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Shadows at Sunset
She never thought her ability to communicate with wild animals was anything more than a unique gift. But this gift is tied to a long history of secrets that threaten to shatter her one chance at true love…
Laken Sumner isn’t your average teenager. Ever since she realized that wild animals could hear her thoughts, she’s spent more time in the woods with them than with other children. Even her wolf is a better friend to her than most people. She trusts him—so much so that she follows him out into the wilderness in the middle of the night to find a lost little boy. But the boy’s disappearance is only the beginning.
The one bright spot in her life is Noah Lawson, the handsome new town deputy. Charming and mature, he almost seems too good to be true. Then she meets Xander Payne, the new boy at school, who seems to know something about her. But how could that be possible?
As strange things begin to happen in her sleepy New England town, Laken wonders if Xander has something to do with it. Or is it just a coincidence that danger targets her soon after he arrives?
Laken Sumner isn’t your average teenager. Ever since she realized that wild animals could hear her thoughts, she’s spent more time in the woods with them than with other children. Even her wolf is a better friend to her than most people. She trusts him—so much so that she follows him out into the wilderness in the middle of the night to find a lost little boy. But the boy’s disappearance is only the beginning.
The one bright spot in her life is Noah Lawson, the handsome new town deputy. Charming and mature, he almost seems too good to be true. Then she meets Xander Payne, the new boy at school, who seems to know something about her. But how could that be possible?
As strange things begin to happen in her sleepy New England town, Laken wonders if Xander has something to do with it. Or is it just a coincidence that danger targets her soon after he arrives?
- GenresYoung Adult
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 27, 2015
11 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 30, 2017
It feels strange to review my own book, but I wanted to throw in some of my comments now that this book has been out for about a year. If you haven't read Shadows at Sunset yet, all I will say is be prepared for a HUGE cliffhanger! I honestly did not do that on purpose. I wrote this entire series before I even considered publishing the first installment, and it reads more like one long story broken up into volumes. It would be better described as a serialized novel and is probably more enjoyable when all three books are read back to back.
Since I can't provide a fair review, I'll quote reviewer Regan Murphy - "The Sunset Trilogy is a page-turner that will appeal to animal lovers, romantics, and suspense fans of all ages, easily crossing the YA, NA, and adult genres." Her full reviews can be found on the inside cover of each book in this series (this quote was pulled from Book 3, Surrender at Sunrise).
As a side note - 25 cents for every print and ebook copy sold will be donated to The Ian Somerhalder Foundation, an organization focused on helping animals and the environment.
Should you decide to read this series, I sincerely hope you love it as much as I loved writing it (or more!) :)
Since I can't provide a fair review, I'll quote reviewer Regan Murphy - "The Sunset Trilogy is a page-turner that will appeal to animal lovers, romantics, and suspense fans of all ages, easily crossing the YA, NA, and adult genres." Her full reviews can be found on the inside cover of each book in this series (this quote was pulled from Book 3, Surrender at Sunrise).
As a side note - 25 cents for every print and ebook copy sold will be donated to The Ian Somerhalder Foundation, an organization focused on helping animals and the environment.
Should you decide to read this series, I sincerely hope you love it as much as I loved writing it (or more!) :)
October 15, 2015
Shadows at Sunset is a touching tale that provides a unique perspective on the deep connection between humans and animals, and the different ways we communicate with one another. It also exhibits a refreshing understanding of human nature, exposing both its foibles and its capacity for compassion. At the same time, Shadows at Sunset is a fast-paced, intriguing mystery that keeps the reader turning pages until the very last line.
April 2, 2017
Shadows at Sunset is the first book to a fascinating trilogy by Tonya Royston. Laken, the almost eighteen-year-old heroine, suffers the usual teen issues of what plans she will make for her budding future and who her date will be for the homecoming dance but she is different from most high school seniors. Laken's ability to communicate with animals leads her to rescue a small toddler at the beginning of the story, that disappears under suspicious circumstances. Laken doesn't feel comfortable in her new celebrity status that conflicts with her usual quiet life, spent in the lush forests of New Hampshire. Good things come from a town celebration in her honor, like meeting Noah, a handsome young man and her father's new deputy. When summer ends and school starts, she meets another engaging classmate who comes off as being the bad-boy from the west coast, and for reasons unknown to Laken, she wants nothing to do with his dark image and haunting blue eyes. This particular love triangle keeps the pages turning as the wolf mystery unfolds. Every teen can identify with Laken's character and would only dream of being torn between two very hot heroes... or are they? Thanks to Tonya Royston's own review, I knew this book was a cliffhanger that would send me straight into the next book in this series. This is a great page turner and a "I gotta know what happens!" and I will let you know what I think about the second book soon.
