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Shadows #1
Edge of Shadows
Orphaned at eight years old, Ellie developed an ability to help her navigate the cold, indifferent world where she found herself. Armed with the knowledge of a person’s true intentions, she learned it was safer to be alone. Then Jake Coulter slipped through her defenses by offering the promise of a normal, happy life. After narrowly escaping a dark truth that Jake hid from her, Ellie retreated from the world in an act of self-preservation.
Drawn out of her protective bubble when a friend insists on playing matchmaker, Ellie meets a handsome doctor. With some persistent coaxing, Ellie warms to the idea that she may have found a reason to let her guard down. She rediscovers her hope for an ordinary, yet extraordinary life.
Accepting a seemingly innocent favor, Ellie finds herself the caretaker of the Bradford mansion, an impressive home with its own mysterious past. Curious about a life that she could never have, she delves into the mansion’s history. Soon Ellie realizes that danger lurks in its empty rooms. When Jake resurfaces with premonitions of Ellie's death, Ellie's new life is turned upside down as a simple truth is revealed. Ellie’s life can never be normal because something old and evil has been searching for her for a long time. And now it has found her.
The complete Shadows trilogy:
Edge of Shadows (Shadows #1)
Shadows Deep (Shadows #2)
Veiled Shadows (Shadows #3)
Drawn out of her protective bubble when a friend insists on playing matchmaker, Ellie meets a handsome doctor. With some persistent coaxing, Ellie warms to the idea that she may have found a reason to let her guard down. She rediscovers her hope for an ordinary, yet extraordinary life.
Accepting a seemingly innocent favor, Ellie finds herself the caretaker of the Bradford mansion, an impressive home with its own mysterious past. Curious about a life that she could never have, she delves into the mansion’s history. Soon Ellie realizes that danger lurks in its empty rooms. When Jake resurfaces with premonitions of Ellie's death, Ellie's new life is turned upside down as a simple truth is revealed. Ellie’s life can never be normal because something old and evil has been searching for her for a long time. And now it has found her.
The complete Shadows trilogy:
Edge of Shadows (Shadows #1)
Shadows Deep (Shadows #2)
Veiled Shadows (Shadows #3)
276 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2011
642 people are currently reading
2,974 people want to read
About the author
Cege Smith
25books92followersEveryone loves a good origin tale. Cege's started when she was eight years old. She snuck out of bed late one night and into the living room to watch TV. Flipping through stations with the volume turned down low, she came across a rerun of a movie called The Exorcist. She was terrified yet mesmerized.
Cege wasn't unfamiliar with the idea of the battle between good and evil. She attended Catholic school in a small town in rural Wisconsin, and at the time knew the 'age appropriate' stories from the Bible. Nothing in those stories prepared her for the visual onslaught of watching the battle between the priests and the demon for the soul of the young Linda Blair. Cege was deeply disturbed by the movie, but nonetheless a seed was planted that night. That seed grew into a rampant fascination with all things supernatural.
Sleepovers turned into B-rated horror film marathons. Her library card was used to bring home piles of books about ghosts and vampires. She still isn't quite sure who she loved first, Stephen King or Freddy Krueger. By the time she was twelve, Cege took a turn at penning her own spooky tales. That love of things that go bump in the night and scare you to death has only grown stronger throughout the years.
The paranormal and supernatural take center stage in all of Cege's stories. Over the years, she has crafted her own origin stories about vampires (the Bloodtruth series), zombies (the Twisted Souls series), and ghosts, angels, and demons (the Shadows series). She's also taken on the folklore around the Fountain of Youth (the Immortal End series beginning with Ageless). There is something for every reader of the paranormal in Cege's books.
Cege wasn't unfamiliar with the idea of the battle between good and evil. She attended Catholic school in a small town in rural Wisconsin, and at the time knew the 'age appropriate' stories from the Bible. Nothing in those stories prepared her for the visual onslaught of watching the battle between the priests and the demon for the soul of the young Linda Blair. Cege was deeply disturbed by the movie, but nonetheless a seed was planted that night. That seed grew into a rampant fascination with all things supernatural.
Sleepovers turned into B-rated horror film marathons. Her library card was used to bring home piles of books about ghosts and vampires. She still isn't quite sure who she loved first, Stephen King or Freddy Krueger. By the time she was twelve, Cege took a turn at penning her own spooky tales. That love of things that go bump in the night and scare you to death has only grown stronger throughout the years.
