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Shadowlands

(Shadowlands #1)

Kate Brian

3.77 · Rating details · 4,491 ratings · 850 reviews

Rory Miller had one chance to fight back and she took it. Rory survived and the serial killer who attacked her escaped. Now that the infamous Steven Nell is on the loose, Rory must enter the witness protection program. Entering the program alongside her, is her father and sister Darcy. The trio starts a new life and a new beginning leaving their friends and family behind w ...more

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Hardcover, 336 pages

Published January 8th 2013 by Hyperion

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Jan 13, 2013 karen rated it liked it

Shelves: why-yes-i-ya

so. apparently, when you are being stalked by a relentless serial killer, and have to become part of the witness protection program, this is the procedure: first your house is surrounded by a million cop cars for a little over a week, just to call a whole lot of attention to you and your family, trapping you inside while detectives and fbi people mill all over the place waiting for the killer to strike again so they can hopefully stop him before your blood gets all over the carpet. and when some ...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Wendy Darling rated it it was ok

Shelves: january, 2013-publication, unreliable-narrator, read-2013, hyperion, major-plot-twist, young-adult, thriller-suspense, packaged-book

2.5 stars Great opening chapter, but a plot that quickly devolves into a cable movie of the week thriller with flat characters and an uninspired storyline that primarily involves various uninteresting but "hot" boys. Most of the scenes that were well done felt as though they were lifted from action/suspense films, including two of the biggest twists--one that comes early in the story, and the other at the very end. You aren't given time to process/question that last one, either, since the book e ...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Giselle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, ebook

I was already a fan of Kate Brian, but I never expected to love this book THIS much. Her Private series is a guilty pleasure of mine. It may not be the next great American novel, but it's a fun "mean-girls" type series with short installments that are filled with scandals, drama, and murder. When I went into Shadowlands, I expected something along the same lines but with a more thriller feel to it. What I got, was a complete mind-shattering plot that made me guess until the end (you have to unde I was already a fan of Kate Brian, but I never expected to love this book THIS much. Her Private series is a guilty pleasure of mine. It may not be the next great American novel, but it's a fun "mean-girls" type series with short installments that are filled with scandals, drama, and murder. When I went into Shadowlands, I expected something along the same lines but with a more thriller feel to it. What I got, was a complete mind-shattering plot that made me guess until the end (you have to understand how rare this is!), and left my adrenaline on high for hours afterwards. Seriously, what an intense ride!

“He’s never failed to finish a job before. Only one other victim escaped from him, and two weeks later he broke into her house and killed her entire family.”

We meet Rory in the most shocking of ways when she's struggling against a murderer in the middle of the woods. Escaping means being put under witness protection after learning his notorious ways of getting away--without fail--for over a decade. As far as YA thrillers go, this is definitely one of the most intense I have yet to read. We're taken on a tension-filled hide and seek game against a serial killer, one where not only do we fear every second knowing we haven't seen the last of him, but the regular glances at his perspective shows us exactly how close he is to getting what he wants. This makes things especially terrifying. Not that bizarre fog and unexplained happenings in a creepy little isolated town aren't enough.

This town they are sent to is an island of sorts, a vacation town where everything seems perfect, at least at first. Rory soon notices things are amiss, however, when she keeps spying one of the local guys constantly lurking around her. Then, people start disappearing. It's a murder mystery inside a brilliantly befuddling mind game where I, personally, had NO idea what was happening. Some readers mentioned they had guessed the ending, but as someone who almost always predicts what's going to happen, I was excited to have been blissfully ignorant until about 5 pages from the end. The answer we got had not even crossed my mind. That alone made me love this book. The ending itself: Excellent! It may not be a plot that authors haven't attempted before, but none enraptured me as much as Brian did with Shadowlands.

Seeing as it's the beginning of the series leaves me wondering what Brian is planning for book 2. I imagine we'll go deeper into the revelation, and get answers to lingering questions; all I know is that this chick *points at self* will not miss it!

--
Note that quote in this review was quoted from an uncorrected proof.

An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

...more

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Jul 15, 2012 ✦BookishlyRichie✦ rated it really liked it

Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy Shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy Shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy Shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy Shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy Shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy Shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit.

THAT ENDING! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?????????????

This felt like some good ol' 90s YA horror. It had the suspense, the mary-jane (which is like the mary-sue except mary-jane has balls and some brain.) and i ...more

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Jan 29, 2017 Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell rated it liked it

Shelves: ya-ya-land

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SHADOWLANDS is one of those books that has me seriously questioning my taste in fiction, because even though everything about it was pretty poorly done, from the "paranormal" element to the characters to the way law enforcement handled criminal activities, I enjoyed every moment of it, terrible twist and all (seriously, Khanh puts it best in her review, when she says that the author M. Night Shyamalan'd the heck out of the story).

SHADOWL ...more

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May 25, 2013 Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies rated it did not like it

Shelves: mystery, on-the-run, high-school, why-do-i-hate-myself, boring-main-character, siblings, ya, tstl

I don't recall being so pissed off at a book than I have after finishing this one. I apologize in advance for any profanity.

