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The Romany Outcasts #2
Shadow
The second volume in this incredible YA trilogy.
When stone hearts break they shatter.
Sebastian Grey used to be a normal teenager. Now he’s a creature whose sole purpose is to be a guardian for secretive gypsy clans.
When the Romany gypsies claim him, Sebastian is given a second chance to protect Josephine Romany – the girl he loves. But some clan members would rather see a gargoyle in a cage than have one by their sides.
If Sebastian is to keep Josephine safe from the shadow creatures attacking her people, he might have to embrace his changes. Even if that means choosing between his humanity and becoming the monster everyone believes him to be.
When stone hearts break they shatter.
Sebastian Grey used to be a normal teenager. Now he’s a creature whose sole purpose is to be a guardian for secretive gypsy clans.
When the Romany gypsies claim him, Sebastian is given a second chance to protect Josephine Romany – the girl he loves. But some clan members would rather see a gargoyle in a cage than have one by their sides.
If Sebastian is to keep Josephine safe from the shadow creatures attacking her people, he might have to embrace his changes. Even if that means choosing between his humanity and becoming the monster everyone believes him to be.
400 pages, ebook
Published June 2, 2016
6 people are currently reading
111 people want to read
About the author
Christi J. Whitney
6 books93 followersChristi J. Whitney is the author of The Romany Outcasts Series (HarperCollins/HarperVoyagerUK).
She's a former high school theatre director with a love for the dramatic. Christi lives just outside of Atlanta with her husband and two sons.
When not spending time with them or taking a ridiculous number of trips to Disney World, she is usually directing plays, geeking out over Doctor Who, making costumes for sci-fi/fantasy conventions, watching superhero movies, supporting the house of green and silver, or pretending she's a tad bit British.
Connect with her on Twitter @ChristiWhitney
She's a former high school theatre director with a love for the dramatic. Christi lives just outside of Atlanta with her husband and two sons.
When not spending time with them or taking a ridiculous number of trips to Disney World, she is usually directing plays, geeking out over Doctor Who, making costumes for sci-fi/fantasy conventions, watching superhero movies, supporting the house of green and silver, or pretending she's a tad bit British.
Connect with her on Twitter @ChristiWhitney
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 25, 2016
I know this book is coming out tomorrow, but can book three come out the day after, please?
Thank you so much to the author for sending me an ebook copy of Shadow in exchange for an honest review.
This book was AMAZING! Even better than book 1, which I also loved. After the events of the first book, all the tensions are heightened: the character developments, the relationships, the mysterious back-stories…tensions everywhere!
My heart seriously went out to Sebastian in this book. What a character development that takes place! The Sebastian at the start of Grey, is very different to the Sebastian at the end of Shadow, but the progression is so real, emotional and heart-breaking. I just wanted to give the boy a huge hug! And his snarky, sarcastic retorts were absolutely brilliant. I love that despite his situation, he still has a sense of humour. And I also love his reading tastes…
“I tucked the copy of Much Ado About Nothing I’d been reading under my arm”
I am a strong advocate for more teenage characters in YA books reading Shakespeare. Okay, not really, but I should be! I just love to see others love Shakespeare like I do (and did as a teenager in secondary school)!
The rest of the characters in this book are also wonderful to read. I loved learning more about the other Romany characters, and especially Josephine and her own struggles and development as a character. We get to see more of the villain side too, and I’m more than a little curious (as well as very worried) to find out what our villain has got in store for Sebastian in the next book. He certainly gave me the chills at the end of this one!
I was also so happy that this book takes place mostly in Romany clan; a setting I wanted to read more about in book 1. Reading about the gypsy life, and seeing the relationships and interactions between the characters was so interesting to read about. I just love the uniqueness of this story!
Yet again, this was a book that had me thinking about it whenever I put it down. The story is so gripping and intriguing, and I have become so attached to these characters. It’s a story that fully immerses you, and forces you to sit and read to the end as fast as you can. I thoroughly recommend this series to everyone who loves a good YA urban fantasy!
