Shadows

By Paula Weston

It's almost a year since Gaby Winters watched her twin brother die. In the sunshine of a new town her body has healed, but her grief is raw and constant. It doesn't help that every night in her dreams she fights and kills hell-beasts. And then Rafa comes to town. Not only does he look exactly like the guy who's been appearing in Gaby's dreams, he tells her things about her brother and her life that cannot be true, things that are dangerous. Who is Rafa? Who are the Rephaim? And who is Gaby? The truth lies in the shadows of her nightmares.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Sep 10, 2013
• ISBN: 9781770495494

Reviews for Shadows

[alcarinqa_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was recommended to me by Mandee at veganYAnerds, who said "It's your kind of book". She was absolutely correct. I loved everything about Shadows, from its setting (Australia) and wonderful world building in which the angel mythology makes sense, to the characters, who are all well-rounded and interesting, and the plot, which is gripping and a lot of fun to read. I ripped through this book and read it until 3 am! I especially enjoyed reading Australian YA fantasy since I am more used to reading Aussie contemporary stories.Paula Weston brings all her otherworldly creatures to life vividly and I remember being pretty freaked out by the hell-hounds and demons she describes. While there was nothing clichéd about her world it did have some familiar elements that ensured that I wasn't completely lost the moment I was introduced to the paranormal aspect of the story. It's no secret that I love angel books, but I usually find that the mythology is either built on shaky ground or convoluted and difficult to keep track of. In Shadows the mythology is simple, with the reader only having to really keep track of four different types of angels/demons, and the relationships between them are clearly explained and consistent. I love the idea of the Rephaim and can't wait to learn more about their origins.One of the main things I enjoyed about Shadows is that it follows slighter older characters (18 - 20), so everything about them is that much more mature about them. I loved Gaby for many reasons, primarily because she is not a helpless damsel that always has to wait for someone to rescue her, but neither is she instantaneously great at everything she tries with her new angelic buddies. She is a realistic character and deals with the changes in her life with fears and motivations that I empathised with easily. Although I didn't agree with Gaby at times, in the end I understand she was placed in a desperate situation and made the best decisions she could. I also really enjoyed the romance aspect of the story. Gaby's interactions with Rafa do not take over the compelling plot but augment it well, and again I found that her reactions were realistic. Rafa is an amazing character who starts off as the typical hot, mysterious and dangerous paranormal love interest but quickly develops into a conflicted and complicated character. I hope that he will continue to feature heavily in the series.Many people may not have heard of Shadows, but I am glad it was recommended to me and believe that many of my readers will enjoy it immensely. It takes all that is wonderful about the YA genre and projects them into New Adult, and I urge you to go out and read it!You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic.

[sasham-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A great quick read urban fantasy by an Australian author. there were a couple of times the explanations of character motivations / history had a few holes but overall a well paced read and I'm looking forward to the next one

