Out of the Shadows

Shadowlands #1

by Ashlee Nicole Bye

From the streets of Melbourne to the bowels of Westminster, the delicate balance between life and death that is so painstakingly maintained by the reapers of The Order of Dark and Light is being tested by the return of an ancient threat. Tensions are rising within the hidden world of The Shadowlands and if this threat is not contained war will be inevitable. And the destruction of the human world is bound to follow in its wake.
 
Amidst this tension, eighteen year-old Sachi Manning is struggling to cope with the grief and guilt that has plagued her ever since her best friend was murdered six months earlier—that is, until she spots him seemingly alive and well and being held at scythe point by a hooded figure who looks more like a GQ model than the Grim Reaper.
 
Sachi shouldn’t be able to see through the glamours that shield Shadowlanders from the human world, so the reaper in question wants some answers. And so begins the craziest couple of weeks of Sachi’s life as she is drawn into a world of mysteries, magic, monsters, and mayhem, encountering dragons, faeries, soul-sucking demons, not-so-grim reapers, and even the Horseman of Death.
 
With a mix of heart, humour and hair-raising action, Out of the Shadows is the adventure of an afterlifetime, perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare and Kresley Cole.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Fae, Dragons, Romance

342 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 11, 2017

About the author

Ashlee Nicole Bye is the creator of the SHADOWLANDS series and the MIDNIGHT AND DAWN universe.

She was born and raised in the always amazing city of Melbourne, Australia. She's a total history geek, a book nerd (of course!), loves watching sport, and is just a little but obsessed with anything fantasy and science fiction related.

She's a doting auntie to three awesome little guys and the mum of a crazy fur baby, a Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy named Sadie. She's also vision impaired and writes all her stories with the help of Apple's awesome zoom commands and super-sized fonts.

Get my newsletter! http://eepurl.com/dzbeUn

Check out my Facebook page! facebook.com/ashnicolebye

Catch me on Instagram! @ashleenicolebye

Reviews

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out of the Shadows is book one in the Shadowlands series by Ashlee Nicole Bye. This is Ashlee’s debut book which is hard to believe because it is beautifully written. The world in which this story takes place is painstakingly detailed and the characters were remarkable. This book is a young adult book along the lines of Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series so if you enjoyed that, then you will love this.



Sachi Manning is eighteen years old and lives with her older brother in a house they inherited in Melbourne, Australia. Her life is going along pretty well until tragedy strikes and she loses her best friend, Gabe, to a murderer known in the media as the Melbourne Slasher. Ever since that night Sachi has kept close to home, never venturing back into the city, and is plagued with nightmares. When her friends finally convince her it’s time to re-enter society, they go to a club and she notices things she never noticed before. As she tries to explain away the strange things she is seeing, she shockingly sees the boy she saw die, her best friend, Gabe. But he’s dead! And here he is again being held by knife point by a hooded man.



Julian and Moss are members of The Order – a society of reapers led by Lord Mortem, the Horseman of Death. Julian and Moss are both immortal. No one should be able to see them but for some reason, Sachi can. As they try to solve the mystery of Sachi, they decide that she needs protection. These two are actually pretty funny at times. Moss is a surfer dude type with blonde dreds where as Julian is proper and always dressed to the nines. Sachi knows nothing of their world and they want to explain it to her but they need to sit her down to listen first which means taking her to their apartment. Needless to say, things don’t go well.

“No offense or anything but you two are, like, the worst kidnappers ever.”



What Sachi soon does learn is that there is an entire alternate realm, the Shadowlands, where every creature of your imagination lives. These creatures walk among the humans every day without their knowledge. For some reason, Sachi seems to be of interest now to some of these creatures. What they want she doesn’t know but does realize that yes, she does need help. She will also soon learn that her existence is very important to the future, both of the Shadowlands, and to the humans.



We also meet Griffin who was higher up in The Order than Julian and Moss. Griffin seemed to be the puppet master here. He was pulling strings all over the place. He is manipulating everyone in one way or another. I haven’t figured out his end game yet so I don’t know if he’s bad or good. My instincts say maybe a mix of the two.



Of course, we get a little bit of romance mixed in as Sachi is drawn to one of the two boys. I won’t say which one but it does add a bit of sweetness to the story.

All in all, this was a great start to this series. It was a slow build to a big ending. If I had one complaint, it was that there are a lot of characters and it took me a while to get them all straight. I kept forgetting who everyone was. For a first book, though, Ashlee has knocked it out of the park with this one. I look forward to the next book in this series, Into the Dark.

[Hannah G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy from the author in exchange for a honest review. I’m rating this book 4 stars. One thing I loved about this book was all the detail. Every single aspect in this book was perfectly detailed. I also want to say this book gets better and better and more believable as you read on. It did take me a little while to get into this book but once I did it was worth it. One thing I really liked about Sachi was her art. My favorite chapter was the chapter with Beelzebub. I loved his character and overall that chapter was very humorous. I thought that one thing unique about this read was all the different first person point of view switches. The most interesting character was Griffin. I know he was the villain but I found him really interesting. And I hope we learn more about him later on in this series. Unfortunately, I got lost with some of the references to movies and some TV series while reading this. And I don’t really think that Olivia and Jordy were necessary after the first part of the book. Lastly, I want to say I really liked the infernal kingdom aka ice wonderland setting. And I hope the author brings it back in the future books. I liked and enjoyed this read and will for sure continue this series.

[Emma♔☯ (Bookishfix) · Rating 5 out of 5]

* I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review*

“Once, there was nothing but shadows. An entire world made only of darkness, absent of all light.
One day, so it is said, a star exploded to set the darkness aflame and with the light came life. Creatures of all shapes and sizes came into existence, with names like angel, demon, faery, and dragon. They existed together peacefully, these new creatures of The Shadowlands. Until, eventually, they did not…”

I honestly wasn't sure what i was getting into before reading this, new authors can either be a smack bang hit or disappointing miss- Ashlee Nicole Bye is definitely a big old hit! Being her first novel, her writing is beyond amazing and i cannot wait to see what else she comes up with! The pacing flows, the writing is descriptive but not overly so, the world is unique and the characters are amazing. Finding a new Australian author whose book is based in Melbourne( WHERE I LIVE) is so bloody cool! This will be a series i will definitely continue on with, and i honestly cannot wait for the next book!