The paranormal and supernatural take center stage in all of Cege's stories. Over the years, she has crafted her own origin stories about vampires (the Bloodtruth series), zombies (the Twisted Souls series), and ghosts, angels, and demons (the Shadows series). She's also taken on the folklore around the Fountain of Youth (the Immortal End series beginning with Ageless). There is something for every reader of the paranormal in Cege's books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
April 11, 2023
OMG!!! Why hadn't I read this before now??? A tragic childhood has left Ellie Coulter with a supernatural gift that tells her a person’s true intentions. Believe me we could all benefit sometimes from that gift! This time not even her "gift" to protect her. Not from a cheating husband with his own self-destructive secrets. After finding the strength to leave this "God's Gift to Every Woman", she retreats from the world to heal. A friend insists on playing matchmaker and eventually draws her back into the world. After some persistent coaxing, Ellie warms to the idea that she may have found a reason to let her walls down, and his name is Dr. David Mitchell. After her friend's dinner party ends on a sour note...Ellie unexpectedly finds herself the caretaker of the Bradford mansion, an old and impressive home that, like many old stately homes, has also been rumored to be haunted. Ellie is reluctant to believe in ghosts and is curious about the mansion's history. Soon Ellie and David find themselves entangled in events that happened well over a hundred years ago and led to the disappearance of the mansion's former owners. Unknown to them, there is someone hiding behind the scenes, pulling the strings to twist their destines and answer a dark calling of their own. The house itself seems to almost have a mind and a will of it's own and has been patiently waiting just for them. I, The Ghost Story Junkie", absolutely loved the book, and you probably will also if you are drawn to ghost stories or books with something creepy living in the basement or other parts of the house, waiting on its unsuspecting victims. I am so looking forward to the next two books in this series. Amazon Prime had better get a move on:)
February 8, 2024
Maybe I just didn’t connect with this one but I felt like there were some parts of it that just dragged a bit. I also found the main character to be annoying and kind of weak. The story started out good but as it went along it started to lose my interest. The end felt kind of rushed, and though I had some guesses about where it was going, I think there could have been some more clues about that. There was something at the end (avoiding spoilers) that wasn’t really hinted at and that seemed important but was given very little development. It was an ok read.
September 24, 2013
**This book was given to The Book Hookup but it did not affect the review**
Initial thoughts: Ellie, a local coffee shop owner, has just divorced Jake and is in a bit of a personal slump. Her friend and employee, Linda, throws a dinner party in her mansion on the lake in order to help Ellie get back into the social scene. The party ends on a very strange note with Linda and her male companion leaving town immediately. They then ask Ellie to house sit for them in what turns out to be an almost haunted house…this was the beginning of the mystery.
Setting: I could envision it all! A small town with a cute main street, which is exactly where I pictured Ellie’s coffee shop to be. I loved all the regulars that came into the shop, the whole place gave off a great vibe. I would absolutely want to stop in for my daily coffee if I lived there! Besides the coffee shop, I could totally see the mansion on the lake in my mind. Especially on the night of Linda’s dinner party � it sounded divine.
Characters: I liked Ellie and her love interest, David. I was definitely interested in seeing the romance bloom. I was hoping it would heat up a little more, but with Ellie a little skittish about relationships I could see why it would be slow going. I also loved Kevin, Ellie’s best friend and employee at the coffee shop. He seemed hilarious and I wish we could be friends in real life. Linda was an odd one from the beginning�.I wasn’t sure what to make of her.
Plot: I knew Linda’s house was creepy, it almost seemed haunted. Somehow this was the core of the mystery, although I wasn’t sure exactly what or who Ellie was up against.
Ending: I don’t know what happened. The first three quarters of the book were slower, and I found myself able to put the book down easily. However, all of a sudden there was a lot of very serious action and the ending was so rushed. For me, that made the story very uneven. I’m also not really sure what events transpired at the end. I understand who was evil, but it was not clear what happened to them, who they “worked for� or what type of deal was made. Why was Ellie even able to make a deal?
Overall: *warning-spoilerish* The story had potential, but I just don’t think it was executed as well as it could have been. I wasn’t sure of the plot to begin with, but instead of gaining clarity as I read, I had even more questions�.