[punkfarie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My Rating – 4 Stars*I received copy a of this novel free from LibraryThing on behalf of Textbook Publishing*I requested this book at the insistence of my a twitter friend; she assured me that I would love it, and you know what? She’s right.Gaby has been existing, not really living, for the past year. She witnessed her twin brother dying in a very horrific car accident the year before. She barely made it out of the accident alive and lives every day with the guilt being the surviving twin and the grief of losing her brother.Her memory of life before the accident is fuzzy and she has some pretty scary ass nightmares every night that center around fighting monsters and a sexy man she named Matt. Though she doesn’t ever talk about the accident, she has a wonderful and understanding friend in her roommate, Maggie. Her life in Pan Beach, Australia is laid back and exactly what she needs right now.Gaby decides to enter a writing contest on a website with a thousand dollar prize and she uses her disturbing dreams as a plot for a story. Shortly after posting the story online, the man from her dreams appears in the bar she frequents. Only his name is not Matt, it’s Rafa and he claims to be her brother’s best friend. He also calls her Gabe and wonders how Gaby is still alive when he assumed she was dead like her brother.She has no memory of this supposed best friend of her brothers but she feels like she knows him (I mean, she does dream about him every night) and he’s got the pictures to back up his story. So who is this super handsome stranger that talks to her like he knows her but calls her the wrong name?After a random public make-out session with this Rafa person, and a sudden violent attack by people called the Rephaim that claim Gaby is lying about not remembering her life before the accident Gaby begins questioning who she really is. This is where Rafa should come in a explain things but the story comes out in bits and pieces (which actually kind of annoyed me. Gaby would get into trouble or do/say something and Rafa would be like “oh yea you need to know this blah blah blah”)Someone (thing? Things?) has gone to great trouble to make Gaby forget that she used to be a badass.This book is pretty much nonstop action, which I loved. I didn’t trust a damn person in this book; everyone seems to have their own agenda. Daniel, a leader of the Rephaim is just a dick, and not a fun cocky kind of a dick like Rafa. He’s just an a-hole.I have a love/hate relationship with Rafa. He’s funny, good looking, and obviously cared a lot about Jude and Gabe. But he’s cocky as hell because he knows he’s funny and good looking and a damn good fighter and that annoyed me a bit. I don’t know, the good looking cocky guy just gets old sometimes, ya know? And his constant need to not reveal all the information to Gaby does get old.However Gaby, I really liked her. She’s mouthy and strong and independent and though there is some strong sexual tension between her and Rafa, the center of her thoughts are her brother and keeping her friends safe.The book was good. Interesting plot with a great main character and lots of action. And tons of questions yet to be answered!I recommend!You can read this review and more at Punk's House of Books and FicCentral

[jessica_h_96 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Shadows by Paula WestonWhen it comes to books, I seem to have a soft spot for books about half angels, or simply angels in general. I picked up Shadows by Paula Weston because I had received the third book of the series to review. When I first started reading the book, I did so begrudgingly. At that point, I was only reading it to read my review book. Boy was I unprepared for this book.It starts off kind of confusing. Gaby’s, the main characters, memories aren’t her real memories and when people from her past start showing up all hell seems to break loose, almost literally. The first person we meet from her past is Rafe. She has no clue who he is but is interested in him when he brings up her deceased twin brother, Jude. As things progress, she meets other people from her past. All of them are shocked when they find her with no memory of them. And she is just trying to figure out where she fits in this other world, who she was before her memories were changed, and why had her memories been changed in the first place.As the book progresses, you struggle with who’s side you’re on, who you can trust, and what happened to cause Gaby to have these false memories. By the end of the book a bombshell is dropped that could rock Gaby’s world all over. Is her brother really dead? If he’s alive, does he think she’s dead? So many questions go unanswered in the first book of The Rephaim series that it will have you reaching for the next book. Overall this book was great. It took me a while to adjust to some of the wording due to the fact that the author is from Australia. Such as the word arse being used instead of ass. Once I got used to a few wording changes, I loved it. This book started a love for a whole new set of characters that I did not set out to love. The Rephaim series has a total of four books and have all been released in the US as of June of this year. I’d give it a 4.8/5 and would recommend it to anyone who has a love for half angels.

[cinachilders · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

When beginning to read Shadows I mentally judged this book in-between two and three stars. Two because I didn’t like Gaby’s potty mouth and because of Rafa’s brooding attitude/withholding important information from Gaby. I love, love, love anything to do with angels and demons. I’m still looking for an angel book that I can adore more than anything, but Shadows wasn’t it. However, I still was able to enjoy the story once it picked up towards the end.I have to point out that Shadows did one thing right. The characters were all flawed and possessed good and bad qualities. They all had their own motives for what they were doing and I understood why they were doing the things they did, despite how violently these methods were. I did not love or hate any of them. There is very little romance between Gaby and Jude, amazingly, but tension of that sort is present. I would rather they not become a couple, but that’s just me. I did dislike how conveniently Rafa leaves Gaby in the dark about nearly everything. Just tell her all the things! I hate when characters withhold information, it would save time and energy when they know about freaky things before it happens.At the end of Shadows, many big questions are still unanswered. It’s not too cliffhangy, but reading the next book will be totally necessary. I want to see more demons, they made an appearance only once I believe, and more of the other half-angels without them fighting each other. And I hope some more hows and whys are answered in the next book, instead of avoided for the sake of the third book.