I don't mean the type of anger that comes with a character's actions or as a reaction to an author killing off a beloved character (Or in some cases, half the cast. Did you really have to kill so many? I'm looking at you, J.K. Rowling). I'm talking about a complete and absolute cop out. A plot with so many holes in it, filled with unexplained areas of suspense that kept me ...more

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May 20, 2017 Bren fall in love with the sea. rated it it was ok

Shelves: young-adult, young-adult-mystery, family-drama, mystery, trilogys-and-other-series, crime, dark-and-heavy, read-and-reviewed, suspense, better-or-worse-than-expected

"But I knew in my heart he was wrong. Nothing was ever going to be okay again".

Shadowlands (Shadowlands, #1)
by Kate Brian

This is YA and it is written by an author I love. The book however was a let down.

I like the premise. It involves a young girl who narrowly escapes a serial killer. Should be happy about this right?

Well..there is a problem. Se, she is the ONLY one who has lived to tell the tale of this deranged killer. And the police cannot find him.

Which means she..along with her family..wi ...more

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Dec 30, 2019 Constantine rated it really liked it

Shelves: physical-books, x-4-star, z2019-12

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Genre:
Mystery + Fantasy + Young Adult

Don't look at the last page or you will be spoiled!
Although I did not take a peek I was expecting this cliffhanger and this is due to reading about a big twist coming! So my mind could not settle until it made up the twist and it happened.
To be honest this book and both the books after it was a cover buy. The cover is gorgeous and has this mysterious feel to it. I had no idea what the story will be. But after buying it and then checking it on G ...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Katy rated it it was ok

This book had a lot of potential to be brilliant, but 1) there was a lot that didn't make sense and 2) it was just too frustrating to read. I had a lot of "WTF" moments - some good, some bad.

I wasn't crazy about how the book started because I felt it was a little over the top. (view spoiler) And Rory was just a little too much for me. I understand she's scared and freaked out, but I wanted This book had a lot of potential to be brilliant, but 1) there was a lot that didn't make sense and 2) it was just too frustrating to read. I had a lot of "WTF" moments - some good, some bad.

I wasn't crazy about how the book started because I felt it was a little over the top. (view spoiler) And Rory was just a little too much for me. I understand she's scared and freaked out, but I wanted to shake her and yell at her to get a freakin' grip.

About a third of the way through, I had my first "WTF" moment. I actually had to stop and go back and read the summary. Um, yeah, mixed feelings about that too.

And then there were just some things that didn't make sense.

I'm sorry but if the authorities assign to protective services, they will get someone to accompany you to an unknown location and have you all set up. They won't just say, "Here's the hideout, now go," and then send them on their way on their own. What if something happened to them on the way there? What if they never make it? And then once that happens, they're supposed to keep tabs on them. Not leave them there to flounder on their own. So the last part of my questions on that was answered at the end, but it still doesn't explain the start to make enough sense.

I also understand Brian was trying to set up the scene and depict the tension between the sisters with Christopher but you're left wondering, "What's the point?" for a good part of the book. And with making Rory the nerdy science geek, I get Brian made it a reason for jealousy, but she doesn't follow up with much. Why wear an "E=MC2" shirt if you can just make Darcy jealous of a normal girl who's not as pretty and popular as she is. Shrugs.

And then the overall story? Well the whole time I was reading it, I was frustrated because a lot didn't make sense, and I just knew Brian was going to jump out anytime with the shocking surprise that will tie it all together. It didn't make it any less frustrating to read. Well, at the end of it, I have even more questions. Yes, I understood what they were saying, and it was quite brilliant on Brian's part, but a lot of it still did not make sense. I have to leave this vague so I can't go into details.

So in short, I think this book is going to draw mixed feelings from most readers. I just hope that the sequel does a lot of explaining, because as it stands, I'm not satisfied with what she gave us. ...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Mitch rated it liked it

I think Shadowlands is one of the most difficult books I've ever reviewed because it's not nearly what I thought it'd be from reading the summary. I went into this book with expectations of a standard serial killer thriller plot, and came out with, actually, I don't know how to describe what Shadowlands is without spoiling the ending - a bizarre twisty mindbender? I like it, but in order to fully explain my rating the rest of my review is going to be spoiler heavy, so just know this is *not* a t I think Shadowlands is one of the most difficult books I've ever reviewed because it's not nearly what I thought it'd be from reading the summary. I went into this book with expectations of a standard serial killer thriller plot, and came out with, actually, I don't know how to describe what Shadowlands is without spoiling the ending - a bizarre twisty mindbender? I like it, but in order to fully explain my rating the rest of my review is going to be spoiler heavy, so just know this is *not* a thriller in the classic cops and serial killer sense and be warned if you do decide to click on the spoilers.

(view spoiler)[Anyway, what this book actually is is a Lost style mind fuck. In addition to the serial killer, there are supernatural aspects and the book is intentionally written in an unsettling, mind blowing way to throw the reader off from the truth, which is finally revealed by the last sentence. That said, I did spend six years watching Lost, so I think I may have been more than a little overprepared for this book, because I called the entire setup right after the supposed nightmare scene when Rory's father and sister are killed, she's stabbed and dying, and she kills her killer in revenge before she dies. The fact that Kate Brian kept bringing up that particular night, even though it's written dismissively as Rory flashing back to her 'nightmare' as a result of her earlier trauma, only reinforced my prediction. As a result, there weren't exactly any 'WTF moments' for me, because it's obvious to me what Brian's trying to do with the island of no cell phone and internet service, the mysterious disappearances, and I ended up with a pretty good idea of Tristan's role in the whole thing.

