Joe Shine I Become Shadow (Hardback) - Common

by Joe Shine

Ren Sharpe was abducted at fourteen and chosen by the mysterious F.A.T.E. Center to become a the fearless and unstoppable guardian of a future leader. Everything she held dear—her family, her home, her former life—is gone forever. Ren survives four years of training, torture, and misery, in large part thanks to Junie, a fellow F.A.T.E. abductee who started out as lost and confused as she did. She wouldn’t admit it was possible to find love in a prison beyond imagining, but what she feels for Junie may just be the closest thing to it. At eighteen they part ways when Ren receives her find and protect college science student Gareth Young, or die trying. Life following a college nerd is uneventful, until an attack on Gareth forces Ren to track down the only person she can trust. When she and Junie discover that the F.A.T.E. itself might be behind the attacks, even certain knowledge of the future may not be enough to save their kidnappers from the killing machines they created.

Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Adventure, Fiction, Action

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

I BECOME SHADOW is my debut novel, it's my debut anything over thirty pages if we're being honest.

I live in Austin, TX where I currently spend my days working a normal human job. My spare time is pretty well spoken for and split between writing and yard work.

Reviews

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

This book is freakin' AWESOME! I read it in less then 10 hours. It is just so much fun to read, I laughed out loud quite a few times and ran the gambit from sadness to evil glee.

I love how the MC, Ren, speaks directly with the reader, it feels more like a conversation. I fell in love with her, she is so full of life and emotions. I even giggled a few times myself especially on her inner monologue. She is smart, kind and loyal. Plus she is a wise ass that is also a total bad-ass. Junie, Gareth and even Lloyd are fleshed out and 3D as well. I didn't even mind the 3 way... I mean love triangle. (Or do I?) Yeah, I mean love triangle.

The plot is fairly original and engrossing. It flows so smooth that I was pulled into the story right from the start. There is action, violence, pettiness, greed and lots of blood. But softer things too. Love, honor, loyalty, friendship, even innocence... and lots of blood. I mean LOTS of blood. Gallons of blood; oodles of blood... sorry. I tend to zone out. I am really good at zoning out... sorry.

My one and only real complaint is that the ending leaves little doubt that there will be at least one more book. Which means I have to wait who knows how long to read it. If I had known that I would not have been in such a rush to read this. Waiting closer to the release date of the next book.

I Bow to you Mr. Shine. It is a little scary how a grown man could write so well from the POV of a teenage girl. I have read books by female authors who couldn't do it a quarter as well, and I assume THEY have been teenage girls at some point in their lives.

I leave with one request, a small thing really, given the talent the author shows here. Please, please, pretty please, make sure that any and all of your I Become Shadow sequels, prequels, short stories and novellas are up to the standard you set with this book.

Otherwise, I may have to HUNT you down.

(Oh, and feel free to send me ARCs of any and all such sequels, prequels, short stories and novellas.)

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was a bit disappointed with several aspects of this story so I'm having trouble deciding whether or not to choose 2 or 3 stars. I believe Goodreads should allow us to use half stars to better choose our rating.

I Become Shadow is a book about young teens who get captured by the FATE Center to become trained as deadly protectors for FIPs (future important people). The training is vigorous, they are turned into hardened fighters, and they'll do anything to save the FIP they are linked to once their training of 4 years is over. This idea sounded interesting to me and that's the reason I picked it up; it was also recommended to me by someone because they said it was a fast, fun read.
For the most part, I did enjoy the book. It was written in a "younger" voice to sound like it was a teen narrating the story. That was alright and didn't bother me.
What I found distracting and annoying was the amount of random relationship/sexual innuendos and jokes that kept popping up. It really disappointed me. There's nothing wrong with adding some romance in a book but it gets a bit over the top when you are constantly being reminded that basically all of the characters are immature when it comes to topics such as love or whatever you want to call it. No, I did not need to know you wished you could pull him into the bushes and "do the dirty." No, I did not appreciate that Lloyd would think of you in his room at night when he was alone. No, I did not have any interest in listening to your thoughts about how you wanted Gareth and couldn't help it, woah is you. They didn't necessarily bring up the word "s*x," nor did they do that, but as the book went on, it constantly kept popping up so much that I was rolling my eyes with the stupidness of it all. I thought this book was supposed to be about Ren becoming a Shadow and protecting her FIP, not that she has some impulse controls along with the rest of the characters.
Gareth was probably my favorite character (he was sorta adorable sometimes) but then again, he wasn't an exception for occasionally bringing up an inappropriate joke here and there.