Thank you so much to the author for sending me an ebook copy of Shadow in exchange for an honest review.
This book was AMAZING! Even better than book 1, which I also loved. After the events of the first book, all the tensions are heightened: the character developments, the relationships, the mysterious back-stories…tensions everywhere!
My heart seriously went out to Sebastian in this book. What a character development that takes place! The Sebastian at the start of Grey, is very different to the Sebastian at the end of Shadow, but the progression is so real, emotional and heart-breaking. I just wanted to give the boy a huge hug! And his snarky, sarcastic retorts were absolutely brilliant. I love that despite his situation, he still has a sense of humour. And I also love his reading tastes…
“I tucked the copy of Much Ado About Nothing I’d been reading under my arm”
I am a strong advocate for more teenage characters in YA books reading Shakespeare. Okay, not really, but I should be! I just love to see others love Shakespeare like I do (and did as a teenager in secondary school)!
The rest of the characters in this book are also wonderful to read. I loved learning more about the other Romany characters, and especially Josephine and her own struggles and development as a character. We get to see more of the villain side too, and I’m more than a little curious (as well as very worried) to find out what our villain has got in store for Sebastian in the next book. He certainly gave me the chills at the end of this one!
I was also so happy that this book takes place mostly in Romany clan; a setting I wanted to read more about in book 1. Reading about the gypsy life, and seeing the relationships and interactions between the characters was so interesting to read about. I just love the uniqueness of this story!
Yet again, this was a book that had me thinking about it whenever I put it down. The story is so gripping and intriguing, and I have become so attached to these characters. It’s a story that fully immerses you, and forces you to sit and read to the end as fast as you can. I thoroughly recommend this series to everyone who loves a good YA urban fantasy!
May 28, 2016
When stone hearts break they shatter.
Sebastian Grey used to be a normal teenager. Now he’s a creature whose sole purpose is to be a guardian for secretive gypsy clans.
When the Romany gypsies claim him, Sebastian is given a second chance to protect Josephine Romany – the girl he loves. But some clan members would rather see a gargoyle in a cage than have one by their sides.
If Sebastian is to keep Josephine safe from the shadow creatures attacking her people, he might have to embrace his changes. Even if that means choosing between his humanity and becoming the monster everyone believes him to be.
Rating: 4.5/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: so much yummy drama and angst!; I can't handle it, Sebastian's too pure for his own good; realistic character relationships and motivations; an introduction to some of the other types of shadow creatures found in this world; interesting plot twist
Huge thanks to Christi J. Whitney, HarperVoyager Publishing, Netgalley and Xpresso Book Tours for granting me early access to this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.
Monsters don't attend graduation parties. Not even when their best friends send invitations decorated with enough glitter to nauseate a fairy.
Once again, Christi J. Whitney took me on a wild and unexpected journey with this book! I was at turns on the edge of my seat...and begging for more. There's something both exciting and akin to coming home for me, stepping into this world—as if I've been seeking this series my entire life, without realizing it. It's a beautiful feeling. I'm going to be biting my nails, anticipating the third book, until it's in my hands!
I really love how much snark and unabashed sass we got from Sebastian in this installment. From the beginning, you can tell he's in the middle of a journey—to self-acceptance, to self-discovery, to a sense of peace. Of course, this all comes crashing down with the events of this book (THAT ENDING! Oh man!) but still—he's one snark-filled character, and I adored it so hard.
“Fate doesn't ask our permission, Sebastian. You have a duty to fulfill now.”
The rest of the characters really leapt to life for me in this read, too. I really appreciate how realistic each character and their relationships/reactions were written—it's clear Christi J. Whitney knows a thing or two about people, and pulled on this knowledge a LOT. The trial, especially, really brought home just how human the rest of these characters are—and how easy to manipulate.
We also got an official introduction to our “villain”...and let me tell you, he gives me the absolute creeps. He is, without a doubt, dead-set on revenge...and willing to go to any lengths to get it. There were some pretty awesome plot twists happening around his character and motivations throughout that spiced up the action and plot, not that they were lacking—this read is fast-paced and intense! The prose, also, is beautiful—poetic, atmospheric.
