Review: Edge of Shadows

Edge of Shadows by Cege Smith

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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: Edge of Shadows (Shadows #1) 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. 



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