Winter's Shadow (Winter Saga, #1)

Jul 28, 2011 Lisa rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, paranormal-romance-urban-fantasy, australian

Actual Rating: 1.49

When I started reading this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. I had hope that it would be one of the exceptions in the YA paranormal romance genre but instead it was another example of unoriginal mediocre storytelling. It's as though there is some sort of paint-by-numbers tool for writing romance and characters and this author used it.

The premise is completely unoriginal. An ordinary girl, Winter, who isn't quite so ordinary, meets and instantly falls in love with the stunni...more

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Jul 10, 2011 Isamlq rated it 3 of 5 stars

It starts out in familiar territory: a dark brooding hero and a girl with a sad, sad past are inexplicably drawn to each other. Said romantic hero has a secret and must keep the girl at arms length~ just to keep her safe. It's then interspersed with glimpses into someone's past. Now, between the present day troubles and the past ones, I'd much rather have reading about the latter, Madeleine and her love, especially since Blake and Winter's story was old hat.

THANKFULLY, things took an interestin...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Simcsa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-english, read-in-2011, supernatural-creatures, fantasy-paranormal, not-gonna-continue-with-the-series

3.5 stars

One of the things which made me angry:

Imagine that you were kidnapped and you refused to do what your kidnappers wanted you to. One of them would say:

‘This here is a very special artefact. It’s called a Witching Stone,’ he continued, letting the medallion swing in the air like a pendulum. ‘There doesn’t appear to be anything remarkable about it, but if you look closely at the ruby you can see a light hidden in its depths. Can you see it, Winter?’

What would you do? Would you:
A.close your...more

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Aug 10, 2011 Megan Riverina Romantics/Meggerfly~TS rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Megan Riverina Romantics/Meggerfly~TS by: Darkfallen

Shelves: ya, paperback, romance, fantasy

Winter's life changed the moment she first saw Blake Duchamp. Not that she was aware of it. The only thing that Winter was aware of was his physical perfection and those hypnotic green eyes of his that shown with their own magical light. That, and his other-worldly charm.

This is the first young adult, paranormal romance book that I've read that's been written by a man. Bearing that in mind, at first I was afraid that I wouldn't like it, even though the back blurb had caught my interest. Actually...more Winter's life changed the moment she first saw Blake Duchamp. Not that she was aware of it. The only thing that Winter was aware of was his physical perfection and those hypnotic green eyes of his that shown with their own magical light. That, and his other-worldly charm.

This is the first young adult, paranormal romance book that I've read that's been written by a man. Bearing that in mind, at first I was afraid that I wouldn't like it, even though the back blurb had caught my interest. Actually, the book called to me. It wanted me to read it. So when I finally did I found myself pleasantly surprised by how much I really liked it.

I had a little bit of a hard time getting into Winter's Shadow at first. What I was reading wasn't bad, just a little slow moving. Then POW! All of a sudden the good stuff started happening. Where I was once taking my time reading, suddenly I was hooked and needed to devour it. I swear, the pages started flying through my fingers!

Winter was your typical shy girl. She had insecurities about her looks and purposely made herself "invisible" by having a shinning star for her best friend. She knew that she was often thought of as "that girl who hangs with Jasmine", and was just fine with that. I thought it wonderful that she was so self aware. She recognized her faults. She also recognized the faults of others and considered them part of their personalities. Whether it be Jasmine's daily dramas in her self-centered little world or her sister Lucy's stickybeakishness. She was wise for her young age.

Another thing that really struck home for me was the way Winter was with her sister. I really loved it. Her behavior was so realistic and spot on that it still boggles my mind that Hearle was able to capture it in words and put it on paper.

Blake was quite a mystery through most of this book. You knew that there was something up with him but what was it? He was hiding something that was for sure. That was another reason why I gobbled this book down. The mystery of what both he and the strange happenings that kept occurring were was something that I needed to find out.

I had two issues with this book that brought it from a five to a four for me. The first one is the way the book made me feel. Or should I say not feel? While yes I felt excited and drawn into the plot, I didn't feel all the emotion that the characters were feeling. I didn't feel the romance that was happening between our two main characters. For example, my favorite line in the book is from a love letter that Blake wrote to another girl. I mean, I read the words but the sensations weren't palpable for me like Winter's feelings for Jasmine or Lucy. The second problem that I had for this book is very simple. I guessed the answer to big "second floor" mystery about halfway through the book. It sorta took away from the big action scene for me.

