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Shadow #1
Shadow Dancer
"Some secrets should just stay buried. On the day Tristan Morrow is born her mother goes missing, prompting an investigation that produces no solid leads. Fast forward 15 years, and the Morrow family still doesn’t know the truth behind Catherine Morrow’s disappearance. When 15 year old Tristan is required to write a biography on her mother for a school assignment, she learns the truth about her mother’s fate, and is hell-bent upon finding out who was responsible for her death. But when Tristan herself goes missing too, everyone is suspect, even her own father.
Set in rural Fox Hollow, PA, Shadow Dancer unravels a web of lies, deceit, madness and corruption. Can investigators crack the case before Tristan meets the same fate as her mother? And who is responsible for the disappearances? There is much uncertainty as the investigation unfolds, but there is one thing that is certain: Tristan Morrow holds the master key to the entire riddle."
Set in rural Fox Hollow, PA, Shadow Dancer unravels a web of lies, deceit, madness and corruption. Can investigators crack the case before Tristan meets the same fate as her mother? And who is responsible for the disappearances? There is much uncertainty as the investigation unfolds, but there is one thing that is certain: Tristan Morrow holds the master key to the entire riddle."
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 12, 2014
15 people are currently reading
517 people want to read
About the author
Addison Kline
37 books880 followersLibrarian Note: Also writes as A.C. Williams
A.C. Williams is an International Best-Selling Author of romantic suspense and mystery novels. She resides in Pennsylvania with her family. She is the wife of an Army Veteran and the proud mom of their three sons. When she is not writing, she is immersing herself in music, reading to her heart's content, and traveling with her family.
She previously wrote under the pen name Addison Kline and is a member of the International Thriller Writers Association. While she loves to write in a variety of genres, A.C. always says "mystery is her game." Some of her other favorite sub-genres to write include romantic suspense, psychological thrillers, crime, MC and mafia thrillers.
Some of her greatest influences to date include Edgar Allan Poe, Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Harper Lee, Gillian Flynn, Emily Dickinson, Jane Austen & James Patterson.
A.C. Williams is an International Best-Selling Author of romantic suspense and mystery novels. She resides in Pennsylvania with her family. She is the wife of an Army Veteran and the proud mom of their three sons. When she is not writing, she is immersing herself in music, reading to her heart's content, and traveling with her family.
She previously wrote under the pen name Addison Kline and is a member of the International Thriller Writers Association. While she loves to write in a variety of genres, A.C. always says "mystery is her game." Some of her other favorite sub-genres to write include romantic suspense, psychological thrillers, crime, MC and mafia thrillers.
Some of her greatest influences to date include Edgar Allan Poe, Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Harper Lee, Gillian Flynn, Emily Dickinson, Jane Austen & James Patterson.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
September 13, 2014
I was given an ARC for an honest review.
Hands down the best book so far of 2014 in my opinion. I knew very little about this book when I first got the chance to review it, but after a little poking around I was sold. It took no time to experience first hand the writing style the grips you from the beginning and keeps your well past the end. The story was written so well and the way all of the characters are connected was truly amazing. Addison Kline is truly a gifted storyteller and I can honestly say I will be recommending this book to others.
Raven: secret keepers according to the Celts. What a secret the raven has to bare after he met Catherine.......
We met Catherine’s daughter Tristan years later and she has been given the assignment to create a biography none other than her dead mother. Tristan knows little if anything about her mother and that is just the way her father intended to keep it. At this same time we met Mr. Kendricks and what a creepy feeling I had about him from the very beginning. Tristan has quite the support system behind her and as the truth begins to unfold things come to a full force as if the past is going to repeat itself. The connection between everyone in her life was truly amazing and only got stronger once they faced extreme challenges. The biggest question is will the entire cast of characters be able to learn from their past and embrace it all to come out on the other side of the shadows surrounding the family?
Favorite Quotes:
“I’ve learned several major lessons from her. First, be careful who you trust. Second, when you love, love with all your heart. And thirdly, when you believe in something, fight with all your might until there is no fighting left to be done. Live life with courage, and with faith.”
Hands down the best book so far of 2014 in my opinion. I knew very little about this book when I first got the chance to review it, but after a little poking around I was sold. It took no time to experience first hand the writing style the grips you from the beginning and keeps your well past the end. The story was written so well and the way all of the characters are connected was truly amazing. Addison Kline is truly a gifted storyteller and I can honestly say I will be recommending this book to others.
Raven: secret keepers according to the Celts. What a secret the raven has to bare after he met Catherine.......
We met Catherine’s daughter Tristan years later and she has been given the assignment to create a biography none other than her dead mother. Tristan knows little if anything about her mother and that is just the way her father intended to keep it. At this same time we met Mr. Kendricks and what a creepy feeling I had about him from the very beginning. Tristan has quite the support system behind her and as the truth begins to unfold things come to a full force as if the past is going to repeat itself. The connection between everyone in her life was truly amazing and only got stronger once they faced extreme challenges. The biggest question is will the entire cast of characters be able to learn from their past and embrace it all to come out on the other side of the shadows surrounding the family?
Favorite Quotes:
“I’ve learned several major lessons from her. First, be careful who you trust. Second, when you love, love with all your heart. And thirdly, when you believe in something, fight with all your might until there is no fighting left to be done. Live life with courage, and with faith.”
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September 20, 2014
*Warning: Major spoilers in the spoiler link
3-3.5 Stars!
A lovely read! I was a huge huge huge fan of the idea, but less thrilled with the execution. Nonetheless, I don't regret reading this novel. That being said, let's get into the review
Characters
For the most part, you like every character you're supposed to like and hate who you're supposed to hate. The kidnapper definitely holds up to a reputation of extreme creepiness and danger while our lead characters (being the Morrow family) span a wide range of personalities. Jack is the stern father whom you sympathize for losing the love of his life while Tristan is the lovely little angel that everyone loves and cares for with a fierce passion. Her brothers Blake, Tommy, Liam, and Adam range from goofy, caring, kind, silly, and responsible (in no particular order/combination) and her cousin Shane (who might as well be another brother with their chummy family) also fits the same bill. Uncle Frank and Aunt Bridgette bicker from time to time, but they're the cool parents that do so lovingly.
I could go on and on about the characters I just mentioned as well as plenty more that played a role, but there's honestly way too many to go into that I'd rather not spend a lot of time talking about when more important discussions can be had. That being said, I think Ms. Kline did a nice job making me care for the characters. I liked Tristan and certainly cared when she was kidnapped, but I was more interested in her mother Catherine as we got a little bit more background and intimate with her. Also, I worried when certain characters got hurt, but not as much as I would've liked to. I think the reason I wasn't extremely deeply invested in the characters as much as I would've liked to is because there were just so many that it left little room to balance out that investment. In the paragraph above, I've listed 10 characters that play a big role and that's not even all of them. I don't mind that there's a lot of characters to focus on, but it is troublesome when they're all introduced almost all at once. It also makes it harder to give each one their own individual spot light and enough book time to get us deeply invested in them. I'd say the two that I felt the most connection with was with Catherine and Sergeant DiNolfo (the woman who plays a big roll in the kidnapping case). Both, imo, seemed to have the most revealed about their past which drew me in. Just to clarify, it's not that I don't give a damn about the other characters at all as I certainly do care about them, I'm just not deeply emotionally invested in them as if they were real people to me.
Plot
Again, I extremely LOVED the premise of this story, but not so big on the execution. With the plot, I don't know if I just didn't pay close attention enough or I misinterpreted/misread certain parts, but I just felt like there were too many plot holes/questions.
With a few exceptions, the plot is mostly consistent so the only thing that bothered/nagged me the most were the questions I still had that seemed like they needed to be answered to maintain a solid world.
Aside from plot holes and questions, the only other gripe I have is with the resolution/explanation of 2 certain things.
Mechanics
There were a few things about the technical side of this story that I wasn't too fond of (both out of personal and non personal preference). I wasn't too big of a fan that it wasn't in first person, but that's obviously a personal preference. I think Ms. Kline did a nice job narrating in third person. The only minor gripe I had with the third person is that it was inconsistent when it was briefly switched to first person with young Catherine. I absolutely loved that it was finally in first POV (as it was another factor that contributed to me feeling more intimate with her character), but with it being that single time, it just threw the story off the tone of the story a bit with that brief change up.
