Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready

[katekintailbc]

Shift
by Jeri Smith-Ready
(Audio)

In Shade, we meet Aura and Zachary and Logan and the whole cast of characters. We learn about their strange but believable world. And we see Logan go shade at the end (who can really blame the guy? Sucks for him to have died so young and then watch your then-girlfriend move on without you and kind of lie about doing so).

This particular book takes place a few weeks after Shade when Aura finally gets Logan to come back to her and de-shade (return to his normal ghosty self). It's something no one thinks is even possible. And we don't know whether or not it's because they have a special relationship or whether it's something more.

And then we learn more about Aura. It's not just that she was the first person born who can see ghosts (post-shift), it's that she also has the ability to to turn ghosts into real, touchable humans on a special day and for a short time. And she and Zachary (who repels ghosts) can switch their powers briefly after getting close to each other (re: kissing intimately).

Through all the mystery, there's still this sad little love triangle. Aura still loves Logan, and she doesn't want to lose him. But she knows he should pass on and be at peace. She really likes Zarachy (who wouldn't?). But she can't be with him because the government organization regulating ghost relations would freak out if they knew the first and last were together and sharing not only their respective abilities but trying to put together the mystery of why people can see ghosts at all. It had something to do with their parents, they're certain. Lots of drama and ignored voice mail messages get in the way of the mystery. I couldn't decide who to root for during the whole thing; really I just felt sorry for all the characters and the awful situation they found themselves in. And at the end, they stage a spectacle with Logan playing on stage for everyone to see, with Aura's help.

Naturally, it doesn't turn out quite as planned. And it'll be interesting to see where the story goes from here in a next book!