I missed this one last month. It's Sandy Williams's debut and thank you to all those who emailed and told me that I "had" to read this one.
The PW review is favorable (below) but I take those reviews with a grain of salt. 
Publishers Weekly
In talented newcomer Williams’s fantasy debut, 26-year-old Houston college student McKenzie Lewis finds her studies interrupted yet again when war escalates in Faerie and its king demands she use her mystic gift for tracking the rebels through the magical fissures they use to travel between lands and worlds. Kidnapped by the rebels, McKenzie is torn between their arguments and her loyalty to the faerie king as well as between her illicit romance with the king’s swordmaster, Kyol, and the feelings stirred by the handsome rebel leader Aren. Williams portrays a realistically shaded faerie realm in economic and magical turmoil compounded by human technology and the atrocities committed by both sides in a brutal civil war. The only hiccup is an angst-filled love triangle that distracts from the action and narrowly avoids a descent into pure soap opera. (Nov.)
I've got this book Paul!
I bought it because of the positive PW and blog reviews as well as the fae mythology. Somewhere I read that anyone who likes Seanan McGuire's October Daye series will probably like this book. So, of course, I got it.
The blog All Things Urban Fantasy gave this book their highest five bat review. (All Things Urban Fantasy: Early 5bat! Review: The Shadow Reader.) See below a copy of that All Things Urban Fantasy review:
 | Title: The Shadow Reader
Sexual Content: Kissing. References to rape Rating:
Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend. |
Description
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.
Review
There is something shocking about McKenzie Lewis, the protagonist in THE SHADOW READER by Sandy Williams. She’s not a super woman/warrior goddess/magical titan capable of destroying the universe with a wink. Nope, unlike many urban fantasy heroines these days, McKenzie is pretty normal. She does have one ability that sets her apart from the rest of us; she’s a shadow reader, someone who can watch a fae ‘fissure’ (instantly teleport from one location to another) and know exactly where they will reappear. A highly coveted skill when there is a fae civil war going on, which is why McKenzie finds herself being sought after by both sides.
Where do I start with all the things I loved about THE SHADOW READER? The fae mythology wasn’t overly complex, but it was unique and perfectly suited to this world. I especially loved the idea of chaos lusters, tiny, visible lightning bolts that dance over the skin under certain circumstances like when fae touch humans. And speaking of touching, the tug-of-war going on with McKenzie’s heart was nothing compared to what I felt. How do you choose between the honorable warrior Kyol loyal to the fae king and the determined rebel leader Aren?
Another highlight for me was the constant cloud of doubt I was kept in. I was thrown back and forth suspecting first Kyol then Aren and back again so many times that I got dizzy. Just like McKenzie, I never knew who to fully trust, who to love, or who to align with. And just when I’d think I ‘d finally figured it out, something would happen and raise the questions all over again. The action was relentless and the emotions kept so sky high that I couldn’t decide until the very end.
THE SHADOW READER is a fantastically fun urban fantasy! One of the best debuts of the year and easily my favorite fae urban fantasy since Karen Marie Moning’s Darkfever series. Wonderfully integrated mythology that flowed naturally in the story without needing lengthy explanations, a to die for love triangle, and a relatable non-super woman protagonist who relies on her brain and bravery to fight for what she wants. This is a book that checked off all my urban fantasy wish list boxes and I can’t wait to read the sequel.
dalnewt wrote:I'm past the mid-point in The Shadow Reader. It's a good read that get even better as the story progresses. The fae mythology isn't complex, but it's interestingly nuanced. (Note, all all the fae characters so far, other than a pet fae animal, are the same humanoid species.) Most fae can instantly teleport by opening a fissure and some have control over certain elements and/or the ability to heal. Plus, the presence of a fae w/in the human world or the presence of a human in the fae world causes lightning like affects to skate across the skin. This 'lightning' increases, (and usually becomes pleasurable), when a human and a fae touch or become intimate.
The narrative is written in the first person voice of a 23 (or maybe 22) year old female protagonist college student named Mckenzie Lewis. She has the ability to see cloaked fae (called the 'Sight') and the power to map-out the shadows left behind when a fae fissures to somewhere else. (Note, she has to draw her 'shadow' impressions immediately or her mind loses the memory w/in seconds of the shadows winking out.)
Mckenzie is engaging and smart, but she seems emotionally immature to me. IMO, she's too google-eyed (read 'hopelessly') in love with the fae king's sword-master named Kyol. To me, her emotions/emotional reactions resemble those of a 16-17 year old. Mckenzie isn't a confident woman, but she does develop as the plot progresses. Often she reminded me of a YA heroine. <Shrugs> Maybe I'm just getting too old to appreciate young/fresh heroines.
In addition to the above, Mckenzie is indecisive. To a large extent, it's her indecision that powers the story. I tend to like decisive heroines who know their own mind, but Mckenzie is the opposite of that. She's been used by the fae court to read shadows for years and, although she pays lip-service to retiring and having a fully human life, she's never really convincing.
From the outset the pace is relentless as Mckenzie is kidnapped from a Dallas college campus by rebel fae forces. The military leader of the rebel forces, a warrior fae named Aren, captures her. Predictably, she's attracted despite her feelings for Kyol and loyalty to the fae court. The inevitable love triangle results. Note, it is an interesting triangle because Kyol seems honorable and Aren is often charming but sometimes volatile.
Mckenzie vacillates about everything from her escape plans to her belief in the fae court. Even though I hate indecision, I got caught up in the narrative as the book progressed. Also note, I enjoyed the book's surprisingly realistic descriptions of the faerie realm.
When I finish the book I'll post my impressions.