Some of my questions: Who or what is The Third? The Third seemed to be a major entity, yet only had a brief appearance and mention. The introduction of Jenny seemed awkward, was there a bigger reason Jenny was included in the story? Did her child have abilities like Jake? Is that why she was interesting? Then, who was Jake? Why didn’t Ellie share with the reader all the strange things Jake had been doing while they had been married? Such as talking to himself, chanting, and blacking out windows? How did Joe Klein fit into this? He seemed so random. How were people’s minds seemingly erased and emotions swayed? Ellie’s dreams were interesting, but it wasn’t clear why she was having them. While we now knew more about David, who he was just didn’t sit well with me. I couldn’t believe they were so calm and accepting by the end. Those key details and answers were left out and I had no closure.
Would I rec this book? Eventually�..I think the story definitely has potential, it just needs some of the kinks worked out.
Initial thoughts: Ellie, a local coffee shop owner, has just divorced Jake and is in a bit of a personal slump. Her friend and employee, Linda, throws a dinner party in her mansion on the lake in order to help Ellie get back into the social scene. The party ends on a very strange note with Linda and her male companion leaving town immediately. They then ask Ellie to house sit for them in what turns out to be an almost haunted house…this was the beginning of the mystery.
Setting: I could envision it all! A small town with a cute main street, which is exactly where I pictured Ellie’s coffee shop to be. I loved all the regulars that came into the shop, the whole place gave off a great vibe. I would absolutely want to stop in for my daily coffee if I lived there! Besides the coffee shop, I could totally see the mansion on the lake in my mind. Especially on the night of Linda’s dinner party � it sounded divine.
Characters: I liked Ellie and her love interest, David. I was definitely interested in seeing the romance bloom. I was hoping it would heat up a little more, but with Ellie a little skittish about relationships I could see why it would be slow going. I also loved Kevin, Ellie’s best friend and employee at the coffee shop. He seemed hilarious and I wish we could be friends in real life. Linda was an odd one from the beginning�.I wasn’t sure what to make of her.
Plot: I knew Linda’s house was creepy, it almost seemed haunted. Somehow this was the core of the mystery, although I wasn’t sure exactly what or who Ellie was up against.
Ending: I don’t know what happened. The first three quarters of the book were slower, and I found myself able to put the book down easily. However, all of a sudden there was a lot of very serious action and the ending was so rushed. For me, that made the story very uneven. I’m also not really sure what events transpired at the end. I understand who was evil, but it was not clear what happened to them, who they “worked for� or what type of deal was made. Why was Ellie even able to make a deal?
Overall: *warning-spoilerish* The story had potential, but I just don’t think it was executed as well as it could have been. I wasn’t sure of the plot to begin with, but instead of gaining clarity as I read, I had even more questions�.
Some of my questions: Who or what is The Third? The Third seemed to be a major entity, yet only had a brief appearance and mention. The introduction of Jenny seemed awkward, was there a bigger reason Jenny was included in the story? Did her child have abilities like Jake? Is that why she was interesting? Then, who was Jake? Why didn’t Ellie share with the reader all the strange things Jake had been doing while they had been married? Such as talking to himself, chanting, and blacking out windows? How did Joe Klein fit into this? He seemed so random. How were people’s minds seemingly erased and emotions swayed? Ellie’s dreams were interesting, but it wasn’t clear why she was having them. While we now knew more about David, who he was just didn’t sit well with me. I couldn’t believe they were so calm and accepting by the end. Those key details and answers were left out and I had no closure.
Would I rec this book? Eventually�..I think the story definitely has potential, it just needs some of the kinks worked out.
December 28, 2014
What to say?
I'm really not crazy about this book, in fact I joked with a few of my friends about it 'feeling' like a Scooby Doo mystery OR if you'd prefer a soap opera with some paranormal thrown in. The author did a great job of foreshadowing and hinting at what was to come, so much so that by the time I reached the end it wasn't much of a surprise to me. I don't regret reading it I just wouldn't pick up the second book.
I'm really not crazy about this book, in fact I joked with a few of my friends about it 'feeling' like a Scooby Doo mystery OR if you'd prefer a soap opera with some paranormal thrown in. The author did a great job of foreshadowing and hinting at what was to come, so much so that by the time I reached the end it wasn't much of a surprise to me. I don't regret reading it I just wouldn't pick up the second book.
October 6, 2024
In the beginning, it felt as it might be a good, interesting book, but as I got closer to the end I was just getting more and more confused by the plot holes and I hated how the author in the end tried to spin the whole book as a supernatural. It felt rushed and not though through.