Sachi Manning has a relatively normal mundane life, or she did, until her life long best friend Gabe is murdered by someone the media calls the 'Melbourne Slasher'. Now Sachi is plagued with nightmares, she has become a recluse and no longer can venture into the city where Gabe's body was found. When finally giving into her friends pleading to come out and support their friend at a local gig, Sachi starts noticing things she never noticed before. Wings, horns, pointed ears.. and Gabe. But how is he there? He is dead! Fearing she is slowly losing her mind, she follows him and finds him being held at knifepoint by a hooded figure. Did he fake his death? If so why? Who killed him? Why is this man holding a knife to her best friend?
Julian and Moss are members of the Order of Light and Dark- a secret society of reapers led by Lord Mortmen, the Horsemen of Death. Their current job, finding out who is behind the mask that is the 'Melbourne Slasher' and why the people killed were killed in the way they were. See part of the Order of the Light is to schedule deaths, who, when and how someone is to die, but everyone killed hadn't died in the manor they were supposed too. Someone is throwing the balance of life and death and by doing so, could lead to the end of the secret hidden world of the Shadowlands and the human world as they know it.

So i haven't even gone over half of what happens in this book, but thats the point right? This is a review not a breakdown of the entire book. You guys need something to look forward too, so i will say this: if you're a fan of Shadowhunters world and Supernatural, this will be the book for you, there are definitely some Shadowhunter/Supernatural feels in here, but its also entirely its own and uniquely different. This book also has some awesome pop culture references from books/movies/tv shows/video games like: The Hunger Games, Star Wars, Final Fantasy , the Vampire Diaries and heaps more.

The characters themselves are all so different, from a dreadlocked surfer , to a male model plucked right out of GQ magazine, to a biracial badass female protagonist with quirks and a love for Disney movies- let's be serious, who can blame her. Sachi Manning is not only fierce and funny, but she has a heart of gold for an eighteen year old. THE BANTER! I loved loved loved how these characters communicated with each other, i literally laughed out loud so many times due to the sas and smartass comments that came from(mostly) Sachi. We also have an array of different creatures, from demons, to angels, to dragons, to fairies and many more.

“What is it with you people? Why are you all so stabby and kidnappy?”

“Why must I always be cast as the psychopath?”

“You don't look pleased to see me, love? And here i thought we had such a lovely evening the other night.'
'You mean after you killed me?'
'Yes. After that.”

My rating is based on the fact that i honestly loved every single part of this experience, there isn't a single thing i could fault and for a first time author? THATS HUGE! It had everything i loved, a unique world, supernatural creatures, loveable characters, mystery, romance(but not as the main focus), no stupid love triangle, strong female protagonist and awesome banter. I also connected with certain scenes, like travelling by train to the city, the state library, Flinders Street and the City Loop all things that i have grown up with and places i have had my own adventure at. I will be buying this book as a paperback and will be snapping up the second book as soon as it is released. This book will also be added to my favourites list, as it is honestly the best book i have read in awhile. Should i mention again that this is Ashlee Nicole Bye's first ever novel?!
Honestly guys, if you are looking for an awesome new series, and love everything i have mentioned above, THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU!
Support a new Australian author, because honestly we need more and this book is beyond amazing.

Recommended for: Fantasy/YA/Paranormal

[Kaila · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars

I was blown away by the sheer detail of this fantasy world. Creatures after creatures showed up and I soon knew that nothing was off limits. I was fully captivated by this book and I could never predict what was going to happen. It is fully of action-packed excitement, tonnes of sarcasm and a plethora of magic beings. The book only got better as it progressed and by the end, I couldn't stop reading because I just had to know what was going to happen. The subtle presence of a slow-building romance was also a huge bonus. I can't wait to read the next book in this series!

“What is it with you people? Why are you all so stabby and kidnappy?”

Sachi was overcome with grief when her best friend died, and six months later she is still struggling to return to her normal routine. She thinks she sees him all around Melbourne, despite his death, and she never thought much of it until she saw him being held by a grim-reaper type figure. This is when Sachin starts to realise that her world is not at all what it seemed, and the death of her friend may not have been an unfortunate accident. Not only does she see her friend, Sachi also sees a hooded person who seems to be from a wrong century altogether. She tries to forget these weird occurrences, until one day she is kidnapped and thrown right into the chaotic Shadowlands.

Unbeknownst to most humans, the world is kept in balance by a bunch of immortals known as the Order of Light and Dark. The Shadowlands live parallel to the normal human world and exists synonymously, seemingly without problems. Bet when some rowdy immortals stir up trouble, the balance between life and death is thrown out of sorts. Now, eighteen year old Sachi is a major piece in the mystery surrounding the Shadowlands, even if she didn't know it before. Her mundane life has been completely turned upside down as she must navigate and understand this new world, with the help of two reapers who act as guides, kidnappers and protectors.

"Creatures of all shapes and sizes came into existence, with names like angel, demon, faery, and dragon. They existed together peacefully, these new creatures of The Shadowlands. Until, eventually, they did not…”

It's so hard to give an urban fantasy book like this a good description, because nothing I can says will do it justice. There ware as just so much gong on in the book, it just loses so much when I try to narrow it down to a paragraph or two. Just know that the world in this book was alight with magic, intrigue and mystery. The Shadowlands was such a dark, but very cool place and I was just enthralled with learning about it. The world building became more elaborate as the book progressed, and I am now dying to read the next book so I can dive deeper into this world. I admit, at the start I was drawing a lot of parallels with The Mortal Instruments at an alarming rate. But, the further I delved into the novel, the more original it because. I watched this book grow into a unique and wholly fascinating story as I was reading.

I really just want to gush about the overall pace of the story. I never normally go into the technicalities in my reviews, but the pace of this book was perfect. It was a slow build at the start, then things just got crazy from there. Not only was there an intricate fantastical plot, but there was also emotional development. It was all intertwine perfectly, along with the other perspectives in the novel. At the start I was unsure how all the little pieces would come together, but they did. Everything came together at the end perfectly like a jigsaw piece. That's probably why I found this book so addictive, the plot was just so well structured. Plus, there was a couple of major plot twists at the end that had me going crazy. By the end of the book, my heart was beating like crazy I was fully enthralled in the story

As a lover of romance, I can't possibly finish this review without mentioning the love interest in this book. You know how I was talking about their being two Shadowlander reapers with Sachi? Well, I forgot to mention that they were also really hot, like male model status good looking. And maybe, just maybe, there was a romance between Sachi and one of these reapers. I don't know if it's a spoiler to say who she falls for, but to be safe, I'll just not reveal his name. All you need to know is that it is a subtle romance that builds for the most of the book. There is also a couple of really sweet scenes where all the built up tension explodes. I'm excited to see the relationship explored in the next books in the series.