Another thing that sorta poked at my personal preference were the flashbacks. There's really no right way of executing time leaps that satisfies everyone so my gripe isn't that it was a story that wasn't in chronological order. What bothered me was where/when we landed back and forth. I mean they were, for the most part, related so going back and forth wasn't strange since it made sense why we went back to that certain time/place and returned to another, but there were a few occasions where it felt a little like whiplash.
Overall, despite my previous remarks, I did like the story. I know I know...my overall opinion probably just gave you whiplash. As I said in the very beginning, I may not have been a fan of the exception, but I truly enjoyed the premise. The mystery and suspense drew me in and made me stay for the rest of the ride I didn't like how things went, but was certainly intrigued with where they were going.
As for whether or not I recommend this book, I'd say give it a read at some point when you have the time. It's definitely worth checking out. I'm obviously in the minority (as I'm writing this review) with my rating so maybe you'll love this one a lot more than me. Though I was very picky with my gripes and had some disappointments, I'm still interested in checking out what else Ms. Kline has to offer as her ideas are what interest me the most. She's on the right track to becoming a wonderful storyteller and I can't help but be curious to see where else her next stories take us.
3-3.5 Stars!
A lovely read! I was a huge huge huge fan of the idea, but less thrilled with the execution. Nonetheless, I don't regret reading this novel. That being said, let's get into the review
Characters
For the most part, you like every character you're supposed to like and hate who you're supposed to hate. The kidnapper definitely holds up to a reputation of extreme creepiness and danger while our lead characters (being the Morrow family) span a wide range of personalities. Jack is the stern father whom you sympathize for losing the love of his life while Tristan is the lovely little angel that everyone loves and cares for with a fierce passion. Her brothers Blake, Tommy, Liam, and Adam range from goofy, caring, kind, silly, and responsible (in no particular order/combination) and her cousin Shane (who might as well be another brother with their chummy family) also fits the same bill. Uncle Frank and Aunt Bridgette bicker from time to time, but they're the cool parents that do so lovingly.
I could go on and on about the characters I just mentioned as well as plenty more that played a role, but there's honestly way too many to go into that I'd rather not spend a lot of time talking about when more important discussions can be had. That being said, I think Ms. Kline did a nice job making me care for the characters. I liked Tristan and certainly cared when she was kidnapped, but I was more interested in her mother Catherine as we got a little bit more background and intimate with her. Also, I worried when certain characters got hurt, but not as much as I would've liked to. I think the reason I wasn't extremely deeply invested in the characters as much as I would've liked to is because there were just so many that it left little room to balance out that investment. In the paragraph above, I've listed 10 characters that play a big role and that's not even all of them. I don't mind that there's a lot of characters to focus on, but it is troublesome when they're all introduced almost all at once. It also makes it harder to give each one their own individual spot light and enough book time to get us deeply invested in them. I'd say the two that I felt the most connection with was with Catherine and Sergeant DiNolfo (the woman who plays a big roll in the kidnapping case). Both, imo, seemed to have the most revealed about their past which drew me in. Just to clarify, it's not that I don't give a damn about the other characters at all as I certainly do care about them, I'm just not deeply emotionally invested in them as if they were real people to me.
Plot
Again, I extremely LOVED the premise of this story, but not so big on the execution. With the plot, I don't know if I just didn't pay close attention enough or I misinterpreted/misread certain parts, but I just felt like there were too many plot holes/questions.
With a few exceptions, the plot is mostly consistent so the only thing that bothered/nagged me the most were the questions I still had that seemed like they needed to be answered to maintain a solid world.
Aside from plot holes and questions, the only other gripe I have is with the resolution/explanation of 2 certain things.
Mechanics
There were a few things about the technical side of this story that I wasn't too fond of (both out of personal and non personal preference). I wasn't too big of a fan that it wasn't in first person, but that's obviously a personal preference. I think Ms. Kline did a nice job narrating in third person. The only minor gripe I had with the third person is that it was inconsistent when it was briefly switched to first person with young Catherine. I absolutely loved that it was finally in first POV (as it was another factor that contributed to me feeling more intimate with her character), but with it being that single time, it just threw the story off the tone of the story a bit with that brief change up.
Another thing that sorta poked at my personal preference were the flashbacks. There's really no right way of executing time leaps that satisfies everyone so my gripe isn't that it was a story that wasn't in chronological order. What bothered me was where/when we landed back and forth. I mean they were, for the most part, related so going back and forth wasn't strange since it made sense why we went back to that certain time/place and returned to another, but there were a few occasions where it felt a little like whiplash.
Overall, despite my previous remarks, I did like the story. I know I know...my overall opinion probably just gave you whiplash. As I said in the very beginning, I may not have been a fan of the exception, but I truly enjoyed the premise. The mystery and suspense drew me in and made me stay for the rest of the ride I didn't like how things went, but was certainly intrigued with where they were going.
As for whether or not I recommend this book, I'd say give it a read at some point when you have the time. It's definitely worth checking out. I'm obviously in the minority (as I'm writing this review) with my rating so maybe you'll love this one a lot more than me. Though I was very picky with my gripes and had some disappointments, I'm still interested in checking out what else Ms. Kline has to offer as her ideas are what interest me the most. She's on the right track to becoming a wonderful storyteller and I can't help but be curious to see where else her next stories take us.
October 25, 2014
I just finished Shadow Dancer by Addison Kline. I'm going to start off by saying, I am that irritating person that figures out who the murderer is one or two chapters into a book or 15 minutes into the movie. I have to admit that when I read Shadow Dancer I became so involved with the story that I forgot to figure out what was going to happen. I let myself experience the events as they unraveled. I was able to experience this because of Addison Kline's gift for storytelling.
From the very beginning of the book, I instantly connected with the Morrow family. The love and sacrifice that ties into the betrayals, lies and deceit was brilliantly woven together. Tristan Morrow proves to be a strong, determined and intelligent 15-year-old girl. She grew up believing that her mom Catherine, had abandoned the family on the night that Tristan was born. When Tristan is forced to do a school assignment that requires her to investigate and find out more about her mom, Tristan herself disappears. Tristan's family races to find her in a desperate attempt to prevent history from repeating itself. The family dynamic in how they all work through their challenges that lay ahead was an amazing journey to follow.
I am giving Shadow Dancer 5 stars because I am amazed at how well Addison Kline was able to jump back and forth between time and use various character point of views. Technically this is extremely difficult to pull off without readers getting confused. She flawlessly pulls it off creating an intriguing and beautiful story.
From the very beginning of the book, I instantly connected with the Morrow family. The love and sacrifice that ties into the betrayals, lies and deceit was brilliantly woven together. Tristan Morrow proves to be a strong, determined and intelligent 15-year-old girl. She grew up believing that her mom Catherine, had abandoned the family on the night that Tristan was born. When Tristan is forced to do a school assignment that requires her to investigate and find out more about her mom, Tristan herself disappears. Tristan's family races to find her in a desperate attempt to prevent history from repeating itself. The family dynamic in how they all work through their challenges that lay ahead was an amazing journey to follow.
I am giving Shadow Dancer 5 stars because I am amazed at how well Addison Kline was able to jump back and forth between time and use various character point of views. Technically this is extremely difficult to pull off without readers getting confused. She flawlessly pulls it off creating an intriguing and beautiful story.
July 29, 2015
When I picked this book up to read I certainly wasn't expecting this wonderful story.
This is one of them books where I'm really stuck on how to review it. I don't want to spoil the story for anyone so this review will be a brief one.
Tristan is given an assignment at school to write about her mum. Learning the truth about her mum changes everything.
Brilliant romantic thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. The twists and turns were amazing and unpredictable. Loved this story. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
This is one of them books where I'm really stuck on how to review it. I don't want to spoil the story for anyone so this review will be a brief one.
Tristan is given an assignment at school to write about her mum. Learning the truth about her mum changes everything.
Brilliant romantic thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. The twists and turns were amazing and unpredictable. Loved this story. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
September 12, 2014
***ARC Provided by Addison Kline in exchange for an honest review***
Melissa's Review
5 Brilliant Stars!!
Addison Kline's Shadow Dancer is a book that you do not typically come across these days. Not only because the plot was so unique but because her writing style is so amazing. It has a very old school feel that I can only compare to some of the greatest novelists of our time. Her words flow so eloquently, much like a classical piece of music. I was entranced from the beginning and can honestly say that she has such a promising career ahead of her!
