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Shadows

(The Rephaim #1)

Paula Weston (Goodreads Author)

3.97 · Rating details · 7,645 ratings · 833 reviews

It’s almost a year since Gaby Winters was in the car crash that killed her twin brother, Jude. Her body has healed in the sunshine of Pandanus Beach, but her grief is raw and constant. It doesn’t help that every night in her dreams she kills demons and other hell-spawn.

And then Rafa comes to town. Not only does he look exactly like the guy who’s been appearing in Gaby’s dr ...more

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Paperback, 388 pages

Published July 2nd 2012 by Text Publishing (first published June 1st 2012)

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· 7,645 ratings · 833 reviews

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Aug 09, 2012 Stacia (the 2010 club) rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: Fans of Angelfall and Unearthly

Recommended to Stacia (the 2010 club) by: Isamlq

Shelves: favorites, new-adult-college, hybrid-multiple-genre, paranormal-romance, general-fantasy-and-mythology, angels-nephilim-and-demons

"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, and Ash, Khanh and Amanda on my second re-read! ...more

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Jan 16, 2012 Nomes rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, aussie-ya, i-own, older-ya-protag, paranormal-stuff, swoon, faves-of-2012, series-i-like, 2013, 2014

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 04, 2012 Ari rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: aussie-and-nz, angels, paranormal, characters-named-mari-ari-ariana, arc-galley-or-author, mixed, best-of, top-ten

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 high ...more

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Feb 08, 2013 Kat Kennedy rated it liked it

Shadows is the kind of thing that’s just up my alley. A kick ass protagonist, nephilim, enough sexual tension to cut the cheese. Wait, I think I’m getting my sayings mixed up…

At one point I shook my iPad and was all, “Do you or do you not have memory issues?!” then I yelled, “You’re not my supervisor!” over and over again because it just felt right.

You're not my supervisor!

I know amnesia is complicated and how much memory is lost works on a case by case basis and all that jazz, but Rafa was dropping tantalizing hints an ...more

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Sep 11, 2016 Norah Una Sumner rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-star-read, 2016, arc-net-galley, adventure, covergasm, drama-llama, family-theme, fantasy, great-female-characters, humor

3.5 stars

This was an unexpectedly fast and action packed book! I was surprised that I absolutely loved the main character, Gabe/Gaby, and it was an amazing thing to learn about this cool angel history right alongside her. Maggie is a great character as well, I loved that she never gave up on Gabe, their friendship is truly beautiful and I’m looking forward to these ladies probably kicking asses in the sequels. When it comes to boys… Oh, my, I have no idea who to really trust. However, I do hope ...more

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Jun 10, 2013 Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: angels, apocalypse, ya, twins-triplets-clones, on-the-run, horror

Actual rating: 3.5/5

For being the offspring of angels, the Rephaim sure are a bunch of asshats. This is one of the rare books for me where the writing is great, the plot is free of holes and the mythology well-explained, yet I still ended up despising almost every single character. Essentially, I have no complaints about this book except for the fact that I started up disliking and ended up absolutely hating and distrusting almost every single male in this book.

I am by no means a prude, but I av ...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Maggie rated it liked it

Recommended to Maggie by: Amanda

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 I'm not sure I'm using the term correctly. To put it in inelegant American terms, there's hot and heavy tongue action! The short chapters, headed with progressively funnier titles, keep the story moving briskly.

So... why only 3 stars? Even though 3 stars means a solid GOOD, I feel like it's become the rating equivalent of kissing your cousin. Of course, some people (ANGIE!) would be alllllll about that. So here's the thing. Gaby finds out early on that angels, hellions (HELLIONS), you name it, are after her. This is when the fight-or-flight instinct usually kicks in for people. Gaby chooses Door #3: stay and do nothing. Now "stay and do nothing" wasn't just left out of fight-or-flight because it doesn't fit the rhyme scheme. It's DUMB. For me, it's so dumb that I don't feel sorry for you when the shit hits the fan and whips back all over your face. Is it any surprise they're snatching your people up??

I couldn't help but compare Shadows to another angel book, Angelfall, and Gaby to Penryn. Because What Would Penryn Do? Penryn would kick ass.