All the times I'd imagined kissing Josephine Romany—none of them compared. It was soft, chaste—yet sweet and spiced, like tangy cinnamon and warm caramel on an autumn evening.
Overall, this book has reminded me why I enjoy reading series—with a well-written plot and characters that stand on their own, I was immediately drawn in...and will now be pining for book three in the wait ahead! I recommend this series to lovers of fantasy/magical realism, books with pizzazz, and realistically-complex characters. Somebody, quick! Give me book three! I must know what happens next.
June 1, 2016
Shadows by Christi J. Whitney
Shadows picks up at graduation, about 1-2 months after Grey ended. Sebastian graduated, he’s still estranged from his friends and still a gargoyle. I thought we might get a moment where he reveals his secret to Katie early on, but it doesn't happen. Instead, Sebastian agrees to go back to the Romaney clan. This is clearly trouble.
Do I ever love the brotherly relationship between Hugo and Sebastian. Grey surprised me when it focused on it towards the end without ever letting up on also focusing on the romance with Josephine. It’s nice to see characters who love their family, friends, and have romantic interests. We learn a lot more about the Romaney family in this novel, including their particular family dynamic. The Romaney's (with Nicholas as bandoleer) are more authoritarian than the Corsi clan, which made me miss the relationships between the Gypsy Ink Corsi's even more as the novel progressed.
There’s a lot of talk about how Sebastian should accept himself and his gargoyle nature. There’s a lot I don’t know about this. That's partly because the nature of the Shadowen is kept secret. It seems like a not-so-good idea to me. This plot thread remains unresolved by the end of the story. There's a narrative split between the acceptance camp and the repression camp, and it's ultimately not clear which way will solve Sebastian's problems controlling himself.
Sebastian’s life with the Romaney’s is rough. There are new levels of terrible explored, and when you think it's not going to get worse, it does. No one likes him, and a big mystery about the nature of the Shadowen develops. One of the gargoyles from Grey returns, but he’s a true, mindless monster now. The fear that Sebastian is going to turn is real. THE FEAR IS REAL. Like in Grey, Shadows pays off the emotional stakes at the end of the story. I suspected Shadows was going to have a downer ending, but that still didn't prepare me for how angry it made me. I need book 3 right now I'm not okay with my feelings at the end this book.
Josephine got a personality! She's still a quiet, sometimes 'too pure' character, but the rigid family structure of the Romaney clan shaped who she is. She doesn't have real friends; she's being groomed for an important role in gypsy society, so she's carried that responsibility from a young age. She's a girl who never got to be a child, and she's clearly repressed a lot of feelings. It's difficult to empathize with a guarded character because, well, they don't emote much, but Josephine comes into herself in Shadows. It's official: I believe in her as a love interest.
The new Romaney clan characters are strong. Zara, Phoebe, and twin Francis, who got some but not a lot of time last book, stand out. There are a lot of effortlessly likable characters in this story. There are also a lot of detestable characters in this story. Quentin wins the most hated character, hands down. I typically don't like when 'the other woman/the other man' is the default bad character, but the twist at the end of the story sold me on Quentin as a villain with his own, particular motives beyond 'easy love triangle antagonist.' Augustine makes an appearance again, and while he appeared more of a nuisance in Grey, he's advanced to the stage of The Chessmaster in Shadows. Augustine has a plan, and while some of it's clear, most of his secrets remain mysteries. Shadows ends on the biggest of cliff hangers, so don't expect resolution, even the bitter sweet kind, like in Grey.
Shadows picks up at graduation, about 1-2 months after Grey ended. Sebastian graduated, he’s still estranged from his friends and still a gargoyle. I thought we might get a moment where he reveals his secret to Katie early on, but it doesn't happen. Instead, Sebastian agrees to go back to the Romaney clan. This is clearly trouble.
