Shimmerspell

The Shimmer Trilogy #1

by Kimberly Spencer

When sixteen-year-old Jensen Meadows finds herself caught in the middle of an ancient faerie war, she soon learns that faeries aren't made of sparkly goodness. They're vicious. And worse, they're after her.

With the help of Liam Casey, she delves into their world to find her missing sister and begins to suspect that her whole life has been nothing more than a faerie tale.

But maybe some truths should never be revealed...

Shimmerspell is a fast paced novella of approximately 22,000 words. It contains elements of young adult paranormal romance and urban fantasy.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fae, Paranormal, Ebooks, Romance, Fiction

87 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 8, 2011

Reviews

[Cyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

GENRE: YA Paranormal
THEME: Fae/Magic
RECEIVED: Received for Review from Author
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/

REVIEW:
Shimmerspell by Kimberly Spencer was a fun read! As for novella’s it was a quick one, but a lot happened where it almost felt like a whole book.
Jensen is a sixteen-year-old girl who lives a life moving around place to place with her older sister, who is a con artist. But after Jensen meets a mysterious boy named Liam, who gives off some strange vibes her world changes into something she never imagined. Her sister disappears and Jensen finds out there is some major history and magic in her families past.
I enjoyed the quick pace of the story, but at times I felt almost too overwhelmed with the information and twist through out. The legends of King Arthur are a major connection to this story and Jensen’s family but adding the twist of the Fae. It is a great mix and I’m interested to learn a little more about the Fae since we got bits a pieces.
Many characters are introduced, Jensen the female protagonist is a determined young girl who is learning a lot about her self as she goes on this journey into the fairy world. The male lead is Liam, who is all sorts of mystery as well as being very attractive. The two have some great chemistry with each other and I can’t wait to see how it progresses. The secondary characters are fun and great support to Liam and Jensen, most of all Fee who is full of spunk.
I’m really interested to learn more about Jensen’s sister whose character I found the most intriguing even though she wasn’t really in the book a lot. She has a great twist to whom she’s connected to and why she disappears and leaves her sister.
Overall this was a fun read and I recommend this to all YA fans, especially those who enjoy Fae and the Tales of King Arthur.

[Shadow Jubilee · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars

I thought that this novella had potential. The author had an interesting idea for a faerie story. I liked the differences between this one and the others I had read: Wondrous Strange, The Iron King. The differences were refreshing (and no love triangles! yet). I liked the voice of Jensen, and I liked the humor. I liked the idea behind the story enough that I might read the other novellas. Based on my enjoyment, I'd rate this at 3 stars.

However, the negatives outweighed the positives, leading me to rate downwards. This work could have been better with the help of a good editor. It should have been proofread. It was missing punctuation marks, most notably commas in direct address, and had a few typos. This novella could have been expanded into a longer work. The world did not feel fully fleshed out, and the characters were poorly developed. The pacing was rushed, and the plot was weak. There were some inconsistencies in the rules of the world, and some things or actions that just didn't make sense or were not explained. Due to my slight awareness of the sociology of language, I was offended by the use of the word "gay" to refer to something negative. I hate hearing it from the young adults I have known or been acquainted with, and I definitely don't want to see it spoken by a character in a book. This had a significant impact on my enjoyment of this work.

Overall, yes, I enjoyed this book, but readers who are allergic to sparkling or shimmery non-human folk might want to stay away.

[Kayleigh {K-Books} · Rating 1 out of 5]

Shimmerspell Review on K-Books

I don't even know where to start with this review. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. This book is definitely not for me and I found I didn't enjoy it at all. I got this book as I had heard good things about and it was free on kindle. The story surrounds around Fae and usually I love books about Fae but for me this book was a disappointment.


Jensen has always believed she was normal, moving from town to town with her con-artist sister but her sister may not be exactly who she thought and she is thrown into the world of the Fae in the middle of a war.


Sounds good right? I was really looking forward to reading this and thought it sounded incredible. It's a novella and I thought it sounded like a great short story about the Fae. It does have a promising storyline and at times I found myself wondering what was going to happen and that did keep me reading but sadly it did not give me enough to enjoy it. I am really disappointed as I really wanted to enjoy this book. I know some people will enjoy this book and I am in no way saying it is bad but I personally couldn't enjoy it.