While I liked the first half of the story, I was also really ambivalent towards it because Gaby's decisions, while understandable, still annoyed me. However, and this is a testament to Paula Weston's writing, Gaby wasn't unlikable, which kept me reading. And I'm glad because the story really picks up. I couldn't put down the last 1/4 of the book and can't wait to read Book 2. Shadows has a great mix of plot and action. I think this is going to be an exciting series, and one that will definitely find its audience.

Rating: I initially planned on giving this 3 stars, which is what I gave Divergent, but I actually plan on reading the sequel to this one, so I'm bumping it up to 3.5 stars.

Noelle's fantastic review of Shadows is on Young Adult Anonymous. ...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Jasprit rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to Jasprit by: Sam, Nomes

Shelves: out-2012, read-in-2012, favourites, paranormal, romance, read-in-2017

Shadows is what I would call a top class book with its frantic pace, vibrant characters and gripping story line it’s not your typical angel book. Gaby barely remembers anything before the accident with her twin brother Jude. After months of trying to make a new life for herself without her brother, she’s thrown another bombshell, the life she thought she believed she led is not true either, her supposed memories of her life and relationship with Jude couldn’t be more wrong. But the dreams she’s Shadows is what I would call a top class book with its frantic pace, vibrant characters and gripping story line it’s not your typical angel book. Gaby barely remembers anything before the accident with her twin brother Jude. After months of trying to make a new life for herself without her brother, she’s thrown another bombshell, the life she thought she believed she led is not true either, her supposed memories of her life and relationship with Jude couldn’t be more wrong. But the dreams she’s been having of scary monsters and a gorgeous guy are very true. What the hell is going on?

With Gabe’s memories being messed around with, Shadows was like a mystery novel as you didn’t know who to believe. Slowly as bits of Gabe’s life began to unravel, we find ourselves falling into this unbelieving world of hellions, demons and angels. Of worlds clashing over what’s right and how things should go down, and then there’s Rafa, the mystery guy who’s quick to want to help Gabe, he says he knows her from before but they didn’t along, so why all of a sudden does he want to help her now? Because she’s defenceless? Useless? Who can Gabe really trust?

Weston managed to create charming characters shrouded in enigma. Poor Gabe had no clue and then was dropped everything on her in one go, but she was one heck of a mc as she took everything in her stride, if I was in the same shoes I surely would have freaked out with all the random people turning up all the time. Rafa, where do I even begin with this cheeky chappy? He had my heart pumping at a crazy speed with his charm and roguish comments. His cheeky demeanour and comments always brought a smile to my face. He was everything I like in a male character and so much more. I’m happy with how we only barely scratched the surface with his character as I’m certainly looking forward to tons more of Rafa in the next book and also delving into his history with Gabe.

Shadows doesn’t give you a clear cut path, there’s so many different answers that are uncovered, bombshells which blow the story even more wide open. I like how with this book there isn’t a straight and narrow path this book follows, anything can happen! And this makes me so excited. There is so much going on in Shadows that I didn’t want this book to come to an end. The world building and the little shocks which led me off the path had me completely captivated. I remember at one point sitting with a frown on my face, realising that I would be coming to an end of this book pretty soon.

Paula Weston is another example of a brilliant Aussie author. Her writing flair is clearly evident throughout Shadows; she’s an author who can keep you on the edge of your seat and always wanting more. She really created the perfect combination in Shadows with angels and memory loss. Where both aspects have been concerned in the past, I’ve been burned with disappointment, but Shadows is so different, it's fresh and just a delightful read, honestly I can't recommend this book enough. I have high hopes for all of Weston’s future work; I can’t wait to see what she throws at us in the next book Haze. ...more

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Jul 28, 2013 Anne rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2013, nook, netgalley, young-adult, new-adult, paranormal

4.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book.

I loved it! I opened it up expecting it to be a vanilla romance about angels falling in love with humans, and what I got was a really cool story. And yes, it all started because a few angels were getting some sweetsweet lovin' from human women, but that's where the similarities to my original expectations ended.

