Shadowcast By Crystal D. Grant

Shadowcast

by Crystal D. Grant

Publisher: Quill and Flame

Series: The Gateway Trilogy

ISBN: 978-1957899558

First of all, this cover gave me all the heart eyes. Then, when I read the synopsis, I was all in! Crystal asked me to read an ARC ebook of the first book in her series. She sent it to me for review.

Summary:

After witnessing the brutal death of his brother at the hands of the Steward Knights, Mason Grey turns to vengeance. Using his Gifts to read and control the minds of others, he climbs the ranks of the Dark Army, determined to earn the coveted Shadowstone-a powerful tool against the light-wielding Stewards. But when he is wounded in battle, he finds himself recovering in the home of a chatty peasant girl...without the use of his Gifts. Even worse, the girl mistakes him for one of the Stewards he despises.

Seria Gayle longs to be seen as more than the town washerwoman. When she finds an injured Steward in the woods, she welcomes the chance to use her healing skills and hopes it will earn her some respect. But as she nurses the sullen stranger back to health, she discovers he is nothing like the knights she has long admired.

When Mason's true identity is revealed, Seria is devastated and humiliated. But she is offered a chance at redemption by the very prince that Mason hates. Now Mason struggles between two choices: accept the Shadowstone to avenge his brother or pursue this newfound light in the form of a peasant girl. With time running out and war looming, will Mason and Seria defy their own convictions for a chance at love or stand against one another like they've sworn to do?

My Review:

Alright, let's be honest. Anyone else gun shy to try a new-to-you author in a genre you enjoy, but have your "favorites?" Let me happily tell you to move Shadowcast to the TOP of your TBR stack. If you're looking for a story you can "escape" into, this will do the trick. Every time I picked the book up, I felt like I was right back in it!

We start off by meeting wide-eyed wonder (at the time), Mason, but almost immediately, he has a life changing experience when the Stewards cut down his brother and friends in cold blood. This turns him into a very angry young man who is set on vengeance. This is exactly the kind of man the Ruler of the Dark Army is looking for.

And then we meet my favorite character, Seria. Seriously, I just loved her. I loved her innocence (even after all she's been through), her kindness, and her strength. It's rather ironic that Mason ends up in the care of Seria because she drives him batty with how much she talks. I'll admit that there are times it becomes pretty comical. After his injury in a battle, he can't use a gift the Dark Army ruler is hoping will defeat the Stewards of the Old Realm so that his New Realm can take over.

Lastly, we meet Prince Eric. He's in Cadence where he's trying to take over the reins of the Stewards after a heavy loss during battle. His past hasn't put him in the best light with his army which makes it difficult to lead.

If you love medieval period stories, then you will 100% love this one. There's a strong faith element, and you come to see how the Lambient is this fictional world's word God. The author seamlessly weaves in the faith thread and I love how the Stewards rely on Him. This story is an epic battle between good and evil.

About the Author:

Crystal Grant is a daydreamer who adores freshly-baked cookies and anything with fur or feathers. During the day, she strives to instill a love of books and learning within her young students. As a hearing-impaired, home-school graduate, she found her voice in writing and has had multiple short stories and poems published. When she’s not reading or writing stories that sweep her away to another time and place, she watches classic movies and TV shows that do the same. Or she works on jigsaw puzzles. Crystal currently resides in small-town Missouri, where she is always looking for space for another scented candle.