The main reason I didn't like this book is a felt like nothing really got explained properly through it. It poses all kinds of questions but none of them get answered. Usually I am fine with questions being left unanswered as the chances are they will be answered later on in the series. However with Shimmerspell it just left me confused and frustrated because I didn't understand anything. There are bits of conversations that hint at myths but there is no explanation on how these myths are related to the story it's like the characters just say it for no reason at all.


The writing style was the other reason I didn't like this book at all. I am not a fussy reader at all and if the storyline is good I can totally overlook a flawed writing style. This was not the case, I felt like the writing didn't flow at all and found myself getting confused as to how we have gotten to this scene and having to go back and re-reading as I felt like I'd missed something. I hadn't. It just goes from one scene to the other with no way of connecting them and it just felt very choppy and left me confused.


I think this book has potential and the storyline is promising but I just didn't like it. I did finish the book but afterwards wished I had spent my time reading a different book. I will definitely not be continuing this series.

[Amy Eye · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has all the elements there to be a great story. An original storyline, interesting characters, fantastical environments, and a few surprises. The bad news? It all happens so quickly, you almost don't care that it happened. There is no suspense built, there is no getting to know the characters, there is no developing the storyline. Yes, I understand it is a novella, but there was WAY too much going on for this story to have been taken on as a novella. It failed. This would have made a GREAT book if she would have taken the time to build her world, make us care about the characters and give them actual reasons for doing the things they are doing.

The book jumps erratically from one scene to another, and flies through the action without giving us any real feeling to the actions. Someone DIED and it was glossed over, a whole place EXPLODED and nothing was really told about it - other than she wanted out...YIKES. Could have been a great scene, but wasn't worth more than skimming over when it was all said and done.

I would give it three stars for the ideas and the environments. One star on the pacing, and two and a half stars on the writing overall. I just didn't feel much to this. I have the second novella in this series, and I want to read it just to see if the author slowed down at all - I really see her potential, but it just isn't shining through. Maybe the next one will be better.

[Tishia (Paperback Opinion) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a really cute book! It's about a 16 year old girl named Jensen, who *thinks* she is just a typical teenage girl. Well, ok - typical aside from the fact that she has been living on the run with a con-artist sister and uses a different name every place she goes. There is so much about herself and her sister that she has no idea about. At school she meets mysterious, brooding, Liam. No longer having her sister to rely on, Jensen is suddenly thrown into Liam's world of faeries, danger, and mystery. I originally thought that some of the phrases and descriptions in the book were a little juvenile, but then got to thinking that yeah - this is pretty much how teenagers talk and act. I mean, I'm just getting old. I turn *gasp* 30 next month. Honestly though, I really think that teens will love this book. It's a book in the young adult, fantasy/paranomal genre that is all the rage these days. Better yet, the plot is original and exciting, and has good characterization. This book is novella length - it is a quick read that will leave you wanting more.

[Shéa MacLeod · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shimmerspell is a lovely paranormal YA story about a girl who discovers that neither she, nor the world around her, is exactly as it seems. There's a little touch of romance, quite a bit of magic, and a few surprises along the way.

I truly believe Spencer is a talented writer. Her descriptions of places such as the Isle of Mermen are outstanding. She doesn't just show you what it looks like, she draws you right into it.

Having said that, the book is slightly choppy in places. Some things are left a little unclear (For instance dark elves and light elves are a big part of the book, but they are never really explained.) or feel slightly rushed. But this is her first novel and it's a pretty solid offering. She can only get better.

I certainly won't hesitate to recommend Shimmerspell as a light, quick read to anyone who enjoys a paranormal YA. It's also a nice relief from the usual vampire trope. :-)

[Kimberly Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote it lol. :o)

[Missy (Two Readers Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Kimberly contacted me to review this for her I was all up for it. Faeries?? Heck yes! As soon as I received the book I decided to read a couple of pages to see what it was like. Those couple of pages turned into reading the whole thing in one sitting. I realize that this is only a novella, but I could not get enough!

Spencer created these amazing characters. Jensen, the main character, is absolutely fantastic. She was the kind of girl you could totally see yourself being friends with. She was written so realistically. I loved Jensen's best friend Zoe. She had the most funny and sarcastic dialogue. Some of the things she said literally had me laughing out loud. An example being, "You kind of lose the right to bitch someone out when you're no longer slapping groins." Just typing that made me laugh again!

