The Shadow Within [Paperback]

Jenine Wilson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 27, 2006

Life is never simple...I should know My name is Jessie Connor and I'm a Senior at Leeland High School. Before, things may not have been simple, but they were predictable. The bullies were bullies. My parents, dysfunctional. My best friend, the goth who lived to shock. I learned to deal with them all. Then I met the new student from France, and my life turned upside down. I think he may even be responsible for the totally bizarre deaths that have been happening. I would turn him in, if only I didn't like him so much.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...a story that can draw in any age person willing to let their imagination flow with the book." -- Genevieve Clark, Northfield Community Newsletter Aug, 2006

"In reading the book, I was impressed with all the different qualities that Wilson realizes do appeal to teenagers." -- Irmarie Jones, The Recorder, June 6, 2006

From the Author

The story of "The Shadow Within", along with others, has been rattling around in my head for many years. However, thinking a story out for your own entertainment and actually writing it down on paper proved to be two entirely different things. Jessie, Wesley, Annie and Brian all possess different characteristics that I admire, and some I don't. Writing this story and having others read and enjoy it means so much to me. I'm glad I have had an opportunity to share this story.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: jensonbooks (February 27, 2006)
• ISBN-10: 1599756803
• ISBN-13: 978-1599756806
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,696,672 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars YA Horror at its best, January 11, 2007

By 

Storeetllr (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Shadow Within (Paperback)

I don't usually read Young Adult novels and didn't really expect to like The Shadow Within very much, but I picked it up on the recommendation of some friends and couldn't put it down! It's well-written, with well-drawn characters who grow and change in a believable manner as the story unfolds. The main characters are likeable, the plot compelling and well paced. The scary parts are scary, but though it has its dark moments, I didn't think the darkness was overly glorified and would feel comfortable allowing younger teens to read it. In fact, I enjoyed how the characters learned valuable lessons in how to deal with the common problems that plague young adults these days (such as school bullies, divorce, rivalry, shyness) as well as the more esoteric problems of how to handle monsters and demons.

Only once toward the end did I come upon a part that confused me, and that could have been my own fault for reading the book so quickly. (I won't give any details as I don't want to include any spoilers.) I thought The Shadow Within was so good overall that I gave it 4 stars, bought 3 copies to give as gifts to a couple of teenagers (and kept the 3d copy for my library), and added YA horror to the list of genres I enjoy reading. I can't wait for Ms. Wilson's next YA novel to come out in a month or so!

P.S. Also loved the cover art!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very hard to put down!!!, June 19, 2006

By 

xfileschick "twentysomething YA romance junkie" (Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Shadow Within (Paperback)

It takes a really good book to keep me up until two in the morning, desperate to know what happens next. The Shadow Within is an excellent addition to the young adult paranormal romance genre, although I believe people of all ages will be entertained. With vivid, relatable characters and a suspenseful plot, I found myself drawn into the book only disappointed by the fact that the book ended!! But I'm happy to hear that there will be a sequel.

Fans of Meg Cabot's The Mediator series and Stephenie Meyer's Twilight are sure to enjoy The Shadow Within.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, November 26, 2006

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Shadow Within (Paperback)

Jessie Connor is a senior, and not a very popular one at that. Reece and Amber are the two that give her the most trouble. They constantly call her names, prevent her from opening her locker when she does go, and basically makes her life at school miserable. Luckily she has one true friend that makes school manageable. Annie and Jessie have been friends since the fifth grade even though they are complete opposites. Where Jessie is plain with untreated brown hair, Annie has a pierced lip and short, spiky, purple hair.

Jessie's uneventful life gets turned upside down when she clumsily falls into the arms of Wesley Peterson. Even though he has attended the school for months, Jessie can't recall ever seeing him. Once she officially meets him she can't take her eyes off of him. She notices he even sits across from her in science class. Eventually, they start eating lunch together and become much closer. The one strange thing she notices about him is that no one seems to remember who he is. Teachers in the classroom don't remember if he was in class and students don't remember him after he has walked away. Jessie is the only one who seems to remember him from day to day.

Once Wesley realizes that Jessie is special, he decides to tell her the truth about himself and introduce her to his brother. It turns out Wesley and his brother Brian are from another dimension. They were sent to Earth by their mother to avoid the dangers of their world. The problem is, some of the danger has followed them to Earth. Jessie, Wesley, and Brian will have to work together in order to survive.

THE SHADOW WITHIN is a real page-turner. Jenine Wilson does a spectacular job writing about high school life. The way she blends fantasy with the real world is done so smoothly that you can almost believe there are good-looking guys from other dimensions walking around on this planet. Once you start reading, you won't be able to put it down--and when you are finished, you'll be asking for more.

Reviewed by: Karin Perry