“For so long she'd wanted to touch this work of art that was this boy, this too beautiful to be real creation, and now her hands were refusing to be patient.”

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Sylvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I begin my review, I would love to thank the wonderfully talented author, Ashlee Nicole Bye, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my review.

Whoa! How do I begin to write anything that would express how much I love this fantastic debut from a new Aussie author. I mean, the writing is effortless i.e. it moves and flows at a pace in which you absolutely forget you are reading. In fact, it played out like a movie and was so visually stunning in a way that colours and movement are in a painting, I forgot I was sitting on my couch and thought I was standing in a room with Death, The Prince of Hell and an Archangel. Sounds like an episode of my favourite show, Supernatural, which was mentioned in this book, no less, and any reference to Supernatural is a plus.

To continue, the author has created a world (mostly set in Melbourne, Australia, woohoo!!) that is rich with many layers. This world, known as the Shadowlands, harbours all those supernatural beings we only know exist in stories, in movies or on T.V. and never in real life. Throw in a compelling story, which weaves beautifully within this paranormal existence, and has many plot twists that are character driven, you have one brilliant, and funny (oh yes, did I mention all the laugh-out-loud moments I found myself having due to the many pop-culture references thrown in for absolute effect thus creating a realistic, as well as a relevant, connection to our own world - done in a way that wasn't forced, rather with ease) and remarkably addictive story. I absolutely catapulted in and have no intention of coming up for air. I am hooked.

I was instantly drawn to the fact that there are so many wonderfully, colourful characters who each unravel slowly, like peeling a delicious apple and salivating at the thought of taking a big bite out of it once you are done. And let me tell you, there were so many chunks I wanted to chew on when it came to these fascinating characters.
We have our main protagonist, Sachi Manning. An average eighteen year old aussie girl, who loves her friends, her job, her brother and Disney movies. I mean, who doesn't! She is fierce, has so much heart and is funny to boot.



She had me cracking up so many times, I was enjoying every minute of her banters with all the fantastic characters, especially Julian and Moss, who happen to be Grim Reapers, out to protect her from the monsters who want to kidnap her because of who she is. Oh man, where do I begin with these two. We have Julian, who seems to be plucked right out of GQ magazine, from his immaculate appearance to his British accent. Very dapper indeed and sexy as fudge.



Then there is Moss, who is the complete opposite. Blonde dreads, bleached from the sun and surf, who is relaxed and charismatic in a way that has you wanting to just chill. These two are hell bent on keeping Sachi out of harms way but in the meantime, end up putting her in more danger than she first started out with hahahaha. I swear, their encounters and conversations have me in stitches one minute, and filled with so much tension the next ahem not revealing a thing *wink wink*



Anyways, not going to reveal too much of the plot because this book must be experienced. Plus if the blurb doesn’t entice you to want to pick it up, then nothing will, well, I’m hoping my review might sway you a little hehe, cause this debut is freaking awesome. I absolutely loved it and I seriously cannot wait for the next instalment. So much more to discover and so much more to love.

[Ryan Buckby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the Author for sending me a copy of her book in exchange for an Honest Review


I'm surprised by this book and i really did enjoy the book and i didn't think i was going to after reading the synopsis but my mind was changed once i finished the book.

Plot: This book follows Sachi Manning who lives with her brother in Melbourne Australia in a house they inherited from a family member. Sachi is leading a really normal life with no troubles until her best friend is murdered and she is thrown into a whole mystery of what the media is calling the 'Melbourne Slasher'. Sachi soon meets Julian and Moss who are members of the Order a group that are led by Lord Mortem, this group are all immortal, Julian and Moss are called the 'Horseman'.

Enough about the plot i don't really want to spoil that much more because you'd really want to go into the story without any idea of what the story is about. The plot of the book was really strong all throughout which i love in stories it was continuous and very strong the entire time i was reading this story. One of my favourite things about this book that i really enjoyed was the 'Shadowlands' because every creature you could think about and imagine are there and i find that it was really well thought out and it gave me a creepy vibe when it was ever mentioned.


Characters: I really enjoyed all the characters they were all a different mix and range of people that i got to know all throughout the story and can't wait to see how they go in the second book if the author continues this series.



Sentimentality was a weakness begging to be exploited.


I really don't have that much of bad things to say about this book, apart from the slow start with the plot it really picked up and was strong for the majority book. The plot was strong and the characters were all fleshed out, The romance aspect of the book didn't really annoy me either which i was surprised about because i usually have a problem with book romances with book characters but there were a couple of scenes that just worked and flowed really well.


What is it with you people? Why are you all so stabby and kidnappy?


This book was a very fleshed out urban fantasy book and i'm usually picky with urban fantasy books, there was so much happening in this book and it all flowed very well that i had no fault with the story. This world has been very well throughout and i love the Shadowland part of the book because it was creepy and had everything that i want in an urban fantasy book.

The magic, creepiness, mystery and intrigue all made this story what it was, this story was unique and i cannot wait to see where this story goes next! 4/5 stars

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m going to be completely honest with you here; I had a little bit of fear when I started this one. You see, the synopsis of Out of the Shadows grabbed me hard. I was all kinds of excited to start this one. Despite the writing being flawless, it took me a while to get into this one. I can easily assign blame for why this happened – I had too many Shadowhunter feelings. I realise it says this book is perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, but at first I feared there would be too many similarities. We had meetings in bars. We had a hidden world of the supernatural. We had the Shadowland, which sounds far too much like Shadowhunter to be mere coincidence. Thus, a part of my brain went on the attack. I had a serious ‘uh-oh, lack of originality’ moment.

Fear not, this feeling of mine was so wrong. Honestly, I cannot remember the last time I was so wrong about a book.

Whilst there are bits and pieces throughout that reminded me of other young adult fantasy novels, this is an all too common occurrence nowadays. It is so rare to find a book that is one hundred percent original. This one, though, is pretty high up there. After reading a few chapters, once the story got hold of me, I found I was pulled into a unique world that left me wanting more. Upon finishing, I have one very serious question: when can I get my hands on book two? It was such a turnaround, my initial view of ‘okay this is somewhat interesting’ transforming into ‘oh gosh I need to know what happens next’. In other words, if like me you can be somewhat judgemental and require a bit of persuading when it comes to books, I suggest you give this one the chance to really get a hold of you. I assure you, it is a well worth the read.

