Shadow Hills, by Anastasia Hopcus

Title: Shadow Hills

Author: Anastasia Hopcus

Publisher: Egmont

Release: July 13, 2010

After her sister Athena's tragic death, it's obvious that grief-stricken Persephone "Phe" Archer no longer belongs in Los Angeles. Hoping to make sense of her sister's sudden demise and the cryptic dreams following it, Phe abandons her bubbly LA life to attend an uptight East Coast preparatory school in Shadow Hills, MA — a school which her sister mysteriously mentioned in her last diary entry before she died. Once there, Phe quickly realizes that something is deeply amiss in her new town. Not only does Shadow Hills' history boast an unexplained epidemic that decimated hundreds of its citizens in the 1700s, but its modern townies also seem eerily psychic, with the bizarre ability to bend metal. Even Zach — the gorgeous stranger Phe meets and immediately begins to lust after — seems as if he is hiding something serious. Phe is determined to get to the bottom of it. The longer she stays there, the more she suspects that her sister's untimely death and her own destiny are intricately linked to those who reside in Shadow Hills.

To be honest, I really didn’t have that high of expectations before reading Shadow Hills. In fact, the first time I heard about it I just brushed it off. Only when it was released and I started seeing tons of rave reviews did I decide that I might like it and gave it a chance. And I am so glad I did.

Phe was a really great protagonist. She is strong enough to put her friends and family before herself, which you definitely see a lot of in this book. Her friends were so well-written and I loved each and every one of them… especially Adriana. The romance between Phe and Zach kinda came out of nowhere, but doesn’t all love these days?

This is a very well-written debut. I had a few qualms, but once I got over them, I just went with the flow and really enjoyed the story. The mix of action, mystery, history, and romance is just perfect.

It was really interesting to read about the BVs and their powers. It was unlike anything I had ever read before and was so fresh and new. I am excited to see what happens to them in the future books. I also cannot wait to see what happens to Phe and her powers later on.

The ending was pretty bittersweet. Everything was hunky-dory, but it left you wanting so much more. I cannot wait to see where future books go because this one left me with so many unanswered questions.

I would definitely recommend this well-written debut for it’s great protagonist and her friends, a spicy romance, and just the write mix of action, love, and mystery. You will not regret picking this one up.