August 6, 2020
*3.5 stars rounded up
By the synopsis this isn't a book I would normally read, but it wasn't horrible. There were multiple things, though, that kept it from being a four star read.
The prologue of the book was almost written in a middle grade writing style, which I was very hesitant about going in, but the writing style improved a bit.
One thing that irritated me to the max was the repeated use of certain adjectives. When Xander was introduced to the story, the word "tan" was used about three times in two pages, and then it was repeatedly used later in the story again. Another one was "broad shoulders". And then we have the "his [blank] blue eyes". Okay, I get it already. He has stunning, clear, haunting, etc., etc. blue eyes. You've told me about a million times now.
Other than that it was a decent book. I'll probably continue the story because I am slightly curious about where it is going, and I really need to see Brooke and Ethan's relationship grow. I ship them.
Anyway, I suppose I would recommend if you're into the kind of classic supernatural fantasy book with a love triangle.
By the synopsis this isn't a book I would normally read, but it wasn't horrible. There were multiple things, though, that kept it from being a four star read.
The prologue of the book was almost written in a middle grade writing style, which I was very hesitant about going in, but the writing style improved a bit.
One thing that irritated me to the max was the repeated use of certain adjectives. When Xander was introduced to the story, the word "tan" was used about three times in two pages, and then it was repeatedly used later in the story again. Another one was "broad shoulders". And then we have the "his [blank] blue eyes". Okay, I get it already. He has stunning, clear, haunting, etc., etc. blue eyes. You've told me about a million times now.
Other than that it was a decent book. I'll probably continue the story because I am slightly curious about where it is going, and I really need to see Brooke and Ethan's relationship grow. I ship them.
Anyway, I suppose I would recommend if you're into the kind of classic supernatural fantasy book with a love triangle.
December 4, 2015
I have never felt more conflicted about a book before. I actually liked this book, I liked the characters the premise, but there also a lot of things that needed work. So bare with me as I try and work this out.
Let's start with the fact that this is not a series, it's a serial. For those who don't know the difference, a series is one large plot that encompasses the entire series, with subplots for each novel that act as a driving force for that overarching plot. Now, that's a rough definition, it varies a bit with longer series that exceed 4 novels, but at the end of each novel, something is resolved, even if there is a cliff hanger at the end. A serial is made up of several parts that when put together make one long novel (a great example of this is the Beastly Tales by MJ Haag). Serials don’t have to resolve anything, they can stop at any point in the larger story. At the end of this novel there was no resolution, there was no explanation to the events of the novel thus far, it just suddenly ends... So it's a serial. This was slightly frustrating to me because I was anticipating a novel and I found myself extremely frustrated that there was no explaining going on. I'm still not sure if this is a werewolf book, or what the mystical element to the novel is. If I had one major problem with this part of the serial, it's that I gained nothing from the book other than learning who the characters were. I don't even know what the conflict is yet. This was a major problem for me.
My other issue was that I strongly felt that the novel needed to go through some kind of beta reader or editor. While I found no grammatical issues, the writing was over descriptive and the dialogue was forced in a lot of areas, especially in the beginning. There was a lot more telling than there was showing, and I felt that the author needed to have a little more confidence in the reader being able to paint images on their own without descriptions and explanations being shoved down their throat. It was hard to get into the book, and if I weren’t reading this book in exchange for a review, I would have just put it down. I'm glad I didn't, I'm glad I pushed through it, because there is actually a story in there that has so much potential.
The only thing this novel did was really introduced the characters and beginning of the rising action of the story. Even here I was a little disappointed because even though she used the whole book for this purpose (304 pages people), a lot of the characters are really static. The only developed character is the main character Laken, Xavier was slightly more developed than the rest too. The reason this happened is because the author kept cutting off scenes! She would introduce a scene, like when Noah comes over to the Summer’s house for dinner for the first time, and she starts the scene, introduces some cute dialogue, then ends it after a cute moment. You don’t actually get to see what happens at dinner, and that would have been a great moment to get to know not only Noah more, but Laken’s parents more as well. This is just one example, but this was a common pattern all throughout the novel.