July 19, 2013
Book Info: Genre: Paranormal Suspense/Horror
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of dark fiction, horror, ghost stories
Trigger Warnings: domestic violence, stalking, murder
My Thoughts: This is my “scheduled� Random Read, as announced last month.
I lived in the Minneapolis area for about five and a half years, and the Uptown area—where most of this book is set—is indeed a very cool area. I always enjoyed going there to look around, shop, and just hang out. Downtown Minneapolis is mostly sterile, except for the main area where all the bars are, so I enjoyed having an interesting and vibrant part of the town to visit. I wish there had been more description of the area of the town beyond the very general one provided, but you can't have everything.
I was really bothered by how Ellie kept making excuses for Jake. Even she realized she was being ridiculous, but she kept doing it. That sort of thing makes me crazy. Why do women put up with these abusive, violent jerks, and feel guilty if they actually protect themselves in any way? I was also very bothered by how often people used one another's names. People quite simply do not use one another's names that often, and in this book almost every time someone spoke, they used the name of the person to whom they were speaking. It drove me crazy.
Other than that, the story was decent enough. The suspense and weirdness grew slowly and gradually, with plenty of red herrings thrown in to keep the reader off-balance. I think people who like dark, paranormal suspense and horror will enjoy this book, as well as those who like ghost stories. I was a bit worried that it would end up being too romance novel-ish, but it wasn't. The bits of romance are understated and far from generic in nature. Not a book I am crazy about, but it wasn't bad. Check it out if it sounds like something you'd like.
Series Information: is the first book in the Shadows series, and is currently free on Amazon. Shadows Deep is book 2, and Veiled Shadows is book 3. I have these other books on my wishlist, since I'm a bit curious to see what happens next, but haven't bought them yet because I'm not that curious. If I end up with copies, so be it.
Disclosure: I picked this book up for myself on Amazon during a KDP promotion. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: Darkness has been Ellie Coulter's constant companion since her parents' untimely death when she was eight, and she harbors a secret that never fails to remind her that she's different than everyone else. Fresh off a failed marriage with a man who harbored his own dark secrets, Ellie shut herself off from the world as a form of self-preservation. For months, Ellie's protective bubble includes nothing but her coffee shop, her few friends, and her dog. The attention of a handsome young doctor, David Mitchell, pushes her out of her comfort zone, and Ellie warms to the idea that she may have found a risk worth taking. Then one of Ellie's friends abruptly leaves town; entrusting her home to Ellie's care. The house has its own mysterious past that draws Ellie into a tangled web of deceit. Her ex-husband resurfaces with premonitions of Ellie's death. And suddenly Ellie's life is being turned upside down yet again. Something old and evil has found Ellie, and wants to keep her all to itself.
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of dark fiction, horror, ghost stories
Trigger Warnings: domestic violence, stalking, murder
My Thoughts: This is my “scheduled� Random Read, as announced last month.
I lived in the Minneapolis area for about five and a half years, and the Uptown area—where most of this book is set—is indeed a very cool area. I always enjoyed going there to look around, shop, and just hang out. Downtown Minneapolis is mostly sterile, except for the main area where all the bars are, so I enjoyed having an interesting and vibrant part of the town to visit. I wish there had been more description of the area of the town beyond the very general one provided, but you can't have everything.
I was really bothered by how Ellie kept making excuses for Jake. Even she realized she was being ridiculous, but she kept doing it. That sort of thing makes me crazy. Why do women put up with these abusive, violent jerks, and feel guilty if they actually protect themselves in any way? I was also very bothered by how often people used one another's names. People quite simply do not use one another's names that often, and in this book almost every time someone spoke, they used the name of the person to whom they were speaking. It drove me crazy.
Other than that, the story was decent enough. The suspense and weirdness grew slowly and gradually, with plenty of red herrings thrown in to keep the reader off-balance. I think people who like dark, paranormal suspense and horror will enjoy this book, as well as those who like ghost stories. I was a bit worried that it would end up being too romance novel-ish, but it wasn't. The bits of romance are understated and far from generic in nature. Not a book I am crazy about, but it wasn't bad. Check it out if it sounds like something you'd like.
Series Information: is the first book in the Shadows series, and is currently free on Amazon. Shadows Deep is book 2, and Veiled Shadows is book 3. I have these other books on my wishlist, since I'm a bit curious to see what happens next, but haven't bought them yet because I'm not that curious. If I end up with copies, so be it.
