Shades of Darkness by A. R. Kahler

Series: Ravenborn (bk. 1)

Genera(s): Mystery/Paranormal

Subjects: boarding schools, artists, death, supernatural, mythology

Setting: At a boarding school called Islington Arts Academy in northern Michigan, based off Interlochen Arts Academy outside Traverse City

POV/Tense:

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 294 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover 

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: Simon & Schuster: Simon Pulse

Summary/ product description: “Islington Arts Academy is not an average high school. Nestled in the forests of Michigan, surrounded by trees and nature and virtually no evidence of civilization, it is an oasis for those looking to get away. Perfect for a student like Kaira Winters, who wants nothing more than to put her past behind her and focus on the present…and her looming graduation, just a few months away.

But the past has a way of returning when least expected.

Kaira knows that what happened before, at her old school, wasn’t normal. She knows that what happened to her ex-boyfriend wasn’t natural. But she refuses to believe that the recent death on campus, the one that left everyone on edge, has anything to do with her. She refuses to believe that she could be at fault again.

But just as the past always returns, the truth can never stay hidden for long.

Even if Kaira didn’t cause the first death at Islington, or the second, or the third, she has the ability to find out who did. She has the obligation to stop whatever is coming to campus. To end the darkness that is falling with the same snow that once blanketed the woods in beauty.

But to embrace this power—to relinquish herself to the ancient entity that has been lurking in the corners of her mind–is to let go of her humanity…and Kaira doesn’t know how far she can go before she loses herself completely.”

My Review:  Shades of Darkness is a pretty interesting read, but super exciting. I think the best part of it is the setting. It set at an art boarding school called Islington Arts Academy in northern Michigan, based off Interlochen Arts Academy outside Traverse City, an art school that the author attended. I actually camped at a KOA campground not to far from it, and of course I’ve been to Traverse City a few times. While I was reading the book I though maybe it was supposed to be in the Upper Peninsula, near Houghton, off Lake Superior. The specific location is never specified in the book, just “in the wood of northern Michigan, beside a lake.” It’s almost always snowing in the book. It’s true they get lots of snow up there.

I think it would be cool to attend a boarding school that’s art focus. I myself an in the school of art at NIU, getting my degree in Visual Communications (Graphic Design). I’ve taking some studio classes. I love painting, be I only use watercolor, gouache and sometimes acrylic. Kaira, the book’s main character, is an oil painter. She’s taking other studio classes, like silver-smithing too. She’s working on her senior thesis, which consists of paintings of tarot cards. Kaira is kind of quirky and dresses kind of strange, has magenta highlights, talks weird. She’s of Native American descent, but she was adopted. Her best friend is a gay guy named Ethan. He’s very sweet and funny and also an artist. He’s dating a bass player named Oliver. Ethan is the character that I believe the author based off himself.

There’s this guy named Chris, who likes Kaira, but she refuses to date since something bad happened to the last guy she dated. Chris is also a painter and is a truly nice guy. Kaira keeps seeing crow flocking around campus. She sees them a an omen for bad things. A student dies, and she believes something supernatural is going on. There’s a touch of Norse mythology woven in to the story that doesn’t become important till the end.

The story is kind of slow and repetitive. The word “gay” is over-used and I feel like we don’t need to be reminded of a character’s sexual identity constantly. Also, Kaira keeps saying she’s going to get a complex from something, or talking about how she came to the school to escape and that she’s used the workload as a distraction. It just gets so repetitive. There is a lot of humor and interesting dialogue though.

I recommend this series to fans of the House of Night series, Hex Hall, Vampire Academy, The Dark Elite series and any other boarding school books with supernatural elements of mystery.

Cover Art Review: I love this cover! I love any cover with the watercolor look. I tried painting like this before, but could never get this style of water color/ink down. The type treatment of the title is lovely too.

Queen by Aimee Carter

Series: The Blackcoat Rebellion (bk. 3)

Genera: Dystopian Sci-fi/Thriller

Subjects: social classes, government, identity, Washington DC

Setting: Washington D.C. and Elsewhere (Michigan), Colorado (Stronghold)

POV/Tense: 1st person POV, past tense: Kitty Doe

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 282 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Summary/ product description: “PAWN...CAPTIVE...QUEEN?

Kitty Doe is a Blackcoat rebel and a former captive with a deadly connection to the most powerful and dangerous man in the country, Prime Minister Daxton Hart. Forced to masquerade as Daxton's niece, Lila Hart, Kitty has helped the Blackcoats take back the prison known as Elsewhere. But Daxton has no intention of ceding his position of privilege—or letting Kitty expose his own masquerade. Not in these United States, where each person's rank means the difference between luxury and poverty, freedom and fear...and ultimately, between life and death.

To defeat the corrupt government, Kitty must expose Daxton's secret. Securing evidence will put others in jeopardy, including the boy she's loved forever and an ally she barely trusts. For months, Kitty's survival has hinged on playing a part. Now she must discover who she truly wants to be, and whether the new world she and the rebels are striving to create has a place in it for her after all.”

