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The Shadow Reader (Shadow Reader #1)

by Sandy Williams (Goodreads Author)

3.95 of 5 stars 3.95 · rating details · 4,371 ratings · 770 reviews

There can only be one allegiance.
It’s her time to choose.

Some humans can see the fae. McKenzie Lewis can track them, reading the shadows they leave behind. But some shadows lead to danger. Others lead to lies.

A Houston college student trying to finish her degree, McKenzie has been working for the fae king for years, tracking vicious rebels who would claim the Realm. Her jo...more

Mass Market Paperback, 307 pages

Published October 25th 2011 by Ace

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The Shadow Reader (Shadow Reader, #1)
by Sandy Williams (Goodreads Author)

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Lists with This Book

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

2011 Urban Fantasy / Paranormal Debuts

5th out of 101 books — 535 voters

This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Best adult urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels of 2011

17th out of 90 books — 323 voters

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Community Reviews

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Nov 28, 2011 Wendy Darling rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Wendy Darling by: Kelly, Michelle R.

Shelves: adult, pnr-urban-fantasy, pn-faeries, 2011-favorites, crush-worthy-boys, read-2011, heroines-butt-kicking, 2011-5-✮-books, 2011-publication, action-packed

Searching for another kick-ass urban fantasy heroine? Look no further, because McKenzie Lewis has arrived. Caught in a fascinating war between the fae king and the rebel faction, she is kidnapped by the rebellion, who wants to use her special cartography skills for their own means. McKenzie fights to escape in some seriously great action scenes, but gradually she starts to wonder whether the truth behind the war is even more complex than she ever imagined.

What's intriguing about McKenzie is that...more

133 likes · like · see review

Jan 13, 2012 Anzu The Great Destroyer rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fairy lovers

Recommended to Anzu by: Dija

Shelves: the-fantasy-of-urbans, is-it-just-me-goddammit, fat-kitty-judges-you, fucking-love-triangles, reviewed-2012, a-bit-of-mush, masters-of-snoozeville, lust-at-first-sight, cheesetacular, mary-sue, i-am-disappoint, zzzzzzz, could-have-been-sooo-much-better, facepalm, blame-the-darksiders

Oooooh The Shadow Reader! Oooooh average rating 4.14! Happy day!!!!

My first thought:

My second thought:

My third thought:

My other thoughts are verging between ugh idiot, duh, gah and pass the jelly.

Imagine you have a cold. But not a normal cold. It’s one of those bad ones where you have to drown in antibiotics and syrup. You know the feeling you get when you are eating something, and you can’t feel its taste? You look at the people you’re sharing the meal with and see them moan in pleasure because...more

65 likes · like · see review

Dec 22, 2011 Steph Sinclair rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Steph by: Wendy Darling

Shelves: adult, fey, 2011-reads, i-really-enjoyed-it, original-and-creative, surprised-me, triangle-of-love, 2011-favs, best-characters, funny, fantasy, oh-yeah-baby, strong-heroine, action-packed

The Shadow Reader had everything I love in a fae book. Seriously, I have a special place in my heart for fae characters. Ahem, Ash and Puck. *Wink, wink* It had action, hot Fae guys, adventure, romance, hot Fae guys, court intrigue, witty dialogue, and epically cool fight scenes. Oh, and did I mention the HOT FAE GUYS?!

Excuse me while I fangirl.

McKenzie Lewis is a special human. She can see the Fae and read their shadows. This ability makes her a very important ally in the war raging between the...more

39 likes · like · see review

Oct 29, 2012 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult

When a person writes a review, the first thing they have to do is think about what they want to say about the book and what is worth mentioning. After reading a few reviews on this book, I'm thinking that my idea of prioritizing must be completely different from everyone else's.

Somewhat frustrating love triangle...blah, blah, blah.
A few similarities to Dark Swan...blah, blah, blah.
Heroine who really should have known better about a few things...blah, blah, blah.
Great action for a first book...b...more

24 likes · like · see review

Dec 21, 2011 Dija rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: All Uf and PNR fans

Recommended to Dija by: Wendy Darling

Shelves: 2011, wow, uf-or-pnr, surprisingly-good, authors-i-stalk, my-reviews, first-in-series

***FAVORITE UF/PNR OF 2011***

“This is ridiculous, Aren. I’m not Cinderella at a ball. And this...this isn’t going to win my support, not even my sympathy. I won’t—”

He places a finger over my lips. “I forget my responsibilities when I’m with you. It’s nice. Peaceful.” His hand slides behind my neck, beneath my hair. He plays with the clasp of my necklace. “I wish you’d let yourself forget things when you’re with me. You’d be happier.”

Rating Explanation:

+1 star for McKenzie. She's everything an e...more

25 likes · like · see review

Jul 01, 2012 Cait rated it 4 of 5 stars

As a kind of pre-review to my actual review, this is the first book I read after reading a book that was, undoubtedly, one of my favorite books of 2011, Angelfall. And I hoped that if I stuck to the same kind of genre and general character makeup that Angelfall had I could find a great book that was, at the least, pretty enjoyable. So, was it?

Meh....... kinda.

Oh and, by the way, my real rating for this book is 3.5 stars and I'm seriously considering dropping it to three.

It's the truth.