Disclosure: I picked this book up for myself on Amazon during a KDP promotion. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: Darkness has been Ellie Coulter's constant companion since her parents' untimely death when she was eight, and she harbors a secret that never fails to remind her that she's different than everyone else. Fresh off a failed marriage with a man who harbored his own dark secrets, Ellie shut herself off from the world as a form of self-preservation. For months, Ellie's protective bubble includes nothing but her coffee shop, her few friends, and her dog. The attention of a handsome young doctor, David Mitchell, pushes her out of her comfort zone, and Ellie warms to the idea that she may have found a risk worth taking. Then one of Ellie's friends abruptly leaves town; entrusting her home to Ellie's care. The house has its own mysterious past that draws Ellie into a tangled web of deceit. Her ex-husband resurfaces with premonitions of Ellie's death. And suddenly Ellie's life is being turned upside down yet again. Something old and evil has found Ellie, and wants to keep her all to itself.
June 23, 2013
Though the genre was not what I normally gravitate to, I still found myself glued to this book, its characters and its plot. The author mixes the paranormal, spirits and real life well. Though some of the characters in the story were believable done well, others needed more development (e.g. Jake, David, Joe Klein). The story opens with Ellie leaving her drunken, philandering husband after deciding her marriage was ended and not worth the effort. The rest of the story involves Ellie’s daily life in her coffee shop and her friends. One, Linda, is an enigma and proves to be mysterious from almost the outset. As the plot progresses, Ellie falls in love and agrees to house sit for Linda and her companion while they go off on a sudden journey. How the story unfolds and the roles Linda, the house and Ellie’s love, David, make for one interesting story. The author has managed to weave a strange tale with numerous twists and turns in the plot. However, I thought she could have better explained/expanded Joe Klein’s role. Also, how Ellie reconciles the fact that she has no idea where David lives or even his phone number did never get finished. How Linda decided suddenly to go on a prolonged trip is also unrealistic. These are but a couple, but they and others left me a bit confused and wondering. Though climatic, I found the ending strange and unexpected. I am still not sure I liked it or really fully understood it. The author deserves credit for producing an interesting and suspenseful book, but not one that all that dissimilar from similar other stories and plots. I received this book free from Library Thing to read and review.
March 13, 2025
I had hoped that I would enjoy this book, but the only reason I kept reading it was I hate to have unfinished books, and it takes place in my home state. It was very slow moving, and nothing hooked me to enjoy this.
August 13, 2016
What the cover promises the story delivers. This book was filled to the brim with suspense and mystery. The characters were well formatted, and was brought to life with the depth the author describes. The Pace was nice, and the plot was well formed. The ending was a little creepy but set it up nicely for a squeal. It'll leave you salivating for the next. This is a great Paranormal Romance for readers who are looking for a little more.
September 19, 2017
I was liking it at first. Wasn't the best but felt like a Hallmark original horror kind of cheesey but characters you enjoy. Then the ending went way off the rails. I was hoping for something different for the ending. It was predictable and I hoped it would do a nice twist at the end.
January 13, 2012
Kept my attention and I read it at every chance I got!
June 23, 2017
If this book had been 100% paranormal action thriller, I would have liked it a lot more than I did, but for about half of this book, the characters were just hanging around in a coffee shop obsessing over Ellie's love life like it was chick lit. I've read that in a solid story structure, the setup should really only last the first 10% of the book tops, and this book is a perfect example of why this is important. Ellie should've been in that haunted house much, much sooner, diving deep and hard into the mystery There's also a lot of redundant wording throughout, where Smith explains the characters' feelings and intentions after they speak. It bogs down the flow. Lots of telling and very little showing here.
The characterization is also really flat. The only voice that sounded different in my head as I was reading it was Kevin's, and it just sounded like a stock sassy gay friend.
Instead of making it a major plot twist halfway through the story, I wish Jake's backstory had been revealed from the start of the book, or even the start of his marriage, because that would have made slogging through the marital muck a lot more interesting to read. There's a lot vying for a reader's attention by that point, and Jake's bit in it nearly overshadows the main point--which, if I had to pick, would be the haunting tale of the Bradfords and their mansion. It's like listening to an orchestra with a bassoon section that just wants attention, and ends up honking out the embellishments so loudly that you can hardly hear the melody. Same deal with the romance between David and Ellie. There's a balancing act to juggling plots, and here you've got balls dropping everywhere.
