Ethereal

The Light in the Shadow

by Zoe P. Knights

"My every path leads to hell... and I can't take you down with me."

Everyone warned her. He warned her. She warned herself.

When Eddie Osmond left her dysfunctional home in Australia for a supposedly prestigious boarding school in Southern England, she thought achieving top grades would be her biggest concern. But, the school is rife with corruption and strange encounters - all of which stem from the most infamous and infuriating player of her year: Samael Finley. A boy who she absolutely wants nothing to do with and wouldn't, on her life, fall for.

Until she did.

He was the son of the devil. She was just a human. The moment she fell for him, her path was paved. If this love is what would send her to hell... her fate was set in stone.

Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy

279 pages, ARC

Published May 14, 2019

About the author

Hello!

I'm new to all this, but I love to write and wanted to get this book out into the world. Paranormal romance and fantasy are my favourite genres. Hence... my book, Ethereal. I can't wait to finish writing book two so you can all continue reading Sam and Eddie's journey!

About me... well, I'm 26 and married to an awesome husband. My golden retriever, Cece, is my favourite writing companion and goes with me everywhere!

I hope you enjoy my books!

Reviews

[Lena Muo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book

I love paranormal romance books, especially if the guy is a bad boy. I love the banter between Eddie and Sam and how Sam drives Eddie crazy

The story starts of slow but it is immersive. I read the book and was drawn to it from the start. I love the theme of Angel's and demons. Sam is the son of Lucifer. With that one would think the prerequisite is that he is evil but it is not the case for Sam. He is a character with depth and some background story.

I can't wait for book two

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Eden Osmond has one year left until her high school graduation. Home life in Australia is strained and dysfunctional. In an attempt to get her away from the drama to focus on school her brother convinces Eddie to move to England to finish her last year of school at Oakland Abby. It doesn't take a pretty girl like Eddie long to make new friends and maybe draw some extra attention from the schools bad boy. Everyone, including the attractive bad boy Sam, warns her to stay away from him. Of course, she doesn't and the two develop feelings for each other. Things get even more complicated when Eddie discovers that Sam isn't just a bad boy, but the son of The Devil himself. Now the two must figure out their future together and if they can even have one. Filled with excitement, desire and drama Ethereal is definitely something to get lost in.

I found this book to be absolutely great. There was something so charming and magical about the entire story. The characters were wonderfully developed. I found myself captivated by Eddie and Sam. Their relationship was sweet and cute at times while being intense other times, exactly what you would expect from two people in their situations. Everyone had such strong individual personalities. The detail about the characters, situation and settings made reading it feel like watching a movie in my mind. I could really see cliques, cliches and drama of high school.

I really enjoyed reading this book, I absolutely loved it! I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in paranormal YA fiction and/or romance. Fans of paranormal fiction would also enjoy this read.

This and my other reviews can be found at
https://fourmoonreviews.blogspot.com/...

[Brittany Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eden is the new kid at a prestigious English boarding school. As the only new upper sixth former, newly come from Australia, she is also a scholarship kid that definitely feels out of the loop. When she runs into bad boy Sam-whom everyone has warned her to stay away- she starts to feel this connection. Though she tries to fight it she eventually gives in and dives off the deep end.


The story is very high school-ey and does remind me quite a lot of Twilight,except we are dealing with angels and demons! It was a slow burn in the beginning-only because of the high school drama that is the foundation/background of the story. Eden does eventually grow a backbone-unlike Bella-in this first book and as soon as she started to take a stand it picked up. Eden did have me a bit on the fence at first but she soon proved herself to be a very capable MC instead of a wilting flower.

I had to remind myself that it was in a high school atmosphere which-I will admit- was a chunk of time ago. Once that was in my head it was smooth sailing. The storyline was very good and well executed. I really appreciated the details and the amount of attention that was put into this story. You could tell that the author had done a lot of it when it came to the Angels and it makes for a better experience all around.

I will say for me it was a slow burn to start, but it did pick up quite quickly and then I was not able to put it down.I would read the sequel as I was gripped by the story and want to see where it goes. This is definitely a nice, easy read to keep you occupied on holiday or even for a weekend break. I am happy that I read it and would recommend this book, especially to fans of the Hush series and Twilight.

[carrie thackston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ethereal is a great YA paranormal romance. Eden or Eddie as she is called goes to a boarding school in England so she can focus on school and generally just be a teenager. Her family life is a great stressor for someone so young. Sam basically lives at the boarding school because his family life is a whole other world of complications, literally. Sam is the son of Lucifer. I loved Eden, she really has a lot of worries, but she is also able to cut loose a little at school. Sam has the carefree vibe going, but it's all an act. These two grow close, first as friends then as more. Eddie has no problem seeing past Sam's disguise to the good person he really is. She helps him feel normal and hopeful. There are other characters that play an important part in the lives of these two and I am so interested to see who is really on their side. At this point they are not even sure what side they are on, it's all kind of unknown. One of my favorite characters is Neeshka, the hellhound. The author gave her such soul. I am really curious about Lucifer, he seems bad, but there is something that suggests maybe something else is going on.
It is often hard for me to feel any kind of like or connection to younger characters because they are usually wishy washy as most teens are, but the author did an amazing job of not only getting me to like them, but also getting me invested in them and their journey. The author has really built an interesting world that revolves around Sam and Eddie, and you know they are part of a much bigger picture. I loved the descriptions of the old buildings at the school as well as the amazing descriptions of Hell. I really enjoyed Ethereal can't wait to see what happens next!