Okay, I know I have criticism for all of the major points of a novel (Plot, writing, character development), but hear me out. There was so much potential for this book. Despite everything that was lacking in this book… and a lot is lacking… I still kind of liked it! Keep in mind that I am under no obligation to say this. I received this book for an honest review, and I have never held back when I have read a book for an author that was terrible, but this book wasn’t terrible. Do I think that this book needed to go through some kind of secondary reader before being published? Yes. Does it need tons of work? Yes. But under all of that there is a story worth telling. I got to scratch the surface of that in the first part of the serial, but there is much more hiding under there. If you are willing to take a chance and read this book, try to see what I see, then I suggest you go for it. Maybe wait until the second part (is out in February though so you can connect the two and you can maybe discover what the plot of this novel is really about. Also, Twenty-five cents for every printed and ebook copy sold will be donated to the Ian Somerhalder Foundation. So, you know, another reason to chance it!
So my final thoughts? This book wasn’t ready to be published, but with some alteration, it could be something really amazing. It has such a cool premise, who doesn’t love a girl who can communicate with animals? But everything around that premise needs some serious work.
Let's start with the fact that this is not a series, it's a serial. For those who don't know the difference, a series is one large plot that encompasses the entire series, with subplots for each novel that act as a driving force for that overarching plot. Now, that's a rough definition, it varies a bit with longer series that exceed 4 novels, but at the end of each novel, something is resolved, even if there is a cliff hanger at the end. A serial is made up of several parts that when put together make one long novel (a great example of this is the Beastly Tales by MJ Haag). Serials don’t have to resolve anything, they can stop at any point in the larger story. At the end of this novel there was no resolution, there was no explanation to the events of the novel thus far, it just suddenly ends... So it's a serial. This was slightly frustrating to me because I was anticipating a novel and I found myself extremely frustrated that there was no explaining going on. I'm still not sure if this is a werewolf book, or what the mystical element to the novel is. If I had one major problem with this part of the serial, it's that I gained nothing from the book other than learning who the characters were. I don't even know what the conflict is yet. This was a major problem for me.
My other issue was that I strongly felt that the novel needed to go through some kind of beta reader or editor. While I found no grammatical issues, the writing was over descriptive and the dialogue was forced in a lot of areas, especially in the beginning. There was a lot more telling than there was showing, and I felt that the author needed to have a little more confidence in the reader being able to paint images on their own without descriptions and explanations being shoved down their throat. It was hard to get into the book, and if I weren’t reading this book in exchange for a review, I would have just put it down. I'm glad I didn't, I'm glad I pushed through it, because there is actually a story in there that has so much potential.
The only thing this novel did was really introduced the characters and beginning of the rising action of the story. Even here I was a little disappointed because even though she used the whole book for this purpose (304 pages people), a lot of the characters are really static. The only developed character is the main character Laken, Xavier was slightly more developed than the rest too. The reason this happened is because the author kept cutting off scenes! She would introduce a scene, like when Noah comes over to the Summer’s house for dinner for the first time, and she starts the scene, introduces some cute dialogue, then ends it after a cute moment. You don’t actually get to see what happens at dinner, and that would have been a great moment to get to know not only Noah more, but Laken’s parents more as well. This is just one example, but this was a common pattern all throughout the novel.
Okay, I know I have criticism for all of the major points of a novel (Plot, writing, character development), but hear me out. There was so much potential for this book. Despite everything that was lacking in this book… and a lot is lacking… I still kind of liked it! Keep in mind that I am under no obligation to say this. I received this book for an honest review, and I have never held back when I have read a book for an author that was terrible, but this book wasn’t terrible. Do I think that this book needed to go through some kind of secondary reader before being published? Yes. Does it need tons of work? Yes. But under all of that there is a story worth telling. I got to scratch the surface of that in the first part of the serial, but there is much more hiding under there. If you are willing to take a chance and read this book, try to see what I see, then I suggest you go for it. Maybe wait until the second part (is out in February though so you can connect the two and you can maybe discover what the plot of this novel is really about. Also, Twenty-five cents for every printed and ebook copy sold will be donated to the Ian Somerhalder Foundation. So, you know, another reason to chance it!
So my final thoughts? This book wasn’t ready to be published, but with some alteration, it could be something really amazing. It has such a cool premise, who doesn’t love a girl who can communicate with animals? But everything around that premise needs some serious work.
