Save the universe, or save each other?Amy’s sixteenth birthday party is ruined when her two best friends start fighting and storm out. Her day only gets worse when things begin exploding around her. A foul-tempered spirit has awoken in her mind, and it tells her she’s the reincarnated host of the Shield, born to defend against the Sword.
The Shield wants to protect all life, and the Sword wants to end it, yearning to send the universe back into the quiet of nothingness. The two spirits have been locked in a cycle of battle, death, and rebirth for millennia. But Amy isn’t a violent person—she can’t even eat meat! She just wants to do well in school to get into her dream college, not fight someone potentially to the death.
Connor has spent his entire life diligently training to be the Sword’s perfect host and never questioned his fate—until meeting Amy. He’s only ever wanted to live up to his family’s expectations, is even willing to die in battle, but Amy slowly opens his eyes to a different path and now questions are all he has.
Starting out as enemies, Amy and Connor slowly become friends and grow into more. Trapped by destiny, they must decide between fighting for the fate of the universe or fighting for themselves.
The Shield is a spice-free young adult supernatural romance with a slow burn, enemies-to-forbidden-lovers storyline.
ABOUT ME Hi, I'm Alexa Shay, an author and giant nerd from the Pacific Northwestern part of the USA. Batman is my favorite superhero and yes, he can beat Superman. I'm vegan because I found out that cows have best friends and I feel like that tells you a lot about me.
ABOUT MY WRITING When I was in the second grade, I said I wanted to be a writer when I grew up and I never let go of that. I now work in technical writing by day and am an independently published author by night. My favorite genre has always been fantasy (not sci-fi, fantasy). I've always loved the idea of magic and other worlds and have spent many hours lost in places of my own making. I love having the freedom to create my own universe and to see how my characters interact with it and each other.
When I first sat down and tried to figure out how to sort books by star ratings, I decided that a 3 star review was for books that had about an even mix of strengths and weaknesses. I think that this book was a solid three star read.
The weaknesses: - I really struggled to get into the story initially because the characterization seemed a bit rough. I had a hard time understanding who the characters were as people, and their actions didn't always seem coherent. - This book is a debut novel, and it shows in the writing. There's a lot of showing, the places where the scene zooms in and zooms out don't always make sense, and some details seem unnecessarily added while others seem skipped over. It reminds me of the way I wrote in high school (not that I'm sure I can necessarily write better now... I just haven't practiced much since high school), and that made it harder to initially get invested in the story and the characters or get fully lost in the story. - The side characters didn't seem fully fleshed out and often read more as caricatures than characters. - Aspects of the worldbuilding confused me. For example, I never quite understood why the Sword and Shield battling each other had to happen that way. Why couldn't the sword start destroying things and see how far it could get before the shield stopped it? Why did the two people have to fight each other first?
The strengths: - A romance I actually understood and could get behind. The main romance made sense, and it never felt forced to me. I'm particularly impressed by this because many of the books I've read recently have left me wondering what the main male lead sees in the female lead, which makes the romance feel forced and unnatural to me. Even though I quickly spotted the main couple, the romance actually developed at a reasonable pace and I always understood why they were attracted to each other beyond the necessities of plot. - The relationships in general were very well done. Even though the aspects of the writing style that annoyed me at the beginning of the book were still present at the end of the story, I found that I cared about them a lot less because I was invested in the relationships. Amy's relationship with her brother, the main friend group, and the main romance were all beautiful and compelling relationships that I genuinely cared about and wanted to keep interacting with. - The way Connor and Amy grew and stabilized as characters was also very promising. Although the characterization did feel uneven at the beginning of the book, by the end of the book I had a very clear picture in my mind of who Connor and Amy were as people. I understood their motivations, I cared about their success, and I wanted them to be everything they wanted to be. I was fully invested. - Even with the weaknesses, I didn't want to put the book down once I hit about 50% of the way into the book. The story sucked me in, and I wanted to keep reading and see what would happen next.
All in all, this book shows a lot of promise, and I'm curious to see where Alexa Shay goes as a writer as she continues to publish and grow in her journey. I'd recommend this story to younger readers who will be able to enjoy the beautiful relationships and healthy romance since they are less likely to be dissuaded by the things that I personally found distracting. That being said, I'm an older reader myself, and I'm curious to see where the rest of the series goes, so do with that information what you will.
Thank you to NetGalley and A. Walter Publishing Company for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
The Shield by Alexa Shay offers an engaging blend of supernatural fantasy and slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance. The story excels with its well-crafted characters and moral complexities, making it a captivating read. Shay’s writing style is accessible, drawing readers into the protagonists' journey of self-discovery and defiance against fate. However, the climactic fight scene, despite significant buildup, feels rushed and underwhelming, leaving a sense of missed potential. Despite this, The Shield remains an enjoyable read, especially for fans of character-driven narratives. A solid 3.5 stars.
