Holy. Hell.

I just... Just---




I CAN'T TAKE THIS BULLSHIT ANYMORE! I'M DONE WITH THIS SERIES! I GIVE THE HELL UP!







Actual Review:


Coming Back to the Computer a few Hours Later to Form a Semi-Coherent Rant


WARNING: Extreme fury, extensive amounts of picture use, and wrath of hell ahead.

Oh, and maybe some spoilers, but who cares about those?




After this... I will never read this series again. Ever. I'm perfectly happy not knowing how this situation is going to play out for Jessie.

I would start by complai More...

Ever feel like you're missing something? I was constantly reminded that I'm not a Twi-Hard by the never-ending references to the Saga, especially Breaking Dawn (I think). How can the author refer to things (view spoiler)[imprinting -something to do with cementing a relationship? (hide spoiler)] and not explain them enough for me, someone who only made it half way through New Moon, to understand what the heck you're talking about.

I got the feeling that the editors went over this with a fine tooth comb so as not to have any la More...

Original Review Posted by Rabid Reads at: http://rabid-reads.blogspot.com/2011/05/review-secrets-and-shadows-by-shannon.html

I expected this book to be full speed ahead after the way 13 to Life ended but Shannon Delany maintained the same slow leisurely pace in this second installment much to my disappointment. The first book set the foundation for this series so a lot of world-building was to be expected but Secrets and Shadows should have been all about the action but instead, it's just more of More...

By Shannon Delany. #2 of the 13 To Life Series. Grade B+
After not really liking 13 to Life, the first book in this series, I dared to continue reading because a)it was a review copy and b)I don’t like to leave a series incomplete. I must say, I was a bit surprised.
The supernatural stakes are higher than ever now that more than just werewolves prowl the town of Junction–friendships will be formed, choices will be made and allies may become enemies…
Nothing’s simple when you run with werewolves. Je More...

Okay, this book is...Awesome! Just like the first book. It really did make me go teary sometimes. It's so sweet of Pietr to always think of Jessica and his mom first. Ugh, look at my class...Boys like that never existed in my school.

Jessica is a very strong girl and I admire her courage! It makes us girls seem so strong and dangerous. Not only boys can be like that, girls can too! Pietr is just like Jessica always thinking of other people but sometimes he does of think of himself. Like, how he More...

Originally reviewed by Bhairavi for www.the-vault.co.cc

By Shannon Delany. #2 of the 13 To Life Series. Grade B+

After not really liking 13 to Life, the first book in this series, I dared to continue reading because a)it was a review copy and b)I don’t like to leave a series incomplete. I must say, I was a bit surprised.

The supernatural stakes are higher than ever now that more than just werewolves prowl the town of Junction–friendships will be formed, choices will be made and allies may become en More...

What can I say - - other than young adult needs a new breakout genre - - this book had me on the edge of my seat.


Tension mounts as Delany does it again! I want happiness for Jess, but I don't want the stories to end. So as soon as you think things are falling into place, Delany hits you in a spiral.


Jess is getting walked on, over and stomped...but she keeps rolling on. Her character grows a bit stronger throughout the book, maybe not stronger pursa, but more with it and able to react quicker. More...

I don’t understand books like these. I mean, I do. Usually, the writing is simple, the plot is comprehensible and the characters read off like simple sentences. I understand the books – sorta – but I just don’t get why they sell, why they’re so interesting. Could someone please tell me where the appeal lies in reading a complete rip-off? In controlling, wishy-washy guys? In supposedly-intelligent yet insipid, boring protagonists? In mean girls who get everything they want?

I liked 13 to Life bett More...

Secrets and Shadows is nothing I expected it to be as it is full of twists and turns and nothing is what it seems. Shannon totally took me on one heck of an emotional roller coaster with this sequel. One minute I want to yell at Pietr and Jess, and the next moment I'm laughing at Max or sighing over Pietr and Max's affection for Jess. Let me just say, there is a lot of that happening in Secrets and Shadows that kept me emotionally invested in the story until the very end.

The characters really g More...

I diagnosed the first 13 to Life book as having Trilogy Syndrome, and the sequel is as good an opportunity as any to raise awareness of this crippling narrative disorder. Trilogy Syndrome occurs, appropriately enough, in three phases: Phase one is ADD: throwing out a lot of ideas and plot hooks and not following up on a lot of them, leaving the development and resolution for further books. Phase two is ennui: Having set up everything, and needing to put off the resolution until the big finale, t More...