Shadow Dancer is a tale of obsession, mystery and family values. I can not say enough good things about the depth of this book. Her attention to detail is remarkable as she left no open ended questions. The story starts off with the Morrow children receiving an English assignment from their shady teacher. He gave me the creeps from the moment he entered the story. You could just tell that he had ill intentions. On the outside, the English assignment seems innocent but it acts as the catalyst to huge plot twist that kept me reading as fast as my brain could process. Long buried truths begin to surface and Tristan is placed directly in the hands of an obsessed lunatic. It is hard to really give details without revealing too much but suffice it to say that this book is one major revelation after another.
There were so many things about this book that I loved, I don't think I can actually name them all. One thing that really stuck out to me was the bond between the Morrow family. It was heartwarming, especially when the chips were down. No matter what was said they always had each other's best intentions at heart. I loved Angus, the grumpy grandfather, as he added a bit of comic relief to the story. I mean, who doesn't have a old grumpy man in their family? I also loved the strength Tristan showed through out the entire book. Not only when in harm's way but even when learning about her family's dark secrets. She never wavered from what she thought was right and continued to fight for the family she loved so much.
As far as the author goes, she could not have done a better job with this story! I am so glad that it is part of a series- but do not worry, this book is a stand alone and there are no cliff hangers! I can not wait to see how she ties the next story in with this one! I mean this with the utmost respect and as a total compliment but her style does slightly remind me of Gillian Flynn. (Think Dark Places or Sharp Object instead of Gone Girl). I can not wait to see what she has in store for us next!!
Storyline: mysterious, suspenseful
Female Character: Strong
Male Character: Morrow boys = :) Obsessive Lunatic = :(
Author's Writing Style: well detailed, amazing, can not say enough good things!!
Plot Twists: Perfect, kept me guessing
Laugh Factor: ANGUS!!
Cry Factor: There are a few scenes that got me
Steam factor: none
Violence: a little bit
Jaymee's Review
5 Stars
Shadow Dancer is an edge of your seat suspense thriller and it is the first novel in the Shadow series by Addison Kline, while it is part of a series it is a stand alone novel. I will admit this book started off a little slow for me but I am so glad I kept with it because it turned out to be absolutely amazing. I couldn't even let the bit of a slow start stop me from giving five stars because the rest of it was just that good!
I'm not even sure with where to begin because I loved so many things about this book! I suppose I'll start with the plot, this mystery all started with a seemingly innocent school assignment. While the teacher seemed to have dubious intentions with the assignment there was no way to know everything that would happen because of it. Long buried secrets come to light, a young girls life is put in danger, other criminal cases are called into question and an entire family could possibly be torn apart before this story ends. This book seriously had me on the edge of my seat, sweaty palms gripping my kindle and holding my breath at some parts! It starts with small hints about what happened to Tristan's mother but it ends up being a huge scandal including many dangerous situations for Tristan and her family. So obviously the plot was amazing, by the time I hit the halfway point there was no way I could put this book down for even a minute. I didn't care if the house burned down, if my husband was yelling for me or the dog was whining at the door, nothing was stopping me until I finished it! The ending was so freaking amazing I had tears in my eyes. Every member of the Morrow family is simply wonderful, the love and loyalty of that family is something everyone should experience. Tristan's brothers melted my heart and the kids last main scene really brought the whole book together in a truly beautiful way.
Addison Kline has a writing style that is so unique and I haven't seen anything like it. This book has the feel of a classic, the type of writing you would encounter from one of the many great authors of the past. It was descriptive, detailed and almost poetic, I couldn't even begin to compare her style because it so different from anything out there today. This book is written in the third person with the exception of a few chapters that she added from characters points of view in order to add detailed background or character information. There are chapters from the present and chapters from the past to give the reader the details and insight into two separate cases involving a mother and daughter. The characters in this story are well developed and relate-able, each one adds a special something to this amazing book. I especially loved DiNolfo, the police detective, she was a hard working, kick butt officer who searched for the truth. Tristan was an incredible young woman who was one hell of a fighter, the entire Morrow clan was very special.
If you are looking for a suspenseful mystery please do yourself a favor and check this book out, it is amazing and so different from the average books out there!
Storyline: Intriguing, suspenseful
Female Character: Stronger than she first seemed
Male Character: no main male really but several good male characters and one psycho!
Author's Writing Style: Terrific, unique, classic
Plot Twists: Nothing too out of the ordinary but the plot was amazing and complex
Laugh Factor: none
Cry Factor: a little teary at the end!
Steam factor: none
Violence: some but nothing really bad
Melissa's Review
5 Brilliant Stars!!
Addison Kline's Shadow Dancer is a book that you do not typically come across these days. Not only because the plot was so unique but because her writing style is so amazing. It has a very old school feel that I can only compare to some of the greatest novelists of our time. Her words flow so eloquently, much like a classical piece of music. I was entranced from the beginning and can honestly say that she has such a promising career ahead of her!
Shadow Dancer is a tale of obsession, mystery and family values. I can not say enough good things about the depth of this book. Her attention to detail is remarkable as she left no open ended questions. The story starts off with the Morrow children receiving an English assignment from their shady teacher. He gave me the creeps from the moment he entered the story. You could just tell that he had ill intentions. On the outside, the English assignment seems innocent but it acts as the catalyst to huge plot twist that kept me reading as fast as my brain could process. Long buried truths begin to surface and Tristan is placed directly in the hands of an obsessed lunatic. It is hard to really give details without revealing too much but suffice it to say that this book is one major revelation after another.
There were so many things about this book that I loved, I don't think I can actually name them all. One thing that really stuck out to me was the bond between the Morrow family. It was heartwarming, especially when the chips were down. No matter what was said they always had each other's best intentions at heart. I loved Angus, the grumpy grandfather, as he added a bit of comic relief to the story. I mean, who doesn't have a old grumpy man in their family? I also loved the strength Tristan showed through out the entire book. Not only when in harm's way but even when learning about her family's dark secrets. She never wavered from what she thought was right and continued to fight for the family she loved so much.
As far as the author goes, she could not have done a better job with this story! I am so glad that it is part of a series- but do not worry, this book is a stand alone and there are no cliff hangers! I can not wait to see how she ties the next story in with this one! I mean this with the utmost respect and as a total compliment but her style does slightly remind me of Gillian Flynn. (Think Dark Places or Sharp Object instead of Gone Girl). I can not wait to see what she has in store for us next!!
Storyline: mysterious, suspenseful
Female Character: Strong
Male Character: Morrow boys = :) Obsessive Lunatic = :(
Author's Writing Style: well detailed, amazing, can not say enough good things!!
Plot Twists: Perfect, kept me guessing
Laugh Factor: ANGUS!!
Cry Factor: There are a few scenes that got me
Steam factor: none
Violence: a little bit
Jaymee's Review
5 Stars
Shadow Dancer is an edge of your seat suspense thriller and it is the first novel in the Shadow series by Addison Kline, while it is part of a series it is a stand alone novel. I will admit this book started off a little slow for me but I am so glad I kept with it because it turned out to be absolutely amazing. I couldn't even let the bit of a slow start stop me from giving five stars because the rest of it was just that good!
I'm not even sure with where to begin because I loved so many things about this book! I suppose I'll start with the plot, this mystery all started with a seemingly innocent school assignment. While the teacher seemed to have dubious intentions with the assignment there was no way to know everything that would happen because of it. Long buried secrets come to light, a young girls life is put in danger, other criminal cases are called into question and an entire family could possibly be torn apart before this story ends. This book seriously had me on the edge of my seat, sweaty palms gripping my kindle and holding my breath at some parts! It starts with small hints about what happened to Tristan's mother but it ends up being a huge scandal including many dangerous situations for Tristan and her family. So obviously the plot was amazing, by the time I hit the halfway point there was no way I could put this book down for even a minute. I didn't care if the house burned down, if my husband was yelling for me or the dog was whining at the door, nothing was stopping me until I finished it! The ending was so freaking amazing I had tears in my eyes. Every member of the Morrow family is simply wonderful, the love and loyalty of that family is something everyone should experience. Tristan's brothers melted my heart and the kids last main scene really brought the whole book together in a truly beautiful way.
