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The Shadow Girls Saga #1
Shadowgirl
Áine lives in the light, but she is haunted by darkness, and when her fey powers blaze out of control, she escapes into the Shadowlands. But she cannot outrun her past. Fire fey and a rising darkness threaten the light, burning a path across the veil. Her fiery dreams come to life, and with the help of Hennessy, an uninhibited Irish girl, Áine dives into the flames to discover who she truly is. Her mother burned to keep her secret safe, and now Áine wields the deadly Eta. She must learn to fight in the shadows — or die in the flames. This is not a fairy tale.
164 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 11, 2015
8 people are currently reading
547 people want to read
About the author
Kate Ristau
22 books90 followersKate Ristau is an author and folklorist who writes young adult and middle grade fiction. In her ideal world, magic and myth combine to create memorable stories with unforgettable characters. Until she finds that world, she'll live in Portland, Oregon with her husband, her son, and her dog.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 12, 2015
A word about fairy tales. Shadowgirl isn’t a fairy tale. This book is about fairies, but as a folklorist, Kate Ristau recognizes that while pixies in Fantasia dance to classical music and make moon-filled dewdrops and frosty crystals, this image of the fair folk is a more modern interpretation. In earlier stories, fairies could make fire and move the earth and the trees. Fairies in this book, in other words, are powerful and frightening.
Ristau gets so much right with Shadowgirl. It’s a tale about a girl trying to solve the mystery of her mother’s murder, but it’s also a tale about a brewing war in the fairylands. The main character has the typical YA search for her identity, but the discovery and the journey are so extraordinary that neither is typical. Even the love triangle, such a stable trope in the literary world, gets an expert twirl so it lands on its head.
Ristau takes our mundane world—the book is set in modern Ireland—and makes it a place of darkness and mystery to Ainé, the protagonist who has lived her whole life in the land of the fairies and has never seen a shadow. She has dreams of her mother’s murder in the Shadowlands—that’s what fairies call our world—so she crosses in secret to find out once and for all what happened when she was taken as a child to live with the fairies.
Also, I’m pleased to say that Ristau’s plot swerved in directions that surprised me. I didn’t foresee the plot twists, I didn’t guess the ending, and I was lead merrily astray until the end. It was awesome. The last time that happened to me with a YA book was the first Harry Potter.
The only criticism I have is that I didn’t know that Shadowgirl is the beginning of a series. The book ends with a crossing back to Fairyland, but so much is unresolved. All of the promises of the book are answered, but there is much left for the next book. Naturally, the next book is not out yet, so readers will have the same sweet agony I have now: waiting for book two while savoring the memories of book one.
February 21, 2018
I received an advance review ebook from the publisher.
This book begins in a strange place. No, literally, with main character Áine (pronounced ON-ya) crossing from the world she knows into the mysterious and dangerous Shadowlands. I didn't know where I was or what was happening, but Ristau's writing is so assured that I could relax and enjoy the ride.
In a neat reversal on the usual fairy story, Áine comes from the Aetherlands, a place of magic and immortality where Oberon and Titania are real, and her crossing brings her into 21st century Ireland, the land of her long-ago birth. She's searching for answers about her parents and the traumatic events that led to her own disappearance from the human world. That part of the story is serious, sad, and scary. The mood is lightened by Hennessy, the human girl who attaches herself to Áine as sidekick, tour guide, friend, maybe more than friend. There's a lot of humor to be had in the person-from-another-world plot, but it's not overdone. The growing affection between the two girls is touching and real; they have chemistry, above and beyond their willingness to sacrifice for each other. This budding relationship is complicated by Áine's loyalty and fondness for her childhood friend Ciaran, who makes his own dramatic entrance into the story.
Ristau writes dialogue without explicit dialect, yet I could hear the Irish in it. That's a magic touch. She brings folklore to life in the experiences of a character who feels like a real person. Áine has magic, too, but it's not reliable and she has to work at it, which adds to the suspense. I was not ready for the (cliffhanger) end to this book and look forward to the next exciting episode.
This book begins in a strange place. No, literally, with main character Áine (pronounced ON-ya) crossing from the world she knows into the mysterious and dangerous Shadowlands. I didn't know where I was or what was happening, but Ristau's writing is so assured that I could relax and enjoy the ride.