The amazing story of the Rusakova's and Jessie continue with the sequel to 13 to Life. If we thought there were complications and trouble in the first book we haven't seen anything yet. The high school drama, CIA drama and friendship drama continue.

Pietr starts to push Jessie away and closer to Sarah and Jessie cannot figure out why. She know's Pietr's secret and has sworn to protect the family secret but it doesn't seem to be enough because Pietr has cut himself off from Jessie completely.
As More...

This series is getting better and better..... This book was interesting and fast I completed it in a day . I didn't expect the author to end the book like that. I m already looking forward to August, for the third book.
Peitr and family (werewolves) fights the CIA to free their mother from their hold. The Russian mafia, tries to take the werewolf family back in their hold, and use them for sinister purposes. Meanwhile Peitr falls for Jess, a simple farm girl, who tries to keep her life normal More...

I like the whole concept of werewolves that are "man-made". Basically I like the story.

BUT... I still don't know what the fuck is going on with Jess and Pietr! --> like seriously?! Okay, so basically Pietr is dating Jess' once-enemy-now-"best"-"friend" but Jess likes Pietr and Pietr likes her. They want to be together and Pietr is ready to ditch Sarah (the "best friend") but Jess is all "Noo... we have to do it gently 'cause she's my best friend.. blah-defucking-blah..." But! She asks Pietr t More...

I have read some reviews on this book that made me laugh so hard I was almost sick, and its because they were right on the money.

This book was so frustrating! But, as embarrassed as I am to admit it, I kinda enjoyed it. I'm not sure if laughing in the serious moments was the desired outcome, but anything that makes me giggle is worth it for me. It got better.

If you have seen any reviews that compare these first 2 books to Twilight/New Moon, they aren't kidding. Only Edward is a werewolf. True. More...

SECRETS AND SHADOWS picks up close to were we left off in 13 TO LIFE. Cat and Pietr have turned 17, had their first transformation to a werewolf, and have found out that their mom is still alive and is being held by the CIA. Jessie is still struggling with the death of her mom, the fact that her “boyfriend” is still dating her “best-friend” (the same best-friend that killed her mother), and her dad is dating CIA agent Wanda.

I had a lot of problems with this book, which makes me sad cause I reall More...

I've read the reviews. I just don't happen to agree with them. But, being an argumentative person by nature, I'm okay with that. Sure, this book isn't going to change the world. But I think it deserves more credit than what it's getting, at least on Goodreads. I like to think of myself as an educated adult and a reasonable judge of a good book. Sure, I hated Jessie and her idiocy. Sure, this book is fluff at best. But, we can't all be wading through War and Peace all of the time, now can we? Nor More...

*Spoilers*

Pietr thought he was protecting Jess by pushing her away. He might forget that he wasn't the only threads Jess got. Not to mention, while he thought he "physically" protecting her, he "mentally hurting" her by dating her best friend who was a former phycho-b***h, Sarah. I kind of think she deserved it because she's the one who pushed Pietr away in the first place.

Jess thought Pietr didn't want her anymore and tried to move on. Later, around the last two chapter or so, Pietr revealed th More...

I received this copy from the publisher for review

Is it any surprise that I have this book finished today on its release day? If you answered yes, you obviously haven't been around at my blog for the past few days and whatnot where I go on about my excitement for the release of Shannon Delany's Secrets and Shadows.

And it was a tremendous followup! I still can't put into words why I am so drawn to this series. Really! I don't know why. I guess there's something about Jess that I see in myself, be More...

This was a sensational sequel to the amazing 13 to Life. I fell in love with Jess and Pietr all over again.
It was the perfect mix of heart break, love, loss and absolute shock. Pietr keeps pulling away from Jess more and more, and while i tried to reason that he was trying to protect her, i just think he didn't have to be so mean about it.
Things are even stranger in this book, and Jess finds her life has not only been turned upside down, but inside out as well, with all she's ever known coming c More...

I am pissed off at Shanon Delaney. Very, very, very pissed off. And no, those three stars above weren't a typo, this book earned every one of them, it just pissed me off. So before i start my rant, I want you guys to know one thing. I do not hate the 13 to life books, no, I actually enjoyed them very much. I won't lie, i did, and this book was enjoyable too when I wasn't contemplating punching it. However, I am going to give these books it's props.