Addison Kline has a writing style that is so unique and I haven't seen anything like it. This book has the feel of a classic, the type of writing you would encounter from one of the many great authors of the past. It was descriptive, detailed and almost poetic, I couldn't even begin to compare her style because it so different from anything out there today. This book is written in the third person with the exception of a few chapters that she added from characters points of view in order to add detailed background or character information. There are chapters from the present and chapters from the past to give the reader the details and insight into two separate cases involving a mother and daughter. The characters in this story are well developed and relate-able, each one adds a special something to this amazing book. I especially loved DiNolfo, the police detective, she was a hard working, kick butt officer who searched for the truth. Tristan was an incredible young woman who was one hell of a fighter, the entire Morrow clan was very special.
If you are looking for a suspenseful mystery please do yourself a favor and check this book out, it is amazing and so different from the average books out there!
Storyline: Intriguing, suspenseful
Female Character: Stronger than she first seemed
Male Character: no main male really but several good male characters and one psycho!
Author's Writing Style: Terrific, unique, classic
Plot Twists: Nothing too out of the ordinary but the plot was amazing and complex
Laugh Factor: none
Cry Factor: a little teary at the end!
Steam factor: none
Violence: some but nothing really bad
May 31, 2019
5 huge stars!! This book grabbed me from the first page. I found myself losing sleep to finish it. It definitely kept me on the edge of my seat, not having the slightest clue what was about to happen. If you like mysteries, then get your hands on this!!
September 9, 2014
This is a mystery, suspense with a hint of paranormal. This is a stand alone, but I would love to read what happens in the future for the characters, I got so attached to some of them. I would recommend this to everyone, it is a wonderful book with a lot of details. I was engrossed with the book, and could not put it down. There is so many possible outcomes in the story, Addison Kline kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time, she is so descriptive that I could picture the world of her characters. I really enjoyed the closeness of this family, how Jack (Tristan's dad)went to extremes to protect his family. How Tristan was determined not to allow her mother's name to be tarnished. Most of all the love Jack has for his wife Catherine. It is bitter sweet. This is a must read.
This is a story about the Morrow family, detailed more on Tristan and her mother Catherine. There has been a secret kept since the day Tristan was born, and the secret is slowly being revealed. Tristan is your average girl next door, well other than the fact she really tries to succeed in her schooling. Until she is given an assignment that requires her to research her mother, Catherine, whom has been missing since the day Tristan was born. What Tristan is about to learn about her mother is the complete opposite of what she was told, what she has believed her whole life. Tristan's father has kept the secret about Catherine, not only to protect his children, but because to this day, fifteen years later he still has not accepted her passing. Now Tristan's only option is to defend her mother's name and prove what really happened to her the day she went missing. Little to her knowledge danger lurks close, and she is the target. Her family and boyfriend is trying desperately to keep her safe, are their attempts in vain? What lies will she uncover? Will she discover the truth before its too late?
favorite passages:
"A raven, black and withered, beat its wings against autumn's brisk, pushing fiercely against the early October wind."
"Pale as a ghost, she dropped her pencil onto her desk as she glared at the teacher with a gaping mouth."
"Tristan remained still with her arms crossed as she peered around at her dysfunctional family."
"Our mother left when left when I was born, and I am supposed to write about a person whom I don't know?"
"You have your father's moxie."
"The sun set over the mountain top as fog danced over the tree line."
"I remember every word Catherine ever spoke to me. Every glance, every touch, every exchange."
"The opportunity to speak my mind was entirely to delicious. I took the plunge."
"His facial features were overridden with emotion, an overwhelming combination of grief, exhaustion, sadness and anger."
"This bird has been pecking at this window for seven days straight!"
"Jack wasn't hiding anything other than his grief for Catherine."
"Family is important to him. Fiercely important."
"Don't remember her for her shocking death. Embrace her for the wonderful person she was when she was here." <3
favorite passages:
This is a story about the Morrow family, detailed more on Tristan and her mother Catherine. There has been a secret kept since the day Tristan was born, and the secret is slowly being revealed. Tristan is your average girl next door, well other than the fact she really tries to succeed in her schooling. Until she is given an assignment that requires her to research her mother, Catherine, whom has been missing since the day Tristan was born. What Tristan is about to learn about her mother is the complete opposite of what she was told, what she has believed her whole life. Tristan's father has kept the secret about Catherine, not only to protect his children, but because to this day, fifteen years later he still has not accepted her passing. Now Tristan's only option is to defend her mother's name and prove what really happened to her the day she went missing. Little to her knowledge danger lurks close, and she is the target. Her family and boyfriend is trying desperately to keep her safe, are their attempts in vain? What lies will she uncover? Will she discover the truth before its too late?
favorite passages:
"A raven, black and withered, beat its wings against autumn's brisk, pushing fiercely against the early October wind."
"Pale as a ghost, she dropped her pencil onto her desk as she glared at the teacher with a gaping mouth."
"Tristan remained still with her arms crossed as she peered around at her dysfunctional family."
"Our mother left when left when I was born, and I am supposed to write about a person whom I don't know?"
"You have your father's moxie."
"The sun set over the mountain top as fog danced over the tree line."
"I remember every word Catherine ever spoke to me. Every glance, every touch, every exchange."
"The opportunity to speak my mind was entirely to delicious. I took the plunge."
"His facial features were overridden with emotion, an overwhelming combination of grief, exhaustion, sadness and anger."
"This bird has been pecking at this window for seven days straight!"
"Jack wasn't hiding anything other than his grief for Catherine."
"Family is important to him. Fiercely important."
"Don't remember her for her shocking death. Embrace her for the wonderful person she was when she was here." <3
favorite passages:
February 4, 2016
5 Stars!
I was given this book to read in turn for an honest review!
The day that Tristan Morrow was born her mother went missing and the investigation fails to turn up any leads. After so many years the case goes cold. Fifteen years later a simple class assignment asking Tristan to write a biography on her mother leads to Tristan uncovering the truth about her mother’s fate. With this revelation she is determined to find out exactly who was responsible for her mother’s death. When Tristan gets too close to uncovering the truth she ends up missing and everyone is a suspect, even her own father and boyfriend.
A web of lies, deceit, corruption and total madness is unravelled in rural Fox Hollow. Will the investigators crack the case before Tristan meets the same fate as her mother? And exactly who is responsible for the disappearances? There is a lot of uncertainty as the investigation unfolds but the one thing for sure is that Tristan Morrow holds the key to this entire crazy riddle.
Tristan never knew her mother and although it’s fifteen years too late, she now knows more about her mother than is safe for her to know. With her own life now at risk her family will stop at nothing to get her back and see those responsible pay for their crimes. There is more to this story than just the disappearance of Catherine Morrow…
This story is full of so much suspense it’s hard to know where to start. Addison Kline portrays each of her characters perfectly, you can really feel their personality come out in the dialogue. Some of the characters you will love and some you will hate with an absolute passion! It’s portrayed very well just how close the Morrows are, even with a big secret that is kept hidden. This story takes so many twists and turns you seriously can’t predict what is going to happen next. I did not want to put this book down I needed to know where it was going, I was practically sitting on the edge of my seat.
If you love murder mysteries with a lot of suspense and great characters then without a doubt you will love this book!
I was given this book to read in turn for an honest review!
The day that Tristan Morrow was born her mother went missing and the investigation fails to turn up any leads. After so many years the case goes cold. Fifteen years later a simple class assignment asking Tristan to write a biography on her mother leads to Tristan uncovering the truth about her mother’s fate. With this revelation she is determined to find out exactly who was responsible for her mother’s death. When Tristan gets too close to uncovering the truth she ends up missing and everyone is a suspect, even her own father and boyfriend.
A web of lies, deceit, corruption and total madness is unravelled in rural Fox Hollow. Will the investigators crack the case before Tristan meets the same fate as her mother? And exactly who is responsible for the disappearances? There is a lot of uncertainty as the investigation unfolds but the one thing for sure is that Tristan Morrow holds the key to this entire crazy riddle.