Do I ever love the brotherly relationship between Hugo and Sebastian. Grey surprised me when it focused on it towards the end without ever letting up on also focusing on the romance with Josephine. It’s nice to see characters who love their family, friends, and have romantic interests. We learn a lot more about the Romaney family in this novel, including their particular family dynamic. The Romaney's (with Nicholas as bandoleer) are more authoritarian than the Corsi clan, which made me miss the relationships between the Gypsy Ink Corsi's even more as the novel progressed.
There’s a lot of talk about how Sebastian should accept himself and his gargoyle nature. There’s a lot I don’t know about this. That's partly because the nature of the Shadowen is kept secret. It seems like a not-so-good idea to me. This plot thread remains unresolved by the end of the story. There's a narrative split between the acceptance camp and the repression camp, and it's ultimately not clear which way will solve Sebastian's problems controlling himself.
Sebastian’s life with the Romaney’s is rough. There are new levels of terrible explored, and when you think it's not going to get worse, it does. No one likes him, and a big mystery about the nature of the Shadowen develops. One of the gargoyles from Grey returns, but he’s a true, mindless monster now. The fear that Sebastian is going to turn is real. THE FEAR IS REAL. Like in Grey, Shadows pays off the emotional stakes at the end of the story. I suspected Shadows was going to have a downer ending, but that still didn't prepare me for how angry it made me. I need book 3 right now I'm not okay with my feelings at the end this book.
Josephine got a personality! She's still a quiet, sometimes 'too pure' character, but the rigid family structure of the Romaney clan shaped who she is. She doesn't have real friends; she's being groomed for an important role in gypsy society, so she's carried that responsibility from a young age. She's a girl who never got to be a child, and she's clearly repressed a lot of feelings. It's difficult to empathize with a guarded character because, well, they don't emote much, but Josephine comes into herself in Shadows. It's official: I believe in her as a love interest.
The new Romaney clan characters are strong. Zara, Phoebe, and twin Francis, who got some but not a lot of time last book, stand out. There are a lot of effortlessly likable characters in this story. There are also a lot of detestable characters in this story. Quentin wins the most hated character, hands down. I typically don't like when 'the other woman/the other man' is the default bad character, but the twist at the end of the story sold me on Quentin as a villain with his own, particular motives beyond 'easy love triangle antagonist.' Augustine makes an appearance again, and while he appeared more of a nuisance in Grey, he's advanced to the stage of The Chessmaster in Shadows. Augustine has a plan, and while some of it's clear, most of his secrets remain mysteries. Shadows ends on the biggest of cliff hangers, so don't expect resolution, even the bitter sweet kind, like in Grey.
June 2, 2016
First of all, let me just say that I absolutely loved every page of this book. Maybe it was because I loved Sebastian a bit too much. My heart was breaking into pieces over and over again for him. It just seemed like he couldn’t catch a break no matter what he did. It was nice to get to know more about Josephine and Francis in this book and let’s not leave out Quentin who I seriously and officially detest (I know right he just has it in for Sebastian). The book was a bit slow in some bits but I can see that the author was trying to get us to know Sebastian the guardian a bit more. Nicolas was just soo annoying, I felt like he didn’t stand his ground enough as the so-called bandoleer especially towards the end, I mean when Augustine is involved it just can’t be good right? I can visualize the apology he will be making in the near future. Josephine didn’t do much except sit and think and second guess herself, but at the end I was giving her a standing ovation for what she did ( took her long enough).
I still feel like there is so much more about the gypsy backstory that we don’t know and I hope the author addresses most of it in book 3. But overall a fantastic read, the book has left me a bit hungover and I can’t wait to read book 3.
I still feel like there is so much more about the gypsy backstory that we don’t know and I hope the author addresses most of it in book 3. But overall a fantastic read, the book has left me a bit hungover and I can’t wait to read book 3.
August 31, 2016
Wow. I enjoyed Shadow just as much as the first book Grey and more! I was hanging on every chapter and was disappointed as I realized I was getting closer to the end! I can't get enough of Sebastian and his complex relationship with Josephine. His character is both endearing and terrifying, but I was pulling for him with each turn of the page. I cannot wait to get my hands on the third book! Until then I won't be able to get this story out of my mind! Awesomeness.
