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Casting Shadows #1
Casting Shadows
There is Light and Darkness to Everything We See
On one of the bloodiest days in American History a magical diary comes into existence. Centuries later, a girl from a small town of Harpers Ferry, WV is haunted by a dream that will forever change her life. Magic and death come together in the dark world of the Gate, where demons are running loose and ghosts are roaming the streets. Where will fate lead eighteen-year-old Rebecca Grimwood when a demon of a Civil War surgeon is after her? Will the Gate tremble and fall? Or will she banish the demons and protect the ones she loves? The Diary holds all the secrets.
On one of the bloodiest days in American History a magical diary comes into existence. Centuries later, a girl from a small town of Harpers Ferry, WV is haunted by a dream that will forever change her life. Magic and death come together in the dark world of the Gate, where demons are running loose and ghosts are roaming the streets. Where will fate lead eighteen-year-old Rebecca Grimwood when a demon of a Civil War surgeon is after her? Will the Gate tremble and fall? Or will she banish the demons and protect the ones she loves? The Diary holds all the secrets.
360 pages, ebook
Published January 12, 2021
3 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
About the author
Dziyana Taylor
6 books26 followersMy dark fantasy, paranormal romance, Casting Shadows, is my debut novel.
Dziyana Taylor lives in Ohio with her husband and two felines. When she is not writing, you can find her traveling to Civil War battlefields and browsing Historical Society catalogs in search for new relics, artifacts and stories that serve as inspiration for her young adult novels. Connect with her via social media @grimwoodworld to learn more about Casting Shadows trilogy.
Dziyana Taylor lives in Ohio with her husband and two felines. When she is not writing, you can find her traveling to Civil War battlefields and browsing Historical Society catalogs in search for new relics, artifacts and stories that serve as inspiration for her young adult novels. Connect with her via social media @grimwoodworld to learn more about Casting Shadows trilogy.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 14, 2021
“Evil has no boundaries; it lives through time and history and gets carried through people. When you really give it some thought, evil is indestructible.”
Reading a book by an author that I've never read before is exciting. I don't know what I'm getting myself into and I don't know what to expect. It's thrilling as you get familiar with the writing style as the story develops.
Dziyana did a great job at automatically catching my attention with this story. To combine history with the modern-day and put a twist on it is genius. It kept me entertained and interested in piecing all the clues together. I jumped into this not knowing much about the author or the story and I was immersed in the tale of ghostly beings and family secrets.
The author's words were really beautiful and they flowed like poetry. She knew the right way to capture her audience and keep them glued to the story. As much as I enjoyed that, there was a tad bit of weirdness that came along with everything. A weirdness that I wasn't expecting. It threw me off the path of this great story and things kind of went a little south from there. It's not that the story was bad because I really enjoyed this one and I'm excited to read book two, I think I was just confused about the choices that Becca made and was thinking of making. Even after I finished this one, I'm still trying to figure out what her obsession is with a ghost that died in the mid-late 1800s.
Casting Shadows was a great read that took us on quite the journey. My war interested heart loved that this one included the Civil War because not many Authors involve that war in their stories. My hope for book two is that we learn more about the history of Rebecca, her family, and Derek and why Derek was the chosen one. I'm excited to see where the author takes us next time around. All I can say is that I'm excited.
And Becca! Girl! Make better choices!!
Reading a book by an author that I've never read before is exciting. I don't know what I'm getting myself into and I don't know what to expect. It's thrilling as you get familiar with the writing style as the story develops.
Dziyana did a great job at automatically catching my attention with this story. To combine history with the modern-day and put a twist on it is genius. It kept me entertained and interested in piecing all the clues together. I jumped into this not knowing much about the author or the story and I was immersed in the tale of ghostly beings and family secrets.