Though I guessed the great twist in the ending before I read it I would read this book again. The world that Hearle created is extremely original. I truly have not read anything like it before. Trust me when I say that M.J. Hearle is an author that we are going to hear more from.

***At the moment this book is only released in Australia.

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Mar 17, 2012 Joy (Cheery♡Reads) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-own

How can you love a book so much and hate it so much as well with the same passion all the same time? That's what Winter's Shadow did to me and that means that it was that awesome. I got hooked from start to finish and could hardly put it down. My good friend had to pry me away from it. I won't go into all the details but just what I thought. The premise and plot were great; it was different and nothing that I had expected. I couldn't put my finger on what exactly Blake was. That was pretty good...more How can you love a book so much and hate it so much as well with the same passion all the same time? That's what Winter's Shadow did to me and that means that it was that awesome. I got hooked from start to finish and could hardly put it down. My good friend had to pry me away from it. I won't go into all the details but just what I thought. The premise and plot were great; it was different and nothing that I had expected. I couldn't put my finger on what exactly Blake was. That was pretty good because the blurb on the cover didn't give anything away. I'm not going to compare it with Twilight or any other books out there either. It's irritating that every YA Paranormal Romances simply had to be compared alongside Twilight. C'mon, Twilight had its glorious moments. Move aside and make way for the new!

Back to review. The story had enough of mystery, creepiness and eeriness to arouse the solid and avid bookworm in me. There were many books that do not grip me from the beginning and after a few chapters in, I would simply cast them aside until the time comes when I would pick it up again. Winter's Shadow wasn't one of them. Congratulations, you are enlisted in my Book of Fame. I'm pretty generous with my reviews. *ahem*

Winter is a really beautiful name. I like Winter enough. She's a pretty strong character and nothing at all like Bella. Why would people say that she's like Bella, I have no effing idea. Bella is Bella. Winter is Winter. But, demerit points for her when she ditched Jasmine. Love is the greatest after all. Who can blame her. Blake is swoonworthy and NOT similar to Edward Cullen for pete's sake! There are two different characters. If people keep similarizing (if that's even a word!) beautiful, mysterious, self proclaimed dangerous male leads to Edward "Sparkling" Cullen, I think I would have already given up reading YA Paranormals. As Mr. Hearle has pointed in one of his blog post, all these similarizing traits and relationship angle thingies are simply frameworks with empty canvases. They are foundations and basic tools authors use to start painting the sceneries and transforming them into something of their very own. So, quit comparing this and other books to Twilight.

As much as I loved the story and the characters - bonus points for no hate-table characters -, I could fairly predict certain things (can't think of another word for "thing" at the moment) in the novel. I will not hint or reveal what they are here as I do not want to spoil the story for those haven't read it yet. Another thing that bothered me slightly was Winter and Blake's relationship. I felt that their time spent getting to know each other was not long enough to fully convince me (even Winter herself said so. See?). Maybe I should adjust my logicality mode into paranormal mode. Nothing is normal in books. They are supposed to be unearthly after all. That's what books are for - to me at least. But Mr. Hearle seems to know what I was thinking because I found a passage in the book that summed up perfectly what I was questioning:
"I don’t think time matters. You might have known each other for a hundred years or a minute and it wouldn’t have changed a thing about the way he felt about you. People go their whole life without finding something that special."

Other than that, I have no more complaints about Winter's Shadow. It is a tender, poignant and touching story that succeeded in invoking painful emotions within me. The ending tore at my heart and I felt like I could literally feel Winter's heartbreak. And that is why I hate this book so much. I hate the ending because I love the story too much to want it to end that way. It is so cruel to leave readers hanging like that. Very cruel indeed Mr. Hearle. *pouts*

I'm craving for the sequel, Winter's Light, but have to wait at least a whole freaking year for it to be released. If only I have some tiny hints to what is awaiting me in Winter's Light, I might be a tad comforted over my frustrations on the ending. I just refuse to accept what became of *him*. Arghh!!

And thus, I end my review and ramblings.(less)

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Nov 22, 2011 Skye rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie-ya

This review is also posted on my blog, In The Good Books.

Winter's Shadow is welcome new addition to the paranormal scene. The supernatural aspect is unique and stand-out, unprecedented in a way that makes trying to guess what comes next extremely difficult. Immediately there was one great thing about it: unpredictability.

