Shadows at Sunset by Tonya Royston

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Shadows at Sunset is the first book in the Sunset Trilogy and introduces us to Laken Sumner and her wolf, Dakota. Laken has an ability that enables her to talk to animals. The writer’s love of animals and nature is clearly evident in her descriptive writing style.

You are transported to the centre of Laken’s world in a charming New England town, surrounded by mountains. Although I found it a little slow to begin, I soon got used to this and became more invested in the story as the book progressed. As with all good young adult titles, Royston covers the main criteria that make a teenage fiction book a winner.

Tension and thrills: There are scenes dotted throughout the book that keep you on the edge of your seat, I would have liked to see more of this action. Royston gets the tension just right, and you find yourself holding your breath until the danger passes.

Love triangle: In true YA style, Laken has the choice of two gorgeous chaps. The steady and dependable Noah, and the bad-boy Xander. I already know which team I’m on. We meet these characters as they begin to form their relationships, but I suspect this will get more interesting as the book series progresses.

Mystery: We learn quite a lot of information in this book, but not all of our questions are answered leaving us with a thirst to discover more. There are hints to exciting storylines, and the ending will see you begging for more. S

hadows at Sunset was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and I look forward to the second book when it’s released. Highly recommended.

Amazon US

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Blurb:

She never thought her ability to communicate with wild animals was anything more than a unique gift. But this gift is tied to a long history of secrets that threaten to shatter her one chance at true love… Laken Sumner isn’t your average teenager. Ever since she realized that wild animals could hear her thoughts, she’s spent more time in the woods with them than with other children. Even her wolf is a better friend to her than most people. She trusts him—so much so that she follows him out into the wilderness in the middle of the night to find a lost little boy. But the boy’s disappearance is only the beginning. The one bright spot in her life is Noah Lawson, the handsome new town deputy. Charming and mature, he almost seems too good to be true. Then she meets Xander Payne, the new boy at school, who seems to know something about her. But how could that be possible? As strange things begin to happen in her sleepy New England town, Laken wonders if Xander has something to do with it. Or is it just a coincidence that danger targets her soon after he arrives?