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Shadow Keeper
Brendon Alexander was a normal high school kid until his dead grandfather appeared in the flames of a fire and told him of the gift he He has the power to force a demon from an inflicted body and send the creature back to Hell.Lisa Stratton, the new girl at school, has a secret of her own—her father is possessed by a demon. She recognizes the scar on Brendon’s chest that brands him as a protected one, but she must discover if he has the ability to cleanse the evil from her father’s body.The closer Brendon gets to Lisa, the more he uncovers buried secrets from the past. Not hers, but his—his father’s death and the creature that killed him, and the legacy handed down to him from beyond the grave. Burning curiosity and frightening nightmares thrust Brendon deeper into his past while Lisa urges him forward into danger—and into his destiny.
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 12, 2011
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224 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 21, 2011
This is a very fun, entertaining, paranormal adventure/romance. YA main characters but mature content. The narrative is a first person account of a vibrant young man with a secret past he must unravel before moving ahead in his life. Complicating matters is an overprotective mother and a new girlfriend with horrific secrets of her own. The story comes to a satisfying, heart-thumping conclusion. Good basis for the series to follow.
October 7, 2012
This is a YA supernatural story with a strong emphasis on teen romance.
The romance is more of a sexual tension vs virginity vs overly dramatic teenage reactions and unrealistic dialogue.
The way the adult mothers in this book were treated and spoken to by the male teens, was unusal and borderline uncomfortable at times.
I felt that the two storylines, the teen romance and the demon hunter, didn't compliment each other at all. The devil may care attitude that the main character displayed when someone was spreading false rumours about his love interest and her alleged sexual skills in a car, was disappointing. Perhaps an indication of how young people in our society think nothing of talking trash without any thought of the consequences.
The author spent so much time on the interaction between the two teens that there wasn't much space left to develop the other storyline, which is a pity, because it was the far better of the two.
The reader never actually gets the chance to find out what exactly the meaning of the title is, because we are too busy reading about how the teens have the hots for each and wanna get it on, but can't.
That isn't a bad thing per se, it just isn't a great thing when the book is supposed to be about humting demons.
I received a free copy of this book for my review.
The romance is more of a sexual tension vs virginity vs overly dramatic teenage reactions and unrealistic dialogue.
The way the adult mothers in this book were treated and spoken to by the male teens, was unusal and borderline uncomfortable at times.
I felt that the two storylines, the teen romance and the demon hunter, didn't compliment each other at all. The devil may care attitude that the main character displayed when someone was spreading false rumours about his love interest and her alleged sexual skills in a car, was disappointing. Perhaps an indication of how young people in our society think nothing of talking trash without any thought of the consequences.
The author spent so much time on the interaction between the two teens that there wasn't much space left to develop the other storyline, which is a pity, because it was the far better of the two.
The reader never actually gets the chance to find out what exactly the meaning of the title is, because we are too busy reading about how the teens have the hots for each and wanna get it on, but can't.
That isn't a bad thing per se, it just isn't a great thing when the book is supposed to be about humting demons.
I received a free copy of this book for my review.
January 27, 2013
So many Young Adult Paranormal novels start off with a new girl coming to town, having a meet-cute with the protagonist, and soon, said hapless male protagonist is up to his armpits in supernatural shenanigans he never saw coming.
Thus, I was a bit leery when M.K. Yarbrough's "Shadow Keeper" started with a new girl coming to town and having a meet-cute with the protagonist her first day of school.
However, I was pleasantly surprised that she was not a witch, a demon, a siren, a harpy, a banshee, or anything else supernatural: her name is Lisa Stratton, and she's a cute, shy girl, starting at a new school.
Lisa's meet-cute is with Brendon Alexander, an excellent student and star athlete. While Brendon wrestles with his friends after football practice, his shirt gets pulled up. Lisa notices an odd scar on Brendon's chest, and she recognizes it as a sort of mystic symbol, but that's it--she doesn't suddenly tell Brendon he's a werewolf or wizard or the Antichrist. (Both of Lisa's parents are anthropologists, which is how she recognized its nature)
The biggest crisis their relationship faces during the first 85% of the book is how to get some quality time alone. Between their interfering friends and ever-lurking moms, smooching time is at a minimum. Worse still, Brendon's mom dislikes Lisa, and Lisa's mom isn't wild about Brendon, so that sure as hell doesn't help things
What I liked about "Shadow Keeper" is the way M.K. Yarbrough didn't throw us headlong into a world full of demons or other ghoulish sorts. The story developed naturally, as a boy and girl like each other, and try to date. Their romance feels real, not overly sappy or cliched.
