#Review – Shade (Oracle of Senders, #1) by Mere Joyce

Shade (Oracle of Senders, #1)

Fourteen-year-old Callum Silver sees dead people. It’s not a gift. His family thinks he’s crazy. Sometimes he thinks he’s crazy. He has no friends. He’s forced to live his life surrounded by nothing but the searing pain, sickening smells and desperate moans that accompany the murdered ghosts who seek him out.

When he’s offered a place at Camp Wanagi, the ten weeks in the French countryside isn’t a vacation, it’s a lifeline. A way to meet others like himself and prove his ability can offer more than years of loneliness and expensive therapy bills.

Run by a mysterious group known as the Oracle of Senders, Camp Wanagi brings together teens from around the globe who all possess the unique ability to see the dead. While Cal is relieved to find others like him, he learns quickly that not everybody experiences the spirits as he does. Some of the campers revere their abilities and don’t understand his hesitation, while others—like quiet bookworm Meander Rhoades—have good reason for wishing they could get rid of their ‘gifts’.

While researching their final project, Cal and Meander find an unmarked grave which reveals aspects of their abilities neither knew existed, forcing Cal to decide if the torture of seeing ghosts is worthwhile and, more importantly, if being a part of the Oracle of Senders is necessary, dangerous…or both.

 

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“I see dead people”….One of the best lines ever! In this case, Callum, doesn’t feel like this is the best thing to happen to him.

First, I love this book and can’t wait for the next installment. Second, Cal is such a relatable character, of course he would be if you could see dead people too…or can you? Third, the supporting characters and the world building are perfect!

This is a YA paranormal story. Cal is the main character and sees dead people. But he sees only those who have been murdered. They have an interestingly difficult effect on him. Everyone thinks he’s crazy, his family has dumped tons of time into therapy, but with an offer from Camp Wanagi he may be able to put some of this to rest. He doesn’t get much info on what Camp Wanagi is all about and it is run by a secret organization but he has high hopes of trying to find someone like him or to shed some light on why he sees the dead. This story follows Cal and a group of 14 year olds that all have special abilities with spirits of all sorts. Each person’s ability is different and some of the others feel that it is a gift while others feel it is a curse. The summer for all the campers is quite the experience for all of them. As they hone in their abilities and the spirits come forth, they find that they all need each other more than they realized. This is an incredible story watching the campers changing. No, transforming into the young adults they want to be.

I can’t tell you how good this book is as I just can’t get the words right. Mere Joyce is a new author for me and I am hooked. I can’t wait to check Mere’s other books and I can’t wait for the next installment in this series!

 

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Mere Joyce

Mere Joyce is a Canadian author of books for young adults. Her writing includes contemporary tales, high-action mysteries, and her personal favorite—ghost stories. When she’s not writing, Mere can be found recommending books as a librarian, or spending time at home with her husband and two sons. She’s also been known to be a selective, yet highly enthusiastic fangirl.

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