Shadow Weaver, by MarcyKate Connolly, is a middle grade fantasy story of family, friends, belonging, and betrayal - all woven together with beautiful magic. This novel is one of the most beautifully written stories I've ever read. The author spins and shapes her words as smoothly as Emmeline weaves shadows. Her descriptions make the shadows come alive and leap off the page. The plot is both heartwarming and heartbreaking as it weaves good and evil in unpredictable ways as Emmeline prepares to bring her best friend back to life and find where she belongs. The story is filled with interesting characters, some with special abilities, who play a part in Emmeline's growth and the larger plot. It's an adventure we feel privileged to take.

Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

This was a great book! Middle grade fantasy is hot right now, especially dark middle grade fantasy, so it takes a lot to stand out from the crowd, and Shadow Weaver is definitely noteworthy and unique! The dark elements work well with the story, and there is a good amount of light and playfulness to the story as well, making it perfectly balanced and fun to read. The main character, Emmeline, is so complex and sympathetic, and her relationships - with her family, with her shadow Dar, and with the friends she makes throughout the book - are so interesting to read about and the development of the plot keeps you turning pages until you're left at the end satisfied but still wishing for more (luckily there will be more to come!). The book touches on important themes for middle grade readers, such as friendship and loneliness, and the deep themes don't feel at all heavy handed or tacked on. Overall, this book was amazing and I would definitely recommend it!

Emmeline has a special power. She is one of the children touched by Cerelia Comet as it passed by. Those children all seem to have some kind of magical ability. Emmeline’s magic is shadows. She can weave the shadows into whatever she desires, but her magic is more than others. Her shadow can actually talk to her, but only she can hear Dar. Emmeline and Dar are very isolated and Emmeline has few friends. Sometimes they get into mischief and this has caused problems in the household. When Emmeline’s parents decide to send her away with someone who can control her magic, Emmeline runs away into the forest. There she meets Lucas and his family and learns more about magic and living with others. Lucas also has magic: light magic. And it turns out the people who were going to take Emmeline away hunt for magic users throughout the land and make them disappear.

I was definitely intrigued by this book. I like the play on light and shadows that comes with comparing Emmeline and Lucas’s magic. It is a bit on the nose, but the darkness and lightness of each of their magics did represent them as people as well. But then you have to think if Dar is the reason Emmeline’s shadows are more on the dark side or if it is just a part of her magic. This is the first book in series and it does set up future books. Not everything is resolved at the end of the story, but that is ok. We do leave Emmeline in a good place. I quite enjoyed it. It was spooky and fantastical and fun.

I received this book from Netgalley. It will be published January 2018.

‘To most people, shadows are things that remain stuck to walls and floors, but for me, they become whatever I wish-tacky, like clay, or as thin as smoke. I can mold them all to my will.’

Emmeline can control and manipulate the shadows that are around her. Her friends and family do not understand her powers and are afraid of her. She will meet others that are like her and she learns how to trust and form strong bonds of friendship.

I felt like the story was slow going. The main characters fickle childlike decisions bothered me...but I guess since she is a child that is to be expected. Though the same fickle decision making came from the adults in the story also. The adults in the story could have been more well rounded.

The plot points were a bit predictable but I bet a younger audience would eat this up since they are the intended audience.

Emmeline is a little different than most girls—she can communicate with shadows. Her best friend, Dar, happens to be a shadow too. Odd thing is, most shadows don't talk and form friendships. Dar loves to play tricks on people, which gets Emmeline into trouble. Especially when a noble comes to take her away, and her parents allow it. Not only is Emmeline sure the nobles are up to no good, but she begins to doubt that she can trust her best friend.

This is a lovely middle grade read. There's tons of fantasy, danger, mystery and lots of secrets to unveil. And at the center of it all is Emmeline, a girl who doesn't really fit in and has a heart of gold. The tale grabs from the first page, sucking in with the mystery surrounding Emmeline and her shadow. The danger constantly hangs like a thick fog, growing in tension as the plot progresses. While some of the evil is clear, there's enough mystery around Dar to bring unease. Even during the first pages, Dar sits on a difficult edge. She's somewhat sympathetic because she does care for Emmeline and is her only friend. But even young readers will have the first threads of doubt glide in at Dar's pranks.

There's a lot to enjoy in these pages, and it definitely holds everything it needs for a fast paced, mysterious adventure. There's a little creepiness, making it great for friends of slightly darker reads. Kids, especially girls, ages 9 and up who love fantasy and tension are sure to enjoy every page.

I really enjoyed this book! I wasn't too sure what to think with it being a darker fantasy, but I was pleasantly surprised. The plot moved along quickly and there was enough action and mystery to keep my interest. I'm looking forward to the next ones in the series.

I tried so hard to like this. I really did. But it felt both overwritten and lacking in detail. It was hard for me to connect with the characters as people. I had the same issues with Monstrous, so I may not be a good candidate for this author's writing, and that's totally fine!