I g...more

19 likes · like · see review

Jul 05, 2011 Angela James rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, arc, urban-fantasy

I was pretty conflicted about what to rate this, and I find myself once again wishing Goodreads would let me do a half star, because I think it's truly 3 1/2 stars. Keeping in mind, that 4 stars is a book I love and 5 stars are reserved for books I think are truly top of the pile books and I'll recommend them to anyone who will listen.

I thought this book started out very strongly, and I was intrigued both by the heroine and by the world the author has developed. I liked the heroine's voice, and...more I was pretty conflicted about what to rate this, and I find myself once again wishing Goodreads would let me do a half star, because I think it's truly 3 1/2 stars. Keeping in mind, that 4 stars is a book I love and 5 stars are reserved for books I think are truly top of the pile books and I'll recommend them to anyone who will listen.

I thought this book started out very strongly, and I was intrigued both by the heroine and by the world the author has developed. I liked the heroine's voice, and I especially appreciated that she had strength of conviction.

However, I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a fan of using the "which guy should I choose" plot construct as the driving conflict for an urban fantasy. Actually, I'm not keen on it as a form of conflict in general. I like romantic conflict, but not in terms of "which guy" instead of romantic conflict between two people. I also want the driving conflict of an urban fantasy to be within the world itself, because I think this is much harder to pull off, but ultimately more interesting. "Which guy" is hard to pull off with any kind of original twist at this point.

So this book began to falter for me at the point I realized this was going to be the main conflict, and ultimately didn't convince me in the final choice she made. I saw so much potential in building this world, and the conflict between the two competing faction of Fae, and I was left disappointed that more development wasn't offered there, instead of in the heroine's torn feelings about two men.

I do have to give the author props for not leaving this on a cliffhanger, though there's clearly room for future books. At the end of the day, I can't explain more about my dissatisfaction with this book, since some of it lies in how it ended, how she chose, and explaining that would be a major plot spoiler for the book. I will say that I think readers who love urban fantasy and love the conflict of choosing between two heroes will enjoy this book, and I think the writing makes the story interesting and diverting. I'd like to see more from this author within the constrains of a new, more developed conflict. e(less)

23 likes · like · see review

Mar 30, 2012 Emily May rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommended to Emily May by: Wendy Darling, Maja

Shelves: paranormal-uf, 2012, boring

Before I picked this book up, I had so many great feelings about it. Partly because of all the dazzling reviews it has received from my most trusted GR friends, and partly just because it is sold as exactly the kind of urban fantasy I love: strong heroine, hot supernatural men, "cataclysmic civil war" between the fae... I admit that I was excited enough to buy this book before reading the 4/5 star reviews.

Okay, so what exactly was my problem? I exhale a great big shuddering sigh as I say - for the umpteenth time - this was just never anything special to me. This genre, the urban fantasy genre, is easily one of my favourites when I find a book/series that really appeals to me; they have a way of dragging you into their world and making you care about the characters and lust after the hunky men. But countless times I come across the same old pattern. The Shadow Reader will undoubtedly be loved by hardcore UF fans who actually read these books for that same old pattern that I mentioned. Some people love this format and I'm sure that's why books continue to be written in a very same-y way.

For me, I made the inevitable comparisons to the Fever series and this novel just couldn't compete at all. I'm still waiting for a fae novel that can and I've been starting to believe I won't ever find one. Mckenzie is definitely a strong heroine, but at the end of this book she doesn't feel as well-developed to me as Mac did halfway through Darkfever. The thing I loved most about Mac is that she was a normal young woman, in fact she first appears far more ditzy than most. She doesn't stroll in, sword swinging, and she hasn't been trained for the situation she finds herself in. And yet, she shows that even the ditziest, blondest young women can turn kick-ass if the moment calls for it. This is one thing I love about that series which is very difficult to find in others. PNR heroines are often sappy and pathetic, UF heroines tend to be factory-manufactured warriors. I want to see regular girls and women - like myself - showing that they don't need super powers to be awesome.

I didn't even bother comparing either Kyol or Aren with Barrons because they are a million miles apart in every way. But looking at them on their own they still seem to be rather boring, Kyol's the nice guy and Aren's the bad one. Mckenzie has known (and secretly wanted) Kyol for years, she has known (and secretly wanted) Aren for a couple of weeks. Guess who she chooses here?? Yet another Twilight-style love triangle it would seem. ZZZzzzz....

Yes, so sorry to the people who loved this, I'm not sure why I feel guilty for not loving it too, but I do. The only thing I will say in its favour is that this book reminded me how much I need to re-read the Fever books, so I thank Sandy Williams for that.
(less)

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Apr 10, 2012 Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker rated it 5 of 5 stars

Forget my review.... I never got around to it....instead....

AH did an awesome review here...

http://badassbookreviews.com/the-shad...

Doing the happy dance ...(stop looking, I know I can't dance).

Loved it.