The problem is Lisa's father. He's been locked in a psych ward for months after going a little nuts during a hiking trip. He got lost, then when help arrived, he attacked various rangers and police officers who tried to help.
Again, Mrs Stratton, Lisa's mom, is an anthropology professor. She knows the nature of her husband's research; she's read his notes, and she can tell Mr. Stratton has been possessed. The hospital won't let him leave, so she enlists a Catholic priest to give exorcism a shot. That doesn't work.
One day, Mrs Stratton receives a call saying that her husband is doing much better. She, Lisa, and Brendon go up to see him. As soon as Mr Stratton senses Brendon's presence, he becomes violent, slapping his daughter and wife around, and trying to attack Brendon. Fortunately, Brendon is a big, strong football player, and can hold his own until the orderlies take over. (Once Brendon leaves, Mr Stratton continues to improve, which is why he's allowed to leave the hospital later for an overnight visit--something important happens that night)
As events unfold, Brendon learns that he has inherited a special gift from his father: he has the spirit of a Native American spirit guide, and he seems like the only hope the Stratton's have of getting Mr Stratton back.
Brendon is not someone accustomed to the supernatural. His dad died when he was young, and he's been raised Baptist. His mother never mentioned the spirit world or his father's "special hobby." When Brendon asks what his father did, his mother replies that he installed heating and air conditioning systems. No mention of the demon-fighting gig.
Naturally, there's a showdown, with Brendon testing his mettle against the demon who's haunted his dreams for months.
"Shadow Keeper" doesn't rush toward anything. The pacing is relaxed and steady, and I like the way the characters are drawn. M.K. Yarbrough does a wonderful job holding the reader's interest, creating a sense of foreboding without cramming in an unceasing parade of danger. In some series, the new girl shows up for her first day of school, and suddenly the entire town has supernatural occurrences around every corner. I like that this isn't the case here. There is one case, one person possessed, and he's in a hospital. Brendon doesn't suddenly become Albus Dumbledore. He studies what he has to so that he'll be ready for the one battle he'll face.
Lisa and Brendon make a charismatic couple. Lisa is shy and reserved, where Brendon is more outgoing, without being a cliched jock. His reason for playing sports is to earn a full college scholarship. He likes football, and he's good at it, but it's not his life.
I didn't know what to expect from "Shadow Keeper." I suppose I was expecting a standard YA Paranormal book, which would have been fine. Instead, "Shadow Keeper" proved more than that, transcending its genre, and creating an evenly paced, relaxing book that weaves an intricate story, rather than simply tying together a bunch of spooky events. After a busy week, this was a nice book for a lazy Saturday afternoon.
Highly recommended.
Thus, I was a bit leery when M.K. Yarbrough's "Shadow Keeper" started with a new girl coming to town and having a meet-cute with the protagonist her first day of school.
However, I was pleasantly surprised that she was not a witch, a demon, a siren, a harpy, a banshee, or anything else supernatural: her name is Lisa Stratton, and she's a cute, shy girl, starting at a new school.
Lisa's meet-cute is with Brendon Alexander, an excellent student and star athlete. While Brendon wrestles with his friends after football practice, his shirt gets pulled up. Lisa notices an odd scar on Brendon's chest, and she recognizes it as a sort of mystic symbol, but that's it--she doesn't suddenly tell Brendon he's a werewolf or wizard or the Antichrist. (Both of Lisa's parents are anthropologists, which is how she recognized its nature)
The biggest crisis their relationship faces during the first 85% of the book is how to get some quality time alone. Between their interfering friends and ever-lurking moms, smooching time is at a minimum. Worse still, Brendon's mom dislikes Lisa, and Lisa's mom isn't wild about Brendon, so that sure as hell doesn't help things
What I liked about "Shadow Keeper" is the way M.K. Yarbrough didn't throw us headlong into a world full of demons or other ghoulish sorts. The story developed naturally, as a boy and girl like each other, and try to date. Their romance feels real, not overly sappy or cliched.