As I’ve already stated, it’s flawlessly written. Ashlee Nicole Bye really knows how to write a story. She has her own voice, the kind that pulls you in and really makes the world come to life. There are so many emotions throughout, taking you on a rollercoaster ride. You get inside the minds of the characters, and you come to really connection with them – both the good and the questionable. Not to mention the humour. Humour is always wonderful in stories, and it’s well done in this. It isn’t so overdone that you’re reading a comical book, but there are certain scenes that will cause you to have a good giggle. One character in particular I wish to see more of in the future, mainly because this guy really had me giggling.

It’s not just the writing that is wonderful, though. The world building is also beautiful. At first I was unsure, but as the story developed so many things came together. It’s one of those stories where you need to work to understand what it is you’re being given, one of those stories where you need to look for the connections that exist. I’m not saying it is hard work – far from it – merely that if you look hard you get to see how well everything is brought together. There are wonderful surface connections, but when you take a moment to breathe you can really appreciate what is going on below the surface. I cannot say this enough: the world building is fabulous, developing well beyond my initial ideas of what we would be given. Moreover, there is still so much I need to learn more about – things I cannot wait to read about in the future books.

Plus the characters. Oh how I came to love them. Although there was a couple of clichés to be seen, each was an individual and I came to love them all. Good or bad, I found myself loving them. Not to mention the development that occurs – and those character twists. Damn, things developed in this one and I loved it. I really could rant and rave for a long time about how I enjoyed the progression of the characters in this one, but I won’t. I honestly do not believe I’m capable of fangirling without giving spoilers, such are the feelings I’m dealing with. Just know some of the character arcs will leave you with a ‘hot damn what happened’ by the end. They’re just so good.

In all honesty, the only thing I really wanted by the end of the story was more. There was so much happen in this one, it wiggled deeper into my heart than I’d anticipated, and now I’m left feeling empty. I feel as though it was a rather short read for such a wonderfully developed world, with so many stories going on. I know it was just an introductory book, the first in the series, but I would have liked it to be a bit longer. Yes, I’m interested to see where every arc goes; however, I would have liked a better indication of where some things were heading.

Not to mention that epilogue. Seriously, damn, what’s next?

Overall, this one turned out to be a wonderful read. The sooner I get my hands on the second Shadowlands book, the sooner I will be a happy fan.

[Greyson | Use Your Words · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shadowlands Series Ratings:
Out of the Shadows: ★★★
Into the Dark: Lost Interest in SeriesTBR
—
Thank you to the author for providing me an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Okay guys bare with me, I'm running on next to no sleep and I am exhausted but if I put this off any longer I'll have forgotten everything I read so here's go;

‘Wait— does that mean Thor’s real?’ Sachi asked Julian, eyes wide.
He nodded and her jaw dropped to the floor. ‘Can I meet him?’
He sighed. ‘He doesn’t actually look like Chris Hemsworth, you know.’
Sachi frowned. ‘Well that’s disappointing.’

Out of the Shadows is in urban-fantasy that follows Sachi as she stumbles into a supernatural world called the Shadowlands and discovers she is soon to be a big key player in a new war to rival anything humans have faced.

Out of the Shadows has some major TMI vibes! So if you love the Shadowhunters world you'll probably love this kick off to the Shadowlands series. Unless, like me, you were hoping for something a bit more original. It's not a bad world by any means, it's just not a whole new idea either (but then again if you prescribe to the whole plagiarism drama surrounding Clare's books, then the TMI world isn't that original to begin with). Either way I wasn't mad about the similarities, I liked that this series was sans incest and that what ~might~ be the makings of a love triangle wasn't too heavy and in your face.
Sachi is also an artist like Clary, we also get the smart-ass, cold and distant protector who comes flying into her world, you have someone willing to risk Sachi's death just to prove that she's different. The more I think on it, the more I see the similarities.
Okay, I'll try and stop the comparisons now.
There's also a Julian Blackthorne Hawthorne in this story,
Okay, now I'm done.

I found the start very slow and it shows in how long it took me to finish this novel. Most books don't take me over a week to complete.
I just didn't find myself wanting to read it until the latter half, when the plot finally picked up. The author definitely found her stride at that point. Character dialogue was better, the story-line picked up the pace, the stake got a bit higher. By the end there were a few twists that snuck up on me as well that I enjoyed.

I loved that this novel was reasonably diverse, though it could have used more. It is set in Australia after all and we're a pretty damn diverse country. I would have also liked to have seen at least one LGBT person.

There were so many pop culture references that I loved, I am here for all the nerd culture making it's way into books lately!
Sachi was a fun character, and although she never really rubbed me up the wrong way, she did fall a little flat compared to all the other interesting characters we got. Moss was easily my favourite with his graphic t-shirts that referenced all kinds of movies and such. He was lovely and so very kind of Sachi but it was clear there was a darker side, where as Sachi was a whole lot of trash talk and not a lot of deliverance. I don't know I can't quite put my finger on what it was that was missing. We just got more depth from literally every character but the main one.
Overall I enjoyed this novel and I'm open to giving the next book a chance as I do love supporting Aussie authors, I just hope the Ashlee Nicole Bye gives us more, of everything.

‘Well, that’s rather inconvenient.’ His tone was as dry as the Sahara as he stared at the spot Gabe had just disappeared from. He turned to Sachi, features arranged in an expression of mild frustration. ‘You couldn’t have come along five seconds later?’
‘You were going to kill him,’ Sachi said, her voice small.
‘Semantics.’ He gave a dismissive wave of his hand.

___
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[Cheryl La Pa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was sooooo good. My second read and still had me hooked and laughing. Totally fell in love with the characters and can't wait to jump into the next book.

My original review
This book was fantastic and promises to be a brilliant series. It is a delightful read full of page-turning action and intriguing characters with a hefty dose of humour. A feisty heroine, hot guys, demons, reapers…. Out of the Shadows has it all!

Set in Melbourne, Australia, where a string of vicious murders are being investigated by the Shadowlanders, paranormals hidden from human society, who suspect that the crimes are not being committed by humans.