Though the book follows the apparently-not-so-normal-girl-is-dropped-onto-paranormal-scene, the way Winter finds out about Blake's world and the pace at which information is rev...more

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Dec 02, 2012 Crystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: sc-tour, 2011, aussie

For those who follow our blog you all know by now that we love and I mean LOVE Aussie books and Aussie authors, this book is no exception. Winter's Shadow is writing at it's finest and I am so in love with M.J. Hearle.

Winter's Shadow starts off with Winter's meeting with Blake our resident hottie/bad boy/mysterious guy. He is everything that you want in your paranormal bad boy and when he saves Winter's life she quickly becomes entranced by him. Their chemistry is off the charts and I loved how...more

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May 26, 2011 Rachel (The Rest Is Still Unwritten) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-s, i-own, pan-macmillan-sent, publisher-sent

*This book was sent to me from the publisher Pan Macmillian Australia*

I loved this book. It drew me in and I couldn’t stop reading--I had to know what was going on!
This is a hauntingly beautiful debut. Author M. J. Hearle weaves together a stunning gothic tale that mesmerised me and captivated me from the beginning.
While I’ll be the first to admit the story starts out slow, weaving together and setting the story up, it’s in no way boring or uninteresting. The mystery and little bits and pieces...more *This book was sent to me from the publisher Pan Macmillian Australia*

I loved this book. It drew me in and I couldn’t stop reading--I had to know what was going on!
This is a hauntingly beautiful debut. Author M. J. Hearle weaves together a stunning gothic tale that mesmerised me and captivated me from the beginning.
While I’ll be the first to admit the story starts out slow, weaving together and setting the story up, it’s in no way boring or uninteresting. The mystery and little bits and pieces that are thrown in here and there keep you entertained and eager to know what truly is going on. The idea of this story and the theme of the plotline are unique and not like a lot of books out there--the story is eerie and exciting at the same time.

Hearle writes beautifully. His writing flows and paints a dark picture that is beautiful. I admit I was a tad worried going into this book. Sometimes I find that male writers never really capture the essence of the heroine when their lead character is female. And yet Hearle has no problems here what-so-ever. I honestly loved Winter. He’s written her perfectly, making her easy to emphasise with and with a feminine voice. She was a terrific heroine, everything I could have asked for in this tale; realistic and normal, and yet brave and interesting--exactly what you need in these kind of supernatural tales. She reacted how I expect a normal person would when thrust into this kind of world making her someone that you actually enjoy following along on her journey.
As for Blake, well he was intriguing to say the least. One of the things I actually enjoyed so much about this book was the mystery surrounding Blake. Throughout the majority of the tale we never know exactly what Blake is or who he is---we simply know he’s different and that he draws Winter who can’t deny he’s like no one she’s ever known. Blake was a very haunted young man, with many a secret. He was mysterious and it was impossible not to feel the drawl he had that Winter felt.

I only have one issue with this book, and it’s one that tends to impact on my feelings about a lot of books, especially paranormal YA. I’m not the biggest fan of the quick lust/desire-at-fist-sight, I-need-you-from-the-very-beginning type of romance. It’s impossible not to see, and feel, the passion in this book. It saturates the pages and heightens the emotions, however the characters barely know one another. Taking place over the course of a week, is it really possible to feel that deeply about a person so soon? I must say however that Hearle doesn’t rely on this and place such a big importance on this as other writers do. It’s there, it is, but it’s not there to the same extent as I have seen a lot in the past. It’s not sickening (thank god) and it didn’t bother me as much as it normally would, seeing as the brilliance of this novel made up for it.

This book is a tantalizing read with a great range of characters from the main two, Winter and Blake, to the few others that help to give the book flavour and difference. The ending is gripping and exciting and I could not stop reading! I needed to know what was going to happen next and the last few chapters had me needing the second, yet to be named book, stat!
This book will entice you and draw you in and I recommend it to fans of the gothic and paranormal alike!

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Jul 10, 2011 Zemira Warner rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, disappointed, meh

0_o The cover is stunning but also the story seems very interesting.

*edit* post-reading

Maybe if I was still a sixteen-year-old I would say this book is amazing. Sadly,I'm not 16 and I'm not impressed.
Cover and the blurb are to blame and also my high expectations because so many people are saying how amazing Winter's Shadow was. Don't get me wrong,I really,really wanted to like it.
I dislike those love at first sight romances. I think it needed so much more character interaction between Blake a...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Kimy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: win, fantasy, romance, owned

I have received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Can't wait to read it!

