Review Detail

This YA Urban Fantasy is a Shadow Falls series tie-in, told in a sort of back-and-forth format between single page BREAKING NEWS segments detailing a plane crash and attempted rescue, and the events of a day prior--as given from the 3rd-person-limited perspective of 14-year-old Chase Tallman.

Chase’s family is taking a vacation weekend in the Rocky mountains, where his father—a doctor—has the family taking part in some sort of mysterious research project. Chase’s curiosity over his father’s work is obscured by the fact that his older sister has been allowed to bring her best friend Tami along on the trip. With hormones running strong, all he’s really interested in is getting a chance to kiss Tami. Meanwhile, his boy-crazy sister seems determined to get herself into trouble that Chase will no doubt feel obligated to defend her from.

The prose is a little rough at times in terms of assembly, but the emotional conveyance generally feels accurate to what one would expect from the 14 and 15-year-olds primarily featured—if not a touch older. Chase is perched on the cusp between awkward and brave; his single-minded quest forgivable due to his otherwise beneficent and believable temperament.

The supernatural elements are more eerily hinted at throughout most of the novella, only making a clear showing toward the very end. For anyone reading without previous knowledge of the Shadow Falls world, this may be the smoothest way to ease into it. It also has the benefit of presenting an endearing main character.

All in all, a worthy introduction to the world of Shadow Falls, before readers reach the falls.