The problem is Lisa's father. He's been locked in a psych ward for months after going a little nuts during a hiking trip. He got lost, then when help arrived, he attacked various rangers and police officers who tried to help.
Again, Mrs Stratton, Lisa's mom, is an anthropology professor. She knows the nature of her husband's research; she's read his notes, and she can tell Mr. Stratton has been possessed. The hospital won't let him leave, so she enlists a Catholic priest to give exorcism a shot. That doesn't work.
One day, Mrs Stratton receives a call saying that her husband is doing much better. She, Lisa, and Brendon go up to see him. As soon as Mr Stratton senses Brendon's presence, he becomes violent, slapping his daughter and wife around, and trying to attack Brendon. Fortunately, Brendon is a big, strong football player, and can hold his own until the orderlies take over. (Once Brendon leaves, Mr Stratton continues to improve, which is why he's allowed to leave the hospital later for an overnight visit--something important happens that night)
As events unfold, Brendon learns that he has inherited a special gift from his father: he has the spirit of a Native American spirit guide, and he seems like the only hope the Stratton's have of getting Mr Stratton back.
Brendon is not someone accustomed to the supernatural. His dad died when he was young, and he's been raised Baptist. His mother never mentioned the spirit world or his father's "special hobby." When Brendon asks what his father did, his mother replies that he installed heating and air conditioning systems. No mention of the demon-fighting gig.
Naturally, there's a showdown, with Brendon testing his mettle against the demon who's haunted his dreams for months.
"Shadow Keeper" doesn't rush toward anything. The pacing is relaxed and steady, and I like the way the characters are drawn. M.K. Yarbrough does a wonderful job holding the reader's interest, creating a sense of foreboding without cramming in an unceasing parade of danger. In some series, the new girl shows up for her first day of school, and suddenly the entire town has supernatural occurrences around every corner. I like that this isn't the case here. There is one case, one person possessed, and he's in a hospital. Brendon doesn't suddenly become Albus Dumbledore. He studies what he has to so that he'll be ready for the one battle he'll face.
Lisa and Brendon make a charismatic couple. Lisa is shy and reserved, where Brendon is more outgoing, without being a cliched jock. His reason for playing sports is to earn a full college scholarship. He likes football, and he's good at it, but it's not his life.
I didn't know what to expect from "Shadow Keeper." I suppose I was expecting a standard YA Paranormal book, which would have been fine. Instead, "Shadow Keeper" proved more than that, transcending its genre, and creating an evenly paced, relaxing book that weaves an intricate story, rather than simply tying together a bunch of spooky events. After a busy week, this was a nice book for a lazy Saturday afternoon.
Highly recommended.
August 10, 2016
What you don't know about yourself really can be dangerous! This was a really good read about a guy in his senior year of high school who has big plans for his life. His life is very predictable until the first day of school rolls around and he claps eyes the new girl, Lisa, at school. He is instantly attracted to her, but finds that her attraction to him might be for different reasons.
Brendon has a secret heritage that his mother knows about, but won't tell him. He has vague memories of his childhood before his dad's death and the death itself, he cannot remember at all. Lisa is fascinated by the burn scar on his chest. This causes him to think that she is not interested in him and it takes a little time for them to get the motives and misunderstandings straightened out. All the while, Brendon no sooner tries to fall asleep each night then he is visited by the nightmare of a half man- half rat creature, Lisa, and some other man he has never met. To make things get even more unusual, he is visited by the spirit of his grandfather and then the man from his dream along with one other person all driving him to fulfill his purpose.
Lisa's father, an anthropologist, who was following the trail laid out by an old ship's log and ends up getting himself possessed by a demon. It is her belief that someone who has a talisman with the same symbolism that Brendon bares on his chest can perform an exorcism on her father.
Much of the story develops against the backdrop of a normal small town high school group of friends during their school year. There is the usual teen angst accompanying Brendon and Lisa's budding romance with the added fun of two very involved mothers who both doubt the intentions of their child's date (refreshing since stories revolving around teens usually have absentee or clueless parents).
The grand finale was spectacular and tense. I will offer up no spoilers.
