Shadow Sight by E.J. Stevens

Shadow Sight
Written by E.J. Stevens

Reading Source: Author (ARC)
Series: Ivy Granger
Book #: 1
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Mild Paranormal Romance
Rating:



Ivy Granger is far from average. At a young age, she learned that through her touch she could learn about the person, or people, who have been in contact with that item. These aren't idle visions - these are visceral, bone wrenching visions. To outsiders, it would seem that her ability would be a gift. To Ivy, a life with the 'gift' of psychometry  has been torture. Being able to touch even the simplest item, like a pop-tart wrapper, has caused Ivy to isolate herself. She keeps few close to her, namely Jinx her best friend, and Kaye, a bad-ass warrior witch. In light of her 'gift,' Ivy and Jinx have gone into the Private Eye business.

Approached by the Kelpies to find something very dear to them, Ivy and her marry band of 'others,' are sucked into a major threat against the town of Harborsmouth. It is up to Ivy to find what the Kelpies treasure in order to save her community.

I loved reading this book. There was a lot of detail, but given that it is the first book in a series that can only be expected. With the amount of information that is provided, I can only assume that each book hereafter will be detailed and entertaining. It is difficult for me to go into any great detail about the plot itself without giving away key points. The foreshadowing throughout the book is wonderful. Too often I find myself wondering why I am reading a book at all, when I feel as if I am blind through the majority of the story. Not here. Ivy is a complex character who is still growing up. Because of her gift, she has sheltered herself - locked herself away from personal relationships and friendships. By the end of Shadow Sight, you get the feeling that the next book will be another point in Ivy's life where she will be pitted against her fears once again, and will  be all the stronger for it.

Between the 'creepies' and the dynamic between Ivy and Jinx, I couldn't have been more tickled, but then, at the end we are thrown for a loop - I can't wait to read the next book in the series and see what Ivy does with the strings that are daintily, and quite nicely left open.

I giant THANK YOU to E.J. Stevens for giving me another book with lots of monsters (both scary and cute) to run around in my imagination!

Death's Daughter by Amber Benson

Death's Daughter

Written by Amber Benson

Reading Source: Library
Series: Calliope Reaper-Jones
Book #: 1
Rating:



I was initially cautious to read this book. Amber Benson was an actress on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I know what you're thinking... "OMG - Is this chick not a Buffy Fan???!!!" Well it's not that I'm not a Buffy Fan (lot's of negatives in that one... sorry...), but I never got into the show. I was into sports and boys and reading books.... I've never really gotten into TV at all. So that being said... on to the good stuff.

I read this book a little bit ago, so it's not going to be very detail oriented.

Calliope Reaper-Jones is your average 20 something trying to live and work in New York City - once you take away the fact that she's Death's daughter. That's right - she's the Grim Reaper's daughter. Long (not too long - but entertaining) story short - Callie has put a forgetting spell on herself so that she can be normal. One bite out of a healthy muffin, and her Dad's assistant broke the charm. Her Dad has been kidnapped and now it is up to Callie to save Death, Inc from the Devil's protege, Daniel. Callie must become Death - to do so, she is in a race against Daniel to complete 3 tasks in order to get the powers of Death, and keep her family immortal, oh yeah - and she has to find out what happened to her father.

Overall, I thought this was a pretty entertaining story. It was a little "valley girl" at times and the romance was a little trite, and all together weird. It was an original concept and at times incredibly amusing. I enjoyed the secondary characters quite a bit, and found that a lot of the humor was contingent on them. I've since read the second book in the series, and intend on reading the third one. This story in particular I listened to on the way to work - that being said - I've heard some complaint on the number of italicized words, but since I did not "read" it, I cannot speak to it. I can say that I may not have enjoyed the book as much if I didn't get to hear it the way Ms. Benson intended the tone to be. She did a very good job on the narration.

Unicorns, Kelpies, and Trolls! Oh My!

Here is the most recent addition to My Journey Through Shadow Sight! Check out the rest of the Journey.

This is my thoughts and feelings at a little more than half way through Shadow Sight, by E.J. Stevens.

So I've really gotten into the meat of the story now. Basically, Ivy needs to save the day, like any good heroine does... and she's got a rag-tag team of friends to help her - A Motley Crew of Creepies and Not-So-Creepies-but-just-as-scaries if you will. Ivy's blessed/cursed with psychometry - which is awesome/awful - and she's charged/hired by the "good guys" to find the one person who can help fight back the baddies and save the day.

This book is chocked full of details and back story but it's always fast paced enough to make me sad to put down the book and do other things.... like eat/sleep/play with my puppy.... 

Ivy and Jinx's characters are what I love best so far. Their dynamic is awesome. They understand what each of them needs and is able to see that their friendship is vital to the other. With Ivy's gift being so sensitive to touch she's had a tough life and Jinx is the glue that patched the cracks of a tough childhood. Each time we get to glimpse into what Ivy sees when she uses her gift I have been enraptured. The detail of her visions are intense. The first time she learned of her gift she sees something awful and the emotion shared in that one scene brought me to tears. As did the next major psychometry scene. 

Shadow Sight has allowed me to see a world that I never could have imagined. Best of all, it's got the right blend of suspense, paranormal activity, and quirky humor that makes me want to read for hours.

I love Shakespeare (I'm taking an intense 8 week course on his major plays....) but I want to skip Othello and Hamlet and read more Shadow Sight!

"Pleasure and action make the hours seem short."

- William Shakespeare, by way of Iago, Othello Act 2 Scene 3

"Parting is such sweet sorrow" (William Shakespeare again... Romeo and Juliet Act 2 Scene 2)

-Dizzy Izzy the Griffin