her to reach her goals.

The author’s lyrical writing moves the pace along unhindered and transitioning from one plot element to the next without issue. The author’s voice carries the story forward with captivating qualities.

Connolly is a true story-teller of amazing talent. She captivates the reader and keeps them invested in the world she’s created through talent and a mesmerizing ability to haunt your thoughts.

What a great book! I’m so happy to have found this author and will be looking forward to seeing what she is writing next! ( )