Review: Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

Shade

Author: Jeri Smith-Ready

Release: May 4th 2010

Genre: Paranormal, Ghosts, YA

#1 in the Shade trilogy

Sequels: Shift (#2), Shine (#3)

Plot:

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.

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Review:

Sometimes, I could only shake my head at this book while also staring at it in abject terror and fascination at the same time.

This was nice. Nothing mind-blowing, and I've had some annoyances, but overall, okay. Again, this could be hit or miss, so be my guest if the plot sounds interesting.

Writing was pretty good, nothing spectacular or overly pretty like I prefer it, but not bad either. Alas, this book didn't have a great sense of humor going for it, however, it makes up for that with a nice cast of characters and a somewhat interesting plot.

So, characters were pretty decent. Aura was okay, and while I loved her first name and hated her last name (Salvatore, as is if there aren't enough of those already), that scheme seemed to stretch along the whole book. There were times she annoyed me a bit, and others where she, well, didn't. Logan was meh, very... outgoing and dramatic. I liked Zach, though. Loved him, even, great character. Everyone else blended together and didn't stand out. But the characters were all very flat anyways.

Plot? What plot? I didn't really get what the plot was. And after Logan's death I was very confused. Where did the book say the label had gotten him the drugs? Did I not catch that? Must be, because I couldn't fathom why they thought that's where he'd gotten them. So, what was the plot? Sending Logan into the afterlife? Finding out about Aura's birth? What about those secret agencies?

Or was the plot the romance?! SHOCKER. Because I think that yes, yes that was the plot. Or at least the main focus of the plot.

Overall, Shade was okay. I didn't really connect to any of the characters, but I did have a good time anyways. And I'll even be reading Shift now (mostly though because I already bought it...)