These annoying scenes and details stole a large part of the book for me so I think I will leave it at two stars for the plot. The rest of it was just a big disappointment. The author took something that would have been cool to read about and was too immature to handle the subject properly.

I also thought that the fight scene(s) at the end of the book was sort of long and repetitive but maybe that's just me. I wasn't taking away any stars for that.

Content:
Language: some hell, one or two f bombs (rolls eyes), some s words, someone says another character is the "ballsiest" person they know
Sexy Stuff/Romance: Some kisses, too many sexual jokes/innuendos/weird impulse feelings that were unnecessary to mention, one male character bathes a female character because she was filthy and unconcious and almost dead but says he "saw some stuff" when he later admitted it to her. HELLO?!?!
Violence: Fighting scenes with guns, knives, grenades, bombs. Mention of blood, people being killed/beaten up in fighting scenes, random attacks

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before I really start this review, I have to admit that the only reason I read this is because the Teen Book Club I help out with is currently reading it and I like to read the books with them. If it weren't for this, I might not have ever picked this up.

With that said, I'm on the fence about I Become Shadow. I mean, I really liked it. The characters were funny, the romance was cute, the love-triangle-but-not-really was interesting, and the whole idea of kidnapping these "destined to die anyway" kids and turning them into "Shadows" was intriguing enough to keep me going long enough to finish the book.

Sounds like it doesn't get much better than that, right? Weirdly, though, I'm just left with this "that was nice" feeling and I'm not dying to know whether or not Shine will write a sequel - which is totally possible based on how I Become Shadow ended. Everything was just too good, though. Ren is badass, funny, and attractive with an equally attractive, badass, and funny boyfriend. And did I mention the wicked smart nerd with a photographic memory who would rather use his talents doing good rather than waste his time like "most kids" his age?

None of the characters have any real depth or flaws and I didn't really connect with them. This novel barely scratched the surface of the potential the plot and characters have and since I can't find confirmation on a sequel, it just feels abandoned.

Now, I did like that it seemed as though Ren was just talking to us and telling her story. I know that's not for everyone since some don't like the idea of being acknowledged by a character, but I really like it when it's done well. What bothered me was how the beginning of the book started in a way that was so over the top and cliche it was clearly done purposely. It was actually funny how aware of itself the story was, but then we lose that once Ren goes through her training. The story tries to get serious and loses something along the way.

I want to like this book so much more than I currently do, but it's just not for me. The characters need more depth, the story needs more pages, and I've read so many books with similar ideas that have been done better (sorry!) that I just don't have it in me to give it more than three stars.

[Danilyn N · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Become Shadow is about a teenage girl living in a lonely world 'see what I did there'. This teenage girls name is Ren. She is have aging some bad luck at school, in fact she is doing so bad she got a nose bleed in front of her crush, yikes! But on one fateful night she was texting away on her cell with her best friend until she feels a strange cloth wrap around her. Soon she realizes that she is being kidnapped. When she one up she discovers herself strapped to a chair in a pure white room that seems like a lab. Soon after she woke up she sees a ginger haired girl with a lab coat making her way to Ren. 'What will they do to me? Why do they want me?' Are all the questions that went through Rens head. While she was having a panic attack she feels a painful sensation in her arm. What will happen to Ren? Will she be Oaky? Read to find out.


I Become shadow is such an amazing book!! It really has captured me in the story and I just couldn't take m eyes off it. I love how they really made Ren to able to hold her own even in a rank with Black Widow and Catness Everdeen. This novel is even able to fit some romance in here, That's right I'm talking to all you romance people out there!! This book as on has some action, and mystery. I thought the setting of the book was very interesting, and mysterious. I recommend this book to all of you mystery, action, and romance readers. Because I can assure you that you're going to love this book!

