I am in love with this cover! I have to admit that I am excitable over a pretty cover, but will be thoroughly entranced if such book holds a world of wondrous possibilities that captivate and ensue new ways of thinking. I personally found this book within the normal realm of ideas but it did find it refreshing in a new exciting way of dealing with transitions from adolescence to young adulthood. The captivating way of addressing pressures that middle graders will face in such a fantasy driven book was splendidly entrancing and emerging. I feel this is a wonderful book to include in a middle graders to read list since it teaches fundamental ways of coming into our own by learning ourselves and being okay with who you are even though society might find you different or threatening.
I would like to point out that I do rate this book in regards to age appropriate reading and is at a different rating than what I would assess in an adult reading. With that said I feel that a five star rating is acceptable because of content being relatable and enjoyable for a middle grader.

This was a fun beginning to a Juvenile Fiction series. I loved the shadow weaving and magic in this book. The characters were interesting and endearing. Can't wait to get to know them better in the next book. Left off with more to be resolved, so we'll see what happens!

I am not quite done with this book - currently half way through.
This is the book I am choosing to place in my January book box. Absolutely fantastic, and SO well done.
Kudos to the author. The book has held my attention since page 1.
It's well written, I LOVE the idea behind it - very unique. I love the world building. I do not have a single bad thing to say about this so far other than it's going to give me a tough time picking some bookish goodies to go along with it!
I will come back and update once I have completely finished the book as well as post my review on Goodreads and Amazon

A little girl, an outcast in her own home, can bend shadows to her will. She can hide herself, make her own toys, and even has a friend that speaks to her and only her. He own shadow can shopaholic directly to her mind. Because of this, her parents seek to rid her off her magic and so she runs away. Unfortunately, this is just the beginning of her saga and she is pursued. Although she does find a friend, the friends is also in danger and she must find a way to protect them all, including her shadow that's been her friends ever since she can remember.

I quite enjoyed this read. I love the magic and whimsy the author manages to bring to the characters while at the same time foreshadowing scarier things to come. I don't want to say anything else on that front as it's a story that needs to be read. I'm glad this is a series as I can't wait to find out what happens next!

Shadow Weaver by MarcyKate Connolly is all about a young girl named Emmeline who has the power to manipulate shadows. She can form them into toys and even use them to hide herself, so that she can eavesdrop on people, because that's her favorite thing to do. Emmeline can also talk to her shadow, named Dar. One day these people come to visit her parents and the promise they can cure Emmeline of her magic. Dar convinces Emmeline that they need to run away, or they'll be separated. What if they really can cure her magic? Dar is her best friend. Her only friend, and the only person who understands her. So they set off into the woods, with a small army of soldiers looking for them. Dar tell Emmeline that she used to be a person, and that there is a ritual that will turn her Flesh-and-blood once again. So they begin to gather the ingredients so that on the next full Blood Moon, Emmeline can help her friend have her body back. While in the woods, Emmeline meets a boy who has powers too. He can sing and the light does his bidding. The boy takes her home and his family cares for her. Little does she know that she's putting him and his family in danger, because the soldiers are still after her, and they won't stop until they find her.

I really enjoyed the magic in this book, being able to physically play with shadows and light like tangible objects is immensely intriguing. The story kept pulling me along, wanting to know what happened next. It was fast paced and thus a very quick read. And while I could kind of guess what was going to happen after a time, I certainly didn't expect things to turn out exactly as they did. The book is set up in the end, to possibly lead to a next book for the series, and I'll definitely pick it up to continue the story!

Shadow Weaver is an original story with lots of feeling. A young girl, Emmeline, has the ability to control shadows. This power is feared by most and cherished by some. Growing up with only her own shadow for a friend, she is lonely yet loyal. Trying to save her shadow and her power, she runs from home, and befriends a family in the woods. Can she trust them? Can they trust her? Anticipation mounts throughout the story to find out what will happen with her shadow. Shadow Weaver is about friendship, honesty, and special talents. There is plenty of room for another book about Emmeline and the powers of those blessed by the Cerelia Comet.

Another great read from Marcykate Connolly! I'm just disappointed I have to wait so long to purchase and add it to my school library's collection! Looking forward to the sequel and seeing what Emmeline can do to stop Lady Aisling.

Amazing! I loved it so much I stayed up just so I could finish it. This was a well written book that really dealt with a lot of common coming of age issues. This wil definitely draw my students into reading. Thank you!

I quite enjoyed this book. It was a little juvenile at times, and 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.

However, despite those flaws, the book was a lot of fun to read. The basic premise is that there are people in the world who have been blessed with special powers by a magical comet that only flies by once every generation. One of these people is a young girl who was blessed with the power to "weave shadows." She can take shadows from anywhere and mold them into anything she chooses -- play things, animals, tools, etc. Only, her parents do not see her "gift" as a blessing or a gift. They see it as a curse.

Enter the evil baddie who, for reasons I will not name due to spoilers, is "collecting" these children under the guise of "healing them" of their abilities. The parents of this young Shadowweaver, Emmaline, turn to these "healers" to "fix" their daughter. She, however, does not want to lose her abilities so she runs away from home. She finds another family to take her in; this family has a son who has the ability to "sing light". The family is good to her and takes her in with kindness and love -- the first she's seen in her entire life -- but she is being a little less than honest with them. Unlike other people with abilities, she has a special secret -- her shadow is actually alive. It talks to her and has been her best friend for as long as she's been old enough to have friends, and her shadow wants to become a real girl again. There is a ritual that can make that happen, but in order to perform it, Emmaline has to do things she is not always comfortable with doing.

I don't want to go on much more because I don't want to spoil anything, but the book is, overall, quite good, and I highly recommend it to those who love young adult or fantasy novels. It is full of beautiful imagery, a good storyline, and interesting, relatable characters.

I was quite taken with it.

Give it a shot. I think you will enjoy it.

I haven't read a middle grade novel in a long time, that was so unique. This is a book where shadows are GOOD and how friendship is not always what it seems. This is a hauntingly beautiful book that kids and adults alike will enjoy! And it is a book that you CAN read in the dark!

My goddaughter, Sidda, and I read this one together and we both loved it!

Emmeline is a shadow weaver, a girl blessed with the mysterious ability to turn shadows into tangible things. Unfortunately for Emmeline, no one in the giant estate she lives in appreciates her ability and she lives almost completely separately from the people around her. The only company she’s ever had was her own shadow- a creature named Dar that speaks to Emmeline and encourages her to do things that further ostracizes Emmeline from her parents.

When a neighboring dignitary comes from a visit and convinces Emmeline’s parents to let him take her back for “treatment”, Dar does something unspeakable and Emmeline and her shadow are forced to run for their lives. While escaping through the woods, Emmeline runs in Lucas, a light weaver, and his family who are working hard to make sure that no one discovers Lucas’s power.

As Lucas and Emmeline become friends, Dar becomes increasingly agitated and distant from Emmeline. When the shadow starts insisting that they must perform a ritual to make her human, Emmeline has to figure out who is really her friend and who is using her.

I think the thing I liked most about this story, aside from the amazing writing and characters, was the moral that it brought: just because someone claims they are your friend doesn’t mean that they are. It was interesting to see how this book handled abusive friendships. Dar continuously reminds Emmeline of all the things she has done for the little girl in the past and regularly claims that she (the shadow) is the only one who truly cares about Emmeline. It opened up a really great conversation with Sidda about how gaslighting and emotional abuse works between friends.

I definitely recommend this to fairy tale lovers of all ages but especially for young readers! This is a great lesson on friendship, family, and realizing when someone just isn’t good for you.

As always the author does a perfect job weaving together a great story. Love the characters and plight they go through. Look forward to her next novel.

I am always on the look out for good middle grade reading material for my students. When I saw Shadow Weaver on Netgalley, I fell in love with the cover. Look how spooky it is! The claws on the shadow grabbed my attention right away. I don't know about you, but my students LOVE a good spooky read, so I decided to check this out.


I felt that the pacing was a bit awkward in a few places because it seemed to lull then rocket forward, but overall it was easy to breeze through the pages to see what would happen next. Most chapters ended with great cliff hangers that made you want to keep going, so that will be a plus for younger readers.


The plot is pretty solid as well. Lonely girl feels like an outcast, discovers that her only "friend" isn't much of a friend, takes advice from a really bad influence out of desperation and a sense of loyalty (plus having too good of a heart for her own good), meets new friend, makes a few poor choices but redeems herself in the end, and then finds herself in a big mess that needs fixing. Obviously, there is a bunch of fun magical things occurring in between, but that's the gist of it.


Emmeline is a little bit gullible and too trusting, which made her a perfect protagonist. How many young readers find themselves with those character traits? It's not that she was dense or anything; it's just that she's been sheltered for various reasons and hasn't had a chance to really experience the world. That lack of experience adds a lot to the plot of the story as Emmeline has to learn to stand on her own and think for herself. As a subtle theme running throughout the novel, I could easily pick out examples of true friendship and accepting yourself as Emmeline, Dar, and Lucas navigate this magical world.


There was also a pretty solid plot twist at the end that I think was great! Such a surprise and it will make young readers want to keep reading the series so they can find out what happens next.


The writing style was accessible and not too difficult. Some parts might be confusing or too wordy in the descriptions, but I think it's manageable for all reading levels. Having short chapters and lots of action will help keep readers interested.

This is nice, scary, magical book about a girl named Emmeline, who has powers she doesn't fully understand. It has really great themes of trust, friendship, and choosing a path that feels right to you. I'm really happy this is the first one in a series because I think the kids are going to identify with Emmeline and want to read more about her!

