Customer Reviews

Shadow of Dreams (Shadow of Dreams Series #1)

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ahhhhh, this is one, wonderful book. Classy, suspenseful, human- all the elements for a must read. Everson and Chadwick weave a story that is unpredictable, yet believeable. Katie, the main character, is full of life, but it's her best friend Marcy that brings home the meaning of friendship. In fact, I want her for my best friend!

The authors remind us that we all have secrets, but no secret is so great that it cannot be helped and healed by genuine love and care. Forgiveness is close at hand if we're willing to accept it. Katie shares her struggles and joys as she moves closer to this piece of truth. And we, as readers, learn the lesson with her as we turn the pages of this story.

A beautifully written story of a prodigal daughter who is determined to control her own life and destiny. Katie walks away from a comfortable home, leaving behind a brokenhearted mother. Instead of freedom, Katie finds herself caught in a web of drugs, alcohol, shadows and danger.

When she meets and marries Ben, she is elevated from a life of squalor and deprivation into the glamorous world of the socially elite. Katie finds true love and happiness with Ben, but always, her memory is alive of the sordid secret of her past life.

The authors have created a stunning and unforgettable tale with a heroine so real, you will walk with her through her struggles and her pain as though they were your own.

This book is a beautiful reminder that no matter how deep the pain, nor how wide the estrangement, God's love and forgiveness are deeper and wider still.

I loved this book and eagerly await the sequel.

The book arrived within about 2 weeks, far sooner than the maximum shipping time outlined at time of purchase. It was in excellent condition for a used book. I was very pleased with both the service and the product.

Katie Morgan Webster has returned home to Brooksboro, Georgia, for the first time since she left 25 years ago. Life since then has had its downs (living on the streets of New York as an 18-year-old runaway) and ups (marriage to Ben, owner of a chain of high-class hotels). Returning home gives Katie the opportunity to reestablish a relationship with her mother - and hide from the secrets of the past that seem to be following her, placing both Katie and Ben in potential danger.

This is the first of a trilogy - I am looking forward to reading Summon the Shadows and Shadows of Light, which I hope will provide an answer to the cryptic poem that ends this novel. The story is not overtly Christian, although the book is forewarded with the story of the Prodigal Son, with Katie obviously acting the role of the prodigal.

Why not five stars? Perhaps because this book is one that grows on you, not one that immediately grabs the attention. However, it's good enough that I will get the sequels, and will be happy to read more from these authors.

Page-Turning Southern Novels!

Shadow of Dreams Book Review by Barbara Robinson
The novel is full of realistic Southern characters. If you love Southern novels, don't miss out on this one! Shadow of Dreams by Eva Marie Everson and G. W. Francis Chadwick is a well-written, well-developed novel full of foreshadowing. The main character serves as an excellent example of what happens to many young teens glamorized by the big city and running from problems at home. Instead of the prodigal son, the main character, Katie, is the prodigal daughter. I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen to Katie and her husband, and the bad guys. I loved the way the authors used literature for clues. I also loved the way the small-town Georgia guys protected their own and took care of the big-city guys. These authors do not preach, but they certainly know how to spin a tale that could serve to help others. These authors offer much insight, and a reflective reader will benefit from the experience of having read this novel. A good, reflective reader will find that this book is about many things that connect to life in such a way, it can't help but be realistic. The characters are realistic, not mere shells of characters. The way they talk and the things they say, the dialogue, provide that realistic touch to make them come to life. Katie's mom is really a Southern character. It is ironic that she seems to treat Katie as her own mother treated her, but she does not realize this.

Summon the Shadows Book Review

By Barbara Robinson

Summon the Shadows by Eva Marie Everson and G. W. Francis Chadwick is the second novel in a trilogy you won't want to miss. Katie, the main character loses her husband, but refuses to believe he is dead. She is forced to take over his business, running a posh hotel, as she faithfully waits for his return. Her faith in God sees her through. Katie remembers her roots and from where she has come. While being thankful to God for her own escape from the world of exotic dancing, she tries to help three other dancers find their escape by offering them jobs in the hotel. Looking back unable to let go of her past, one dancer secretly returns to the exotic dancing.

This book will not offend anyone with its subtle message of God's caring and love. Everson and Chadwick have interwoven the hope, love, and joy of His message throughout this exciting journey of Katie's life. Katie escapes the evil plot of others with the Lord's protection. Her faith and belief in God see her through the trials and tribulations she encounters at the hands of others. Even with so much turmoil in her own life, she still finds the time to love and care for others and opens her heart and hotel to saving the three dancers and turning their lives around.