That said, the problem for me is that Brian's writing is a little too obvious. The purpose of the island was way too transparent for me and I immediately recognized what was going on. So instead of being confused and thinking about the explanation for all the bizarre going ons, all I could do was look for the obvious clues Brian's planted and muse about how they connected to the overall 'mystery'. So yeah, the island is so isolated because its inhabitants are all dead, the disappearances are really just people moving on after they've resolved their unresolved issues from before their death, and Tristan is like the Grim Reaper or something who gets these people to move on. Like I said, I probably would've been *much* happier had I not kept up with Lost, because everything made *too* much sense for me.

My favorite part of the book, which I don't think most people will pick up unless they reflect back on everything after finishing though because, again, the ending, is Rory's purpose on the island. I've already mentioned that the island is a place for the deceased who still have to deal with unresolved issues from immediately before their death, and obviously Rory has unresolved issues with her father and her sister. So while it's clear something very strange is going on with her father, I actually appreciated how clever Brian made those strange happenings with Rory's father as part of his reconciliation with Rory and her sister over her mother's death. The stuff with Christopher that's brought up too was a really good breadcrumb that eventually led to Rory's reconciliation with her sister, once I picked that up. Overall, I'm impressed how multilayered Shadowlands is, and I encourage anyone who didn't see the ending coming to reread this book just to appreciate how much planning Brian apparently put into this thing.

However, I did pick up on the ending right away, and while that allowed me to look at the clues and mysterious events in a different light, I still think Brian made things a bit too obvious, despite how hard she tried to really keep the ending a huge unexpected surprise. Of course, maybe I'm just too perceptive after watching Lost for so long. (hide spoiler)] ...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Ferdy rated it it was ok

Spoilers

Where to start with this? Okay, well the first chapter was pretty thrilling — the heroine (Rory) is attacked by her teacher on her way home from school and she just about manages to escapes with her life. It got even better when the FBI informed Rory that her teacher was in fact a serial killer that they've been hunting for years and that he wouldn't stop until he killed her. It was exciting and gripping and then things got dumb… Really, really dumb.
Rory, her dad and her older sister ar Spoilers

Where to start with this? Okay, well the first chapter was pretty thrilling — the heroine (Rory) is attacked by her teacher on her way home from school and she just about manages to escapes with her life. It got even better when the FBI informed Rory that her teacher was in fact a serial killer that they've been hunting for years and that he wouldn't stop until he killed her. It was exciting and gripping and then things got dumb… Really, really dumb.
Rory, her dad and her older sister are told they can't leave their house because the serial killer will find them and kill them. The FBI and police surround Rory's house to protect her and her family. That was fine but then Darcy (Rory's sister) started to complain that she was missing her friends party, also Rory's dad started to moan about not being able to go to work. So, Rory nearly dies at the hands of a serial killer that's murdered no less than 14 girls, they've been told that the serial killer is relentless, and that he never fails to kill someone he's targeted… and all they cared out was work and partying?! They weren't even bothered about Rory's ordeal or the threat of death should they leave police protection. It was ridiculous.
It gets even worse. When the serial killer manages to break into Rory's house (that btw is guarded by numerous police/FBI) to leave her a threatening note, the FBI tell Rory and co that they need to go into witness protection. That was fine, it made sense for Rory and family to be relocated somewhere safe… But the way it was all handled was so fucking dumb. How do the FBI go about putting them in witness protection? They take them outside their house in front of the entire neighbourhood, give them a folder with instructions and the keys to a car that's parked in their driveway and tell them to drive direct from their house to the safe house… IN FULL VIEW OF THE ENIRE NEIGHBOURHOOD. Anyone could have followed them!! Anyone could have taken note of the car they were driving! Anyone could have tracked them through their car! The FBI know that the serial killer is clever, that he's tricked and evaded them for years, that he's already managed to sneak into Rory's room without alerting them, yet it doesn't cross their minds that the serial killer could be watching Rory and her family whilst they drive straight to their safe house. What utter bullshit.
There's more, the genius FBI send Rory and family on their merry way without a police escort and without a phone, even though they know a madman's after them. It doesn't cross their mind that the serial killer is waiting for the opportunity to pounce on them. It doesn't cross their mind to at least give them a phone in case they need to call for help. I just couldn't believe how stupid and contrived the whole thing was.
I was willing to overlook all that stupidity and just go along for the ride… But there's only so much bullshit I can take, and when Rory's dad started to act like even more of a plank than what he already was, I gave up any hope of for a decent, well thought out plot. On their way to the safe house, someone tries to make them crash, and instead of thinking they've been followed by the notorious serial killer, Rory's dad thinks its just plain old coincidence and gets out of his car in the middle of the night to investigate the deserted road. Really?! I can only handle so much ridiculousness.
Sometimes, a silly stupid book can be saved by a likeable and engaging protagonist. Sadly, Rory was neither likeable or engaging. I was sympathetic towards her after she was nearly killed, but that changed when instead of contemplating her near death and worrying about her future, all she could think about was some guy. It was pathetic. Rory was boring and annoying. She was a dull Mary Sue, there was nothing to her — she was a loner, she'd never had a boyfriend, she was whiny and she thought she was so deep even though her thoughts mostly revolved around the guys in her life. The love interests were rubbish. I don't even remember their names — all they did was act mysterious and say mysterious things. I was frustrated with their cryptic bullshit. The only character that I really liked was Darcy (Rory's sister). Sure she was the cliched popular, beautiful, mean, shallow and attention seeking girl… but at least she had a personality unlike rubbish blah Rory. Most of the other female characters were barely in it and when they did make an appearance they just acted weird and dull.
Things became even more uninteresting when Rory, her dad and sister arrived at their safe house in Juniper Landing. Nothing much happened apart from 1. Rory thinking about boys and being scared of fog and noises 2. All the teenagers in Juniper Landing acting weird around Rory and 3. Rory being weak and useless.
The Cliffhanger/twist at the very end pissed me off. The whole point of the book was to root for Rory and for her to survive against a sadistic serial killer… and then to find out she was dead all along made the whole bloody book feel pointless and depressing. I can't say I won't read the next book because I'm hoping that Rory's in a coma or something and that's why she's different from everyone else… I'll probably end up flicking through it in that library to see what goes down. ...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Misty rated it it was ok