The 1/2 star.
These books give me joy while readi More...

1.5 This. Book. Sucked. Sorry for being so blunt but it's the truth. I only gave this book the extra .5 because of Max, Cat, Amy, and Pietr. A little for Max, Cat, and Amy because they are the only characters in this whole book that I actually liked. A tiny, tiny amount for Pietr because throughout most of the book he had some sense in ignoring Jessica. Until the End. Yeah, I get it. I shouldn't be wishing that. But hello? I can't help it!

First of all-this book is just like Twilight. In the firs More...

I have been looking forward to the release of Secrets and Shadows, the second book in the 13 to Life series by Shannon Delany since I closed the cover on book one in September. Ms. Delany does not disappoint, in fact I'd say she exceeds expectations!

I know some readers were frustrated that Secrets and Shadows does not pick up right where 13 to Life left off, but really, I never expected it to. We come back a few months later. Jessie is having trouble dealing with not only her mother's death, but More...

Wow I think this one was even more action packed than the first book. A few questions answered and a pile of new ones left behind. I think Jess is one strong character for all she had to put up with in this book. CIA, Russian Mafia, Ghosts, Dads, Angst filled teenagers. An explosive combination and then you add all the new stuff, that we got a glimpse of in this book, and I have to say I am very curious to see where all of this is heading.

I am still so incredibly fascinated with the Rusakova fam More...

Ms Delany seems to have a serious Twilight complex and it doesn’t bode well with this book.

Jessie is still struggling to come to terms with how her life has been flipped on its head in the past year. Now she also has to deal with the increasing distance Pietr is putting between them whilst still agreeing to help the werewolves release their captured mother.

Jessie seems to have had a complete character change from how I remember her in the first book. She went from being a likeable, seemingly int More...

Secrets and Shadows is the second book in the 13 to Life series by Shannon Delany. In the first book, I was left a little lost at the end - not too sure how or why the book ended how it did....it just stopped - no cliff hanger. I had many a question for Shannon but of course I had to wait it out for Secrets and Shadows to be released. Like a good little girl I waited....and finally got my hands on it!!! Though the book has a primary storyline of the relationship between Jess and Pietr.....it ope More...

Book Two in the 13 to Life Series

I read the first book in this series-appropriately titled “13 to Life”-just four days ago, and I was, to say the least, enraptured. There was not one aspect of that novel I did not love. Then I picked up “Secrets and Shadows” which very cleverly takes up where the first leaves off (the same is true of the segue from this book to Book Three, “Bargains and Betrayals”) and again, I raced through it. The writing is just as excellent, the characters just as strongly-d More...

There are spoilers from 13 to Life in this review.

In Secrets and Shadows, the Rusakova’s are on a mission to find their mother, while Jessie and Pietr are still trying to figure out a way to let Sarah down gently so she doesn’t go nuts or revert back to her previous mean girl self. However, after an incident with the CIA, Pietr grows more distant and appears to have decided Sarah might be the girl he should be with. In response to that, Sarah finds herself hanging out with her former crush, foot More...

This book could only be describe in one word: Torture. Pure torture. I mean, my heart just ache and well, the writing is pretty dang good.
Torture. Why? Well what else is hard to watch then the one person your in love with be with someone else. I mean that tough. The drama in this book is great, but pure torture. You don't know how many times I wanted to be Jessie just so I can slap Pietr.


The characters I feel in this book did no growing up whats so ever. They made the same mistakes over and ove More...

Yeah, I know. I didn't like the first one much, but somehow I had to read the next one. Still not impressed, even though this one was less frustrating. Except for how blatantly the author rips off the Twilight series, even refers to it at one point. In the first book there's the strange attraction, in the second is the feigned rejection "because I'm dangerous" and lots of moping. Bleah. And she keeps throwing in more "twists" to keep it exciting: we already had werewolves, the Russian mafia, and More...

I actually liked this book better than the first. Eventhough the relationship issues between Pietr and Jessie will frustrate you to no end, the author did a better job developing the characters. I really grew to love Max and enjoyed the relationship development between him and Jess (Don't worry, I meant caring big brother role). One thing I did notice was that the book jumped around alot leaving gaps. Its almost like when they edited the book they just decided to remove a paragraph here, a page More...