Okay, enough metaphor up in this ghost manor. By far the best part was the Bradford backstory and the occult rituals. It reminded me of a short story I read once in a very old horror anthology about a family that sent their sons to impregnate random women and then feed the women to the baby once it got old enough for solid food, but the older story went to a far darker place than Edge of Shadows did, so I felt a little ripped off that there wasn't that much blood or danger at the conclusion of this one. I wish I could think of the title, because it's one of those anthologies that are so old that Google isn't even returning any hits. If that last part were longer, bloodier, or more prominent, I'd have gladly given this three or possibly even four stars, but Ellie's love life really got in the way.
The characterization is also really flat. The only voice that sounded different in my head as I was reading it was Kevin's, and it just sounded like a stock sassy gay friend.
Instead of making it a major plot twist halfway through the story, I wish Jake's backstory had been revealed from the start of the book, or even the start of his marriage, because that would have made slogging through the marital muck a lot more interesting to read. There's a lot vying for a reader's attention by that point, and Jake's bit in it nearly overshadows the main point--which, if I had to pick, would be the haunting tale of the Bradfords and their mansion. It's like listening to an orchestra with a bassoon section that just wants attention, and ends up honking out the embellishments so loudly that you can hardly hear the melody. Same deal with the romance between David and Ellie. There's a balancing act to juggling plots, and here you've got balls dropping everywhere.
Okay, enough metaphor up in this ghost manor. By far the best part was the Bradford backstory and the occult rituals. It reminded me of a short story I read once in a very old horror anthology about a family that sent their sons to impregnate random women and then feed the women to the baby once it got old enough for solid food, but the older story went to a far darker place than Edge of Shadows did, so I felt a little ripped off that there wasn't that much blood or danger at the conclusion of this one. I wish I could think of the title, because it's one of those anthologies that are so old that Google isn't even returning any hits. If that last part were longer, bloodier, or more prominent, I'd have gladly given this three or possibly even four stars, but Ellie's love life really got in the way.
February 18, 2021
Series: Shadows Series #1
Genre: Paranormal Horror
I wanted to like this book so bad. It had so many good elements. A woman who can see auras, a haunted house with a strange past, and a cult. Unfortunately, the story fell short.
There were so few frightening scenes that I almost found it difficult to really call it a horror story. The book is slow at the beginning, and then everything rushes together at the end, leaving the reader with more questions than answers.
Ellie is our MC and she can see auras. This helps her know how people feel, but she’s clueless about how to interact with people, almost. Her character is whiny and morose and there are very few redeeming qualities about her. The thing is, miss aura reader has an employee whose aura she can’t see. And she doesn’t question this. At all. (I bet you can figure out where this is going.)
Linda, lady-with -no-aura, suddenly leaves with Randall, man-with-no-aura, and they get Ellie to stay and watch over Linda’s mansion. So of course, things start to get a little spooky. Ellie starts having these dreams of the past and so she gets her boy toy David and gay bff Kevin (written unfortunately how you can imagine) to stay at the house with her.
Enter demons. Or ghosts. And some guy called The Third. Honestly I really don’t understand the ending. Like at all. *Spoiler Alert* Ellie tells the third she and David (whose lineage is all kinds of screwed up at this point) will stay in the house if The Third gets rid of evil Linda and Randall, but it doesn’t say what Ellie is gonna do to keep the house/The Third pleased.
This book was a hot mess in a handbasket.
Full review at
Genre: Paranormal Horror
I wanted to like this book so bad. It had so many good elements. A woman who can see auras, a haunted house with a strange past, and a cult. Unfortunately, the story fell short.
There were so few frightening scenes that I almost found it difficult to really call it a horror story. The book is slow at the beginning, and then everything rushes together at the end, leaving the reader with more questions than answers.
Ellie is our MC and she can see auras. This helps her know how people feel, but she’s clueless about how to interact with people, almost. Her character is whiny and morose and there are very few redeeming qualities about her. The thing is, miss aura reader has an employee whose aura she can’t see. And she doesn’t question this. At all. (I bet you can figure out where this is going.)
Linda, lady-with -no-aura, suddenly leaves with Randall, man-with-no-aura, and they get Ellie to stay and watch over Linda’s mansion. So of course, things start to get a little spooky. Ellie starts having these dreams of the past and so she gets her boy toy David and gay bff Kevin (written unfortunately how you can imagine) to stay at the house with her.
Enter demons. Or ghosts. And some guy called The Third. Honestly I really don’t understand the ending. Like at all. *Spoiler Alert* Ellie tells the third she and David (whose lineage is all kinds of screwed up at this point) will stay in the house if The Third gets rid of evil Linda and Randall, but it doesn’t say what Ellie is gonna do to keep the house/The Third pleased.