The characters were good. I liked Brendon and Lisa (though I got annoyed when she often jumped to the worst conclusions about Brendon). Brendon's friend, Carson, was probably my favorite character of the high school group. He was just so laid back and happy go lucky that he even got Lisa's mom, Monica to chill with them. Both teens have lovely well drawn families and they provide some good scenes when their in the picture. I loved it when Brendon's little brother slapped him once to wake him up from a nightmare and then again to wake him up from a hot dream about Lisa.
The plot was well done unfolding at a good pace to keep up interest and sometimes suspense. There is a demon in the book, but the focus is not really on the demon until its time to do something about it and that's okay. The romance was the sweet angsty sort where its a tug of war each time they're left alone to see if they can keep it from getting beyond first base- not that either mom would let it.
For those who need to know some additional deets, there is language though infrequent, underage drinking, but no sex.
I found this a nice read that I had no desire to put down and I definitely want to read book two because it ended abruptly (not cliffhanger abrupt) right after all the culmination of the demon battle.
Brendon has a secret heritage that his mother knows about, but won't tell him. He has vague memories of his childhood before his dad's death and the death itself, he cannot remember at all. Lisa is fascinated by the burn scar on his chest. This causes him to think that she is not interested in him and it takes a little time for them to get the motives and misunderstandings straightened out. All the while, Brendon no sooner tries to fall asleep each night then he is visited by the nightmare of a half man- half rat creature, Lisa, and some other man he has never met. To make things get even more unusual, he is visited by the spirit of his grandfather and then the man from his dream along with one other person all driving him to fulfill his purpose.
Lisa's father, an anthropologist, who was following the trail laid out by an old ship's log and ends up getting himself possessed by a demon. It is her belief that someone who has a talisman with the same symbolism that Brendon bares on his chest can perform an exorcism on her father.
Much of the story develops against the backdrop of a normal small town high school group of friends during their school year. There is the usual teen angst accompanying Brendon and Lisa's budding romance with the added fun of two very involved mothers who both doubt the intentions of their child's date (refreshing since stories revolving around teens usually have absentee or clueless parents).
The grand finale was spectacular and tense. I will offer up no spoilers.
The characters were good. I liked Brendon and Lisa (though I got annoyed when she often jumped to the worst conclusions about Brendon). Brendon's friend, Carson, was probably my favorite character of the high school group. He was just so laid back and happy go lucky that he even got Lisa's mom, Monica to chill with them. Both teens have lovely well drawn families and they provide some good scenes when their in the picture. I loved it when Brendon's little brother slapped him once to wake him up from a nightmare and then again to wake him up from a hot dream about Lisa.
The plot was well done unfolding at a good pace to keep up interest and sometimes suspense. There is a demon in the book, but the focus is not really on the demon until its time to do something about it and that's okay. The romance was the sweet angsty sort where its a tug of war each time they're left alone to see if they can keep it from getting beyond first base- not that either mom would let it.
For those who need to know some additional deets, there is language though infrequent, underage drinking, but no sex.
I found this a nice read that I had no desire to put down and I definitely want to read book two because it ended abruptly (not cliffhanger abrupt) right after all the culmination of the demon battle.
September 13, 2013
I'm torn about this book. I really enjoyed the premise of the story and how it was setting up what sounded to be a good trilogy. But then I read the sample for book 2 and it just soured me on this love story between Brendon & Lisa. They spent this book being normal teenagers discovering their feelings and it was believable. Not a quick, instantaneous "OMG I just met you and I love you and I want to spend eternity with you". I could easily picture this in my head back in my school days. So I was excited to see the sample for book 2 but we're given Brendon in bed with another chick he can't even remember the name of, and Lisa saying the Brendon can come back to her motel room after he washes the skank off of himself. Now I know people change as they grow up, but to give me that as a sample of what book 2 is, I don't think I want to read any more of this series now. It's just not what I think I want to be investing my time in. Just my opinion.
August 20, 2012
Shadow Keeper is an awesome read! I was so engrossed int he story that i bought the other 2 books immediatly! This story is about a teen named Brendon who thinks he is just a normal teen but then, he meets Lisa! While Brendon tries to get to know more about Lisa, he starts learning about his past (which his mother refuses to talk about) and his future!