In a neat reversal on the usual fairy story, Áine comes from the Aetherlands, a place of magic and immortality where Oberon and Titania are real, and her crossing brings her into 21st century Ireland, the land of her long-ago birth. She's searching for answers about her parents and the traumatic events that led to her own disappearance from the human world. That part of the story is serious, sad, and scary. The mood is lightened by Hennessy, the human girl who attaches herself to Áine as sidekick, tour guide, friend, maybe more than friend. There's a lot of humor to be had in the person-from-another-world plot, but it's not overdone. The growing affection between the two girls is touching and real; they have chemistry, above and beyond their willingness to sacrifice for each other. This budding relationship is complicated by Áine's loyalty and fondness for her childhood friend Ciaran, who makes his own dramatic entrance into the story.
Ristau writes dialogue without explicit dialect, yet I could hear the Irish in it. That's a magic touch. She brings folklore to life in the experiences of a character who feels like a real person. Áine has magic, too, but it's not reliable and she has to work at it, which adds to the suspense. I was not ready for the (cliffhanger) end to this book and look forward to the next exciting episode.
March 22, 2018
First off, I won my copy of Shadowgirl in a giveaway which I was extremely excited about so, thank you Kate Ristau!!!!
In Shadowgirl we are introduced to Áine, who lives in the Aetherlands with all the other fey. That is, until her power blazes out of control, quite literally and catches someone on fire. Feeling as if she is losing control she escapes to the Shadowlands where she hopes to put some distance between her and the blaze. Little does she know, she is being driven head first into the inferno.
I found this story riveting. A fey escaping into the Shadowlands (the human world) and trying to describe everything she was seeing. It was a whole new and exciting perspective that I found very enjoyable. There was enough detail throughout the story that you could very well see what was being described without it being tedious or overly taxing. Each character was unique with their own contrasting personalities, but yet their emotions remained relatable to the reader. Near death experiences, kick ass characters, nice scenery, what's not to enjoy?!
The only drawbacks I had with this book, were with the back story and the romance. The plot line was great, but I just felt like there were few gaps within the story and the characters pasts that left me a little confused or wanting to know more detail. Romance wise, Áine was more or less involved in a love triangle; I myself am not a fan of love triangles and feel they are extremely overrated and overused in many books these days. Other than that, the story was well written; worth the read.
In Shadowgirl we are introduced to Áine, who lives in the Aetherlands with all the other fey. That is, until her power blazes out of control, quite literally and catches someone on fire. Feeling as if she is losing control she escapes to the Shadowlands where she hopes to put some distance between her and the blaze. Little does she know, she is being driven head first into the inferno.
I found this story riveting. A fey escaping into the Shadowlands (the human world) and trying to describe everything she was seeing. It was a whole new and exciting perspective that I found very enjoyable. There was enough detail throughout the story that you could very well see what was being described without it being tedious or overly taxing. Each character was unique with their own contrasting personalities, but yet their emotions remained relatable to the reader. Near death experiences, kick ass characters, nice scenery, what's not to enjoy?!
The only drawbacks I had with this book, were with the back story and the romance. The plot line was great, but I just felt like there were few gaps within the story and the characters pasts that left me a little confused or wanting to know more detail. Romance wise, Áine was more or less involved in a love triangle; I myself am not a fan of love triangles and feel they are extremely overrated and overused in many books these days. Other than that, the story was well written; worth the read.
August 14, 2015
Reading a YA novel written by a Folklorist/university instructor is kind of like reading a Spec Ops book written by a Navy Seal. It's the little things that count(attention to detail), that give the tale substance and keeps the reader's disbelief well suspended. It also saves us from trudging through pages of info dumps and/or Harry-the-explainer sidebars. Kate Ristau does a fine job of grabbing us by the hand via Aine (pronounced Anya if you can live without knowing for a page or so)and takes off running--Come with me; I'll explain on the way. I love the inclusion of authentic language, that would be some of that attention to detail I mentioned. Better than that is the manner in which Ristau makes sure few will get left behind with simple, practical coaching on the finer points of Fey custom and culture. Completely caught up in the pace of the opening, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself in a murder mystery/political thriller/urban fantasy/ambiguous relationship twixt two hot girls(?). That pays off quickly as we meet Aine's first ally in our reality, what the Fey refer to as The Shadowlands. Her name is Hennessy; getting to know her is a freakin' blast. No spoilers here, I suggest you give it a good once over as there is a lot happening in these 155 pages and Ristau does a much better job of keeping the reader engaged than I could ever do in a text box online.
May 26, 2015
Shadowgirl won my heart -- and I am a picky reader! Today I carried the book all around the house and all over town because I just *had* to read it. :)
Kate Ristau has blended the world of faeries -- and yes, as all the other reviewers have mentioned, it's dark! -- with the modern world in a seamless way. Perhaps seamless is the wrong word; in fact, it's the seam between that two worlds that bonds the characters and creates interest. The two main characters, the faerie Aine and the human Hennessy both burst with personality and push the boundaries of their respective worlds.