Shelves: own, horror-mystery-suspense-thriller, juvenile-ya, arc-or-galley, review-copy_unsolicited, crime, read-in-2013, rant

2.5ish territory, but this one has a pretty fluid rating, I think - apt to change depending on my mood.

Okay, Shadowlands...I feel like I would write a different review of this every day of the week. Frankly, I'm really torn, and have even held off giving it a rating on Goodreads. Here's the thing:
There are going to be people that are so shocked and amazed by the way this ends that they'll love it.
There are going to be people that are so shocked and dismayed by the way this ends that they'll hat ...more

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Aug 30, 2012 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it it was amazing

I had no idea that when I started this book that it would capture me so tightly, that I stayed up close to one in the morning to finish it. I literally could not put the book down and instead, found myself immersed in a world where death lurks around the corner.

Let me be the first to say," BRAVO! Ms. Brian." The plot is what every reader wants. Exciting and thrilling, lots of mystery and psycho killer on the loose. Once I started this book, there was no going back for me. I was hooked and would ...more

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Dec 25, 2012 The Cover Contessa rated it really liked it

I want to thank Disney Hyperion for providing me an ARC of this book to read and review. Receiving this book for free in no way has influenced my opinion or review.

Blurb from Goodreads:
Rory Miller had one chance to fight back and she took it. Rory survived… and the serial killer who attacked her escaped. Now that the infamous Steven Nell is on the loose, Rory must enter the witness protection with her father and sister, Darcy, leaving their friends and family without so much as a goodbye.
Starti I want to thank Disney Hyperion for providing me an ARC of this book to read and review. Receiving this book for free in no way has influenced my opinion or review.

Blurb from Goodreads:
Rory Miller had one chance to fight back and she took it. Rory survived… and the serial killer who attacked her escaped. Now that the infamous Steven Nell is on the loose, Rory must enter the witness protection with her father and sister, Darcy, leaving their friends and family without so much as a goodbye.
Starting over in a new town with only each other is unimaginable for Rory and Darcy. They were inseparable as children, but now they can barely stand each other. As the sisters settle in to Juniper Landing, a picturesque vacation island, it seems like their new home may be just the fresh start they need. They fall in with a group of beautiful, carefree teens and spend their days surfing, partying on the beach, and hiking into endless sunsets. But just as they’re starting to feel safe again, one of their new friends goes missing. Is it a coincidence? Or is the nightmare beginning all over again?

It's going to be hard for me to talk about this book without revealing it's "secret" but I'm going to try my hardest to keep this review spoiler free.

I have to say that I wasn't at all sure what this book was about. As a matter of fact, I requested it upon the advice of a friend who had read it and liked it. I didn't read the blurb or any reviews before diving in. I figured I usually love the books Disney puts out, so why would this be any different. And it did not disappoint, that is for sure. Did it leave me wondering every time I put it down, yes it did. Did it leave me wanting to keep reading so that I could finally figure out the mystery, absolutely. I just couldn't figure out why everything was so bizarre, why things were happening that totally perplexed me. And then I reached the second to last chapter, and "bing" a light bulb went off inside my head and I totally got where the book was taking me. I thought I would be creeped out by this book, that scary things would happen and I would have nightmares, but I was dead wrong.

I need to mention my love of this cover. At first, I wasn't so sure of it. It seemed so bizarre with the girl on the front and birds flying around. I'm not sure why I didn't think about the meaning behind those birds, but now it totally makes sense. And, since finishing the book and getting a real understanding of why things were presented the way they were, I completely understand the idea behind the cover! My only complaint about the cover is that if it's supposed to be the main character, it is completely off as she is described in the book with blond hair. But maybe it is not supposed to be her, though if it's not I cannot understand why.