The author's words were really beautiful and they flowed like poetry. She knew the right way to capture her audience and keep them glued to the story. As much as I enjoyed that, there was a tad bit of weirdness that came along with everything. A weirdness that I wasn't expecting. It threw me off the path of this great story and things kind of went a little south from there. It's not that the story was bad because I really enjoyed this one and I'm excited to read book two, I think I was just confused about the choices that Becca made and was thinking of making. Even after I finished this one, I'm still trying to figure out what her obsession is with a ghost that died in the mid-late 1800s.
Casting Shadows was a great read that took us on quite the journey. My war interested heart loved that this one included the Civil War because not many Authors involve that war in their stories. My hope for book two is that we learn more about the history of Rebecca, her family, and Derek and why Derek was the chosen one. I'm excited to see where the author takes us next time around. All I can say is that I'm excited.
And Becca! Girl! Make better choices!!
March 1, 2021
This is a romance/dark fantasy/historical fiction debut novel by Dziyana Taylor.
I’m a bit of a civil war nerd, and I love fantasy, so I picked this up for a bit of light reading, and it totally knocked me off my feet. Dziyana’s flowing poetic prose was quite literally inspiring, so much so that I started listening to Chopin when it rains because of this book, and I’m being genuinely honest. You’ll know why when you read it.
Her character development is good, I found myself pulling for both rival male protagonists for differing reasons. Her female heroine is everything I want from that role, nuanced, caring, strong yet weak, introspectively unsure yet outwardly confident.
There’s periods of deep emotional romance in abundance, it almost wafts from the pages, and exhilarating dark fantastical scenes where I couldn’t seem turn the pages fast enough to find out what happens next. Really good stuff.
Then to top it all off (as a side note) I looked on social media to find out more about the author, and English isn’t even her native language. She’s an immigrant from Eastern Europe, yet she’s writing top shelf fiction in her genre.
From what I understand this is book one of a trilogy. I’ll be preordering the rest as soon as they are available.
*****
I’m a bit of a civil war nerd, and I love fantasy, so I picked this up for a bit of light reading, and it totally knocked me off my feet. Dziyana’s flowing poetic prose was quite literally inspiring, so much so that I started listening to Chopin when it rains because of this book, and I’m being genuinely honest. You’ll know why when you read it.
Her character development is good, I found myself pulling for both rival male protagonists for differing reasons. Her female heroine is everything I want from that role, nuanced, caring, strong yet weak, introspectively unsure yet outwardly confident.
There’s periods of deep emotional romance in abundance, it almost wafts from the pages, and exhilarating dark fantastical scenes where I couldn’t seem turn the pages fast enough to find out what happens next. Really good stuff.
Then to top it all off (as a side note) I looked on social media to find out more about the author, and English isn’t even her native language. She’s an immigrant from Eastern Europe, yet she’s writing top shelf fiction in her genre.
From what I understand this is book one of a trilogy. I’ll be preordering the rest as soon as they are available.
*****
May 6, 2021
Refreshing and intriguing, with a good dose of romance.
Rating: 4/5
I don't have enough good things to say about this book! Dziyana Taylor's Casting Shadows is a fantastic paranormal read, packed with action, adventure, and the right amount of historical appreciation. I love Rebecca, and while I think she should have given Nick more of a chance I have to agree that there is something just too darn alluring about Derek.
Casting Shadows starts out on a Civil War battlefield, so appropriate considering all of the political turmoil in the Capitol, and jerks us forward at almost blazing speed into the modern-day. Harper's Ferry is the perfect setting for Rebecca to get some R&R, and to maybe run in to some paranormal friends to spice up her life. Taylor's depiction of the area, and her appreciation for the antiquity of the DMV, was a delight throughout the book.
I'm still hanging off the edge of my seat over the ending, and cannot WAIT to see what happens in the next installment in the series!
I received a copy of this book courtesy of GenZ Publishing and Taylor. All of the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Rating: 4/5
I don't have enough good things to say about this book! Dziyana Taylor's Casting Shadows is a fantastic paranormal read, packed with action, adventure, and the right amount of historical appreciation. I love Rebecca, and while I think she should have given Nick more of a chance I have to agree that there is something just too darn alluring about Derek.
