Rising Shadow

Title: Rising Shadow
Author: Jacquelyn Wheeler
Genre: YA
Page Count: 378
Why I read it: ARC tour
Grade: B

Synopsis:
Ashlyn Woods just transferred to one of the most beautiful campuses on the west coast, where she can't wait to start her life over as a normal college student. But her plans take an unexpected turn when she discovers that she is a Soterian: a person who develops amazing powers when the balance of good and evil shifts too far in evil's favor. Soon she and the other Soterians are studying martial arts and learning to use their powers to prevent California from being plunged into chaos. But they quickly discover that they're up against a much more dangerous enemy than they anticipated. And when Ashlyn meets Kai, a devastatingly gorgeous guitar player, she realizes she must sacrifice more than she ever imagined.

My review:
Rising Shadow was written in a very easy to read style. There are some books I've read where I find my mind wandering, or I have to read the same paragraph a couple times, but with this one I was hooked right from the beginning. The author definitely knows how to write in such a way that keeps the reader engaged.

I really liked the story in this one, as it was interesting and different, and I'm always a sucker for characters with superpowers. I felt like at times the author was a bit too blatant with her political leanings shining right through. I think it's okay to let what you believe or what you know come through in your stories, but to have every character have exactly the same political leanings and beliefs is a bit of a stretch.

But I got past my mild annoyance with that and was able to enjoy the story, thankfully. Until the romance started overshadowing the plot, or rather, it was the plot for a little bit, which always turns me off. If I wanted that, I'd be reading romance novels. I like the romance in my books to be very understated.

Now that I've aired all my grievances, there was a lot to like about this one. The characters were interesting, the plot was very fast paced, and I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series. I think it would be fun if each upcoming book in the series focused on a different character, but I guess I don't get to decide that. :) I'll just have to enjoy them however they are. I would definitely recommend this one!