Shimmerspell: The Shimmer Trilogy, #1

Review by: chucklesthescot on April 30, 2014 :
Jensen lives with her con artist sister Lauren and knows it won't be long until it is time to move away from her friends. Then a boy at school seems to be staring at her all the time and she is seeing weird things like kids with wings.

If the description I wrote sounds confusing then you ain't seen nothing until you read the book! Confused and baffled pretty much sums up my reaction to it. It starts off ok until she sees the kids with wings and gets attacked. The staring boy Liam rescues her then tries to explain the situation. That's where I stopped getting it. There is a huge info dump where he is talking about Seelie Courts, Unseelie Courts, the Legends of King Arthur, and the mythology of the Isle of Man with a host of character names thrown in. The author seemed to jump around in these topics with no real thought or plan so I didn't follow what she was talking about.

You struggle to work out who is good and who is evil and who the hell everyone is and where each is from and what they all seem to attack her for. Good and evil? Well I couldn't tell who was meant to be one or the other as everyone seemed to want to attack our heroine. All of the female characters are psycho bitches without rhyme or reason and by then my head was spinning like that scene in the Exorcist.

I was glad to abandon this one, lie down to stop my head buzzing then try a nice horror book instead!

Review by: fantasybkchick7 on June 17, 2012 :
First I have to say that I love the cover. This is what first drew me to this book. I love faerie stories, they always seem to bring something new.

Jensen has lived her entire life on the run with her con artist sister Lorlei. Things are going ok for Jensen until one day she meets Liam, a total hottie at school. Things turn upside down for Jensen. She discovers that she can see through glamor, her sister disappears and that's just the beginning for Jensen.

I truly liked the characters. Jensen is a strong, likeable person, Liam is a hot, mysterious faerie and I loved the twins, they are just so different from each other. This novella was well written and the story and world building was good. I could visualise what the author was describing. There was lots of action, some mystery and a little romance. I'm interested in finding out who Lorlei really is and what is next for this series.

It was a good novella that I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you love fae, you need to read this novella. This e-novella was given to me for review. This did not affect my review in any way.

Review by: Anjelika Thea on Oct. 25, 2011 :
2.5 - 3 stars

I thought that this novella had potential. The author had an interesting idea for a faerie story. I liked the differences between this one and the others I had read: Wondrous Strange, The Iron King. The differences were refreshing (and no love triangles! yet). I liked the voice of Jensen, and I liked the humor. I liked the idea behind the story enough that I might read the other novellas. Based on my enjoyment, I'd rate this at 3 stars.

However, the negatives outweighed the positives, leading me to rate downwards. This work could have been better with the help of a good editor. It should have been proofread. It was missing punctuation marks, most notably commas in direct address, and had a few typos. This novella could have been expanded into a longer work. The world did not feel fully fleshed out, and the characters were poorly developed. The pacing was rushed, and the plot was weak. There were some inconsistencies in the rules of the world, and some things or actions that just didn't make sense or were not explained. Due to my slight awareness of the sociology of language, I was offended by the use of the word "gay" to refer to something negative. I hate hearing it from the young adults I have known or been acquainted with, and I definitely don't want to see it spoken by a character in a book. This had a significant impact on my enjoyment of this work.

Overall, yes, I enjoyed this book, but readers who are allergic to sparkling or shimmery non-human folk might want to stay away.

Review by: Abby Bookshelf Confessions on Aug. 10, 2011 :
i purchased the book Limerick-the sequel of shimmerspell through member giveaways program yesterday, but since i haven't read yet the first book, i decided to read first shimmerspell, and i also purchased it since it's free on smashwords...
and guess what?! i finish reading it yesterday too.:D
honestly, what really lures me to this novella, is the cover of the book, it's really awesome, and it can pique attentions of teens like me...
well, the storyline of the book as well as its cover didn't disappoint me.. it's a really new story about faeries this time, and not about vampires which is what really common nowadays...
the characters are really cool, though you can just count them, it's really a novella,lol.., it's a really short one, the story is thrilling that's why i never stop until i finish...it's worth everybody's time... i just wish, that maybe it was a bit longer like the twilight saga...i think, if the author keeps up writing like this, and improving the next stories, then this might set the next trend of bestseller books-FAERIES!...i'll be reading limerick tonight...:D
highly recommended...

Review by: Tiffany Fulton on Aug. 6, 2011 :
A beautifully violent merging of the mundane Earth we know and the at-first harmless by color world of Lisa Frank...with a touch of faerie....10/10! This was my first taste of the world known as faerie and I look forward to reading the sequel, Limerick. The author did an excellent job creating a strong heroine without making her too dependent on others, which is what I like best about Jensen. She is the kind of teenager I wish I was.

Review by: Pink Maiden on July 23, 2011 :
I throughly enjoyed this book. I found the main character very likable and her sense of humor was extremely cute. This book was a pleasant change from your typical fantasy with a very original idea.