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February 5, 20165 February 2016: $2.99 on Kindle - PREORDER
June 2, 2016
No slight. No cheat. Not disappointed. I got me a FABULOUS follow-up to Grey - The Romany Outcasts, #1. How could one young man be so sweet, true, real, endearing, and keep himself in the world around him that only wants to cage, chain, and demean him? I am hooked not doubt about it. I loved book one and I found book two to be amazing, intriguing, emotional, and captivating the senses of the world build around young Grey.
Sebastian gave a side of himself that was not seen so much in Grey (book one). He was a bit mouthy, short tempered, easily irritated, but still you knew it was him. He was dealing with much in his world. He has just found out things about himself he did not know. He had to adjust to the expectations, the realization, and the confusion of it all. He was in need of finding himself, understanding himself, and discovering who he was and destine to be.
No matter all the other characters that will be encounter in this read. You will find rich, developed, engaging, secondaries. The world was still engaging, dark with mystery, schemes, and conspiracies. There was more insight to The Romany Outcasts. The new introductions will provide some chills and glimpses of direction.
The experience was wild, thrilling, unexpected in places and immensely satisfying in others. Begging, pleading, patiently waiting to get to the end of the page/screen to get to the next page, next chapter. The intent was not to devour the book immediately. I wanted to savor it but that was not how things worked out. It was all over with way too fast. Please. Pretty please. When? Where? Will be book three?
Christi J. Whitney was on fire with this one. I am looking forward to an inferno with the next installment.
**This ARC was provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
Sebastian gave a side of himself that was not seen so much in Grey (book one). He was a bit mouthy, short tempered, easily irritated, but still you knew it was him. He was dealing with much in his world. He has just found out things about himself he did not know. He had to adjust to the expectations, the realization, and the confusion of it all. He was in need of finding himself, understanding himself, and discovering who he was and destine to be.
No matter all the other characters that will be encounter in this read. You will find rich, developed, engaging, secondaries. The world was still engaging, dark with mystery, schemes, and conspiracies. There was more insight to The Romany Outcasts. The new introductions will provide some chills and glimpses of direction.
The experience was wild, thrilling, unexpected in places and immensely satisfying in others. Begging, pleading, patiently waiting to get to the end of the page/screen to get to the next page, next chapter. The intent was not to devour the book immediately. I wanted to savor it but that was not how things worked out. It was all over with way too fast. Please. Pretty please. When? Where? Will be book three?
Christi J. Whitney was on fire with this one. I am looking forward to an inferno with the next installment.
**This ARC was provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
June 4, 2016
After joining a tour for this book, I knew I had to go back and read book one, as I didn't want to miss a moment. I am so pleased I did, as this series is absolutely fantastic! It is the first time I have delved into Christi J. Whitney's work and I know I will be looking for more to read.
I liked the story behind this series. I found it very engaging and emotional. I wanted to know what was going to happen to our main character and just how he would deal with the situation her was in. I felt connected to him and often felt the urge to continue reading, well past my bedtime (lol), just to see what happened next.
I liked the pace of this book, and the series as a whole. It had moments where it did move slower, but this was normally to give us much needed detail and background, to build up for something that was approaching. It also had a good portion of time where it moved faster, sweeping you up in the story and not letting you go.
Overall, this was a very good read. I enjoyed it and would highly recommend it to YA and adults alike.
** I received this book for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
I liked the story behind this series. I found it very engaging and emotional. I wanted to know what was going to happen to our main character and just how he would deal with the situation her was in. I felt connected to him and often felt the urge to continue reading, well past my bedtime (lol), just to see what happened next.
I liked the pace of this book, and the series as a whole. It had moments where it did move slower, but this was normally to give us much needed detail and background, to build up for something that was approaching. It also had a good portion of time where it moved faster, sweeping you up in the story and not letting you go.