September 14, 2015
Shadows at Sunset is the first book in the Sunset Trilogy and introduces us to Laken Sumner and her wolf, Dakota. Laken has an ability that enables her to talk to animals. The writer's love of animals and nature is clearly evident in her descriptive writing style. You are transported to the centre of Laken's world in a charming New England town, surrounded by mountains.
Although I found it a little slow to begin, I soon got used to this and became more invested in the story as the book progressed. As with all good young adult titles, Royston covers the main criteria that make a teenage fiction book a winner:
Tension and thrills: There are scenes dotted throughout the book that keep you on the edge of your seat, I would have liked to see more of this action. Royston gets the tension just right, and you find yourself holding your breath until the danger passes.
Love triangle: In true YA style, Laken has the choice of two gorgeous chaps. The steady and dependable Noah, and the bad-boy Xander. I already know which team I'm on. We meet these characters as they begin to form their relationships, but I suspect this will get more interesting as the book series progresses.
Mystery: We learn quite a lot of information in this book, but not all of our questions are answered leaving us with a thirst to discover more. There are hints to exciting storylines, and the ending will see you begging for more.
Shadows at Sunset was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and I look forward to the second book when it's released. Highly recommended.
Although I found it a little slow to begin, I soon got used to this and became more invested in the story as the book progressed. As with all good young adult titles, Royston covers the main criteria that make a teenage fiction book a winner:
Tension and thrills: There are scenes dotted throughout the book that keep you on the edge of your seat, I would have liked to see more of this action. Royston gets the tension just right, and you find yourself holding your breath until the danger passes.
Love triangle: In true YA style, Laken has the choice of two gorgeous chaps. The steady and dependable Noah, and the bad-boy Xander. I already know which team I'm on. We meet these characters as they begin to form their relationships, but I suspect this will get more interesting as the book series progresses.
Mystery: We learn quite a lot of information in this book, but not all of our questions are answered leaving us with a thirst to discover more. There are hints to exciting storylines, and the ending will see you begging for more.
Shadows at Sunset was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and I look forward to the second book when it's released. Highly recommended.
October 1, 2015
I love animals so this was a natural read for me. Of course, not all authors know how to weave a story that keeps me reading. This one does. I don’t normally read young adult books either but I found myself drawn into this one right from the outset. The opening scene with the deer had me in my own backyard where many deer come to play. For a moment, I was Laken. Ever since I watched Doctor Doolittle as a child, I always wanted the gift to talk to animals. This author did a wonderful job of drawing the reader in and taking them on a spectacular journey through the northeast country side. I’ve been to New Hampshire many times and in this book, I felt as if I was visiting again without the discomfort of travel and airfare fees. The prose is beautiful with a believable story. What else can one say about this book? I thoroughly enjoyed it and am looking forward to the rest of the books in this series. The great thing about Shadows at Sunset is that you don’t have to be a young adult to enjoy. Being young at heart will suffice.
This book has a little of everything in it. There’s mystery. There’s suspense. There’s even romance. All accompanied by vivid imagery.
Overall, a well written tale by a new author. I have no hesitation in recommending it.
This book has a little of everything in it. There’s mystery. There’s suspense. There’s even romance. All accompanied by vivid imagery.
Overall, a well written tale by a new author. I have no hesitation in recommending it.
October 6, 2015
What a wonderful debut novel by Tonya Royston. The main character Laken Summer can communicate with animals, and especially her pet wolf, Dakota. I love animals, and when something happened, (I can't say what, since I never leave spoilers) I was so worried that poor Dakota was doomed. I adore the family aspect in Shadows at Sunset. Laken's father is the small town sheriff, and in walks the new deputy, Noah. Laken and Noah find a connection. And then comes a new boy at school, Xander, he's gorgeous, and Laken refuses to believe she's attracted to him when the older, good-looking Noah has asked her out on a date.
Mysteriously, the sheriff finds dead bodies in the forest with bite marks, and Laken doesn't believe her pet, Dakota could be responsible. The story rolls along nicely, until the end, and I couldn't read fast enough. And Ms. Royston leaves me with such a cliffhanger!!! I need to know what's going to happen next!!!!!