~~Review coming some time this century.~~

14 likes · like · see review

Nov 20, 2011 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-stars

McKenzie now ranks among the best heroines of fiction. No joke. Have you ever had those protagonists that just make you want to:

Well, cast aside your worries because McKenzie is one the most aware, sincere, and real characters I have encountered! She may not be a gun-slinging, machete-toting beast of battle, but she has guts of steel and a BRAIN to boot. Too many heroines these days seem to feel the need to be as obnoxious and rude as possible in order to assert their competence, and they end up...more

7 likes · like · see review

Nov 29, 2011 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-releases, urban-fantasy, borrowed-library

*Rating* 3.5
*Genre* Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

*Review Pending*

I'm not overly thrilled about MacKenzie being a badass heroine that we fall head over heels over. You know that thrill that travels up your leg? Not happening. Yes, she has a really interesting ability to track fae as they travel and sketch out their locations. Yes, she becomes more determined as she finds out the truth about the rebels and the King she served for 10 years. But, she doesn’t know how to use a gun; she can barely...more *Rating* 3.5
*Genre* Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

*Review Pending*

I'm not overly thrilled about MacKenzie being a badass heroine that we fall head over heels over. You know that thrill that travels up your leg? Not happening. Yes, she has a really interesting ability to track fae as they travel and sketch out their locations. Yes, she becomes more determined as she finds out the truth about the rebels and the King she served for 10 years. But, she doesn’t know how to use a gun; she can barely hold a knife in order to save herself from being skewered, and she gets hurt and nearly killed more times than I can count. Thankfully there is a healer always around her to save her from being another casualty.

As always, my one and only real annoyance and complaint is the whole Kyol, Aren, and MacKenzie love triangle. I swear to bloody murder that I am going to cease reading any books that have these sorts of relationships in them soon. So, for that reason alone, I cannot in good conscience give this story a rating higher than I did.

This was by far, the most appealing and right as rain commentary that Mackenzie said over the course of the book.

I suck in a breath. No. No way. I don't love Aren. I can't because, damn it, I'm not one of those girls, the ones who have two men chasing after them but can't make up their minds who to choose. If you can’t decide who you love more, you don’t love either of them enough. So I don’t have feelings for Aren, I won’t. <----Famous freaking last words

MacKenzie is a serious contender for the Patty Hearst (Stockholm Syndrome) award of suddenly finding that her loyalties are with the very person who kidnapped her, and cut her throat, and all of a sudden, may or may not love. If you don't know about the whole Patty Hearst situation, Google it you might learn something.

Agreement in situ: Kyol was a total IDIOT for leading her on for 10 years, all the while she could have been leading a human life, maybe having a human boyfriend/husband and a career. But, he put all his faith into protecting his King and missed what was happening under his very nose.

Then again, MacKenzie there is a thing called free will. You choose to stay and work with Kyol and the King. You could have quit and had a life of your own at any time over the 10 years you wasted and pined away for Kyol.

World Building: B+
Characters: B+
Plot: B+(less)

9 likes · like · see review

Nov 18, 2011 Vinaya rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-loved, books-i-ought-to-hate-but-don-t, comparative-5-stars, favorites, hmm-that-was-interesting, i-ll-stalk-you-til-you-read-it, speshul-snowflake, surprised-me, urban-fantasy

Even more than YA, my relationship with Urban Fantasy has been a love-hate one. In fact, I even made a table about it, and it holds true. So when I DO find an urban fantasy book I like, I can't help but talk about it nonstop, not to mention recommending it to everyone I know!

The Shadow Reader was one of those books I went into with a great deal of trepidation, only to end up gasping for breath about 20 pages in. Excellent worldbuilding, fast-paced, breath-stealing action and brilliant character...more

35 likes · like · see review

Nov 11, 2011 Renee Sweet rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

This book has everything: a snarky kickass heroine, nail-biting action scenes, dreamy guys (two, in fact!), a really well written love triangle, and plenty of hard-to-make, heartfelt choices.

And? It holds up after multiple read-throughs.

Highly recommended.

8 likes · like · see review

Apr 15, 2012 Mimi Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

5 stars

Wow...This book was unputdownable... And amazing. I don't even know how to discuss this rationally, but here goes.

McKenzie is a shadow reader, a human who got involved with the fae ten years ago because of her abilities. Namely one, and that is reading shadows, knowing where a fae fissured(think teleported) There's a war going on, and she's firmly on the side of the Court, or better said, on the side of Kyol, the king's sword-master. She's loved him forever, but has never had a chance to...more 5 stars

Wow...This book was unputdownable... And amazing. I don't even know how to discuss this rationally, but here goes.

McKenzie is a shadow reader, a human who got involved with the fae ten years ago because of her abilities. Namely one, and that is reading shadows, knowing where a fae fissured(think teleported) There's a war going on, and she's firmly on the side of the Court, or better said, on the side of Kyol, the king's sword-master. She's loved him forever, but has never had a chance to be more with him, because the Court forbids it. Now, she just wants to have a completely normal human life. But, fate gets in the way, or precisely, the rebels do.

Rebels are on the other side of the war, and McKenzie's enemies, the universal bad guys. Or...are they? She's a captive, but they try to make her see both sides. And one of those trying is Aren...The dashing, charming, sometimes ruthless rebel. One of the leaders of the rebellion, he wants McKenzie to help them. And pretty soon, Mac starts feeling things for him, against her will...

"... No. No way. I don't love Aren. I can't because, damn it, I'm not one of those girls, the ones who have two men chasing after them but can't make up their minds who to choose. If you can’t decide who you love more, you don’t love either of them enough. So I don’t have feelings for Aren, I won’t."

Of course, that's one of my favorite passages in the book. And it takes us to the love triangle. I have to admit it, it was very well done. I'm not a fan of LTs in general, but here it was different. For one thing, both men are honorable, good, and have genuine feelings for her. I didn't have a side. All I wanted was for it to get resolved without major pain, heartbreak or death. Or, you know, one of them turning villainous. I could genuinely see her dilemma and I'm happy she decided...But, I'm unsure about the ending. I think she may have decided too fast/it was anticlimactic. I mean, I hope that's the end of it, but I wanted to see her thought process and her certainty. In any case, it was well done and I enjoyed even that.