I must say that I really liked the character of Rory. She was sharp and caustic at times.She was also strong and didn't worry about questioning others when it came to her safety. But she had this subtle emotional side to her that she kept bottled inside and I knew eventually it would need to be set free. Her relationship with her sister and father are totally strained, but she sweeps it under the rug because she doesn't think anything will get fixed. However, after her attack, things start to slowly change and she begins to realize that her family is pulling back together after the tragedy that struck them 5 years earlier. I loved watching Rory battle with herself, trying to find peace. And she was very relatable and easy to connect with. I could feel her anger, her fear, her happiness and her confusion. It flew right off the page at me.
Her sister Darcy was annoying at first. Stuck up and pretentious, demanding and gave off an air of superiority. Precocious and blaming. I wanted to pull her hair at times. But she was a good balance for Rory's character. And watching both girls relationship slowly heel with their dad was nice. What was once broken starts to become whole. And you feel the cohesiveness and bonds start to reform and take root. Tristan and Joaquim are totally mysterious. This adds to the thrill of the ride through the book. I never knew where they were going, what they were up to, where they would show up next. They seemed to appear suddenly out of nowhere and disappear just as fast. The other secondary characters did much of the same. And as people started to disappear, I wondered if this "team" of beautiful teens had anything to do with it.

I loved Brian's writing in this story. There was nothing choppy or predictable about it. She understands how to create a story that will leave you wanting to turn the pages and have you sitting on the edge of your seat. There is nothing predictable about the story, making it hard to put down. I commend her for a job well done with the storytelling. I have to say that I was not expecting the ending, but once it happened, I realized the clues were all there throughout the entire book. The story had me on an adrenaline high the entire time. I rarely wanted to put it down and did so only to sleep and do some work, oh and take care of my children. The plot was really mind blowing. And to boot, this is set to be a series, so my mind is wondering what direction Brian is going to take us as she unfolds more of this storyline. And Brian took an interesting stance with alternating the POV from the main female character to the thoughts of the serial killer bent on taking her life.

I truly enjoyed this book. If you are into mystery and a thrilling adventure that will leave you pacing and wanting to keep coming back to the story, this is the book for me. And if you want a story that will stay with you, haunt you and keep you returning to things and pondering why you didn't see them before, well, then you need to go out and pick this one up!

4 out of 5 stars from me. ...more

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Oct 26, 2017 Emily Rivera rated it it was amazing

If you like women overcoming obstacles, you should read this book. I enjoyed this book, I give it 5 stars because the novel included twists to the plot, and the characters seemed realistic. Plot had events that were unpredictable. Most readers would think Roger and Rory with her family would still be alive, but nobody would have guessed Roger would try to murder her in an island for the dead. Rory seemed like a nerdy teenager by doing lots of math and being organized. Darcy was a party teen by h ...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Jon rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mystery, thriller

Seen at Scott Reads It

I have avoided writing this review for a couple of days and I am finally going to review it. For me the most difficult reviews to write are for 5 Star books. I tremendously enjoyed Shadowlands and I doubt any review could do this book justice. There are no spoilers for Shadowlands.

From the first chapter of Shadowlands I was immediately hooked into this intriguing mystery. Kate Brian starts off Shadowlands with a bang. Our protagonist Rory is being attacked by serial kil Seen at Scott Reads It

I have avoided writing this review for a couple of days and I am finally going to review it. For me the most difficult reviews to write are for 5 Star books. I tremendously enjoyed Shadowlands and I doubt any review could do this book justice. There are no spoilers for Shadowlands.

From the first chapter of Shadowlands I was immediately hooked into this intriguing mystery. Kate Brian starts off Shadowlands with a bang. Our protagonist Rory is being attacked by serial killer Steven Nell but she manages to escape his clutches. Rory's family moves to a vacation town called Juniper Landing. Juniper Landing seems like such a wonderful and relaxing place until one of Rory's new friends goes missing. Could Steve Nell be the cause of this disappearance?

This is my first time reading a book by Kate Brian and this definitely won't be the last time I read a book of hers. Shadowlands was extremely addicting to read and I couldn't bear to stop reading even for short periods of time. One of my favorite components of Shadowlands are the short chapters from Nell's point of view. It was seriously chilling to read about an attempted murder from a serial killer's point view. Juniper Landing was a terrific setting and Brian did a wonderful job with making a vacation town seem so strange and dark. Who ever thought a vacation place could be so grim and ghastly?

So many reviewers have stated that they found Shadowlands very predictable but I completely disagree. From the start of Shadowlands I had a bunch of predictions but they all turned out to be wrong. Just when I thought the book was going in a certain direction, Kate Brian threw in a gut wrenching plot twist. The ending of Shadowlands was just mindblowing and I honestly never saw it coming.

Once or twice I felt like some of the characters lacked a bit of common sense. It's kind of common sense to me that if a serial killer is looking for you, you shouldn't walk around alone. I understand that Darcy doesn't want Steven Nell to ruin her social life but what's more important your social life or avoiding a serial killer?I am not sure if the characters were acting a bit ridiculous or if I was just over thinking everything like I always do.

Shadowlands is more than just your average thriller. Kate Brian daftly created a mind blowing tale that exceeded all of my expectations. Shadowlands ended on such an interesting note and I'm really curious to see how Brian follows up with the sequel. ...more

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Apr 27, 2013 Booknut rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: cliff-hanger-endings, gorgeous-guys, books-i-love-dearly, can-t-get-enough-of, heartbreak-and-loss, heroine-goes-crazy, bodies-bones-and-psychopaths, mystery-and-sherlocking, madness-and-psychosis

Well...I wasn't expecting that!

