Shadows (The Rephaim, #1)

Jul 03, 2012 Nomes rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, aussie-ya, i-own, older-ya-protag, paranormal-stuff, swoon-worthy-crushes, faves-of-2012, series-i-like, 2013

Oh, so did I mention my favourite read in June was a paranormal YA book?

For this contemporary girl, I am surprised by how much I fell in love with this book. (Although it shouldn't have surprised me, as author Paula Weston has the loveliest online presence. That, coupled with the publisher being Text Publishing*, had me diving into this book the day it turned up in my mailbox).

[*Note: Text Publishing are an Australian publisher which consistently publish brilliant and unique YA books, such as Le...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Sam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-galley, fantasy-or-pn-favourites, fantasy-or-paranormal, ultimate-favourites, romance, paranormal, 2012-favourites

4.5 stars

I guess contemporary isn’t the only genre Australian authors can nail. Finally, we have a paranormal book with a difference.

Gaby is just about coping with the death of her twin brother Jude after the horrific car-crash that took place nearly a year ago. Her memories before the crash are hazy, almost non-existent, and her dreams are plagued with brutal battles involving swords and hell-beasts. When Rafa, an over-confident, somewhat cocky young male turns up out of the blue claiming to ha...more 4.5 stars

I guess contemporary isn’t the only genre Australian authors can nail. Finally, we have a paranormal book with a difference.

Gaby is just about coping with the death of her twin brother Jude after the horrific car-crash that took place nearly a year ago. Her memories before the crash are hazy, almost non-existent, and her dreams are plagued with brutal battles involving swords and hell-beasts. When Rafa, an over-confident, somewhat cocky young male turns up out of the blue claiming to have been best friends with Jude, Gaby is taken aback by his sudden presence. Why can’t she remember him? And why does he seem to think Gaby should be dead? In a shocking turn of events, Gaby soon discovers distinguishing the truth from fabrication isn’t quite as easy as she once thought.

Shadows is a completely exciting, fast-paced debut that had me on the edge on my seat. This book has just shot straight up to my favourites shelf. Angel novels tend to be very hit and miss with me, more often a miss than a hit, but with Shadows I had very little problems. I loved the detailed world-building. The concepts of fallen angels have always been fascinating and Paula Weston takes some well-known ideas and crafts them as her own. We have angels, demons, hellions and everything in between. For the first time ever, I have actually been fully absorbed by the angel lore behind a story.

The characters were a treat to read about. Gaby I was a little unsure of at first, thinking she might be prone to blending into the crowd of typical female leads. I was proven wrong fairly quickly. I loved her personality by the end of the book, especially her tendency to speak her mind. And really, how can I not think a character is cool once they have a katana in their hands? Some of those fight scenes brought out interesting sides to Gaby. I also whole-heartedly approved of her reaction to Rafa (again, not so much at the start, but more for the remaining part of the book). The upfront dialogue between the two of them was great entertainment.

It makes a nice change to have slighter older characters in a young adult book and it didn’t take me long to fall for the self-assured Rafa. His relationship with Gaby was crafted incredibly well, nothing was at all clichéd or boring. I grew surprisingly fond of his confident side, grinning like a fool at some of his blunt comments, but also took the time to appreciate his genuine concern for Gaby and Jude.

What I appreciated most about this book was how astoundingly unpredictable it was. I had a few guesses brimming about certain characters, but never really did hit the nail on the head. There are some great twists lurking within the plot and all of them aid the complexity of the story. After the closing revelations, I am desperate for a sequel.

Shadows is the first book of the Rephaim series and a brilliant start at that. With its gritty story and riveting ideas, this book stands out against the endless contenders in this genre. Paula Weston is an author to watch and I’m already eager to try more from her in the future.

(This review also appears on my blog)
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Apr 22, 2013 Trinity rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Trinity by: Nomes

Shelves: aussie-ya-challenge, awesome-sauce, 2012, covers-i-love, paranormal, lets-hear-it-for-the-boys, sawoon, swim-fan, poetic-prose, up-all-night, woman-of-awesome, young-adult, favourite, what-the-what, home-grown-aussie, read-in-2012

If you told me last week that I'd be fan-girling over a YA urban fantasy series I would've stared at you blankly then hurled a copy of Friday Brown at your face. *Quietly eats hat*
I loved this book.
Loved.
And it's an angel book. *ducks* I know right?

So let the gushing commence!

From the first paragraph I knew I'd love this book. Knew it because it smacked with flavours of Kirsty Eagar and Vikki Wakefield and I was immediately at home. The prose in this book is stunning with that gorgeous Aussie...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Crystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, aussie, favorites

Okay listen up, forget everything you think you know about Angels and Demons. That's right, pack it all up in that box you have in your brain and tape it shut. Now throw it out. I can assure you that after reading this book you won't need any of that information because this book, Shadows, is by far THE book to read if you are an Angel and Demon lover like myself. Shadows is beyond explosive with a kick ass heroine, an amazing storyline with incredible mythology, and a romance sure to heat up ev...more Okay listen up, forget everything you think you know about Angels and Demons. That's right, pack it all up in that box you have in your brain and tape it shut. Now throw it out. I can assure you that after reading this book you won't need any of that information because this book, Shadows, is by far THE book to read if you are an Angel and Demon lover like myself. Shadows is beyond explosive with a kick ass heroine, an amazing storyline with incredible mythology, and a romance sure to heat up even the coldest of hearts.

