Shine - Jeri Smith-Ready

Shine (Shade #3) - Jeri Smith-Ready
Grade: YA
Rating: 5/5 stars

In this dramatic conclusion to the Shade trilogy, Aura and Zachary’s relationship sizzles as the secrets of the Shift are revealed.

Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend tragically died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past.

As the first in a generation that can see ghosts, Aura is convinced she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves...even if that means betraying her own heart. (Description from Goodreads)
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The smile has not left my face since I finished ‘Shine’. I always get that way when I read the perfect end to an amazing series (I know there’s still a Zach novella to be released, but Shine really does complete the series). I cannot explain how excited I was for this book; how anxious I was to see Aura and Zachary safely together; how curious I was to uncover the secrets of the Shift. It was an amazing book and I loved every moment of it.

‘Shine’ continues on from the moment ‘Shift’ ends. Aura’s still in the cemetery, mourning the loss of Logan once again, sitting by his headstone and worrying about Zachary’s flight. I’ve mentioned this in reviews before, but it’s worth saying it again: I’m a big fan of books that start immediately after the previous book’s end. This way you feel like it really is a continuing story – there are no missing pieces, you haven’t skipped days of activity, there’s no sense that something important has been lost. This is what it feels like with ‘Shine’. You’re thrown right back into familiar scenes and emotions, the action hits you immediately – no waiting for things to get started. I love it.

I was a little nervous about reading - and finishing - ‘Shine’. It’s no secret that the Shade characters get into a fair bit of trouble; there’s no shortage of fights, running, spy missions, even death – very hard to avoid death when one of the main issue in the series involves ghosts. Jeri doesn’t shield her characters from danger and I was worried for Aura and Zachary, I felt like the universe kept throwing things in the way of their Happily Ever After. ‘Shine’ is not lacking in dangerous adventures and secrets. It makes for an incredibly action-packed story, where you can’t help sitting on the edge of your seat – desperate to find out if everything will be alright in the end.

I loved the action within ‘Shine’; it doesn’t lack the get-your-heart-pumping scenes that help drive a book to a deeper level. With the Department of Metaphysical Purity (DMP) watching Aura’s every move, waiting for her to reveal what she knows of the Shift, and MI-X attempting to reveal the DMP’s secrets and the new edition – Nighthawk – the unknown assassins lurking around corners waiting to pounce; you can’t help looking over your own shoulder every few minutes to make sure you’re not being tracked and followed too. It definitely made the book hard to put down.

The biggest mystery Aura and Zachary face is trying to uncover what makes them so unique. If you’re a Shade fan already, you’ll know that Zach and Aura are pretty special people, and not just because they’re awesome, but because they have certain gifts that developed because of the Shift. There are still questions surrounding the Shift and the pair’s gifts, and obviously, with ‘Shine’ being the last book in the series, we get a lot of answers to these. There is no way to explain that further without giving things away, but let me tell you this, it involves some pretty awesome discoveries.

Jeri Smith-Ready has a way of reaching out to her fans through her characters, especially through the amazing men in the Shade series. Zachary and Logan cannot be overlooked. These two fellas have not had an easy journey, constantly pitted against each other as though one will prove to be better than the other. It’s hard to pick a side when they share the page time and are both pretty awesome – though I did always have my favourite *cough*Zach*cough* But ‘Shine’ definitely shifts the focus. We’re no longer pulled in two directions in terms of romance – there’s no questioning, no doubt. Everything is out in the open and to say the end to the romantic side of the story was not perfect would be the biggest lie I’ve ever told. I don’t think I’ve had such a satisfying ending in so long. The closure we get, mixed in with the wonder of what might happen in the future; it was just PERFECT.

You will laugh, you will cry; but in the end you will love ‘Shine’ because it was the perfect ending for Aura’s story.

5/5 stars


Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)