I also liked the war side of the story. More specifically, the way McKenzie was forced to see both sides of it, and then decide. Although, I was surprised that the war was resolved, too. Basically almost everything was resolved at the end, and I was expecting cliffhangers, angst and indecision. All in all, I'm not disappointed AT ALL and I can't wait for the next book, coming in October.

Note-Buddy read with Anna(less)

10 likes · like · see review

Jan 07, 2012 Layla rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-paranormal-fantasy-urban-sf, part-of-a-series, 2012-january, reviewed, rating-2-stars

I haven’t written an review in ages, so please excuse my ramblings.

The Shadow Reader, in appearance, is a very good book. It has it all: action, plot turns and twists but more importantly, it has a brave heroine torn between two hot males(one hotter than the other and reverse).At least, that’s what I hoped to read after I saw the synopsis. Well, things are not exactly like that.
Here’s what happens: McKenzie is a human who has the Sight(meaning she can see the Fae) and the ability to track them d...more

5 likes · like · see review

Oct 31, 2012 mrsj rated it 4 of 5 stars

WOW!

I'm back to earth now.
What a ride and what a rush!!
This book did really weird thing to my heart.
Throughout the book, I felt breathless, excited, intrigued, hurt and heartached.
Talked about forbidden love, a crush for 10 yrs, a fight between the faes, caught in the whole fae's war and a kidnap that changed Mackenzie's view on the war.

Mackenzie Lewis is a human and she has a gift. A gift to see where the faes travel to. She is a Shadow Reader. She has been helping the fae king to hunt down the...more

5 likes · like · see review

Nov 14, 2012 Mithrendiel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, swoon-worthy-men, fae

There’s something special about the Shadow Reader that sets it apart from other books in the urban fantasy genre. At first I couldn’t put my finger on what this ephemeral bit of awesomeness was, but upon consideration it occurs to me that this book is an epic. Where most urban fantasy novels go for the supernatural mystery angle, this novel is high, epic fantasy set on a stage of the modern world, overlaid with the more fantastic world of the fey.

The story pulls you in from the start. Within a...more There’s something special about the Shadow Reader that sets it apart from other books in the urban fantasy genre. At first I couldn’t put my finger on what this ephemeral bit of awesomeness was, but upon consideration it occurs to me that this book is an epic. Where most urban fantasy novels go for the supernatural mystery angle, this novel is high, epic fantasy set on a stage of the modern world, overlaid with the more fantastic world of the fey.

The story pulls you in from the start. Within a few pages of chapter one, you are racing across campus with McKenzie, fleeing fae rebels intent on kidnapping her for her unique ability. She’s a shadow reader of unusual strength, someone that sees through fae glamor, and can track them by studying the portals they use to transport between locations and worlds. As we follow the story we discover that the fae are at war. A rebel force of fey has risen up and seek to supplant the current king with one of their own. McKenzie is human, but she has served in the fae king’s war for years, tracking rebel leaders. Her unique skills have made her a valuable prize, and a dangerous enemy. She is kidnapped by the rebels during the first part of the story. Their intent? To either convert her to their cause or kill her.

The story sweeps us into the war. We travel between the camps of the rebels and the king, learn their truths, and begin to unravel their lies. We experience betrayals, victories, and losses, and through it all we doubt and wonder which side is the right one and who it is McKenzie should trust. This is a story about war, and ends with an epic series of cathartic events that promise to leave readers satisfied (it left me yelling “I LOVE THIS BOOK!” while my poor husband was trying to watch football). While I’m sure this book will be part of a series, everything wraps up so tidily it almost feels like a standalone novel. No cliffhangers here, I promise.

As others have said, McKenzie herself is very human protagonist. She has no amazing martial skills. Don’t let the sword wielding heroine on the cover fool you, McKenzie is lucky if she hits something running straight at her with a dagger. She’s not weak though, her strength just lies in other areas. She’s loyal to a fault, determined, stubborn, and incredibly kind hearted. She grieves for every dead enemy left behind in the war. Sometimes she came across as a tiny bit weak, but it was refreshing to see such a normal girl, completely lacking in bad ass fighting skills staring as a urban fantasy heroine.

The romance elements of the book include two very yummie fae. Kyol, the fae kings swordmaster, and McKenzie’s long time love. He is honorable, duty bound, and protective of McKenzie. They have a very tragic star crossed lovers thing going on. I loved Kyol and felt his story was one of the most moving in the book. Then there’s the rebel leader, Aren. He’s flippant, roguish, and dark. More your bad boy type. His intentions are (intentionally and sometimes frustratingly) difficult to ferret out. There’s definitely a love triangle here, but it’s not handled in the usual way, where the character vacillates back and forth, playing both men to the point where you want to smack her. Each man has their time in the story, and the McKenzie makes her decision by the end of the story. Whether or not this decision is truly final, remains to be seen in future books. I like both men enough I’m hoping for some more romantic tension.

