i absolutely love the idea of this book but unfortunately i feel like the execution fell short. the book strays very little from the blurb; it’s literally just 400 pages of a bunch of people running around killing nazis with little plot or explanation of why exactly there is a giant shadow realm and it’s relevance. where did it come from? why does it exist? how long has it existed? why has nobody discovered it before? i had SO many questions and none of them were answered. once you accept the fact that you’re inevitably going to be confused, this book is a whole lot of fun. the characters, even the side ones, where all well developed. the relationships, apart from maybe one, were also well developed. it took a while to get into, but it was definitely worth the wait.

When beginning this book, I was endlessly excited. I have never read another book like The Shadow War so I was extremely excited for this read. As the book progressed, I found the plot extremely entertaining and engaging. It could be a tad confusing at some moments, but overall it was very interesting. I loved having the multiple protagonists throughout the novel as I found it super engaging and exciting. However, I felt as though some character's pasts and characterization lacked compared to other characters. I absolutely adored all of the friendships and relationships that were developed. The fast-paced action made this book even more of an exciting read. Overall I very much enjoyed this book and would read it again.

First of all, I want to thank Penguinteen for sending me this book through NetGalley!

When I first saw the description of this book, I wasn’t 100% set on if this would be up my alley. In the end, it was a very interesting read full of intriguing characters that are easy to fall in love with. The plot was also very interesting to read, and I loved the description that went into every scene. There was a lot of action-packed scenes, and it was definitely fast-paced! While reading this book, I got some major Stranger Things vibes so if you are a fan of that show, I highly suggest this book for you!

All in all, I think this book just wasn’t for me. It wasn’t my favorite, but I enjoyed reading it! If you love historical fiction, mixed with some amazing romance, and some amazing characters,,‘The Shadow War” is the book for you! Be sure to mark your calendars for February 23, 2021 when this book is released to the world!

Final Rating: 3/5 Stars ⭐️

A WWII story that will surely thrill teens as it combines a story of resistance with the supernatural. I did not like the supernatural element. I think the stakes were high enough for resistance fighters in WWII. While I appreciated the new angle on the story, I don't think it was necessary.