This is my second Marcy Kate Conolly book and I enjoyed this more than the other one.  The story is what the premise promised. We have Emmeline who is gifted with shadow weaving.  She excels at it. She loves it. She acknowledges it. Only that her parents and the people surrounding her have grown wary about her power as the years went by. Then the day came when her parents couldn’t take it any longer and desired to send her away to get cured. So Emmeline ran and took refuge in the woods wherein she met a lovely family whose only son is gifted with magic as well. And so, her adventure begins.

I think the beauty of Shadow Weaving lies on the characterization of our main protagonist, Emmeline.  . She’s clueless, lacks the basic sense of right and wrong, suffers from “I am the victim” syndrome, and thinks that the world revolves around her and her sufferings. What’s surprising is that Emmeline is not aware that she’s any of these things.  She really thinks that her life is woefully  pitiful without realizing that it was she who had alienated everyone around her, including her parents.  Though her parents are not exactly good, they, at least, in their own ways, tried to provide good guiding hands for Emmeline.  But they’re not just equipped (in skills or in experience) on how to handle such a child like Emmeline so they actually failed despite their efforts to give her a normal life. For Emmeline’s part, she’s really self-centered refusing to even take the time to reflect about why her parents act like that or why the servants shy away from her. Instead, she lets herself be easily led by her shadow, which is, by the way sentient and has no qualms of inflicting harm to people.  But Emmeline thinks that her shadow is beyond reproach.

But other than Emmeline’s characterization, Shadow Weaver has nothing more to offer to the table. The lore of the Cerelia Comet and its blessings felt very shallow, I could not bring myself to be interested in it.  The main conflict (good vs. evil) was too simplistic and easily resolved that it didn’t make an impact. And most importantly, I was only invested in Emmeline but couldn’t empathize with any of the other characters including Lucas and Dar.

I was really glad that Shadow Weaver was a very short book, thus, my patience didn’t run thin.  Overall, this is not an inherently bad book but it sure would benefit from a little tweaking here and there.

Disclaimer: reviewing uncorrected digital proof via NetGalley

This story had some really interesting ideas but didn't hold my attention as well as I'd have liked. The relationship between the main character and her shadow (invisible friend?) is interesting, unique, and offers some unusual opportunities to show a story from a very interior perspective. I really liked the setup and premise. Adult readers will very quickly pick up on the fact that the shadow is a rather suspicious character, but if kids take a little longer to clue in, it still shapes up a nicely creepy, ominous and dark fantasy/horror-lite atmosphere. The setting is that vaguely Medieval Europe-ish world of stone manors/castles and rural cottages, which is a draw for some readers, but tends to be a little light on worldbuilding because it relies on familiar tropes.

The threats that launch the adventure felt unlikely; I just didn't buy into the parents' nastiness or the risk of kidnapping by enemy agents. Other child characters were handled well (kids with powers/light-magic boy & power-radar girl) but adults faded into the background. Which, to a certain degree, is fine in kidlit, because the story has to be driven by the child characters, but I felt like it stole some of the intensity, depth, and motivation from the story. As the first book in a series, it seems to be setting things up, without high enough stakes or a shocking enough reveal for my taste. However, an age-appropriate reader might not have the same reaction, and would probably experience the atmosphere and threats as more creepy. 

Shadow Weaver by MarcyKate Connolly is the first book in the Shadow Weaver duology. Emmeline is a Shadow Weaver. Since her birth, she has been able to control shadows. Emmeline's shadow Dar, her only friend, is the only one to accept Emmeline. Even her parents do not accept her magic, so much in fact that her parents want to send her away. 

The first thing I want to say about this book is that I love this cover. It truly conveys the story with just a glance. The next thing I want to say is this was an excellent story. The characters are well fleshed out, the author's imagination is outstanding, and the story is exceptionally well written. I cannot wait for the next book!

I received this book from Sourcebooks Jabberwocky through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Shadow Weaver is an atmospheric, haunting story that immediately ensnares the reader. This may be written for a middle grade audience, but it begs for adult readership as well. MarcyKate Connolly weaves a tale that keeps you trapped in her world until the very end.