Tristan never knew her mother and although it’s fifteen years too late, she now knows more about her mother than is safe for her to know. With her own life now at risk her family will stop at nothing to get her back and see those responsible pay for their crimes. There is more to this story than just the disappearance of Catherine Morrow…
This story is full of so much suspense it’s hard to know where to start. Addison Kline portrays each of her characters perfectly, you can really feel their personality come out in the dialogue. Some of the characters you will love and some you will hate with an absolute passion! It’s portrayed very well just how close the Morrows are, even with a big secret that is kept hidden. This story takes so many twists and turns you seriously can’t predict what is going to happen next. I did not want to put this book down I needed to know where it was going, I was practically sitting on the edge of my seat.
If you love murder mysteries with a lot of suspense and great characters then without a doubt you will love this book!
September 15, 2014
I love this book, with the mystery, outstanding romance and lord the suspense made this a wonderful outstanding read. I do find this a hard book to review without giving the story away.
This story is based on Secrets and some should never be told. The day Tristan Morrow is born, her mother goes missing and after 15 years there is still no closure. She lives in a very protect family and even has to hide her first romantic feelings. Tristan to write a biography on her mother but she can only write what she has been told. They say she was crazy, beautiful but left, when the truth when found out is she is dead. The means to find out what happen to her mother and find the person who did this. Her father said he will give all the information he knows but before that meeting takes place Tristan herself comes up missing. Her family must find her before she comes to the same faith as her mother, but Tristan is the only one who holds the answer and she can’t be found. Can she be found in time and will the riddle ever be solved?
I did get a little confused and found myself rereading pages, there are so many characters it keeps the mind spinning. The author does have a wonderful way of telling a wonderful story with many twist and turns that seem to go on forever, which will keep you turning the pages. I did find the characters to be wonderful but I did come to hate a few and love some others. She has a wonderful way of twisting the reader’s emotions that at times you aren’t sure who you hate. The author way of writing will keep you interested, while turning the pages to see what happens next.
I will leave you with this thought….Shadow Dancer has been nominated for "Best Breakout Novel of 2014!" I do not think anything else needs to be said. I recommend if you are looking for a book full of love, suspense, with many twist and turns you go pick up Shadow Dancer.
This story is based on Secrets and some should never be told. The day Tristan Morrow is born, her mother goes missing and after 15 years there is still no closure. She lives in a very protect family and even has to hide her first romantic feelings. Tristan to write a biography on her mother but she can only write what she has been told. They say she was crazy, beautiful but left, when the truth when found out is she is dead. The means to find out what happen to her mother and find the person who did this. Her father said he will give all the information he knows but before that meeting takes place Tristan herself comes up missing. Her family must find her before she comes to the same faith as her mother, but Tristan is the only one who holds the answer and she can’t be found. Can she be found in time and will the riddle ever be solved?
I did get a little confused and found myself rereading pages, there are so many characters it keeps the mind spinning. The author does have a wonderful way of telling a wonderful story with many twist and turns that seem to go on forever, which will keep you turning the pages. I did find the characters to be wonderful but I did come to hate a few and love some others. She has a wonderful way of twisting the reader’s emotions that at times you aren’t sure who you hate. The author way of writing will keep you interested, while turning the pages to see what happens next.
I will leave you with this thought….Shadow Dancer has been nominated for "Best Breakout Novel of 2014!" I do not think anything else needs to be said. I recommend if you are looking for a book full of love, suspense, with many twist and turns you go pick up Shadow Dancer.
May 11, 2016
I really liked the mystery and intrigue in Shadow Dancer. It was even a little reminiscent of Poe with ravens that lived on the edge of the Morrow’s land. Shadow Dancer introduces us to Tristan Morrow, a young girl that has never known her mother. Tristan receives a school assignment to do a biography on her mother. This assignment interrupts Tristan’s life and her family as she searches to find out why her mom left.
Tristan has a tight group of family and friends who would and did do anything they could for her. I did have to get used to the fact that Tristan’s older brothers and cousin were in the same class and had similar assignments. Something that is not all that unusual in private schools. Also it took a while to get a handle on Tristan’s dad and uncle’s ages as it seemed that would have made Tristan’s brothers older and they could have possibly remembered more about their mom and that time. Their ages were revealed at the end and it made sense.
The best character was Jenna DiNolfo. A new hire to the police department returning home from working in the big city. She thought she was going to get a quiet laid back job. Sergeant DiNolfo was a strong woman and not afraid to do her job. Her first day in she was busting chops and in deep in order to help Tristan and her family.
Shadow Dancer used different points of view, including flashbacks to Tristan’s mom, to tell some of the pieces of the puzzle. The story kept me wondering and guessing about parts of the mystery up until the end when it wrapped up the puzzle nicely. The end of the book brought the school assignments back into the mix to end on a good note.
Tristan has a tight group of family and friends who would and did do anything they could for her. I did have to get used to the fact that Tristan’s older brothers and cousin were in the same class and had similar assignments. Something that is not all that unusual in private schools. Also it took a while to get a handle on Tristan’s dad and uncle’s ages as it seemed that would have made Tristan’s brothers older and they could have possibly remembered more about their mom and that time. Their ages were revealed at the end and it made sense.
The best character was Jenna DiNolfo. A new hire to the police department returning home from working in the big city. She thought she was going to get a quiet laid back job. Sergeant DiNolfo was a strong woman and not afraid to do her job. Her first day in she was busting chops and in deep in order to help Tristan and her family.
Shadow Dancer used different points of view, including flashbacks to Tristan’s mom, to tell some of the pieces of the puzzle. The story kept me wondering and guessing about parts of the mystery up until the end when it wrapped up the puzzle nicely. The end of the book brought the school assignments back into the mix to end on a good note.
September 7, 2014
This was a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed. It had a little of everything... Romance, Mystery, Suspense. It is the first book that I have read by this author and I definitely will be reading her other titles. It was well-written and the story had a very smooth flow.
This story is centered around the Morrow family, specifically Tristan Morrow. Tristan is 15 and has four brothers, a loving father, and extended family including her Aunt Bridgette, Uncle Frank and cousin Shane. There is also her grandparents that live in the cottage on their property. What is missing is her mother. They have always been told that her mom is just gone. Tristan had spent her life thinking she had been abandoned by her mother. Turns out her mother was murdered on the night that Tristan was born. The case is still open and haunts Jack, Tristan's father.
The tragic details have always been a mystery and Tristan's dad felt he was protecting the family by keeping the truth. When she is given an assignment to do a biography on her mother the past is about to repeat itself. There is a stalker that can't let the past go. On the night that Tristan finds out the truth she is abducted. The family knows she is in trouble and sets out to save her. Will they be in time? And who is responsible?
I was given an ARC of this book for a honest review. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a good mystery/suspense story.
This story is centered around the Morrow family, specifically Tristan Morrow. Tristan is 15 and has four brothers, a loving father, and extended family including her Aunt Bridgette, Uncle Frank and cousin Shane. There is also her grandparents that live in the cottage on their property. What is missing is her mother. They have always been told that her mom is just gone. Tristan had spent her life thinking she had been abandoned by her mother. Turns out her mother was murdered on the night that Tristan was born. The case is still open and haunts Jack, Tristan's father.
The tragic details have always been a mystery and Tristan's dad felt he was protecting the family by keeping the truth. When she is given an assignment to do a biography on her mother the past is about to repeat itself. There is a stalker that can't let the past go. On the night that Tristan finds out the truth she is abducted. The family knows she is in trouble and sets out to save her. Will they be in time? And who is responsible?
I was given an ARC of this book for a honest review. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a good mystery/suspense story.
September 3, 2014
I have to admit that when I first stared reading this I wasn't sure exactly where this was going to go. The prologue I wasn't sure what exactly was going on. I was a little confused. But as I read on, which by the way I was happy I did, I started to understand what the prologue was about.
Catherine had been told when she was a child that ravens were secret keepers. When Catherine had told a raven that had visited her but she never had expected that what would happen later on in life would happen. But what would ultimately happen would be revealed.
Tristian had an English paper to due on her mom that she never knew. But the teacher had his own reasons why he did what he did. As time would tell Tristian would be the true reason that things that were suppose to be left unspoken were now being spoken. Her family was not what some might say was normal but events would prove that not only was her family loyal but also trusted.
As secrets were revealed the raven that held all of Catherine's secrets slowly felt better about them coming out. It just would take years and not only would the Morrow secrets be revealed but so many others would also.