This was a book with a lot of interesting ideas and relationships. Two teens, Connor and Amy, are inhabited by the ancient battling powers of the sword and the shield (respectively) and know they will eventually have to fight each other, possibly to the death. Except they're falling in love with each other.
This was a really unique premise and had some real resonance with our current world - the idea that teenagers would be forced to shoulder the burdens of the adults of generations before, feeling the pressure. I also really enjoyed Amy's brother Arty - he was an unusual archetype that you don't often see in older sibling characters, the Star Trek nerd (now that I've heard of a car named Pi"car"d, I will never forget it) who also runs marathons.
The book is quite short, and I really wished the book had given the story more time to breathe. At one point, it is briefly mentioned that the Sword wants to quiet all the business of human life.m. It would nice to understand more about the sword's perspective. Does the sword feel that human life is destroying the planet? Why is the secret society who protects the sword so invested? Adding a bit more backstory and spelling out some of these connections would have been helpful.
I would definitely recommend this to middle schoolers who are interested in fantasy and fantasy romance
When I sat down with this book, I did so with the understanding that this was not written for me, a 34 year old suburban housewife.
But 14 year old me would have been all about it.
This book in centered around Amy, a 16 year old adorkable orphan being raised by her brother and coming into her supernatural powers. But unlike other YA heroines, she is likeable. She has hobbies, friends, and is like other girls in a way I find refreshing.
Connor, the love interest, is a little harder to pin down but by the middle made sense. He is a boy who has had his personality smothered by absurd expectations of his family, who is able to actually be himself around Amy. I really like these two because the author makes a very good case of why they actually like each other as people versus being thrown in an awful situation while also being hot.
Loves: the main relationship dynamic, the parallels drawn between Connor and the BestFriendZoned (but for good reason) Adam, and Amy being allowed to be a person in her own right. I loved how much I disliked Adam and how his arc was resolved.
Dislikes: the world felt a little small for the scale of the conflict. And some of the writing, especially the tone shift that is the ethereal otherworldly Shield Spirit, is shaky with new author syndrome.
Conclusion: an enjoyable read for YA readers, with a good message and likeable characters. I look forward to the sequel.
This book took me a bit to get into, but once i did it was hard to put down. I am really looking forward to the next book. I really didn't like Connor at first he was a bit cringy, but after awhile he kinda grew on me and his relationship with Amy just made sense. Once you get to see his side a bit more you feel bad for him and see that Amy is the only person that really cares about him and even though they are "fated enemies" she wants to try to be friends until that have to face their destiny. She wants to live her life while she still can.
The last couple of chapters were a rollercoaster of emotions for me, but they were probably the best part of the book! And just a warning there is a cliffhanger :( Now to wait for the next one!
thank you to Alexa Shay for letting me be an ARC reader!
This YA paranormal romance had just about everything I like in a YA. Age-appropriate protagonists that feel like teenagers, stakes that are high enough for me to be invested, engaging writing that kept me reading to find out what was next even if I had a good idea of the direction of the plot, and themes that I think even adults can benefit from taking to heart. Even if YA isn't your go to genre, I recommend taking a chance with this indie author's debut.
Alexa us a fantastic person and writer. The characters were solid and interesting plus all completely distinct. I am glad there was good resolution and no cliff hanger, exactly. . .
I received a copy directly from the author and all views are my own honest opinions
I’m in love with this author and her way of weaving a classic tale of good vs evil into a true love story. I cannot wait for the rest of the series!!!
Connor- the sword is everything to him and his “family” so nothing else matters besides killing the shield, right? He is trained from birth to fight and hate. Love should never happen. Only when things are left for him to decide, he breaks all the rules.
Amy- after losing her parents she lives with her brother and suddenly she is made aware (in a most hilarious way!) that she is an entity known as the shield and is meant to save humanity?
So when they meet and start the grumpy x sunshine routine it was a bit wild! But definitely worth the read through! I won’t say anything to spoil this but it is amazing and I love the characters!
I loved the tone and pacing of this book. The setup for Amy and Connor as the Shield and the Sword and their developing friendship is just so heartwarming and fun. The looming battle feels like the elephant in the room at all times that we all try to just ignore because they are having fun. As a mom of an up and coming reader, this is something I can’t wait to have him read and I love that people are writing books for kids that are exciting and don’t feel extremely juvenile. Alexa has done an amazing job with her debut novel and I feel so fortunate for having been able to read it prior to release!
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.5/5) The Shield by Alexa Shay. Thank you @netgalley for the ARC! This book is set to release February 8, 2025.
This book was solid. It had aspects I love, and aspects I was indifferent too. I really liked the “magic” system, but there were parts I was confused by.
The story follows Amy, who learns she’s the vessel for the shield when she turns 16. And Connor who is the vessel for the sword, and has been training his entire life. Every few generations the shield and the sword battle for the fate of the people, which usually leaves the vessels deceased. The swords advisor decides to have him befriend the shield to gain her trust, and they end up both falling for each other before their battle.