The story centres around Sachi, who is struggling to cope after her best friend is murdered, until she sees him one night, alive and well, being held at knifepoint by a reaper. This draws the attention of the reaper as she shouldn’t have been able to see him through his glamour. Sachi is unwittingly drawn into the world of Shadowlanders, and reapers Julian and Moss decide to protect Sachi from the demons that are after her.

The further that I read into the book, the more intrigued I became and the more I fell for the characters, the LOL humour and the incredible Shadowland world. By the 30% mark, I was totally hooked and ignoring my family and other responsibilities altogether.

I loved Moss and his cool, laidback attitude, and found Griffin to be intriguing and mysterious. And the banter between Julian and Sachi was hilarious. I loved the TV and movie references, Moss’s T-shirts and the Shadowlander influences on historical events such as WWI.

I found it to be a rewarding read, well written, and entertaining. It is a delicious blend of mystery, romance and action, and I laughed out loud at some of the clever moments and one-liners.

I’ve fallen for these characters and their paranormal world, and I cannot wait to continue on with this series.

[Ashlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may be just the tiniest bit biased here, but what sort of author would I be if I couldn't back my own book?

Stay tuned to this spot for news on giveaways and other important book info!


Now Available on Kindle, iBooks, Kobo, Nook, Scribd, Overdrive as well as in paperback at over 50 online retailers!

NEW COVER!!! ....as you can see there's a brand spanking new and very pretty cover for Out of the Shadows! Thanks Laura at The Book Cover Machine for her beautiful design!

[Cassandra Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first thing I should note is that I received a copy of this book free in exchange for an honest review. Those who've read my review policy know that I don't normally agree to such requests, so when Ashlee approached me I quietly snuck away and read the first couple of chapters of the book on Amazon before committing to anything. Just in case. ;)

I'm glad I took the chance, though, because I loved Out of the Shadows. Sashi's world is amazingly complex, full of supernatural creatures, competing factions and a complicated process for managing what happens to souls when they die. It's mostly set in Melbourne, and I loved the Aussie touch (although the reapers, the main supernatural faction to which we're exposed, can teleport, so there are scenes in New York, London and elsewhere -- it's a bit like Paula Weston's Rephaim series in that regard).

Sashi, the main character, is Australian-born but with Japanese ancestry. She is tiny and fiery and quick with a joke. Her voice was one of my favourite things about this story -- she had me giggling more than once at one observation or another. For example, it's a bit of an urban fantasy trope that supernatural leading men are all ripped hotties. At one point, Sashi actually calls some of the lads out on it, asking if there's a pill or something, subtly undercutting the trope while leaving the eye candy safely intact for our reading pleasure.

My other favourite character is the reaper Moss, again just because he is hilarious. He and Sashi quite often have movie quote exchanges, and every T-shirt he owns has a funny line on the front. Given my own T-shirt collection, I approved. (Oh, and Beelzebub, Prince of Hell, is hysterical too, in a "I suspect he's unstable and might start killing folks at any moment" kind of way.)

I know I've talked a lot about the humour, because it was one of my favourite things about the book, but I should also mention that Out of the Shadows has its darker moments. There's a supernatural conspiracy going on, one with a body count and a reach that I can only guess at from the first book. There are plot twists I didn't see coming, and one exceptionally sad and shocking moment that was a dagger to the old feels.

I approve.

For those wondering about the quality of the writing itself (always a valid question for small press and self-published works), I can confirm that Ashlee writes beautifully. I did see a handful of places where I'd do something different with commas, but they are the sort of things that only a sharp copyeditor is likely to notice ... and I've seen books published by traditional presses with similar mistakes.

The only reason this isn't a five-star read for me is that occasionally I got a little overwhelmed by the number of different factions. I was able to track the characters fairly easily but, because I read this as an ebook, I couldn't easily flick back to earlier to remind myself of the differences between all the different types of reaper, for example.

Still, the confusion was temporary and didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the story. I'm very keen to read the next instalment in the series.

[Cabiria Aquarius · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a world like today and finding out that what myths are about are real is big. Finding out that you are now entangled in this new world in more ways than one well best of luck to ya.

Sachi Manning handles it for the most part well. She is intriguing character and part of me wants to be her and the other is like nope! Because you know all that happens in a world where something that you don't want to happen could be a big problem.

This story was amazing and I can't wait for my next book shopping trip to find the second instalment.

[Malissa S · Rating 5 out of 5]

How come no one knows about this book? It would be a best seller if they did! I happened upon it by chance and I'm so glad I did. Demons, reapers, the four horseman and characters that I love or love to hate, it has it all. There are a few places where the change in a scene was a little sudden and I had to make sure I didn't skip a page but all in all the writing is fantastic as well. The ending was a little sudden, didn't seem like a natural stopping point but definitely left me in suspense, I was searching Google immediately after I finished trying to find a date for book two. If you love urban fantasy, Cassandra Clare, etc you will really enjoy this book and this new authors fresh take on things. Enjoy!

[Jennifer Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of Out of the Shadows in exchange for an honest review.
Sachi is thrust into a world that is set to balance light and dark. She is not sure what is going on or what has happened to her. When she can see through the glamours, Julian and Moss investigate why. But nothing is easy when these two worlds collide.
This first book in the Shadowland series is full of intrigue as a whole new world is opened before your eyes. There were some parts at the beginning that were confusing, and other parts that did not feel authentic to the setting. But the entire concept of this sci-fi/fantasy world is on point. The description and the writing style make for an enjoyable, hard to put down read. I can’t wait to see just what is in store for these characters.
For my complete review of Out of the Shadows, go to http://www.boundtowriting.com/review-...

[Sandi (theferventreader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“What is it with you people? Why are you all so stabby and kidnappy?”

Aussie author, Aussie setting, enough sass to fill a bathtub – need I say more?

As excited as I was to read an urban fantasy set at home, I was also a little apprehensive going into this as I had noticed a lot of people comparing it to Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter series (which I love) and they weren’t wrong – there were a lot of similarities in the first part of this book, so much so I was waiting for certain characters to appear before I remembered what I was actually reading. Thankfully those similarities soon ended and gave way to the author’s own incredible world set mostly against the backdrop of Melbourne.