[4everfanatical · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Meh.


This book was OK. The writing was a bit too "young adult" for me.

[kr15tina · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

fast paced, intriguing book and I can't wait to start the next one. the ending left me wanting more, wanting more of these characters, more story, more action, more complicated history. another angel story that has its own twist and new angle. the characters are all interesting especially how Gaby is now a whole different type of person then she was before the accident and to see how everyone views who she use to be to now is interesting and very entertaining. I can't wait to read how this story unravels and plays out.

[readsoverneeds · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was surprisingly good! From the synopsis, I thought it'd be fairly cliche. You know, girl is in car accident. Car accident kills family member/friend. And then she spends her every waking moment moaning and groaning about the unfairness of it all and pushing everyone away. AND SUDDENLY...a boy--who is unbelievably attractive, of course--swoops into her life and fixes everything and they live happily ever after. Go on, tell me that that's not how nearly EVERY story goes these days. Fortunately, this was not that story. I was impressed with how it quickly picked up from it's slow start and completely engaged me. It's one of those books that you never want to put down, and for all the right reasons. Badass characters. An intriguing mystery. Intricate, masterful worldbuilding. Smexual tension galore! (Yes, I meant smexual). And a hero to swoon over. Gaby's one of the most amusing, engaging and interesting heroines I've read in a while. She actually had a brain, guys! Halle-freaking, lujah. She perfectly balanced her grief with her sense of self, even though she didn't fully understand who she was. And Rafa. Gorgeous, hilarious Rafa. He exceeded all of my expectations. Usually, I have to brace myself when it comes to the males in this particular YA genre. Brace myself for the inevitable douchebags that try to come off as redeemable in the end but sort of just make me want to facepalm. I didn't really have that issue with Rafa. He was a smartass, but not a dick. Badass, but not unbearably arrogant. Really, this book seemed to be set up for hundreds of cliches. But it avoided them all and turned out fabulous. Easily a 5-star-er.

[millett23 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really loved this book. Not only is the cover beautiful, but the story was very interesting. I have read the city series and I would compare this book to them. Maybe not as detailed, but the story is just starting. I like the characters and I liked the story so far. I can't wait for the next book to come out so I can continue reading about Gaby.

[platsdevil · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This book was very disappointing for me, it had such a great summary and though you aren't supposed to judge a book by its cover, I did and I loved the cover. But the whole story is very plain and it never really has that moment where it fully caught my attention.

[queentaco · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book had a verry stereotypical plot, and I could easily guess what was going to happen next. A somewhat bipolar main character as well.But the writing was easy to read and understand.

[pierced_phoenix · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. It is the first installment of "The Rephaim" trilogy. Part "Angels and Demons", part "Mortal Instruments". If you love the concept of fallen angels and nephilim this is definitely a must-read. The story follows Gabby (Or "Gabe") who has lost her brother a year ago in a car accident in which she herself barely survived. Ever since, she has terrible nightmares of mythical creatures and beasts. When one of the boys from her nightmares shows up in real life, Everything she thought she knew, may be completely false.