[Kendyl T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ren Sharpe the awesome,butt-kicking,hero of the story is kidnapped from her family,and home to train at the F.A.T.E. center.At the F.A.T.E. center the teens who are kidnapped are trained to become a shadow [glorified stalker].These shadows protect their F.I.P.[future,important,person] from all harm.Thanks to modern technology of their time they can know who and what will and will not be important.Two specific characteristics the author uses is dialouge and action.Which in my opinion are the dynamic duo of Sci. Fi. books.I enjoyed this book so much,because of the fun-loving,action-packed chapters.The dialouge on every page,and the vivid scenes I can imagine because of this book.If you enjoyed this book some other books you may be into are Divergent,and the Hunger Games.

[Frank-Intergalactic Bookdragon]

DNF @ page 66/22%

I wish I read this two years ago, back when I enjoyed books like this. It gave me serious Divergent vibes and I think fans of that series will like this. It's full of action and training scenes, fast paced, has a cool sci-fi concept, and government conspiracy (that was the best part, the idea of an agency that knows what will happen in the future? That's such a fascinating concept!)

Yet, I failed to care. Despite the writing style being like the MC is talking to you, I never made a meaningful enough connection with her to want to read on. The 2010s dystopian vibes also threw me off which was an unwelcome surprise because I got burnt out on those kind of books years ago. And honestly, I still feel burnt out. The eternal burn out.

The tone didn't work for me either, it tries to be humorous but the MC is the only humorous aspect. All these dark, horrible things are happening (kidnapping and child abuse) with snark from the inner monologue at the same time and it didn't mix well. I'm not saying you can't write a humorous book about dark things, but you need to find the appropriate times for jokes and darkness. Think Avengers: Infinity War, the movie's full of sassy comments and quips, but during the end sequence not a single joke is cracked, instead we're allowed to feel the emotional weight of all the deaths.

I found this at a library book sale and really wanted to like it, but I guess it wasn't meant to be. If nothing else at least I learned how to take the plastic off library books so my five bucks wasn't wasted.

[Cullen P · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Become Shadow is a really good book. This book is about a fourteen year old girl named Ren Sharpe, who is kidnapped by a center called F.A.T.E. They will train her to become a human weapon, that's called a shadow. Their job is to protect a special person, who will do good things when they grow up. Her family thinks she I dead back home, and will never see her again. She goes through training for four years. It is very painful, and some people might die. She gets her FIP four years later (the person they must watch over, and protect). His name is Gareth. She ends up at a college. When people try to mug Gareth, she saves him. She has practically broken all the rules to having a FIP. When another attack happens she saves Gareth, but gets hurt badly. She goes to her friend Junie's house, who has a FIP too. He helps Ren, but the F.A.T.E center knows she has broken all the rules. They come after her and take her back to the center. She try's to escape to find Gareth, but you will have to read to find the rest out. I liked all the parts in this book. This book made me feel sad and happy at the same time. I was sad, because she never got to see her parents again. I was happy, because this book was very interesting. I think that anyone would like this book. I think this book is a little bit like the book When. Because they both get in some danger. This was probably the best book I ever read. I really suggest that you read this book.

[Natalie R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Become Shadow is a phenomenal book about a girl named Ren Sharpe. One night she was about to fall asleep, but before she did she was kidnapped. All of her family and friends thought she was dead. She was brought to a place called FATE. FATE is a place where people train you to be very powerful and strong. On Ren's first day she met a boy named Junie. They became good friends. After four years of training at FATE they became shadows. They got linked to someone that they watch over, protect, and spy on. This person is important, and needs to be safe for the future. When this happened Ren and Junie got split up. Ren's FIP was named Gearth. One day he was walking to one of his classes at school and got attacked. Ren save him. After that her and Gareth got to know each other. This was breaking the rules of being a shadow. A couple weeks later Gareth got attacked again. Ren Took him Junie's house to be safe. You will have to find out on your own if they're safe or not. I liked when Ren and Junie met for the first time. I did not like when Junie was beaten, on the ground, with his mouth duck taped shut. This book was exciting and sometimes sad. I think if you like books with action you would like this book. I think this book was a lot like When, because it is a bit of a mystery, you never know what will happen next, and there is lots of action. Be sure to read I Become Shadow.