Gabby has been living on her own ever since her brother Jude died. She moved in with her only friend and works days at an art gallery. She spends her time trying to get over her brother's death and just living each day as it is. The only problem is that she has very vivid dreams, dreams that consist of dark hellturds (or creatures if you rather lol), a sexy sword wielding guy, and herself only this girl is swinging her sword better than the hot guy and can definitely hold her own against any dark hellturd that runs into her path. Having had these dreams for awhile Gabby decides to enter a creative writing contest and uses her dreams as her story. By doing this she unknowingly brings the past that she has been made to forget knocking on her door. She finds that not only is the hottie starring in her dreams real but the girl that looks like her in her dreams is actually her. Now Gabby has to find out the truth about her life before the accident and comes to terms with the fact that things she thought she once knew may not be real.

I LOVED this book!! I cannot say that enough! This book right here takes my top spot for favorite of the year! Gabby was such a great character. She stood up to people and gave as good as she got every time. I for one can't wait to see her be the big badass that I know is sure to come. Rafa was a great sparring partner for Gabby. Their first encounter left me with goosebumps and I have to say I am Team Rafa ALL THE WAY! He is hot, self assured, and his witty comebacks are just too awesome so really what's not to love? Oh and he can swing a sword with ease, yeah he captured my heart. The rest of the cast of characters rounded out this story nicely. Everyone of them had a part to play and they did effortlessly. I really enjoyed them all. I will say I still think there is more than was revealed with one in particular but I won't name any names since that big reveal is well HUGE!

So yes if you are looking for the next BIG series you will not be disappointed with this book. Right now you can only purchase it from Fishpond World, but like Paula said in her interview on our blog these books have been picked up to be published in the US and Canada in 2013! I am so excited for her because she really does deserve to have them published all over and I am excited because more of my friends will be able to read them!! Again, I can't say it enough - this is by far my favorite book of 2012 and I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel Haze!!

This review and more can be found here:

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Aug 25, 2012 Ariana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie, angels, paranormal, characters-named-ari-ariana, series

I'm telling you, I've been breathing this book, not just reading it.

You might know that I love to read in one sitting, so when I like a book I take it in my hands and don’t let it go until I reach the very last page. I finished this one in the morning, and you can bet that I had a very enjoyable night.

When I started reading it I had no idea what this story was truly about because I stayed away from spoilers and anything that could have ruined my experience. All I knew was that it’s been highly...more

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Oct 09, 2012 Maggie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Maggie by: Mandee

Shelves: aussie-aussie-aussie-oi-oi-oi, 2012, aussie-2012

One of these days, the Rafa in a book will refer to a capri pant wearing, wedgie picking Spaniard and not an angel.

On second thought, I'm cool with the gorgeous, heavenly version.

Shadows was a solid introduction to the Rephaim series and to debut author Paula Weston. It had an engaging cast of characters, including a loyal friend named MAGGIE :), and plenty of action and mystery to keep you on your toes until the end of the book. Did I mention the angel pashing? If I didn't, it's only because...more

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May 22, 2013 Melanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, 2013-favourites, didn-t-see-that-coming, i-could-eat-this

See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads

Thank you Text Publishing for sending me this copy.

'And I'm so cold, I can't draw breath. My body feels like it's being stretched and compressed at once, and my head swims. At last, I pass out.'

For a long stretch of time, I was commencing my belief that I'd never read another clichéd angel book again. And I'm believing it as this was no trite paranormal book. With the lightening reviews I've seen from my fellow bloggy friends, I headed into this book wit...more See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads

Thank you Text Publishing for sending me this copy.

'And I'm so cold, I can't draw breath. My body feels like it's being stretched and compressed at once, and my head swims. At last, I pass out.'

For a long stretch of time, I was commencing my belief that I'd never read another clichéd angel book again. And I'm believing it as this was no trite paranormal book. With the lightening reviews I've seen from my fellow bloggy friends, I headed into this book with high expectations, and they were mostly fulfilled. Shadows explores all aspects that most angel books fail to impress with, and extending on by adding some gruesome violence, unique premise and a very sexy love interest.

Gaby's twin brother, Jude died a year ago. And when she decided to make a new life away from the dark past, Gaby is no closer to healing this wound. And that's when Rafa appears, explaining everything she never quite understood- especially about the vivid nightmares she used to get every night before Rafa's appearance.

Characterisation in Shadows is nothing short of flawless. Our main character commences on a good note, and holds it throughout, making me, a very happy reader. Not only was Gaby strong and rather kick-ass, but she was also independent and decisive. I loved how she wasn't swayed by the slightest remarks and was clear minded in the most intense situations. She can only be defined as genuine. The only issue I had with her and the supporting characters was that they all (most) swore excessively and pointlessly. Sometimes, it was fine but at others, I felt like they were some young wanna-be-thirteen-year-old-junkies.

'Rafa grunts. "If he points that rifle at me, it's going up his arse."'

Rafa is our sexylicious dark angel with attitude. However, I didn't find his as cliché like the other paranormal books. Paula Weston, outlined the perfect male character without making me roll my eyes and groan simultaneously. Apart from him being very hot, Rafa was jocular and had a likeable touch of ignorance and satirical-ness. Weird but I did really love that about him, it made him seem more reckless and more like what I used to imagine fallen angels to be like before I was introduced to sappy, mysteriously hot guys that made me gag.

The romance in Shadows is one of the most difficult ones to pin point and describe. Imagine these three definitions of romance; angsty, instant and cute. Now throw them into a pot and give a good stir. Now, proceed to illusion this between Rafa and Gaby. The result, angsty-instant-cute-ish-love-that-was-real-good. I only say instant love because they kissed ~~made out~~ in the first few pages. Other than that, I was fully entertained by this chemistry that dragged along and DIDN'T overpower the intense story line.

Shadows is a compact combination of heart racingly gruesome action, blunt senses of humour, intriguing premise and a very original romance. I never thought I'd have room in my heart for angel books due to or history but looks like there are still some excellent ones lurking about! (Especially Aussie ones!) This was a faced paced ride that contained plenty of socking twists. Recommended to lovers of paranormal and people who want an angel surprise. (less)

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Nov 15, 2012 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Angelfall and Unearthly

Recommended to Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity by: Isamlq

Shelves: favorites, new-adult-college

"He was blond, not dark."
"I wasn't talking about his hair."