The second half of the book, particularly the last third of it, is very, very fast and very, very good! The story-line becomes more unpredictable and twisting. The narrative culminates in an action-packed, two-tiered climax. It starts with a battle that changes into an ambush and then a trap. When the dust settles, there's death on both sides and future uncertainty.
After vacillating through the first 200 pages of the book, Mckenzie finally takes a stand. She kind of backs into it, but she does make a decision about what side to actively support given her broader knowledge of war between the fae court and rebels. She initially chooses a side by default, but then she solidifies her position and joins the fight. Moreover, she finally stands up for herself. She doesn't become what I would call a 'confident woman', but she does stride forward in terms of the realities of war and her personal responsibility towards others and herself. Earlier, I mentioned that she is smart, and the last third of the book displays instances of her intelligence. IMHO, her emotions still fall within the YA heroine category. In particular, her feelings/actions toward Aren and Kyol are sometimes mincing/juvenile to me. Nonetheless, she does make progress in terms of her emotional maturity, and she does choose between Kyol and Aren. Only time will tell if her choice between them is definitive or tentative.
P.S. I just rated this book at five, then four, then five stars again.
For me it's very close to a 4.50 read. It's not quite a perfect 5 star read but not really a four star read. Since I believe in recognizing really good debut books, I settled on a 5 star rating in the end.
dalnewt wrote:
P.S. I just rated this book at five, then four, then five stars again.
I feel exactly the same way!
paulgoatallen wrote:Okay, here are my thoughts:
I actually enjoyed McKenzie's naivete – I found it refreshing after so many "hardened" heroines. This certainly wasn't a perfect read – I would've loved more "atmospheric" world building in the Realm – like what McGuire does in the Toby Daye novels – an the storyline was a little too straightforward, but I think that Sandy Williams has set the table to do something great in the next book – now it's just a matter of whether she goes for it or makes it nto a conventional serialized paranormal romance...
You should have read
Under Wraps Paul. In my opinion Under Wraps was a great debut read--fun, fast and really humorous with great characters, wonderful comedic dialog/content and solid world-building. The plot could have been a bit less predictable and the heroine more of a 'fighter', but that debut truly entertained me.
in regard to
The Shadow Reader and Mckenzie's naivety, I guess it's a matter of individual taste. What's one person's naivety is another person's intolerable ignorance. The heroine could certainly be criticized for actively participating in a civil war on behalf of one side for 10 long years w/out looking into and considering the other side of the conflict.
Personally, I didn't really mind that she was naive about the rebels side of the war given the circumstance under which she was first recruited. But, I was slightly annoyed by the way the heroine was always making excuses and internally debating things, (especially in the first half of the book). (If she believes in the fae court and their side of the war, then why does she constantly keep considering the rebel's claims? If she truly loves and trusts Kyol, why does she harbor doubts about him and feel uncomfortable with him when she's returned? Why does she waver all the time?)
Also, I really can't see a self-respecting woman waiting around for 10 years for a man who can never really be with her. I find it hard to have respect that kind of heroine, and, to top it all off, she keeps telling herself that she wants a fully human life but does nothing to attain it. Plus, I did the math. Mckenzie is 26 years old!!! (She's been working for the fae court for 10 years since she reached the age of 16.) Sheesh, 26 and still a virgin!!!! <Shrugs> Maybe I'm more critical of Mckenzie because I happen to be a woman myself, and I have personal standards about what a self-respecting woman should be like.)
This isn't a Jane True situation where the heroine is in her early twenties and has tragically lost her first love leading to emotional breakdown and retreat from the world. This is a 26 year old woman who has chosen to live in her own bubble. Is that naivety or is it self-imposed ignorance?
There is a disconnect between the a$$ kicking heroine on the cover and the largely defenseless heroine in the book.
The Shadow Reader's heroine, Mckenzie, does seem to get better at fighting toward the end of the book, but a sword-wielding ninja she is not. (And 3mm, that sword is too damned shinny! It reminds me of ceremonial sword or something created by computer graphics, not a working katana.)
I've seen this same thing in Hannah Jayne's Underworld Detection Agency Chronicles. The covers are fierce, but the heroine, Sophie Lawson, is the opposite. In the first book Sophie is smart but largely defenseless. She supposedly improves as the series progresses. I'm picking up the second book in the series as soon as I can drag my sorry/exhausted butt over to my local B&N. The covers in that series look like this so far:
Under Attack and
Under Suspicion. Per the internet blogs, people who read the series are holding out hope for a more a$$ kicking Sophie in book three.
When you consider the disconnect between non-fighter heroines and 'fierce' kick a$$ cover models, it's sort of like false advertising. IMO, the publishers do it to appeal to some sort of UF cover standard they've adopted, (probably obtained from customer focus groups and a survey of what's already out there).
P. S. Both these series point to a counter trend away from the stereotypical a$$ kicking heroine. Eventually, their heroines may become fierce fighters, but initially they're pretty ordinary, (except for some type of supernatural ability(ies) that have nothing to do with fighting).
dalnewt wrote:Without giving anything away I want to ask whether you guys approve of Mckenzie's romantic choice. Personally, I would have chosen the other guy. (Ya know, the guy who didn't threaten to cut my throat and actually slice into my neck.
Honestly I had issues with both guys. Both men have really great points and really big negatives going for them. The only thing I can say about her choice is at least that guy had the guts and respect for her to go after her and not just keep her in pathetic limbo forever. (Despite the whole cutting issue which is a big negative, but she was being horrible person at that moment - not to excuse his actions.) This is one of those love triangles where you feel unsatisfied no matter which one she chooses.