[Cammy R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Become Shadow is a exciting novel that will have you on the edge of your seat the whole time you read it. One ordinary 14-year-old girl named Ren Sharpe has an ordinary life until a secret organization called FATE takes her away from her home in the middle of the night and trains her to be a human weapon. After her 4 long years of training she's ready to become a "Shadow". This is where she is assigned one human to watch over from the real world to keep safe. They cannot interact at all with this FIP (Future Important Person) or mess up the future because they are watching over some one who will do something great. But as she breaks rules, she also uncovers that not everything is what it seems... Especially back at her home away from home, the beloved FATE.
I liked the action and Ren's sharp attitude, I loved watching her change throughout the book. I disliked the fact that is has a lot of bad words... Really bad sometimes. It can sometimes be a little inappropriate and does contain grueling imagery of blood. It made me feel a little sickened during the attacks, to be honest. But if you're into that kind of stuff, this is the book for you. I would compare it to Harry Potter only because of the adventurous spirit of the characters. Overall, it was a great book. But please pay attention to my warnings. I loved this book!

[Tavi B]

Rene Sharpe was abducted at her home at age 14 by some mysterious organization called F.A.T.E. the organization will train her to be an unstoppable, skilled, fearless guardian, of a person that will grow up to change the world, they call, these people shadows. Everything she loved and cared for is gone; her family; friends; and a normal life. Four years of intense training, misery, despite, and torture, have made here who she is today. The only good thing tat happened to her these four years was her best friend, Junie ( who she secretly has a giant crush on). Know all she needs to do is get linked to someone to watch, so the past four years of her life don't go to waste. When she gets paired with someone in the great state of Texas, she definitely was not expecting some college nerd who spends his free time playing video games. All she has to do is not let Gareth Young from not knowing who she si and that she is even alive at all. Shouldn't be to hard when you go to "Texas A&M" a huge school, well apparently should couldn't do it. With in weeks they are best friends and walk to every class together, they talk about everything, they sit next to each other at lunch and in all there classes.

[Pace R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that this book was amazing because all I wanted to do was to just keep reading. I finished this book in just a week! This book is about a girl who is stolen from her bed in the middle of the the night. When she is in the bodybag she is kicking and trying to scream through the sock in her mouth. When she gets to where they are taking her they tell her that the only reason they took her was because she was going to die. When she is there she goes through extreme pain including this one shot she gets every night called fire. The point of fire is to make you never feel pain again. The only thing that keeps her alive is her best friend she meet named Junie. When she finally gets to go out in the real world she can't see Junie now. What will happen to her when she has to face her fears and go back to the place that was her worst nightmare. This book made me just want to keep reading and reading and reading. I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read books that never slow down and are mystery type books. This book kind of reminds me of the hunger games.

[Gerardo Delgadillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 out of 5 stars

I BECOME SHADOW is one of those stories with a kickass heroine–Ren. This premise is similar to the one in the old 90s movie FREEJACK, featuring no other than Mick Jagger. But in this case, with teens and for different purposes. I really liked the novel, mainly the gruesome process Ren has to endure before departing to fulfill assignments. Four years of suffering, actually. So we see Ren growing up, fourteen years old to eighteen, and the writing shows the maturity–starts funny and quirky and ends on a more serious tone, but still fun!

I recommend you to read this novel, because is intense and cool!

More on my blog: https://gerardowrites.wordpress.com/2...

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up this book really looking forward to reading it. It sounded good and the book cover is eye catching. Sadly I did not finish this book. I got to the middle of chapter 8 and threw in the white towel for surrender. While there was things happening in the book in regards to action, it was still just the training phase of the action. Which I would have stuck with this book if for the one simple fact...I cared about the characters. There was nothing really interesting about Ren that made me endeared to her. Thus the reason I gave up on this book. For this type of book, you need to have the characters be emotionally connected with the readers so that they will want to continue with the journey and transformation that the character is taking.

[LeeAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book and a perfect addition to the Lone Star List. The fact that the author is from Austin just makes it better! I enjoyed how he skipped over parts and gave us background of Ren's story instead of spending a lot of time doing that like some authors do. It was a pretty intense read with a lot of suspense and a heroine just snarky enough to make me love her! I can't find evidence anywhere online of a sequel in the works, but surely there is with that ending. Right?

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book!!! Please please please tell me this is a series because I need more!

The whole book flew by! I can't think of anything that could have been changed. I loved the character development and the POV and writing was perfect. I haven't read such a great book like this in a while

I rate it 5 stars for sure

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

My students are going to love this story.

[Forever Young Adult]

Graded By: Mandy C.
Cover Story: Inverted Big Face
BFF Charm: Nay
Swoonworthy Scale: 5
Talky Talk: Too Teen
Bonus Factors: Amherst, MA, Shades of Fearless
Anti-Bonus Factor: Love Triangle
Relationship Status: Missed Connection

Read the full book report here.

[Mandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5

I had a hard time with the too-teen narration and the too-quickly-wrapped-up plot. (I might have liked this better had I read it back when it first came out in 2014.)

Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of action

I was skeptical at first. I love the voice and snarkiness of the protagonist. It’s hard to pull off a first person, but this was good, really good. The action will keep you interested and the premise of it is enticing. Very good YA novel.

[Christine S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Become Shadow is about a girl named Ren Sharpe. Ren is kidnapped from her room one night when she was 14. They take her to a place where, when they take photos from space and they could see 50 years into the future. She goes to the FATE center and trains to be a fighter to protect her FIP(future important person). To go with her on this journey were about 300 14 year olds, but her best friend is a boy named Junie. Ren and Junie make it through 4 years of hard work and finally gets linked with their FIP. She has to go through love, carfulness, and pain to protect him, but she doesn't even know who her enemy is anymore. You will have to read this book to find out.
I loved the story, but I got lost a couple of times. Lets be honest here, I cried a little in this book. If you read it you will find out why. Anyone who likes a little romance and a good fight will love this book like I did. This book is similar to The Hunger Games so if you liked that book, you will like this.

[Dani ❤️ Perspective of a Writer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ren and Junie are kidnapped at 14 years old to become a shadow, a guardian of future important leaders, by the mysterious F.A.T.E. Center. Trained to be able to handle anything, they are given their assignment at 18, determined to maintain the feelings they have for one another no matter how the bond with their assignments affects them. When Ren endangers her assignment she learns F.A.T.E. is not the altruistic protectors of humanity it professes to be.

I really enjoyed Ren's narrative. It's a strong style that is engaging and easy to read! She pulls you in and makes you feel like she's a friend giving you a play by play of her life. It's a strong concept that keeps the pace swift and peppered with action. You are rooting for Ren and Junie and through their love of their assignments you root for their FIP as well. There is a central dilemma that is part of the plot of the story that creates a sort of love cube except that one of the points is a 3 year old little girl. This love triangle is really contrived but it also is one of the most interesting aspects of the story. There is this question coming out in books now - why do we love the person we love? Is is biology, i.e. our bodies? Or is it what we experience with another person emotionally? Is one way better than the other?

Lots of things didn't really make sense about F.A.T.E. I like the end, it tied up a lot of the twists and turns that don't quite work that are revealed through Ren and Junie. I still think killing a 4 year trained killer wastes precious resources, it's the one flaw in the story. Better for there is be a switch that can be chemically induced to change their feelings about their FIP. This is why F.A.T.E. doesn't really make sense. Half of events and circumstances are set up to fit the cover story and the other half work with the twist. Which is it? All the facts have to fit whichever way it truly is; there's no halfsies here. Why Ren? Why Junie? I had this question from page one and there never really is an answer. I guess its because they are disposable? Then why all the rules that try to maintain a distance? Just doesn't make sense. The scenes there were with the training were really good... I loved the beginning where she grabbed Tom's balls and rushed Cole. The training with Luka and the part Tom plays stay with you in a very strong way. There is too much high tech to me - why not just save all that money and no need to steal other people's...