Gaby is 19 and living a small beach town in Australia that she has no real ties to. She just wandered into it after waking up in a hos ...more

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Feb 02, 2012 Paula Weston rated it it was amazing · (Review from the author) · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, ya-paranormal

Well, I have to give it five stars, don't I?? :)

Plus, I couldn't stand looking at the blank stars for four more months before reviews (hopefully) start coming in... ...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Keertana rated it really liked it

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 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. ...more

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Aug 15, 2013 Summer rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Fans of the paranormal genre who want something fresh

Shelves: arc, beautiful-writing, netgalley-edelweiss

Check out my interview with Paula Weston on my blog, http://missfictional.blogspot.com

*Recieved from Netgalley*

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

My faith in the PNR genre, namely angels, has been restored. First Angelfall, and now this beauty?

There are two things I learned by reading Shadows:

1) Never, ever, doubt Aussie authors. Man, I’m so close to moving to Australia, just so some of those magical writing abilities these authors seem to have can somehow rub off on me.

2) Don’t judge a book by its cover— ...more

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Jan 16, 2012 Crystal rated it it was amazing

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 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:

...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Noelle rated it really liked it

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 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.
...more

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Nov 05, 2017 Deborah Obida rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, paranormal

Buddy read with Kate my November TBR twin.

Wow, this book turned out way better than I expected, The beginning was cheesy and cliche filled but it got better, The plot is amazing, I basically went in blind because the synopsis didn't say much. Its got suspense, actions, friendship,angels,demons etc. The book is well written and fast paced, I really enjoyed reading it, the characters have admirable personalities and most are badass, that can fight well with swords and other stabby weapons. I love ...more

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Apr 30, 2013 Melanie rated it really liked it

Shelves: action, aussie, books-i-own, fantasy, kick-ass-character, not-bad-at-all, romance, young-adult, swoony-guys, paranormal

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 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. ...more

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Dec 09, 2013 mich rated it really liked it

Recommended to mich by: -ya

Shelves: better-than-expected, male-lead-awesome, sexual-tension-done-right, first-in-series, good-new-to-me-author, uf-or-paranormal, will-read-next-one, extreme-page-turner, why-you-so-stupid

4.5 stars So, um, yeah, I totally read this book in one sitting today. Lunch? Dinner? oh yeah, totally forgot to have those. I seriously did absolutely nothing today except read this book.

I wanted to post reading updates a couple times, and I told myself I’d do it as soon as I hit a lull in the book. Um, yeah -- that never happened.

The amnesia angle in this story was gold, man. I mean, yeah, it was frustrating as hell sometimes (especially when you know that several of the mysteries could’ve be 4.5 stars So, um, yeah, I totally read this book in one sitting today. Lunch? Dinner? oh yeah, totally forgot to have those. I seriously did absolutely nothing today except read this book.

I wanted to post reading updates a couple times, and I told myself I’d do it as soon as I hit a lull in the book. Um, yeah -- that never happened.

The amnesia angle in this story was gold, man. I mean, yeah, it was frustrating as hell sometimes (especially when you know that several of the mysteries could’ve been easily solved if only certain people would’ve just given some STRAIGHT ANSWERS to some friggin questions right when they’re asked), but damn if it didn’t keep me turning the pages like crazy all the way till the end.

There were so many questions in my head as I read this book, and I had so much fun coming up with theories about what was going on (which were mostly shot down towards the end of the book, lol, oh well).

This would have been 5 stars easy if only Gaby hadn’t been so fucking stupid in so many instances. I liked her for the most part, really I did, but geez, she would do the most bone-headed things sometimes that made absolutely NO SENSE. Gaby was in some awesome, tension filled situations throughout a lot of this book, but I wish that the author could’ve come up with more creative ways of putting her in those situations other than just having her make dumbass decisions.

Some of my favorite things about this book:

(view spoiler)

I really want to read the next book, but I also kind of want to wait and just bask in the many unanswered questions a bit longer and think up of all the interesting places the author could take things. Fun! ...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Ash Wednesday rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: angels, awesome-heroines, on-going-series, pnr, review, new-adult, foreign-setting

7/5/13: Galley available for request at Netgalley: here. Gooooo!

6/11/13: Buddy re-read with Ace, Amanda and Khanh.

Still as yummy as I remember and definitely a much needed refresher for Haze. I didn't really notice the steam in this one from the last time I read it but holy hell there was some sexy.

First read: 1/30/13
4 snark-tastic stars.

I like stalking my friends' favorite shelves for my next read when my feed goes a bit meh. This one I plucked from Joan's and after ...more

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May 18, 2015 Kelly (Diva Booknerd) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: loveozya, bookgasm

Wow. Just wow.

Shadows was nothing short of incredible. Mixing the age old angels verses demon mythology, strong and sassy characters and an intense, slow burning romance. Deliciously so. It follows the story of Gaby, mourning the loss of her brother almost a year prior and attempting to find normalcy in the coastal Australian town. Gaby is a brilliant character, relatable, likable and adds sass to the storyline. She and best friend Maggie are a formidable pair and have a wonderful friendship of Wow. Just wow.

Shadows was nothing short of incredible. Mixing the age old angels verses demon mythology, strong and sassy characters and an intense, slow burning romance. Deliciously so. It follows the story of Gaby, mourning the loss of her brother almost a year prior and attempting to find normalcy in the coastal Australian town. Gaby is a brilliant character, relatable, likable and adds sass to the storyline. She and best friend Maggie are a formidable pair and have a wonderful friendship of strength and solidarity. And then Rafa arrives.

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I was officially swooning.

Rafa is everything you want in a love interest. The slow burn, the intensity. He smoulders, he'll seduce you and you'll love every moment. Rafa is the reason why we need flame retardant paperbacks. But beyond the intense love slash hate relationship he and Gaby share, they also share a history. One that Gaby can't remember. Not only are her fellow Rephaim accusing her of a crime she can't recall, but a past love in Daniel is leading the charge. Daniel isn't a villain, but a pretentious follower of Nathanial, a fallen angel who is using the Rephaim to cleanse his own sins. He claims to adhere to a higher power that no one has seen, but all follow blindly. It's no wonder Jude had escaped the The Sanctuary ten years prior, scoffing at their beliefs and going rogue along with a small group of Rephaim. Including Rafa.

I loved the inclusion of Angel lore, the Fallen and the angelic hierarchy that Paula Weston infused so beautifully. The history of the Rephaim was scattered throughout, often allowing the reader to learn the story behind the mythology as Gaby herself is taught. My only wish was that Gaby stop describing everything she smelt. Boys rarely smell nice, even angels I suspect. It would have been more convincing has she described Rafa as smelling like feet and farts. Stop sniffing people Gaby, it's creepy and the quickest path to becoming a social pariah.

I loved it and considering that paranormal romance isn't my genre of choice, I was thrown into a world that excited, engaged and enthralled me. From page one. Now with all four titles in the series out now, it's the perfect time to binge read. I've flown through the series, having already read the first three in only four days. And for a reader who tends not to finish many series', that's a testament to how incredible Paula Weston's vision is. READ. IT. ...more

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Jan 07, 2015 Jacob Proffitt rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: unfinished, new-adult, urban-fantasy

While the world was okay (neither terribly original nor terribly derivative), I found I just couldn't bring myself to care much about Gaby (correct me if I'm wrong, but I read that with the hard "a" of Gabe-y, which I find to be the least attractive shortening of Gabriella I've ever heard). And while I thought the pace was unbearably slow, with info-drips like Chinese water torture, my real problem is that Gaby couldn't be arsed to care about a) the danger she's in, b) the danger her presence pu ...more

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Jun 30, 2015 Gökçe rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Başlarda kitabın diline alışmakta sıkıntı çektim ama ilerledikçe onu düşünemeyecek kadar kendimi kitaba kaptırmıştım. Eğlenceli, temposu yüksek bir kitaptı, Gölgeler. Özellikle Rafa'ya bayıldım ! Adam çok komik ya.
Sis'i büyük bir heyecanla bekliyorum ! ...more

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Oct 16, 2017 ~Tina~ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, read-2017, new-adult, own-copy

Now I know what all the fuss was about! Great book!!