I really enjoyed Sachi as a character. She was witty and arty and not afraid to speak her mind. Haunted by the murder of the boy she loves, she slowly comes back into her own – and this huge new world – with the help of Julian and Moss, the worst kidnappers in the world, and just plain hilarious immortal so and so’s. And let’s not forget Beezlebub, prince of Hell, and possibly my favourite thing in this whole story (aside from Moss’s t-shirts, of course)

This world was honestly so massive and filled with all kinds of beasties, magic, and secret orders. I really can’t wait to see what the rest of the series brings!

*Huge thanks to the author for sending me a copy of Out of the Shadows*

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg this book was so amazing. I loved reading about Sachi, Julian and Moss and the Gang and the dark character of the book. I can’t wait to get my hands on book two. Truly a amazing edge of seat read with all the emotions.

[L.R. Braden · Rating 3 out of 5]

I originally picked up "Out of the Shadows" because it had an interesting hook -- a dead friend who wasn't dead -- and beautiful cover art. Yes, I totally judge books by their covers. ;)

The story had a pretty slow start, though the strong voice stood out right from the get-go. The first few chapters basically jump through a series of character introductions with no clear goals or established stakes. I had a hard time caring what happened to any of them until about halfway through the book.

Many of the characters, most notably Griffin, were well-developed. The special mechanics of the main character, Sachi, were unique and I really liked the idea, though I won't go into it here because I don't want to give anything away. Her actual personality, however, felt a little flat. Sachi and Julian have a hate-to-love romance arc that, while not one of my favorite tropes, was well done.

The writing was very authorial in general, including info dumps and redundant explanations that knocked me out of the story and significantly cut down on the tension. The narration alternated between sections of over-telling and noticeable gaps in information that made me feel like I had a momentary black-out. There were also some improperly used words, such as Sachi "scoffing" down a bowl of leftover spaghetti, which I assume she was supposed to be scarfing, and misuse of the term "counter-intuitive."

The dialogue was often stiff and/or archaic, which could be understandable when coming from one of the centuries-old characters, but sounded out of place coming from people like Sachi's brother. Many of the descriptions relied heavily on shared knowledge, making comparisons to a plethora of pop culture references. I generally like those kinds of references, but there were so many that I felt inundated.

The Shadowland world was wonderfully rendered, with a great deal of attention paid to the social dynamics of the groups. The details were wonderfully realized, but tended to be over-described to the detriment of flow and pacing. There were also several lengthy descriptions of menial tasks like taking showers, brushing teeth, laying out clothes for later, etc. that distracted from the actual story.

The end of the book was a little odd. If felt more like the entire first book was a setup for the second. Since the book didn't start with any real adversary, there wasn't much of a sense of closure. We were eventually introduced to an antagonist that will likely be the main conflict in the sequel, but they had very little to do with the first book. Griffin could be seen as an antagonist to a certain extent, but he and Sachi are not in conflict in the first book. Sachi's not-dead-friend Gabe was also a point of conflict, but it didn't get resolved. In general, I was left with a tepid feeling at the end of the book that not much had really changed from the beginning other than giving Sachi, and therefore the reader, more information about the world in preparation for some greater conflict to take place at a later date.

Note: I received a free copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

[Julie Baswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

After her boyfriend Gabe is brutally murdered, Sachi starts having nightmares. For the next six months, she becomes a hermit, until her friend Olivia talks her into going out to a local club for a night out. While there, Sachi discovers Gabe, apparently alive, being held at knife point by Julian, who she later finds out is a hacker for the Order of Dark and Light. This Order is tasked with maintaining the balance between life and death. Julian can’t understand why Sachi can see through the glimmer that he surrounds himself with to keep him out of sight of humans. This leads him to take extreme measures to try to find out why Sachi is so different, but still human.

This story was fast paced and very interesting, which was good since it was extra long. I was totally engrossed and couldn’t put it down. I liked this cast of characters a lot. It was easy to understand why everyone was so secretive, with all that was going on. This was worth reading for the humor alone. I mean, who would have imagined Beelzebub as rad and Facebook friendly. And all the t-shirt maxims were hilarious. This is the first book that I have read by this author, but it won’t be the last. I like that this is a series and that these characters will continue on.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous first time book for me by a wonderful writer. Amazing fantasy that captures you from the start.

[maddi · Rating 3 out of 5]

1.5 stars!
dnf @ 58%
big thanks to Ashlee Nicole Bye,who sent me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I know, I know, I didn't actually finish this book, but I got far enough through it to write why I dnfed it, and also it'd look kinda weird if i marked this book as 'want to read' but then i give a review on it.

THE WRITING

The writing in this book wasn't anything special, but I also wouldn't count it as one of the flaws to why I did not finish this book. The writing was average yet it also made the story very easy to read, however, information dumps in this book from the world and setting to the characters backgrounds made it difficult to push through.

THE PLOT

The plot in Out of the Shadows was an extremely generic urban fantasy in Young Adult genre save for the twist that there are reapers. I suppose the reapers part was probably the only thing that made this book stand out for me. Similarly, this book was just too much like City of Bones by Cassandra Clare for my liking;

•Girl is coming of age and wants to go to a club where she’ll met her love interest? Check.
•Girl goes to a club where she meets her love interest and said love interest “kills” somebody? Check.
•Girl bumps into a super hot dude in the street but nobody else can see him because he’s not human? Check.
•Girl draws love interest and love interest finds the drawing? Check.


THE CHARACTERS

I’ll admit—there were too many of them. I had a hard time keeping up with everyone’s storyline and everyone’s voices mixed together. When I was reading I’d think I’d be on a Julian chapter, but end up reading through Mira’s eyes. Nevertheless, here’s what I thought of each person:

SACHI

Sachi Manning is the main character of this book, and yet in a year, I’ll have probably forgotten all about her. There isn’t much else to mention about her (SHE WAS THAT BASIC) but I will say that I didn’t like the pointless girl hate. Yeah, she had two best friends that were girls, but she also couldn’t tolerate going to an all-girl school??? Sachi also got super jealous when Mira was with Julian. Like, without even knowing Julian, nor Mira, Sachi is ready to go bat-shit-crazy over Julian and hurt Mira.

MOSS
Meh, I’ve read about too many characters like him. Next!

JULIAN
Sorry, none of these characters were 3-dimentional, including the love interest, Julian.

MIRA
I literally can’t even remember how she was important in this story.