This book was a hot mess in a handbasket.
Full review at
November 14, 2024
Slow, Disjointed Mess
This book had so many problems, I wonder if it wasn’t just AI-generated. First, there is no plot and no pacing. Nothing even remotely supernatural happens for the first 200 pages except for a few dream sequences and “aura� phenomena. The characters are flat at best, and sometimes stereotypes at worst. I’m one of those readers who usually has to finish a book regardless of how bad it is, but I had to put this one down. I honestly don’t think the author had much of an idea of where the story was headed, but some outlining might have helped with pace and structure. Finally, it needed an edit, because the errors were distracting. Even “origin stories� can have a coherent beginning, middle, and end, and good fundamental grammar. I won’t be reading anything more in the series.
This book had so many problems, I wonder if it wasn’t just AI-generated. First, there is no plot and no pacing. Nothing even remotely supernatural happens for the first 200 pages except for a few dream sequences and “aura� phenomena. The characters are flat at best, and sometimes stereotypes at worst. I’m one of those readers who usually has to finish a book regardless of how bad it is, but I had to put this one down. I honestly don’t think the author had much of an idea of where the story was headed, but some outlining might have helped with pace and structure. Finally, it needed an edit, because the errors were distracting. Even “origin stories� can have a coherent beginning, middle, and end, and good fundamental grammar. I won’t be reading anything more in the series.
July 27, 2023
Title: Edge of Shadows-Shadows Series Book 1
Author: Cege Smith
Genre: Paranormal, Supernatural, Scary, Suspense, Fiction
Well this was kinda weird but interesting too. I had a pretty good review on this but I lost it all. Don’t ask, but it happens. I didn’t want to write out the whole review again, so this is my review 😆😁 Sorry, for the laziness but it’s what I hate about technology 😒😩 Anyway, it’s a good interesting and compelling book. It doesn’t really start getting kinda scary until Ellie starts to housesit for Linda. Then it gets kinda interesting. Good book though. Can’t wait to read the second one 📖📘.
Author: Cege Smith
Genre: Paranormal, Supernatural, Scary, Suspense, Fiction
Well this was kinda weird but interesting too. I had a pretty good review on this but I lost it all. Don’t ask, but it happens. I didn’t want to write out the whole review again, so this is my review 😆😁 Sorry, for the laziness but it’s what I hate about technology 😒😩 Anyway, it’s a good interesting and compelling book. It doesn’t really start getting kinda scary until Ellie starts to housesit for Linda. Then it gets kinda interesting. Good book though. Can’t wait to read the second one 📖📘.
May 17, 2018
This definitely didn't end up being what I thought it would be. it was a great read for a ghost story. there are some lines that don't really make sense, Ellie's ex-husband Jake as his new family doesnt seem to fit well into the story. Some of the additional characters like the butler also have very minor and confusing roles. Whether or not it"technically" is a YA novel or not, the book was a decent read. very basic and there wasn't much depth to the story, conversations, plot, or characters. If you are someone who reads ghost stories than Edge of Shadows would be a decent recommendation.
October 19, 2017
This would make a good pool side book
Well, the story line is weak but it's supposed to be scary so you can't expect great literature. The characters are are a little weak as one is a doctor and you can't find him at work, one owns a business but is willing to let her ex be abusive at her business and and doesn't follow through to find out if she is legally divorced? Pretty weak. That's why I said it's a good pool book, if you don't finish it you won't care.
Well, the story line is weak but it's supposed to be scary so you can't expect great literature. The characters are are a little weak as one is a doctor and you can't find him at work, one owns a business but is willing to let her ex be abusive at her business and and doesn't follow through to find out if she is legally divorced? Pretty weak. That's why I said it's a good pool book, if you don't finish it you won't care.
August 21, 2018
Great read! Wonderful Plot, and Twisted ending!!
This book is very engaging from the very first page. Fabulous characters that draw you in and make you love them. It has a very relatable plot that twists violently about 3/4 of the way through the book. The ending is not what I expected and I am excited to read the next book in the series! I definitely recommend this book for anyone who likes a real good paranormal story.
This book is very engaging from the very first page. Fabulous characters that draw you in and make you love them. It has a very relatable plot that twists violently about 3/4 of the way through the book. The ending is not what I expected and I am excited to read the next book in the series! I definitely recommend this book for anyone who likes a real good paranormal story.
