Shadow Hills (Shadow Hills, #1) in Once Upon a Twilight blog

Jul 01, 2010 Raquel Vega-Grieder rated it it was amazing

Review Of Shadow Hills By Anastasia Hopcus

Title: Shadow Hills
Author: Anastasia Hopcus
Pages: 400
Publisher: Egmont
Publication Date: July 13, 2010
Source: Amazon ( http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Hills-An... ) (also link to BUY THIS BOOK)

Blurb:
After her sister Athena's tragic death, it's obvious that grief-stricken Persephone "Phe" Archer no longer belongs in Los Angeles. Hoping to make sense of her sister's sudden demise and the cryptic dreams following it, Phe abandons her bubbly LA life to attend a Review Of Shadow Hills By Anastasia Hopcus

Title: Shadow Hills
Author: Anastasia Hopcus
Pages: 400
Publisher: Egmont
Publication Date: July 13, 2010
Source: Amazon ( http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Hills-An... ) (also link to BUY THIS BOOK)

Blurb:
After her sister Athena's tragic death, it's obvious that grief-stricken Persephone "Phe" Archer no longer belongs in Los Angeles. Hoping to make sense of her sister's sudden demise and the cryptic dreams following it, Phe abandons her bubbly LA life to attend an uptight East Coast preparatory school in Shadow Hills, MA -- a school which her sister mysteriously mentioned in her last diary entry before she died.

Once there, Phe quickly realizes that something is deeply amiss in her new town. Not only does Shadow Hills' history boast an unexplained epidemic that decimated hundreds of its citizens in the 1700s, but its modern townies also seem eerily psychic, with the bizarre ability to bend metal. Even Zach -- the gorgeous stranger Phe meets and immediately begins to lust after -- seems as if he is hiding something serious. Phe is determined to get to the bottom of it. The longer she stays there, the more she suspects that her sister's untimely death and her own destiny are intricately linked to those who reside in Shadow Hills.

OMG, I was hooked from the first page. For a debut novel Anastasia writes herself a wonderful story. I love the character of Persephone "Phe" Archer (Phe is pronounced like Fee). She is one of those character's that you wish you had as a friend. Her love interest Zach is a guy you would want to date yourself. They have this instant chemistry that is just undeniable. The supporting character's of Graham, Adriana, Toy, and Brody are the perfect contrast to Zach and Phe. They compliment as well as make you want to know their behind the scenes stories. the characters Trent and Corinne are what you would consider to be the mean boy/girl. They really are characters you love to hate and give a b*tch to. I fell so hard for Zach and Phe's plight that I felt I had a vested interest in what happened to them. This was a great roller coaster ride of intrigue and who done it. I loved the whole us vs them aspect as well. It was basically Zach and Phe against the town of Shadow Hills or more accurately the council of Shadow Hill. If you love a good what is up with the town story as well as a who did it mystery than Shadow Hills is the book for you. It has a little Greek God and Goddess' history intertwined with good strong story telling. I really could not put this book down. I am praying there is going to be another book to make this a series. On a scale of 1-10 I give it a 20. Yes, I know it is off the scale but it is that good. Anastasia is the second debut novelist that I have fallen in love with. Her and Alice Clayton have such an amazing talent when it comes to story telling that I can't wait to read more from them. Anastasia is simply a fantastic author that everyone should be looking out for in the future. EVERYONE NEEDS TO PICK UP A COPY OF SHADOW HILLS. YOU WILL NOT BE SORRY.

Link:
http://www.anastasiahopcus.com/Shadow... ...more

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Jun 14, 2010 Once rated it really liked it

Here is my review on my blog. I gave the book actually 4.5 stars.

This book from the moment I started reading it, I was captivated by it. Every time I thought I would reach a point in the book where I could close it and take a break, it just got better. I ended up reading it in 2 nights only. What a gripping tale Hopcus wrote.

I seriously hope that it becomes a series. there is so much more to learn about Shadow Hills. The way Ms. Hopcus writes does not let you put the book down. You will Enjoy ...more

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Apr 05, 2010 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it it was amazing

Phe is changing. After her sisters death, Phe has been having strange dreams. Her dreams so vivid barely letting her sleep. She goes through her sister's things finding a name of a school she decides to go to in order to find some answers over her sisters death.

Phe arrived at Shadow Hills ready to look for answers, but she was not prepared for what she find. Phe meets Zach a handsome young boy who finds herself drawn to and can't keep away from. As they run into each other time and time again, ...more

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May 01, 2010 Lillie rated it liked it

Shelves: reviewed-for-blog, borrowed, arc-galley, for-review, received-for-promotion, review-copy, paperback, ya, egmontusa, arc-tour

Review
Bad dreams have haunted Phe Archer since her sister's death, and she feels compelled to find the school her sister spoke about before the "accident". Once she arrives at Devenish Prep School, Phe finds even more mystery, and no new answers. An epedemic swept through the school and town two centuries ago, and now some of those people are different.

The mysterious guy that Phe meets, Zach, may be one of those people. But, he may also be one of the few people that could help her... and protect ...more

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Sep 03, 2010 Jenna rated it liked it

Shelves: reviewed, books-read-in-2010, arc-or-blog-tours

In Shadow Hills, Anastasia Hopcus has written an intriguing novel full of mystery and romance with a dash of science thrown in.

Shadow Hills, is a great departure from the werewolves, vampires and angels that have been so prevalent in the recent releases occupying the YA section of bookstores and libraries. Hopcus' unique concept of a genetic mutation, a town shrouded in mystery, and a young girl searching for answers about her deceased sister, all combine to make an engaging and hard to put dow In Shadow Hills, Anastasia Hopcus has written an intriguing novel full of mystery and romance with a dash of science thrown in.

Shadow Hills, is a great departure from the werewolves, vampires and angels that have been so prevalent in the recent releases occupying the YA section of bookstores and libraries. Hopcus' unique concept of a genetic mutation, a town shrouded in mystery, and a young girl searching for answers about her deceased sister, all combine to make an engaging and hard to put down debut novel.

What I liked most about Shadow Hills was how Hopcus incorporated music into the story. Music is a big influence in my personal life and Hopcus' use of it made me feel more connected to the book. The individual musical tastes of her characters help me to have more insight into their personality. I must admit, I did have to look up a few of the artists/bands mentioned because I wasn't familiar with them, but I also found some new tunes to add to my personal library. Having the musical connection made it easier to lose myself in the world of Shadow Hills and to personally connect with the characters.

The one aspect of the book I found a little unrealistic was how fast the relationship between Zach and Phe grew. I personally felt it was a little to fast. It seemed as if she barely knew Zach and all of a sudden they're all hot and heavy. I would have liked to see more development of a friendship before it went straight to romance. Also, Phe seemed to take Zach's condition pretty easily. I think I would have been a little more cautious and not jumped into a relationship with someone who had a genetic mutation that caused all sorts of unusual "gifts."

I liked Shadow Hills. The incorporation of a unique paranormal romance makes it a standout in YA fiction. This debut novel is refreshing and engages readers into the mystery of the town of Shadow Hills and it's residents. I am looking forward to the next book in the series and am interested in seeing how Hopcus continues Phe and Zach's story. ...more

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