Jensen is a 16 year old high schooler and, as if being a 16 year old is awkward enough, she has to deal with a con artist sister who has them constantly moving from one place to the next. She also finds it strange that she is always being singled out by her teacher, Mr Tanner, who somehow always knows when she is lying. She is also busy trying to discover why Zoe's sister hates her so much and figuring out the mysterious boy who is suddenly interested in her.

After a number of events take place, which I won't elaborate on since I don't want to give anything away, Jensen's sister Lauren disappears. Suddenly Jensen is thrown into a faerie world she never knew existed and it's seems her sister may have known about all along. Shimmerspell, the ability to move between worlds, is missing and everyone thinks that Jensen is partially to blame. The plot was fun, fast and intense. We are talking life and death situations!

I also loved the dialogue. It a lot of the YA books I read the dialogue seems to old or young for the characters they are portraying, but I think her depiction was pretty spot on. I had so many quotes from this book that I loved.

Along with the brilliant characters and dialogue was the plot. It was interesting and totally original. It was such a fun read and I HIGHLY recommend it!

My only complaint about this one? It wasn't near long enough. I wanted more! I still do! She is currently working on the follow up, Limerick, and I can't wait for it.

[Countrygirl_TN · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jensen's life is one big lie and she's about to learn the truth.

Jensen moves around a lot going from school to school since her sister, Lauren, is a con artist and also the one that is responsible for taking care of her. They are constantly on the move so they don't get caught. When Jensen makes friends with Zoe at her new school, she realizes that she doesn't want to leave when Lauren tells her that it's time to pack up and move again. While at school, Jensen is trying to break into a classmate's locker and she starts feeling dizzy and starts seeing things in a whole new way. She sees Liam, the hottest guy in her school, standing next to her but with her new sight, she notices that he has wings. Jensen has no idea what is going on, who or what she really is, and that her life is about to change forever. No one is who they claim to be and she has to figure out who she can trust or she could end up a dead girl walking.

This was a quick read for me. I, at times, get a bit bored while reading short stories cause they tend to be rushed and leave out a lot of details, but this one had my attention the entire time. I didn't feel like I was missing parts of the story or what was going on and I like that about Kimberly's writing. I was never bored reading this story for it was fast paced, and something was always going on.

The characters are really unique also. We are introduced to a siren, banshees, elves, leprechauns, and merpeople. The writing flowed easily while we the readers get a vivid picture in our heads of what's happening from Kimberly's descriptive wording.

When we think of faeries, most of us think of something that is cute and sweet like Tinkerbell. Well, Kimberly shows us that faeries aren't at all like the cute little pixies we've come to know growing up, but mean and horrible creatures.

So overall, I totally recommend this book. Once you start it, you'll be pulled into Jensen's mind and when it's over, you'll be begging for the sequel right away. My only complaint is that I'd have liked a little more romance between Jensen and Liam, so I am hoping that progresses in the books to follow. It's a unique twist on faeries with a bunch of betrayal, light humor, and even romance. The twists at the end will leave you wanting more.

[Tamara Rose Blodgett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was completely surprised to read this and like it as much as I did. I really vacillated between a 4-5 star rating and this novella, at 22K words, was short and had pacing to match. I am not used to reading something of this length so the entire feel of the read and what it delivered as far as information and action is decidedly different than say, a typical novel of 80 to 110K.

Jensen is a human that finds out she is a faerie by a series of clues and accidents that happen on her short journey of discovery. By far, the simplistic and realistic teen dialogue that is equal parts snappy/comedic/and not *too* contrived made for an enjoyable read that was easy-to-follow (it's not "spot-on" but she has great narrative flow and doesn't use words that smack "adult" and lose the teen flavor of the read). I love all the colors and descriptions of the different characters and feel sure that Spencer will offer more depth to all the different sub-species within the Fae as the continuation of the series progresses. I love the boy, Liam, that she's interested in and he smoldered and protected in a most satisfying way. I am confounded that some reviewers don't get this story(?) It is engaging and clear from the beginning.

Third person was very helpful in the telling of this story, without it, and the short length, it may have fallen "flatter" for the reader. Although the love interest is small, the romantic tension runs high and that is key to capturing my continued interest in a series. A bunch of "making-out" will not do and I need to feel that hint of swirling romance in the air like a finely tuned wire, strung taut and unyielding to feel that connection and desire to read more. Spencer also included a minor mystery and I had an "ah-huh," moment at the end with a betrayal and some information that was plopped in my lap at the end.