My Review: Queen is the finale to the Blackcoat Rebellion trilogy. It brings the series to an amazing conclusion full of drama, deceit and rebellion. It’s been an interesting ride. It’s got the familiarity of other dystopian books, with the awesome twist of Kitty impersonating Lila Hart. We previously found out that she is actually related to Lila, which explains their similar eye color. Kitty was made to look exactly like Lila (Masked) and has pretended to be Lila, until she claimed to be Lila’s double. Kitty, Knox and the rebellion are trying to kill Daxon Hart, who is actually Victor Mercer wearing Daxon’s face.

It’s winter and Kitty is in Elsewhere, which is located in Michigan (I’m guessing because it’s surrounded by great lakes and the author’s from there). She gives a speech to the residents, tries to bring them together for the cause. She ends up in the hands of Daxon again and he’s got plans for her. Stuff happen, and Kitty’s got to play Lila again. There’s a lot of plotting and conspiracy. It’s fun and cool. There are so many twists; I had no idea what would happen next.

There’s not so much romance in this book. Knox and Kitty had something going, but they get separated most of the book. Benjy loves Lila, but they decide to be just friends, like they always were. Romance is not really important since there is so much going on. They need to focus on taking Daxon out and fixing the country. Greyson, who Kitty found out is her half brother, doesn’t want to be Prime Minister. He rather invent cool gadgets. He will however be the Prime Minister when they get rid of Daxon just so he can help make America they way it used to be. Without the 7 castes deciding people’s lives.

I highly recommend this to fans of The Selection series by Kiera Cass, The Jewel by Amy Ewing, Red Queen by Victoria Avyard, and fans of the TV show Scandal. It you love political intrigue and thrilling stories with lite sci-fi, then read this series.

Cover Art Review: Marble texture that looks like it’s cut into. Simple, cool.

Etherworld by Claudia Gabel and Cheryl Klam

Series: Elusion (bk. 2, final book)

Genera(s): Dystopia Sci-fi

Subjects: virtual reality, technology, near-future, thriller, adventure

Setting: Detroit, Michigan and a virtual world called Elusion

POV/Tense: 1st person POV: Reagan Welch

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 338 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover 

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: HarperTeen: Katherine Tegan

Summary/ product description: “In this sequel to Elusion, three teens fight a virtual reality program that threatens to destroy their minds. Dangerous secrets and lies add up to a thrilling futuristic fantasy with an Inception-inspired twist.

Elusion was hailed as an exciting leap in technology—until users began to disappear amid rumors of addiction. Regan’s search for the truth led her and her new love interest, Josh, to Etherworld. Etherworld is a dimension hidden deep beyond Elusion's firewall, where players can hide, and ultimately fight back. Regan's father and others are here working to destroy Etherworld, but the longer they stay the less likely they'll be able to return to the real world alive.

Escape means attacking Elusion from within the program. It's dangerous and it’s a puzzle. And even if they manage it, how will they be able to stop Orexis from distributing Elusion to the masses when the people who run it are corrupt?”

My Review:  Ether World is the sequel-finale to Elusion. It’s still from Reagan’s POV and centers around a plot to destroy Elusion and save people who have been trapped there. Reagan has found her dad trapped in Elusion, also and he and a group of young people are in a place called the Ether World.

The Ether World is a less developed part to Elusion that has low stimulus. Elusion itself is about excitement and having great experiences. It uses a drug called trypnosis to but the user into a hypnotized state so the virtual reality of Elusion feels more real. It’s a really interesting concept, different from other virtual reality books like Eye of Minds by James Dashner or Insignia by S.J. Kincaid. This virtual reality in less developed and focuses more on landscapes called “Escapes” and not really about gaming.

Also, outside of Elusion, this book is set in Michigan. Detroit, about 50 years in the future in a world in which Florapetro (some kind of synthetic oil) pollutes the skies around cities and people have to wear O2 oxygen masks to protect their lungs when they’re outside. There’s acid rain that actually burns somewhat and the sky’s not often blue. Elusion becomes a way to escape this miserable polluted world, and the day-to-day jobs and hardships. But is only being used so far in 3 cities: Detroit, LA, and Miami. 

This book had far less romance that I expected. I didn’t mind it. I like that it was more on the sci-fi adventure side of things this times. There was plenty of character interaction and confrontation and funny dialogue. Reagan seemed less quirky than in the previous book. I wonder if it’s because there’s two authors and maybe one wrote this book in a slightly different style than the other. Either way, this was a fun sequel and it’s too bad it had to end at two books. Duologies seem to be popular now. If you haven’t read Elusion or Ether World, then give it a try if you like sci-fi books about technology and virtual reality.

Cover Art Review: I love the colors and details. I just wish it was metallic like the previous book’s cover.