Review: Shade

Title Shade
By Jeri Smith-Ready
For Fun
Source I own it
Recommended by Actually, I found this one by myself but Tristan of Reads With Wreckless Abandon encouraged me to pick it up sooner.

First Sentence "You can hear me, can't you?"

Synopsis
Oh dear, where do I start? The synopsis at Goodreads and even on the book flap was misleading. So misleading. 16 years ago the Shift occurred. Everyone born after the Shift can see and speak to ghosts. The entire world had adapted to this change and the DMP (department of metaphysical purity) has formed to deal with the ghost situation . They're trying to recruit kids when they become of age to help with the problem and have discovered that the color red repels ghosts and that obsidian repels as well and can be used to Blackbox locations one wouldn't want a ghost to enter. Aura, our MC, is 16 and dating her, soon to be rockstar boyfriend, Logan. Life's as good as it can be until, in a horrible accident, Logan dies. Suddenly everything's changing. Logan's ghost is still around, a cute new boy, Zachary, starts going to Aura's school, and Aura's about to start learning some interesting stuff about herself, her past and Zachary. That is if she can get over Logan, get him to move on and keep him from turning to a Shade (a dark spirit). 

         Warning! Gushing Ahead! 

General thoughts
Whew! I know that's an incredibly long synopsis but the story and concept was so carefully thought out and organized, I couldn't help but tell you all about it. This isn't Wither where nothing really made sense and things weren't thought out, this was awesome! I'm so flipping intrigued. Things just got started in this one. I want more!  I can't wait for the second book, Shift, (that I just ordered today) to get here. It's been ages since a book was so good I couldn't put it down, and when I had to I was itching to get back to it; ages since a book could distract me while I exercised. That's big, believe me. Oh sure, it had a love triangle but it was a REAL love triangle! None of this girl-loves-one-guy-but-there's-another-guy-who-loves-her-so-maybe-she-likes-him-but-we-all-know-who-she's-really-going-to-choose crap! This love triangle was so well written that,  not only can I not decide who she'll end up with, but I don't even know who I WANT her to end up with. To share that conflict with the MC...Amazing! I can't put enough emphasis on how much I was blown away by this well written book. I love when a book's intricate details astound and intrigue you.  I do have to get off my book-praising-stool for a minute to warn you that there was drug use, swearing, including the f-word, and some sexuality. So, if any of that bothers you I can't really recommend this book but I hope you'd overlook it and read it any way. ;)

Characters
Aura: Her emotions and feeling were so real and relatable that I really enjoyed her. I can't wait to find out more about her "specialness".
Logan: Argh, he's a bit obsessed with his music, oh, and he's dead but come on?! The song? What a sweetheart!
Zachary: What girl doesn't like a Scottish accent? Plus he's sweet and mysterious and willing to wait. Sigh!
Megan: A true friend even when it's annoying. Who doesn't like that? 
Gina,  A totally present parental figure at last! Alright, I angsted out and wished she'd leave Aura alone but isn't that exactly how a lot of teens feel? How great that the author made me feel that.
Dylan: I had to mention him because I want to know if he'll have a bigger role? I loved this kid!
Mickey and Siobhan: I've got to know what happens to them. Poor Mickey!

Would I recommend it? 
You're not seriously asking me that are you. YES! Go get this one and enjoy reading an original, non cliche, well written, YA paranormal romance for once.