4.5 stars! November 14, 2012 - My happy day for hot, kick-ass angel goodness! First, I found out that Angelfall is on track to become a movie, then I finished reading Shadows a few hours later and found it to be amazing. My head is this close to exploding from the excitement.

So I picked this book up because I'd heard that it was almost as good as Angelfall. The comparison alone made me want to give it a shot, but I didn't think that S...more

"He was blond, not dark."
"I wasn't talking about his hair."

4.5 stars! November 14, 2012 - My happy day for hot, kick-ass angel goodness! First, I found out that Angelfall is on track to become a movie, then I finished reading Shadows a few hours later and found it to be amazing. My head is this close to exploding from the excitement.

So I picked this book up because I'd heard that it was almost as good as Angelfall. The comparison alone made me want to give it a shot, but I didn't think that Shadows could come close. Surprise, surprise, it actually kind of did...for me at least! The main difference between the two books is that Shadows leans more toward pnr, while Angelfall leans more toward sci-fi, so you're going to get more of the "in your face" romance with this book than we saw in Angelfall (although Raffe from Angelfall still owned the place with hotness by default), but that doesn't mean this book is any less ass-kicking or adventurous.

I think it's kind of funny that the two rival angels are Rafa (close to Raffe) and Daniel (from a popular, yet kind of bleh angel book). As of right now, the book is pushing us toward liking Rafa, but I have to say that I like Daniel too for reasons unknown. It must be that mystery thing and those little brief glimpses of facial expressions changing when it comes to Gabe/Gaby being in the middle of situations. I want to know Gaby and Daniel's history together, even though I like her chemistry with Rafa.

"Doesn't sound like me." His mouth is close to my ear. "I prefer my women awake when I harass them."

There's no insta love in this book. Nope, this is rivals turned into some sort of unexplained attraction. Me likey.

Yes, I'm a such a girl, but my favorite books are the ones which tend to check off a few of my pleasure boxes : creative/original story, great action, and at least some hint of romance or hotness. This story definitely checked off all of my pleasure boxes.

With his hand still in my hair, he brings his lips down to my ear. "You're not going to hit me?"
"Not yet."
"What about if I do this?" He kisses my neck, just under my ear, his warm tongue against my skin.

So yeah. Read this. Then come back and let me know what you thought because I want to know what your theories are about this cast of characters and who you think is on the up-and-up.

Plus, let me just mention again that there is ass kicking.

The guys with him are armed. Three are carrying shiny katanas, but the fourth is spinning a poleaxe.
A freaking poleaxe.

(thanks Joan for buddy reading this with me!)(less)

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Dec 28, 2012 Renu rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review-from-publisher

[3.5 stars] An enthralling read that had me hooked from page one!

Shadows is a refreshing read that's targeted at older YA readers. The characters are 18+ years old, they swear, and there are some pretty steamy moments. As someone who is over the age of 18 I've been wanting to see older characters in YA for quite some time now, and that is exactly what I got from this book.

Despite being thrust into a stage world Gaby is a snarky mc with some great lines. She loves reading and works in a library t...more

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May 15, 2013 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone, Especially Fans of Daughter of Smoke and Bones and Angelfall

Recommended to Stephanie by: Nanalla

Shelves: action-adventure, angels-and-demons, im-crushing-on-the-boy, mystery, paranormal, series-still-aboard, supernatural, young-adult, 2012-aussie-ya-rc, aussie-mate, favorites, read-in-2012

5/15/13 ETA:
I just wanted to stop by and recommend this to all my people here again, because both this book and its author, Paula Weston, are awesome. Seriously! Read this ASAP. I am rereading Shadows again next week to fully prepare myself for the AUS/NZ release of the sequel, Haze, which you can pre-order (FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING) from Fishpond Australia here http://www.fishpond.com/Books/Haze-Re...

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

Go and read immediately friends. My only complaint is the wait for book two. W...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Keertana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie, swoooon

When it comes to Australian Literature, no one ever has to tell me twice to pick up a novel. I truly believe that there is something down in Australia or some magical trick professors are teaching their writing students because no Australian novel, to date, has ever failed to keep me thoroughly entertained, captivated, and in awe. I am happy to report that Shadows by Paula Weston is no different. While its cover is not one of my favorites, its characters, dialogue, and rather unique plot defin...more When it comes to Australian Literature, no one ever has to tell me twice to pick up a novel. I truly believe that there is something down in Australia or some magical trick professors are teaching their writing students because no Australian novel, to date, has ever failed to keep me thoroughly entertained, captivated, and in awe. I am happy to report that Shadows by Paula Weston is no different. While its cover is not one of my favorites, its characters, dialogue, and rather unique plot definitely is.

Ever since Gaby’s twin brother, Jude, died in a car crash, she’s been having strange nightmares of battling demons with a beautiful boy. When Rafa, the gorgeous guy of her dreams, hunts her down from the short story website where she submitted the imaginary tale she believed her nightmares were, her world is turned upside down. Not only does Gaby learn that she was supposed to be dead along with her brother, she is told that she is a half-angel. Yet, most shocking of all, is that her past memories, which have evidently been replaced by a normal human childhood memories, are all false and in reality, she is stuck between two sides of a dangerous conflict between the Rephaim, the new name the half-angels, or Nephilim, have taken for themselves. When Gaby’s best friend is kidnapped, Gaby has no choice but to embrace her fate and come to terms with who she is, who she can trust, and just what lies in the world beyond her.