*******************

What a great book! I wasn't able to put it down, because I was wanting to know who (or what) is Blake and know his history.

It was different to the previous supernatural books i have read and it was really interesting. I'm looking forward to the next one!

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Sep 11, 2012 Sharissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've waited a very long time for this one and finally I got this book! The cover is just stunning! It's the first young adult paranormal romance book that I've read that's been written by a man. I only found out at the end of the story that is was written by a man!! It starts out familiar. There is a dark brooding hero and a girl with a sad past. And ofcourse they are drawn to each other. The romantic hero has a secret and must keep the girl away from him, just to keep her safe. But.. thinks get...more

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Sep 06, 2012 Greyson rated it 3 of 5 stars

First of I would like to say I really liked this book. The story its self was wonderful. I really enjoyed how the book was not about vampires, werewolves, or angels but rather something I have yet to come across in YA literature. Unfortunately there were a few things that bumped it down to 3 stars.
The love aspect of the story fell short for me. I absolutely love a good love story. I find it weird that from the beginning of the book Winter did not once wonder about Blake's age. She knew he was...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Steph Bowe rated it 4 of 5 stars

So I was excited to read this new series for a couple of reasons: 1) the author is a Sydneysider! I do get very excited about new Australian YA writers. 2) Promotional materials promised no sparkly vampires or werewolves!

In both novels, a second narrative occurs in a few chapters throughout - in the first it's Blake's mother's story, and in the second it's a character 2000 years in the past who is linked to both central characters. There's a lot of thought that's been put into world-building. I...more So I was excited to read this new series for a couple of reasons: 1) the author is a Sydneysider! I do get very excited about new Australian YA writers. 2) Promotional materials promised no sparkly vampires or werewolves!

In both novels, a second narrative occurs in a few chapters throughout - in the first it's Blake's mother's story, and in the second it's a character 2000 years in the past who is linked to both central characters. There's a lot of thought that's been put into world-building. I really enjoyed these back stories, and I would love to have read more of them (so many opportunities for other books set in the same world!).

I think it's important to state that my preferences in YA paranormal romances seem to differ quite a bit from those of most readers who are fans of the genre. I am always more interested in the paranormal part than I am the romance part. The parts that involved travelling to a different reality - an incredibly creepy and alien one - were probably my favourite (how could they not be?), and there is a definite promise of the third book being more heavily involved in this other universe. Also, the incredibly ominous Skivers? I liked them, too.

Though I felt the beginning a little clunky, the story picks up and the ending of Winter's Shadow was fantastic. Winter's Light is my favourite of the series (so far!), mainly because the plotline is not centred around the burgeoning romance but rather Winter's growth as a character and her involvement in a larger war that is occurring. While I expected the twist in Winter's Shadow, in Winter's Light there was a twist that I did not see coming. The events of Winter's Light are on a much larger scale than the first book.

I think if you're a YA paranormal romance fan, this is well worth picking up, and I found the second book especially enjoyable - creepy and dark with an epic ending. I can promise no sparkly vampires, but there are some vampire-reminiscent creatures. There's a lot of familiarity about the series - the setting, romance and protagonist all fit very well within the genre - but it offers some interesting plot twists later on, and I've high expectations for the third book in the series. (More sinister paranormal beasties, I hope.)(less)

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Aug 23, 2012 Shelley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, young-adult, fairies-witches-warlocks-oh-my, paranormal

I found the beginning a bit slow, and I will admit there were some parts of the story where I was like Wha?!? and not from the drama or shock over what was going on. More so from how convoluted it all sounded. I felt Hearle did a good good of developing the all the characters, although the connection/chemistry between Winter and Blake was not very believable for me at first.

He spent a lot of time trying to draw you into what Winter is and what Blake is that their relationship/building up of chem...more

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Sep 05, 2011 Chami Rupasinghe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Let's start by giving this book a 4.6-5. You'll soon learn that my ratings will mostly be a point something so you'll just have to hold on tightly!
Books Name: Winter's Shadow (Formerly SHADE- Just wanted to put it out there as i thought that was a very interesting change)
Published: Pan Macmillian Australia
Author: M.J Hearle

WARNING: This book does not contain Werewolves, Vampires fairies or other supernatural creatures you do know. If you not fine with that, then you should be. It's nice to see a...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Toby Storm rated it 5 of 5 stars

With M.J Hearle's debut we are introduced to a talented novelist with an unmistakable flair for storytelling. If not wanting to set a book down while reading it is a barometer for deciding great fiction, then Winter's Shadow scores top marks. Hearle brings together elements of the Gothic, dark fantasy, paranormal romance, and horror genres and the result is something quite unique and compelling, from the pen of a truly gifted and talented writer.