[cindyxiii · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Last year, 18-year-old Gaby was in a car accident with her twin brother, Jude. She survived, he did not. She has now moved to Pan Beach where she is rooming with her friend Maggie. Things are okay. Until a stranger shows up claiming he knew Jude. It wouldn't be so surprising if he wasn't the stranger from Gaby's dreams. The one she fights demons alongside with.And things are about to get stranger and stranger.I enjoyed reading Shadows. It was funny and there were revelations here and there that kept me reading. It was entertaining.That's not to say it was perfect, though. The drinking kind of threw me off since the characters weren't 21, but I'm assuming the laws in the country in which they live are different than my own.I managed to overlook that because I thought the whole "shifting" thing really cool.And as I mentioned before, the revelations kept me interested. The revelations were, for me, the best part of the book. Don't go into this book expecting to relive Angelfall. If you want to relive Angelfall, I suggest re-reading Angelfall.Leave all your thoughts on Angelfall at the door and begin reading this with a clean slate.If you start comparing it right off the bat, you won't enjoy this.The only similarity is that they both contain angels.I will read the next book in this series. I'm curious as to what they'll uncover next. And I want to see Gaby in action.

[darkang3l_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

From the start, I had been captivated into the world of Angels, Rephaim, and demons. Paula Weston did an extraordinary job when she created this book. The characters were all well developed and intriguing. I especially liked Rafa. He is definitely a fun and enticing character to read about.I found myself being drawn in from the very beginning and the pace was perfect. The mystery of Gabe's life unfolded perfectly, even though there is still so much to be discovered, I didn't find the story lacking in details. I still can't wait to uncover the rest of Gabe's story and what had happened when her memories had been modified, and I am looking forward to the next part of the story.The only real thing that bothered me with the book was how the conversations throughout the whole book were written in only ' instead of ". This threw me off a bit since i was not used to it, and it distracted me slightly from the book. That is why I gave the book four stars instead of five.

[mariah7_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was full of wit and that's the main reason I continued to read. The main character, Gaby, was kind of annoying and whinny but that other characters were great. Rafa was so sarcastic and my favorite character. Jason, Ez, Micah, all the little characters added something different to the story. The romance was perfectly paced and felt real. I am not sure if I will pick up the second book. I feel like I would fall in love with Jude though....if they found him. All in all a great, fast read for me.

[meliarose · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed reading this book! It was a little predictable but entertaining none the less. It was a new twist on the fallen angels story, which was refreshing. The only complaint I had was that the main character Gaby/Gabe was a little whiny but most of the time I didn't mind her. The love interest plot line was catchy but didn't overpower the book. I look forward to reading the next book in the series!

[twistingthelens_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I been be bored out of mind with most angel books. There are very few that keep me interested and keep me intrigued. This is one of those few. Weston does not fall into the traps so many have when writing of angels. There is something dark and light at the same time within her writing, that kept me guessing and entertained throughout. The characters were perfectly penned, and I am looking forward to visiting them again soon!

[bethorne · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great pacing. Loved Gaby.

[emily1s · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Angels have been done. They’ve been redone. Beat down. Glorified. They’ve been ruined.Then, from the dark recess of the terrible angel books, come a few that deserve absolute recognition for being awesome. For me, those include Angelfall and most recently, Outcast. (Yeah, short list.)Obviously, for any book to be remarkable, they must have not only a well-built story, but also damn good characters. And I think this goes double for angel based books. Cause, like I’ve said, they’ve been done and must be reimagined each time. And with Angelfall and Outcast, they each have their own spark that separated them from the rest.The same can be said for Shadows. But Shadows has something those other two books don’t. The author is Australian. And from my experience, an Australian author has never let me down. (Seriously, what the fuck is in the water over there that sizzles with creativity?) And I knew that I had to have this book.And I’ll be damned if I wasn’t blown out of the water time and time again during my time reading this magnificent, kickass book.There isn’t a single thing I didn’t love about this book.The setting.The characters.The snarky one liners.The jam packed action scenes.The wit.Seriously. Everything hit the mark perfectly and I couldn’t have dreamed of something better.Gaby sticks to her guns even while trying to wrap her head around the new revelations in her life. Rafa. Oh dear. Doesn’t get much better than him, people.Daisy is by for one of my favorite characters that this book is littered with.Not once while reading could I guess what was going to happen next. It was a complete surprise every time, and drew a few gasps from me.Now, I have to wait for the next book. I’m not a very patient person, but all good things come to those who wait, right?