I wish I had just succumbed earlier, paid the $1 to read this when I was first so taken with the cover! (Can I say the cover art is A-MA-ZING!) But I decided to download this for free and now can't wait to get it's sequel, "Limerick." I see from the rankings that the sequel is doing terrific because everyone, like me, got "Shimmerspell" and couldn't wait to get novella #2! Fun with Faeries, definitely!

See my other reviews on my blog...

[Lacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Thoughts:

I had no idea what I was getting into when I was given the opportunity to review this book. I hadn't so much as heard about this book but boy am I glad I did!! It had a fast paced quality to it. It kind of reminded me of the series by Jenna Black "Glimmerglass series" the fairies were creatively created and shown to us...Kimberly definately took the time to create a world of its own. The imagery in this book was fantastic and even though there was a few grammer errors they were nothing, it was the writing itself that took full blossom and created a story that kept me wanting to read further...

Summary:

This is a story about a girl named Jensen who is thrown into a world she hadn't known existed. She had only known the death of her "supposed parents" and that she lived with a con-artist sister. The two of them were like best friends and relied on each other until one day Jensen witnesses a confession of a murder and see's the guy with wings behind his back. She immediately calls her sister and in response Lauren tells her to not come home and to go in search of the "High wizard". Not knowing what that meant and terribly heart stricken she stumbles upon the fairie she saw early who she comes to realize is Liam.

Soon Jensen discovers more of the world that was hidden away from her and learns more about herself and her family. In the end she has to come to terms that she can no longer look back in her old life and that there is only one path that lies ahead.

Last Thoughts:

I definately recommend this book for anyone who loves a new take on fairies and loves a fast read. This one sure had a suprise ending. I'm hoping that Kimberly has more in store for us because there is one thing for sure the ending of "Shimmerspell" leaves you wanting more...Thanks Kimberly for allowing me to read your precious baby, it was a treat in itself. The writing was definately one worth reading!!

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really, really want to give this book a higher rating than 3 stars, because I thoroughly enjoyed it, but I can't. While Shimmerspell had an intriguing concept and a descriptive and witty writing style that flowed well, the plot was everywhere, and I was confused frequently. It started off in a good place, but by the next few chapters, things happened so quickly that I wondered what had just happened. There wasn't enough time to process what was happening before something else monumental happened. It was a bit of information overload. The best way to explain it is that Shimmerspell is basically a really great novel fast forwarded.

Because of the rapid-fire plot, I couldn't connect to any of the characters. I liked Jensen, but again, it all comes back to the fact that these huge revelations were made about her, which little explanation, and then the story kept moving on. So I wasn't able to get a feel for her. Her infatuation with Liam was also pretty rushed; there wasn't any build up to it. Suddenly, they were kissing and I was like "When did this happen?"

That aside, Shimmerspell has the potential to be a really great novel. Really great. All it needs is editing and rewriting, more explanation and a slower pace, and it could be a smash! There wasn't anything wrong with it, per se, it just needed more.


It's really difficult to explain why I liked/didn't like Shimmerspell, and I feel like I didn't make much sense in this review. Honestly, the only way you'll be able to fully understand what I mean is if you read it for yourself, and then hopefully you'll agree that it was good, but it could've been so much better. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Posted on: http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.com/

Firstly I'd like to say thank you to the author Kimberly for giving me the opportunity to read her work. I'm so glad I got the chance to review this novella as it did really surprise me because I found I really enjoyed it.

The story follows Jensen who a typical 16 year old high school student who has a con-artist sister. Because of her sister, they are always on the run. When Jensen meets handsome Liam at school, her sister suddenly goes back on the run leaving her behind. Jensen then starts having to rely on Liam to keep her safe because she starts seeing people with wings - including Liam. She has no idea what is going on or what it means, so this is where her journey begins.

Even though this was a novella, don't let that put you off from reading it. Kimberly Spencer has definately got the nack for story telling and creating magical worlds in a short amount of time and I was pleasantly surprised that so much detail came out of this story. Not only were the characters well developed but the back story involving King Arthur and Lady of the Lake was a great addition too.