On another note like the others have said, it seemed as though a few things weren't explained that needed explanation and a few parts were a little confusing. That said I think all in all this was a fantastic book and great for young audiences.

I will be reading her next book Limerick with great expectations. I think this author did a great job on her first novel and am looking forward to reading her second. I feel this author will only impress us more with each book she writes. Keep up the great work Ms. Spencer you have a winner on your hands.

Review by: Abby Bookshelf Confessions on July 15, 2011 :
i purchased the book Limerick-the sequel of shimmerspell through member giveaways program yesterday, but since i haven't read yet the first book, i decided to read first shimmerspell, and i also purchased it since it's free on smashwords...
and guess what?! i finish reading it yesterday too.:D
honestly, what really lures me to this novella, is the cover of the book, it's really awesome, and it can pique attentions of teens like me...
well, the storyline of the book as well as its cover didn't disappoint me.. it's a really new story about faeries this time, and not about vampires which is what really common nowadays...
the characters are really cool, though you can just count them, it's really a novella,lol.., it's a really short one, the story is thrilling that's why i never stop until i finish...it's worth everybody's time... i just wish, that maybe it was a bit longer like the twilight saga...i think, if the author keeps up writing like this, and improving the next stories, then this might set the next trend of bestseller books-FAERIES!...i'll be reading limerick tonight...:D
highly recommended...

Review by: rhonda laney on July 11, 2011 :
I enjoyed this story and tomorrow I will read the next book in the series. Jensen is in a new school in high school living with her sister Lauren. Jensen in math class with mr. Tanner and he can always tell when she lies and picks on her. Her friend Zoe's twin sister hates her and Jensen has no idea why. To get even with her Jensen plans to break into her locker and take somthing and gets caught by Liam. All of a sudden she see Liam is wearing wings. Then she see's two more kids with wings and thinks they killed the princaple. Calls her sister on the phone for help and her sister says that she cant come home she is leaving her. Jensen has no idea whats happening all of a sudden. Liam saves her and trys to help her figure out why she can see through glamours all of a sudden. Learns about a fairy war she is in the middle of. No one trusts her and she finds it all hard to trust them.
It is a story that makes sense and I want to know more about thier world.

Review by: Jamie Brooks on July 9, 2011 :
Jensen's life is one big lie and she's about to learn the truth.

Jensen moves around a lot going from school to school since her sister, Lauren, is a con artist and also the one that is responsible for taking care of her. They are constantly on the move so they don't get caught. When Jensen makes friends with Zoe at her new school, she realizes that she doesn't want to leave when Lauren tells her that it's time to pack up and move again. While at school, Jensen is trying to break into a classmate's locker and she starts feeling dizzy and starts seeing things in a whole new way. She sees Liam, the hottest guy in her school, standing next to her but with her new sight, she notices that he has wings. Jensen has no idea what is going on, who or what she really is, and that her life is about to change forever. No one is who they claim to be and she has to figure out who she can trust or she could end up a dead girl walking.

This was a quick read for me. I, at times, get a bit bored while reading short stories cause they tend to be rushed and leave out a lot of details, but this one had my attention the entire time. I didn't feel like I was missing parts of the story or what was going on and I like that about Kimberly's writing. I was never bored reading this story for it was fast paced, and something was always going on.

The characters are really unique also. We are introduced to a siren, banshees, elves, leprechauns, and merpeople. The writing flowed easily while we the readers get a vivid picture in our heads of what's happening from Kimberly's descriptive wording.

When we think of faeries, most of us think of something that is cute and sweet like Tinkerbell. Well, Kimberly shows us that faeries aren't at all like the cute little pixies we've come to know growing up, but mean and horrible creatures.

So overall, I totally recommend this book. Once you start it, you'll be pulled into Jensen's mind and when it's over, you'll be begging for the sequel right away. My only complaint is that I'd have liked a little more romance between Jensen and Liam, so I am hoping that progresses in the books to follow. It's a unique twist on faeries with a bunch of betrayal, light humor, and even romance. The twists at the end will leave you wanting more.

Review by: Dottie Taylor on July 7, 2011 :
Jensen has had a strange life. She's never known her mother or her father, both gone soon after her birth. She's been raised by her con-artist sister, Lauren, constantly on the move, going from one to another when it gets too hot to stay. But, this time something is different. Even when Lauren tells her it's time to move on, Jensen stops to think, why now?

Then, a strange thing happens. Jensen has been the burnt of the A-listers jokes, maybe because Liam, hot and magnetic, notices her. When she decides to even the scales, Liam intercepts her activity, catching her in the act. But, the weird thing isn't being caught, it's the wings that suddenly sprout from his back. And he's not the only thing that's different.

Shimmerspell by Kimberly Spencer is a fun ride into the world we didn't know existed and neither does Jensen. Everything isn't how it appears to be, and not everyone is who they claim to be. And Jensen's world gets more interesting and more complicated with every glance. But, it might also lead to her imprisonment in a world that can't exist, Jensen's never has known existed. Only her father can save her, and she doesn't even know him.