Emmeline is a child that's easy to like and want to protect. Also, like most children she's also easy to manipulate and scare. Throughout the story I continually wanted to step into the pages and mother her. To whisper in her ear the truths that she needed to hear. To watch her story unfold, knowing that she had to discover things for herself, was almost painful. But her Shadow Weaver journey was exquisitely told.

Shadow Weaver is a book that will draw me back to it for more than one read. And when the second book comes out (for this is part one of a duology), I'll be reading it as well. Emmeline and Lucas could be extremely powerful together and seeing these two kids take on the evil introduced in this first book will be well worth the wait.

One of the other things I liked about Shadow Weaver (not that there was anything I didn't like) was the resolution with Dar. I'm not going to say what it was, but the author handled it very nicely. She could have went a few typical routes but she didn't. And while I'm almost positive the solution will come back and bite them in the butt, I'm still happy things ended the way they did.

Well-written, with believable dialogue, nicely paced action, and fantasy kept on a level easy for middle-grade readers to understand, Shadow Weaver is an exquisite example of how to write darker fantasy for kids. MarcyKate Connolly did a phenomenal job, and I will be shocked if Shadow Weaver doesn't make it onto the best seller lists for middle grade fiction. I loved it!

The very first thing that drew me toward Monstrous was the cover, because Kymera really is and adorable thing.  The other part was the synopsis of the story itself sounded too cute to pass up. A MiddleGrade mash-up of Frankenstein and the Brothers Grim. Yup, I'm sold. Plus, since it's a debut novel that makes it a BINGO book.  Really before I even cracked it opened Monstrous had checked all the right boxes.  Luckily for me it didn't really disappoint me.

Monstrous is an adorable fantasy for any MiddleGrade reader to pick up.  You see the entire world from Kymera's point of view from the first day she wakes up in father's laboratory until the final pages of her defending Bryer from the evil wizard.  It was hard not to fall in love with her as a main character because she so wants to do the right thing.  Despite all the obstacles put in front of her, the betrayals, and wrong decisions she never gives up.  Which I think was my favorite part of the story. 

MarcyKate Connolly wrote a female character that made mistakes, was flawed, and didn't look like other girls at all.  In fact Kymera is true to name and is three different creatures: a human girl with the tail of snake and the wings of raven.   Despite all of it Kymera stays true to herself and I felt like it was something girls reading MiddleGrade novels need to hear.  They need to see a girl who falls in love but isn't loved back who realizes it's okay because they are special in their own.  It's also a great story on why you should never judge a book by it's cover.  Kymera was more than just her parts.

Of course that's just the message from the book all around.  To never give up even when it seems impossible.  No matter how people look at you, sometimes you have to believe in yourself and what you can do.  It's a great story for the boys too.  Ren, Kymera's crush, is strong and brave and also a bit flawed.  Only he learns to forgive and apologize.  Did I mention he's brave.

The story itself was wonderful.  The world of Byre was opened through Kymera's eyes and I honestly felt I was on the journey with her.  It really did feel like a little Kingdom taken from the Grim stories, but told in a way for kids.  It was adorable and toward the end I couldn't put it down.

Really the only downside of Monstrous was that a few chapters in I had figured out who our evil wizard was.  Which is probably because either I'm a little over the age bracket this was written for, or maybe that was what MarcyKate Connolly wanted.  She wanted the readers to know who the wizard was, but for us to have sit and see Kymera figure out and kind of break our hearts when she did.  Either way it didn't stop me from plowing through.

Personally I thought it was adorable book and a great way to start of my reading of 2016 on a high note.  I've already recommended to my friend as something she could read to my niece before bed, and I've put it on my cousins to read list as well.  I've already put the second book, Ravenous, on my Hold list from the library, and it comes out February 9th of this year.

I total recommend Monstrous to anyone who wants a fun quick read that leaving you smiling.  Anyone with kids that love fantasy books.  Even those that are fans of the Brothers Grim.  Basically if you pick up a MiddleGrade novel here and there, and you should because they are adorable things, Monstrous should make the list.