Hearle's ability to portray a young woman so conv...more With M.J Hearle's debut we are introduced to a talented novelist with an unmistakable flair for storytelling. If not wanting to set a book down while reading it is a barometer for deciding great fiction, then Winter's Shadow scores top marks. Hearle brings together elements of the Gothic, dark fantasy, paranormal romance, and horror genres and the result is something quite unique and compelling, from the pen of a truly gifted and talented writer.

Hearle's ability to portray a young woman so convincingly is impressive in itself and demonstrates a rare talent, reflecting an empathetic and compassionate author. Despite Winter's suffering, or perhaps because of it, Hearle gives us a protagonist who possesses a certain self-reliance and inner strength forged mainly from necessity, in many respects much like Bronte's Jane. Winter's awakening is conveyed through thoughtful and carefully crafted prose, Hearle masterfully giving us the story of an independent young woman undertaking a journey of discovery and awakening as she finds her place in the world.

The 'mad woman in the attic' motif is a powerful literary device and Hearle uses this with great skill, providing the reader with tantalising hints of the spectre lurking in the attic during the exposition and rising points of the novel, setting the stage for a truly frightening spectacle at the climax. Hearle's earlier descriptions of Claudette Duchamp might reflect a deliberate parallel to Jean Rhys' Antoinette Cosway: a mind once youthful and optimistic, eventually broken, mentally corrupted and ending in despair as Bertha Mason, confined to the attic of Thornfield Hall, or in this case Claudette imprisoned in the Velasco Place. Thus Winter's Shadow is not your run-of-the-mill paranormal romance: Hearle gives far more credit to his younger readers, and his refusal to patronise them with predictable plot devices, dumb action sequences and contrived love stories shines through, setting Hearle apart from his contemporaries and engendering a sense of endearment between author and reader.

The result is something fresh and much smarter than the usual suspects, leaving us waiting in anticipation for the sequel. Five stars.(less)

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Oct 09, 2011 Lucie added it

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I must admit that I have a little time to get into the story. Yet as in "The Others" with Nicole Kidman, I could not help but stay alert while waiting for bad things to happen.
The author keeps you in suspense with a thriller built in detail. But I admit I waited too long before the real action begins.
I also admit I have not been touched by the characters. The hero, Blake is too stuck. Even if he have particular skills, he do not dare to use them. So, instead of cling to him, his circ...more

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Oct 01, 2011 Felicia Rogers rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review of Winter's Shadow by M. J. Hearle

I was lucky enough to receive this from Paranormal Wastelands through a blogger book tour.

Although I've written two paranormal romances, I don't "enjoy" everything paranormal. This is a genre where I can honestly say I've only read a few books. But I have to say this one exceeded my expectations. My favorite part of the entire book was not really the romance, it was very tame, and it wasn't the supernatural aspects, because some of them were sometimes bo...more

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Jul 20, 2011 Carmen Belgium rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-read

Hmmmmm... What to tell. This isn't the most easy book to review I guess.

Well, I loved and hated this book at the same time. You ask me how that's possible? Let me try to explain.

The book was pretty predictable I guess, not the entire book, but some major storylines were. Some parts I was like 'oh yeah that's that and that' and yes, I was right in the end :) You wonder why I kept reading then? Well the book was a nice, fluent, read. I loved the writing style and of course I wanted to know if I wa...more Hmmmmm... What to tell. This isn't the most easy book to review I guess.

Well, I loved and hated this book at the same time. You ask me how that's possible? Let me try to explain.

The book was pretty predictable I guess, not the entire book, but some major storylines were. Some parts I was like 'oh yeah that's that and that' and yes, I was right in the end :) You wonder why I kept reading then? Well the book was a nice, fluent, read. I loved the writing style and of course I wanted to know if I was right hehe. It annoyed me a bit though that I knew the major storylines, but that's a small thing to hate.
What I didn't expect at all tho was the ending. I can't say I was disappointed, not really, but I was hmmm, well shocked actually. I hadn't seen this one coming by far. I'm still kinda trying to figure out how I feel about it. Not sure whether to love it or to hate it. Right now I'm kinda neutral about it, but I'm bordering on 'dislike' I guess. Yoiu really should pick up the book andread for yourself!