Overall, this was a very good read. I enjoyed it and would highly recommend it to YA and adults alike.
** I received this book for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
December 30, 2017
This book was so beautifully woven and my favorite in the trilogy! Whitney's writing style is perfect to tell this ornate and powerful story. Also, Whitney doesn't use any off color language, and she doesn't have to to tell a fantastic teenage story!
June 26, 2016
After finishing this book, only one thought filled my head--I want to read the next book, now!
This is by no means a stand alone, but builds on the story of book one.
Sebastian believes he's broken his ties to the Romany gypsies and is sure that letting the girl of his dreams, Josephine, go was the best best way to protect her. So when the head of the Romany clan appears at Sebastian's foster brother's house and requests that Sebastian return to Josephine and carry out his duties as her bonded guardian, his temporary calm is broken.
This book is a great continuation to the first one. Now, that Sebastian knows what he basically is, he wants to discover the details, including his history and purpose. The plot starts to turn from Sebastian trying to figure out himself to him finding his place and dealing with the dark world he's now been sucked into. The questions of his past are a mystery, and even his own abilities still need to be discovered, but all of this is over shadowed by a violent and very present danger. This creates more danger, tension and intrigue than in the first book.
The pacing is quick as Sebastian finds himself in one precarious situation after another. He's not sure who to trust and discovers more secrets at every turn, making for a plot with so many twists and turns that it's hard to know which characters are trust worthy and which are not.
Sebastian has grown as a character, and tries to keep himself calm and at bay. The author does a great job at bringing out the monster within him, a sharp contrast to his calm and often passive own nature. The romance deepens, but still holds enough mystery and uncertainty to keep it interesting.
The only thing which bothered me is the ending. It's a cliff-hanger which leaves the reader on the edge of the seat wondering what happens next.
This is by no means a stand alone, but builds on the story of book one.
Sebastian believes he's broken his ties to the Romany gypsies and is sure that letting the girl of his dreams, Josephine, go was the best best way to protect her. So when the head of the Romany clan appears at Sebastian's foster brother's house and requests that Sebastian return to Josephine and carry out his duties as her bonded guardian, his temporary calm is broken.
This book is a great continuation to the first one. Now, that Sebastian knows what he basically is, he wants to discover the details, including his history and purpose. The plot starts to turn from Sebastian trying to figure out himself to him finding his place and dealing with the dark world he's now been sucked into. The questions of his past are a mystery, and even his own abilities still need to be discovered, but all of this is over shadowed by a violent and very present danger. This creates more danger, tension and intrigue than in the first book.
The pacing is quick as Sebastian finds himself in one precarious situation after another. He's not sure who to trust and discovers more secrets at every turn, making for a plot with so many twists and turns that it's hard to know which characters are trust worthy and which are not.
Sebastian has grown as a character, and tries to keep himself calm and at bay. The author does a great job at bringing out the monster within him, a sharp contrast to his calm and often passive own nature. The romance deepens, but still holds enough mystery and uncertainty to keep it interesting.
The only thing which bothered me is the ending. It's a cliff-hanger which leaves the reader on the edge of the seat wondering what happens next.
June 17, 2016
In this second book of the Romany Outcasts, we have a whole host of things going on. Lots of action, all centered around Sebastian and his bond to Josephine. What has happened to Sebastian since we left off with the first book? We see Augustine and his Gargoyles again, but what has changed? Why have the Romany come back again? One day, Hugo comes up and asks Sebastian to come down to the shop that they have guests. Who has shown up and why? What do they ask of Sebastian? How does Q feel about Sebastian? Why does he had Sebastian so much? A kris gets called during this book. What is a kris and why is it called? We learn some interesting information about Karl and Esmerelda, the former teacher of the kids in high school for art class. It was definitely neat finding out more information about the two. Things happen in this book that are completely unexpected. I cannot really say much more without fear of giving away what happens in this book. I just know that I hope the next book is coming out soon! This second book held me captivated as an adult and I can see it doing that with a young adult as well!
RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M.Brennan.
RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M.Brennan.
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