The story is fast paced, full of action, mystery and of course, there's that small romance that starts which you can't help will but wish it turn into something so much more. A enjoyable read, one I will be recommending and one I will look forward to continuing in the future.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

16-year-old Jensen's biggest problem is the fact that her sister Lauren and her have to move around a lot - namely because Lauren is a con artist, but nothing has prepared her for the problems she's about to face.

One day whilst trying to break into a locker at her school, she comes face to face with Liam - a boy who has seemed totally normal 'til now, but that's where things change, because now Liam has wings. Thinking she's going crazy, she runs away from Liam to the lunch hall, where she sees more people with wings, and overhears a conversation which leads her to believe that these winged creatures have killed the principle. Not knowing what to do, Jensen phones her sister Lauren, only to be told by Lauren that she doesn't want her anymore, and that she should seek the high wizard.

Not knowing what is happening to her, Jensen turns to Liam - the faerie boy, and together they try to find answers as to who Jensen really is, who her sister is, and why she can suddenly see faeries.

This is a really enjoyable read. The characters are believable, the storyline is interesting, and it's fast paced and fun. I got a little confused with some of the things that were going on because there was just so much going on, and a lot of strange faerie words floating around! Overall though, it was good, and I will definitely be reading the other books in the series. 4 out of 5.
(Book length: 1406 kindle locations)

[Savannah (Books With Bite) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started this book I was immediately blown away. I really loved getting into the feel of the story and seeing Jensen's character. One thing I enjoy in a book is where a character is lost. That is Jensen. When Jensen figures out that there is more to her, she has no idea who she is. I loved that she demanded answers and sometimes thought that she is crazy. She made me laugh and her sarcasticness made me snicker!

I also very much adored the story line. While Jensen has been lied to her entire life, there is a war brewing. Jensen has come to some untimely problems that all seemed to be brewing around her. The way the story flowed, impacted a whole lot of the story. Every thing was set at a right pace that made the story so much more. The writing is easily flowed and nicely written. In the smallest sentences, you find so much happening that you the reader are devouring this book quickly.

My only gripe is course it's small. I was so hooked onto the story that I wanted to read more on the happenings of Jensen. The love interest for me, just didn't cut it. I realize it was short story but still I wanted more between the characters.

This is great novella that has a great impact while reading. Your heart is racing and your eyes fly across the pages as you read Jensen's story. Will there be more? I hope so! This is a great short, summer read that you don't want to miss!

[Penelope Fletcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book which involved the Seelie and Unselie. Now, I liked Shimmerspell overall. It is a solid novella. There is surprising depth and personality to some of these characters, more than I’ve read in some full length books. The twins, I loved. Loved. They were creepy and cool though there appearance in this was brief. Also loving the intrigue around Lorlei, is she truly as wicked as her infamous mother Morgana Le Fae? We’ll have to see.

I did notice everyone seemed very vain, but not in an endearing way. There was lots of applying of lipstick for such a short book (I don’t know why that is so stuck in my mind), and the character descriptions were quite straightforward, which was refreshing as I read a lot of books with quirky character descriptions, so to see something so standard was pleasant.

My only real gripe is that it could have been a full length novel. But then again maybe it would have lost its sparkle if Ms Spencer tried to lengthen it into a novel. The ending was snappy and leaves us hanging on for the next instalment, Limerick (cool title name, right?) I recommend this one if you have an hour or two to kill.

You can see my video review here:
http://indiebookreview.blogspot.com/2...

[Heather Mcginn · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Shimmerspell” was a fast, exciting, and fun read overall! I would have loved if Kimberly Spencer had taken more time for character development and to expand certain events that took place. This definitely is not a Faerie novel for novices. There are a lot of details that go unexplained and if you have little knowledge of Faeries the read could be very confusing.

Jensen is just a sixteen year old girl with dead parents and a con-artist older sister who’s lifestyle keeps them continually moving. Finally, Jensen feel settled in a school where she has friends when suddenly strange things start popping into her visions. Could she really be seeing winged creatures in her school? Jensen soon finds herself deep in the battle between the Seelie and Unseelie courts of Faery as she struggles to understand what she is.

I could absolutely not put this down! It was great and super fast for an afternoon read and for a free Kindle read I really can’t complain. I do hope this book gets picked up for print and edited, hopefully adding in some detail and content. I really enjoyed Spencer’s writing style and her vivid imagery during a Faerie ball scene.