Shadow Reader really has it all – an amazing world, a plot that is both suspenseful and epic, great characters, and a romance that will make you swoon no matter which man you choose to root for. If you are someone that loved the epic fantasy feel of Moning’s Fever series, you’ll probably enjoy this one. It’s a completely different kind of book (different fae, different plot, VERY different characters), but the high fantasy theme will feel familiar. Either way, I highly recommend this novel.(less)

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Nov 30, 2011 Theresa rated it 4 of 5 stars

So many new urban fantasies to choose from-- many of them with pretty women on the cover. How do you decide which one to read? Do you go with the one with the sword, or the one with the knife and colorful tattoos? I went with the one with the sword-- and I'm glad I did.

McKenzie's only real goal in life is to finally finish college. A simple dream that has been impossible to accomplish after she was found by the fae and thrust into a war between the fae king and the rebels who want to overthrow h...more So many new urban fantasies to choose from-- many of them with pretty women on the cover. How do you decide which one to read? Do you go with the one with the sword, or the one with the knife and colorful tattoos? I went with the one with the sword-- and I'm glad I did.

McKenzie's only real goal in life is to finally finish college. A simple dream that has been impossible to accomplish after she was found by the fae and thrust into a war between the fae king and the rebels who want to overthrow his rule. For ten years McKenzie has worked as a Shadow Reader-- a human who can read the shadow signatures left by the fae as they travel from one place to another through multi-dimensional rifts. It's a dangerous job, one that McKenzie would like to leave, but before she has a chance to act on that desire she is kidnapped by the rebels.

Rather than just kill McKenzie, the rebel leader Aren plots to convert McKenzie to the rebel's cause by teaching her the fae language and showing her a side of the conflict she hasn't been exposed to before. But McKenzie isn't so easily swayed: for ten years she's been in love with the king's swordmaster and her loyalty isn't something Aren can procure by a few kindnesses and a lot of overt flirtations.

But the more McKenzie learns about the rebel's side of things the harder it is to be so sure about what side she should support-- and it doesn't help that her attraction to Aren is becoming stronger by the day.

The Shadow Reader is set up, in many respects, as a paranormal romance featuring a love triangle; and usually that would be a turn off for me. What saves "The Shadow Reader" from going off the abyss into the tragically cliché is the way the main character McKenzie is portrayed and the consistency with which the character is written throughout the book.

McKenzie is drawn into the fae world by her special ability and a threat from a dangerous rebel fae when she is just sixteen years old. Her protector and advocate during her years of service with the fae is Kyol-- with whom she falls in love despite the illicit nature of their relationship among the fae. It's the loyalty to Kyol that is McKenzie's driving motivation throughout her captivity with the rebel fae-- and that loyalty is the best characteristic Williams could have given her main character. Thanks to that one admirable trait McKenzie is a well-grounded character who doesn't fly into the arms of the first man with broad shoulders. Because Aren has to work so hard to convince McKenzie that he is on the side of righteousness, we're given the opportunity to get to know him and the people who fight on his side.

"The Shadow Reader" isn't a perfect book. Williams does try to avoid using info-dumps to inform the reader about the world of the fae and how it relates to our world-- and for the most part I appreciate the attempt to fuse the world-building into the story that way. But the more confused I got, the more I wished for an info-dump or two. It would appear that the fae are aware of the human world, but we're mostly not aware of theirs; except for the few humans who can see through fae illusions. But we're never told how the fae discovered our world and why they would continue to open access to it when it appears that our world is affecting the magic of theirs-- and the conflict between the rebels and the throne is largely based on this assumption. There were a few other points that confused me; for example, why humans would cross over to work in the fae realm to begin with. There is some attempt to offer some rationale for this as we get further into the book-- and McKenzie's personal motivations are finally explained. "The Shadow Reader" is definitely a book that you have to read all the way through to fully understand.

Overall fans of paranormal fiction should like "The Shadow Reader." It has a unique story with well developed characters. The romance involved isn't the done-to-death love triangle, but rather the kind that we can all relate to as we let go of our childhood dreams of what we hope for vs. what is realistic as we grow up. McKenzie is likable and tough, but not grating or obnoxious. There are times when she is perhaps slightly too idealized and there is a certain irresistible quality to her that is reminiscent of Bella of "Twilight" but, thankfully, "The Shadow Reader" doesn't come close to that level of angst. Kyol and Aren are also well defined and while you might root for one character over the other, you won't hate either one. It's a likable, fast moving, inventive fantasy that promises to be a series worth following.(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Dec 29, 2011 Marissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, first-in-series, fae, love-triangle

4.5 stars
Ohmigod, Ohmigod, I LOVED this book! Once I finally started I could not wait to find out what happened, and I am not ashamed to say I was up until 3am finishing this book.

I was twisting in my seat, my heart was racing, I was panicking & biting my nails, the pins and needles tortured my extremities right up until the second to last page. Waiting, wondering, where, who, when, HOW it will all end! Agggghhhhh!

And, WOW, the love triangle is one of THE best-done triangles I have read! I...more

4 likes · like · see review

Nov 13, 2011 Julia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, fae, favorites, adult

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEE!!

Alrighty. Now that's out of my system ... holyfuckingcrap!
Thankyouthankyouthankyou, Sandy Williams, for writing and getting published.