The best thing about this book was... the introduction of a new supernatural kind. Finally a book about the supernatural that has nothing to do with ghosts, zombies, vampires, werewolves, faeries, witches, wizzards and whatever supernatural mojo you can come up with. This was different! A lot different than what I expected. And... I loved that :D Okay, it took me some getting used to, especially at some points where I thought the story was going really fast and I had trouble catching up. But I loved catching the up part, so no hard feelings about this one.

I liked the character of Winter. It was heart-breaking what she had been through and had to go through in the book. Yet somehow I felt something lacking. Can't put my finger on it, but I think I missed a more 'deeper' look into Winters feelings. There was so much more tell here, so much more I would have loved to discover about her. But I guess in this book and with this type of storyline, there wasn't that much more to tell.

Blake was, I mean, wow, seriously, I'm in love *sigh* Okay, maybe he was a bit too brooding, not sure, but I really loved him. From the way he's supposed to look to how he acts throughout the book, there's not a single thing that annoyed me about him. Okay, maybe one thing, but that you'll have to figure out for yourself. And it's not really like you can blame him. When you think about it, it's exactly the type of thing he would do *sigh* So I guess you should really read the book to find out what the hell I'm talking about!

M.J. Hearle did a great job creating these characters and this supernatural kind. Also the idea of the 'Dead Lands' was pretty original, I haven't really come across anything like it actually. It was refreshing. But again, I wish it was explored more in the story, it had some great potential.

Hearle wrote an original story with a supernatural touch to it, and as a reader I was kept interested at all times. But it wasn't like I was 'craving' to continue reading the book and felt like my life would end if I didn't get to read it soon enough. No, I could put it aside to get some sleep or go to work. I wasn't 'dying' for the moment I could pick it up again. Kinda sad it didn't give me that feeling, because I love it when a book gives me that (yet on the other hand, that is not good for my health whaha) and really it had the potential! I must admit, near the end though, I simpy couldn't put it down at all, so well, it give me a bit of the feeling after all ;) That has to count for something, right?

All in all a great supernatural romance teen read I guess. Maybe if I'd been younger, I could have enjoyed it even more. I recommend this to everyone who likes this genre. Eventho I wasn't as thrilled about it as some other books I read, it was worth my time!

Owh, yeah, one last thing... I absolutely adore the cover, I think it's beautiful! It's actually what got me interested in the book and why I wanted to read it. I didn't even read what it was about ^^.

Carmen Belgium
20 July 2011(less)

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Nov 20, 2012 Stacy Larsen rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved the whole plot line! It was intricately laced with intrigue, romance, and everything that makes a book amazing. Most times, it is a major risk to write a book that is this intricate. It's like walking along a cliff. If you take one wrong step then you can plunge and won't recover, but if you take every step correctly then it's all worth it for the glorious scene before you of the waves splashing against the rocks and the sunset that glows brightly in the distance, wrapping you in a warm...more

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Jun 15, 2011 Jay rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: australian-authors, books-i-own, fantasy, goodreads-giveaways-and-first-reads, redrum, ya

I won this book as part of Goodreads giveaways and first reads.

From the cover alone, this book looks a lot like other fantasy novels at the moment. A dramatic cover, a splash of colour against an otherwise dark background. A two-word title, suggesting a dark, fantasy, romantic plot. A very Gothic feel to a Young Adult novel. It blends in with the other vampire, demon, fallen angel type fantasy novels out there on the market at the moment- and this is why I think this book will be let down. It's...more

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Mar 21, 2011 ALPHAreader rated it 4 of 5 stars

It has been six months since Winter’s parents died. Six months and Winter is barely coping with the swamp of school work and a guilty conscience. Her sister, Lucy, has put her life and university studies on hold to become Winter’s guardian . . . and how does Winter repay her? By getting behind in her school work and being forced to join the school paper for extra credit in photography.

And so one morning Winter finds herself atop Owl Mountain, taking photos of an old church for the upcoming newsp...more

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Jul 05, 2011 Melinda rated it 5 of 5 stars

I received this book as part of Darkfallen's "travelling book" as it is only being released in Australia.