I would recommend this to my friends.
~Lisa The Book Nuts.
Catherine had been told when she was a child that ravens were secret keepers. When Catherine had told a raven that had visited her but she never had expected that what would happen later on in life would happen. But what would ultimately happen would be revealed.
Tristian had an English paper to due on her mom that she never knew. But the teacher had his own reasons why he did what he did. As time would tell Tristian would be the true reason that things that were suppose to be left unspoken were now being spoken. Her family was not what some might say was normal but events would prove that not only was her family loyal but also trusted.
As secrets were revealed the raven that held all of Catherine's secrets slowly felt better about them coming out. It just would take years and not only would the Morrow secrets be revealed but so many others would also.
I would recommend this to my friends.
~Lisa The Book Nuts.
January 17, 2015
All i can say is i am totally awe struck over this book!! Shadow Dancer is brilliantly written.The story flows perfectly with intensity and is a fast paced read you won't want to put down!! The Morrow family has seen their fair share of troubles, but they are unprepared for the craziness that ensues their life. Jack Morrow is holding on to a deep secret. Scared that if the truth comes out it will do more harm than good to his 5 children. Tristan is the youngest of the kids and the only girl. When a the english teacher the children have gives them a certain project to do the mystery begins. As the story flows the mystery and suspense builds. I could not put this book down for anything! The suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat and turning the pages.The closer the evil gets, the more scarier things get for Tristan and her whole family. The story is jam packed with action and thrills right to the end. Mystery and corruption runs deep in the small town they live in. Will the Morrow family be able to trust anyone to help them? Does the horrible secrets that lye hidden come to the light? You MUST READ to find out what happens in this amazing thriller!! I was gifted this book for an honest review.
August 26, 2014
This is the story of fifteen year old Tristan Morrow. She is the baby of her family and the only daughter to her parents. Tristan has been told her whole life the her mother is gone. Where is she? Did she abandon her family or is she dead? One night Tristan finds out the truth and that her mother is dead. At this point all hell breaks loose.
I was given an advanced copy of this book for review. I will start off by saying this type of book is not what I normally read as of late. Saying that I absolutely loved it. This story was filled with mystery, angst, and the unknown. I was pulled in by the characters and story line and kept hooked until the very end. I have read a few of Addison;s books and I think this one has been my favorite thus far. It brought me back to the mystery books that caused me to fall in love with reading when I was younger. This is one you will want to read for sure!! Make sure to get a copy once it is released.
I was given an advanced copy of this book for review. I will start off by saying this type of book is not what I normally read as of late. Saying that I absolutely loved it. This story was filled with mystery, angst, and the unknown. I was pulled in by the characters and story line and kept hooked until the very end. I have read a few of Addison;s books and I think this one has been my favorite thus far. It brought me back to the mystery books that caused me to fall in love with reading when I was younger. This is one you will want to read for sure!! Make sure to get a copy once it is released.
September 10, 2014
This review maybe a bit biased due to the fact that I love the author so much and highly enjoy her work. This is unlike anything she has written before and I still love it!
This is more suspense/mystery and Young Adult and no romance what so ever. This book starts out with each of the kids getting an assignment from their creepy English teacher. They have to each write about a certain member of their family, Tristan gets her mom, who died shortly after she was born. Her dad flips out over this trying to get him to change his mind, doesn't happen. There is a bit mystery to how she died and a lot of rumors flying around. While searching thru boxes, Tristian finds out more about her and eventually finds her secret room. I won't tell you a whole lot of why the teacher is creepy but he a bit obsessed with a certain character in the book. This has been a hard review to do cause I don't want to give anything away but it's such an amazing book.
This is more suspense/mystery and Young Adult and no romance what so ever. This book starts out with each of the kids getting an assignment from their creepy English teacher. They have to each write about a certain member of their family, Tristan gets her mom, who died shortly after she was born. Her dad flips out over this trying to get him to change his mind, doesn't happen. There is a bit mystery to how she died and a lot of rumors flying around. While searching thru boxes, Tristian finds out more about her and eventually finds her secret room. I won't tell you a whole lot of why the teacher is creepy but he a bit obsessed with a certain character in the book. This has been a hard review to do cause I don't want to give anything away but it's such an amazing book.
August 30, 2014
This was a complicated book for me to review. Because it is a mystery, I feel as though too much information would spoil it for a new reader and at the same time readers would like to know what the book is about. So here is my attempt to woo every mystery lover out there into reading Addison Kline's latest book. Here is why I was caught up in the story and could not stop reading:
Addison Kline writes in such a detailed fashion, I swear I could feel the air around the characters. Most of my read was spent holding my breath. There is a great deal of back and forth between past and present tense. It was as if the author knew what I was wondering about and took me back each time to show me. Beautifully constructed, Shadow Dancer is a must read for mystery and suspense lovers. Highly Recommended.
Addison Kline writes in such a detailed fashion, I swear I could feel the air around the characters. Most of my read was spent holding my breath. There is a great deal of back and forth between past and present tense. It was as if the author knew what I was wondering about and took me back each time to show me. Beautifully constructed, Shadow Dancer is a must read for mystery and suspense lovers. Highly Recommended.
January 27, 2017
I'm certainly in the minority with this rating but I will always tell it as I see it.
This book was readable although it took a while to get to the point and I was starting to wonder if this was actually YA fiction. In any case it didn't really grab me. Everything was so obvious and a bit cliched. From bumbling small town deputies to the big strong macho father, the beautiful but dead wife, the troubled daughter, the isolated farmhouse yada yada. You could write this stuff in your sleep.
Where was the mystery?? I couldn't find any, and the bad guy, puhleese, he was a caricature. I just don't think someone that deranged would be able to hold down the job he had without arousing suspicion. I had many other issues which I can't mention without spoilers but I can sum it all up in one word - meh.
This book was readable although it took a while to get to the point and I was starting to wonder if this was actually YA fiction. In any case it didn't really grab me. Everything was so obvious and a bit cliched. From bumbling small town deputies to the big strong macho father, the beautiful but dead wife, the troubled daughter, the isolated farmhouse yada yada. You could write this stuff in your sleep.
Where was the mystery?? I couldn't find any, and the bad guy, puhleese, he was a caricature. I just don't think someone that deranged would be able to hold down the job he had without arousing suspicion. I had many other issues which I can't mention without spoilers but I can sum it all up in one word - meh.
June 8, 2016
Page turning thriller!!!
My first taste of Addison's work was her Dark Horse series. With that blowing me away, I wanted to read more of her work.....So glad I did!!! This story pulls you in and you can't stop reading.
Like in most sleepy little towns, everyone knows each other's stories, but sometimes lies and corruption can change the tale. A family that has already known grief, comes face to face with it all over again, except this time evil is after a teenage girl. A delusional monster is watching....is anyone safe?
My first taste of Addison's work was her Dark Horse series. With that blowing me away, I wanted to read more of her work.....So glad I did!!! This story pulls you in and you can't stop reading.
Like in most sleepy little towns, everyone knows each other's stories, but sometimes lies and corruption can change the tale. A family that has already known grief, comes face to face with it all over again, except this time evil is after a teenage girl. A delusional monster is watching....is anyone safe?
September 12, 2014
Ms. Kline did it again! This lady is on fire y'all!
Tristan is given a school assignment that will put her life on a track she never expected.
Packed with family drama and suspense that will keep your guessing and reading late into the night. The characters were very well developed and the story flowed well. I would highly recommend this story!
Tristan is given a school assignment that will put her life on a track she never expected.
Packed with family drama and suspense that will keep your guessing and reading late into the night. The characters were very well developed and the story flowed well. I would highly recommend this story!
July 7, 2015
This book is amazing. Even though it changes periods of times and people's pov, it flows well and you are never confused. The suspense in this book makes it very hard to put down. The characters are ones you love and some you love to hate. There is a lesson to learn at the end, and I hope you read it to find out. Can't wait to read more in this series.
June 25, 2015
I. Reviewed a copy of this book for a honest review.
I thought the book was very complex. And the story that went along with it. Kept you on your toes. Filled with secrets and all you want to do is discover them. I will admit it took me a little bit to get into this book but once I did it was a good read. Thank you for the chafe to read it.
