kimbacaffeinate
Written on Dec 4, 2011
Skye introduced several key characters. Kai, is a demon’s mistake known as a Shade. We learn about his past, and find him living in the woods near the town of Madeira Park. He is for the most part a recluse, and has very little interaction with the townspeople. Riley, the protagonist, of the story is strong, talented and protective of her friends Willow and Fay. I sometimes found her to be annoying and moody. Riley, spent her life in and out of foster care, and carries secrets about her past. Riley and Fay work at the local pub known as The Grasshopper. Riley attends art school at night, and has been friends with Keetes for over a year. She senses Keetes likes her, but he hasn't made a move. Riley finds herself attracted to Kai but his signals are mixed. What she doesn’t know is that these two are far from human, and Keetes has horrible plans for her. Fay is just eighteen and troubled with dreams involving Riley. She learns that she is clairvoyant and tries to warn Riley of the danger she senses from Keetes. Willow is Fay’s sister and the mother figure for the Riley and Fay. The three women live in a cabin deep in the woods outside of the town.
In the Shade and the Nine Lower Levels, Skye introduces you to the characters and then slowly reveals who and what they are. Be patient, as most answers are slowly revealed, and some will shock you. The descriptions of heaven and hell were interesting, as was the tale of Lucifer. While some of the writing and editing was shaky, the tale was well worth my time. This is a fresh storyline and I can see the writer’s vision. The second half of the book shows growth, for both the writer and the story. These emerge as details began to tighten up and the storyline became fast paced. I loved some of the scenes, the suspense and unexpected revelations that occurred throughout the story. Skye's descriptions of the town, the pub and the cabin were vivid. By the end I had connected to the characters, the tale and was left wanting more.
I highly recommend the Shade and the Nine Lower Levels to fans of dark urban fantasy, vampires, demons and the supernatural. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series. This book is currently only available as an eBook.
I want to thank the author for providing me with this ARC, in exchange for my unbiased review.