This novel will keep you turning pages to find out what fate befalls the dancer who returns to exotic dancing. You will be on the edge of your seat wondering if Katie's husband will reappear, when she starts receiving gifts from an unknown admirer. Next, you will hold your breath as you await Katie's fate at the hands of so-called trusted friends who worked in her hotel. This novel is full of plot twists that make savory reading. Curl up with wonderful winter reads just in time for Christmas with this trilogy available through www.amazon.com because you won't want to miss a single book! What wonderful gifts of reading your presents may offer others!

Shadows of Light Book Review
By Eva Marie Everson
Book Reviewer: Barbara Robinson, Avid Reader and Passionate Writer, Educator

Shadows of Light is a page-turner with a Christian message delicately interwoven, so that the novel does not come off as preachy. Yet, it clearly delivers a much-needed message of God's love and forgiveness and how none of us are perfect. We all need loving kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and redemption, and the set of three novels in this collection clearly provide this message. Shadows of Light is the concluding book in the three-part series, one you will not want to put down until you see how it ends.

This final novel in the series of three illustrates how prayer and faith work in real life. Katie, the main character holds on to her faith, like the treasure it is, until her husband returns. She never gives up on him. Even when he returns and things are not picture perfect, she understands, has compassion, forgives, and continues to have faith in God. Maggie, the housekeeper, also models faith and how prayer works. She is not afraid of death and meeting her maker. In fact, she illustrates how she looks forward to doing so, and she tries to encourage Ben's faith. Just as in real life, all family members do not always share the same faith or amount of faith, but the novel displays a fine example of how one can model faith and belief in the power of prayer without preaching. One of my favorite parts of this novel is how Maggie is found with her finger marking a Bible verse and how Katie remembers the small things about Maggie, like where she kept Katie's slippers. For, when we lose our loved ones, it is always the small, simple things we miss the most about them.

Another favorite part is the epilogue and how the novel ends. I won't spoil the ending for you though. Read the book and find out for yourself! The ending ties in with an ongoing theme from the other two books as well as the third novel and wraps things up nicely like a well-wrapped Christmas gift. These novels would make great stocking stuffers for the readers in your life.

The novel also illustrates a love story and romance between Ben and Katie, the two main characters. It is very realistic to life and provides insight for the reader. If you like Southern novels, romance, or love stories, do not miss this delightful book. In fact, you won't want to miss a single one of the three.

This novel is full of plot twists that make savory reading. Curl up with wonderful winter reads just in time for Christmas with this trilogy available through www.amazon.com because you won't want to miss a single book from the collection: Summon the Shadows, Shadow of Dreams, and last, Shadows of Light.What wonderful gifts of reading your presents may offer others! Check out all of Eva Marie Everson's other great books online.

I'm hesitant to give low review to any author but felt compelled to do so because I was so disillusioned by the other reviews.

I kept waiting for something to happen in this novel and when it did, I was disappointed. It seemed that the entire book was written for the "surprise" ending which was overly dramatic and too unrealistic to be believable.

Then again, I had just read Francine Rivers' "Redeeming Love" and not much compares to that, now does it?

Eva Marie's series is fabulous. I couldn't wait to find the time to read the next page. I fell in love with Katie and hope there are plans to read more of her. Eva Marie's 3 books in this series is filled with exciting plot twists, suspense, and drew me closer to the Lord, plus making me even more appreciative of my wonderful husband. These books are delightful!

Once I started reading, I could not put it down. The characters and storylines are so realistic. I feel I know Katie personally (we are both from Georgia, after all). The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat with anticipation and the love between Ben and Katie warmed by heart. This is definitely a must read and will keep you coming back for more!

The prodigal daughter returns to her southern home after twenty-five years of absence. Katie runs from her problems, and she discovers she needs to make things right with God before she can solve her problems. This book was intriguing and suspenseful, and there were times when I was sitting on the edge of my seat! The characters were well-developed, and I'm anxious to start the sequal!

There's nothing quite like a well-written mystery full of intrigue and characers you care about. SHADOW has it all! You won't be disappointed. From the first to the last page, I was on the edge of my seat, feeling the tension between Katie and her mother, all the while wondering about Ben. Don't think you have the ending figured out until you get there!... Then, enjoy the surprise!