Review: Shadow Runners by Daniel Blythe

Shadow Runners by Daniel Blythe
Published: February 2nd, 2012 (Chicken House)
Pages: 288
Source: for review
Challenge: none
Other: First book in a planned series
Buy the book: Bookdepository
Rating: ★★★☆☆ ½

Thirteen-year-old Miranda has moved to a small seaside town. At first, it seems to be dull place where nothing happens. But it's not long before she becomes convinced that something is stalking her. But at her new school she's drawn to the haughty but talented Callie, and her mysterious group of friends.

In this story we follow Miranda, who moves to a small seaside town where not much is going on. Until she gets the feeling she's being stalked, and weird things are starting to happen. Buses that freeze over and computers that overheat and explode without a reason are no exceptions in what is going on. Miranda gets adapted into a group of friends, people who don't seem to belong together. They are Shadow Runners, and together they are trying to find out what's going on. When they find out, Miranda is not sure what to think..

This book is aimed at younger readers, I'd say 10+ or around that age. I loved how fast paced it was and really enjoyed reading it. At about 60% of the book, I got to a part where there was a lot of explaining going on, which took the pace out of the story. The explaining is necessary for the plot and the story to be fully understood, but for me it took too much of the pace out of the story - which was my absolute favorite part of the story. Blythe manages to keep my attention despite that (absolutely necessary) bit of explaining and delivered a climax that was both logical and a complete surprise at the same time.

While it didn't blow me away, Shadow Runners kept me entertained from the first page until the last. I think young readers will definitely enjoy this story, with its excitement, mystery and a hint of romance. I'm looking forward to see where the series will take me next.