Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus

SHADOW HILLS
Author: Anastasia Hopcus
Source: Gifted

Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: EgmontUSA; Reprint edition (May 10, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1606842153
ISBN-13: 978-1606842157

SUMMARY:

After her sister Athena's tragic death, it's obvious that grief-stricken Persephone "Phe" Archer no longer belongs in Los Angeles. Hoping to make sense of her sister's sudden demise and the cryptic dreams following it, Phe abandons her bubbly LA life to attend an uptight East Coast preparatory school in Shadow Hills, MA — a school which her sister mysteriously mentioned in her last diary entry before she died.

Once there, Phe quickly realizes that something is deeply amiss in her new town. Not only does Shadow Hills' history boast an unexplained epidemic that decimated hundreds of its citizens in the 1700s, but its modern townies also seem eerily psychic, with the bizarre ability to bend metal. Even Zach — the gorgeous stranger Phe meets and immediately begins to lust after — seems as if he is hiding something serious. Phe is determined to get to the bottom of it. The longer she stays there, the more she suspects that her sister's untimely death and her own destiny are intricately linked to those who reside in Shadow Hills.

MY THOUGHTS:

After reading this book, I only had one question for myself. Why the heck did I wait so long to read this book? I was skeptical at first when the book was gifted to me, but once I sat down reading it, I could not stop until the last page!


Phe was a great character.  She wasn't too girlie, but she wasn't a tomboy either.  She held her own amongst her group of friends who were great side characters in the book. Graham was a great friend to have for a guy.  The moment Phe meets him, I fell in love with him.  Then we have Zach who is the male lead of the story.  Hotness on a page that has all the things a girl wants in a boy! He was sweet, sensitive, protective and did I mention sexy?  Throw in some magic, mystery and friends to keep you grounded and you get the awesome book called Shadow Hills! 


The only problem I had with this book was that it ended!  Yes, things are resolved and you are left with the satisfying feeling of a great ending, but I didn't want it to end.  I wanted more of the characters and thank goodness their is another book in the series coming out soon!  As a debut author, it can be hard to find a spot in the young adult genre and be remembered.  Well, this author has nothing to fear as she has just made it to the top ten of my list!

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading!