Enchanting Review: Summerland

SHADOWLAND (The Immortals Series)
ALYSON NOEL
Paranormal YA
St. Martin's Griffin
ISBN# 978-0312590444
368 Pages
$17.99
Hardcover—Available November 17, 2009

Rating: 4.5 Enchantments

After making an irreversible decision in Blue Moon, Ever and Damen must learn to live with the consequences of not being able to mix DNA until Ever can find whatever antidote exists. Unfortunately, only Roman knows and he's not interested in giving up his secrets, especially to Ever. With that spurring her on, Ever and Damen head to Summerland more often where she hopes to find something to help. But between that, her aunt's new relationship with Ever's teacher and the fact that Ever has to find a summer job within a week or go work as an intern at her aunt's law firm, things aren't exactly looking like she'll get the dream summer she planned. With the return of the twins, Romy and Rayne and their taking up residence at Damen's, things between Ever and Damen are changing. With the twins in tow, suddenly Damen's acting like Mr. Mom, ditching the cool car and staying home to help the girls adjust to life on this side of Summerland. Add in a new mysterious guy who has more history with Ever then she could have imagined and things in the series are really getting complicated.

I really enjoyed SHADOWLAND, the third installment in The Immortals series. Ms. Noel does an excellent job deepening the mystery of the Immortals and what exactly Roman wants, other than to make Ever and Damen's lives miserable. With the addition of the mysterious Jude, surfer and owner of the crystal shop, we finally get a glimpse into Ever's surprising past lives, lives which Damen may not have truthfully portrayed before. Are Ever and Damen truly destined to be together or has he chased after her unmercifully for centuries? And what role does Jude have in her life—past and present? At times SHADOWLAND gives us more questions than answers as it moves forward. I really liked the addition of the twins and learning more of their history and their past connection to Damen. I think my favorite scenes take place in the crystal shop where Ever takes a part time job, working the store and giving psychic readings, taken on a whole new persona for the readings to disguise her identity—a good idea when someone from school shows up with interest in taking one of Jude's introduction classes.

Ms. Noel never fails to leave things with an immense cliffhanger and SHADOWLAND is no different. With Ever's life changing decision, more things hang in the balance, much to Roman's sick delight. I can't wait to see what Ms. Noel has in store for us with the next book in the series out in 2010.

Alyson Noel is the author of Evermore, Blue Moon and seven previous novels for St. Martin’s Press. She lives in Laguna Beach, California, where she is at work on the next book in the Immortals series. Visit her on the web at www.alysonnoel.com.

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
November 2009