I thought the book was very complex. And the story that went along with it. Kept you on your toes. Filled with secrets and all you want to do is discover them. I will admit it took me a little bit to get into this book but once I did it was a good read. Thank you for the chafe to read it.
August 26, 2014
Shadow Dancer is filled with suspense and mystery.. I loved reading this book and it was so hard to put down. Once your start reading you don't want to stop because you can't wait to see what's going to happen next.. There are plenty of OMG moments that keep you guessing..
August 9, 2014
Addison Kline you did a fabulous job! This book was amazing!
I got the chance to read this book and I read it in parts and yes I messaged Addison as I read it.
I can promise you that you will love this book!
Love!!!!
I got the chance to read this book and I read it in parts and yes I messaged Addison as I read it.
I can promise you that you will love this book!
Love!!!!
August 26, 2014
Absolutely loved this story, it's not my typical type of read, however, I could not put it down. It was well written and kept me intrigued the whole time.
January 18, 2015
Melissa's Review
***ARC Provided by Addison Kline in exchange for an honest review***
5 Brilliant Stars!!
Addison Kline's Shadow Dancer is a book that you do not typically come across these days. Not only because the plot was so unique but because her writing style is so amazing. It has a very old school feel that I can only compare to some of the greatest novelists of our time. Her words flow so eloquently, much like a classical piece of music. I was entranced from the beginning and can honestly say that she has such a promising career ahead of her!
Shadow Dancer is a tale of obsession, mystery and family values. I can not say enough good things about the depth of this book. Her attention to detail is remarkable as she left no open ended questions. The story starts off with the Morrow children receiving an English assignment from their shady teacher. He gave me the creeps from the moment he entered the story. You could just tell that he had ill intentions. On the outside, the English assignment seems innocent but it acts as the catalyst to huge plot twist that kept me reading as fast as my brain could process. Long buried truths begin to surface and Tristan is placed directly in the hands of an obsessed lunatic. It is hard to really give details without revealing too much but suffice it to say that this book is one major revelation after another.
There were so many things about this book that I loved, I don't think I can actually name them all. One thing that really stuck out to me was the bond between the Morrow family. It was heartwarming, especially when the chips were down. No matter what was said they always had each other's best intentions at heart. I loved Angus, the grumpy grandfather, as he added a bit of comic relief to the story. I mean, who doesn't have a old grumpy man in their family? I also loved the strength Tristan showed through out the entire book. Not only when in harm's way but even when learning about her family's dark secrets. She never wavered from what she thought was right and continued to fight for the family she loved so much.
As far as the author goes, she could not have done a better job with this story! I am so glad that it is part of a series- but do not worry, this book is a stand alone and there are no cliff hangers! I can not wait to see how she ties the next story in with this one! I mean this with the utmost respect and as a total compliment but her style does slightly remind me of Gillian Flynn. (Think Dark Places or Sharp Object instead of Gone Girl). I can not wait to see what she has in store for us next!!
Storyline: mysterious, suspenseful
Female Character: Strong
Male Character: Morrow boys = :) Obsessive Lunatic = :(
Author's Writing Style: well detailed, amazing, can not say enough good things!!
Plot Twists: Perfect, kept me guessing
Laugh Factor: ANGUS!!
Cry Factor: There are a few scenes that got me
Steam factor: none
Violence: a little bit
Jaymee's Review
***ARC Provided by Addison Kline in exchange for an honest review***
5 Stars
Shadow Dancer is an edge of your seat suspense thriller and it is the first novel in the Shadow series by Addison Kline, while it is part of a series it is a stand alone novel. I will admit this book started off a little slow for me but I am so glad I kept with it because it turned out to be absolutely amazing. I couldn't even let the bit of a slow start stop me from giving five stars because the rest of it was just that good!
I'm not even sure with where to begin because I loved so many things about this book! I suppose I'll start with the plot, this mystery all started with a seemingly innocent school assignment. While the teacher seemed to have dubious intentions with the assignment there was no way to know everything that would happen because of it. Long buried secrets come to light, a young girls life is put in danger, other criminal cases are called into question and an entire family could possibly be torn apart before this story ends. This book seriously had me on the edge of my seat, sweaty palms gripping my kindle and holding my breath at some parts! It starts with small hints about what happened to Tristan's mother but it ends up being a huge scandal including many dangerous situations for Tristan and her family. So obviously the plot was amazing, by the time I hit the halfway point there was no way I could put this book down for even a minute. I didn't care if the house burned down, if my husband was yelling for me or the dog was whining at the door, nothing was stopping me until I finished it! The ending was so freaking amazing I had tears in my eyes. Every member of the Morrow family is simply wonderful, the love and loyalty of that family is something everyone should experience. Tristan's brothers melted my heart and the kids last main scene really brought the whole book together in a truly beautiful way.
Addison Kline has a writing style that is so unique and I haven't seen anything like it. This book has the feel of a classic, the type of writing you would encounter from one of the many great authors of the past. It was descriptive, detailed and almost poetic, I couldn't even begin to compare her style because it so different from anything out there today. This book is written in the third person with the exception of a few chapters that she added from characters points of view in order to add detailed background or character information. There are chapters from the present and chapters from the past to give the reader the details and insight into two separate cases involving a mother and daughter. The characters in this story are well developed and relate-able, each one adds a special something to this amazing book. I especially loved DiNolfo, the police detective, she was a hard working, kick butt officer who searched for the truth. Tristan was an incredible young woman who was one hell of a fighter, the entire Morrow clan was very special.
If you are looking for a suspenseful mystery please do yourself a favor and check this book out, it is amazing and so different from the average books out there!
Storyline: Intriguing, suspenseful
Female Character: Stronger than she first seemed
Male Character: no main male really but several good male characters and one psycho!
Author's Writing Style: Terrific, unique, classic
Plot Twists: Nothing too out of the ordinary but the plot was amazing and complex
Laugh Factor: none
Cry Factor: a little teary at the end!
Steam factor: none
Violence: some but nothing really bad
May 17, 2019
I had no clue what to expect when I started reading Shadow Dancer. When you dive in, you’re met with jealousy, lunacy, and a fifteen-year-old unsolved murder. Tristan’s mother was murdered just hours after her birth, her body discovered the next day by the pond on the family property. Now it’s fifteen years later and Tristan’s gone missing. Calling the police in is risky, given the fact that they couldn’t even solve the murder years before and the two officers assigned the case originally didn’t even bother to try.
But there’s a new officer and she’d already decided to go through all the old, unsolved cases, and Catherine Morrow’s murder is the file on the top of the stack.
We’re introduced to characters through flashbacks, moving the storyline along and helping you to figure out who took her, why, and whether or not she’ll be rescued in time.
The writing is superb, it keeps you engaged and your brain whirling until the end. You root for Tristan and her family. You empathize with the characters, they became real, breathing people and I could feel the fear cause my breathe to hitch. I became invested and I have to know more.
But there’s a new officer and she’d already decided to go through all the old, unsolved cases, and Catherine Morrow’s murder is the file on the top of the stack.
We’re introduced to characters through flashbacks, moving the storyline along and helping you to figure out who took her, why, and whether or not she’ll be rescued in time.
The writing is superb, it keeps you engaged and your brain whirling until the end. You root for Tristan and her family. You empathize with the characters, they became real, breathing people and I could feel the fear cause my breathe to hitch. I became invested and I have to know more.
September 13, 2014
Reviewed by Lizzie McDee
Gone Readin’ was given this book to read in turn for an honest review. This is a tough book to review without giving away the story. At Gone Readin’ our policy is to never publish a review with spoilers. So here’s just enough to wet your appetite, peak your interest, so that you can have a seat to watch this terrific romantic, suspenseful mystery unfold before your very eyes.
Secrets are secrets for a reason, and some should never be unearthed. The day Tristan Morrow is born, her mother goes missing, and Tristan is raised by an extended family. Fifteen years later, the Morrow family hasn’t found closure – they still do not know what happened to Catherine Morrow. Being the youngest and only girl of five children, Tristan has lived her life protected by her father and brothers. She even hides her first crush with Cole, fearful or what her father and brothers will do to him. When Mr. Bernard Kendricks, the strictest English teacher at Steeplechase Academy assigns Tristan to write a biography on her mother, all she can write is what she’s heard from others. She was beautiful. She was crazy. She didn’t stick around. The assignment, however, leads her to the truth. She didn’t leave her, she is dead. Tristan’s mission becomes finding the person responsible, but these actions put her own life at risk. Her father, Jack Morrow promises to share with his children all that he knows, but before that family meeting takes place, Tristan ends up missing as well. The family has their own theory who might be responsible for Tristan’s disappearance, and hopes to find her before she meets the same fate as her mother. The story takes place in rural Fox Hollow, Pennsylvania, and the mystery unravels a web of lies, deceit, madness and corruption. Who is responsible for the disappearances? The only thing we know for sure is Tristan Morrow holds the key to solving the entire riddle.
