Shadowlands Mini Review

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?

~ My Review ~

I am not a fan of this authors other series, but when I saw Shadowlands at the library, it definitely caught my attention. I love horror and psychological thrillers so, I figured this would be right up my alley. The premise was definitely a break from all the paranormal YA that has been filling the shelves--not that I mind! But, it is nice to read something a bit more on the contemporary side of things. Which is exactly how Shadowlands appeared for the majority of the story. However, be prepared for a bit of a fantasy twist! 

I enjoyed this story strictly for its entertainment purposes. Besides that, much of it just had that, "whaaa?" factor. For instance, the behavior of the FBI is so far from what it would really be, that I just didn't know what to think. This is one of those books that I feel is written strictly for it's age range only. Once you start nit-picking the details of it, you may be disappointed. 

Rory's sister, Darcy, also got on my nerves A LOT. Her attitude and behavior really made me question the process of character development. I'm glad she began to come around a little toward the end of the book, but it was definitely not enough to redeem her. 

Despite these apparent short comings, I can see why so many readers are fans of Kate Brian. This book seems to have many readers at the edge of their seat. Although, that was not the case with me. I found a lot of the major plot points to be somewhat predictable and was not astounded by the ending. It did however set the stage for an interesting sequel and hopefully a continuing series. If you are a fan of YA, Shadowlands is worth checking out. Just don't have high expectations!