I apologize for the rather long-winded and confusing synopsis, but this novel has a lot going on. Yet, it is all explained in an extremely well-paced manner and I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of paragraphs of information-dumping. Instead, the details and world-building are evenly spaced out and have a very smooth and flowing transition. Furthermore, while the plot of this novel isn’t entirely original, I enjoyed Weston’s spin on it and her take on angel lore was easy to understand, made a tremendous amount of sense, and wasn’t filled with superfluous facts. Yet, what truly made Shadows stand-out from other angel fiction was its characters.

I suppose we should start with Gaby – I loved her. Her narration was sarcastic, witty, intelligent, and simply refreshing. Unlike most protagonists, I thought she handled the new information dumped upon her in a very mature manner and while she has her flaws, she remained a strong and courageous character throughout. Perhaps what I loved best about her was her friendship with Maggie, her best friend who later gets kidnapped. I’m a huge fan of strong friendships and their relationship left me wanting my own best friend by my side as it was truly heart-touching. Plus, Gaby’s love and grief for her twin brother was sharp and easy to understand and I loved the manner in which it shaped her character.
In addition to Gaby, secondary characters such as the members of the Rephaim and Jason, Maggie’s latest boyfriend, were all very interesting and brought forth a lot of humor and bad-assery to the novel. Yet, Rafa by far stole the show. Not only is Rafa hot, he knows he’s immensely good-looking, which often makes him cocky. However, beneath all that, Rafa is trustworthy and as Jude’s best friend, he truly cares about Gaby. While I’m still a little confused and curious about the mysterious (and rocky) past that Rafa and Gaby shared, I ate up the sexual tension between them and am very curious to see where their relationship leads them. It was definitely rather unique and their character personalities themselves are quite original too, which brought in a nice change to their love story.

I think my only qualm with this novel was that I was left rather bereft and lost by the end of it. Shadows does very little to answer the swirling questions in the readers – and Gaby’s – mind and I felt as if there was just too much we didn’t know yet. While I do find this to be realistic and am glad that Gaby doesn’t simply hit her head on the wall and regain all her kick-ass Kate Daniels skills that she lost, I do wish the ending had a tad bit more closure and wasn’t nearly as abrupt as it was. Nevertheless, Shadows was still a remarkable story. While it isn’t on par with novels such as Angelfall or even Daughter of Smoke and Bone in my opinion, it was an enjoyable read with plenty of action, interesting characters, and unique plot twists. In all honesty, could you ask for anything more? Plus, it’s written by an Australian and Rafa takes swoon-worthy to a whole new level, so I think that should be motivation enough to pick up this fantastic tale! ;)

You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less)

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Sep 13, 2012 Noelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars
You might not know this about me since I don't review them but I'm a huge Urban Fantasy fan--check that, a huge adult Urban Fantasy fan. I've never found a YA Urban Fantasy that came close to what I considered belonging in the genre (or particularly enjoyed any of the ones that kind of sort of came close.) Let's just say that before today, my Venn diagram of my love of Urban Fantasy and YA had no overlap.

Not anymore! Shadows is the most successful Urban Fantasy** YA I've ever read and i...more 3.5 stars
You might not know this about me since I don't review them but I'm a huge Urban Fantasy fan--check that, a huge adult Urban Fantasy fan. I've never found a YA Urban Fantasy that came close to what I considered belonging in the genre (or particularly enjoyed any of the ones that kind of sort of came close.) Let's just say that before today, my Venn diagram of my love of Urban Fantasy and YA had no overlap.

Not anymore! Shadows is the most successful Urban Fantasy** YA I've ever read and it might be because it's can barely be considered a YA novel. It's like when you're watching True Blood and the viewer warnings come on the screen--the more extensive the warnings, the better the episode and Shadows has it all: graphic violence, language, steamy situations. AND FUN. Did I mention fun?

Gaby is just a normal 18 year old trying to live her life. Sure she's grieving and recovering from the car accident that killed her beloved brother a year earlier but she has her friends, her job and her writing to get her through. What else but an active imagination could explain the vivid nightmares she has every night beheading hell beasts and battling demons? If she were honest with herself, there would be one aspect of her nightmares Gaby wouldn't mind being real--the intriguing (and hot) guy who fights by her side every night. However, when mystery guy walks out of her dreams and into her bar speaking of a past history with her brother that Gaby can't remember, her whole world gets turned upside down.

Someone has gone to a lot of trouble making sure Gaby doesn't remember her true identity (or sword-wielding skills) and now Gaby is scrambling to catch up, unsure who her true allies are amidst all the hidden agendas and competing factions. Who is the real Gaby? And what really happened that tragic night?

Despite being put in the weak position of knowing nothing about what is going on, Gaby still manages to be awesome. It was fun discovering everything with her and ooh boy, is there a ton to discover. No one is quite what they seem and there are no easy answers. The ever unraveling mystery and action keeps you wanting more. The pace was so excellent that I stayed up until 3am to finish which my love of sleep rarely allows to happen. I can't wait to see what happens next.

If you like an action-packed book that keeps things moving (and swooning), Shadows is the book for you.

** Despite the Goodreads blurb name-dropping that book, I would not call Shadows a paranormal romance. I agree with Jeannie Holmes definition of urban fantasy vs. paranormal romance and Shadows definitely falls under the former.

This review originally appeared on Young Adult Anonymous.
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Sep 15, 2012 Tara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-debut-authors, awesome, demons, angels, swoon, ya-paranormal, books-i-own

** updated 8/9/2012. I am in a reading slump, re-reading this will pick me up! Updated 15/9/2012... Yep, just as good second time round and I am officially out of my reading slump!!

