Unabridged Bookshelf: Shade Me Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

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About the Book

Title: Shade Me

Author: Jennifer Brown

Series: Nikki Kill #1
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Publication Date: January 19, 2016

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery,

Purchase: Amazon

Nikki Kill does not see the world like everyone else. In her eyes, happiness is pink, sadness is a mixture of brown and green, and lies are gray. Thanks to a rare phenomenon called synesthesia, Nikki’s senses overlap, in a way that both comforts and overwhelms her.
Always an outsider, just one ‘D’ shy of flunking out, Nikki’s life is on the fast track to nowhere until the night a mysterious call lights her phone up bright orange—the color of emergencies. It’s the local hospital. They need Nikki to identify a Jane Doe who is barely hanging on to life after a horrible attack.
The victim is Peyton Hollis, a popular girl from Nikki’s school who Nikki hardly knows. One thing is clear: Someone wants Peyton dead. But why? And why was Nikki’s cell the only number in Peyton’s phone?
As she tries to decipher the strange kaleidoscope of clues, Nikki finds herself thrust into the dark, glittering world of the ultra-rich Hollis family, and drawn towards Peyton’s handsome, never-do-well older brother Dru. While Nikki’s colors seem to help her unravel the puzzle, what she can’t see is that she may be falling into a trap. The only truth she can be sure of is that death is a deep, pulsing crimson.

About the Author

Jennifer Brown is the author of acclaimed young adult novels, Hate List, Bitter End, Perfect Escape,
Thousand Words, and Torn Away. Her debut novel, Hate List, received three starred reviews and was selected as an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, a VOYA "Perfect Ten," and a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year. Bitter End received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and VOYA and is listed on the YALSA 2012 Best Fiction for Young Adults list. Her debut middle grade novel, Life on Mars, was released in 2014, and her second middle grade novel, How Lunchbox Jones Saved Me from Robots, Traitors, and Missy the Cruel will be released in summer 2015. She also writes women's fiction under the name Jennifer Scott.
Jennifer writes and lives in the Kansas City, Missouri area, with her husband and three children.

My Review of Shade Me

Shade Me is the mystery novel I did not know I was wait for, and I cannot wait for more from the Nikki Kill series. Nikki Kill is unique because it is her gift of synesthesia, or curse if you ask Nikki. Her brain is crosswire to see numbers, letters, and emotions as different colors. When the popular girl at school is found beaten and unconscious, Nikki who has no real connection to her is pulled into the mystery and it seems that Peyton left behind clue only Nikki can find.

Nikki is the type of character I really love to read about, the loner girl who actually gives a damn about other people. Nikki has no reason to continue to try to find out what happened to Peyton even if she is pulled in by being the only number on Peyton’s phone but it quickly becomes a mission for her. I love that Nikki really goes above the call of duty to find out what happened and who is behind Peyton’s attack. From start to finish, Shade Me had me enthralled and the uniqueness of Nikki’s “gift” really added to the enjoyment of the story. It became much more than just a standard young adult mystery novel.

I loved Nikki and while Peyton’s mystery is pretty much conclude by the end of Shade Me, there is a few new questions that pop up that have me dying of curiosity for the next Nikki Kill story. Also can I just say I love the name Nikki Kill, it sounds like she should be a spy or assassin. Girl can hold her own in a fight so maybe I am not far off from future book storylines (just kidding).

The writing and descriptions that Jennifer Brown uses for Nikki’s synesthesia makes me feel like I am seeing it myself. From Nikki’s personality and her kick ass and will not take no attitude, I loved every second of Shade Me. Of course there were times I was yelling in my head at her, but then again I do when I read a really great book that has my completely captivated.

**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book, in exchange for an honest review**