Book Review; Shift by Kim Curran

Author: Kim Curran
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Published: September 4th 2012
Pages: 312
Format: Ebook
Source:: Netgalley
Add It: Goodreads, Amazon UK, TBD

Summary:
When your average, 16-year old loser, Scott Tyler, meets the beautiful and mysterious Aubrey Jones, he learns he’s not so average after all. He’s a ‘Shifter’. And that means he has the power to undo any decision he’s ever made. At first, he thinks the power to shift is pretty cool. But as his world starts to unravel around him he realises that each time he uses his power, it has consequences; terrible unforeseen consequences. Shifting is going to get him killed. In a world where everything can change with a thought, Scott has to decide where he stands.

make a decision

When I first heard about Shift, I was instantly intrigued and knew that it would be a book that I would pick up and read. I am certain that every single person, despite what they may say, will wish that they could go back and change some of the decisions they made. But it would always be impossible to do that without consequences and that is what this book is all about. I was sure that I would like this one and so I was really happy when I did really enjoy it. I think that this is a book that so many people can to and will hopefully enjoy as much as I did but I also fear that there are people out there who wouldn’t find this book to be all that interesting at all. Instead of focussing on those people, this review is here to explain exactly why I devoured this book quickly and am now on the lookout for more work by Kim Curran.

change it

Kim Curran could have taken this concept in many different directions but I really think that how she brought this concept alive was brilliant and wholly entertaining; which is exactly what we want in the books we read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the journey that our main protagonist, Scott, goes on. There was always something going on which led to something else and so forth, leaving the plot to be detailed, action-packed, and incredibly easy to read quickly. As a reader you simply need to know not just what will happen next but how that will effect everything else. This story is really captivating and compelling.

but remember

There were so many characters in this book that I really liked reading about and just seemed like really rounded characters; it was clear to see that Kim knows how to avoid two dimensional characters. Scott was my favourite character in the story. He wasn’t some big shot guy who was always right and did everything brilliantly, he was just your average teenage boy who had his flaws, made his mistakes, and just wanted to make things right. I really liked how loyal and protective he was in the book as well. He is just a really likeable and enjoyable character that helped to make the book that much more interesting and entertaining to read.

Aubrey was a so-so character for me. I wanted to like her the way Scott did but I just found that she just didn’t work for me but I can’t explain why. She was a very independent character, strong and tough, but I think she was also a bit too power-oriented for me. She always seemed to think herself better than Scott, it really took her a while to get on board with a lot of the things he was saying. But, essentially she is a likable character but I just didn’t personally like her all that much unfortunately. On the other hand, some of the more secondary characters managed to steal my heart, like little Katie and all the great kids in the government classes. Not to mention how well-thought out and brilliantly portrayed the villains were written in this novel.

you must face

If there was one thing that kept me going throughout this book, it was the writing style which was fast-paced and easy to follow. There was no confusion as you read, and with a concept such as this it is difficult to write without confusing the reader completely so that was a major plus in my book. With Scott as the protagonist, the reader is gently led into the world and all of its bumps and hurdles with him which allows it all to flow naturally. It’s a book that I just devoured and know that it is in high part because of Kim’s writing and cannot wait to read more of her work in the future.

the consequences

It was from the very first sentence, passing the compelling prologue, all the way to the very last sentence, that this book entertained me. It is a novel that questions so many things, that fills the reader in action, and slowly makes your brain unravel as you try to stay one step ahead of all the mystery and intrigue. It simply pulls you in and refuses to let you go until the very end and that is why I truly loved this book. It was unlike any other books I had been reading at the time, and it just worked for me. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a fast-paced, action-packed, mysterious, and deeply engaging novel that takes you on an emotional rollarcoaster. I am incredibly glad that I read this book and I hope that I manage to persuade you to read it too, as it really is worth it!

** I received this copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. **