***No spoilers...sorry!!!***
This is an awesome y/a paranormal book! The author really know how to write a page turner. She has wonderful character development and insight into the teenagers mind. I would recommend this book to y/a and adults alike!
***Disclaimer***
I received this book free from bookrooster.com in exchange for an honest review.
***No spoilers...sorry!!!***
This is an awesome y/a paranormal book! The author really know how to write a page turner. She has wonderful character development and insight into the teenagers mind. I would recommend this book to y/a and adults alike!
***Disclaimer***
I received this book free from bookrooster.com in exchange for an honest review.
October 30, 2012
I wish there had been more development with the demon hunter plotline rather than the relationship between Brendon and Lisa. I hated their relationship and found it incredibly unbelievable. A red-blooded teenage male is going to agree to a relationship where hand holding is the only thing that can go on? Girls in this book were either sluts (aka, Regina who was going to sleep with the entire football team) or uber prudes who wouldn't kiss for months. What year was this book set in? I really wish there had been more with the demon/medicine man aspect of the book, because that's what I was looking forward to. Not some teenage boy mooning over some girl who was using him the entire relationship.
October 14, 2011
Shadow Keeper, for me, was kind of middle of the road. I really enjoyed the writing, but the story didn't speak to me as much as I would have liked. Not to say I didn't enjoy this book, because I definitely did, there were some really spectacular moments, I just felt like I was always waiting for that little bit extra.
See the in-depth review at Sift: http://www.siftreviews.com/2011/10/sh...
Review by: Kellie of Sift Book Reviews
Sift Book Reviews received a free copy for review from the author. This has, in no way, affected the reviewer's opinion.
See the in-depth review at Sift: http://www.siftreviews.com/2011/10/sh...
Review by: Kellie of Sift Book Reviews
Sift Book Reviews received a free copy for review from the author. This has, in no way, affected the reviewer's opinion.
June 10, 2012
Downloaded this top free book from Amazon for Kindle. While it had a young author audience feel to it, I found myself looking forward to the next free moment to get back to it. Story about a high school kid who doesn't know much about his dead father and begins experiencing weird dreams/nightmares. He has the hots for a new girl at school and through getting to know her and her family, discovers secrets about his past and future.
October 27, 2012
It took a while to really get into this book, but I'm glad I kept reading! A high school boy seemed pretty normal until he meets a new girl who he is attracted to and has a vision from his deceased grandfather. At first, it seemed like so many other YA books, but the development of the story and its characters really hooked me! A couple were a little over the top, but added a few laughs while reading!
January 2, 2013
Such a shame that the author focused heavily on the developing romantic relationship between Brendon and Lisa when she could have further explored the occult/dark aspect of the book. If the book were solely about romance, I wouldn't have minded seeing their courtship, but the dragging on of it before getting to the mystery got to me.
It just took too long to get to the nitty-gritty, and I completely gave up.
Didn't help that I found Lisa and her mother so...maddening.
It just took too long to get to the nitty-gritty, and I completely gave up.
Didn't help that I found Lisa and her mother so...maddening.
February 10, 2016
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Brendon Alexander watched his father die, but has no recollection of the horrific event. His mother won't talk, but his dead grandfather will. While staring into the flames of a campfire, Brendon discovers a gateway to the spirit world. His grandfather appears on a puff of smoke and tells him of the gift he inherited from his father: He has the power to force a demon from an inflicted body and send the creature back to Hell.
Brendon Alexander watched his father die, but has no recollection of the horrific event. His mother won't talk, but his dead grandfather will. While staring into the flames of a campfire, Brendon discovers a gateway to the spirit world. His grandfather appears on a puff of smoke and tells him of the gift he inherited from his father: He has the power to force a demon from an inflicted body and send the creature back to Hell.
May 14, 2016
This started out as another YA book about romance, but then it got very interesting to me. Ghosts or spirits, demons, and demon hunters were introduced on top of all the normal wear and tear of a young adults life. The story was interesting, but I felt that the characters could have been better developed and the interactions between themselves and the plot better written. The ending also could have held more surprise or suspense in the successful completion/resolution of the crisis.
March 8, 2015
This was a good read, especially if you are interested in spirituality with a Native American influence.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews