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Shadows #1
Shadows Gray
Sonnet Gray has problems, and not just those of a typical 18 year old. Her family is one of the Lost; time travelers who have no power over their journeys. Hopelessly old fashioned and yet more modern than most girls, Sonnet speaks several languages and takes care of her motley crew back home by working in a coffee shop and playing guitar. Over time, the Lost leave behind those they love and pick up new characters along the way. In twenty-first century America, Sonnet meets Emme, a Lost young woman with a questionable line of work, Luke, a mysterious photographer, and Israel, a young doctor . But no one can take the place of Sonnet's sister, Rose, who was left behind as a baby in the fifteenth century. The ghost of her beckons from each time and place; but what's real and what isn't? Is Rose Gray trying to contact her before it's too late?
A ghost story with a sci-fi, Gothic romance twist, Shadows Gray will keep you up at night, wondering: is the redemptive power of love enough to change history?
A ghost story with a sci-fi, Gothic romance twist, Shadows Gray will keep you up at night, wondering: is the redemptive power of love enough to change history?
290 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 24, 2012
13 people are currently reading
1232 people want to read
About the author
Melyssa Williams
9 books52 followersHopeless bookaholic, hopeful author, magazine columnist, ballet teacher, mommy of three (not counting the dog or the chickens), drinker of mugs of half and half with a splash of coffee, red wine lover, former contemporary dancer, mind behind the Shadows Trilogy: Shadows Gray, Shadows Falling, and Shadows Lost. Coming in the holiday season of 2015, Once Upon A Winter, a steampunk retelling of the Nutcracker.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
October 21, 2012
This was very nearly a five star review, I adored the first three quarters of this book. The central conceit of the Lost - unwilling time travellers who are forced to make the best of their dislocated lives - is wonderful. And to start with the plot is pretty great - Sonnet Gray, our narrator, is haunted by the memory of the younger sister who got left behind when the family travelled in time. So haunted that she begins to see her sister in the contemporary US town where she and her family are currently living. So far so great. Unfortunately, the last part of the book seemed rather rushed, with no time to get to know new characters and why they act as they do (eg Lu!) explore the new setting or really do anything other than hurtle towards the finish line. I would have loved a longer book which took more time over the last part of the story.
That aside, Shadows Gray was a well written, throroughly enjoyable read and I will look forward to more from this author.
That aside, Shadows Gray was a well written, throroughly enjoyable read and I will look forward to more from this author.
August 7, 2016
Tied with like 2-3 other books as my second fav book/series of all time.
Shadows Gray Review
I read this a while ago, so I'm going off of my review notes now, but I remember how much I absolutely loved this book to pieces. The whole idea/concept was really cool. I believe that I received a copy of this for review, and I am so glad I did! What a lucky coincidence! I could absolutely not put this book down at the time, every chapter was just the right length to make it absolutely impossible to not feel like, "Just one more chapter...".
It's a shame more people haven't read this book and that's it's largely unknown because man this is one of my favorites and top books. I sent a rec to all of my friends and book bloggy people, so hopefully this helps to spread the word because this book is some GOOD STUFF!!!!
At the fourth sentence of this book, I was hooked. Absolutely hooked. I was set for the ride. It just grabbed me.
Some random notes I wrote while reading:
Shadows Gray Review Notes
. The character of the Dad is an interesting one, sort of a new take on the single parent who's spouse died and is now a shell (Beautiful Creatures comes to mind)
-as a lost person, Sonnet has learned to not let things get to her, such as the fact her father doesn't even care about her or know her and how lost he is. Literally.
. I really liked the fact that they were looking for Rose during the book. I thought that would just be something in her past, not something that actually affected the plot
. I am a GIANT history buff, and I would love to go traveling through times. Although, not being able to choose the time period and when you leave would be AWFUL
. The interesting thing about the lost is that they all are friends, whether they are nudists or nerds, loners or ditzs, they all are friends and comrades to each other through their unique bond
. Sonnet is very matter-of-fact and logical, which you would expect from someone who lived in various times and places every year or so. A detachment from her world for sure, which is exactly how she acts. Yet, she still shows knowledge of her surroundings, and compares it to past places/times she has visited in her life
. Prue is like that funny old black lady who doesn't care what anyone thinks, has been through a lot of trouble in her life, is wise because of it, and will do whatever she wants to do
. I think it's cool how the lost have a mix of all of these accents because of all the places they've lived. The most mix people usually get is three in one, not like six!
. So cool about Luke knowing about the Lost! Like AWESOME!!! But it makes their love that much harder :(
-THE BOND COULD BE A LOVE FOR SONNET OMGGGGG
. She helps a poor Lost man!
. I wish the characters of Matthias and Harry had been elaborated on more before they went, they kinda feel like grandpas to me, but not enough information just yet for me to form a bond like that. And then they leave. WHY!!!!!???
. Now sonnet really will be alone in a couple years because Prue will die and her father's alcoholism will probably get to him
. If minor spelling and grammatical errors get to you, then this book is not for you. Lucky for me, I don't mind them unless they're glaringly obvious and annoying.
. Awesome word choice. I had to use the "Define" feature on my iPad Mini occasionally to look up some of her lesser known words she used.
. Who Israel is so noble! But at the same time, he can't use his knowledge from the 21st century back then because it will completely change who dies and survives, which has an effect on the world. Not smart.
. Whoa! Luke does not need to think anything romantic is going on between Israel and Sonnet! Israel is like a slightly older brother to her.
. Rose doesn't want to be found
. Whoa! Emme had a son and then told her son he was her brother and her mom's son. HOLY COW!!!!
. Luke and Israel are both jealous of each other, except I guess Israel just isn't happy that Sonnet has another guy in her life and he doesn't approve of him, and Luke doesn't like Israel's type and is jealous of another guy living with Sonnet
. Emme is like a mother and best friend to Sonnet
. Did rose go dark?
. I just knew when she asked her dad, "Do you feel it coming?" And he said yes, that it was going to happen that night.
. NO LUKE!!!!!!!! WAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
. Poor Sonnet. Corsets and dressed like a frilly, proper lady, not a tomboy. THE HORROR.
. All of the people she left behind. It's just so...awful. The poor lost. :(
. I don't think we realize when Sonnet tells us about how the lost have to leave people behind until we read 240 pages from her perspective of her relationships with people and we form bonds with those characters and then they are gone and we feel like sonnet crying, "NOOOOO!!!!" And this happens over and over again to them in their lifetimes.
. I can understand not being happy about being in Victorian England
. Must experience a lot of life situation stressors
. So cool how they can change language, accents, and customs at the drop of a hat
-adaptable, that's what they are
. As soon as Sonnet arrives she takes on the formal air of a gentlewoman. How does she do that?
. Oliver is so cute! So mature for his poor little age!
. The lost are masters at adjusting to their times and getting what they can out of it.
. Whoa! Sonnet is an AWESOME actress!
. Prue is a kick-butt, no nonsense, master trickster, genius of an old lady
. Prue is my fav character by far!
. Whoa! Israel and Sonnet! Didn't see that coming! I thought the author was trying to make it clear from the beginning that they were just friends, so to not go thinking this might be a love interest.
. The Lost must be sorta inbred
. Emme's there! This makes everything better!!!!!
. Emme is my second favorite character
. Emme: "My line of work never goes out of style!" Well, I guess when you're a lost, it's the only job that you can always turn to.
. I like how Sonnet and Emme are friends even though they are so different.
. Israel is like forcing some romantic situations or affections on Sonnet! Not cool!
. Well her and Israel both make sense because they're both lost.
. OH NO. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOT A LOVE TRIANGLE!!!! And how is Luke going to feel when he finds out about the faux marriage?
. When Emme told Luke in her matter-of-fact way that Emme was "married" to Israel, I laughed. Except, I was sick so I started coughing uncontrollably instead.
. Israel is so mean!!! Don't like him! TEAM LUKE!!!!!!!
. Whoa! Bed trouble! AKO TACO!!!
. The humor the author puts in the story is hilarious!
. WHAT HAPPENED TO ROSE!!?? Did she go insane?!
-or maybe she was always that way....
-this is awful. Awful. But yet still makes for a good story
. Whoa! Sonnet's past is even more complex than I thought.
. HOLY SHIZNIT PLOT TWIST ON PAGE 388
When I discovered what REALLY happened to Rose:
WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG HOLY FRIJOLES SHITTAKI MUSHROOMS SCREAM SCREAM SCREAM DUDOEYWCPIDHWMPWNDCUSOC
. I think I want to cry. With sheer horror. My eyes widened a ton.
. The author writes the whole mad person thing very well.
. LUKE!!!!! NOOOOO PLOT TWIST AFTER PLOT TWIST!!!!!!!! *cry* I FEEL LIKE HE'S JUMPING OFF OF A CLIFF!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LUKE NOOOOOOOO
. WAIT! REWIND!!! TEAM IS-RA-EL ALL THE WAY PEOPLZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AH-WOOT AH-WOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
. A line of mad lost? WHAT?!?!?!
. This book is just so amazing. So, so amazing.
. HOLY FRICK ANOTHER MAJOR PLOT TWIST GAAAAAAHHHHHHHH DLDUHWACICEDCIENSCEMEVENEOVPRDKZPWPSJCNSPSPSICIES
CORUENDCODIDJS. Though as soon as he said, "She's out to hurt everyone," I knew he was going to say Jack the Ripper. Knew it. And then it was just a matter of him saying it, and a couple sentences later he did. And I was like, "Shiz."
. NOOOOOOOO OH GAWD NO WOWNDOCOSHSCDIDUDLCPCHENE,PVIENMDOCODE .DOCODJEMDLCPEIED,EDPDOJENS ME GONNA DIEZZZZZZZZ
-well at least one of them knew about Jack the Ripper
-at first I thought "jack" was rose but then I got he's not, he's actually a person
. Luke is an idiot. He never acted like this before! How can he treat Emme's death so lightly?!?! "Too late."
-I was like, "They'll get there in time to save Emme. They have to." I was so delusional I wouldn't let myself believe she would die. :(
. A whole other side to Lukie boy.
. Oh Luke Poor Luke. Why did you have to do this?!?!
. Had no idea this book was thirty freaking chapters HOLY FRIJOLES. Not like I'm minding it ;)
. There's just nothing they can do to change history. History is history, but everything turns out decent in the end. Not good, not okay, but enough to cause babies to keep being born and people to live.
-if I was sonnet and I traveled to a time like present day or late 1900's, I would want to take a plane to London and look and try to find if the cemetery, and Emme's grave, are still there. So that I would know her grave hadn't been decimated yet. She was still remembered.
. After I finished, I was like, "PLEASE TELL ME THERE IS A SEQUEL!!!!!!!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEEEEEASE!!!!" And then I saw there was one and I pretty much pooped my pants. I was tearing up. I was like, "HALLELUJAH THE WORLD MAKES SENSE!!!!" When I first thought of a sequel, I was like, "It should be from Rose's perspective!" But then I was like. "Nah, that would be too weird." But, hey, it'll be freaky, but cool! And then I read the summary and I was like, "MUST. HAVE. NOWWWWWWWWW."
. Once I was at like, Chapter Fourteen, I couldn't stop reading. Each chapter felt like the biggest cliffhanger ever and I just kept reading, and reading, until it was done.
. Nut with a degree
Shadows Gray Review
I read this a while ago, so I'm going off of my review notes now, but I remember how much I absolutely loved this book to pieces. The whole idea/concept was really cool. I believe that I received a copy of this for review, and I am so glad I did! What a lucky coincidence! I could absolutely not put this book down at the time, every chapter was just the right length to make it absolutely impossible to not feel like, "Just one more chapter...".
It's a shame more people haven't read this book and that's it's largely unknown because man this is one of my favorites and top books. I sent a rec to all of my friends and book bloggy people, so hopefully this helps to spread the word because this book is some GOOD STUFF!!!!
At the fourth sentence of this book, I was hooked. Absolutely hooked. I was set for the ride. It just grabbed me.
Some random notes I wrote while reading:
Shadows Gray Review Notes
. The character of the Dad is an interesting one, sort of a new take on the single parent who's spouse died and is now a shell (Beautiful Creatures comes to mind)
-as a lost person, Sonnet has learned to not let things get to her, such as the fact her father doesn't even care about her or know her and how lost he is. Literally.
. I really liked the fact that they were looking for Rose during the book. I thought that would just be something in her past, not something that actually affected the plot
. I am a GIANT history buff, and I would love to go traveling through times. Although, not being able to choose the time period and when you leave would be AWFUL
. The interesting thing about the lost is that they all are friends, whether they are nudists or nerds, loners or ditzs, they all are friends and comrades to each other through their unique bond
. Sonnet is very matter-of-fact and logical, which you would expect from someone who lived in various times and places every year or so. A detachment from her world for sure, which is exactly how she acts. Yet, she still shows knowledge of her surroundings, and compares it to past places/times she has visited in her life
. Prue is like that funny old black lady who doesn't care what anyone thinks, has been through a lot of trouble in her life, is wise because of it, and will do whatever she wants to do
. I think it's cool how the lost have a mix of all of these accents because of all the places they've lived. The most mix people usually get is three in one, not like six!
. So cool about Luke knowing about the Lost! Like AWESOME!!! But it makes their love that much harder :(
-THE BOND COULD BE A LOVE FOR SONNET OMGGGGG
. She helps a poor Lost man!
. I wish the characters of Matthias and Harry had been elaborated on more before they went, they kinda feel like grandpas to me, but not enough information just yet for me to form a bond like that. And then they leave. WHY!!!!!???
. Now sonnet really will be alone in a couple years because Prue will die and her father's alcoholism will probably get to him
. If minor spelling and grammatical errors get to you, then this book is not for you. Lucky for me, I don't mind them unless they're glaringly obvious and annoying.
. Awesome word choice. I had to use the "Define" feature on my iPad Mini occasionally to look up some of her lesser known words she used.
. Who Israel is so noble! But at the same time, he can't use his knowledge from the 21st century back then because it will completely change who dies and survives, which has an effect on the world. Not smart.
. Whoa! Luke does not need to think anything romantic is going on between Israel and Sonnet! Israel is like a slightly older brother to her.
. Rose doesn't want to be found
. Whoa! Emme had a son and then told her son he was her brother and her mom's son. HOLY COW!!!!
. Luke and Israel are both jealous of each other, except I guess Israel just isn't happy that Sonnet has another guy in her life and he doesn't approve of him, and Luke doesn't like Israel's type and is jealous of another guy living with Sonnet
. Emme is like a mother and best friend to Sonnet
. Did rose go dark?
. I just knew when she asked her dad, "Do you feel it coming?" And he said yes, that it was going to happen that night.
. NO LUKE!!!!!!!! WAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
. Poor Sonnet. Corsets and dressed like a frilly, proper lady, not a tomboy. THE HORROR.
. All of the people she left behind. It's just so...awful. The poor lost. :(
. I don't think we realize when Sonnet tells us about how the lost have to leave people behind until we read 240 pages from her perspective of her relationships with people and we form bonds with those characters and then they are gone and we feel like sonnet crying, "NOOOOO!!!!" And this happens over and over again to them in their lifetimes.
. I can understand not being happy about being in Victorian England
. Must experience a lot of life situation stressors
. So cool how they can change language, accents, and customs at the drop of a hat
-adaptable, that's what they are
. As soon as Sonnet arrives she takes on the formal air of a gentlewoman. How does she do that?
. Oliver is so cute! So mature for his poor little age!
. The lost are masters at adjusting to their times and getting what they can out of it.
. Whoa! Sonnet is an AWESOME actress!
. Prue is a kick-butt, no nonsense, master trickster, genius of an old lady
. Prue is my fav character by far!
. Whoa! Israel and Sonnet! Didn't see that coming! I thought the author was trying to make it clear from the beginning that they were just friends, so to not go thinking this might be a love interest.
. The Lost must be sorta inbred
. Emme's there! This makes everything better!!!!!
. Emme is my second favorite character
. Emme: "My line of work never goes out of style!" Well, I guess when you're a lost, it's the only job that you can always turn to.
. I like how Sonnet and Emme are friends even though they are so different.
. Israel is like forcing some romantic situations or affections on Sonnet! Not cool!
. Well her and Israel both make sense because they're both lost.
. OH NO. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOT A LOVE TRIANGLE!!!! And how is Luke going to feel when he finds out about the faux marriage?
. When Emme told Luke in her matter-of-fact way that Emme was "married" to Israel, I laughed. Except, I was sick so I started coughing uncontrollably instead.
. Israel is so mean!!! Don't like him! TEAM LUKE!!!!!!!
. Whoa! Bed trouble! AKO TACO!!!
. The humor the author puts in the story is hilarious!
. WHAT HAPPENED TO ROSE!!?? Did she go insane?!
-or maybe she was always that way....
-this is awful. Awful. But yet still makes for a good story
. Whoa! Sonnet's past is even more complex than I thought.
. HOLY SHIZNIT PLOT TWIST ON PAGE 388
When I discovered what REALLY happened to Rose:
WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG HOLY FRIJOLES SHITTAKI MUSHROOMS SCREAM SCREAM SCREAM DUDOEYWCPIDHWMPWNDCUSOC
. I think I want to cry. With sheer horror. My eyes widened a ton.
. The author writes the whole mad person thing very well.
. LUKE!!!!! NOOOOO PLOT TWIST AFTER PLOT TWIST!!!!!!!! *cry* I FEEL LIKE HE'S JUMPING OFF OF A CLIFF!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LUKE NOOOOOOOO
. WAIT! REWIND!!! TEAM IS-RA-EL ALL THE WAY PEOPLZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AH-WOOT AH-WOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
. A line of mad lost? WHAT?!?!?!
. This book is just so amazing. So, so amazing.
. HOLY FRICK ANOTHER MAJOR PLOT TWIST GAAAAAAHHHHHHHH DLDUHWACICEDCIENSCEMEVENEOVPRDKZPWPSJCNSPSPSICIES
CORUENDCODIDJS. Though as soon as he said, "She's out to hurt everyone," I knew he was going to say Jack the Ripper. Knew it. And then it was just a matter of him saying it, and a couple sentences later he did. And I was like, "Shiz."
. NOOOOOOOO OH GAWD NO WOWNDOCOSHSCDIDUDLCPCHENE,PVIENMDOCODE .DOCODJEMDLCPEIED,EDPDOJENS ME GONNA DIEZZZZZZZZ
-well at least one of them knew about Jack the Ripper
-at first I thought "jack" was rose but then I got he's not, he's actually a person
. Luke is an idiot. He never acted like this before! How can he treat Emme's death so lightly?!?! "Too late."
-I was like, "They'll get there in time to save Emme. They have to." I was so delusional I wouldn't let myself believe she would die. :(
. A whole other side to Lukie boy.
. Oh Luke Poor Luke. Why did you have to do this?!?!
. Had no idea this book was thirty freaking chapters HOLY FRIJOLES. Not like I'm minding it ;)
. There's just nothing they can do to change history. History is history, but everything turns out decent in the end. Not good, not okay, but enough to cause babies to keep being born and people to live.
-if I was sonnet and I traveled to a time like present day or late 1900's, I would want to take a plane to London and look and try to find if the cemetery, and Emme's grave, are still there. So that I would know her grave hadn't been decimated yet. She was still remembered.
. After I finished, I was like, "PLEASE TELL ME THERE IS A SEQUEL!!!!!!!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEEEEEASE!!!!" And then I saw there was one and I pretty much pooped my pants. I was tearing up. I was like, "HALLELUJAH THE WORLD MAKES SENSE!!!!" When I first thought of a sequel, I was like, "It should be from Rose's perspective!" But then I was like. "Nah, that would be too weird." But, hey, it'll be freaky, but cool! And then I read the summary and I was like, "MUST. HAVE. NOWWWWWWWWW."
. Once I was at like, Chapter Fourteen, I couldn't stop reading. Each chapter felt like the biggest cliffhanger ever and I just kept reading, and reading, until it was done.
. Nut with a degree
June 21, 2013
I bought this free from amazon, and I have to say it is really good. I couldn't believe it was self published. It always amazes me what publishing houses chose to pass on. The plot is unique and fresh, the characters well developed. It is set up as a trilogy, so I hope upon reading the other books I find out more about Sonnett and Rose. It takes time travel and turns it on its ear a bit. Tp notch. Check it out.
November 20, 2020
This was a fast-paced, first-person narrative. Twists and turns galore and I must say that the ending really surprised me. . . Looking forward to more titles from this author. I'm pretty wimpy, but if you don't want it to effect your dreams - don't read it just before bed or be prepared to finish it. :)
October 14, 2017
Shadows Gray is a story about time travel, which happens to be one of my favorite elements of fantasy. It’s a challenge to pull off time travel in a way that both makes sense and is plausible, but Melyssa Williams has created a world that, for lack of a better word, just works.
Sonnet Gray is 18 and a time gypsy. She lives in what I would best describe as a tribe of fellow time travelers. Their movements through the centuries are out of their control and without pattern - they fall asleep and wake up with only the clothes on their backs and are forced to rebuild their lives from nothing over and over again. If anyone in the group isn’t asleep when it’s time to go, they get left behind. On rare occasions, some children are born without this ability and get left behind anyway. It happened to Sonnet’s sister, Rose, and destroyed the Gray family as a result.
...Or did it?
This is a quick, suspenseful read with a few fun twists. About ¾ of the way through I was able to predict where things were going, but overall I found it thought provoking and am looking forward to continuing on with the trilogy. 3 stars.
[A caveat: the plot itself is interesting but this was an independently published novel and is not always grammatically perfect. If that sort of thing makes you apoplectic, then this is not for you. I would also say that there are some similarities with Twilight series - Sonnet reminded me a lot of Bella, for instance . If you happened to find Bella’s character infuriating, I would also give this a pass. If you are a fan of time travel that makes sense - proceed, and enjoy.]
Sonnet Gray is 18 and a time gypsy. She lives in what I would best describe as a tribe of fellow time travelers. Their movements through the centuries are out of their control and without pattern - they fall asleep and wake up with only the clothes on their backs and are forced to rebuild their lives from nothing over and over again. If anyone in the group isn’t asleep when it’s time to go, they get left behind. On rare occasions, some children are born without this ability and get left behind anyway. It happened to Sonnet’s sister, Rose, and destroyed the Gray family as a result.
...Or did it?
This is a quick, suspenseful read with a few fun twists. About ¾ of the way through I was able to predict where things were going, but overall I found it thought provoking and am looking forward to continuing on with the trilogy. 3 stars.
[A caveat: the plot itself is interesting but this was an independently published novel and is not always grammatically perfect. If that sort of thing makes you apoplectic, then this is not for you. I would also say that there are some similarities with Twilight series - Sonnet reminded me a lot of Bella, for instance . If you happened to find Bella’s character infuriating, I would also give this a pass. If you are a fan of time travel that makes sense - proceed, and enjoy.]
February 13, 2017
It has been a long time since I have been this enamored with a book. Shadows Gray is just the sort of book that will draw you in and never let you escape. Never. Because there are two more books in the series, you will find yourself compelled to read chapter after chapter- every chapter of course tying up many loose ends of the chapter before but leaving just enough ends hanging for you to never be satisfied until every morsel of this delectable series is devoured in its entirety. Ah but this review is just about ONE book in this trilogy. Oh the disappointment (more reviews to come).
Anyways, about the first book- Shadows Gray
We start the story with the main subjects of the book- An eighteen-ish year old girl named Sonnet Gray and her, oh so lovable, yet extremely quirky "Family". Sonnet and her family get along well enough and live life as 21st century earthlings, however, they are really not very 21st century at all. They are "Lost". A largely unknown group/type of people who travel through time without knowing where they're going or when their travels will happen. This opens this book itself up to may different types of readers. I often find myself discriminating against books if they take place in our modern society (unintentionally of course). Who doesn't love old things? Books and stories included right? I will admit that when this novel starting dropping hints that it was going somewhere else (a different time period to be exact) I was extremely intrigued and that is in part why I could not put this book down for the life of me. If you are someone who likes books that have a more modern setting, this book is also going to be great for you because of how it starts in a modern setting, where a lot of young adult novels start, but then quickly whisks you away to 18th century London, England. Yes. 18th century England. If you love history, this book is an absolute must read for you.
Another aspect of this book that I wasn't entirely expecting but absolutely adore is this slight creep factor it has. This is not a horror novel, it will not scare out of of your pants, however, I did find, on several occasions, the setting and extremely immersive/descriptive writing style did give me goosebumps and make the hair stand straight on the back of my neck. This book definitely has a very mysterious and ominous feeling at times. If a haunted house could be a book, this just might be it. The amount of time this novel dedicates to delving into Sonnet's haunting search for her sister, Rose, and her sister Rose's eerie past, really gives this book a suspenseful and sinister tinge. Searching for a past that there's no record of while simultaneously existing in it, Sonnet ends up exploring all sorts of dark places (figuratively and literally) that had me glancing around the house as I was reading because "did that shadow in the corner just move?"
All in all, this book has been one of the most enjoyable reads for me in a long time. I cannot emphasize enough how hard this book was to put down. If you're not hooked by the first sentence, I promise you that once you're with Sonnet in that old abandoned house when the door latches, and you swear you heard a woman giggle as it locked, Shadows Gray will not leave your hands, nor will your eyes leave the page until you turn the last one.
Anyways, about the first book- Shadows Gray
We start the story with the main subjects of the book- An eighteen-ish year old girl named Sonnet Gray and her, oh so lovable, yet extremely quirky "Family". Sonnet and her family get along well enough and live life as 21st century earthlings, however, they are really not very 21st century at all. They are "Lost". A largely unknown group/type of people who travel through time without knowing where they're going or when their travels will happen. This opens this book itself up to may different types of readers. I often find myself discriminating against books if they take place in our modern society (unintentionally of course). Who doesn't love old things? Books and stories included right? I will admit that when this novel starting dropping hints that it was going somewhere else (a different time period to be exact) I was extremely intrigued and that is in part why I could not put this book down for the life of me. If you are someone who likes books that have a more modern setting, this book is also going to be great for you because of how it starts in a modern setting, where a lot of young adult novels start, but then quickly whisks you away to 18th century London, England. Yes. 18th century England. If you love history, this book is an absolute must read for you.
Another aspect of this book that I wasn't entirely expecting but absolutely adore is this slight creep factor it has. This is not a horror novel, it will not scare out of of your pants, however, I did find, on several occasions, the setting and extremely immersive/descriptive writing style did give me goosebumps and make the hair stand straight on the back of my neck. This book definitely has a very mysterious and ominous feeling at times. If a haunted house could be a book, this just might be it. The amount of time this novel dedicates to delving into Sonnet's haunting search for her sister, Rose, and her sister Rose's eerie past, really gives this book a suspenseful and sinister tinge. Searching for a past that there's no record of while simultaneously existing in it, Sonnet ends up exploring all sorts of dark places (figuratively and literally) that had me glancing around the house as I was reading because "did that shadow in the corner just move?"
All in all, this book has been one of the most enjoyable reads for me in a long time. I cannot emphasize enough how hard this book was to put down. If you're not hooked by the first sentence, I promise you that once you're with Sonnet in that old abandoned house when the door latches, and you swear you heard a woman giggle as it locked, Shadows Gray will not leave your hands, nor will your eyes leave the page until you turn the last one.
May 30, 2012
This review was originally posted on my blog Journey with Books
Shadows Gray is the first book I've ever read from Ms. Melyssa Williams and I can say that I'm pleasantly surprised by the uniqueness of the whole book and I'm definitely hoping to read more from this author.
I decided to make bulleted list of what I liked and what I didn't for this review.
What I Liked:
- What attracted me first from this book is the book cover. It's very intriguing and very classy. It practically screams "Read Me" which is very important. Book covers are the first ones that a reader would see in a book. It's the first deciding factor if a reader would pick up the book or not.
- The plot of this book is very unique. I don't usually go for "Time Travel" themed book but this one is very much intriguing that I couldn't help myself but read this. I liked how Ms. Melyssa Williams created a whole new world for her readers. Her definition of time travel is very different from others.
- The characters are very much real. Sonnet is a nice heroine to read. Her sadness and loneliness calls to me. The other character are also nice to read. You could distinguish the difference of the personalities of these characters which is fun.
- The family dynamics of the characters of the book is the strongest point of this book. They are not all blood related but they are bonded by their loneliness. Their situation is really hard. The author made sure that as a reader you could feel their sadness and the love they all shared for each other. You could feel their need to be with other Lost people like them, those who would understand their frustration in their way of life.
What I Didn't Liked:
- I was very much disappointed in the way it ended. It was like I was left hanging when the story was on its climax. I think there should have been more to it because there are so many unanswered questions. I was feeling like it shouldn't have ended at that point of the story. The ending of this book was very frustrating.
Overall, I still enjoyed reading this book despite the very abrupt ending. It was still a well written book in my opinion. Ms. Melyssa Williams wrote a very unique YA book that is full of mystery and suspense with a little bit of romance perfectly. I recommend this book to those readers who loves to be spooked by the mystery and suspense of a book without sacrificing the sentimental feel of it.
This review was originally posted on my blog Journey with Books
Shadows Gray is the first book I've ever read from Ms. Melyssa Williams and I can say that I'm pleasantly surprised by the uniqueness of the whole book and I'm definitely hoping to read more from this author.
I decided to make bulleted list of what I liked and what I didn't for this review.
What I Liked:
- What attracted me first from this book is the book cover. It's very intriguing and very classy. It practically screams "Read Me" which is very important. Book covers are the first ones that a reader would see in a book. It's the first deciding factor if a reader would pick up the book or not.
- The plot of this book is very unique. I don't usually go for "Time Travel" themed book but this one is very much intriguing that I couldn't help myself but read this. I liked how Ms. Melyssa Williams created a whole new world for her readers. Her definition of time travel is very different from others.
- The characters are very much real. Sonnet is a nice heroine to read. Her sadness and loneliness calls to me. The other character are also nice to read. You could distinguish the difference of the personalities of these characters which is fun.
- The family dynamics of the characters of the book is the strongest point of this book. They are not all blood related but they are bonded by their loneliness. Their situation is really hard. The author made sure that as a reader you could feel their sadness and the love they all shared for each other. You could feel their need to be with other Lost people like them, those who would understand their frustration in their way of life.
What I Didn't Liked:
- I was very much disappointed in the way it ended. It was like I was left hanging when the story was on its climax. I think there should have been more to it because there are so many unanswered questions. I was feeling like it shouldn't have ended at that point of the story. The ending of this book was very frustrating.
Overall, I still enjoyed reading this book despite the very abrupt ending. It was still a well written book in my opinion. Ms. Melyssa Williams wrote a very unique YA book that is full of mystery and suspense with a little bit of romance perfectly. I recommend this book to those readers who loves to be spooked by the mystery and suspense of a book without sacrificing the sentimental feel of it.
This review was originally posted on my blog Journey with Books
July 30, 2022
It is rare to find a fresh take on the time travel fantasy, and yet Melyssa Williams has done just that. The writing is fresh and fun and filled with mystery and a touch of romance. Sonnet is a character you can't help but like, and the playful dialog she engages in with the other characters keep the reader engaged while trying to figure out just what is going on, and what will happen next.
April 3, 2025
bruh the way I was just living my life reading when everybody in my house had gone to bed and then suddenly the main character is locked in a room in an old creepy house and there’s laughter before the door unlocks and she is released by no one????? Absolutely insane. Nothing prepared me for going to bed with the light on last night so super not chill 💀 all that to say, a little on the scary side at that point but I’m also pretty curious and might have to get my hands on the next two.
I had no clue in the plot except I wondered when her and Israel started getting cozier if Luke was maybe evil but DATING ROSE IS ABSOLUTELY INSANE. And a lowkey psycho crazy killer but dating rose is the real insanity being brought on here.
Afraid bc I think that the next two books might be too creepy for me bc rose is bat crazy and idk if I can read a book abt her and feel good abt my life and mental health but we’ll see. At this point I’m curious and they’re fairly quick reads. The concept is fascinating, the characters are a mixed bag but you get attached, and honestly the antagonist is so off the wall whacked up + unhinged I’m almost too curious what she’s up to.
I had no clue in the plot except I wondered when her and Israel started getting cozier if Luke was maybe evil but DATING ROSE IS ABSOLUTELY INSANE. And a lowkey psycho crazy killer but dating rose is the real insanity being brought on here.
Afraid bc I think that the next two books might be too creepy for me bc rose is bat crazy and idk if I can read a book abt her and feel good abt my life and mental health but we’ll see. At this point I’m curious and they’re fairly quick reads. The concept is fascinating, the characters are a mixed bag but you get attached, and honestly the antagonist is so off the wall whacked up + unhinged I’m almost too curious what she’s up to.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2014
Sonnet was born into a family of time travellers. They call themselves the Lost, and that is what they are: With no control over their journeys through time and space, they never know where and when their abilities will take them and how long they get to stay in each place they make their homes. When Sonnet was a child, her younger sister Rose got left behind during one of those journeys - and with no way to return, they believe her lost forever and that loss has shattered her family. Now, Sonnet and her remaining Lost family and friends find themselves in modern America and when a young photographer shows Sonnet the picture of a girl she believes to be her sister, she will do anything to find her... but all may not be how it seems.
With a unique and engaging plot, well-developed characters and unexpected twists that keep you hooked, this was a great read. Looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy!
With a unique and engaging plot, well-developed characters and unexpected twists that keep you hooked, this was a great read. Looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy!
January 13, 2015
I would give 2 stars to the first 2/3 of the books since it was so slow I could barely stay awake while reading it. But I had the feeling it would have become something very interesting. I was right. The last 1/3 of the book should be rated something like 2838382848 stars. The pace increased, the story became interesting and I was completely kidnapped by it. This is why Tomorrow I'm going to buy the other two ebook of the saga! I hope this two books will be as interesting and incredible as the final 1/3 of the first book, since the first 150 pages were too full of descriptions (I do like descriptions since they help me imagine the characters, the places and so on...but I don't really like 150 pages of looong and useless descriptions!
PS: I love Is ;)
PS: I love Is ;)
April 25, 2013
Love love LOVE THIS BOOK! I love a good time travel story plot, but the specifics of the way the Lost travel in time and space really stuck out to me. All the characters were extremely well developed, even the characters that you get to know almost solely though flashbacks. The crazy search for a little sister left in time and space really tugs at the heartstrings. The revelation of what REALLY happened is even better.
I didn't know this book was part of a series and felt a little cheated at the end...and then came the included first few pages of the second book. I might actually plonk down my hard earned cash to learn what happens next!
I didn't know this book was part of a series and felt a little cheated at the end...and then came the included first few pages of the second book. I might actually plonk down my hard earned cash to learn what happens next!
October 13, 2013
I found this book so intriguing! I wasn't sure at first but then it just sucked me in and I didn't put it down till I finished(at 1am). There were some twists that I wasn't expecting and one actually made me mad and utter "no!" out loud, it isn't often a book gets me so emotionally involved.(I think I may still be mad over that particular turn of events LOL). A few minor spelling/grammar in spots bugged me enough to not give full 5 stars, but those aside it was still very worth the read, and will be one I will re-read. Can't wait to read the next two in the series.
October 10, 2013
I couldn't put this book down towards the end. The story kept me reading the whole time but all the twists towards the end of the book were fantastic. The book seems to be written more for teenage girls but I enjoyed it as an adult, and the concept of "the lost" in the book is really interesting. I am definitely planning on reading the sequel (Rose's story, it sounds like) as soon as possible.
December 6, 2013
I don't read synopses so I had no idea what this was about and after finishing I can say its not something I'd usually go for. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Sonnet is so down to earth it makes me want to be her friend. Rose scares me. Israel is like a big bear I want to hug. Luke, well he just makes me sad :-(
I love the way the story is told, I love how unique it is and unpredictable. The ending was crushing and I'm thankful that I don't have to wait to start the 2nd one!
Sonnet is so down to earth it makes me want to be her friend. Rose scares me. Israel is like a big bear I want to hug. Luke, well he just makes me sad :-(
I love the way the story is told, I love how unique it is and unpredictable. The ending was crushing and I'm thankful that I don't have to wait to start the 2nd one!
January 19, 2021
This book takes a fascinating idea (involuntary family based time traveling), bakes it into a mediocre plot (if you could call it that... spent an awful lot of time discussing being a teenager dating a 30something man with a dash of spooky ghost story before tearing off in a completely different direction of historical fiction in Victorian England), and frosts it in truly terrible editing. The misspellings, poor punctuation, and random page breaks really detract from smooth reading.
May 9, 2013
I pretty much read through this book in one sitting, give or take the few moments I spent taking care of my family. ;) The characters were interesting and addicting, and I loved the dialogue. It had a slightly creepy feeling to it, which I always love, and some surprise turns, which made me look forward to reading the sequel! All in all, rockin' awesome.
Want to read
March 31, 2013Free today 3/31/13 for kindle!
February 9, 2013
Quite interesting. Ready for book two.
October 10, 2013
An excellent story. I like the way the author works with involuntary time travel. The characters were quite well developed. Their problems were realistic.
December 4, 2013
Well written with a lot of different characters. I enjoyed the plot and the time traveling aspect was unique as far as I have encountered.
July 4, 2016
Great book.
I can't wait to see what happens in the next book! I kinda got attached to the characters, and will be hunting down the rest of the books in this series. :-)
I can't wait to see what happens in the next book! I kinda got attached to the characters, and will be hunting down the rest of the books in this series. :-)
February 12, 2022
I picked up these books expecting to be entertained, enchanted with good word craft, and a bit thrilled by a dramatic story as it unfolded. All that was delivered in spades. What I didn’t expect was how enthralled by, and invested I would become in the characters unusual lives and the paradoxes of time and relationships they encountered throughout the books. I appreciated the grit and quirks of the individual characters and the unexpected plot developments. This is some very engaging storytelling and hard to put down once you get started.
May 29, 2012
Full review can be found here
I wasn't sure what to expect with this one. The synopsis sounded interesting, but like all self published books that I agree to read I was apprehensive. After reading the first few chapters all my doubts disappeared. By the end I was wondering why this hadn't been picked up by a publisher yet.
Shadows Gray is beautifully written, first of all. Melyssa Williams is able to make the pages (or in my case ereader) float away and make you forget that you are reading. I felt like I was part of Sonnet's world. Right there with her as she works at the local coffee shop in her tie dye shirt and singing on stage for customers. Sounds like a normal teenager in modern America right? Wrong, Sonnet is far from normal and I loved it. For once the main character did not have perfect hair, perfect clothes, perfect skin. Sonnet wears horse tshirts with overalls, is tall, lanky and mature, and lives with a bunch of people that, life her, can travel to different eras.
Sonnet's "family" is comprised of a bunch of other Lost people who travel through time. There's Prue who has taken care of Sonnet ever since her mother died early on. Sonnet's Dad, who spends his time drunk after her mother died, Emme her best friend with an interesting career, and Israel, who is unbelievably swoon worthy in my opinion. There are a few other colorful characters that I enjoyed like Luke the cute guy at the coffee shop, and Rose, Sonnet's sister. Sonnet and her family make sure they all sleep at the same time so if they time travel in their sleep they'll all wake up together.
I've only read one other time travel book, Hourglass, which the characters had to go through a vortex type thing to go back in time. They chose when to go. This story was different because the characters didn't choose when they would travel. They'd just wake up in a different era. I was glad that Shadows Gray wasn't sooo focused on time traveling. It was the backbone of the story, but they didn't travel much at all. Other things like revenge, first crushes, history, family, etc. where all prominent. The last few chapters had a huge twist that I really did not see coming at all. As I got to the end of the last chapter I began to wonder. Is there going to be a second book? I hope so. It isn't left on a crazy cliffhanger, but there are definitely possibilities for a sequel.
The only thing that I would have liked to see more is a little more explanation of how their time travel works. And how they all make sure they sleep at exactly the same time...I kept thinking what if one of them wakes up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night?
If you're looking for a suspenseful exciting time travel story, with bits of history, and eccentric characters this is definitely a good book to try. It's only $2.99 on Amazon which is a pretty great deal for something that should be $9.99 in my opinion.
I wasn't sure what to expect with this one. The synopsis sounded interesting, but like all self published books that I agree to read I was apprehensive. After reading the first few chapters all my doubts disappeared. By the end I was wondering why this hadn't been picked up by a publisher yet.
Shadows Gray is beautifully written, first of all. Melyssa Williams is able to make the pages (or in my case ereader) float away and make you forget that you are reading. I felt like I was part of Sonnet's world. Right there with her as she works at the local coffee shop in her tie dye shirt and singing on stage for customers. Sounds like a normal teenager in modern America right? Wrong, Sonnet is far from normal and I loved it. For once the main character did not have perfect hair, perfect clothes, perfect skin. Sonnet wears horse tshirts with overalls, is tall, lanky and mature, and lives with a bunch of people that, life her, can travel to different eras.
Sonnet's "family" is comprised of a bunch of other Lost people who travel through time. There's Prue who has taken care of Sonnet ever since her mother died early on. Sonnet's Dad, who spends his time drunk after her mother died, Emme her best friend with an interesting career, and Israel, who is unbelievably swoon worthy in my opinion. There are a few other colorful characters that I enjoyed like Luke the cute guy at the coffee shop, and Rose, Sonnet's sister. Sonnet and her family make sure they all sleep at the same time so if they time travel in their sleep they'll all wake up together.
I've only read one other time travel book, Hourglass, which the characters had to go through a vortex type thing to go back in time. They chose when to go. This story was different because the characters didn't choose when they would travel. They'd just wake up in a different era. I was glad that Shadows Gray wasn't sooo focused on time traveling. It was the backbone of the story, but they didn't travel much at all. Other things like revenge, first crushes, history, family, etc. where all prominent. The last few chapters had a huge twist that I really did not see coming at all. As I got to the end of the last chapter I began to wonder. Is there going to be a second book? I hope so. It isn't left on a crazy cliffhanger, but there are definitely possibilities for a sequel.
The only thing that I would have liked to see more is a little more explanation of how their time travel works. And how they all make sure they sleep at exactly the same time...I kept thinking what if one of them wakes up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night?
If you're looking for a suspenseful exciting time travel story, with bits of history, and eccentric characters this is definitely a good book to try. It's only $2.99 on Amazon which is a pretty great deal for something that should be $9.99 in my opinion.
February 9, 2013
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SYNOPSIS: Sonnet Gray is 18 years old, and is tired of moving around with her family. Her family, however, doesn't just move locations.
They move throughout time.
Her mismatched "family" are all Lost, special people who randomly jump throughout time, never knowing when they'll leave their current era or where they'll end up. Sonnet only has her dad left as her real family, and then all the other people who are Lost like them. Her mother committed suicide, and her sister, Rose was left behind somewhere in the fifteenth century.
Sonnet her her family have landed in the twenty-first century, and begin the process of blending in and surviving. Sonnet takes up a job as a barista to help feed the family, and plays her guitar in her off-hours. She meets other Lost too. Emme, a woman with a questionable line of work, and Israel, a young doctor. After one of Sonnet's performances, she meets Luke, a normal photographer, and begins to fall hard for him. How can she fall in love when every night, she and her family could wake up in a whole new place? Ghosts and new people lurk around every corner. Who can be trusted?
REVIEW: Unfortunately, I got busy and put the book down for a few months. This wasn't the book's fault!
I was really interested in this book because of the concept of people who jump through time. Most hooks in a book a more a gift than a curse, such as being able to control jumping through time as opposed to this. This curse also made hearing the history of Sonnet much more interesting. It was also interesting to hear how the Lost were a society, but never met, and took up others like them to make a patchwork family while others leave their band for other things. It reminded me of nomads
I also loved that the dad was an alcoholic, trying to cope with the loss of his wife and other daughter. I'm a sucker for a dark realistic element.
However, the first part of the book was slow. No real action or drama, just average. Afterward, the plot twists started coming and it got much more interesting. I was enthralled!
I get finicky about character descriptions. They need to be done early and thorough, or not at all, because the reader will have gone on to create their own image in their mind. I complain most about Israel. I never got a clear image of the tall, African-American man. Not that I am a racist, but its harder for me to picture other characters of a different ethnicity, or to maintain the image.
All in all, a good book to curl up to. Give it a chance and you'll be hooked, wanting more at the end!
SYNOPSIS: Sonnet Gray is 18 years old, and is tired of moving around with her family. Her family, however, doesn't just move locations.
They move throughout time.
Her mismatched "family" are all Lost, special people who randomly jump throughout time, never knowing when they'll leave their current era or where they'll end up. Sonnet only has her dad left as her real family, and then all the other people who are Lost like them. Her mother committed suicide, and her sister, Rose was left behind somewhere in the fifteenth century.
Sonnet her her family have landed in the twenty-first century, and begin the process of blending in and surviving. Sonnet takes up a job as a barista to help feed the family, and plays her guitar in her off-hours. She meets other Lost too. Emme, a woman with a questionable line of work, and Israel, a young doctor. After one of Sonnet's performances, she meets Luke, a normal photographer, and begins to fall hard for him. How can she fall in love when every night, she and her family could wake up in a whole new place? Ghosts and new people lurk around every corner. Who can be trusted?
REVIEW: Unfortunately, I got busy and put the book down for a few months. This wasn't the book's fault!
I was really interested in this book because of the concept of people who jump through time. Most hooks in a book a more a gift than a curse, such as being able to control jumping through time as opposed to this. This curse also made hearing the history of Sonnet much more interesting. It was also interesting to hear how the Lost were a society, but never met, and took up others like them to make a patchwork family while others leave their band for other things. It reminded me of nomads
I also loved that the dad was an alcoholic, trying to cope with the loss of his wife and other daughter. I'm a sucker for a dark realistic element.
However, the first part of the book was slow. No real action or drama, just average. Afterward, the plot twists started coming and it got much more interesting. I was enthralled!
I get finicky about character descriptions. They need to be done early and thorough, or not at all, because the reader will have gone on to create their own image in their mind. I complain most about Israel. I never got a clear image of the tall, African-American man. Not that I am a racist, but its harder for me to picture other characters of a different ethnicity, or to maintain the image.
All in all, a good book to curl up to. Give it a chance and you'll be hooked, wanting more at the end!
February 24, 2017
I literally devoured this book and the next in the series. As an older sister, I resonate so much with Sonnet. Plus, my little sister is a low-key Rose. When my dad got this book for me I had no idea what I was getting into, but by the second chapter I was hooked. I don't recommend anyone to read it before bed though. I wish everyone had a chance to enjoy this book as much as I do.
Now, off to eat some squirrel pie.
Now, off to eat some squirrel pie.
December 2, 2012
As I was reading this book, it seemed pretty average, it is about time travel which made it interesting because I havnt read any books regarding time travel before.
But then the end happened… and WOW the end totally sold me on the book! I was so not expecting that!
The book focus’s on Sonnet, she is one of the Lost, a time traveler with no control when its time to go she doesn’t get a chance to prepare, she simply falls asleep and wakes up somewhere else.
Sonnet quite obviously has not had the easiest childhood ever, but the fact that her family traveled without her younger sister Rose years ago has haunted her forever. And now, in 21st century America she keeps seeing her sister everywhere.
Then we meet Luke, who was a cutie, and I will admit I felt totally betrayed by him at the end of the book… but then I decided that although Israel was always in the background of the story, he was much better suited for Sonnet.
I also totally loved Emme, she had a very questionable profession, but as she said, it is a profession that doesn’t go out of style regardless of what year or country you live in.
Overall this book was really good, I am hoping that there might be a sequal in the near future, because I am definitely interested in hearing more about Sonnet and Israel as well as the outcome of Rose and Luke. I think that if the end of the book didn’t have the twist it essentially did, the book would have been quite average… but that twist put it over the edge and made me want to keep reading once I started putting some of the pieces together!
But then the end happened… and WOW the end totally sold me on the book! I was so not expecting that!
The book focus’s on Sonnet, she is one of the Lost, a time traveler with no control when its time to go she doesn’t get a chance to prepare, she simply falls asleep and wakes up somewhere else.
Sonnet quite obviously has not had the easiest childhood ever, but the fact that her family traveled without her younger sister Rose years ago has haunted her forever. And now, in 21st century America she keeps seeing her sister everywhere.
Then we meet Luke, who was a cutie, and I will admit I felt totally betrayed by him at the end of the book… but then I decided that although Israel was always in the background of the story, he was much better suited for Sonnet.
I also totally loved Emme, she had a very questionable profession, but as she said, it is a profession that doesn’t go out of style regardless of what year or country you live in.
Overall this book was really good, I am hoping that there might be a sequal in the near future, because I am definitely interested in hearing more about Sonnet and Israel as well as the outcome of Rose and Luke. I think that if the end of the book didn’t have the twist it essentially did, the book would have been quite average… but that twist put it over the edge and made me want to keep reading once I started putting some of the pieces together!
August 11, 2013
The Plot:
Shadows Gray follows the story of Sonnet Gray, one of the "Lost," who uncontrollably time travels to different places and eras, seemingly at random. Being one of the Lost is genetic, and as long as families of them stick together, they can usually travel together, but when Sonnet was a young girl, her baby sister, Rose, was left behind, presumably to never be seen again. Skip ahead to present day, and Sonnet is 18 and living in the 21st Century when she starts seeing someone who looks an awful lot like her little sister. Mix that with her crazy and diverse family of Lost, and a slightly older boy who seems to be taking an interest in Sonnet, and you've got quite an interesting plot.
My Thoughts:
I literally just finished this book, and I have to say that I loved it. Granted, I'm a sucker for anything time travel related. It mixed sci-fi, fantasy, and mystery so well, with a dash of YA romance. I do feel that the romance portion left something to be desired, but all-in-all, the book is more geared toward the mystery behind it all, so it wasn't too distracting. I also liked the interplay of historical facts, which gave it more depth and intrigue.
The only thing that I'm truly disappointed in is the fact that I just looked up the sequel in hopes of continuing with Sonnet's story, only to discover that the next book, Shadows Falling, isn't about Sonnet at all as far as I can tell. This truly makes me sad.
Shadows Gray follows the story of Sonnet Gray, one of the "Lost," who uncontrollably time travels to different places and eras, seemingly at random. Being one of the Lost is genetic, and as long as families of them stick together, they can usually travel together, but when Sonnet was a young girl, her baby sister, Rose, was left behind, presumably to never be seen again. Skip ahead to present day, and Sonnet is 18 and living in the 21st Century when she starts seeing someone who looks an awful lot like her little sister. Mix that with her crazy and diverse family of Lost, and a slightly older boy who seems to be taking an interest in Sonnet, and you've got quite an interesting plot.
My Thoughts:
I literally just finished this book, and I have to say that I loved it. Granted, I'm a sucker for anything time travel related. It mixed sci-fi, fantasy, and mystery so well, with a dash of YA romance. I do feel that the romance portion left something to be desired, but all-in-all, the book is more geared toward the mystery behind it all, so it wasn't too distracting. I also liked the interplay of historical facts, which gave it more depth and intrigue.
The only thing that I'm truly disappointed in is the fact that I just looked up the sequel in hopes of continuing with Sonnet's story, only to discover that the next book, Shadows Falling, isn't about Sonnet at all as far as I can tell. This truly makes me sad.
March 8, 2014
sonnet gray is an 18 year old time traveler, and this is her story. it a story of loss - time traveling leaves you with no friends and you are constantly rebuilding your life, or succumbing to the illness of the time. sonnet has lost her sister and mother and travels with her father and a motley group of other time travelers.
the story starts slow and gentle allowing you to appreciate how hard it is to be someone like sonnet and how growing up across different centuries doesn't make it any easier being a teenager. it also shows her normal yearning to be loved by the mother and her little sister, who she thought they had left behind.
then start the viewings of her supposedly left behind and dead sister. only she seems to see Rose or hear her and she wants to reach out and find out if her sister is real or a ghost.
this book quickly goes from a simple teenage story of coping to a page turner suspense and finally into a horror tale. I'll admit I was surprised by the turn of events in the story, the details, the timing. But I wasn't too happy with the end. maybe it's supposed to make me want to read the sequel. but the end was abrupt for me. and I don't think I'll read the sequel inspire of it's favorable reviews.
all in all a pretty decent read. not to be finished at night unless you want graphic dreams though.
the story starts slow and gentle allowing you to appreciate how hard it is to be someone like sonnet and how growing up across different centuries doesn't make it any easier being a teenager. it also shows her normal yearning to be loved by the mother and her little sister, who she thought they had left behind.
then start the viewings of her supposedly left behind and dead sister. only she seems to see Rose or hear her and she wants to reach out and find out if her sister is real or a ghost.
this book quickly goes from a simple teenage story of coping to a page turner suspense and finally into a horror tale. I'll admit I was surprised by the turn of events in the story, the details, the timing. But I wasn't too happy with the end. maybe it's supposed to make me want to read the sequel. but the end was abrupt for me. and I don't think I'll read the sequel inspire of it's favorable reviews.
all in all a pretty decent read. not to be finished at night unless you want graphic dreams though.
June 19, 2012
"Shadows Gray" by Melyssa Williams is the gritty story of involuntary lost time travelers. Randomly these poor folks, if they're all asleep at the same time and close enough physically to each other, are launched to another era in time where they start with virtually nothing. Even though you never get to know the nuts and bolts for how it works, the tragedy is almost enough to make you feel that it happened to you. Their lives are a travesty and a constant reminder of the fragility of life even for non Lost travelers. The characters are well defined and relationships in the story, both good and bad are explored fully through to fruition.
The ending of the book is powerful, as a matter of fact, it's so powerful that I will not divulge the outcome, but invite the potential readers to read this book from cover to cover or e-page one to e-page last and expect the best. Trust me, Melyssa Williams is not going to let you down with this one! This book is subtle, unique and well written. Very well done, Melyssa!
The ending of the book is powerful, as a matter of fact, it's so powerful that I will not divulge the outcome, but invite the potential readers to read this book from cover to cover or e-page one to e-page last and expect the best. Trust me, Melyssa Williams is not going to let you down with this one! This book is subtle, unique and well written. Very well done, Melyssa!
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