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May 30, 2012 ALPHAreader rated it it was amazing

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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May 15, 2013 Masha rated it did not like it

Shelves: utter-crap, shit-males, poo-poo

Typical YA romance. I don't have anything to say about this.

A short summary of ch 1-5:

BOOHOO MY BRO DIED
OMG WHAT FOLLOWING ME
MY BRO DIED
I HAD THIS DREAM THERE WAS A HOT DUDE
YEAH MY BRO DIED
OMG THE HOT DUDE IS REAL?
OMG SO HOT
OMG MAKING OUT NOW WITH HOT DUDE

Not my cup of tea.
...more

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Apr 28, 2015 Jilly rated it it was amazing

Shelves: angels, urban-fantasy

I love finding a series that is already completed to read!

The very first, and most important thing about this book is the American to Australian translations. It really needs a glossary! Luckily, for me, they have a few slang words and sayings that the English use as well, so I knew those from having a husband from England. Here are a couple I didn't know, however: singlet apparently means an undershirt, like a wife-beater(?), and bitumen means pavement because it is asphalt, then doona, which I love finding a series that is already completed to read!

The very first, and most important thing about this book is the American to Australian translations. It really needs a glossary! Luckily, for me, they have a few slang words and sayings that the English use as well, so I knew those from having a husband from England. Here are a couple I didn't know, however: singlet apparently means an undershirt, like a wife-beater(?), and bitumen means pavement because it is asphalt, then doona, which is a quilt. Okay, now you can read!

no comprende photo: Comprende Comprende.gif

So, we meet Gaby, living in Australia, on a beach, with her best friend, Maggie. Gaby moved there after her twin brother was killed in a car accident, in which she was also terribly injured. She's grieving, but trying to get her life back together. She also has weird dreams about demon-killing that she writes stories about. Right before our story starts, she decides to enter her story in an internet contest in which she can win a lot of money. Bad idea!! But, she doesn't know that.

Now that her story is online, she suddenly starts meeting a bunch of strangers. One is a hunky guy that says he was a good friend of her late brother's. Some others are trying to kill her. They all say they know her, but she has no idea who they are. Then, the bombshell hits: she is a rephaim - half angel - and actually is a demon-killer. Her dreams are memories of her real life and everything she thinks about herself is a false, planted story. Talk about a wake-up call! Not only that, but the fictional guy she wrote in to her story, Matt, is the guy who showed up and said he was her brother's best friend. Another rephaim too.

"Why did you call me Matt?"
"It seemed like a good idea at the time. Now that I know you, I realize I should have called that character Dick."

^ And, that is why I like Gaby! lol! I would totally say something like that myself!

She doesn't always do everything perfectly, but I like Gaby's character a lot. She is dealing with her very fast changing reality pretty well and tries to make thoughtful judgments on who to trust and what step to take next. She is loyal to Maggie, and makes one rash decision because of it, but she learns her lesson.

Rafa is also a great character. Apparently, him and Gaby had a stormy past and you can tell that he is more than a little happy that she doesn't remember that and is seeing him through fresh eyes. He is smart and seems to be trying to help Gaby more than the other rephaim. When Gaby starts to trust him above the others, especially the jerkwad Daniel, Rafa is super excited. I can't wait to watch this relationship grow - although I am guessing that somewhere down the line we will be hit with a bombshell from their past. It will break them up, then they will end up together in the end... just a guess. ...more

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Apr 29, 2020 jessica ☾ rated it really liked it

This started off extremely cliché and not exactly in a good way, but after I pushed past that I was in love! I’m kicking myself for not starting this series sooner!

