Shine was a lot different for me than Shade or Shift. There were some AMAZING moments and I felt like there was a real sense of closure by the end. It was 5* all the way, but something was missing. I really am Team Zogan, but I think it all comes down to Logan. The two parts in this book that did cause my eyes to water involved him. His lack of a presence was felt by not only Aura, but this reader as well.
I realize that Aura and Zachary needed to move on without Logan...and boy did they ever. I was very happy for them and I was SHOCKED by some of the things that we learned in this book. I already apologized to Zachary on twitter, but he deserves an apology here as well. He may have made a "dishonorable" decision in Shift, but he is a very strong, thoughtful and caring character. The assumption I made about him was 100% incorrect. I really connected with his character throughout this book and wish he had more involvement in the first half. It was heartbreaking to watch Aura and Zachary struggle for so long while they were forced to be apart. I absolutely FLEW through the last half of the book when they were finally back together.
There is a lot more action in this story and Zach and Aura's safety is constantly in question. They aren't really sure who the "bad guys" are, which makes their quest all the more challenging. Their need to stay apart, even when they are together, for the benefit of their "research" was almost as difficult for them as when they were an ocean apart.
I really enjoyed discovering more of Aura's Mom's story and exploring Scotland, Ireland, and Newgrange. These places are so important to who Aura and Zachary are on so many levels. I enjoyed witnessing their excitement, even in the face of constant danger, as they slowly unraveled the mystery behind the shift.
Overall...I was VERY pleased with how this series concluded and I would recommend it HIGHLY. I am already adding Jeri Smith-Ready's WVMP Radio Series to my TBR list.
Teri's Review
**Please dont hate me when you read this..I was so torn in this book**
Ugg...ok...here it is. I have been trying to write this review for weeks now. I had my copy of Shine before it was released thanks to the wonderful Jeri Smith Ready, but I haven't been able to describe how I feel about this. The one thing I am certain..I'm in mourning, I mourned Logan more in Shine than I did at the end of the last book. Yes, I knew he passed on and yes he was referred to quite a bit in Shine, but fact was, he was missing and so was my heart.
The book started out with a bang, and I thought Jeri was just aiming to do me completely in.. Thank God I kept reading, because trust me I was more than ready to book the book down at that point. So for me the first of the book was a slow read. Aura seemed lacking as a main character without the help of either Logan or Zach. Not only did I find myself mourning Logan, but now I wasn't getting any Zach relief. The story was good tho, lots of spy type stuff that set it apart from the other two books, but for me, the book didnt pick up until Zach appeared.
The biggie here for me was the big build up to Zach and Aura's lovemaking ( yeah dont judge I wanted it) I have been waiting for this...I was totally let down. The 17 minutes when Logan was human and with Aura was totally so much more sexy in my opinion. And the breakups.................uggg.............I just wasnt a happy camper thru most of the book.
As always Jeri's writing was fantastic. The time spent in Ireland was great and made me want to book a flight out in the same instance. The whole memorial concert for Logan and when Zach did the favor for Logan, these were the highlights of the book for me. Maybe I wasn't merely mourning Logan, maybe I was mourning the end of one of my favorite series. I know this, even tho I had complaints with the book it still rated a 5 with me, I just wasn't ready to let go yet
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