I have to say I am very glad I signed up to be one of many readers of this book. This is an amazingly well written book. I love how the story progresses with the blooming romance between Winter and Blake along with suspense of who/what is chasing Winter and why; combined with Blake's tormented past and those who want to see his end. Excitement is throughout this book making it hard to put dow...more

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Sep 03, 2011 Lalaine ( Ficbookreviews ) rated it 4 of 5 stars

LALAINE'S FICBOOKREVIEWS

Wow, a unique, dark love story, that made me want to keep on reading this novel, or at least that what I felt about this book. I should say I was totally impressed with the authors imagination. WINTER'S SHADOW was beyond what I expected, since reading through some reviews about this book, I had second thoughts but I still did it anyway. And it turned out to be really really good, I actually LOVED it. Some said it was predictable, for me, yes but only the ending part. It’s...more LALAINE'S FICBOOKREVIEWS

Wow, a unique, dark love story, that made me want to keep on reading this novel, or at least that what I felt about this book. I should say I was totally impressed with the authors imagination. WINTER'S SHADOW was beyond what I expected, since reading through some reviews about this book, I had second thoughts but I still did it anyway. And it turned out to be really really good, I actually LOVED it. Some said it was predictable, for me, yes but only the ending part. It’s not like its already out in the open from the start and will ruin your reading, it isn’t like that. Or maybe I must have missed some lines but I don’t think it was that predictable that could spoil everything.

The story was amazingly smooth, the narration and the words were very tasteful. It was told in three different point of view. From Winter’s, Blake’s and then Madeleine’s. Ill do what I can not to give away too much about this book, So our heroine Winter, a high school girl who practically lived all her life by being invisible, unlike her bestfriend Jasmine who was very outspoken and can date almost anyone she likes. One day, Winter has to go up check out the old church at the top of Owl Mountain to take photos of the ruins. But strange things happened in that eerie place and she saw someone, an achingly beautiful young man standing over the grave. Hypnotized by the scene Winter tried to secretly snatch some shot of him and then danger happened. That changed Winter’s life forever.

Blake , I think he's such a perfect character in this book. As well as Winter. And let’s not forget the cute cat Nefertem, that played so much in this story. I also found myself fearing for Winter and Blake’s life and their misfortune romance. Loved the actions, when Winter was kidnapped, chased by the soul thieves and faced a demented Demori in the end. I thought it was intense. Secrets revealed through out the story. Overall, it was thrilling, dark and creepy young adult paranormal fantasy packed in one captivating book. The author did an amazing job writing WINTER’S SHADOW, not to mention that this was his first novel. And to know that this is a series was really exciting. Though I wasn’t happy with what the ending was(because it was sad) It was bit of a cliffhanger(damn!), and I'm anxious to know whats gonna happen next! The dark mysteries and doomed love, feeds the spirit of this enthralling novel. I want more! Oh and the cover, simple yet striking.

By the way, you can download the first 80 pages of WINTER'S SHADOW here or at the authors website.(less)

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Mar 25, 2011 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

Well, they weren't lying in the Media Release for Winter's Shadow when they said that there wasn't any of the normal paranormal culprits here. I'm not sure if the characters (and I use that word loosely) are based on any popular myths but I sure as hell haven't encountered them before, making Winter's Shadow one of the more unique Young Adult novels out there. Winter has a talent that she's never really noticed until she meets Blake who is like her kryptonite. And one hell of a hot kryptonite he...more Well, they weren't lying in the Media Release for Winter's Shadow when they said that there wasn't any of the normal paranormal culprits here. I'm not sure if the characters (and I use that word loosely) are based on any popular myths but I sure as hell haven't encountered them before, making Winter's Shadow one of the more unique Young Adult novels out there. Winter has a talent that she's never really noticed until she meets Blake who is like her kryptonite. And one hell of a hot kryptonite he is. There's so many secrets he's hiding, I loved being able to find them out with Winter. Some are kind of obvious but some come out of nowhere.

Hearle does a great job writing Winter's Shadow from a female perspective being that he is male. I've had some bad experiences with males writing Young Adult so I'm rather picky with what I'll read. I'm very impressed with Hearle's skills and it was nice to get away from the deception and bitchiness that seems to litter so many YA novels recently. Not that I don't like them but sometimes you just need a break. Unfortunately though, I found the style of writing a little stiff for Young Adult. Maybe it won't feel that way to those better educated, I just thought some of the words and phrasing seemed a bit mature when narrating about a girl who is almost flunking school.