Shimmerspell was fast paced fun trip into the land of faery, and it gets better. There's a struggle going on and Jensen is stuck in the middle. If you want a quick little read that's just the tip of the iceberg, pick up Shimmerspell, you won't be disappointed, and there's more stories to come. Paranatural story lovers will want to read this one, interesting and fun take on the land of faery. Great for an afternoon pick me up!! Kimberly is blessed by the cover goddess as well, lovely cover! 4.5 out of 5 fairy kisses. Excellent read and I'm looking forward to the next novella is the series.

Review by: Two Readers Reviews on June 1, 2011 :
When Kimberly contacted me to review this for her I was all up for it. Faeries?? Heck yes! As soon as I received the book I decided to read a couple of pages to see what it was like. Those couple of pages turned into reading the whole thing in one sitting. I realize that this is only a novella, but I could not get enough!

Spencer created these amazing characters. Jensen, the main character, is absolutely fantastic. She was the kind of girl you could totally see yourself being friends with. She was written so realistically. I loved Jensen's best friend Zoe. She had the most funny and sarcastic dialogue. Some of the things she said literally had me laughing out loud. An example being, "You kind of lose the right to bitch someone out when you're no longer slapping groins." Just typing that made me laugh again!

Jensen is a 16 year old high schooler and, as if being a 16 year old is awkward enough, she has to deal with a con artist sister who has them constantly moving from one place to the next. She also finds it strange that she is always being singled out by her teacher, Mr Tanner, who somehow always knows when she is lying. She is also busy trying to discover why Zoe's sister hates her so much and figuring out the mysterious boy who is suddenly interested in her.

After a number of events take place, which I won't elaborate on since I don't want to give anything away, Jensen's sister Lauren disappears. Suddenly Jensen is thrown into a faerie world she never knew existed and it's seems her sister may have known about all along. Shimmerspell, the ability to move between worlds, is missing and everyone thinks that Jensen is partially to blame. The plot was fun, fast and intense. We are talking life and death situations!

I also loved the dialogue. It a lot of the YA books I read the dialogue seems to old or young for the characters they are portraying, but I think her depiction was pretty spot on. I had so many quotes from this book that I loved.

Along with the brilliant characters and dialogue was the plot. It was interesting and totally original. It was such a fun read and I HIGHLY recommend it!

My only complaint about this one? It wasn't near long enough. I wanted more! I still do! She is currently working on the follow up, Limerick, and I can't wait for it.

Review by: Shéa MacLeod on May 28, 2011 :
Shimmerspell is a lovely paranormal YA story about a girl who discovers that neither she, nor the world around her, is exactly as it seems. There's a little touch of romance, quite a bit of magic, and a few surprises along the way.

I truly believe Spencer is a talented writer. Her descriptions of places such as the Isle of Mermen are outstanding. She doesn't just show you what it looks like, she draws you right into it.

Having said that, the book is slightly choppy in places. Some things are left a little unclear (For instance dark elves and light elves are a big part of the book, but they are never really explained.) or feel slightly rushed. But this is her first novel and it's a pretty solid offering. She can only get better.

I certainly won't hesitate to recommend Shimmerspell as a light, quick read to anyone who enjoys a paranormal YA. It's also a nice relief from the usual vampire trope. :-)

Review by: Chani Lynn Feener on May 25, 2011 :
Read the entire thing in one sitting, and was thoroughly impressed. Like some others have mentioned, the fact that it was simply a novella did make the plot in some parts rushed and confusing, but once I got past that and back on track, the story picked up again in a blink. Would without a doubt read the next one, along with anything else Kimberly Spencer comes up with.

Review by: CubicleBlindness on May 17, 2011 :
It was around 73 pages long and with all the action and adventure going on felt like it flew by. I really enjoyed Jensen and her reaction to this new world. She was fantastically funny courageous.

The world building was well built and very descriptive. A lot of great characters and intense situations that kep my heart beating fast. And before you know it the story is over leaving you wanting more.

Review by: The Book Nympho on May 8, 2011 :
This was a great start to a promising series. It was fast paced and very entertaining. I look forward to reading more by Ms. Spencer.

Review by: Cassandra Moore on May 6, 2011 :
Shimmerspell is a short story about faeries loosely based upon the Arthurian Legends. The plot line is very interesting. I found myself easily brought into the story. Kimberly has an amazing talent for imagery. The scenes came to life with her artful descriptions. The story has a wealth of great lines. Jensen is a pretty kick-ass girl and a remarkably believable character. I think the story could definitely be expanded upon for a great full length novel (I would absolutely read it). The very speedy pace to get everything in made it a little confusing at times, and at the end I had a ton of questions. Overall, it's a very fun, short read with moments of suspense and a good dose of mystery. I will definitely be looking for the second book in this series.

Kimberly has great potential as an author. I would read another story written by her in a heartbeat.