Kate Brian manages to piece together an intricate tale of obsession, fear and psychosis that straddles the line between reality and the supernatural in a way no other book has done before.

You never know what will happen next. ...more

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Feb 16, 2018 Pipsprite rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2018

5/5 Stars

Shadowlands by Kate Brian is a young adult thriller about Rory Miller a strong-willed girl who fought off a serial killer. Steven Nell has been stalking Rory for a long time and finally found his night to strike not thinking that she would fight back. Even though Rory was able to fend him off she never thought that the police wouldn’t be able to catch him. Now, after fighting off a serial killer, Rory and her family put in Witness Protection and are moved to another town. Along with Ro 5/5 Stars

Shadowlands by Kate Brian is a young adult thriller about Rory Miller a strong-willed girl who fought off a serial killer. Steven Nell has been stalking Rory for a long time and finally found his night to strike not thinking that she would fight back. Even though Rory was able to fend him off she never thought that the police wouldn’t be able to catch him. Now, after fighting off a serial killer, Rory and her family put in Witness Protection and are moved to another town. Along with Rory, Darcy and their father are all moved to a small town on an island known as Juniper Landing. This is the kind of place where everyone knows everyone and there is always something to do. As girls Rory and Darcy were inseparable but once they got older that changed drastically since they are very different people now. Since the island doesn’t have a lot of kids they end up in the same friends group and everything seems to be going just fine. That changes when Rory starts to notice some strange things happening and she always feels like someone is watching her. Things get even worse when people start disappearing and this makes Rory think that Nell might still be following her.

This novel was recommended to me because of my fascination with true crime and this novel seemed like it would be perfect for me. The cover seems almost too pretty to be about true crime or a mystery; it feels more like a romance cover than a mystery one. When I saw that the back cover said serial killer I was hooked and knew it need to be one of the next books I read. True crime and mystery have been in my life for a very long time, this started when all of the crime shows came on TV. Crime shows is what got me into reading more mystery books and this is a perfect balance between the two. I was also interested in learning about the dynamic between the sisters, because both need to uproot their lives since the serial killer. I have an older brother who up until recently we haven’t had the best friendship. I always like reading stories of siblings similar to how I grew up and see how their stories turn out.

Rory and Darcy have an interesting adventure in this novel. The readers learn very early on that they have different interests from each other, and that’s why they haven’t been getting along. Since the two don’t understand the types of things the other likes they don’t have much to talk about. The strain gets even bigger when Darcy learns that they have to go into Witness Protection because of Rory’s serial killer. Darcy wants to be able to finish her last high school year with her friends and now that is being taken away from her. They being to get closer though when they get to the island because they really only have each other and their dad. Darcy is far more outgoing than Rory so she beings to make friends and start to bring Rory around. This ends up making them closer and when strange things start happening they learn that protecting each other is far more important than anything else.

Steven Nell is a serial killer that will stop at nothing to get his hands on Rory and her family. It becomes a fun game for Nell as the family starts to move around because now he can get more than one person. Serial killers are normally more calculated than Nell has been but when your target is on the move, he can’t just wait around to see what happens. I was very surprised by how well Brain was able to make Nell’s character so terrifying and ominous through the entire book. The reader always feels like the characters are being watched and they just have to keep reading to see if they are right. My love for true crime made me think that I knew exactly where this story was going but I always felt like I was missing something. The characters in the story being to make the reader believe that nothing is wrong and nothing can go wrong on this small island. The reader beings to forget that sometimes really bad things can happen in small towns as well especially when a serial killer is on the loose.

Brian has the ability to make very invested in a story very quickly. The reader is basically thrown right into the action on the very first page of this novel. I think that’s a very bold move because the reader isn’t sure who anyone is but knows that there is a girl running from a serial killer. That’s a bold move in my opinion because you aren’t as invested as you could be in the character but it was a great introduction for me. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery or a good true crime book. This novel has the reader thinking till the very end and has some very good twists that I didn’t even see coming. It is very rare that I don’t see things coming after all the mysteries I’ve read, but this one is a true mystery until the very end. ...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Alanna (The Flashlight Reader) rated it liked it

Shelves: ya

Oh man. I am so conflicted with this one. I don't know whether I loved it or hated it. So, this review will be a bit different.

First off, why I did not like the book: the ending. Normally, I am a huge fan of plot twists and surprise endings, but this time it did not work for me. I was infuriated when I read the last sentence. Majorly pissed off. Seriously. I felt like I read this whole thing for nothing because the ending did not make sense. I was left with a looooong list of questions. I don' ...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Kaylee Magic rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favourites

WHAT THE FUDGE???????

Oh my god, of all my whacky guesses, this ending was NOT on my list. Holy shishcabobs. Crapola. Fudgecakes. This book was so damn brilliant that I think it will be super hard to write a review for it, but when one blows my mind like this did, I kind of have to.

Review pending. But in the meantime...

You should buy this.