As a folklorist, the author clearly knows her Irish tales! More interestingly, she pulls out bits of folklore that may be unfamiliar to many readers. The levels of detail in both the faerie world and modern-day Ireland make a fascinating, believable, and deep setting.
One last aspect of the book that struck me is that several of the main characters are bisexual, or perhaps curious. YA literature is doing a fantastic job of breaking away from heteronormativity. I appreciate seeing young LGBTQ characters in literature.
Highly recommended! And yes, I'll join the queue of fans eagerly awaiting the sequel. :)
Kate Ristau has blended the world of faeries -- and yes, as all the other reviewers have mentioned, it's dark! -- with the modern world in a seamless way. Perhaps seamless is the wrong word; in fact, it's the seam between that two worlds that bonds the characters and creates interest. The two main characters, the faerie Aine and the human Hennessy both burst with personality and push the boundaries of their respective worlds.
As a folklorist, the author clearly knows her Irish tales! More interestingly, she pulls out bits of folklore that may be unfamiliar to many readers. The levels of detail in both the faerie world and modern-day Ireland make a fascinating, believable, and deep setting.
One last aspect of the book that struck me is that several of the main characters are bisexual, or perhaps curious. YA literature is doing a fantastic job of breaking away from heteronormativity. I appreciate seeing young LGBTQ characters in literature.
Highly recommended! And yes, I'll join the queue of fans eagerly awaiting the sequel. :)
August 9, 2018
Once again I've stepped outside my Reading Box and read something totally different from what I normally read. I do enjoy reading coming of age stories but this one is headier, as you can tell from reading Charlie McNabb's review quoted above.
Kate Ristau writes with rich and descriptive words developing her characters with authenticity. Rather than use the standard setting of a human crossing into the world of the fey, the opposite crossing occurs in Shadow Girl. The protagonist, Àine, enters Earth, our world. Imagine seeing our culture and traditions through the eyes of the fey. Ristau makes it happen!
Ristau's readers travel to places of mystery and magic through the writer's imagination transferred to the pages of Shadow Girl. Just when you think you know what comes next...AHA! something else happens.
And this book ends with a cliffhanger, totally unexpected. Can't wait to step outside my Reader Box one more time to read what Shadow Girl does next.
My Recommendation: If you love fantasy, science fiction, and coming of age books, you are going to love the fast-paced action in Shadow Girl. Enough mystery to keep you turning the pages. Enough magic to keep your imagination working.
Kate Ristau writes with rich and descriptive words developing her characters with authenticity. Rather than use the standard setting of a human crossing into the world of the fey, the opposite crossing occurs in Shadow Girl. The protagonist, Àine, enters Earth, our world. Imagine seeing our culture and traditions through the eyes of the fey. Ristau makes it happen!
Ristau's readers travel to places of mystery and magic through the writer's imagination transferred to the pages of Shadow Girl. Just when you think you know what comes next...AHA! something else happens.
And this book ends with a cliffhanger, totally unexpected. Can't wait to step outside my Reader Box one more time to read what Shadow Girl does next.
My Recommendation: If you love fantasy, science fiction, and coming of age books, you are going to love the fast-paced action in Shadow Girl. Enough mystery to keep you turning the pages. Enough magic to keep your imagination working.
December 28, 2016
A fast-paced adventure with a fresh voice, which carried me swiftly along and kept me turning pages. We follow Aine, who has mainly grown up in the Aetherlands (the fairy world), as she returns to the scary realm of the Shadowlands (Earth as we know it) to find out what became of her family. I have a fondness for fae-meets-human stories, and this one has the extra perk of being set in Ireland. I've never been there, but I really, really want to go; thus the Irish scenery and lilt to the dialogue gave it special charm for me. And Aine's bewilderment with the modern world of cars and phones and electric lights made for several comedic moments in the midst of the dark and dangerous chase--always appreciated. And besides the goodness of folklore and danger and comedy, bonus points for LGBT-friendliness! Yay!
March 23, 2018
What a fun, fast read featuring one of my favorite book qualities: queer women!! Not only queer women, but bi/pan/poly women with canon interest in multiple genders!! AND queer women whose sexuality isn’t made a big deal of! It just is!
Besides the great queer representation, I really liked the fast-paced adventure that winds up to a thrilling end. The two main characters, Áine and Hennessy, the aforementioned queer women, had a really cool relationship that was nice to see grow. Hennessy was also just so much fun as a character.