I really, really liked Junie from the start. He's the reason anyone would make it, being an emotional center for you to focus on. It reeked of insta-love or at least insta-caring from their earliest encounter. The training, other than those few scenes fly by in a Hollywood montage makes the romance really hard to believe. We come out the other side and suddenly we are told they both think they are in love. Wait back up that was what we were told 4 years ago at the start of training... I really like Junie and he proves himself later and all that, but there is a gap in the love building.

What are they going to do about Emily?! I am totally intrigued about where you can take this on the run story. The premise is twisty enough to be interesting. This is clearly a debut novel. He did good. It's hard to write an engaging character and while the world building conflicts with itself at times I feel like that is from lack of experience. I hope the next book smooths the world building out and we get some solid scenes that shows who loves who and why.

BOTTOM LINE: A strong female centered action packed ride...making a solid debut.

[Lexie · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I enjoyed the spy aspects of this book and certainly Ren became more interesting as the novel went on, I wasn't as keen on Shine's narrative style.

+++

Spies, thieves and assassins - when I was a kid I ate fantasy books filled with these three as if they were going out of style. Which really it was unusual to find an age appropriate book with any of those professions being the main character. Now I toss a shoe and I'll land on at least four books in the young adult genre with any and all.

This was one of the books I picked up at ALA Midwinter this past January. I didn't go into the show thinking about this book, but the coverart (and the publisher rep) sold me on the idea. Told in a first person format, we follow Ren as she goes around doing shadowy things for a Shadowy group before she ultimately decides to ditch it all for what she feels is morally right. Or something akin to that.

The problem was that Ren had the most annoying tone ever conceived. She was part cocky, part snide, part obnoxious and topped with an undercurrent of poor me. Shine introduces us to Ren's present life by first having Ren tell us her backstory, THEN we get to what she's currently up to. Sort of. I got a little confused with the timing in the book as Ren would sometimes backtrack in her story with little warning.

Also as I was expecting an action type spy thriller paramilitary sort of book I wasn't as keen on the romance that budded all over the place. Romance with Junie, another operative and who is strictly off limits. Quasi-romance with Gareth, her charge to protect. Friction between the guys. Friction between Ren and the guys. Friction between the Shadowy Operation who doesn't want her close to either guy.

Honestly the book didn't need it. Why this incessant need to make a close bond between a guy and girl lead to romance? If Ren defied all things because she had a deep friendship with the guys, the plot would have gone just the same. Shadowy Operation would have STILL been against her forming ANY bond and used it against her. Shine didn't have me believing that the romance she felt for the guys was catalyst enough to make her question everything.

I found the idea of F.A.T.E. to be intriguing--awful way to recruit, but also horribly effective if you go by Junie and Ren. I've always been a moral grey area sort of girl when it came to my governments and espionage, so it makes sense to me that if such a thing was possible it would be exploited and used.

I definitely think this is a solid read if you're a fan of such things. And as history has shown my intolerance for certain narrative voices cough Blood Red Road cough is not usually the acknowledged opinion.

[S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

The craft is juvenile and this seems like a total cliche.

[~Tina~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Become Shadow, starts the story with 18 year old Rennes Sharpe taking us back four years ago when her life was stolen from her. See she was kidnapped and chosen to be apart of an organization called F.A.T.E who stumbled on a designed satellite that saw fifty years into the future, thus knowing who lived, who died and who was valuable. Ren was suppose to die at age 14 as well as the other hundreds of other 'recruits' all who were chosen (aka abducted) to be in the Shadow program and protect future leader of the world. The time at the centre is brutal and merciless and even though Ren finds comfort and companionship in Junie another 'recruit', she misses her old life, family and friends who all think she's dead. For the next four years of Ren's life she's been taught that F.A.T.E were the good guys, but soon will learn that the organizations have their own agendas for the FIP's they were trained to protect with their lives.

I saw this at my bookstore and only after reading a few sentences I was already intrigued. I read this in one sitting and was surprised how dark and edgy it could get but at the same time funny and uplifting. One of my favourite aspects of this book was the way it was written. Ren is our narrator and throughout the entire book was talking to the reader, telling us her story before, during and after the program that changed her life for the better or the worse (jury still out). It did take a bit to get use to but I really enjoyed Ren's voice. It's honest, realistic and I loved that she stayed true to herself no matter what was happening to her and those around her. I also really liked Junie and thought they made a good team. He was someone dependable and good in a world of unjust madness and cruel expectations. The training was absolutely unforgiving and harsh but gave me that action intrigue and suspense I crave in a good book. The pacing was a little fast at times but it didn't take away from the overall experience and while the romance was on the lighter side, the moments we did get was worth it.