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Jun 25, 2012 AtenRa rated it liked it

Shelves: ya-fiction, mystery, suspense, hints-of-paranormal

I'm so disappointed this was not as good as I initially thought it'd be :( it started off great and then it just collapsed like a flan in a cupboard. I didn't even really care about the "shocking" ending. Shame. ...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Evie rated it it was amazing

Mind-fuckery at its best! Creepy, captivating, bone-chilling, and unpredictable, this book is just absolutely phenomenal! Full review soon!

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Nov 26, 2012 ☕️Kimberly rated it it was amazing

I am not going to lie; I was drawn to Shadowlands because of the beautiful cover. The synopsis led me to believe this would be a thriller, but Kate Brian blew my mind! From page one the author grabbed my attention and held me completely enthralled. My palms were sweating and I stopped frequently to share my thoughts with anyone who would listen. The tale was, dark, suspenseful, brilliantly done with an ending that left me speechless.

From the synopsis we know that Rory Miller, her father and sist I am not going to lie; I was drawn to Shadowlands because of the beautiful cover. The synopsis led me to believe this would be a thriller, but Kate Brian blew my mind! From page one the author grabbed my attention and held me completely enthralled. My palms were sweating and I stopped frequently to share my thoughts with anyone who would listen. The tale was, dark, suspenseful, brilliantly done with an ending that left me speechless.

From the synopsis we know that Rory Miller, her father and sister Darcy all end up in witness protection because Steven Nell a serial killer who has killed fourteen girls wants to finish the job. He attempted to kill Rory with her golden hair but she escaped. From the moment they set out for Juniper Landing my palms began to sweat and the tale that unfolds was brilliant as a girl goes missing in this oasis by the sea and Rory begins to suspect that something is very wrong.

Rory is the youngest sibling, and from the onset we see some of the difficulty she has encountered in her young life. She is both sweet and caring. Since the attack she has been experiencing nightmares, feels like someone is watching her and doing her darndest to make the best of a bad situation. Darcy is a typical, selfish teenager concerned mostly with; “me, myself and I” however she does have her moments. Their Dad has been an absentee father since their mother’s death five years ago, but life at the beach has him acting like his old self. The local teens on the island are friendly despite their clicky-ways and their interest in Rory is odd. Steven Nell is obsessed with Rory and downright creepy!

What made Shadowlands an over the top five cups of Kopi Luwak coffee out of five for me was the unbelievable world building. Brian had me off kilter from the first pages, when I mistakenly thought Steven was waiting for his lover in the woods. You know that creepy music in a movie that lets you know something bad is going to happen? Well, it played none stop in my head. As Rory began to question things, I knew something was off, something was wrong but I could not quite place it and when I did: totally mind shattering moment! When the author confirmed it, I sat back and admired the sheer brilliance of it all. I loved the pacing, the author's ability to take you from a nightmare to tender moment with the stroke of her pen. This is a book you will want to talk about from fellow book lovers to complete strangers. My poor in-laws and hubby had to adore my outbursts as I rapidly tried to explain what the author was doing to me, to the characters..Eek gads! This is a must read peeps!
Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer ...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Jenni Arndt rated it really liked it

You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads.

I didn't really know what to expect going into Shadowlands; I had never read any of Kate Brian's work and I'm not exactly one for reading blurbs. I was sufficiently blown away as a I dove in and got a much more intense read than I could have ever expected. Rory is shocked and scared when, on her way home from school through the forest, she is attacked by one of the most beloved teachers from her school. Thankfully she escapes and finds her way hom You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads.

I didn't really know what to expect going into Shadowlands; I had never read any of Kate Brian's work and I'm not exactly one for reading blurbs. I was sufficiently blown away as a I dove in and got a much more intense read than I could have ever expected. Rory is shocked and scared when, on her way home from school through the forest, she is attacked by one of the most beloved teachers from her school. Thankfully she escapes and finds her way home but upon reporting the incident she finds out that it wasn't just her math teacher who attacked her, it was a calculated serial killer who has managed to evade the police for years. Before she knows it, she is packing her bags and being sent to a remote island as part of the FBI's witness protection program.

Shadowlands has a bit of everything going for it, there is some great characters, a whole lot of mystery and just a touch of romance sprinkled in for good measure. I read this one in a single day because i just couldn't put it down. Once Rory, her sister and their father get to the island, Juniper Landing, there is so much weirdness surrounding the locals that I had to keep going to find out exactly what was going on. And what a pleasant surprise that when all was revealed I was completely thrown for a loop as it was a twist I had never even considered in all of my sleuthing with this one.

Rory was a great character; she was so strong and smart that I came to admire her throughout the novel. Not only did she show her strength and determination when she escaped and evaded Steven Nell, but she also showed her smarts in how she was constantly questioning life on Juniper Landing. I wasn't a big fan of her sister, but I think that was how it was supposed to be. Rory and Darcy were polar opposites, while Rory was book smart and pretty reclusive, Darcy was the centre of every party and a social butterfly. I appreciated how each of their voices felt unique and completely authentic.