Winter's Shadow stays interesting all the way throughout with great characters supporting the protagonists. There are flashbacks to Paris during the late 1800's that run alongside Winter's story giving us more of an idea of who Blake is. I really enjoyed these as there are only a few of them and they don't interfere with the main story, only support it. The ending was very sad but then the last chapter creates an opening that is just begging for some closure. I'm not a fan of open ends so I'd like something more whether it be a sequel or just a few more lines in the final published edition. All in all, Winter's Shadow is a wonderfully unique story that paranormal YA fans will lap up.

Cover: Really pretty, not very unique these days though. Love the colours.(less)

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Jun 21, 2011 Larissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

She first saw those piercing green eyes, that saw deep into her soul, only minutes before her world came crashing down around her. He was nothing more then a shadow through her camera lens before he became her saviour and she was indebted to him more then she would know.

He spent his life on the run, moving about from place to place, running from those who chased him, running from the danger he possessed. Now, however, he was running out of time, her life was over before she knew it, but he would...more

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Jul 15, 2011 Fathima rated it 5 of 5 stars

What starts off as a cliched love story , suddenly takes a mysterious and spooky turn .. Guess that is the best way i can describe this story . Absolutely love the cover , the color combination used ,the
picturesque is just breath taking . When i began reading this book it looked like it was just another paranormal love story but with certain dark twists to it , but as i read further i realised it was just no other love story . It was darker and spookier than what i had imagined it to be . Right...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Jen {The Book Twins} rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, paranormal-romance

Come and check out my other reviews at: Addicted to Words | YA and Adult review & More

I now can admit that I wish I had bought this book earlier than I did. I only got this a few months back, and read it more recently. It definitely exceeded my expectations that I originally had.

Onto the plot.
Winter Adams has not had the easiest of times lately; especially with the deaths of her parents. She lives with her older sister whom dropped out of college to look after her. Everything was going.. fi...more Come and check out my other reviews at: Addicted to Words | YA and Adult review & More

I now can admit that I wish I had bought this book earlier than I did. I only got this a few months back, and read it more recently. It definitely exceeded my expectations that I originally had.

Onto the plot.
Winter Adams has not had the easiest of times lately; especially with the deaths of her parents. She lives with her older sister whom dropped out of college to look after her. Everything was going.. fine, at least until she met Blake.
While taking some photographs for the school newspaper, Winter spies this new guy, Blake Duchamp and can't help herself but stare at him.
So, really it gives you the idea he is drop dead gorgeous. In that case.. who can really blame her?
But then, something tragic happens..
Winter almost dies, but Blake manages to save her that day..

She will soon realize that that very incident will have an impact on the months to come, and possibly her entire life.
But from that day forward she can't help thinking of this new guy and wonder who he is and what he is doing in town.
The more she gets to know him.. the more attracted to him she becomes, but what she doesn't know is that Blake is hiding a dark secret that if she ever found out.. it could turn deadly.

There was a few twists and turns in this book that surprised me and threw me for a loop. I am now anticipating book 2 in this series, especially when it ends.. the way it ends. Gosh. We all hate cliffhangers, but in another sense.. we also love them because they make us excited to see what comes next in the story.

I loved both Winter and Blake. Their characters aren't perfect. They are both flawed and yet there is something deep inside them that yearns for something more than they have in their lives at the moment.
I think there has been something missing in Winters life ever since her parents died.. it's as if a peice of her as died with them, and it's only the appearance of Blake in her life that slowly she sees he fills that missing part of her heart. Of her soul.
Blake is a little more complicated and complex. It's hard to know what he wants, since he never puts himself above anyone else. He has a duty and he tends to stick by it. But sometimes.. like when it concerns Winter.. things don't go as he plans.

Of you love a good paranormal story with a twist, then you will enjoy this. (less)

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Jul 12, 2012 Émeraude rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mon-livre-ma-vie

You know, lately I’ve been a bit disappointed with YA’s novels because it’s always the same thing; boring girl; handsome, mysterious boy with a dark secret, supernatural being, (vamp, angel, demon, werewolf), be upset and upset with the stupid things made for the girl, like usually… And I’ve thought I have done with YA’s, but how the literary world is a jack-in-the-box, ins’t that M.J. Hearle proved me the book world for this gender has salvation yet!
Winter’s Shadow, is for me a small class whic...more

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May 30, 2011 JoJo rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-supernatural

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Winter's Shadow (Winter Saga #1)

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