[Gitta Sereg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god!
When I first read Ethereal (I finished at night) I was pretty much on an Ethereal-high. I was so happy to read it. I have a big soft spot for paranormal young adult fiction. It gives me fuzzy happy feels.
I started to write this review at night but soon I realized I can't go into the spoiler-y territory but if you love to know nothing about a novel proceed with caution. Please.
Why I loved this novel so much?
It was funny as hell. Pardon the pun. :) More than once I laughed aloud. :)
I lovee Eden as much as I like Samael. Eden's personality is truly a treasure. (And she likes baking as much as i am! :D) For Samael I can tell you I really missed a character with supernatural abilities who is not violent at all. He is handsome, dark, unpredictable but he is kind. He is honest. I like him and I like his non-toxic masculinity too.
Other things should be mentioned: Possible lgbtq+ themes, diversity, realistic portrayal of an dysfunctional family, school struggles, cultural differences, and characters who wants to be good.
I need to finish this review before I go into spoiler-zone. :D
I loved this novel with all of my heart.
I am looking forward to reading the second part. <3

[Donna Till · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG I loved this book, from start to finish i just couldn't put it down.
Eddie has left her home and family in Australia to go to a boarding school in England. There she meets a boy called Samael. A boy who doesn't care about anyone and seems to get whatever he wants. She knows she should stay away from him but she cant. He is the son of the devil and she is a human, everything is against them and who knows if their feelings for each other are strong enough.
This book drew me in from the beginning and it has it all - paranormal, suspense, love. The book is so well written and it flows perfectly. This book ends on a cliffhanger and i hope there will be another book to come.

[Leah Dynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eddie is headed to a boarding school in England, and she has no idea what’s ahead for her. When she meets Sam, she’s intrigued, but is warned away from his player ways. But when she starts seeing glimpses of the real him, she can’t stay away, and she finds a lot more than she bargained for. Sam stays away from relationships of any sort, because he thinks he’s unworthy of someone caring about him, and worried about what he will become. But once Eddie comes into his life, he can’t keep himself away. I’m ready for the next book.

[Gitanjali Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first started this book I found it a bit slow but then it got so intense that i literally had an emotional breakdown when it ended.Such a wonderful story line and it focuses more on reality themes even when it's paranormal.The world that the author has created for Eden and Zack is stunning and the description is very powerful.
I am usually a sucker for YA upper class romance and add in mythology itz just my personal favorite combination.
Zack and Eden are part of much bigger picture and I can't wait to read the next book.
Definitely worthy!!

[Philleys Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good beginning to a promising new young adult paranormal romance. Eden has won the only scholarship offered once a year by a prestigious school in England, a once in a lifetime opportunity for someone like Eden or Eddie. Meeting Samael, the half human son of the Devil himself, develops into friendship and romance and the revelation of secrets not for humans to know. If the Devil finds out, there will be hell to pay. I enjoyed reading this first book of the series and look forward to the next.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[TheBookishK9RN · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book set in a high school environment with all the teenage angst. Add to that Eddie being the poor kid from a troubled home and Sams home life being HELL literally. The story is well written and draws you in from the start. The romance is a little slow at first but then takes off. I enjoyed reading this book and would love to read the sequel to see where things go.
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.

[NanaShauna Joesten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this is an Epic read. This read pulls you in and keeps you inthralled from the first page to the last. Leaving you wanting more. Eddie goes off to school where she meets a few new friends along with Sam but she doesn't realize theres something different about him. At first they have issues. Can they get past those issues. If you are a Lover of Twilight Saga this is definitely up that alley. This is definitely an epic read you don't want to miss.
Shauna Joesten

[Kathy L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been some time since I read a good YA story. This book was really good. Hooks you from the start. I had not realized it was part of a series, but now I will definitely be keeping up with the rest of the books. The story is way too interesting to be left unfinished.
Angels and demons; Heaven and hell....yeah, well worth the read!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sally Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, had me right from the beginning,she was the poor girl in a school full of rich kids, my heart broke in a couple of places reading this, ugly crying insued, but I really enjoyed it, and will keep an eye out for the sequel.

[Francesca Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story raced along, fast moving and engaging. The chemistry between the main characters was sizzling and their developing relationship kept me intrigued, as did the mysteries and danger threaded throughout the story. This author is one to watch, this series is going to be huge.

[Shawn Pinzon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Demons, hellhounds and angels a page turner and action packed. One of the best Y/A novel of the year. Loved it!! Can't wait to read the rest of the series.

[Christina McIntosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! I was enthralled from the very beginning! I can not wait for the second book to see what happens next to Eden and Sam! Fantastic Read!!

[Genni Piatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved reading Ethereal! Watching Eddie find her place in a new boarding school in a new country was great. The school bad boy, Samael is more than meets the eyes. Eddie seems to be the only one who Sam gives a second thought. They become friends and this causes tensions with the rest of Eddie's classmates, especially the religious group on campus who believes that Sam is the Antichrist.