Mysteriously, the sheriff finds dead bodies in the forest with bite marks, and Laken doesn't believe her pet, Dakota could be responsible. The story rolls along nicely, until the end, and I couldn't read fast enough. And Ms. Royston leaves me with such a cliffhanger!!! I need to know what's going to happen next!!!!!
September 18, 2015
I really enjoyed this book, which I reviewed for onlinebookclub.org.
Now I must stalk this author until the next book is available.
Now I must stalk this author until the next book is available.
January 19, 2016
I need book 2! Full review will be posted soon :)
June 30, 2017
I'm still trying to figure out what exactly the plot of this book was? It took 280 pages to develop characters and didn't give them any story to take part in. I kept reading, waiting for something to happen and nothing ever did? It seems like maybe a story was about to begin in the last sentence of the book but I always thought the point of a book was to tell a story. I wish I could say more but I just finished the book and still have no idea what it was even about.
June 4, 2019
This is the first book in the Sunset Trilogy. I loved this book! The connection that the character, Laken has with the wild animals intrigues me. I love wolves and their plight needs attention. I am so glad that Ms. Royston has included these wonderful animals in her story. I found this book to be very interesting and quite a page turner for me. I love these kinds of stories. I look forward to reading the next two books as the story continues.
August 17, 2017
Larkin is a high school senior with the fascinating ability to speak to wild animals. As strange things begin happening in her small town, she finds new strangers in town, some dangerous and a couple she can't keep her eyes off of. Even though the character is older I think it would be appropriate for most teens. Tonya definitely leaves you wanting more.
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September 18, 2019THE BEST BOOK IN THE HISTORY OF THE ENTIRE WORLD OMG OMG OMG
February 28, 2025
I loved reading this book! It was very easy to imerse myself in the novel and became fully enthralled by the story Tonya Roysten created.
October 23, 2015
YA is outside my usual purview, but I wanted to read this book to see how the author handled the overlying premise: her female protagonist, Laken, is a high school senior who has the ability to speak to animals. It might be more accurate to say she has the ability to be understood by animals, which is a subtle difference, but one that made it easier for me to suspend my disbelief and roll with it. That’s always a good thing, and only one of many great plot decisions by this author. The novel is well-written, and the evolving romantic triangle between Laken and her two suitors—a young cop and a bad-boy-newcomer-to-town—is believable and written with enough sliding nuance that I have no idea who is really the “good guy” or the “bad guy.” My opinion changed after every scene. That’s a mighty feat for which I applaud Ms. Royston. In lesser hands, the characters might be trope cutouts, but that isn’t the case here. Both male characters are presented in such a way that either might be the villain or hero. All the characters are well-rounded and memorable. Even the first person POV was deftly crafted, and that isn’t always easy to pull off. My one complaint, and the reason I almost gave this four instead of five stars, is that, for me, the book ended abruptly and without resolution. I understand that this is the first in a series and that unanswered questions should be expected. Still, when I came to the end I felt as if I was only halfway through the book, and I don't want to say more for fear of spoiling. This is totally subjective on my part, as I’m not a fan of cliffhanger endings, but fans of this genre will gobble up this novel and stand in line to read others in the series. Solid writing, pacing, and plotting make this a delightful read. If my daughters were still in high school, they’d read and re-read this book, and absolutely want to be Laken, or at least her best friend and THAT, coupled with the overall quality of the novel, earns this five stars. Kudos to the author! Tonya Royston has penned a winner.
July 23, 2016
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I received this book to give an honest review.
This book is a good one for teenagers to enjoy there is no violence, no sex scenes, bad language it is a clean book.
I should also state that that the cover is beautiful. I love the colors and the way it pops out to you.
We are introduced to Laken who is becoming a senior she is normal minus the fact she can talk to animals and they seem to understand her. Ever since she was a child she has been able to do this though she has never known why and it has helped her befriend a wolf she has named Dakota.
When one night Dakota and her search for a missing boy that is when her life becomes a bit different. She is being called a hero, and has the catches the eye of two guys. One being the new town deputy Noah and the other being the new guy Xander. Each one is different in their own way and she is really starting to like Noah but it seems Xander is giving her feelings as well. Though Xander seems to be hiding something but it isn't clear what it is exactly. While dealing with her feelings and school she is starting to notice that there is more wolves roaming around and a mysterious shadow of what looks like man. What does this all mean?
Now I would highly give this book a five but I felt it lacked on the explanation of what is going on exactly. Is this a werewolf book or something to do with the paranormal? Or is it just about Laken speaking with animals, finding love and possibly avoiding danger that is there but we don't know why.
