Review: Of Dreams and Shadow (Forget Me Not #1)

Of Dreams and Shadow (Forget Me Not #1) by D.S. McKnight
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Release Date: September 23, 2013
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Book Description:

We live. We die. Is there anything more? Jenna Barton is about to find out. 

After moving to the coastal North Carolina town of Parson's Cove, Jenna has unwittingly stepped into the middle of a mystery involving a missing child. 

Unfortunately, the predator is still on the loose and Jenna has become his new obsession. 

With a little luck and a bit of paranormal help, Jenna might survive.



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"Of Dreams and Shadow" by D.S. McKnight almost seemed to be two books in one. On one hand, it's a high school drama story about a girl moving in to a new town and going to a new school, but on the other hand, it's a story about an old paranormal evil lurking and plotting out of sight.

I was actually surprised by how much of this book was devoted to our main character Jenna's new life at her new school. A good chunk of this book read like a regular YA instead of one of the paranormal variety. Our story begins with Jenna and her mother moving to the small town of Parson's Cove, and the reader gets a lot of her interacting with a new group of friends and trying to figure out what is behind the boy next door's attitude towards her.

Since I like young adult books, I didn't have a problem with how much high school drama there was, and actually thought that it was a nice balance with the supernatural element. Instead of being bogged down with all of the paranormal things happening, we are able to still see our characters socializing and living somewhat normal lives.

Even though it takes a long time for Jenna to realize that there is something out of the ordinary going on in her new life, the reader gets to have more insight. The point of view in this story jumps around, and even includes glimpses into the evil spirit of the story's thoughts and actions. By doing this, we get to see that there is more going on under the surface in Parson's Cove, even if Jenna thinks that the most she has to deal with is the mean girl at her school.

Through the point of view jumps, we also get some back story on the old evil that lies in Jenna's back yard. The reader gets to see the past and all of the different chains of events that led to our current story. I always like when authors give us some more information this way, because it makes the story more well-rounded if we get to know characters' motivations and pasts.

"Of Dreams and Shadow" was one of those books that I didn't want to put down. I wanted to just keep reading until the mystery was solved and Jenna and her friends were out of danger. I would recommend it to anyone who doesn't only like paranormal stories, but is also interested in run of the mill high school stories.

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Author Bio:

When I was a little girl, I was afraid of my shadow. Seriously afraid - running and screaming afraid.

Perhaps I've always been a victim of an over-active imagination and maybe that explains the monsters hiding under my bed, the ghosts lurking in my closet, and the Shadow that inspired my first novel.

I'm D.S McKnight. I'm married, have three sons and make my home in coastal North Carolina.

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