I will most definitely buy the sequel to this book “Limerick” and I’m excited to see where the next one takes Jensen as the first one ended so well. I absolutely loved Spencer’s closing line!

[Claire O-P · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a free ebook, which is the only reason I'm not cross that I read it. It's self-published, and you can tell - the pacing is off, scenes which should be important are rushed and in some cases it feels like they are missed out entirely, whilst other scenes, such as a fascination with the main character's school nemesis at the beginning of the book take up a lot of wordage considering they're never mentioned again. The character development is non-existant, and the relationship development is patchy. Jensen goes from finding Liam creepy in one scene to "starting to adore" him in the very next. Explanations are left out - we are told her sister is a 'con artist', and just left to believe it with no backing up of it. That's a fairly large plot-bomb to drop casually into a novel and then ignore. And how does that seem to have affected the main character? Not too badly, she's just bummed she can't go to the cinema. She doesn't change as a character through the story, and whilst she nominally reacts to events, they don't seem to really bother her all that much. The dialogue is pretty clunky in places too. Why does Liam trust her after exchanging perhaps not even 500 words with her in the whole book?

It's total nonsense. I could rattle on about it for ages. It's just crap. However, in its favour, it's also very short.

[Cassandra Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shimmerspell is a short story about faeries loosely based upon the Arthurian Legends. The plot line is very interesting. I found myself easily brought into the story. Kimberly has an amazing talent for imagery. The scenes came to life with her artful descriptions. The story has a wealth of great lines. Jensen is a pretty kick-ass girl and a remarkably believable character. I think the story could definitely be expanded upon for a great full length novel (I would absolutely read it). The very speedy pace to get everything in made it a little confusing at times, and at the end I had a ton of questions. Overall, it's a very fun, short read with moments of suspense and a good dose of mystery. I will definitely be looking for the second book in this series.

Kimberly has great potential as an author. I would read another story written by her in a heartbeat.

Other thoughts:
I really like the cover. The colors are beautiful. The girl's face has a mixture of fear and curiosity which I think fits well with the story. I believe the pink and orange thing on the right is a will o'wisp from the story. Very cool.

Rating breakdown:
Plot: 5 stars
Pacing: 3 stars
Characters: 3 stars
Character relationships: 5 stars
Recommend: Yes

[Shawna LeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an extreamly fast read. Not that it was a bad thing, because I really fell into this book. It was actually pretty good once I started and the ending will be making me buy book number two, because I just can not wait to see what happens to Jensen next.

I have read books on Faeries before, so none of the things in the book as far as details in the faerie world really had me confused as the first time I read a faerie book, but there were quite a few things that were new to me which I loved. It is always nice to dive into a book and learn new little facts about something you already thought you knew plenty of.

Right from the get go I loved Jensen. And then once Liam popped into the book, I was swooning. But, I tend to fall in love with boys from books...if only they were real. [: I really actually wish there was more of him in the book and hope that he is still in book number two, but after that steamy kiss they shared, how could he not be?!

Overall trying to not give anything away this was a great fast read, and cheap at that. If you love faeries then try this book out and I know you wont be dissapointed!!

Happy reading all!
[:

[Emily Ever · Rating 1 out of 5]

The concept of the book is pretty solid and interesting. But the execution on this was was poor. Very very poor.

things I had an issue with:
- The assumption that everyone already knows the difference between Seelie and Unseelie, and that they apparently hate each other.

- there seemed to be large plot points missing...

- charaters were under developed and their emotions and allegances were lightning quick. Really hard to connect to. And it was hard to tell them apart because of this.

- Occasionally, the author would descend into weird metaphores that brought you right out of the story. Half of my brain power was always used up trying to puzzle out what the author is trying to convey.

- Im pretty sure someone they said was dead in the beginning showed up and no one batted an eye. But not 100% sure which should tell you how confusing it was.

- Events werent explained properly so you were left guessing as to what actually happened.

- Sentences were unclear so you werent sure who people were talking about.

Things I liked:
- the initial ideas
...