While I can see that this may not be for everyone, I was really impressed with this escape and had a great time reading it. The writing is terrific, the concept is great and these characters are pretty kickass. A solid entertaining experience. Bring on the next book!

[Thea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ren Sharpe is a 14 year old girl who is kidnapped from everything and is brought to a place called F.A.T.E. Where she is trained to become a shadow. A shadow is someone who is a guardian of a very important person to the future. 4 years later she is 18 and is assigned to her person. Her life no longer matters she must put her assignments life in front of hers. Her assignment, Garett Young a former college student. To make matters worse he is a nerd. For a while life is uneventful and boring. But, then disaster strikes. She and a fellow F.A.T.E- Junie - must come together to save Gareth. Junie and Ren must figure out how to destroy the "killing machines" they think F.A.T.E created. Ren is like Katniss (Hunger Games Series) and Tris (Divergent Series), they are independent young women. I love this book beacause Ren is an independent, fun, adventurous, and an exiting young woman. I really didn't think I would like this book but I couldn't stop reading it. I never had the thought it would end but when this book ended I needed to read more. Hopefully they come out with a 2 book. If you like the Hunger Games or Divergent than you're sure to like this book. Also, I recommend this book if you like action-adventure books. This book is awesome!

[Jacobe D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ren Sharpe is a normal 14 year-old girl. You know, the one with a popular best friend, secret crush, the jeans-and-T-shirt style. But all of that changes when Ren is kidnapped from her own home, never to see her family again. She is taken to FATE; a secret organization that knows everything and everyone, and is dangerously smart. They could tell you who the president of the United States will be in 54 years, or that the cure to cancer is a 4 year-old girl. FATE trains Shadows, the unnaturally strong human beans that will protect the new leaders of the world; Future Important People (FIPS). Ren and millions of other normal teenagers are trained at FATE, including Junie; Ren's new best friend and possibly more? FATE is so intense, that every night, Ren is given a shot that will allow her to never feel pain. This way the only thing that she would ever have to fear is death. FATE is not afraid to hurt people, kill them even for disobeying. Ren is transformed into a fighting machine; she could kill a grown man with a sticky note. When Ren is assigned her very own FIP, she is shipped off to Texas A&M; the school housing her new life source, Garret Young. But when Garret is attacked, everything in Ren's life is turned upside down. Who can you trust in a world of people trained like machines? Ren takes Garret and Junie on the run - but who are they running from? Ren might have to eventually turn on her creature, but this time when the fight comes they won't know what their up against.

I Become Shadow was so incredibly suspenseful, I couldn't let myself put it down! Ren is a smart and funny powerhouse, a real heroine. Ren reminds me of smart, tough girls like Hermione Granger. I could feel Ren's pain, and her desperation to hold on to the family she made at FATE was beautiful. Although the deaths were depressing, and some unbearable to read without an enormous pit in your stomache, Joe Shine does a fabulous job in creating an "I could read this book a thousand times!" sort of story. I Become Shadow reminds me of books like Harry Potter and Rebel Mechanics: All Is Fair In Love And Revalution. You will be unable to stop reading! Enjoy!

[Helen F · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book I Become Shadow by Joe Shine is a extremely impressive story. Meet 14-year old Ren Sharp, a normal teenager starting her first day in high school. Until one night, everything changes. A mystery facility kidnaps her and brings her to what they call F.A.T.E. She finds out they are a secret society stealing teenagers from their family's, and bringing them to train them to become blood-thirsty killing machines. They are assigned to protect important people valuable to everyone's future. Somehow the Society finds a way to see into the future using high tech satellites, which reveals important events occurring in the future that important people cause. Ren Sharp has to survive 4 years of dangerous, deadly and serious training. Finally she does, and is getting assigned to her F.I.P (Future important person). Once assigned to her F.I.P she learns that he is in collage, and is attending the University A&M. All the sudden things get crazy, people targeting her F.I.P with guns, bombs anything that can kill him. When suddenly she finds out that they're not only targeting her F.I.P, there targeting her too. Does Ren survive? Does she protect her F.I.P from death? Read the book "I become shadow" to find out!

