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silkcaramel's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
heather_foster's review against another edition
3.0
This book is hard for me to review. I almost gave up on it twice but decided to push through. It is VERY slow and for a while I thought the entire book was going to be about her day to day school life. I didn't get interested in the book until around page 100. I really did like a lot of the characters though, and their interactions with each other. The main character went back and forth for me. Sometimes she annoyed the crap out of me and other times I liked her. Nothing exciting happens until near the end of the story. This book is something you are going to have to commit to if you want to read it. I can see a lot of people not finishing it because of the slow pace it has. Overall it was enjoyable after somewhere around page 100.
raeanne's review against another edition
I read it for free on RivetedLit.com. Ugh. Why?
violetruby13's review against another edition
2.0
*2.5 stars.
I'm honestly quite disappointed in this book, I was so excited to come across a book that was set in Michigan (since, if a lot of them do exist, I somehow never come across them.) And I didn't expect it constantly to be all about Michigan or I'd find a different book, but the actual plot for this book, I really did not like and I can't really go into it without spoiling stuff. After a good bit of thought, I will not be continuing this series.
I'm honestly quite disappointed in this book, I was so excited to come across a book that was set in Michigan (since, if a lot of them do exist, I somehow never come across them.) And I didn't expect it constantly to be all about Michigan or I'd find a different book, but the actual plot for this book, I really did not like and I can't really go into it without spoiling stuff. After a good bit of thought, I will not be continuing this series.
anacarter's review against another edition
4.0
Full Review on my blog!
Though this novel does begin a little slow, and drags a bit in the beginning, it ends with one hell of a surprise and bang. The characters are amazing and seem all to real.
Kaira sends herself to an art academy due to some supernatural events that happened during her freshman year of high school. Kaira is about to graduate and all the seniors are finishing up their art thesis'. The night before the first two thesis' are due a student commits suicide. Kaira and her friends are shocked by the student's death and Kaira realizes there's more to what happened. A battle between the gods has started and several of the students are instrumental to the gods war.
This book will keep you flipping pages long into the night and the big reveal does not disappoint! You'll never look at crows the same way again. I can't wait to read book two!
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Though this novel does begin a little slow, and drags a bit in the beginning, it ends with one hell of a surprise and bang. The characters are amazing and seem all to real.
Kaira sends herself to an art academy due to some supernatural events that happened during her freshman year of high school. Kaira is about to graduate and all the seniors are finishing up their art thesis'. The night before the first two thesis' are due a student commits suicide. Kaira and her friends are shocked by the student's death and Kaira realizes there's more to what happened. A battle between the gods has started and several of the students are instrumental to the gods war.
This book will keep you flipping pages long into the night and the big reveal does not disappoint! You'll never look at crows the same way again. I can't wait to read book two!
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Facebook
beautynherbooks's review
5.0
**4.5/5 Stars
Review:
I received this book from Simon & Schuster publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Boarding school book! First boarding school books because 1.I have always wanted to go to one and 2. I just think it would be so preppy and cute with all the uniforms.
Kaira is in her senior year of high school at Islington Arts Academy. She came to Islington to escape her traumatic past. But then strange things start happening and Kaira knows that the past is coming back to haunt her.
Slowly, throughout the majority of the book, we get small tidbits of what happened in Kaira’s past. Oh man, when we get those explanations suddenly things are looking way more interesting.
I also loved that when Kaira was thinking about or talking about the occult or the gods that she was suddenly someone smarter, more serious, and more mature. I enjoyed seeing both of these sides of her.
One thing I didn't enjoy as much was how slow it started off. Also, it is not common for high school students (me being one of them) to sit around a lunch table and not talk or gossip about what is going on around school that day.
Overall, this is definitely a series that I will continue to read.
-Read On Darlings!
Review:
I received this book from Simon & Schuster publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Boarding school book! First boarding school books because 1.I have always wanted to go to one and 2. I just think it would be so preppy and cute with all the uniforms.
Kaira is in her senior year of high school at Islington Arts Academy. She came to Islington to escape her traumatic past. But then strange things start happening and Kaira knows that the past is coming back to haunt her.
Slowly, throughout the majority of the book, we get small tidbits of what happened in Kaira’s past. Oh man, when we get those explanations suddenly things are looking way more interesting.
I also loved that when Kaira was thinking about or talking about the occult or the gods that she was suddenly someone smarter, more serious, and more mature. I enjoyed seeing both of these sides of her.
One thing I didn't enjoy as much was how slow it started off. Also, it is not common for high school students (me being one of them) to sit around a lunch table and not talk or gossip about what is going on around school that day.
Overall, this is definitely a series that I will continue to read.
-Read On Darlings!
tink0158's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Letting yall know now, major cliffhanger at the end! very good read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Gaslighting, Suicide, and Self harm
lellowlel's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
katdowney's review
4.0
Cover: 4
Characters: 4
Writing: 4
Plot: 5
Swoon: 3
Overall: 4
The 411: I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher. This does not influence my review in any way.
Boarding school book! I’ll be the first to admit that these can easily be a flop…luckily that wasn’t the case for Shades of Darkness.
Kaira is in her senior year of high school at Islington Arts Academy. She came to Islington to escape her traumatic past. But then strange things start happening and Kaira knows that the past is coming back to haunt her.
