Review: Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

Title: Shade
Author: Jeri Smith-Ready
Published: Simon Pulse (May 4th 2010)
No. of Pages: 309
Grade Rating: A

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.

Shade is an intoxicatingly unique and divine debut YA novel with a supernatural twist. Including elements such as ghosts, mystery and a good old-fashioned love triangle, where could it go wrong? Nowhere.

I'm not sure what I was expecting when I opened the pages of Shade for the first time. I suppose, a witty, heart racing novel with a darker side. And that is exactly what I received. However, I wasn't expecting a truly original premise. The author has woven together a well-thought-out plot that leaves the reader wanting to know more and more about the Shift and Aura's abilities. Although, it was a little confusing at the start, I soon loved the idea of the Shift and the different ghost patrols. Although it did have a more sinister aspect, it was a lot of fun to read about.

The characters were also amazingly three-dimensional and likeable too. Aura was a great female protagonist who was not at all annoying throughout the entire book. I hate it when similar characters complain and make the worst out of most situations, but she was determined and positive whilst having realistic emotions. I liked how all of the characters were life-like but at the same time, had the ability to see and communicate with ghosts. I was rooting for Logan all the way through the book but at the same time, liked reading Zachary and wanted him to pull through as well.

Jeri Smith-Ready is a fantasic author, capturing teenage personalities perfectly. I can definitely see many more of her books becoming successful in the YA genre. Her writing is addictive and absorbing and never fails to entertain the reader. The ending left a good lead up to the sequel, Shift, which has a release date a little too far away for my liking. I can't wait to carry on with the series and see how things work out for Aura.

All in all, Shade is a must-read for older teens. Any fan of the supernatural will enjoy this book, with it's pulse-racing synopsis and added-to-the-favourite-list characters. An amazing start to the series.