I loved seeing the magic and the mythology unfold as well as the mystery of Áine’s past. I can’t wait for a sequel!
Besides the great queer representation, I really liked the fast-paced adventure that winds up to a thrilling end. The two main characters, Áine and Hennessy, the aforementioned queer women, had a really cool relationship that was nice to see grow. Hennessy was also just so much fun as a character.
I loved seeing the magic and the mythology unfold as well as the mystery of Áine’s past. I can’t wait for a sequel!
May 25, 2015
A great, fast-paced novel by Kate. I sat down to read a bit and ended up sitting around a couple hours until I'd finished it. A really lovely tale with a bit of darkness to it. I really enjoyed the book.
June 13, 2015
I often find myself disappointed when a book progresses just the way I expected. In this way, Shadowgirl was a joy to read. The twists and turns drew me in and held me. And Ristau kept me guessing - just the way I like it.
Aine's quest to discover the truth behind her mysterious past (and find herself, too) is a common YA theme. But Shadowgirl takes place in a world of faeries - parallel with Shadowlands (the world we know as humans). This Faireland is not a world of Tinkerbell (as I may have imagined). There are power struggles, violence, and secrets, too.
The beauty to me was that while the quest to find meaning and purpose is universal - there was darkness and magic and lore mixed right in. And this only added to the intrigue.
Looking forward to the next installment to pick up where we left off with Aine, Keva, Cerean and Hennessey.
Aine's quest to discover the truth behind her mysterious past (and find herself, too) is a common YA theme. But Shadowgirl takes place in a world of faeries - parallel with Shadowlands (the world we know as humans). This Faireland is not a world of Tinkerbell (as I may have imagined). There are power struggles, violence, and secrets, too.
The beauty to me was that while the quest to find meaning and purpose is universal - there was darkness and magic and lore mixed right in. And this only added to the intrigue.
Looking forward to the next installment to pick up where we left off with Aine, Keva, Cerean and Hennessey.
March 4, 2018
Beginning is great - don’t care too much for abrupt ending
I loved the beginning and the car scene.
5 stars for the beginning
2 stars for the ending
I loved both heroines. The had great chemistry.
Wish their relationship developed more.
Just really wished more of the plot line would’ve advanced.
Too many secrets. I also didn’t like the ending point.
Spoilers
Ciaran - I do not like his character at all. He is a controlling bully. Giving ultimatums - you can either be friends with Hennessy or me. If you choose her he basically becomes an enemy.
Her sister needs a few more scenes in this book for development etc.
I loved the beginning and the car scene.
5 stars for the beginning
2 stars for the ending
I loved both heroines. The had great chemistry.
Wish their relationship developed more.
Just really wished more of the plot line would’ve advanced.
Too many secrets. I also didn’t like the ending point.
Spoilers
Ciaran - I do not like his character at all. He is a controlling bully. Giving ultimatums - you can either be friends with Hennessy or me. If you choose her he basically becomes an enemy.
Her sister needs a few more scenes in this book for development etc.
June 26, 2015
I didn't get attached by this book. The story was coherent, it had a couple of "surprise" twists, but overall I kept wanting more, of the characters, of the dialogues, of the story, of the fairy world. The connections between our world and theirs were a little bit forced for me, the two main characters were well portraited as teens, I guess, but I didn't find them particularly special. The dark side of the fairy world and the ambiguous relationship between the two girls were the interesting and different or innovative elements for me.
March 23, 2018
All her life, Aine has struggled to find her place among the fey, but she's too human for many of them. She makes the dangerous crossing into the human world. There she searches for clues to her past that could unlock her future and finally bring her family back to her, but fey Guardians move against her. Lost and alone in the unfamiliar human world, Aine must rely on a human, something she's always been warned against. Aine learns that the things she's always believed about the fey, about humans, even about herself may be lies.
February 10, 2016
I was pleasantly surprised by this book, and how eagerly I looked forward to reading more each day. The complexity of the plot, and the richness of the characters drew me in immediately. There were a few spots where I was a bit confused, it was slightly muddled, but that was more than made up for in the quickly unfolding drama of the mystery. I was surprised and delighted all along the journey to the Shadowlands and back, and can't wait for more!
June 8, 2015
Cool magic with a strong foundation of folklore, but a bit muddled. Needed another rewrite to tighten it up and even out the pacing.
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August 3, 2015This is the debut novel written by the daughter of an English teacher at our middle school. It would appeal to high school girls who like stories about fey warriors.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews