Jeri Smith-Ready

4.5 Stars!!

Truly in the top favorites of the friends-to-lovers trope, this takes the #1 spot for me in this series so far!!

Robert has come to a place in his life where he’s finally ready to admit his attraction to men. Truthfully, it’s really all about one particular man and that’s Liam, his best friend since they were 6 years old. Robert’s all set to take the plunge but is scared that Liam’s personal hangups might prevent their ultimate happiness. However, he’s determined for Liam to be his first in all things M/M - being with him is simply natural, logical, inevitable.

Liam is quite stunned by Robert’s revelation. He’s always been attracted to Robert but knowing he was straight, he never entertained such thoughts. Liam doesn’t want to get too attached - he’ll gladly be Robert’s guide to the wonderful world of smex, but anything more is off the table due to his distrust of relationships and commitment in general. He wouldn’t dare think they could have something more, stubbornly believing the “friends with benefits” route is the way to go. However, it’s that very friendship that’s on the line, despite him not wanting to risk it. A relationship with Robert is his worst fear and greatest hope - will he make up his mind before it’s too late?

What made this so enjoyable was that both Robert and Liam were wholly likeable, with relatable fears and insecurities. It doesn’t hurt that this had great progression as they slowly learn each other in all the new wonderful ways. *waggles brows* What pushed this beyond most stories of this trope, was the evolution of these two. I’ve not subtly complained about the realistic need for a protracted introduction to sexy first times. For me, many have failed this miserably, but this right here, excelled - and it was hot, hot, hot, interspersed with some real tenderness, vulnerability, and intimacy. Oh yeah.

As my good friend Meags perfectly said, this series has it all. Topical angst, unbelievable sexy times, characters that are genuinely earnest, and feels that are so heartfelt. Definitely a standout series and one of my favorites!… (mehr)

This is another in a rapidly growing list of books I’ve attempted lately that start out okay, and then fizzle. By the 3/4 mark it became abundantly clear that this book just wasn’t going to get any better - and I regretted sticking it out. There’s nothing really wrong with it: the writing’s fine, the plot’s okay, and the characters aren’t totally dull. But there’s nothing really right with it either: the turns of phrase aren’t stellar, the humour isn’t hilarious, and the action isn’t fully engaging. Since a hum-drum read isn’t exactly conducive to reading in bed after a long day, it took me much longer than usual to finish it. Definitely not a series I’ll be continuing.… (mehr)

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready was popular back when I was in high school. I SO wanted to read it, but never got my hands on it. Eventually I did, and it got lost in the abyss of my house. Until, one day, I went through all of my books (yay for the Pandemic lockdown making us all bored out of our minds) and found it! It yet again sat on my shelf until recently when it kept staring me down. I realized I made a vital mistake... This book is so good!

I remembered why I adored these kind of YA books back in my teen years when I picked Shade up. It was fast paced, full of teenaged drama and angst, and on top of it all had a really interesting fantasy plot that kept me guessing the entire way. I binged the first half of this book in one sitting and then realized I needed to go to bed for work the next day (what a shame, honestly). I then managed to slow it down and finish the book two days later. Regardless, this book exceeded my expectations and I absolutely need the rest of this series in my hands ASAP. Anyone got a spare copy?

The gist of this story: Something big happened and suddenly certain people can see ghosts. Ghosts are stuck in this world because they haven't received justice or haven't completed some important thing that will make them rest. Some of these ghosts get pretty darn angry and lose control, becoming "Shades" (hence the title). Our lead's name is Aura (fitting for the story, eh?) and she is dating a hunky soon-to-be-rockstar named Logan. These cuties go to a big concert where he is performing and is being followed by some big named music producers. Unfortunately, things don't turn out well when Logan tragically dies and Aura (who can see ghosts, by the way) has to now live life with an undead/ghosty boyfriend. Oh, and did I mention the government also really likes people who can talk to ghosts? Because of course the government is weaponizing and monpolizing this power. Duh. Things haven't changed much from 2011, have they?

There's a new transfer student named Zachary who is a Scot (yay accents!). He joins Aura's school project and the two of them form an incredible friendship. Aura is inching away from her ghosty boyfriend Logan and seems to have interest in Zachary, but she's not interested in a love triangle (thank goodness). As Aura's perspective on life changes, Logan's family and friends want Logan to have peace. But what if he doesn't? He still cares for Aura and sees some potential for a future, even as a ghost. But... what happens when Logan thinks about Aura's future? Things get rough, things get ugly, and things get shady (Bonus marks for those who get the bad joke).

This book has a lot of mystery behind it - why are these powers a thing? What happened to cause this? Why did the government decide to get involved? Why is Aura so important?

I'll need these sequels ASAP because this was just so much fun! Go Jeri! You brought back the fun of my teen years in one book. What a ride!

Five out of five stars.… (mehr)