Review – Hunting the Shadows by Alexia Reed

Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: Out Now
How I got this book: NetGalley

Amy has spent her life in isolation. Locked away in the Centre, a secret government facility where children with extraordinary abilities are raised as highly skilled fighters, she longs for a normal life. A life where being around people doesn’t overload her sensitive telepathic mind. A life where she can’t see through the eyes of a murderer as he hunts down his next victim…

J.C. Nikolaiev was a top researcher, but when his conscience got the better of him, he tried to destroy his work and free his subjects—and was imprisoned as a traitor. To save himself and prevent more people from dying, J.C. must catch the serial killer stalking the halls of the facility. But his only leads come from a woman whose thoughts have invaded his mind…

Finally out of the psych ward, Amy joins forces with J.C. to find the killer before he closes in on them. Can their growing attraction withstand the truths they uncover?
*Blurb from Goodreads*

It’s been awhile since I read a great sci-fi romance, and I was in the mood when I read the blurb for this one. Since it sounded like good fun, I picked it up right away.

Amy has spent her entire life in the Centre, living in isolation because of her strong psychic powers. But she wants out of her cell and the chance to go outside. When she connects mentally with J.C., she thinks that she might finally get that chance.

J.C. has come to his senses about the harm the Centre has done on its children subjects, and tries to do what he can to free them, but he is set up and sent to get his mind wiped. After the wipe he is put in charge of the investigation to find a serial killer who has been targeting children and others within the centre. With Amy and J.C. working together, they just might be able to find the killer before he strikes again.

The world building in this book seemed really well developed, but a little difficult to understand. We only get a good picture of what life is like within the Centre, and the rest of the outside world is still a big mystery. I would have liked to get a better understanding of the world at large, but from what we learn of the different psychic powers, I’m excited to see more of these characters from this world.

I really enjoyed both J.C. and Amy. J.C. was this total stand-up guy. He was honorable and his conscious was something that he listened to and took action on. He hated what the Centre was doing to people, and wanted to do everything in his power to fix it. Even after having his mind wiped, he was still a genuinely nice guy. Once Amy gave him his memories back, he went right on back to being that sweetheart hero.

Poor Amy went through hell and back in this book, especially since she seemed to be psychically linked to the serial killer at the most inopportune times. Yet she wanted more than anything to catch the killer, even if she put herself in harm’s way. Although she lived a somewhat sheltered life, she was also an all around sweetheart.  She reminded me of the sweet and innocent heroines of some of my favorite historical romances, and that really endeared her to me.

The relationship between Amy and J.C. was slow and started more like a friendship. Given Amy’s lack of any life experience, J.C. took things nice and slow with her, and when they finally did take their relationship further, it was sweet. Not too steamy, but nice and appropriate for them as a couple.

All in all I enjoyed Reed’s debut novel. I thought the mystery portion of the plot was a little under-developed. I could have used a little more, but was glad to see the way Reed worked it all out in the end. I also liked the main characters as well as the supporting characters enough that I’m excited to go back into this world and see what Reed has to offer.
I give Hunting the Shadows a C+

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