Not only do we get the story from Rory's point of view but we are also treated to short chapters here and there that are from Nell's perspective and are they ever haunting! This lends to an uneasy feeling as it's always in the back of the readers head that he is never far away from Rory. The suspense was maintained so strongly though out the novel and felt like it never really let up, which was great. I loved Brian's storytelling and her cryptic chapters from the mind of a serial killer. The twist at the end has definitely left me pining for more and I can't wait to see where this series goes.
...more

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Jun 06, 2013 Meghan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-books, favorites, read-in-2014

Sometimes you read a book and it instantly grabs you. You can't put it down, you're carrying it around with you where ever you are going, and even if you can just get the chance to read s sentence you're excited. For me, this happened with Shadowlands by Kate Brian. Last summer, I heard about this book and recommended it to my sister to read. She loved it, kept going on about how I needed to pick it up and I kept telling her I would. I'm so glad that I finally did.

Shadowlands is about a girl na Sometimes you read a book and it instantly grabs you. You can't put it down, you're carrying it around with you where ever you are going, and even if you can just get the chance to read s sentence you're excited. For me, this happened with Shadowlands by Kate Brian. Last summer, I heard about this book and recommended it to my sister to read. She loved it, kept going on about how I needed to pick it up and I kept telling her I would. I'm so glad that I finally did.

Shadowlands is about a girl named Rory. After being attacked by someone she's on the run. Her, her sister Darcy, and her father move to the town of Juniper Lane to be protected from her attacker. Little do they know, he's still after Rory and will stop at nothing to get what he wants... her.

Throughout the town of Juniper Lane there are many interesting characters, including a very cute boy named Tristan! However, like most great thriller novels... things are not always what they appear to be and when suspicious things start happening Rory tries to figure out what exactly is going on.

What I loved about this book were many things but one specific thing stood out to me. While this is a Young Adult book, it didn't feel like one. There were moments where I was so engrossed in the novel that I actually jumped because what I read freaked me out a bit. I loved the characters and thought Rory was someone real, someone that I could relate to on some levels, and someone I was rooting for. Even when I got to the end, not only did I want more but the plot twist was probably the best and most exciting plot twist I have read in a book in any genre in a long time!

Rory's story continues in the sequel, Here After and for once, not only did I jump into the sequel right away but I wasn't worried that the author was going to ruin anything. Kate Brian has a wonderful gift for story telling that not only leaves you on the edge of your seat wanting more, but let's you escape into the world she's creating for hours on end. I loved Shadowlands and recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good thriller with an exciting twist! ...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Wanda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: my-favorite-books, own, read-in-2012, arc, reviewed

Wow! Wow! Wow! What an ending!

First word that I can describe ShadowLands is WOW. This book starts off immediately with action. It consumed me or rather I devoured it. But from the very beginning, I was lost in it. But I noticed something wrong right away. And it's not a big deal but in the first few pages, the serial killer described Rory as a beautiful girl with blonde hair. Now, unless the cover isn't Rory, they made a huge booboo there. The girl on the cover has brown hair. I don't know why ...more

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Dec 02, 2012 Ariel Cummins rated it liked it

Shelves: ya, mystery-and-thrillers

This novel has a lot going for it in terms of atmosphere and creepiness. There are plenty of spooky touches and well-done scenes. I appreciate that it's more of a true horror book than a lot of the paranormal romances that have been coming out in the past few years.

The character building, though, isn't great. I swear that the sisters were built from the two daughters in Modern Family: nerdy, slightly awkward sister and beautiful, social sister who deep down want to be good friends. The romance ( ...more

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Oct 08, 2014 Brooke ♥booklife4life♥ rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2014, 2-pov, boy-and-girl-pov, need-to-re-read

Title: Shadowlands
Series: Shadowlands #1
Author: Kate Brian
Rating: 4 stars

My Review: I was very surprised to find this series at my library, my small little town doesn't have much of anything that isn't popular so i was very giddy when i found all three sitting on the shelf! :]

First, i of freaking course love the cover! So pretty!

Second, 2 POVs? Yes please :]

Third, that ending?!

This book was so good. It's well written, and the plot was something i haven't read before. For some reason ...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Kath S rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, i-love-these-covers

I didn’t see that coming…

description

I swear, I thought in everything… every possibility: conspiracy, monsters, shadow masters… Every. Effing. Thing… But I really didn’t expect that end!

description

I discover the end of all the books in a ninety nine percent of times… I failed in this one!!!!

description

Right now, I have a lot of questions and I really really NEED to know what the hell is happen!!!!!!!

description

Good played, Brian!
...more

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Dec 17, 2012 Samantha rated it liked it · review of another edition

I knew it, I knew it, I. KNEW. IT.

While this was an interesting read, it fell a little flat for me. The characters just didn't draw me in as much as they could have, or should have, but the suspense was pretty ok. Just a tad predictable.

I'll still probably read the next one. ...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Math teacher stalking a student and killing her family. [s]	5	33	Nov 06, 2020 04:45AM
Teen Book Break a...: Shadowlands by Kate Brian	2	5	Jul 13, 2015 09:47AM
Wild Things: YA G...: September 2014 Shadowlands by Kate Brian	1	10	Sep 02, 2014 05:57PM

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About Kate Brian

Kate Brian

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Kate Brian is the author of the SHADOWLANDS TRILOGY (SHADOWLANDS, HEREAFTER & ENDLESS), as well as the New York Times bestselling PRIVATE and PRIVILEGE series, and the wildly popular MEGAN MEADE'S GUIDE TO THE MCGOWAN BOYS. She also writes teen fiction under the name Kieran Scott. ...more