Casting Shadows starts out on a Civil War battlefield, so appropriate considering all of the political turmoil in the Capitol, and jerks us forward at almost blazing speed into the modern-day. Harper's Ferry is the perfect setting for Rebecca to get some R&R, and to maybe run in to some paranormal friends to spice up her life. Taylor's depiction of the area, and her appreciation for the antiquity of the DMV, was a delight throughout the book.
I'm still hanging off the edge of my seat over the ending, and cannot WAIT to see what happens in the next installment in the series!
I received a copy of this book courtesy of GenZ Publishing and Taylor. All of the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
December 17, 2020
This was at 4 stars for me at first, but I ended up rating it as 3 mostly because of the second part of the book and I'm going to explain why later on.
I must say I loved the beginning of the book! The first chapter was super interesting and getting to know more about Rebecca and her weird recurrent dreams was pretty cool.
It all starts when Becca goes to a Fortune Teller searching for answers. She then notices how much synchronicities are happening in her life, which helps her make up her mind and go to her grandma's house in Harpers Ferry. She has a feeling she might get some answers about her dreams there.
When we get to Harpers Ferry we meet Nick, Becca's childhood bestfriend. I think their friendship was sweet and at this point I really like them both as characters. The way Nick cared for Becca was really heartwarming.
The story gets interesting when she meets Derek and a whole new world of shadows she didn't know was real. He was my favourite character.
As for the writing, I think it was beautiful, I must even say it was poetic at times. I loved the metaphors and the descriptions, which made it so easy to imagine the setting and the world of shadows quite beautifully. The world the author created was really cool I must say.
However, as soon as we get past 60% of the book things start getting a bit confusing. Some of the scenes felt a bit rushed and I ended up going back to re-read and see if I missed something. The pacing at this point was a bit off, as if the writer had so much to tell and didn't know how to balance information and actions in a smooth and organized way. This was the main issue for me.
Also, I feel like some important information was left unanswered, Derek's background for instance. We get to know some of his past story, yes, however we don't know how he became the gatekeeper and this really bothered me.
If there's a second book, I'm looking forward to it.
I must say I loved the beginning of the book! The first chapter was super interesting and getting to know more about Rebecca and her weird recurrent dreams was pretty cool.
It all starts when Becca goes to a Fortune Teller searching for answers. She then notices how much synchronicities are happening in her life, which helps her make up her mind and go to her grandma's house in Harpers Ferry. She has a feeling she might get some answers about her dreams there.
When we get to Harpers Ferry we meet Nick, Becca's childhood bestfriend. I think their friendship was sweet and at this point I really like them both as characters. The way Nick cared for Becca was really heartwarming.
The story gets interesting when she meets Derek and a whole new world of shadows she didn't know was real. He was my favourite character.
As for the writing, I think it was beautiful, I must even say it was poetic at times. I loved the metaphors and the descriptions, which made it so easy to imagine the setting and the world of shadows quite beautifully. The world the author created was really cool I must say.
However, as soon as we get past 60% of the book things start getting a bit confusing. Some of the scenes felt a bit rushed and I ended up going back to re-read and see if I missed something. The pacing at this point was a bit off, as if the writer had so much to tell and didn't know how to balance information and actions in a smooth and organized way. This was the main issue for me.
Also, I feel like some important information was left unanswered, Derek's background for instance. We get to know some of his past story, yes, however we don't know how he became the gatekeeper and this really bothered me.
If there's a second book, I'm looking forward to it.
December 30, 2020
Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Casting Shadows series. I got a copy of this from NetGalley to review.
Story (2/5): I got about 25% through this book before I decided to stop reading it. The writing style is very poetic but also uses strange comparisons and imagery to try to explain stuff to the reader; it's almost overly flowery but awkwardly so. At 25% in, not a whole lot has happened. We get an initial chapter set during the Battle of Gettysburg where we watch a soldier who is supposed to be defending some sort of journal die. Then we come back to the present time and start reading from Becca's POV. Becca is an 18 year old girl who has had a recurring dream for 2 years, that just now makes her decide she should go to her grandmother's house in Harper's Ferry to sort things out. In the first quarter of the book we get to her grandmother's house.