This was awesome.
I read a lot. And maybe it's just me, but there's usually three categories of books:
1. The ones that were a nice read. You're fine with seeing them on the shelf, remember some of it, but you could have lived your life without them without really missing anything.
2. The ones that just plain suck. The ones you don't finish, becaus...more

11 likes · like · see review

Dec 29, 2011 Jean Pearl rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Another fae book has yet again captured and entertained me (thanks to my friends, you know who you are). couldn't for the life of me ignore what's been making them, I assume, sleep-deprived to make some eye-catching 'one of the best books!' reviews that were lining out my news feed. Coz of that, of course there had been so much expectation and excitement I held for this book, but a little of a doubt was clinging somewhere, especially when I have the Fever series to compare it with. Admittedly, t...more Another fae book has yet again captured and entertained me (thanks to my friends, you know who you are). couldn't for the life of me ignore what's been making them, I assume, sleep-deprived to make some eye-catching 'one of the best books!' reviews that were lining out my news feed. Coz of that, of course there had been so much expectation and excitement I held for this book, but a little of a doubt was clinging somewhere, especially when I have the Fever series to compare it with. Admittedly, the first half of the book didn't have so much as 'appeal' as what I had been preparing to be appealed for, because I am a kind of reader that always excites myself, usually from the beginning, out of the book that I've held so much expectation from. Don't get me wrong, I, me, myself, was the problem in that case, not the plot or any elements from the book. The plot was interesting, ever since Chapter 1 but I guess it had something more to do with my ahem, 'dysmen'(you get it girls!) snailing me, or in this case, made me a little spaced out, to whatever stuff, even the most interesting ones like reading this book. So earlier, I rapidly skimmed back to some parts I thought I missed and resumed to a normal pace in the start of the second half. Then dun dun dun! I was loving and enjoying it! So on to what I have to say generally about the book - ShadowReader was one of those books that made me eat my meals so fast, hopeful to get back on the momentum of where I've last bookmarked a page. As always, I was glad to have lived another Fae world, coz I had this knack in me that hungers Fae-related things. Despite the civil war that's becoming a little cliche to my taste for a Fae world to have, I still enjoyed the concepts and ideas of fissures, shadows and how it's read, edarrataes, chaos clusters, gates, and the Realm that have new rings to my ears. (view spoiler) Oh well. Seems the unfairness of human life didn't escape to Fae's as well. So guys, you won't need any pushing anymore to read this. You know what to do if you really claim yourself a reader.(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 20, 2011 Tori [Book Faery] rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, arc, favorites, highly-recommended, reviewed

See this review in it's entirety at:
http://www.book-faery.blogspot.com

Sandy Williams is a talented author with a wonderful imagination that I am both thankful for and envious of. She has taken an overused concept in YA literature (the love triangle) and has done something extraordinary with it in the adult genre.... And with a heroine who is in my age group, to boot!

I won't go into the details regarding the plot, but I will say that the driving force in this novel is the love triangle's conflict...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jan 10, 2012 Cristina rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of Richelle Mead's 'Dark Swan' series and Karen Moning's 'Fever' series

I devoured this book! So much fun to read! And finally, a heroine that's real brave, totally kicks ass, and is involved in a love triangle... that I don't kind of hate by the end of book1 in a series! McKenzie is actually *smart* and very likable, she's not a warrior but she still manages to hold her own. And though love triangles are sort of the devil, this one really didn't get under my skin. Instead, I love all three characters and can't wait for more! Eagerly anticipating book 2!

3 likes · like · see review

May 11, 2012 Preeti Joan rated it 5 of 5 stars

BREATH-TAKING. AWESOME. EXCITING. AWE-INSPIRING.

what more can you ask for? HELLO?! i definitely consider this as one of the BEST books i've read. i can't even think straight while making this review! that's how it has affected me. :)) *sighs* i wish someone will call me kaesha too. hahahaha! (okay. losing me mind here, people!)

and another thing i like about this book is it's NOT, again N.O.T., a cliffhanger. thank god for that one! :D

3 likes · like · see review

Jan 22, 2012 BamaGal rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: A not-to-be-missed PNR/UF debut novel

Shelves: pnr-uf

This is one of those books that has been floating around in my GR tbr list for awhile. I periodically check books against my library; and if a tbr shows up, I put in for it. That was how I came to get this book, and after reading it; I wish I hadn't waited so long. This was one of most enjoyable first-books-of-a-series I've read in quite some time. I liked the wordbuilding, the story, the plot, the characters, the authors voice - I just plain old liked this book. A little uneven, but this is a s...more This is one of those books that has been floating around in my GR tbr list for awhile. I periodically check books against my library; and if a tbr shows up, I put in for it. That was how I came to get this book, and after reading it; I wish I hadn't waited so long. This was one of most enjoyable first-books-of-a-series I've read in quite some time. I liked the wordbuilding, the story, the plot, the characters, the authors voice - I just plain old liked this book. A little uneven, but this is a series that shows great promise.

McKenzie is a 'Shadow Reader' for the fae King in his ongoing war with a rebel faction. Basically, a Shadow Reader is a human who can track fae by reading their aura trail. She is a valuable commodity to the fae. McKenzie has been in love with Kyol, the King's Swordmaster for a number of years, but Kyol has always put his king before her. When McKenzie is abducted by the rebels, she meets up with Aren, who is the leader of the rebels. As time passes, their relationship grows; and she begins to question her love for Kyol and her belief in the fae King. After finding out some of the atrocities ordered by the king, she comes to believe in the rebels cause, and allies herself and her talents with them.

