Shade, Shift, and Shine!

Shift
By: Jeri Smith-Ready
Reported by: Juli Helms

Aura’s life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can’t deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she’s not sure that she wants to.

Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift.

As Aura’s search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets…and her heart.

-Summary from Goodreads

 As the sequel to Shade, Shift is surprising, stunning, and absolutely scintillating.
     I would like to mention here, first-off, that I am not a fan of ghost stories. No. See, other than Gilda Joyce, ghosts stories have never quite captured me. Brought me into their story. Made me hide under the blanket at night until the 'ghosts' are gone.
     Then came the Shade trilogy.
     You see, I attended the RT BookLovers Convention back in April this year. That was where I had met Jeri Smith-Ready, and received a signed version of Shade.
     I started the book reluctantly, and finished it in one sitting, in which I immediately followed up with Shift.
     Since this review is on Shift, the second book, I will continue to keep it spoiler-free and add in some thoughts on Shade as well.

Here goes:
 

I am going to quote P.C. Cast here and say, Shift is "Hauntingly good." 
     My thoughts exactly.
     This book had all the elements you look for in a YA book: Action, Romance, Authentic Characters.
     First, the action. In some ways, Shift was even better than Shade. The plot is twisted, surprising. The action is depicted with just the right amount of words--not so short that it feels rushed, but not too long that it feels stretched out and on the verge of snapping to bits. In Shift, the characters are being tracked down and targeted by the DMP(Department of Metaphysical Purity), even more so than in Shade. This sends them on covert missions, leaves them bemused with cryptic hints, and leaves you, the reader, breathless and shocked, re-reading the scene over and over again to make sure you really read what you think you read. The plot and action are in a well-paced synchronization, and will not disappoint.
     Then there's the romance. The love triangle between a ghost, an anti-ghost, and a pro-ghost. Different, I know. 
     I loved it.
     The romantic scenes weren't sappy and sloppy, and all members of the triangle go through their own romantic predicaments. The scenes were so heated and breathtaking, it was like a vine constricting my heart and wrenching it until I know they're safe, that they're still good. Tell me if these teasers don't melt your heart away:

'I looked at his face as his gaze flicked back to meet mine. He held it, held it, held it, while my entire body turned to flame.'


'His warm whisper brushed my cheek, "I can't forget you, any more than I can forget my own name." He kissed me then, and the world, which no longer mattered, completely fell away.' 


     See what I mean?

     And lastly, the characters. Let's start with Aura. Aura is strong, smart, witty, and despite her faults, I found myself to be able to relate to her character and by the end of the book, Aura's growth and the way she's handled the predicaments she was forced to go through made me love her character and spirit.  
     Then there's Logan. Logan may be a ghost, but he's one that's a dream come true. A rock band singer, Logan may be likely to get jealous, but his flaws further deepen his character and when his character grows up, ghost or not, in the end I swayed slightly toward Team Logan.
     But I'm still Team Zachary. Why? Oh, where to begin? He's got that Scottish accent that will make you shiver down to your spine. He's patient and intelligent. And no matter how many times Aura messed up, no matter how many times something stopped their relationship, he never gave up. I think that's why I've always been on his team. Because of his fierce loyalty, unwavering throughout the rough road of love.
     In conclusion, the Shade trilogy is a must-read! It'll Shade your coherent thoughts until Shift is in your hands, then you'll keep Shifting and not rest in peace until Shine is available for you to snatch off the bookshelf the day it comes out.

Quick note: This book contain sexual references, but nothing graphic. If this is a concern for you or your children, I recommend this book to be read by children 14+, or anyone in middle school mature enough to handle the contents.