There are also some inconsistencies throughout. For example Becca loses her phone and a bit of a deal is made about it, but then a few pages later she is using her phone....maybe I missed her finding it (this was pretty tough to read) but I don't think I did.
Characters (2/5): A huge issue I had with the book was the "voice" of Becca. She is an eighteen year old who talks like she's in her 30's or 40's (or maybe even older). Maybe she is being portrayed as an old soul, but her thoughts, the way she talked, and her actions were not at all 18 year oldish (unless Becca was raised under a rock or in a time gone by). I was constantly confused by the fact that she was bouncing between guardians houses and then constantly having to remind myself that she was only 18.
Setting (2/5): Most of this book looks like it’s going to be set in Harper’s Ferry. However, at 25% in we mainly have had very detailed descriptions of Becca’s grandmother’s house.
Writing Style (2/5): This is just flat out hard to read. The flowery language compared with strange mental imagery just made things hard to picture and has an awkward flow to it. Couple this with a number of inconsistencies and I struggled with this a lot. For example, there are inconsistencies in what was happening (Becca’s phone loss) and inconsistencies in tone (Becca sounding much older than she was). This was just poorly written and needs some serious editing.
My Summary (2/5): Overall, the struggle I was going through to try and read this wasn't worth the payback. I didn't enjoy the writing style, it was tough to follow, not much happened, and there were too many inconsistencies. The premise sounded interesting but from the other reviews I’ve read it sounds this book gets worse, not better as you get deeper in, so I decided to stop.
Story (2/5): I got about 25% through this book before I decided to stop reading it. The writing style is very poetic but also uses strange comparisons and imagery to try to explain stuff to the reader; it's almost overly flowery but awkwardly so. At 25% in, not a whole lot has happened. We get an initial chapter set during the Battle of Gettysburg where we watch a soldier who is supposed to be defending some sort of journal die. Then we come back to the present time and start reading from Becca's POV. Becca is an 18 year old girl who has had a recurring dream for 2 years, that just now makes her decide she should go to her grandmother's house in Harper's Ferry to sort things out. In the first quarter of the book we get to her grandmother's house.
There are also some inconsistencies throughout. For example Becca loses her phone and a bit of a deal is made about it, but then a few pages later she is using her phone....maybe I missed her finding it (this was pretty tough to read) but I don't think I did.
Characters (2/5): A huge issue I had with the book was the "voice" of Becca. She is an eighteen year old who talks like she's in her 30's or 40's (or maybe even older). Maybe she is being portrayed as an old soul, but her thoughts, the way she talked, and her actions were not at all 18 year oldish (unless Becca was raised under a rock or in a time gone by). I was constantly confused by the fact that she was bouncing between guardians houses and then constantly having to remind myself that she was only 18.
Setting (2/5): Most of this book looks like it’s going to be set in Harper’s Ferry. However, at 25% in we mainly have had very detailed descriptions of Becca’s grandmother’s house.
Writing Style (2/5): This is just flat out hard to read. The flowery language compared with strange mental imagery just made things hard to picture and has an awkward flow to it. Couple this with a number of inconsistencies and I struggled with this a lot. For example, there are inconsistencies in what was happening (Becca’s phone loss) and inconsistencies in tone (Becca sounding much older than she was). This was just poorly written and needs some serious editing.
My Summary (2/5): Overall, the struggle I was going through to try and read this wasn't worth the payback. I didn't enjoy the writing style, it was tough to follow, not much happened, and there were too many inconsistencies. The premise sounded interesting but from the other reviews I’ve read it sounds this book gets worse, not better as you get deeper in, so I decided to stop.