I really liked the way the love triangle was handled in this book. Mckenzie came to comprehend that she would never be first with Kyol; but she was first with Aren. He was there for her; and really, isn't that what any woman wants? The author didn't take the easy way out, Kyol was not made a villain (he actually began to make a turnaround in character by the end of the book); McKenzie finally matured enough to realize that he was her past, and Aren was her future. I really felt for McKenzie when she finally realized that Kyol had pretty much lied to her constantly; and was just not quite the admirable, principled man that she had fantasized him to be for so many years. I felt her hurt when she had to let her idealized fantasy of a man go and reach out for a real man, even as I cheered her on to embrace a future with Aren.

I'm very much looking forward to the next book in this series. This is shaping up to be an excellent series; very interesting, and lots of action. There are still battles to be fought, and I'm invested in the characters. I don't know who or what the next book will be about; but I'm hoping that eventually there will be something about Kyol and Lena (the rebel queen). I'm thinking that may be a likely match up. Really good book, really good new author. Hope she writes faster, The Shattered Dark is not due out until November 2012. I want more of Mckenzie and Aren and their fae world.(less)

8 likes · like · see review

Feb 28, 2013 Inessa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

My English review: http://betweendandr.blogspot.com/2011...

Mon avis en français : http://betweendandr.blogspot.com/2011...

La Diseuse d’ombres fait partie des sorties que j’attendais avec impatience en ce début d’année. Après avoir lu de nombreux avis positifs sur cette saga, notamment celui de Melliane, je n’avais qu’une hâte : recevoir mon exemplaire et enfin commencer ma lecture. Autant vous le dire tout de suite, j’ai adoré ce roman et je l’ai lu d’une traite ! Bon j’avoue que j’ai eu un peu...more My English review: http://betweendandr.blogspot.com/2011...

Mon avis en français : http://betweendandr.blogspot.com/2011...

La Diseuse d’ombres fait partie des sorties que j’attendais avec impatience en ce début d’année. Après avoir lu de nombreux avis positifs sur cette saga, notamment celui de Melliane, je n’avais qu’une hâte : recevoir mon exemplaire et enfin commencer ma lecture. Autant vous le dire tout de suite, j’ai adoré ce roman et je l’ai lu d’une traite ! Bon j’avoue que j’ai eu un peu de mal avec McKenzie au début car j’ai trouvé qu’elle était tout de même une sacrée « tête à claques » mais par la suite je me suis habitué à son caractère et j’ai même fini par l’apprécier.

McKenzie est une étudiante dotée d’une habilité assez particulière qui fait que les faes voient en elle un objet de convoitise. Mais c’est surtout une jeune femme qui fait tout pour essayer de mener une vie normale ce qui est pratiquement impossible vu que la Cour fait constamment appel à elle pour lire les ombres. McKenzie voudrait bien laisser la guerre qui fait rage dans le monde des faes derrière elle mais elle se sent redevable envers la Cour qui l’a toujours protégée des rebelles, sans parler de Kyol, le séduisant maître d’armes du roi, celui dont elle est amoureuse en secret depuis dix ans. Malgré le fait que le roi interdit toute relation entre humains et faes, elle reste très fidèle à la Cour et aide Kyol à traquer les opposants au roi du mieux qu’elle peut.

Lorsque que les rebelles la kidnappent, elle fait preuve de beaucoup de courage en tentant à plusieurs reprises de s’échapper. Mais ce que l’on retiendra surtout de McKenzie c’est qu’elle est une jeune femme très butée et qui refuse de croire qu’elle puisse avoir tort, que ceux qu’elle croit être les gentils aient pu lui mentir. Malgré tous les efforts que déploie Aren, le chef des rebelles, pour la persuader que ce ne sont pas eux les méchants mais bel et bien la Cour, elle persiste à soutenir le roi… et Kyol. J’ai trouvé par moments son attitude agaçante, surtout qu’elle réagit ainsi durant toute la première moitié du livre, voire même après. C’est dommage qu’elle soit aussi entêtée mais bon malgré tout elle a des circonstances atténuantes : on lui a toujours fait croire que les rebelles étaient des monstres, elle a été endoctrinée.

Kyol est un personnage très intéressant. Toujours sérieux, avec un air rigide, il ne montre ses émotions que lorsqu’il est seul avec McKenzie. Sa loyauté envers son roi met à mal leur relation. Son dévouement est tel au point qu’il fait passer McKenzie au second plan. Les relations entre fae et humains étant interdites, il préfère donc se conformer à cette règle plutôt que de se rebeller, se battre pour leur amour et se mettre le roi à dos. Bien que je n’apprécie pas beaucoup ses choix, (il l’a tout de même fait poireauter pendant 10 ans !) je dois admettre qu’il a su me toucher et je me demande maintenant comment les choses vont évoluer entre lui et McKenzie. Quant à Aren, que dire de lui si ce n’est que c’est mon chouchou ! Il est tout l’opposé de Kyol. Ses petits sourires et son air espiègle m’ont carrément fait fondre. Je l’adore ! Et puis il se montre d’une telle patience envers McKenzie qu’on ne peut qu’être admiratif ! Franchement, je me suis demandé comment il pouvait garder un tel sang-froid face à tant d’entêtement. Dans ce premier tome, on fait également la connaissance d’autres rebelles tels que : Lena, Kelia, Naito ou encore Lorn. Je les ai trouvés tous aussi attachants les uns que les autres.

