Review : Shadowlands by Kate Brian

Summary (from Goodreads)

Title : Shadowlands (Shadowlands #1)
Author : Kate Brian
Publication Date : January 8th 2013
Publisher : Hyperion
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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 program. Entering the program alongside her, is her father and sister Darcy. The trio starts a new life and a new beginning leaving their friends and family behind without 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. 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?

Personal Thoughts

Shadowlands was a creepy, thrilling read that started off with a chapter that completely engrossed me. However, somewhere along the way, my interest began to wane, but the book ended in a shocking manner, causing my jaw to drop to the floor.

I find that when I read YA mystery books, it's hard for me to form any kind of connection with the characters. This was very much the case with Shadowlands as well. I can't say that I identified with Rory, the main character, but that doesn't mean I didn't like her. Rory was your typical studious and hardworking teenager. She was the kind of girl who was focused on her goals and didn't let anything lead her astray. When we first meet with Rory, she has just come across a serial killer and is struggling to escape his clutches. Thankfully, Rory escapes physically unscathed, but that event leaves her emotionally scarred throughout the book. Kate Brian portrayed her fears, insecurities and tense attitude in the aftermath of the encounter in a realistic way. Rory's sister, Darcy, though wasn't my kind of character. She was the girl who dramatized everything and cared more about the fact that she wouldn't be able to attend a party than her younger sister's own safety. Despite how selfish Darcy could be, I liked how Rory always had her back and was there whenever Darcy needed her, not giving a care to the danger it might pose her own life. The other secondary characters weren't as memorable as I would have liked them to be and their personalities came across as one-dimensional, but I think that was because there was hardly any space left in the book to develop them.

Shadowlands strongest point was the plot line itself. Like I said above, the book started with a bang and the reader is immediately thrust into this eerie world. This creepy atmosphere heightened when they finally arrive at the island, but halfway through, I did start to feel bored, but not bored enough to want to stop it. Shadowlands left me tense and freaked out because I honestly didn't know what would crop up next. In addition, the author provides us with a couple of chapters in the POV of the serial killer, which was dark, twisted and all sorts of spine-chilling. Those few chapters basically amplified the element of fear that was present in the book and was what made me want to finish the book already. And then Kate Brian went ahead and shoved a huge twist in my face at the ending that was so astounding that I actually went back to read the paragraph to make sure I had understood the ending well and that the last line was not a figment of my imagination. I don't know about you, but I did not see that alarming plot turn coming at all! Kate Brian definitely knows how to keep her readers attention hooked throughout the book and that ending sealed the deal for me : I'm for sure continuing this series.

While the characters might not have been the best out there, Kate Brian's prose, the heavy suspense throughout the book and that climax that may have you screaming, "Say what?" made Shadowlands an entertaining and enthralling read.

Rating

Cover : 4/5
Plot : 3/5
Characters : 3/5
Writing : 3/5