January 14, 2021
** Thank you To Netgalley for allowing to read the book for my honest opinion. **
To Star Thing’s Off i would say that i Loved The Pacing of the book. I love the style of the book that the Author Decide to take. As This is the First Book Ive read from Dziyana Taylor But If This is is going to be their Style of writing then we are all in for a wonderful treat. I Enjoyed the Metaphors and Descriptions of the book it Beyond Helped envision the scenes and characters in the book. Now with that I do Want to Say there were scenes in the book that felt very rushed but which kind of unbalanced the story a bit.
The Book Starts off With Getting To know the main character Becca and her recurring dream she has had for years. This said dream has led her into the arms of a Psychic as she wants some type of clarity. After Her Little Visit she notices a lot of similarities that are happening in her life which pushes her into heading back home to her grandmothers home to find her answers soon after she is reunited with the childhood best friend Nick, Their Relationship was very warm and inviting even after years the care nick has for Becca is outstanding.
Soon After Arriving To Harpers Ferry She sees things lurking in the Old Civil War Battle Ground That is The Small Town. She hears whispers and voices around which lead Becca into danger soon enough she is saved by A man named Derek and Things Start To Lighten Up For Our Poor Becca.
With Knowing this is book One I was More than Excited to see what happens in the next Installment.
I Will Be giving the book a 4/5
To Star Thing’s Off i would say that i Loved The Pacing of the book. I love the style of the book that the Author Decide to take. As This is the First Book Ive read from Dziyana Taylor But If This is is going to be their Style of writing then we are all in for a wonderful treat. I Enjoyed the Metaphors and Descriptions of the book it Beyond Helped envision the scenes and characters in the book. Now with that I do Want to Say there were scenes in the book that felt very rushed but which kind of unbalanced the story a bit.
The Book Starts off With Getting To know the main character Becca and her recurring dream she has had for years. This said dream has led her into the arms of a Psychic as she wants some type of clarity. After Her Little Visit she notices a lot of similarities that are happening in her life which pushes her into heading back home to her grandmothers home to find her answers soon after she is reunited with the childhood best friend Nick, Their Relationship was very warm and inviting even after years the care nick has for Becca is outstanding.
Soon After Arriving To Harpers Ferry She sees things lurking in the Old Civil War Battle Ground That is The Small Town. She hears whispers and voices around which lead Becca into danger soon enough she is saved by A man named Derek and Things Start To Lighten Up For Our Poor Becca.
With Knowing this is book One I was More than Excited to see what happens in the next Installment.
I Will Be giving the book a 4/5
December 17, 2020
1.5 stars review
I wanted to like this book. I wanted to sink into the story, and I wanted to be able to relate to the main character, but unfortunately, Casting Shadows and I just didn’t...click. I DNF’d about 1/4 of the way through.
I relatively enjoyed the first part of the book, the imagery was great, the character relationships with one another each held their own value, but I got to the part about the haunted house and I just didn’t want to go further.
I felt like this main character wasn’t realistic with her responses to what would be a fairly distressing or scary time for her and she relatively just shook it off. I don’t know about you guys, but I’d really start to question my sanity if I started seeing shadows and hearing voices.
Then there’s the main male counter part to the book. The prologue of the story was him from the civil war, then he arrives during the main storyline alongside the main character. There really hasn’t been any explanation as to what kind of supernatural force/ being he is. The only explanation we got at this point of the book was that he was a gatekeeper that protected a special diary and the world from demons.
The blurb sounded interesting, and I’m sure that there is an audience for this book, I just didn’t have any patients for it. I was given this e-book thanks to Dziyana Taylor and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I wanted to like this book. I wanted to sink into the story, and I wanted to be able to relate to the main character, but unfortunately, Casting Shadows and I just didn’t...click. I DNF’d about 1/4 of the way through.
I relatively enjoyed the first part of the book, the imagery was great, the character relationships with one another each held their own value, but I got to the part about the haunted house and I just didn’t want to go further.
I felt like this main character wasn’t realistic with her responses to what would be a fairly distressing or scary time for her and she relatively just shook it off. I don’t know about you guys, but I’d really start to question my sanity if I started seeing shadows and hearing voices.
Then there’s the main male counter part to the book. The prologue of the story was him from the civil war, then he arrives during the main storyline alongside the main character. There really hasn’t been any explanation as to what kind of supernatural force/ being he is. The only explanation we got at this point of the book was that he was a gatekeeper that protected a special diary and the world from demons.
The blurb sounded interesting, and I’m sure that there is an audience for this book, I just didn’t have any patients for it. I was given this e-book thanks to Dziyana Taylor and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
January 5, 2021
Casting Shadows by Dziyana Taylor is the first book in the Casting Shadows series and is set to be out on 12th January.
I give this book about 2 stars because I had to struggle to finish this book. The Writing style was tough to read. It was filled with so many rhetoric devices that I felt like I was reading a book for school and not something I would read for fun per se. Almost half-way through the book, I had to return back because I felt like I missed stuff. All through-out the book, I was so confused that I almost gave up on it.
The story progressed so slowly in the first half that it was borderline cringe. The early chapters are set during the Civil War, the Battle of Gettysburg, where we meet our male protagonist who dies protecting a Diary. The rest of the book takes place from Becca's POV, who is an 18-year-old. She has had weird dreams for about 2 years, so she decided to go to a Fortune Teller and then decided to move in with her Grandma. She met Derek there as he saved her life.
To check out my complete review: https://bookistic17.blogspot.com/2021...
I give this book about 2 stars because I had to struggle to finish this book. The Writing style was tough to read. It was filled with so many rhetoric devices that I felt like I was reading a book for school and not something I would read for fun per se. Almost half-way through the book, I had to return back because I felt like I missed stuff. All through-out the book, I was so confused that I almost gave up on it.
The story progressed so slowly in the first half that it was borderline cringe. The early chapters are set during the Civil War, the Battle of Gettysburg, where we meet our male protagonist who dies protecting a Diary. The rest of the book takes place from Becca's POV, who is an 18-year-old. She has had weird dreams for about 2 years, so she decided to go to a Fortune Teller and then decided to move in with her Grandma. She met Derek there as he saved her life.
To check out my complete review: https://bookistic17.blogspot.com/2021...
April 12, 2021
Casting Shadows is a debut novel for Dziyana Taylor that I would definitely recommend. If you'd like to get away from reality and jump into paranormal events filled with history, love, and friendship, that's the book for you.
It is an easy read that keeps you immersed all the time. The mystery starts off with the recurring dream and, along with other mysteries, it kept me very engaged throughout the book.
Casting Shadows combines historic fiction with events in modern time; I really enjoyed the good balance of both.
Moreover, the development of characters is built in a fascinating way. In fact, I connected with the main characters over several occasions, from their childhood memories to their curiosity to solve the mystery. The ending was also very intriguing...there is the second part going out shortly, I cannot wait!
Besides being taken away by the story and the book itself, I still cannot believe how well it's written by a non-native English speaker. I was astonished by such vivid descriptions. To be an author it's not about the language in which you write but about the talent you have, which Dziyana proved with Casting Shadows.
It is an easy read that keeps you immersed all the time. The mystery starts off with the recurring dream and, along with other mysteries, it kept me very engaged throughout the book.
Casting Shadows combines historic fiction with events in modern time; I really enjoyed the good balance of both.
Moreover, the development of characters is built in a fascinating way. In fact, I connected with the main characters over several occasions, from their childhood memories to their curiosity to solve the mystery. The ending was also very intriguing...there is the second part going out shortly, I cannot wait!
Besides being taken away by the story and the book itself, I still cannot believe how well it's written by a non-native English speaker. I was astonished by such vivid descriptions. To be an author it's not about the language in which you write but about the talent you have, which Dziyana proved with Casting Shadows.