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Sep 02, 2012 Joy (joyous reads) rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: EVERYONE OF Y'ALL

Shelves: aussie, aussie-challenge, cant-put-these-down, favourites, aussome

Here's what you need to know:

Gaby lost her brother in an accident. Ever since then, she's been plagued with visions that involved a bar fight where she had to fight monsters instead of the drunken disorderlies. Along side her is a charismatic man with green eyes but even that couldn't turn her nightmare into a dream. Turns out, the man in her visions is as real as it gets. At first, Rafa gave her hope of remembering everything she'd lost - he claims to know her brother, Jude. She was already dra Here's what you need to know:

Gaby lost her brother in an accident. Ever since then, she's been plagued with visions that involved a bar fight where she had to fight monsters instead of the drunken disorderlies. Along side her is a charismatic man with green eyes but even that couldn't turn her nightmare into a dream. Turns out, the man in her visions is as real as it gets. At first, Rafa gave her hope of remembering everything she'd lost - he claims to know her brother, Jude. She was already drawn to him for inexplicable reasons but to give her a chance to get to know the side of Jude that she didn't know was reliving a life they used to have and didn't know existed. A day or two after that, Rafa's attitude changed: he insisted that Gaby was just playing up her amnesia. But she didn't have an amnesia. What she remembered about her brother was far from the actual events that Rafa knew happened. One revelation after another and Gaby was sure she was losing her mind. With the help of Rafa, she would have to overcome her denials and own up to the side of her that Rafa knew if there was any hope of finding out what really happened to her brother.

Here's what I think:

This solidified my love for the Aussies, yo. And not only that, I've just shortlisted Shadows along side Angelfall and Daughter of Smoke and Bone. That's how much I loved this book! The story of The Fallen was just as addicting as the frustrating, budding romance between Rafa and Gaby. The best and the worst of these two is yet to come and I'm chomping at the bits to read about Gabe's life before the "accident". Though she hasn't regain her memories and therefore her prowess to kick some ass hasn't fully come back, Gaby showed that she could fight with the rest of the them.

Raphael (Rafa) reminds me of a sword-wielding Jace Wayland: sarcastic, funny and oh! HOT. Their interactions oozes with sexual tensions and yet you can tell that he's holding himself back. There's an apparent secret (of course!) that he's keeping and I think it's about the only thing that drove me bonkers while I was reading this book. I'm really interested to know what they were like before this book happened.

This is the second consecutive angel book that I've read in a week. The name Semyaza seemed like a popular character since he appeared in both books and played the same role. Rest assured, however, that the difference between Stained by Ella James and Shadows by Paula Weston ended there.

Weston gave this angel book more substance by taking the Book of Epoch's version of The Fallen and let her imagination do the writing. The product is a well-evolved, tightly woven plot that will not leave you with questions other than what she intended. It didn't end in a cliff hanger, which is just the way I like serial books to end. I love that she left me the kind of closure that paves the way for the installment.

Now, I've always been a fan of Australian authors but I haven't found a PNR read that I liked. This Aussie gem, however, just proved me wrong. Whether or not they can hold up their own in that particular sub genre remains to be seen. I can't just judge by reading one book but Shadows is certainly making a good case.

Paula Weston's version of the angels and demons lore is not something that I've read before. The combination of suspense, mystery, and a side order of romance will have you entranced if not addicted. I've mentioned this on Twitter before and I'll say it again: this book is the cream of the crop amongst the millions of angels book that's out there. Don't miss out on this one, folks!
...more

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Aug 27, 2014 Laura rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, cover-me

What do you do when everything you thought you knew about yourself, your heart, and world is shattered? Everything you’ve ever felt and survived is called into question. How do you wrap your head around THAT?

Gaby Winters moved to Pan Beach to get away, to start fresh after the loss of her brother. A year after the accident and the shocks just keep on coming though. One giant jolt of emotion arrives in the form of a gorgeous, cocky, infuriating mystery named Rafa. A guy that Gaby has been dreamin
What do you do when everything you thought you knew about yourself, your heart, and world is shattered? Everything you’ve ever felt and survived is called into question. How do you wrap your head around THAT?

Gaby Winters moved to Pan Beach to get away, to start fresh after the loss of her brother. A year after the accident and the shocks just keep on coming though. One giant jolt of emotion arrives in the form of a gorgeous, cocky, infuriating mystery named Rafa. A guy that Gaby has been dreaming about for a year. Violent dreams filled with bloodshed and battles. Beheading beasts even! Gaby assumed the dreams and mayhem were a result of her pain and loss after the car accident that killed her twin brother, Jude. Gaby’s memories of the accident and before are fuzzy, so seeing Rafa suddenly in the flesh stirs up all sorts of questions and trouble. The world as Gaby knows it tilts, shifts, and goes all topsy turvey. Angels, demons, hell spawns and more all come out to play! But who is Gaby Winters? Who should she trust or believe?