Something I liked about this book was that it had very descriptive word choice! It also had me very intrigued most of the time to keep reading. Something that I disliked about the book was that at many times it was confusing and hard to keep track of all that was going on. While I was reading this book, it made me feel very energized! Since it also provided excellent word choice, you could really visualize what was going on, which made you feel like you were the one telling the story. If you like very violent books, this is the book for you! This book is very similar to the book Sweet by Emmy Laybourne, since they both include a lot of violence.

[Gracie F · Rating 5 out of 5]

You guys.
This book is one of my favorite books of all time. I have read this book at least six times. It just keeps getting better each time.
We follow a girl who gets snatched out of her home in the middle of the night. She wakes up under the care of people telling her she was chosen. Chosen to protect the FIP's, or people who would one day change the world. She goes through training and eventually gets her own FIP.

Alright I will go ahead and say that this book is indeed written in 2013, does that make it the most eloquent, beautiful masterpiece ever written? No. But is it better than Twilight? Yes, that is all that matters. Lol.

Ren is an amazing heroine whose character arc is astounding. I love to see her growth and acceptance of not letting her surroundings push her past what she is comfortable with.

Junie is my man. My husband. My baby. He is the sweetest character. I love his protection over Ren. He is so protective over Ren. It is the sweetest thing. I am a sucker for people who fall in love during crazy training sessions. Yes, that is a weird favourite trope but its mine and it doesn't hurt anyone:)

Llyod is worth mentioning. He is the picture next to the definition of cinnamon roll in the dictionary. I will hurt anyone who hurts him.

I think this book's plot is gripping and interesting. I have forever been haunted by the ending. Joe Shine, you have ruined my life.

Please read this book if you love action or dystopian books. If you love romance and gripping storylines. This book is so underhyped and deserves so much love.

[Biz · Rating 5 out of 5]

”Imagine we’re in a movie, and this is the sweet-a montage sequence in the middle of it. So flip through your music collection. Queue up your favorite Eye of the Tiger-esque, inspirational, I-am-becoming-a-badass song. Crank the volume and hit play.”

So let's count all of the things I like most about I BECOME SHADOW:
1. Found family trope
2. The most accurate representation of ADHD I have ever read in a main character
3. Humor that continues to make me literally laugh out loud despite me having read this book at least twenty times since 2014
4. The realization that 2014 was five years ago and not three
5. A love triangle that doesn't make me want to die

Is there really anything else you need? Ren kicks names and takes ass, and who cares if the plot isn't believable? The real joy in this book is in the characters. Ren and Junie have a relationship that I can only describe as the opposite of Bella and Edward from Twilight -- they're awkward, they're best friends, and they realize that they have shit that needs to be done (like surviving) that takes precedence over their feelings for each other. And I think that's beautiful.

This is my number one comfort book, mostly because Ren's internal monologue reminds me so much of my own. She's cool, badass, and beats up men who won't leave her alone. Go her!

Please read I Become Shadow. It's so funny. Don't read the blurb. Don't look at the plot. Just look at the characters.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once I got past the whole premise being a bit on the ridiculous side of things and the fact the explanation of the events surrounding main character Ren's existence, I Become Shadow became a popcorn book. There isn't a lot of depth or even a lot of logic to the plot, but it is one heck of a ride. Joe Shine casts Ren as the outcast and what happens next is really an overused device to make her more interesting. She becomes a killer assassin. Sprinkle in some love triangle and a barely explained conspiracy plot and there you go. Book.

Despite the obvious flaws and general lack of clear explanation, it's hard not to enjoy Ren's narrative. She's full of sarcasm, generally likable (which makes her outcast phase at the start a little weird unbelievable), and kicks some serious behind and takin' names as needed. I dare you not to finish this book wanting more and, like, right now. From a shallow action adventure story standpoint, it's top of the class in a good way.