L’univers crée par Sandy Williams est très intéressant, riche sans toutefois être trop complexe. On découvre le Royaume, un monde bien distinct de celui des humains, avec ses propres us et coutumes, sa propre langue et même sa propre monnaie. J’ai trouvé tout cela très intéressant. Le style d’écriture est fluide, on n’est pas noyé dans une masse de détails et de descriptions comme c’est souvent le cas des romans fantasy. Le fait qu’il y ait plein de termes en langue fae ne gêne aucunement la lecture et leur signification nous est aussitôt donnée. J’ai aussi beaucoup aimé l’idée des éclats de chaos, ces éclairs lumineux qui apparaissent lorsqu’un fae et humain se touchent et qui ensuite parcourent la peau. J’ai trouvé que c’était très original et puis ça apporte tellement plus d’intensité aux scènes entre McKenzie et Aren ou Kyol. Enfin, je dois dire que Sandy Williams avait raison lorsqu’elle évoquait la scène du mariage dans son dernier guest post : pour moi c’est sans nul doute la meilleure scène du livre. Du moins, c’est ma préférée !

Bref vous l’aurez compris, j’ai adoré ce premier tome. L’histoire est prenante et bien rythmée, il y a pas mal d’action. C’est un excellent roman d’aventures que je recommande à tous ceux qui aiment les histoires sur les faes. Vivement la suite !

(less)

2 likes · like · see review

May 24, 2012 D.G. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, reviewed

**3.5 stars**

Initially I rated Shadow Reader 4-stars because I liked how it ended: the heroine made some tough decisions and learned some things. But as I kept thinking about it, I couldn’t shake some of the things that bothered me and thus the downgrade.

Let’s start with the things I liked:
1. The world building, which I found different and intriguing
2. A realistic view of War: The conflict wasn’t black and white and both sides had done terrible things (not automatic good guys which are angels...more **3.5 stars**

Initially I rated Shadow Reader 4-stars because I liked how it ended: the heroine made some tough decisions and learned some things. But as I kept thinking about it, I couldn’t shake some of the things that bothered me and thus the downgrade.

Let’s start with the things I liked:
1. The world building, which I found different and intriguing
2. A realistic view of War: The conflict wasn’t black and white and both sides had done terrible things (not automatic good guys which are angels and bad guys that are demons.)
3. Love Triangle resolved by the end of the book, which is something you rarely see in the first in a series.

Things I didn’t like:
1. I’m not sure that McKenzie learned her lesson. At the beginning, she came out as a very naïve woman who got involved in a conflict she didn’t understand and believed everything one side told her hook, line and sinker. Then when she’s confronted with the other side’s story, she doesn’t question them as she should. For instance, both sides disagree (very strongly) as to why their magic has been weakening. She’s always believed the Court’s side but then when the Rebels give her a different explanation, she never even questioned it or asked what proof did they have. She makes decisions regarding her allegiance based on her emotions, which is really scary. She already made that mistake once, how could she do the same thing again, specially when we're talking about such a serious thing as war?
2. I didn't believe that she would pick the man she did. (view spoiler) I also have the impression that the love triangle will come back for book 2 (for the reasons I mentioned in the spoiler above.)

At this point, I’m not sure if I’ll continue reading the series but maybe I’ll change my mind if I see really good reviews.
(less)

5 likes · like · see review

Oct 23, 2012 Susana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, 2012

I couldn't stop reading this story!

An action packed adventure, filled with political intrigue and romance. This one, turned out to be so much more than i was expecting...

Mckenzie Lewis is a shadow reader, with a very demanding life. In our world, there are people who can see Fae. Not only can they see them, but they can "mapp" them, whenever and wherever one of that race, lets say, opens up a portal( they call it "fissuring") to the Fae Realm or in Earth. That ability has made her into a target...more

4 likes · like · see review

Sep 28, 2012 Ruby Slippers rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-supernatural, all-time-favorites, fantastic-heroines

I loved this book! There’s action, violence, romance, and it features an intelligent, likable heroine that I was rooting for the entire time. In fact, I have to say that McKenzie was my favorite part of the whole book (good thing since she is the heroine). I think she’s one of the most relatable heroines I’ve ever read. She’s completely self-aware. Every time I was second guessing her or wondering just what the hell she was doing she was right there saying or thinking what I was. It was a breath...more

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 01, 2012 Kilikina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: swoon-worthy, badass, favorites

*spoilers*

This is why I love to read! I made the horrible decision to start this book an hour before I had to go to work- and wow was it hard to put down! This book was definetly one of my favorite fantasy books this year, and it was an awesome book about the Fey. I don't know what it is about Fey books but I haven't found many I like. I either completely love them or hate them...but thankfully I ended up loving this one!

McKenzie. What a kick-butt heroine! It's rare to find someone who's got th...more

2 likes · like · see review

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About Sandy Williams

Sandy Williams graduated from Texas A&M University with degrees in political science and history. She worked as a librarian until her husband whisked her off to London on an extended business trip. Now, she’s back in Texas, writing full time and moonlighting as a librarian. Visit her on the web at www.sandy-williams.com.

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Quotes from The Shadow Reader

“Fine," he says, his words coming out breathless. "I'll save your precious sword-master, McKenzie. But I will never, ever give you back to him.” — 49 people liked it

“If I were a good man,” he says, “I’d acknowledge that Taltrayn is an honorable fae, that he loves you and would take care of you. I’d step down and let you have the man you’ve always wanted, but, McKenzie, I’m not as good as Taltrayn. I never will be, and I can’t step down. I’ll fight for the chance to be with you.” — 45 people liked it

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