Not easy questions to answer! Hell—I just read the book and I’m not sure what’s real, who’s telling the truth, or which version of events or story to believe? Gah! Paula Weston spins together half truths, answers, rumors, memories, and pain brilliantly! Just when you think you have an answer it gets ripped away. Always remember the source of the story. I don’t know who to trust. I know I want to trust Rafa—YES, okay. I confess. I have the biggest book crush on Rafa! I fell at first sight, damn him! Haha…But he is hiding a lot. Hiding behind his jackass ways and history. I liked all of these characters though—even the dicks, creeps, and guys with sticks ups their arses. :)

Strength, conviction, humor and loyalty are all on full display here. Ms. Weston can convey grief, power, and attraction with so few words. Short sentences with sparse, gritty language brings these characters and battles to life with force. At times with silence or just a touch—a hand on a lower back or twitch of a jaw muscle said it all. But this is one of my favorite moments….

(view spoiler)

As the tension builds, bodies and swords CLASH. Sparks and smart ass comments fly. And half angels, hellturds, humans, and more jump off the pages with menacing glares, smells, and power. The tension is dazzling! I really don’t want to say too much more. Just know that this battle has just begun. There is so much more to learn. Truths to be found. Sides to be taken. Is Gaby on the “right” side? Only time will tell. Or the next book! Which I pre-ordered about 100 pages into this one. I’m so addicted! Hooked! Consumed even! I know a book has me in its grasp when I daydream about scenes or possible endings. I can’t wait for more! CAN. NOT. WAIT.

...more

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Jul 07, 2015 Jen (The Starry-Eyed Revue) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015, angels, aussies, demons, favorites, fantasy, girl-power, immortals, paranormal-other, re-read

Re-read! Original review here.

Gawd, I love it even more after the fourth (or fifth? sixth maybe? :D ) reading. Gaby + Rafa FOREVER!!!! On to Haze! ...more

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May 30, 2013 Danielle (Love at First Page) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own-physical-book, cover-love, fantasy-scifi-paranormal, favorites-young-adult, read-in-2015, genre-young-adult

***Series (books 1-3) Spoiler-Free Review***

Friends have been pushing this series on me for the last year or so, and I'm so glad I finally listened. I was supposed to spread my reading out over the month of April, but I think it took me two days to read the first book and just a day each for the last two. Seriously, I couldn't put them down. I had to know what happened next. Which is the reason I've now found myself in #readerproblems hell: there's still one book left, and Shimmer (book 3) left ...more

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About Paula Weston

Paula Weston

849 followers

Paula Weston is the author of the Rephaim series (Shadows, Haze, Shimmer and Burn). The Undercurrent, a stand-alone speculative thriller set in near-future Australia, is now available in Australia and New Zealand.

Paula worked as a print journalist for many years before becoming a government media and communication specialist. Today she also co-owns a two-woman communication and design agency.

She g ...more

Other books in the series

The Rephaim (4 books)

Books by Paula Weston

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Quotes from Shadows

“We're quiet for a moment. And then: 'Why did you call me Matt?'
'It seemed like a good idea at the time. Now that I know you, I realise I should have called that character Dick.'
He laughs, and then the couch shakes. 'Honestly, Gabe, I forgot you could be this much fun.” — 54 likes

“I hear you've been with every Rephaite in a skirt.'
Crap. Where did that come from?
'Who told you that?' HIs smile shifts into something less amused. 'Daniel. Who else? The prick.'
'Is he a liar?'
Rafa leans against the pale wall. 'I haven't been with everyone.'
'What about Taya?'
'Hell, no. I'm no monk, but I have standards.'
I wonder what else Daniel was wrong about. 'What about me?'
Rafa's teasing smile doesn't quite reach his eyes. 'You had standards too.” — 51 likes

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