THE GOOD

World building was great, and although we were thrown into the world at the start, it was easier to understand Shadowland once Sachi was trying to understand it too. Pacing was good, since we weren’t rushed into the story, but it did get boring around the middle, hence why I dnfed this book. WE HAVE A BIRACIAL MAIN CHARACTER. Sachi is half Japanese, half Australian! Finally, a fantasy book where everyone isn’t white.

THE BAD

The romance was horrible. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I’m tired of seeing just heterosexual and cisgender characters in fantasy. This book would be 1000X better if it featured a lead gender queer character or had a non allohet romance.
Characters were dull and lifeless, romance made me want stop reading at times, and plot was undeveloped. Romance wasn’t inst-lovey, but as I already stated, the characters weren’t indistinguishable from each other, and therefore when Sachi and Julian had feelings for each other, they just blended into one person, which happens a lot in Young Adult relationships (see: Tris and Four from Divergent, Rowan and Aelin from Throne of Glass + many more).

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Something with claws—which narrows it down to at least a thousand Shadowlanders.’

Australian author Ashlee Nicole Bye makes a stunning debut with OUT OF THE SHADOWS, which serves to introduce a series she has named SHADOWLANDS. It is that much sought after admixture of fantasy, paranormal themes and science fiction that is a genre mature young adults, especially, find fascinating to the point of obsession. Ashlee places her tale in her hometown of Melbourne allowing all of the fantasy aspects of her novel ring credible – as credible as fantasy can be!

One of the many joys of Ashlee’s writing style is the degree of eloquence that pervades even the opening Preface – a technique designed to seduce the reader into the long story ahead: ‘Once, there was nothing but shadows. An entire world made only of darkness, absent of all light. One day, so it is said, a star exploded to set the darkness aflame and with the light came life. Creatures of all shapes and sizes came into existence, with names like angel, demon, faery, and dragon. They existed together peacefully, these new creatures of The Shadowlands. Until, eventually, they did not…’

Then she invites the mystery that is to come with the opening paragraphs – ‘As Julian studied the mangled remains of the boy who had once been Campbell Locke, it was easy to see how the humans could have mistaken the death for a homicide. The latest in a string of vicious murders by the now infamous ‘Melbourne Slasher’, who had plagued the streets of this city for near on three months now—or so the papers said. The teenager’s throat had been slashed with what, to human eyes, looked like a knife. But Julian knew better—that wound was the result of an incredibly sharp claw.’

The complex and involving story is well distilled in the synopsis the author provides – ‘From the streets of Melbourne to the bowels of Westminster, the delicate balance between life and death that is so painstakingly maintained by the reapers of The Order of Dark and Light is being tested by the return of an ancient threat. Tensions are rising within the hidden world of The Shadowlands and if this threat is not contained war will be inevitable. And the destruction of the human world is bound to follow in its wake. Amidst this tension, eighteen year-old Sachi Manning is struggling to cope with the grief and guilt that has plagued her ever since her best friend was murdered six months earlier—that is, until she spots him seemingly alive and well and being held at scythe point by a hooded figure who looks more like a GQ model than the Grim Reaper. Sachi shouldn’t be able to see through the glamours that shield Shadowlanders from the human world, so the reaper in question wants some answers. And so begins the craziest couple of weeks of Sachi’s life as she is drawn into a world of mysteries, magic, monsters, and mayhem, encountering dragons, faeries, soul-sucking demons, not-so-grim reapers, and even the Horseman of Death. With a mix of heart, humour and hair-raising action, this is an adventure of an afterlifetime.

Kudos to a young and obviously gifted writer!

[dollzkull · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished the audio version of this amazing book and I am vibrating with glee over how much I love it. It has been a long time since I've really loved an urban fantasy or had this much fun reading it. I picked this up on a whim because it sounded intriguing and I am so glad I did.

I love the world Ashlee Nicole Bye builds in Shadowlands. I've seen a few people here praise the detail and I will gladly get in that line. Not just the creatures themselves are wonderfully detailed, but also the politics, the world's history, the magic...

Beyond that, though, what really makes this book a highlight for me, are the lovable characters. Even the ones you're not necessarily supposed to love, even the ones who may or may not be villains.

The writing is engaging, modern and upbeat. Ashlee Nicole Bye writes the characters' emotions in contemporary way that I think will resonate with many readers.

Five stars for this amazing story. The continuation will arrive on my doorstep within the next week and I can't wait.

[Samantha Paniagua · Rating 3 out of 5]

Out of the shadows. Since the first sight, I wanted to read it. The book begins a little bit slowly, but there’s a moment you know you’ll not stop. The characters are amazing, specially the villain. I got so interested in him, and I want to know so much more about him. I love when the villain gives you something different, something to get into him. And in this book, you have it.
Sachi, absolutely makes you feel like if you were in another world. Her art makes the book better and for people like me, are going to love it.
All the characters are in the story for a reason, but, At some point, you ask why some of them are still in it, when they are doing nothing. I want to read the next book, but not now. Maybe in the future I will.
I’m giving this book 3 and a half tars. I think it can be so much better.

Also, I want to thanks the author and @booktasters for a copy of this book.

[Louise Loughran · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very well written when I was reading it I feared it would just be like The Mortal Instrument but it wasn't it stood on it own with amazing writing and amazing details. I felt the book flowed really well and being able to read from the different views of different character gave you a great back story to a lot of the characters I loved that Julian and Moss where complete opposites but they treated each other like brothers. This book was a real page turner I couldn't put it down I wanted to always know what happened I did get very upset when a character died because I was so attached and concerned about each character in their own way I loved all the characters I don't think there was one character that I hated which is unusual, I normally find at least one character I don't like but with this book I loved them all.

[Kari Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this one and enjoyed it. I liked that it took place in Australia which for some reason I have not read many books based there. Overall this was a good listen but nothing stands out as spectacular. I was not drawn to continuously listen to it. This was a typical fantasy novel. There were some pop culture references which is always enjoyable. There is a very intriguing villain. I will read book two just to see.

To sum up, this was an enjoyable book if slightly forgettable.

[Viridiana Dimas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great beginning to this series!