Slowly, throughout the majority of the book, we get small tidbits of what happened in Kaira’s past. Oh man, when we get those explanations suddenly things are looking way more interesting.
What We Loved: The limitless friendships! I loved the relationships between Kaira and her closest friends at the school. Another thing that I really loved, which some may feel the opposite of, was Kaira’s fickleness when it came to her feelings for her love interest. She is a teenage girl after all, so I found it very believable; even more so after taking into consideration all that happened to her in her past.
I also loved that when Kaira was thinking about or talking about the occult or the gods that she was suddenly someone smarter, more serious, and more mature. I enjoyed seeing both of these sides of her.
This is definitely a series that I will continue to read.
Um…Not So Much: There were a few instances were conversations were stilted and I feel like it would have made more sense for them to talk it out. I don’t think high school students, that are friends, would sit around a lunch table and not talk constantly. Other than that, I really enjoyed the book.
Shades of Darkness is the first book in a promising new saga.
Characters: 4
Writing: 4
Plot: 5
Swoon: 3
Overall: 4
The 411: I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher. This does not influence my review in any way.
Boarding school book! I’ll be the first to admit that these can easily be a flop…luckily that wasn’t the case for Shades of Darkness.
Kaira is in her senior year of high school at Islington Arts Academy. She came to Islington to escape her traumatic past. But then strange things start happening and Kaira knows that the past is coming back to haunt her.
Slowly, throughout the majority of the book, we get small tidbits of what happened in Kaira’s past. Oh man, when we get those explanations suddenly things are looking way more interesting.
What We Loved: The limitless friendships! I loved the relationships between Kaira and her closest friends at the school. Another thing that I really loved, which some may feel the opposite of, was Kaira’s fickleness when it came to her feelings for her love interest. She is a teenage girl after all, so I found it very believable; even more so after taking into consideration all that happened to her in her past.
I also loved that when Kaira was thinking about or talking about the occult or the gods that she was suddenly someone smarter, more serious, and more mature. I enjoyed seeing both of these sides of her.
This is definitely a series that I will continue to read.
Um…Not So Much: There were a few instances were conversations were stilted and I feel like it would have made more sense for them to talk it out. I don’t think high school students, that are friends, would sit around a lunch table and not talk constantly. Other than that, I really enjoyed the book.
Shades of Darkness is the first book in a promising new saga.
a_h_haga's review against another edition
2.0
So this book was a complete coverbuy for me. It reminded me of Jessica Jones, and I loved that series.
I had no idea what this book was about when I started reading it. I only knew it was a YA.
''Shades of Darkness'' is about Kaira, a girl that sent herself of to an art boarding school to escape something that happened in her hometown.
Her mother is the priestess in the local coven, and Kaira has dabbeled in the occult before.
She doesn't want anything to do with magic now, though, and is trying weary hard to be normal and hide her secrets.
When I started reading this book, and realised it had occult stuff in it, I was extatic.
I love magic, and especially the tarot/profecy/homemade teas and candles/crystals kind.
But this wasn't enought to save this book.
The occult-aspect soon was lost, seeming like it was just thrown in at the beginning of the story to entrance people like me.
And while we're talking about the beginning. This book was so slow! The first 100 pages or so was about Kaira, teen angst at her school, nerves around her theses, funny comments that seemed like she was trying to hard.
Early in the book, we also learned that she has a big secret, something that has to do with the occult and her ex. But the author just kept throwing out the same tip again and again, until I didn't really want to know what happened anymore, because I was so sick of not ever getting to know anything!
Also, the backstory of every character we got a backstory from, really anoyed me.
The way the author did this, it seemed like every artist - be they writers, painters, actors or what ever - had to have a tragic upbringing. Having lost a sibling, their parents were divorced, or having tried to kill themselves.
It just ticked me off big time!
So yeah, this was a YA book that tried hard to be mysterious, and ended up faceplanting. Hard.
I had no idea what this book was about when I started reading it. I only knew it was a YA.
''Shades of Darkness'' is about Kaira, a girl that sent herself of to an art boarding school to escape something that happened in her hometown.
Her mother is the priestess in the local coven, and Kaira has dabbeled in the occult before.
She doesn't want anything to do with magic now, though, and is trying weary hard to be normal and hide her secrets.
When I started reading this book, and realised it had occult stuff in it, I was extatic.
I love magic, and especially the tarot/profecy/homemade teas and candles/crystals kind.
But this wasn't enought to save this book.
The occult-aspect soon was lost, seeming like it was just thrown in at the beginning of the story to entrance people like me.
And while we're talking about the beginning. This book was so slow! The first 100 pages or so was about Kaira, teen angst at her school, nerves around her theses, funny comments that seemed like she was trying to hard.
Early in the book, we also learned that she has a big secret, something that has to do with the occult and her ex. But the author just kept throwing out the same tip again and again, until I didn't really want to know what happened anymore, because I was so sick of not ever getting to know anything!
Also, the backstory of every character we got a backstory from, really anoyed me.
The way the author did this, it seemed like every artist - be they writers, painters, actors or what ever - had to have a tragic upbringing. Having lost a sibling, their parents were divorced, or having tried to kill themselves.
It just ticked me off big time!
So yeah, this was a YA book that tried hard to be mysterious, and ended up faceplanting. Hard.