*updated
I really don't know what to say about this book, it is kind of like .....words can't describe! After reading quite a few great reviews of Shadows I couldn't help but buy a copy for myself. I remember picking it up and reading the first few pages and then the rest is a blur. A blur because I got so caught up i...more ** updated 8/9/2012. I am in a reading slump, re-reading this will pick me up! Updated 15/9/2012... Yep, just as good second time round and I am officially out of my reading slump!!

*updated
I really don't know what to say about this book, it is kind of like .....words can't describe! After reading quite a few great reviews of Shadows I couldn't help but buy a copy for myself. I remember picking it up and reading the first few pages and then the rest is a blur. A blur because I got so caught up in the world that Paula Weston has created that I lost track of time and it wasn't like I was reading a book anymore, it was like I was a part of the story. Straight away I connected with the characters and the way that the setting was described, I felt as if I was right there along side the characters. Gabe/Gaby was fantastic. She was this independent kick-ass girl who couldn't explain the dreams of demons and hell-spawn that she was having every night and then when the boy that was also in her dreams (not as 'boy of her dreams' but 'boy who was killing demons and hell-spawn in her dreams') turned up in real life, well she was floored. And so we meet Rafa... the sexy bad boy who comes up with snarky smart ass comments yet can make a girl melt. The relationship between Gabe and Rafa was awesome, it was intense and deep and angry...and Rafa certainly made me swoon. Swoon big time. Gabe and Rafa played off each so well and I know I was reading through the book holding my breath for their next interaction. But it wasn't just them. The fighting and the action was exciting and it made me almost flip through the pages in a frenzy. The secondary characters were also fantastic, they fitted in so well and were made up of the perfect mix of the good guys and the bad guys, and the bad guys who may be actually good guys, and the good guys who might be bad guys but then you decide are actually good guys - My heart is racing just thinking about the story as I type this!! All in all, in case you can't tell, I LOVED this book, loved everything about it....
The only bad thing I can say is..... when I realised I was at the end and that I would have to wait for book two :-(
This book is definitely a keeper, I will be re-reading it and I know it will be on my best books of 2012 list.

16/07/2012
O-M-freakin-G.... This book was AWESOME! So, so, good. Quite possibly my fave Aussie release this year.
Review to come......(less)

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Jul 02, 2012 Shaheen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, aww2012, dac-2012

This book was recommended to me by Mandee at veganYAnerds, who said "It's your kind of book". She was absolutely correct. I loved everything about Shadows, from its setting (Australia) and wonderful world building in which the angel mythology makes sense, to the characters, who are all well-rounded and interesting, and the plot, which is gripping and a lot of fun to read. I ripped through this book and read it until 3 am! I especially enjoyed reading Australian YA fantasy since I am more used to...more This book was recommended to me by Mandee at veganYAnerds, who said "It's your kind of book". She was absolutely correct. I loved everything about Shadows, from its setting (Australia) and wonderful world building in which the angel mythology makes sense, to the characters, who are all well-rounded and interesting, and the plot, which is gripping and a lot of fun to read. I ripped through this book and read it until 3 am! I especially enjoyed reading Australian YA fantasy since I am more used to reading Aussie contemporary stories.

Paula Weston brings all her otherworldly creatures to life vividly and I remember being pretty freaked out by the hell-hounds and demons she describes. While there was nothing clichéd about her world it did have some familiar elements that ensured that I wasn't completely lost the moment I was introduced to the paranormal aspect of the story. It's no secret that I love angel books, but I usually find that the mythology is either built on shaky ground or convoluted and difficult to keep track of. In Shadows the mythology is simple, with the reader only having to really keep track of four different types of angels/demons, and the relationships between them are clearly explained and consistent. I love the idea of the Rephaim and can't wait to learn more about their origins.

One of the main things I enjoyed about Shadows is that it follows slighter older characters (18 - 20), so everything about them is that much more mature. I loved Gaby for many reasons, primarily because she is not a helpless damsel that always has to wait for someone to rescue her, but neither is she instantaneously great at everything she tries with her new angelic buddies. She is a realistic character and deals with the changes in her life with fears and motivations that I empathised with easily. Although I didn't agree with Gaby at times, in the end I understand she was placed in a desperate situation and made the best decisions she could. I also really enjoyed the romance aspect of the story. Gaby's interactions with Rafa do not take over the compelling plot but augment it well, and again I found that her reactions were realistic. Rafa is an amazing character who starts off as the typical hot, mysterious and dangerous paranormal love interest but quickly develops into a conflicted and complicated character. I hope that he will continue to feature heavily in the series.

Many people may not have heard of Shadows, but I am glad it was recommended to me and believe that many of my readers will enjoy it immensely. It takes all that is wonderful about the YA genre and projects them into New Adult, and I urge you to go out and read it!

You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic .(less)

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Jan 18, 2013 Rochelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. Once i started reading i couldn't stop and finished it within two days.

Gaby Winters has escaped to a small town to try and cope with the loss of her twin brother, Jude. But everything changes when Rafa, the guy Gaby has been dreaming about, shows up claiming to be her brother's best friend. But she doesn't remember him.
Suddenly Gaby finds herself being confronted by people she doesn't know, who know her. They all thought she was dead and they don't seem too happy she's alive....more

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Aug 15, 2012 Isamlq rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5

Me, keeping this short would go along the lines of ‘Read this, for it be made of awesome.’ But then I start thinking about what had me reading nonstop for a couple of hours so that I find myself grinning over what I loved.