MarcyKate Connolly (Monstrous, Ravenous) begins a new, middle-grade series for fans of "Serafina and the Black Cloak" and "Button Hill" with "Shadow Weaver". Emmaline is a 12 year old girl in an undefined time period (though one that will call back to countless fairy tales and fantasy stories) who lives in an estate with her parents. Emmaline is a shadow weaver - one of the few children born every 25 years with special abilities. While Emmaline can control the shadows, her own shadow has a life of its own. When a dangerous accident happens in her estate, Emmaline and her shadow, Dar, must escape to the woods. Emmaline meets a boy her age with his own abilities and his family takes Emmaline in, but what follows is a dangerous and exciting adventure as Emmaline tries to keep everyone safe while helping her oldest friend and shadow realize her own wishes. "Shadow Weaver" is well paced, trotting along at a perfect speed. Action and suspense are speckled with humor; scary moments and violence are strategically placed. The characters are described by eye and hair color - skin is rarely mentioned, if ever, implying whiteness but nevertheless leaving the door open for interpretation. Emmaline makes mistakes which feel appropriate for her age and experience; her head and heart battle frequently, and Emmaline must address the ramifications of her actions. Readers will enjoy Emmaline's first adventure and be asking for the second installment long before it hits the shelves. Recommended!

This book was so cute!
Shadow weaver is children fantasy book. It´s about Emmeline, she can control shadows and can talk to her own shadow, Dar. Dar is her only friend, all the others are afraid of her magic. In the beginning of the book some people want to take Emmeline away from her home, and she and Dar decide to run away. Later in the book she (and you) will learn there was more with the people who wanted to take her away than she initially thought.
I quite enjoyed this story, I did kind of predict what was going to happen in the end of the story.
Even though I predicted what was going to happen, the story was still mysterious and exciting.
I do think the story could have been a bit longer, so some parts could have been more expanded.

Some of the main plot points are quite obvious, and when the big "turnaround" comes about at the end, it is no shock because it was quite predictable. I'm going with its just ok and didn't review it anywhere.

I chose to read this book as I loved the cover art. I enjoyed the book for the most part, although some pieces kind of dragged on. I'd recommend this to those that enjoyed reading Coraline or fans of Tim Burton.

Thank you, Netgalley, for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a good read overall, and I know several of the kids that frequent my library that will enjoy the spooky edge this story has. But I also had some small issues with it, too, hence the three star rating. I don't want to go into details because I don't want to give away spoilers, but I just have issues with most of the adults in this story. But I also understand some of why they do/come across the way that they do. Still, the setting and Emmeline's abilities are fascinating to read, and I'm anxious to see what the sequel has in store for all involved.

This book was a bit dark, but I really enjoyed it! I was pulled into the story right from the start, as I thought the storyline was quite unique! I don't think I have read any books in the recent past where the main character's shadow has its own personality and is therefore also a main character.
It was interesting to watch Emmaline come more into herself as the story progressed, as she started to depend less on her shadow to help her figure out what to do. I really enjoyed the family that Emmaline meets and I appreciated that this story came to an end, but also left itself open for future books! Hoping for a book 2!

My vote for this book: 4 and half.
History begins with a birth. Emmeline comes to light but, being born under the blessing of Cerelia Comet, who runs every twenty-five years, and is born with powers. She as soon as she comes to the light does not cry cries out like every child ... she looks at her shadow and smiles. Years later, by now Emmeline is a young girl and she is waiting for her friend to play with you, who does not arrive and decide to go play with her shadow, Dar, best friend.His powers are not limited to seeing and speaking with Dar's shadow, but also shaping the shadows to make them become what he wants. Emmeline's parents fear their powers and try to hide them and notice that servitude in their estate is afraid of them.Everything changes, however, when strange guests, including Tate and Simone, realize the power of Emmeline and suggest their parents to send their daughter to Lady Aisling to allow her to cure her. They accept it in good order but Emmeline and Dar has the slightest intention of going with them, so they decide to escape.Dar also tells her that with a special rite she will be able to come back to life. What will happen to the little Emmeline? What hides Lady Aisling and their servants? Will she tell you the truth? Will she really be safe out of the estate?
Characters are not so many but they are really well structured. From the first moment I enjoyed the little Emmeline but also her shadow and best friend Dar, she does her scene. I'll talk to you soon. Emmeline, the protagonist of this story, is a pretty good girl, she has no friends, and people are afraid of her and take her for crazy just because she says she's talking and being friends with her shadow. The beautiful thing is that she is not mad, indeed, her shadow speaks to her (and she is the only one who feels her), knows her better than anyone else and the protagonist seems to blindly trust her. For this reason Emmeline will find himself lying on his origins, on his powers, and even on himself. Will he finally be safe? Dar is the shadow of our dear protagonist. It's at times bad and mischievous.in some cases it is good in others it does not seem to be. Dar seems to be jealous of the protagonist and even pushes him against others to try to complete his ritual and eventually return to humanity. But will Dar have said all the truth?
The style used is simple and intuitive. He has a fluid, intuitive writing and I've always enjoyed history. The author comes in as Emmeline and makes her look like a real little girl making her look like this: naive and good as only the boys of her age can be. In the same way Dar completes the other part, the one lacking in the little Emmeline: malice, cunning and so much toy.The only thing I did not really hit was the central part, after meeting the protagonist with Lucas, who was slightly pedantic and slow but went fast and was in a short time. Nothing that touches the beauty or fluency of the text. Only that I would have liked something to happen. First book of a series, the final is more than open and we definitely expect an interesting continuation that I can not wait to read and hope soon arrive. The book, born as a story for kids, can be read and appreciated by readers of all ages. MarcyKate Connolly has been a real discovery for me. The book begins to tip to the point and then catapult you into the marrow in Emmeline's world. Really a beautiful story, well written. I think I'll look for some other book by the same author, inspire me. So I can not recommend it and put it on the list.