November 5, 2019
Confusing
I partly liked this novel enough to finish it in two nights The confusion lay in that I didn't know if this was a young adult book or who it was geared toward. The adults, especially the lead female, was very moody and immature. Men also don't run around squealing and wanting to have slumber parties. Bit ridiculous. I think this could have been great with cleaning up the characters and deciding which audience you want to attract
I partly liked this novel enough to finish it in two nights The confusion lay in that I didn't know if this was a young adult book or who it was geared toward. The adults, especially the lead female, was very moody and immature. Men also don't run around squealing and wanting to have slumber parties. Bit ridiculous. I think this could have been great with cleaning up the characters and deciding which audience you want to attract
August 13, 2020
If you like horror...
I enjoyed this book simply because I like horror stories. It was not filled with blood and gore, but had a plot to it. The characters of Ellie, Kevin and David were believable in the framework of the book. It was somewhat predictable, but still a book worth reading...it does have a sequel, so I can look forward to the characters further adventures with the dark side.
I enjoyed this book simply because I like horror stories. It was not filled with blood and gore, but had a plot to it. The characters of Ellie, Kevin and David were believable in the framework of the book. It was somewhat predictable, but still a book worth reading...it does have a sequel, so I can look forward to the characters further adventures with the dark side.
March 22, 2023
This book was really good. I went into it not knowing anything about it and couldn’t put it down. The author let us know something was a bit off from the beginning but as many times as I thought I knew what it was going to be, I was wrong. I ended up speed reading through the end to see what would happen with all the different characters. This is the first book in the series and I’m going to need the next book to find out what happens next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2019
Couldn’t put it down!
This author is quite talented with words. It’s normally difficult for me to be so entranced by a story anymore. However, I couldn’t find a place to stop because I found her story to be so enthralling! Not too scary to sleep afterwards, but just enough spook for October.
This author is quite talented with words. It’s normally difficult for me to be so entranced by a story anymore. However, I couldn’t find a place to stop because I found her story to be so enthralling! Not too scary to sleep afterwards, but just enough spook for October.
January 15, 2020
It was an easy, quick read. I was enjoying it ok. Kind of like enjoying a soap opera. The heroine was a little old to act as juvenile as she did. But the conclusion to the whole book happened in about the last 20 pages. And it didn’t really make sense. It was like combining three different supernaturals and it was just weird. I know there are more books but I won’t read them.
January 22, 2020
Edge of Shadows
Loved it. When I'd fall asleep in bed at night it followed in my dreams. Elle and Kevin are my faves. I was suspicious of David and Linda pretty soon. Rosemarys' Baby came to mind several times. Glad they were separated from each other. I'll be starting Book 2 in a few minutes!
Loved it. When I'd fall asleep in bed at night it followed in my dreams. Elle and Kevin are my faves. I was suspicious of David and Linda pretty soon. Rosemarys' Baby came to mind several times. Glad they were separated from each other. I'll be starting Book 2 in a few minutes!
July 31, 2021
The plot earlier part of the book draws me further. Had to read to know more. I was wrong about David. I thought poor Jake was trying to save Ellie from him. Other than that that Ellie could not see the auras of Linda and Randall, I didn't see indication that the couple is anything but lunatics. Kevin and Eric come back into the picture. Wait, how about the butler?
August 1, 2021
The story has potential, but the book reads like a first draft. From the very first sentence, I knew it would be a frustrating read. Each character is a stereotype with little depth, and the sentence structure is distracting. Would recommend for the story, but only for those who aren't avid readers.
January 30, 2024
Listed again on @bookbub as a recommendation I was surprised to seek this book already read in my digital bookshelf. After skimming threw the highlighted pages, yes Im one of those people when reading. I would like to mention that this Horror book was in reasonable pace & the character Ellie to be captivating. Again not a scary story regular reader but this read did give me some good chills.
June 12, 2024
It was a decent enough story well told and it did at least keep me engaged to see it through to the end, but I just felt that the conclusion (although ongoing in future books) was a little rushed and I found it to be a little disappointing given my commitment to reading this book to the end. I don't feel I am intrigued or care enough about the characters to continue on with the series.
June 29, 2018
The second star is because this tepid, unoriginal piece of rom-gothic is competently written but it is really hard going. You can skim read page after page where absolutely nothing happens to advance the plot that is all wrapped up in the last thirty pages in a very unconvincing and pedestrian way.
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