I enjoyed that they’re slightly older but not too old protagonists and with people like them, ~~everything’s~~ well, most everything’s upfront… less the drama, basically. So, New Adult is definitely my new YA. That it was a PNR had me iffy at first, but the way things were work...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Katrina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-lit

4.5 stars. I recommend this to fans of Angelfall, Angelfire and Sweet Evil. This series a lot of potential in becoming one of those favorite book series that will make you want to read the next book as soon as it comes out on release day. The plot is original, the angel mythology is intriguing, and the characters are all mysterious and layered. They have this rich past behind them all, and I can't wait to find out what happened to them. I think a book about their past should be written. It's tha...more

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Jul 01, 2012 ALPHAreader rated it 5 of 5 stars

Gaby Winters is hiding; hiding from her grief and anger, her parents, her life and from missing her dead brother, Jude. And as far as hideouts go, Pan Beach is a pretty nice one. Even better is that within a few days of arriving at this seaside town, Gaby met and befriended Maggie, a local beauty still reeling from her own loss and looking for a roomie. And working at the local library isn’t such a bad way to keep productive and avoid constantly thinking on the car crash that killed Jude, and le...more

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Feb 18, 2013 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Angel fans,

Shelves: 2013-read, angels, pnr, young-adult, ebook, urban-fantasy, sci-fi

4.5! "Hoooo-effin'-ray!" word credits to Gaby Winters. :))

Gabriella or Gabe as they call her got in an accident and lost her memory and her twin, Jude. Through her dreams she met and ~~was~~ found by Rafa then the never ending bombshell of surprise starts and it continues as the story progress.

Okay..

*clears throat*

I've heard that Shadows is like Angelfall. That being said gives me a very good reason to try it. I wasn't expecting anything though, just curious.

I was a little lost on how the story sta...more

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Mar 24, 2013 Stuti rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-pr-everything-untoward, reviews, myth-mix, more-please

3.5

I feel so cheated.

This book is around 400 pages long(supposedly) but it's so short. And so fast. Before I have the time to register anything, I'm already turning the last page.

Seriously. I'm very pissed.

Shadows was dropped into my hands at just the right time. I have been reading a lot of realistic fiction lately and I got pretty sick of it; there's only so much parental abuse and high school gossip I can take.

Another angel book.Another Rafael. Another girl with lost memories. Only one of th...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Mandee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie, text-publishing, aussieya2012, aww2012, for-review, i-have-a-copy, new-adult, paranormal, ya-lit, july2012release, review-on-the-blog

Shadows is Australian author, Paula Weston's, debut novel and it's part of a series. Gaby Winters is eighteen years old and moved to Pandanus Beach, Queensland, nine months ago, after the death of her twin brother, Jude. She's been plagued by dreams involving killing hell-beats alongside a mysterious guy. But then the guy from her dreams shows up in town, his name is Rafa and he claims to have been Jude's best friend. Gaby's about to find out that her life as she knows it is now over.

I'm always...more Shadows is Australian author, Paula Weston's, debut novel and it's part of a series. Gaby Winters is eighteen years old and moved to Pandanus Beach, Queensland, nine months ago, after the death of her twin brother, Jude. She's been plagued by dreams involving killing hell-beats alongside a mysterious guy. But then the guy from her dreams shows up in town, his name is Rafa and he claims to have been Jude's best friend. Gaby's about to find out that her life as she knows it is now over.

I'm always really excited to read Aussie YA (you might even call this New Adult seeing as Gaby is eighteen and finished school) but I am also a bit hesitant when it comes to angel-themed books. I haven't read many but most of the ones I've read were disappointing (and some I'd count as the worst books I've ever read) so it pleases me to no end that I can say I thoroughly enjoyed Shadows and I was intrigued from the start.

Gaby's going through the motions in her new life. She found a place to live, got a job, goes running but she's just trying to escape the vision in her head, the one where she sees Tim die in the car beside her. Her memories are fuzzy but she remembers how close they were, how they'd taken off and had been travelling around the world and then his death. When Rafa shows up it's a shock but he can prove that he knew Jude which means he knew her too. Rafe knows who Gaby really is and he's sure she's acting but when he figures out that she's not, he knows that she's in danger because if he found her, others are sure to show up looking for her.

Gaby's had a tough time and I found myself warming to her more and more as her story unfolded. She's so wrapped up in her grief, she tries to shut out everyone including her friend and house mate, Maggie. She and Maggie bonded over their love of books (I loved the reference to The Book Thief) and Maggie got Gaby a job at the local library. She hasn't been interested in dating but when Rafa shows up their chemistry is intense and their interactions are always hot and often amusing, too. I admired her for not flipping out when she finds out that she used to have a completely different personality and she never goes rushing off into dangerous situations without thought. She's forgotten all her fighting skills but I never felt like she was helpless or looking for someone to save her, she was quite brave without being reckless.

Shadows is filled with mystery, I kept trying to guess what was going to happen or what the explanation would be and I'm pleased that it was never predictable. There was also plenty of action which were fast paced and intense. And I've mentioned the chemistry between Gaby and Rafa, this added a nice amount of romance to an already thrilling story.

I also loved the Australian setting, Paula included some gorgeous descriptions of Aussie flora and fauna and I could easily picture what must be a beautiful place to live, a town nestled between a beach and a rainforest.

Shadows ticks all the boxes when it comes to great paranormal stories and it is sure to please fans of paranormal YA fiction. It' released today and you can find it online or in local book stores.

Thanks to the wonderful people at Text Publishing for my review copy.

This review is part of the Australian Women Writers 2012 Reading and Writing Challenge.(less)

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Jul 22, 2012 Trisha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: australian-ya, grief-loss, new-adult, ozya2012, paranormal, romance, ya-literature

Accomplished, assured and clever. We learn everything while Gaby learns it. The reveals are well paced with just the right amount of smoulder and sword-fighting in between.

Added bonus: Qld salty air and sea breezes.

5 likes · like · see review

Apr 27, 2013 April rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, paranormal, 2013, urban-fantasy, ya

I'd really like the sequel. Now.

