Review: The Shadow and the Rose by Amanda DeWees

Amazon


Published November 2012

Description:

Sixteen-year-old Joy, a plain but feisty junior at Ash Grove High, is plunged into a dangerous love triangle when a classmate’s dare brings the chameleonic teen model Tanner into her life. Falling in love with Tanner can only lead to heartache—and danger—because he is trapped in a complex relationship with the seductive, powerful Melisande, a seemingly ageless supermodel. Melisande’s youth and beauty may be drawn from a sinister source... and she does not look kindly on rivals for her protégé’s affections.

At the same time that Joy is fighting to free Tanner from Melisande’s grasp—and from his own feelings of worthlessness—she struggles to cope with her father’s cancer and the discovery that her seemingly peaceful school is a conduit for supernatural energy. Without her father’s guidance, Joy must find within herself the strength to confront both the supernatural threat and her own unexpected pregnancy—and to save Tanner’s life

My Review:

Awesome read.  Joy is a determined young girl and a special school.  The school is for talented teens, talented in the arts of dance, music and theater.   She has had to move into the dorms because her father has gone to Oklahoma for cancer treatments.
One night on a dare she visits the graveyard and meets Tanner.  Later, she realizes he is Tristan a super model.  He also used to be a student at Ash Grove.
Tanner visits Joy occasionally while he is in town with his agent/guardian Melisande.  He has an attraction to Joy, but is subconsciously pulled to Melisande-something he can't understand.
Joy and Tanner enjoy their stolen time together, but Melisande up and takes off with Tanner/Tristan.
Joy experiences some supernatural things around the school.  The "council"  tells her of the supernatural beings/things surrounding the school.  And they discussed that Melisande may not be human.
Joy does some investigating of her own, and tries to warn Tanner.  But he just can't stop the pull to Melisande and get away.  In the end though, Joy and Tanner together break the "spell" Melisande has over him.
Amanda DeWees, wrote a great YA book with this one!  The characters are good, you even have the overprotective best friend.  There is not a lot of paranormal in this book, but its there.  Mostly from the 60% spot to the end.

Goodreads:  go to Goodreads and you have a chance to win this book (until Feb 21,2013)

About this author

:
Amanda DeWees is an author and editor based in Atlanta, Georgia. She received her PhD in English literature from the University of Georgia and likes to startle people by announcing that her dissertation topic was vampire literature. Besides writing, her passions include theater, classic film, Vincent Price, costume design, and the preservation of apostrophes in their natural habitat.  You can visit her website here