Personally, I would have appreciated a little more backstory into the shield and the sword, why they exist, who created them, etc.
It took a little while for Connor to grow on me, but I think thats the point. The ending was so fast paced, and kept me really engaged. I truly wanted Amy and Conner to end up together, and was very interested in how the battle would play out.
This was a good, clean enemies to lovers. I’d give this one a 3.5 and could re read it. I enjoyed the story, even though the ending did seem rushed. I typically enjoy longer books with more background and detail to them to get you to connect more.
If you enjoy stories of romance and good vs evil “battle” on a PG 13 level, I think you will like this.
This was an easy and good read. I loved reading about a healthy romance without some of those annoying miscommunication troupes. I enjoyed Amy's growth into a more confident young woman and Connor's embracing of his strength. Their romance was so sweet!
This book was so much fun. The very beginning did take some time to introduce the main character and her inner circle; but once that is established the chemistry of the main leads, the relationships the main character has with the supporting characters, and the plot are very enjoyable and compelling.
The progression of the story feels natural within the context of the world building at play and is given plenty of space to develop organically. That being said, the pacing did place some strain on the final act of the book, leaving a lot to be covered in a limited number of pages. However, the conclusion of the story is absolutely exciting and unexpected.
This book fits perfectly into the Young Adult fantasy genre but older readers who love a good story will also find plenty here to pique and keep their interest. I personally am very eager for a second installment.
The Shield by Alexa Shay was provided to me as a free Advanced Reader Copy and my review is honest and unbiased.
The Shield is a spice-free, supernatural, YA fantasy that blends first-love emotions with accessible high-stakes conflict.
Amy is a thoughtful, emotionally intelligent girl with loyal friends she deeply cares about. On her sixteenth birthday, she learns she is the host for the light spirit—the Shield—and destined to battle the host of the dark spirit to save the world.
Connor has grown up training to be the perfect host for the dark spirit—the Sword—knowing he would likely die trying to defeat the light. What he doesn’t expect is Amy, someone who questions the very foundation of that conflict. Rather than accepting light versus dark as inevitable, she challenges the idea that they must be enemies at all.
As their friendship grows, so does the emotional complexity between them. What makes the story especially compelling is that the two who are destined to destroy one another begin to care deeply for each other, adding a layer of tension that quietly hurts in the best way. The story centers on first love unfolding against fantasy stakes, with characters learning who they are while navigating destiny, loyalty, and choice.
The supporting characters also add warmth and dimension to the story. Amy’s big brother, Arty, and her best friend, Satomi, both have distinct voices and help ground Amy emotionally, giving her relationships outside the central conflict that deepen her character.
The final act especially brings strong momentum and emotional payoff as the stakes rise and the emotional threads converge.
Readers who enjoy first love, supernatural fantasy, relationship-driven storytelling, and accessible high-stakes conflict will find a lot to enjoy here. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"The Shield" was such a refreshing YA "chosen one" story. I hate to say it, but often reading young adult AS an adult-adult is risky, because the teenagers tend to be written as whiny? Disrespectful? Is my age showing? Yikes... But anyway, all that is to say that this book is NOT annoying to read as an elder millennial! LOL.
Amy is shocked when she finds out her entire life has changed when the ancient spirit inhabiting her is awakened. She's destined to fight for the side of good (the Shield) against the evil of the Sword. Also, the host of the Sword has been aware and training for the final battle his entire life so... good luck, babe! :)
Amy has a moment to freak out, but then she gets to work, and honestly that is so nice to read because she's strong, independent, and even when all this is dumped on her she's KIND and compassionate--even to Connor, the Sword host who's been THROUGH it with his father and past traumas and current traumas and oh yeah, the CULT that he's been indoctrinated by--you know, usual teenage woes.
Amy is written as relatable, funny, loyal, and is not a wet blanket. Your girl stands up for herself and her friends, and most of all for what's right.
The relationship between Amy and Connor blooms from curious rivalry to respect to friendship to crushes and eventual bf/gf status, and it's so fun and cute to read how they grow not only as individual characters but as a couple.
"The Shield" is wonderfully written, and I giggled out loud so many times! It's emotional, inspirational, and just a really solid, good read. I think all ages would enjoy this book. I can't wait for the sequel!
Tropes: Chosen One, Enemies to Lovers / Rivals to Lovers, Testing Fate, Magic Powers, Who did this to you?, Cult, Breaking Free
The Shield held my interest. It had a certain amount of mystery, so you wanted to keep reading. I thought the characters were well developed and one of them was quite a surprise! I'm looking forward to the second book.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Alexa Shay's The Shield. My favorite part of reading is getting to know characters and watching them grow throughout a book. Alexa Shay delivers compelling characters and excellent character development. I loved reading about Amy and Connor. Satomi reminds me of my friends in high school. I can not wait for book two. I just want MORE, more back story about the spirits, more Whittaker Hills and definitely more Amy and Conner! I will read anything Alexa Shay writes.