Is what Laken can do heredity? As I don't believe her parents know what she can do but I would think a secret like that is hard to hide from your parents for a long time.
I can only hope that things come around and we get some answers as to what is going on in this New England town in the next book.
I received this book to give an honest review.
This book is a good one for teenagers to enjoy there is no violence, no sex scenes, bad language it is a clean book.
I should also state that that the cover is beautiful. I love the colors and the way it pops out to you.
We are introduced to Laken who is becoming a senior she is normal minus the fact she can talk to animals and they seem to understand her. Ever since she was a child she has been able to do this though she has never known why and it has helped her befriend a wolf she has named Dakota.
When one night Dakota and her search for a missing boy that is when her life becomes a bit different. She is being called a hero, and has the catches the eye of two guys. One being the new town deputy Noah and the other being the new guy Xander. Each one is different in their own way and she is really starting to like Noah but it seems Xander is giving her feelings as well. Though Xander seems to be hiding something but it isn't clear what it is exactly. While dealing with her feelings and school she is starting to notice that there is more wolves roaming around and a mysterious shadow of what looks like man. What does this all mean?
Now I would highly give this book a five but I felt it lacked on the explanation of what is going on exactly. Is this a werewolf book or something to do with the paranormal? Or is it just about Laken speaking with animals, finding love and possibly avoiding danger that is there but we don't know why.
Is what Laken can do heredity? As I don't believe her parents know what she can do but I would think a secret like that is hard to hide from your parents for a long time.
I can only hope that things come around and we get some answers as to what is going on in this New England town in the next book.
October 24, 2016
This intriguing YA mystery is a winner. This love triangle is set in a quite New Hampshire town. The town is suddenly shaken by a sudden disappearance of a little boy, who is found by Laken Sumner, a high school senior who has paranormal abilities to communicate with animals. Laken has been able to communicate with animals since she was a very young child. Her best friend and protector is a wolf named Dakota who periodically finds his way to her home for days at a time. Laken is a responsible teenager who finds herself attracted to two men. Noah is the safe and settled young man, who is also the deputy sheriff, and Xander the wild, motorcycle riding, care-free high school boy who seems to have secrets in his past. This well written novel is a first for Ms. Royston who does an outstanding job of depicting her characters. She describes every scene with such vivid color and movement you feel you are there and can feel the heat of the sun, the cool breezes of the fall, and see the colors of autumn. The paranormal scenes of mysterious shadows behind her house and the unexpected interaction from the wild animals give you a tingle up your spine. But safely there are no vampires or werewolves to contend with. The plot kept my attention consistently, there was never a dull moment. I did not want to put the book down, but I also did not want it to end. I am anxiously awaiting Book Two, Silence at Midnight to satisfy my curiosity regarding Xander the bad boy and Noah the stable young man, who is real and who is hiding secrets and how will Laken resolve these challenges.
October 24, 2015
I enjoyed the way the story line built up but felt a little let down when nothing happens. Usually by the end of a book some big secret or discovery happens leaving the reader excited about the next book and where the story is headed. Don't get me wrong I really do want to know what happens next and I feel like it's going to get really intriguing. But right now I feel like it was too drawn out without much happening.
I really enjoyed reading about each character and can't wait to find out more about Xander and his story with his father. I thought the character development was the best part of the book, I love the main character Laken and her friends, you really get a feeling like you really know each character. I feel like the next book will unveil a lot of unanswered questions from the first book. So although I was a little underwhelmed by this book I am still excited to see what happens next!
I really enjoyed reading about each character and can't wait to find out more about Xander and his story with his father. I thought the character development was the best part of the book, I love the main character Laken and her friends, you really get a feeling like you really know each character. I feel like the next book will unveil a lot of unanswered questions from the first book. So although I was a little underwhelmed by this book I am still excited to see what happens next!
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April 7, 2016SHADOWS AT SUNSET is the first book in the serial Sunset Trilogy featuring Laken Sumner, a girl with a very special gift. Laken can talk to animals, they can hear her thoughts, and has a wolf who has been her companion since young childhood. She’s a senior in high school, with two long-time best friends who know her secret. When her wolf, Dakota, helps Laken find a missing boy she is now the town hero which garners her lots of unwanted attention. She meets two men, Noah Lawson – her father’s new deputy – and Xander Payne – a new senior at school. When more strange things start to happen, Laken doesn’t know who to trust. SHADOWS AT SUNSET is a well-written, descriptive, and very interesting. I do wish Laken would have listened more to Dakota’s advice (non-verbal, of course), but overall SHADOWS AT SUNSET is a compelling tale. Please note: As a serial novel, the ending is very abrupt.