I've gotten really burned out reading the PNR and dystopia genres, but I still love to read and need something that will grab me quickly, but won't take much brainpower. Thankfully there are still a few shining stars, and Shadows was definitely one of them. I also never really got into the angel theme - most of them were too emo and broody for my taste, but this one had none of the silliness or pointless go-nowhere storylines of the others. Shadows has a mythology...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Lyndsey Rushby rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

I have been so into reading contemporary young adult or new adult novels recently that I haven’t read much else. When I finally needed a bit of a break, I picked up Shadows by Paula Weston. I love a good book about angels and had heard so many good things about this one. Once I started reading this one, I couldn’t stop.

Shadows follows Gaby, a girl recovering after being in a terrible car accident that killed her brother. Due to what happened in the crash, although the sun and living in Pandanus...more I have been so into reading contemporary young adult or new adult novels recently that I haven’t read much else. When I finally needed a bit of a break, I picked up Shadows by Paula Weston. I love a good book about angels and had heard so many good things about this one. Once I started reading this one, I couldn’t stop.

Shadows follows Gaby, a girl recovering after being in a terrible car accident that killed her brother. Due to what happened in the crash, although the sun and living in Pandanus Beach has healed her body, she is still quite broken. Gaby can barely remember anything but she has strange dreams filled with a seriously hot guy and fighting demons. Even though it is clear from the beginning of this book that Gaby had a whole load of problems, I loved her. She is witty and quick with the one liners and is one hell of a fiery character. Her narrative voice is a strong one and along with Paula Weston’s beautiful writing, this girl had me hooked.

Once Rafa appeared, things got a whole lot more exciting. Immediately, I was drawn to him, much like Gaby. He has the whole bad boy thing going on and an attitude to go with it. Rafa is such a complicated character due to many different things. The plot of this book is quite complicated but once things are explained, it becomes clear why Rafa acts the way he does. I really liked getting to know Rafa and to be able to decide for myself what kind of guy I thought he was… apart from being smoking hot of course.

There were a few things which really made this book stand out for me. One: it is set in Australia. I think there are only maybe 2 or 3 other books that I have read that are set here and Shadows was a most welcome change in scenery. I get a bit bored of reading books set in America all of the time, and even those set in the UK too. Two: Paula Weston’s mythology is outstanding. There is a hell of a lot of background information weaved into this book but Weston does it in such a way that it is not daunting or intimidating at any point. The mythology was so intricate and detailed that I just wanted to know more all of the time.

Not only does Shadows have a great basic plot, but there is a lot of action involved too. Seriously, this book is so fast paced at times and I didn’t know if I was coming or going… in the best possible way. There is a lot going on and Shadows is paced extremely well. While there is time given to explanations, there is time given to the super exciting parts too, which I couldn’t get enough of. I think that this is one of the most well paced books I have read in quite some time. I was never bored, even for a second but I was also glad to be able to catch my breath at times.

Shadows is possibly the best book I have ever read about angels. I am dying to get my hands on the sequel, Haze, which is out this summer. There are so many answers I want and I cannot wait to see what happens next. (less)

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Jan 23, 2013 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Paula Weston's debut paranormal YA novel Shadows is the first book I've read as part of the 2013 Australian Women Writers Challenge. I came across this book while browsing the reviews from last year's AWWChallenge and decided to give it a try - mainly because I was curious. I've never read any of this type of paranormal fiction before, but as I'm fascinated with angels I knew this subject matter would be of interest to me. Besides, this year I plan to read a lot of genres I haven't read before!

W...more Paula Weston's debut paranormal YA novel Shadows is the first book I've read as part of the 2013 Australian Women Writers Challenge. I came across this book while browsing the reviews from last year's AWWChallenge and decided to give it a try - mainly because I was curious. I've never read any of this type of paranormal fiction before, but as I'm fascinated with angels I knew this subject matter would be of interest to me. Besides, this year I plan to read a lot of genres I haven't read before!

Weston is a great writer. Not only does she create strong, believable characters but she also manages to keep the story moving along at a rapid pace while effortlessly revealing more and more of Gaby's past. Weston's writing held my interest and kept me turning the pages long into the night. She does a wonderful job of dangling only strands of the truth without giving away all of Gaby's story in this book (Shadows is part one of a series). I am invested enough in Gaby's story to want to read the next book when it is released later this year, so in that respect Weston has written a very successful book.

Even though I wasn't overly familiar with paranormal fiction prior to reading Shadows, the subject matter is handled with expert care which allowed me to suspend disbelief and accept the presence of angels, demons and hellions. I'm a huge fan of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series, so I found it easy to imagine the supernatural world Weston creates here. This is also testament to Weston's writing and storytelling skill - not once did I lose my connection to her fictional world.

I loved the lead character Gaby because even though she's extraordinary, Weston has still made her a normal, ordinary girl that we can all relate to (even if we're not fighting hellions in our daily lives!) Gaby is capable and strong much like Katniss in The Hunger Games, and I find this wonderfully refreshing. To see a female being portrayed like this is especially important given that young girls will read this book. Gaby is a fictional character that is worthy of role model status.

I also enjoyed the Australian setting because it was wonderful imagining angels and demons fighting it out on the beaches and in the mountain ranges of my home country! The Aussie humour was never far from the surface either which was enlightening given the seriousness of Gaby's situation. Weston's descriptions of her fictional surfer town Pandanus Beach were spot on and as I read I could picture any number of beachside towns in Australia. This made the 'reality' part of the novel much more grounded for me and gave me room to let my imagination run wild with all the supernatural stuff going on. :-)

I'm glad I chose to read Shadows because it really was a perfect introduction to this new genre for me. Shadows is the right mix of the supernatural and the real, and the story is exciting enough to hook you from the very first page. I look forward to reading the second book in the series and following more of Gaby's remarkable story. Paula Weston has a new fan! :-) (less)

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Jun 21, 2012 Sarah Mayor Cox rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: australian-author-illustrator, young-adult-novels

This is a YA paranormal novel about a girl called Gaby who has been in a car crash where her twin brother Jude was killed. She has travelled north to a coastal town to try to rebuild her life and her memory. She has vague recollections about her brother and about the crash, which haunt her. She lives with a waitress called Maggie and is sort of at the beginning of a relationship with a barman called Simon, but her life has a very temporal feeling to it.