Here’s what we loved about this story. At Gone Readin’ we love dialogue driven stories about families, and that’s exactly what we have here. We also want our main characters to show strength but also unveil their vulnerabilities as well. The plot itself is intricate, taking so many twists and turns you’ll feel like you just rode the best roller coaster of your life. Ms. Kline does a wonderful job creating characters that readers will both love and hate.
We are calling this a 4.5 for two reasons. There were so many characters; we had trouble distinguishing between them all. As a result, this reviewer read the prologue and first three chapters several times. This is however, typical for most books of this genre. The prologue was slightly confusing because the “voice” wasn’t clear. It’s important to pay attention to the chapter headings and dates, to clarify the character “voice” for that chapter. The changes from third person to first person POV, and changes in tense keeps the book from reading seamlessly. The storyline – the plot is interesting, and held my interest. I was truly invested in the entire Morrow clan and Tristan’s future. If you are looking for a well-written, dialogue-driven, suspenseful mystery about an interesting family, look no further. Shadow Dancer is the book for you!
Gone Readin’ was given this book to read in turn for an honest review. This is a tough book to review without giving away the story. At Gone Readin’ our policy is to never publish a review with spoilers. So here’s just enough to wet your appetite, peak your interest, so that you can have a seat to watch this terrific romantic, suspenseful mystery unfold before your very eyes.
Secrets are secrets for a reason, and some should never be unearthed. The day Tristan Morrow is born, her mother goes missing, and Tristan is raised by an extended family. Fifteen years later, the Morrow family hasn’t found closure – they still do not know what happened to Catherine Morrow. Being the youngest and only girl of five children, Tristan has lived her life protected by her father and brothers. She even hides her first crush with Cole, fearful or what her father and brothers will do to him. When Mr. Bernard Kendricks, the strictest English teacher at Steeplechase Academy assigns Tristan to write a biography on her mother, all she can write is what she’s heard from others. She was beautiful. She was crazy. She didn’t stick around. The assignment, however, leads her to the truth. She didn’t leave her, she is dead. Tristan’s mission becomes finding the person responsible, but these actions put her own life at risk. Her father, Jack Morrow promises to share with his children all that he knows, but before that family meeting takes place, Tristan ends up missing as well. The family has their own theory who might be responsible for Tristan’s disappearance, and hopes to find her before she meets the same fate as her mother. The story takes place in rural Fox Hollow, Pennsylvania, and the mystery unravels a web of lies, deceit, madness and corruption. Who is responsible for the disappearances? The only thing we know for sure is Tristan Morrow holds the key to solving the entire riddle.
Here’s what we loved about this story. At Gone Readin’ we love dialogue driven stories about families, and that’s exactly what we have here. We also want our main characters to show strength but also unveil their vulnerabilities as well. The plot itself is intricate, taking so many twists and turns you’ll feel like you just rode the best roller coaster of your life. Ms. Kline does a wonderful job creating characters that readers will both love and hate.
We are calling this a 4.5 for two reasons. There were so many characters; we had trouble distinguishing between them all. As a result, this reviewer read the prologue and first three chapters several times. This is however, typical for most books of this genre. The prologue was slightly confusing because the “voice” wasn’t clear. It’s important to pay attention to the chapter headings and dates, to clarify the character “voice” for that chapter. The changes from third person to first person POV, and changes in tense keeps the book from reading seamlessly. The storyline – the plot is interesting, and held my interest. I was truly invested in the entire Morrow clan and Tristan’s future. If you are looking for a well-written, dialogue-driven, suspenseful mystery about an interesting family, look no further. Shadow Dancer is the book for you!
February 25, 2016
This was more going on in this book than I had initially anticipated but it was a whole heap of mystery all wrapped up with one very healthy dose of attitude.
Tristan grew up never knowing who her mother was, she had nothing to go on other that the communications of those around her and the meagre ministrations of her father but can she really believe what she has been forced to live with her entire life or will this curious girl find out that sometimes it pays to let sleeping dogs lie.
Tristian has always had her brothers and father but she has never known the touch of her mother’s love, the bond that lies between a little girl and her momma, so when a school project requires a little digging into her background, she is left staggered when she uncovers that her father has been far from honest.
So what happens when you open a can of worms that has had its lid wedged closed for years, well Tristian is about to find out!
Honestly when the story started to unfold, I was gingerly turning the pages wondering what secret was going to rear its ugly head next. And when Tristan is kidnapped, I couldn’t help but wonder just how far things were going to plummet.
The dirtiest secrets of a town that has much to hide slowly begin to surface and it was one heck of a ride all the way to the end. It wasn’t only the Morrow family that were caught up in all the subterfuge, there were other members of this close knit community that had cause to be concerned.
I loved the way the story flitted back and forth between events that had shaped the past and present day, the details popped and the author brought not only all of the characters but the whole town to life.
I loved that the family as placed under such scrutiny, that each character played a vested interest in the whole storyline and that no-one was there without just cause.
You will enjoy the interactions with Sergeant Di Nolfo, and his no holds barred attitude, he definitely took no prisoners, he was a tough nut but his heart was in the right place. I wasn’t overtly taken with Bernard, something just sort of creeped me out about him and I didn’t like the connection that Tristian’s mother Catherine had with him, I was blown away by the suffering that Catherine had endured in her childhood but her life never seemed to have been given a fair crack and the reason why she was not in Tristian’s life was truly sad.
I absolutely loved the whole story, the drama was encompassing, it knew no limits and honestly it wasn’t an easy one to pick apart. There is plenty to hold your attention, and it sways reverently between both humour and suspense.
Do I think I would read it again, yep I think that is a given and seeing as I now know all its secrets, I will take that revelation as a very good sign.
A book that is difficult to put down.
Tristan grew up never knowing who her mother was, she had nothing to go on other that the communications of those around her and the meagre ministrations of her father but can she really believe what she has been forced to live with her entire life or will this curious girl find out that sometimes it pays to let sleeping dogs lie.
Tristian has always had her brothers and father but she has never known the touch of her mother’s love, the bond that lies between a little girl and her momma, so when a school project requires a little digging into her background, she is left staggered when she uncovers that her father has been far from honest.
So what happens when you open a can of worms that has had its lid wedged closed for years, well Tristian is about to find out!
Honestly when the story started to unfold, I was gingerly turning the pages wondering what secret was going to rear its ugly head next. And when Tristan is kidnapped, I couldn’t help but wonder just how far things were going to plummet.
The dirtiest secrets of a town that has much to hide slowly begin to surface and it was one heck of a ride all the way to the end. It wasn’t only the Morrow family that were caught up in all the subterfuge, there were other members of this close knit community that had cause to be concerned.
I loved the way the story flitted back and forth between events that had shaped the past and present day, the details popped and the author brought not only all of the characters but the whole town to life.
I loved that the family as placed under such scrutiny, that each character played a vested interest in the whole storyline and that no-one was there without just cause.
You will enjoy the interactions with Sergeant Di Nolfo, and his no holds barred attitude, he definitely took no prisoners, he was a tough nut but his heart was in the right place. I wasn’t overtly taken with Bernard, something just sort of creeped me out about him and I didn’t like the connection that Tristian’s mother Catherine had with him, I was blown away by the suffering that Catherine had endured in her childhood but her life never seemed to have been given a fair crack and the reason why she was not in Tristian’s life was truly sad.
I absolutely loved the whole story, the drama was encompassing, it knew no limits and honestly it wasn’t an easy one to pick apart. There is plenty to hold your attention, and it sways reverently between both humour and suspense.
Do I think I would read it again, yep I think that is a given and seeing as I now know all its secrets, I will take that revelation as a very good sign.
A book that is difficult to put down.
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