A Note:

6/2/13

I once told myself: IF I am accepted into grad school, this blog would no longer be updated. As it turns out, in April, I received news of my acceptance for the Fall 2013 semester, where I will attain a Master's degree of Science in Nutrition.

Running a blog, as many of you may already know, is a demanding side job once the excitement wears off. And once I fell out of the blogging community's loop (have you SEEN how many blogs there are now? Wow!), it was like the kiss of death. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't get into a blogging routine once this happened due to the disconnect I felt from the community.

So I took a break. I struggled with the loss and with missing my blog. And then I realized I didn't have to run Book Faery to still be a book reviewer; I could read my books and post reviews online. I'm still a book review blogger, just not in the traditional sense.

I'll still be online. You can chat with me on Twitter, where I'll be posting links to my reviews and talking books. I'll also be posting links to nutrition articles. And if you'd like to connect with me where I guarantee I will post reviews, just add me as a friend on Goodreads.

So that's all, folks! It's been a fun and amazing journey, and I thank you all for listening to my thoughts about books. I hope we all can keep in touch elsewhere :)

Tori

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Tori's Review: The Shadow Reader by Sandy Williams


Released: October 25, 2011
Paperback: 320 pages
Price: $7.99
Publisher: Penguin
Source: Publisher
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: McKenzie Lewis
Buy: Amazon

Add this book to your Goodreads shelf


There can only be one allegiance. It’s her time to choose.

Some humans can see the fae. McKenzie Lewis can track them, reading the shadows they leave behind. But some shadows lead to danger. Others lead to lies.

A Houston college student trying to finish her degree, McKenzie has been working for the fae king for years, tracking vicious rebels who would claim the Realm. Her job isn’t her only secret. For just as long, she’s been in love with Kyol, the king’s sword-master—and relationships between humans and fae are forbidden.

But any hope for a normal life is shattered when she’s captured by Aren, the fierce and uncompromising rebel leader. He teaches her the forbidden fae language and tells her dark truths about the Court, all to persuade her to turn against the king. Time is running out, and as the fight starts to claim human lives, McKenzie has no choice but to decide once and for all whom to trust and where she ultimately stands in the face of a cataclysmic civil war.


My Rating:
This book has received the Faerie of Honor rating (what's this?)

My Opinion:
Sandy Williams is a talented author with a wonderful imagination that I am both thankful for and envious of. She has taken an overused concept in YA literature (the love triangle) and has done something extraordinary with it in the adult genre.... And with a heroine who is in my age group, to boot!

I won't go into the details regarding the plot, but I will say that the driving force in this novel is the love triangle's conflicts. Some may find this to be obnoxious--particularly the jaded love triangle readers--but I think that most, like me, will appreciate that for once, the love triangle was done right.

I, for one, was just as torn about which hero I wanted to "win" as McKenzie was. Both men had their strengths and weaknesses, and they each summoned different reactions in our heroine that either made me swoon, or made me scowl (depending on the situation).

Each man was as realistic as a human being vying for the affections of someone they wanted to be with, and I never, at any point, believed that McKenzie was leading the guys on. I could feel that she was genuinely torn, and I appreciated the realistic element more than I could ever explain in words.

TSR is a unique story overflowing with rich world building, characters that get under your skin, and a plot that kept me glued from the first page all the way to the last. It is one of my absolute favorites that I have had the pleasure of reading in 2011, both in the adult genre, and out of all my favorite YAs. I highly recommend that all readers--whether you are an adult fiction junkie or a YA fan who adores love triangles done right--to check out Williams' story... You will not be disappointed.


Book Order:
1. The Shadow Reader

4 comments:

  1. I'll read it soon. I think I don't have read a negative review about this one, I'm glad it was a great read. I hope it'll be the same for me.

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  2. hehe, I'm totally one of those jaded love triangle gals because I've read soooo many lately that were sooo bad/forced. But I do love stories about faeries, and this one sounds different than other fae stories I've read, so I might have to check it out.


    Smiles!
    Lori

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  3. Hey Lori! I definitely think this is one love triangle you will appreciate--especially if you're anything like me when it comes to my intense dislike for them. Hope you enjoy!

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