Marcykate Connolly has begun a wonderful new series with Shadow Weaver, which tells the story of Emmeline, a child blessed with talent bestowed by a comet that passed overhead when she was born. Emmeline’s talent is, as the title suggests, the ability to control shadows. However, Emmeline’s parent consider her talent more of a curse than a blessing, and have kept her hidden away on their estate for years. Emmeline is an outcast in her own home, reviled and avoided by family and servants alike, with no friends other than her shadow, Dar. When Emmeline’s parents invite strangers into their home who claim they can cure her of her talent, Emmeline and Dar run. Emmeline is running from the very real danger posed by the strangers, emissaries of the much-feared Lady Aisling, while Dar is running for a very different reason. As Emmeline encounters others with talents and begins to understand that she is not alone, Dar becomes increasingly cantankerous and sly, urging Emmeline to help her escape the shadowland and become flesh once more.

Connolly has begun building a compelling but familiar world, where people with special talents are hunted by those who wish to use them to achieve power. It’s a familiar construct, but Connolly has done an excellent job of introducing readers to a new world populated by likable characters. There is potential here for this to grow into a well-loved series, with many possible storylines for Connolly to explore. Here, we meet a shadow weaver, a light bender, a wind whistler, and a shape shifter; and we hear about a fire breather and a magic eater. I look forward to seeing what other talents Connolly creates!

The story moves at a fast pace, with enough nail-biting action to keep even a reluctant reader engaged. Character development is good, with Emmeline receiving the most attention. We watch her grow from a sheltered, easily led child into a caring young woman who is becoming self-aware, loyal, and brave. I hope that Dar’s story is developed more in the next entry; I would love to read about how she and her sister fell out and Dar became a shadow. Overall, this is a winner and one I would recommend to readers in grade 6 and up. Well done!

Actual rating: 4.5/5 stars

Shadow Weaver is the first book in a new dark fantasy middle grade duology by MarcyKate Connolly. We follow a young girl named Emmeline who has the remarkable gift of shadow weaving, meaning she can call shadows to her and shape them how she desires. However, due to her gift being dark, it scares everyone around her, so her only friend is her shadow Dar.
But one day royals come to their home and find out she's a shadow weaver and tell her parents they want to take her away to "cure" her and her parents agree. Emmeline is scared by this decision and agrees to the resolution Dar has suggested, which ends up being so much worse for Emmeline. So her and Dar flee and go on a journey, but as they go, Dar is becoming less and less trustworthy.

This novel was phenomenal and beautifully written. The characters were three dimensional and very well formed, Emmeline was portrayed as such a strong girl and I loved her courage. The character development of Emmeline and Dar were incredible, the differences in the two "girls" from the beginning of the book to the end are just wonderful and were exceptionally done.
The plot was rich in magic and adventure and it was the constant "what's next??" that moved the plot along fairly quickly and just made you want to read more.

I can't wait for the next and final book in this beautiful duology! !

This is a deceptive book. And I mean that in such a good way. The language is relatively simple and straightforward, and yet the emotions and underlying themes are anything but. The ongoing themes of trust, honesty and betrayal are handled with a graceful hand, always instructing but never preaching. I just loved the way this book was written and hope there will be more to follow!

Emmeline is a gifted child, bestowed with talents by a Comet that comes by every twenty-five years. Her specific talent is to exercise control and weave shadows. Lonely, spare her shadow Dar, whom only Emmeline can hear speak, she is forced into exile when it appears she will be imprisoned by those who seek to control her talents. On her own, she finds others like her, but can she trust them?

I want to thank NetGalley for the advance reader’s copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Shadow Weaver is a daring and exciting tale about Emmeline who is struggling to find her place in a world where her special talent is feared. Think, 1930’s Germany. Emmeline possess this unique ability to weave shadows. Imagine being able weave tangible things out of shadows, like rope and even animals!

What makes Shadow Weaver stand out amongst the rest in this genre is Dar, Emmeline’s shadow. I won’t spoil anything, but MacyKate Connolly uses Dar to illustrate the importance of strong and trusting relationships, and that it’s always vital to listen to your inner voice when something doesn’t feel right. Connolly even touches on the fact that a child with parents can still be an orphan if they are unloved. Emmeline is brave and unfailing kind, even when raised in an environment where loved was withheld.

Shadow Weaver will give you a thrilling ride as Emmeline learns what true friendship is as she runs from those who wish to capture her and her talent. Connolly takes imagination to new heights.

I couldn't say enough about this book if I tried, An amazing adventure and the characters were glorious!

I received this book from Netgalley and Sourcebooks Jabberwocky in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, (read in on one sitting) and can not wait for the next one. This book was written in a way that gave us the full foundation of the world and magic. It did not leave me with many questions as to how things work or who each character was. BUT it left me wanting for more.

I did get annoyed with the task Dar had Emmeline on because it went on far too long but I understand the purpose of it.

I would recommend this book.