Emmeline was born as the Cerelia Comet passed by and she was blessed with magic. Although it doesn't seem to be much of a blessing. Her parents are wary of her and keep her isolated. She has no friends, not since a neighboring child drowned in a pond while they were playing hide and seek in the woods. Even the daughter of one of the maids who used to play with Emmeline, now avoids her and gossips about her with the other servants. Still, the mansion and its estate are her home and she has her shadows to play with. She can weave them and bend them and even craft them into tangible forms, and her own shadow, Dar, can speak to her and is her only real companion.

When visiting noblemen offer to take Emmeline for a "cure," she follows Dar's advice and runs away. In the woods far from home she is taken in by a family with a son near her age, one who also has magic. As she experiences what a true family is like for the first time and has a human playmate who is not afraid of her abilities, Emmeline actually enjoys life in the small cottage. She undertakes nighttime excursions to gather components for a ceremony to bring Dar to life, because her shadow has explained that she was once a real girl, but was killed by Lady Aisling (the one who would have "cured" Emmeline if she hadn't run away). But as they come closer to the night of the ceremony, she begins to doubt that Dar is telling the whole story and even that she can be trusted. And when the soldiers come searching, they must all flee for their lives.

The story sets up a world with a recurring event, the appearance of the comet, that causes children born under its influence every 25 years to have magical powers. The abilities seem to differ for each child - control over shadows, light, the wind, even reading minds or changing shapes. The mysterious Lady Aisling is said to have a "cure" that will allow the children to become normal again, but many fear her and her soldiers. She reminds me of Mrs. Coulter's role in The Golden Compass, trying to separate the children from their daemons. But since we don't actually see Lady Aisling in this book, we will have to wait and find out how evil she really is. The book ends with Emmeline and her friends on the run from the soldiers, knowing that there will eventually be a confrontation of some sorts with Lady Aisling and her allies.

A good series for fantasy readers who enjoy stories with young protagonists, a variety of magical abilities among the characters, and a world without much technology.

A spellbinding, edge-of-your-seat thriller of a tale of magic, shadows, secrets and lies.

I'd have to say that of all the middle-grade/YA books I've been reading lately, this one stood out, and is perhaps the most distinctive and original story I've read this year. It was quite simply magnificent.
From the very first opening words, where you meet Emmeline, you are hooked, like a hand to the throat and you are not let go. There's something deliciously dark about this story, and so atmospheric, MarcyKate Connolly masterfully weaves a tale that transports the reader to another realm, where shadows have substance, and speak and sometimes go against us.

The character of Emmeline was fantastic, I felt so much sympathy for her, and I felt like I was there, experiencing all her emotions, and her doubts about her beloved, best-friend, her shadow, Dar.

I also loved the metaphors between light and dark - when we meet Lucas, and how the two are often what make life complete. All in all a fantastic story, that when it came to an end I had a genuine howl of no, though I am so thrilled that there will be a sequel!

True to form, MarcyKate offers another edge of your seat dark fantasy. The world is vivid and well realized. Once we are introduced to Emmaline and have our bearings, every single page is nail-bitingly good. The worst thing about reading this story is waiting for the next one.

This is a dark fantasy/fairy tale about Emmeline, a girl who can weave shadows. She's lived a solitary life on her parent's estate with no real friends except her shadow, Dar. She runs away from her home when she learns her parents are going to sell her to someone to "cure" her magic. She meets another magical family and an adventure ensues. This book is definitely for kids who like creepy and dark stories. There is an evil presence in this book that I found both unsettling and potentially conversation sparking for kids about not letting others control you or your choices. The pace of the story was a bit slow at first for me but picked up when Emmeline leaves home. I would hand this book to select readers if they could handle this level of darkness.

Mini review:

DNF

I received this E-ARC via the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I saw this book on Netgalley one day and decided to request it. I enjoy Middle Grade and thought it would be right up my alley. Unfortunately it wasn't for me.

Something about this read very shallow. The writing style wasn't any good. And the main character was really annoying me.

As this was a personal thing I still recommend. Others might enjoy this.