Publisher: Hyperion
Pages: 336pgs
The Story
Rory Miller had one chance to fight back and she took it. Rory survived… and the serial killer who attacked her escaped. Now that the infamous Steven Nell is on the loose, Rory must enter the witness protection with her father and sister, Darcy, leaving their friends and family without so much as a goodbye.
Starting over in a new town with only each other is unimaginable for Rory and Darcy. They were inseparable as children, but now they can barely stand each other. As the sisters settle in to Juniper Landing, a picturesque vacation island, it seems like their new home may be just the fresh start they need. They fall in with a group of beautiful, carefree teens and spend their days surfing, partying on the beach, and hiking into endless sunsets. But just as they’re starting to feel safe again, one of their new friends goes missing. Is it a coincidence? Or is the nightmare beginning all over again?
Starting over in a new town with only each other is unimaginable for Rory and Darcy. They were inseparable as children, but now they can barely stand each other. As the sisters settle in to Juniper Landing, a picturesque vacation island, it seems like their new home may be just the fresh start they need. They fall in with a group of beautiful, carefree teens and spend their days surfing, partying on the beach, and hiking into endless sunsets. But just as they’re starting to feel safe again, one of their new friends goes missing. Is it a coincidence? Or is the nightmare beginning all over again?
The Review
The first reaction I got after finishing this book was: "AHHHHHHHHHHHH! I KNEW IT! I KNEW THAT WOULD HAPPEN! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH UN-FREAKIN-BELIEVABLE! IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. WHERE IS BOOK 2?! I NEED ANSWERS STAT!" Yeah it was that kind of reaction where I predicted the ending only I still didn't believe it would actually happen to me only it did anyway.
With a very similar vibe and tone to Kimberly Derting's The Body Finder and Laurie Faria Stolarz's Touch series, SHADOWLANDS has everything going for it in the psychological thriller and part-dark contemporary genre department! It was just all SO GOOD! I can't even explain it really. But I think what made enjoy this book more than I thought I would was the fact that even for a much shorter read it still managed to have me on edge on every single page I turned . . . always making me want to know more and more about what was going to happen next to the characters and whether any of them were going to survive in the end or just . . . mysteriously disappear on me. Not to mention the characters alone - even the smaller role characters - were so intriguing! Even the serial killer (who has his own chapter or two in the book) was addictive to read about too. Just whoa. I loved it!
Overall, SHADOWLANDS was such a fantastic read and as much as I want to talk about it more . . . I just can't spill because it would giveaway major spoilers! So in any case, I think any fan of psychological thrillers, mysteries, suspense and pretty much everything else with a mind-boggling cliffhanger at the end will have such a kick with this book right here because I certainly did! That ending . . . I TOTALLY SAW IT COMING BUT . . . WHOA!
The Rating
4 1/2 / 5 stars
I'm glad to hear that this doesn't just have a solid plot, but interesting characters too. It sounds exactly like something I would enjoy. Great review, Erin!
ReplyDeleteYour review is so similar to my sister's.. i seriously need to read this book as soon as possible! I am a big fan of mysteries and not being able to read fast enough to know about the mystery and whether a character "disappears on me" or not! I can't wait to pick it up.. but two chapters from the serial killer's POV? that is creepy!
ReplyDeleteawesome review,
- Juhina @ Maji Bookshelf
hahaaa, I've heard about this killer cliffhanger! You're not the first to have such a strong reaction to it :) I LOVE psychological thrillers and mysteries and suspense so I KNOW I'll LOVE this!!!!!! Can't wait to read this! Brilliant review, Erin<3
ReplyDeleteI hope you love this one. The cliffhanger . . . I saw it coming but . . . I didn't expect it to actually happen! Still reeling over it! Haha.
DeleteThanks Shirley!