One successful debut for Ashlee Nicole Bye! Truly succeeded in captivating me into the Shadowlands world. I loved this book and the characters in it even more. Of course Sachi was my favorite with her nerdy kickass self and her pop culture references had me laughing my butt off.
When Sachi's best friend Gabe gets murdered, it's hard for her to move on from the grief and guilt. Six months later and she's still having nightmares about that day and the only thing that helps is to draw them. Her friends trying to help, convince her to finally go out with them in to the city of Melbourne to the club her cousin is DJ'ing at. But that's when things take a different turn for Sachi. Finding her dead best friend being held up at knife point in the dark alley by a reaper, Julian, who she describes as Dauntless Robin. Julian needs to find out why this human girl is able to see past their glamour that keeps them hidden, and what ever the reason may be could mean trouble. For Sachi, her normal life is over as she uncovers the world of the Shadowlands and The Order of the Dark and Light. Julian wants nothing more than to protect her with the help of his friend Moss while also investing the murders of unscheduled deaths going on and disrupting the balance of The Order. They all need to work together to figure out whose behind everything going on. Can they figure it out before it's too late?
This book will totally suck you in to the story of each of its characters. If you enjoyed The Mortal Instruments then this is a must read. There's a lot going on from different characters but easy to follow. Really impressed for this author's first book and can't wait to read more!

[BooksaRella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alright so I want to start off saying that I received this book from the author for free in exchange for an honest review through Booktasters. I want to thank Ashlee Nicole Bye (the author) for the opportunity I’ve been given to read and review this book, I very much appreciate it! So onto my Review!
At first glance I didn’t know how I would feel about the book. I saw that it was supposed to be similar to Cassandra Claire’s books and I actually am not a huge fan of the Shadowhunter’s Series. But when it came to this book, I actually like it better! I know for some that might be an Unpopular opinion but for me its true! I like the story more and I feel like it was so easy to get into right from the beginning. I also liked each character in this book(good or bad), which is a rarity for me! I didn’t find the main character Sachi to be either annoying or clueless which seems to be a trend lately in these types of books. It was refreshing to read a book where the main character was both smart and relatable and the other characters followed in the same direction. I loved the parts where Sachi would talk about things like for example Dauntless Robin which is like a Divergent reference and that made me smile! It wasn’t like she was in some unimaginable world! Another part that I liked about this book was how well developed the ShadowLander world was. It was very easy for me understand this whole different dimension and I didn’t ever find myself having to re-read the pages to fully understand that world. I also loved Julian and Moss, they were such great characters with really interesting backgrounds. I loved learning about them and also seeing the romance build between one of them and Sachi (that’s right I’m not gonna spoil it!). I think this story does have similarities to the Shadowhunter’s series but there are definitely some differences between the two and I can say this book holds up on its own!
Overall I was very surprised with this book! I definetley would recommend both Cassandra Claire fans and even NonFans like me to pick this book up because its definitely worth the read!

[MJ James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out of the Shadows by Ashlee Nicole Bye is a debut Urban Fantasy novel that presents the paranormal world as a dimension that at one point connected with our own. The shadow world is filled with all the creatures of our myths, some that wanted to protect the fragile humans and others who wished to dominate. As an intermediary between these two fractions you have the Order of Dark and Light, which are reapers that schedule death and collect souls to carry them off to the world of shadows.

I have been looking for a new Urban Fantasy series to add to my must-read pile, and this is the series. The world building is not unique, which would be hard in such a saturated market, but it is solid and well built. Characterization is a strength of Out of the Shadows. At first, it was a little hard to follow who was who. I mixed up two of the main male characters a few times. It was never bad, I always felt connected to the characters and the story. There are quite a few characters in the story, with a few intertwining subplots. Bye does a good job, and as the book continues an excellent job, of giving each of those characters a unique voice. I knew that it was a story I was going to enjoy from the first chapter.

There were times in the novel where my connection to the story was halted because of the writing. The words and sentences did not flow as well as they could have, and I had to reread to understand what the author was trying to say. It was not major disruptions, but it was a slight concern when I first started to read. However, by the end those disruptions were rare. You can see the growth of Bye as a writer from the start of the novel to the finish. I am excited to read the second book in the series; I am sure that it will start out a lot stronger then Out of the Shadows. Although, Bye did an amazing job with her debut novel.

[C.M. Blair · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I was graciously given a free copy in exchange for my honest review.)

Attention ladies! If you are a fan of hot male characters, kickass heroines, and loads of pop humor, put down your latest read and grab a copy of “Out of the Shadows” by Ashlee Nicole Bye. This is one book that will not disappoint.

Let me start this review with a nod to Bye’s tasteful method of making every female reader drool a tad (or more) over the luscious male protagonists. There was just enough sexual tension between the characters that the pages flew by. However, there were also quite a few subtle moments that allowed the reader’s imaginations to run a bit wild (as in, everyone leaves to take showers…a lot…you following me here?).

Don’t judge the book solely on its sex appeal, though. Bye tells a solid story that is well written and easy to relate to. More specifically, Bye demonstrates a knack for taking pop culture references across several genres and weaving them into the psyche of her characters. The transition is completely seamless giving us characters that we can love, hate, grieve with, and overall understand. That truly is gift.

The magic and mythology of her world is also relatable, particularly for those who are familiar with mythology and magical creatures. There were some creative twists on traditional interpretations of magic that were well thought out, simplified, and unraveled in an unpretentious way. In fact, I often found myself thinking, “That could TOTALLY happen!” These little surprises in the plot line made for a delightful read.

Overall, if you like the works of Charlaine Harris or Elizabeth Hunter then you’ll love this book. The best part? There’s more to come. I can’t wait to read the next installment!

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out of the Shadows is a beginning to a whole new world of fantasy that is like a clash of everything colliding with an average normal chick. This story was pretty fantastic. It has its flaws but for now I I would like to chalk that up to the fact that it is the first book in the series.

The main story itself with Sachi and what begins to happen to her and where her life is going to go even beyond this book is written very well. There is a little make-out which you look forward to, and there is a make-out that you almost wish was there too. Yep, I'm talking the love triangle. But that is only speculation on my part. I'll have to read the next book in the series to know for sure.

There are so many authors that I can think of in the same genre of this book, and I feel like this book fits in great with all of them. All the different characters, all the mystery back plots, totally remind me of Karen Chance's Cassie Palmer series.

Ashlee Nicole Bye has written this book with many different points of views that are constantly changing to give you a full perspective of the world. Although at times it seems like you are meeting new characters and then they get discarded right after that scene, you get a really good idea of an actual world beginning to be built. I didn't care for the end, and you will see why. It's another scene with a couple of random characters get dropped into your lap, and then it is THE END. I feel like this would be something to tack on after the book is over. Like a beginning to the next book. BUT, even with all that, it is a great story.