Posted on  20/08/2024 13:23:42

My rating: 5 of 5 stars "If Shadow Soul has taught me anything, it's that one should never give up. Whatever your circumstances, whatever your dream, however high you've stumbled - rise and rise again. There is always light at the end of even the darkest of tunnels.
Follow the Light."
M.J. Bavis

And that is exactly what your book is teaching us readers, M.J.!

A big warm thank you for that!

Let me start off by saying that I didn't know at all what to expect when I decided to give this book a try. The blurb was interesting enough but didn't give much away and it had too few reviews to really let in on the plot. In the end, I decided to just see how it goes. And I'm telling you folks, it turned out to be A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!

Camilla wants to forget! She wants to forget her identity, her home and her past because her guilt and loss are too much to bear! Physical pain is a welcome punishment for the deeds of her past and that is why Camilla ends up in hospital on more than one occasion, battered and bruised, and hurting. It's easy to put yourself into dangerous situations when you have nothing to loose; and that's exactly what Camilla does. Moving, or better said running, from place to place with no friends, no attachments and no purpose, she got so used to fleeing the demons that shadow her every move, that she forgot how to live.

Until kindness is given her, with understanding and no questions, by a caretaker in the hospital Camilla last awakens in. Everyone there pities the girls who was brought in practically in a coma. The battered girl who seems to know nothing other than her own name. And in the wake of that kindness, Camilla finally starts to settle down and learn to live within her own skin. She makes friends and starts to really live. Or that's how it would appear at least. A girl with a false name living a shadow of the life she could really have! For what is life after all, if you build it on a lie? And what future can you have when you hide from who you really are?!

Just as things seem to settle down for Camilla, the past comes crashing down on her, in the form of an elusive young man who simply doesn't want to back down! He will bring out all of Camilla's demons and present her with a choice she would have never dreamed of making. A path she would have never hoped to take. A future she firmly believes she doesn't deserve.

"The greatest battles aren't fought with fists and swords. The deciding battle, the one holding the key to your fate, is fought in the mind."

Leo dares her to face her demons: Stop being a chicken Kalika. But will Camilla have the courage to do it?
When we take a too big fall and sink too deep, the strength to rise back up and carry on may be a little out of reach. And that's exactly what Camilla faces. When she is offered that new noble purpose and call to duty will she be able to step up to the challenge, or is the pain of her past too huge to face?
To find her path, she must first find herself.

Both Camilla, as well as the other characters are solid. Flawed and easily identifiable with. Camilla is fully broken and her path towards mending herself is a touching testimony of courage. Leo on the other hand...

Ohhh My!!! I just love Leo!!!
He's the perfect hero to root for!! Not that he's perfect cause he isn't! He's just cool and awesome and determined and... well yeah, you get the idea! :)

The writing style is beautiful. Clean and naturally flowing, it makes reading a pleasure. And the plot... it will have you hooked already by the time you hit the quarter mark! You'll find yourself trying your best to fit the pieces of the puzzle together and find out what in the world can be so bad that a girl would want to put herself in a coma to forget! You'll get little clues dropped on the way, just like a little trail of breadcrumbs that you can't help but want to follow!

Let me not forget the bromance! If bromance is how you call the awesome relationship between friends of both sexes! The bromance rocks in this book! The witty banter, the sarcasm, the humor and yes, even the love!!! You will absolutely love it!!

"So you don't hate me? Leo stopped across the road from my house.
"No, you doughnut, though you do rub me the wrong way."

In the end, cause I already kept you too long :D... this book will give you heartbreak and determination, humor and love, mystery and action as well as a little reminder to never give up and always, always, always... get back up try again!

This paranormal fantasy YA is one of those page turners that you'll find yourself cradling in the wee hours of the morning when your eyes are already heavy and still, you just don't wanna stop reading because:


A new debut by an author to watch for, Shadow Soul reads like a charm!
You have got to try this people!!
You may just like it quite as much as I did!
Happy reading. :) 

Check out this book and more by M.J. Bavis on www.mjbavis.com