October 27, 2021
I received a free copy from Net Galley. I struggled to stay interested and finish this book. But I did it. The premise of the paranormal with the Civil War added in seemed pretty unique but the timeline was strange, and it was hard to follow the twisted thinking. Characters came and went without any explanation of who or why they were in the story, who is the Butcher, besides Derek's brother and how was he created? Did I miss that in all the description and run on events that seemed to have nothing to do with anything. The main character was written as an 18 yr old going on 40. Seriously confusing. Very hard to have any sympathy for her when she was agonizing between her best friend and a ghost. What's your future with a ghost who is the Gatekeeper. What's that you ask. I have no idea and I read the whole thing. Ok, I ended up skimming the last quarter because I was seriously done with it by then. Throw in the some random demon attacks at weird times and other times when she ran around perfectly safe. I could not figure this book out at all. It needs a good editor and maybe a tighter outline to start.
May 23, 2021
Paranormal Romance / Historical
"Odd Thomas" meets Gettysburg
This is a beautifully- written first novel. The prose is lyrical, almost poetic at times. I loved the descriptions that began each chapter.
This book, the first in a series, finds a young woman, Rebecca, going to live with her grandmother in Harper's Ferry. This town is rich with Civil War history, and as a history buff I enjoyed the details the author included about this area and Gettysburg.
Nick, her best friend from childhood, greets her and immediately makes it clear he wants their relationship to turn romantic. Even the grandmother promotes that idea and I was rooting for Nick through most of the book, but this becomes an unusual love triangle when Rebecca meets a ghost of a Civil War soldier.
I'll stop before I give any spoilers. This is a lovely romance by a debut author that ends on quite a cliffhanger!
"Odd Thomas" meets Gettysburg
This is a beautifully- written first novel. The prose is lyrical, almost poetic at times. I loved the descriptions that began each chapter.
This book, the first in a series, finds a young woman, Rebecca, going to live with her grandmother in Harper's Ferry. This town is rich with Civil War history, and as a history buff I enjoyed the details the author included about this area and Gettysburg.
Nick, her best friend from childhood, greets her and immediately makes it clear he wants their relationship to turn romantic. Even the grandmother promotes that idea and I was rooting for Nick through most of the book, but this becomes an unusual love triangle when Rebecca meets a ghost of a Civil War soldier.
I'll stop before I give any spoilers. This is a lovely romance by a debut author that ends on quite a cliffhanger!
January 31, 2021
Rebecca (“Becca”) Grimwood has been having the same dream for two years about an overturned ambulance, a long winding road, a motorcycle, and a man she can’t identify. A fortune teller talks about her destiny and she returns to her hometown of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, to find answers to the questions that are bothering her. She sees unusual things there and is afraid whatever is whispering in the shadows is after her. A man named Derek saves her.
I really didn’t connect with this book. Some parts I enjoyed and others were difficult to get through. This is not to say it was bad – it wasn’t and others may really enjoy it. It just wasn’t consistently enjoyable all the way through for me this time.
I really didn’t connect with this book. Some parts I enjoyed and others were difficult to get through. This is not to say it was bad – it wasn’t and others may really enjoy it. It just wasn’t consistently enjoyable all the way through for me this time.
January 27, 2021
This is one book I could not put down! Dziyana Taylor is a phenomenal writer! Taylor writes in a way that is poetic and real all rolled up in one experience. It is as if you are right there in the story with Becca, Nick, Derek, Grams and Lida! I could feel myself walking the streets of Harpers Ferry or gazing out at the Potomac. Each chapter left me on the edge of my seat, so much so, I had to read on! It’s full of romance, mystery, suspense, scary moments, tender moments all while dealing with the paranormal. Taylor’s historical facts of the Civil War blended well with the modern times. I can not wait for the next book to come out in this series!
March 25, 2021
Casting Shadows is strong first novel from Dziyana Taylor. Taylor succeeds in cleverly portraying a paranormal romance in the larger context of historical fiction. The plot is engaging and the characters likeable. Hopefully we won't have to wait too long for her next installment.
April 12, 2025
Casting Shadows 2.0 is finally here! Thank you everyone who helped me bring this book to life, especially my new editor, my cover artist, and my loyal reviewers who wanted this book to shine! I hope you enjoy it!
December 31, 2020
West Virginia has a piece of my heart, as do authors that write about it. The time pieces were beautifully interwoven and immersed me in her thoughts. Well done!
January 31, 2021
This book has a good storyline but i coukdnt keep myself interested in it and ended up not finishing it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 25, 2021
"I know what people think about dreams. They are an illusion, fragments of memory that come crawling to the surface of the mind. They linger in some mysterious cosmos which we go to when our hearts are broken or we miss someone. They have the power to lie."
Hi guys,
It all started with a dream, and a girl who didn't know she lived in the world of shadows her entire life. I hope you enjoy her adventure. She sure isn't perfect but she would die for the ones she loves. Be patient as she leads you through the streets of Harpers Ferry and lets you hold her heart in the palm of your hand, while the world crumbles around her. She saved me, maybe she can save you too.
My Warm Wishes,
Dziyana
Hi guys,
It all started with a dream, and a girl who didn't know she lived in the world of shadows her entire life. I hope you enjoy her adventure. She sure isn't perfect but she would die for the ones she loves. Be patient as she leads you through the streets of Harpers Ferry and lets you hold her heart in the palm of your hand, while the world crumbles around her. She saved me, maybe she can save you too.
My Warm Wishes,
Dziyana
November 28, 2023
So, I’m having a hard time with this book. Theres some really good things, and things that need fixing. This isn’t my normal genre, so it’s going to make this review sound a bit harsh.
Good things first. The descriptions in this book are incredibly vivid. Even when a smell is described you can smell it.
The pacing is relatively good. The first chapter you’re like, omg what’s happening. Then it slows down a bit but the end really ramps up.
My first issues was the timing of the book. It seemed to jump. Like it’s Halloween then the next page over its magically thanksgiving with no “hey, time moved forward” kinda deal. It made things a bit confusing at times.
I also noticed that whenever a character says they’re going to explain, they really don’t. Like, I’m still confused over most of the stuff. How did Derek’s tree calendar work and why was it even important? How did Derek, Shawn, and George even get mixed up with the diary in the first place? Those are just a few, but I’m in general so confused on most of it I can’t really put the questions to words. I also think this just might be me not understanding and not that the author didn’t explain.
Now, for the love triangles. I personally HATE love triangles. This one is no exception. So if you like love triangles, you’ll probably enjoy this one.
Now for the ending. I still don’t know if Rebecca got into the accident on purpose or if it was an accident. I genuinely couldn’t tell, even after rereading it a few times. However, the consequences of it… holy cow.
Relatively good paranormal romance if that’s your cup of tea!
Good things first. The descriptions in this book are incredibly vivid. Even when a smell is described you can smell it.
The pacing is relatively good. The first chapter you’re like, omg what’s happening. Then it slows down a bit but the end really ramps up.
My first issues was the timing of the book. It seemed to jump. Like it’s Halloween then the next page over its magically thanksgiving with no “hey, time moved forward” kinda deal. It made things a bit confusing at times.
I also noticed that whenever a character says they’re going to explain, they really don’t. Like, I’m still confused over most of the stuff. How did Derek’s tree calendar work and why was it even important? How did Derek, Shawn, and George even get mixed up with the diary in the first place? Those are just a few, but I’m in general so confused on most of it I can’t really put the questions to words. I also think this just might be me not understanding and not that the author didn’t explain.
Now, for the love triangles. I personally HATE love triangles. This one is no exception. So if you like love triangles, you’ll probably enjoy this one.
Now for the ending. I still don’t know if Rebecca got into the accident on purpose or if it was an accident. I genuinely couldn’t tell, even after rereading it a few times. However, the consequences of it… holy cow.
Relatively good paranormal romance if that’s your cup of tea!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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