I would pass on this one if I were you.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story and tomorrow I will read the next book in the series. Jensen is in a new school in high school living with her sister Lauren. Jensen in math class with mr. Tanner and he can always tell when she lies and picks on her. Her friend Zoe's twin sister hates her and Jensen has no idea why. To get even with her Jensen plans to break into her locker and take somthing and gets caught by Liam. All of a sudden she see Liam is wearing wings. Then she see's two more kids with wings and thinks they killed the princaple. Calls her sister on the phone for help and her sister says that she cant come home she is leaving her. Jensen has no idea whats happening all of a sudden. Liam saves her and trys to help her figure out why she can see through glamours all of a sudden. Learns about a fairy war she is in the middle of. No one trusts her and she finds it all hard to trust them.
It is a story that makes sense and I want to know more about thier world.

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting little novella. I got it for free from www.librarything.com and it's sequel as well for my kindle. The story was fairly fast paced, but that takes away from the fact that time passes differently and huge gobs of information is left out for you to come upon it happenstance in the dialogue or hint at it later. However, the lore is well researched with an interesting personal twist to it.

There is a bit of cursing with the f-bomb and some lesser words here and there, but for the most part it's pretty PG-13. The romance is pretty sweet and the personal interactions are written up there with the best books. The one thing I didn't understand is the constant substitution for "faerie" with "elf" which made no sense to me. But it didn't take away from the story. I'd recommend it for sure!

[Krista (CubicleBlindness Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was around 73 pages long and with all the action and adventure going on felt like it flew by. I really enjoyed Jensen and her reaction to this new world. She was fantastically funny and courageous.

The world building was well built and very descriptive. A lot of great characters and intense situations that kept my heart beating fast. And before you know it the story is over leaving you wanting more.

Jensen of course has more to her than a normal human, one day while at school (breaking into someone's locker) her ability to see others for what they really are is triggered unexpectedly and before she knows it she's on her own having to explore a whole new world. Of course Liam has to witness this transformation in her and all crazyness breaks out.

A very thrilling ride.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed Kimberly's take on the ya fae world, her writing style and the full, lush characters!!! I got it free on ibooks, believe it's available on amazon as well. JUST DOWNLOAD it to your computer if you don't have an ereader - you'll be very happy! The twists and turns of the story shouldn't be revealed so just go read it!!!!!!

If you must have the premise...here's the goodreads summary..."When sixteen-year-old Jensen Meadows finds herself caught in the middle of an ancient faerie war, she soon learns that faeries aren't made of sparkly goodness. They're vicious. And worse, they're after her. With the help of Liam Casey, she delves into their world to find her missing sister and begins to suspect that her whole life has been nothing more than a faerie tale."

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good YA ,( free on kindle) though a little confusing in parts- it kind of jumped around and I thought I missed a page. Also, needs better editing- sometimes it was confusing when commas were left out. EX: "I don't know how I feel about this Jensen" Did you not know how you feel about this person named Jensen? Or were you talking to Jensen? I found several of these types of mistakes and even though I read pretty quickly, it distracted me from the story and made me irritated. That being said, the story intrigued me enough to want to read more...I enjoyed the addition of the Arthurian legend.

[Laura's Book Addiction · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off I would like to say thank you to Kimberley for give me a chance to read Shimmerspell.

I really liked the premise for this Novella and I really really enjoyed the charcters Jensen and her love instresed Liam. For a short story it was packed and a great start to the series.

Favourite Quote

-"Because looking at you is like falling into a black hole stupid,confusing, and probably detrimental to my existence."

[Angela Fristoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never been a Faerie girl, so this was the first I've read of them. That said, I really enjoyed this novella. It was fast paced, and gave me just enough faerie background that I wasn't entirely confused, but not so much that I had to skim to keep interest. The only problem I had with this book was that I wanted it to go on!! I wanted to keep reading! Guess I'll have to pick up the next book in the series.

[Susie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only kept reading this because it was so short. The first high school bit is full of light swearing and sexual innuendo, which I didn't find at all necessary.

The plot was confusing and hard to follow. At no point are we introduced to any kind of Faerie kind, but suddenly we're supposed to know and recognize all of them. The jumps between scenes threw me off. I think the book needed to be fleshed out some more, but there really wasn't enough story there to be a full novel.

[Krizia Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like the story and the plot. The problem I have with the book is that at times it was confusing. Ms. Spencer had difficulties explaining and describing. I didn't understand Seelie and Unseelie at first. I can't imagine what Nixie looks like. I am often surprised that a paragraph is completely unrelated to the previous paragraph. I think the author is speeding things up that hurt the narration in the process.