Into this life walks a very sexy and self-a...more This is a YA paranormal novel about a girl called Gaby who has been in a car crash where her twin brother Jude was killed. She has travelled north to a coastal town to try to rebuild her life and her memory. She has vague recollections about her brother and about the crash, which haunt her. She lives with a waitress called Maggie and is sort of at the beginning of a relationship with a barman called Simon, but her life has a very temporal feeling to it.

Into this life walks a very sexy and self-assured guy called Rafa, who weirdly looks exactly like a person who is in a recurring dream she has of an horrific murder scene in a nightclub where hell-beasts rip people apart and she is in the middle of it all beheading the beasts with a sword.

She writes this dream down and enters it into an online competition. What she doesn’t realise it that this is a very dangerous thing to have done because Gaby is actually a ‘fallen angel’ who has been hidden away to keep her safe from a ‘war’ that is going on between different groups of fallen angels.

Rafa calls her Gabe, and claims to have been Jude’s best friend, even though Gaby has no memory (apart from the dream) of Rafa. He has come to find her because he wants to know what has happened in the car accident but of course Gaby has limited memories. Rafa doesn’t believe that Gaby doesn’t know who he is, and so begins the mystery of who Gaby is.

A series of people, supposed friends or enemies all turn up in Pan Beach looking for Gaby, and she has no memory of any of them. The two groups both want Gaby to be on their side.

Weston has cleverly taken a character from the Book of Enoch called Semyaza who is the baddie of the book (pg. 71-72, pg 83) and who is trying to kill Gaby.

First book in a series. Definitely for older readers as it is very violent, but it’s a great read and I was hooked and I want to read the rest of the series.

Very engaging characters, and a wonderful puzzle of who Jude is – and how and why he actually died.
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Dec 03, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-read, angel, read-the-first-book, favorites, australian-author-setting

I saw this book randomly at the bookstore yesterday. It ended up being one of those see and buy straight away books, started reading it last night and finished it tonight.
I am really glad I got that random urge to get it (and was full price mind you ;) ) So many books I hear about months before they come out now so it was an awesome little surprise trip :)
I like it being an Aussie author (love reading some books not set in the States) they have a different voice and I see different imagery, we...more

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Aug 27, 2012 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was given this as a reading copy with the advice that if you loved Vampire Academy you'll love this. And for once I think that particular rep actually knew what she was talking about. I really did enjoy it! Granted, things were a bit confusing in the beginning, names and groups of people are being thrown around like it's nobody's (or is that nobodies? Grammar, not my strong point) business. It takes a little bit to get it all worked out but it comes together in the end. The storyline is fast-p...more

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Aug 09, 2012 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: angel-book, fantasy, paranormal, loved-it, favorite, young-adult, romance, book-giveaway

CHECK OUT MY BLOG:
http://couchpotatoreader.blogspot.com/

I had the privilege to read the book which I won from a book giveaway of Ms. Mia.

You might say, it's no different from any other angel books, but I beg to disagree! I'll admit that I may be biased because I love angel books but this one is really good.

I love the fact that it's not focused on romance or on the love interest of the protagonist but rather on knowing the truth about Gaby's life. Yes, there's romance here and there but it's not...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Liberty Gilmore rated it 5 of 5 stars

I picked this up fully expecting a light, cheesy sort of paranormal read. More romance, less substance. Like every other book about angels I've ever read. But after the thorough disappointment of Halo and my lukewarm feelings towards the Unearthly series by Cynthia Hand, Shadows was a pleasant surprise. A really pleasant surprise.

Oh don't get me wrong, there's romance-a-plenty. And Rafa makes for a very attractive lead character - equal parts dashing and arrogant, he's like Damon Salvatore with...more I picked this up fully expecting a light, cheesy sort of paranormal read. More romance, less substance. Like every other book about angels I've ever read. But after the thorough disappointment of Halo and my lukewarm feelings towards the Unearthly series by Cynthia Hand, Shadows was a pleasant surprise. A really pleasant surprise.

Oh don't get me wrong, there's romance-a-plenty. And Rafa makes for a very attractive lead character - equal parts dashing and arrogant, he's like Damon Salvatore with angel powers instead of pointy teeth. And everyone who ever met me ever knows I am a sucker for the bad boy in literature and film. Rafa was right up my street. It's just that there's also plenty of plot. Plot of the 'STUFF ACTUALLY HAPPENS' variety, rather than 'oh god, what should I wear to prom??'
Gaby's gradual discovery of the lie that is her life is as disorienting for the reader as it must have been for her (were she a real person, I know, shut up) reminding me a lot of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer at times, only less creepy. There was always doubt as to who had her best interests at heart, and though you were totally rooting for Rafa, there were moments when you questioned whether it wouldn't be better for her to go with the other side, keeping you guessing as to what would happen next right to the last.

And on the subject of talking about characters as if they're real people - personally I think it's a sign of immersion in the world of the book. A good thing.

I think it was an episode of Zero Punctuation that said you know you're fully immersed in a game when in real life you start imagining you have a sneak counter above your head when you stand behind lampposts (incidentally, I totally do that when I've been playing certain games for too long) and I think the same applies to books. If the characters become your mates, you're onto a winner.

And for me, in the most roundabout review ever written (I promise I haven't had alcohol), Shadows was absolutely a winner.

Rating: 5/5
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