January 21, 2016
What did I think? Well........ It was a great book, lots of character development, which is common in the 1st book of a trio.. I kept waiting to be taken deeper, or by surprise and that did not happen, so I am hoping book two will do that. I saw a side note that a part of the cost of the book will be donated to the Ian Somerhalder foundation, I love Ian and what he is doing in his ministry. When I think of Ian, the words "vampire diaries" comes to mind... and similarly I found this book fits right in there with those words. Minus vamps but you get my drift. or at least you will when you read this book... because you will read this book.... and say "hum I see what that crazy book lady was saying... So overall good book, this series has some major potential and I am looking forward to it.
December 1, 2015
You'll fall in love with this endearing tale about a teenaged girl named Laken who posses a unique ability to communicate with animals. This is a delightful story that takes place in a small community where danger lurks in her own backyard. While she is torn between two completely different guys, one who is a high school student and the other a local deputy, her life is in jeopardy. She has to act quickly, relying on her friends in the forest to survive. This is a richly told story that will leave you breathless in the end and wanting more. A wonderful beginning to a remarkable series! If you enjoyed Twilight, you'll love this one.
June 14, 2016
I met Ms Royston at a Pet Expo in Maryland.. I was very intrigued that she was a first time author, so I purchased a book (which she so kindly autographed for me). Once I picked up Shadows at Sunset, I couldn't put it down. I loved the story, and the characters (they feel like old friends whose lives you are really interested in) and when I finished the book, I couldn't wait to continue the trilogy (I just started reading book two Silence at Midnight). Tonya is an amazing author. The book is a fast read. I highly recommend you check out this trilogy. I bet you will be glad you did. I have found myself a new author!
October 11, 2015
Ms. Royston has woven a wonderful story of Laken, a teenager with a special gift – communicating with animals, which includes her pet wolf, Dakota. In this coming-of-age tale, Laken is torn between the attention of her deputy boyfriend and the tattoo-sporting bad boy at school. Her close relationship with the wild animals is inter-woven throughout the story. The plot is strong with some twists and turns that will captivate both young adult and adult readers alike. This is the start of an fresh new series that you will want to check out!
January 16, 2017
I will admit that Ms. Royston’s “Shadows at Sunset” is a big departure from the type of novels I usually read. It was recommended by a friend and I decided to give it a shot.
In one word…WOW.
This book drew me in early and kept me going. It had everything I look for in a book: crisp writing, realistic characters, fast-moving and enjoyable. I highly recommend it.
I learned that no matter what the genre is, good writing is good writing.
In one word…WOW.
This book drew me in early and kept me going. It had everything I look for in a book: crisp writing, realistic characters, fast-moving and enjoyable. I highly recommend it.
I learned that no matter what the genre is, good writing is good writing.
November 23, 2015
I really liked this book. It was a little slow at the beginning but it picked up quickly. I would give it 5 stars but there was more high school drama/romance than I thought was necessary. I'm hoping it was to set up for the next 2 books. I'm looking forward to reading them!
June 12, 2016
Ending.
Did not like the ending if you can call it that. Most books I've read have at one definite resolution to the story. This story leaves you wondering if part of the book is missing. Interesting storyline just needs a better ending.
Did not like the ending if you can call it that. Most books I've read have at one definite resolution to the story. This story leaves you wondering if part of the book is missing. Interesting storyline just needs a better ending.
October 21, 2016
Talk about a cliffhanger! Geez. I guess I need to get the other two books in the series now.
July 24, 2018
Shadows at Sunset: Book 1
This book is Fantastic I was drawn into the story with Laken and her friends from page one. This is one of The Best Series I have read in a long time. ♡♡
This book is Fantastic I was drawn into the story with Laken and her friends from page one. This is one of The Best Series I have read in a long time. ♡♡
December 1, 2018
Loved it!
I highly recommend this book! So different from other books of this kind. Had to buy the next book in this series. On to reading!!
I highly recommend this book! So different from other books of this kind. Had to buy the next book in this series. On to reading!!
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