Wraith

Hawaiian Shadows

By: Edie Claire

Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert

Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Debut YA Romance by the author of 4.5-star Romantic Times Top Picks Long Time Coming and Meant to Be!

She thought that seeing the shadows was a curse. Until she saw him.

Seventeen-year-old Kali has always seen two sets of people: those living now, and those who lived before. But on her spring break in Hawaii, she is suddenly surrounded by more shadows than ever. Including one who, unlike the others, can see her too.

Zane remembers nothing besides surfing the monster waves of Oahu's North Shore. He doesn't even know how, or when, he died. He only knows that Kali's "gift" could be his last chance to find the light - before the mysteries of his past plunge them both into darkness….

©2011 Edie Claire (P)2014 Edie Claire

Critic reviews

"Delicious supernatural romance... a good clean and unique romantic tale told in a compelling way. The writing is excellent and the characters are well developed. Tavia Gilbert gives an amazing and superb narration of not only the text but the dialog. Her very feminine and gentle voice is so well suited for reading young adult material. Kali is seventeen and Ms. Gilbert does her justice. I was completely carried away with the full bodied way each character was enacted and each situation was revealed. Even her male characters were superb. Crystal clear and well-paced matched with a great story is a double winner. Tavia Gilbert is a truly talented narrator...listen and be swept away and delighted!" (Jennie Mortarotti)

"In this impressive performance, narrator Tavia Gilbert showcases her ability to transcend not only genres, but also the character’s age. In a well suited voice for a seventeen year-old, Tavia Gilbert brings Kali’s character to life in a very authentic way, realistically conveying her bubbly, sweet and determined personality… Kudos to Ms. Gilbert! If I didn’t know this was a solo narration I could have sworn the contrary. Her male voice is not only realistic, effortless and credible, but her tone is right on target to deliver a super enjoyable performance of Zane’s character. She also does a terrific job with every single character in the book, all females and males alike. Her approach, pace, emotions, and overall tone of this story are flawless. With competent ease, you are transported to the setting and for the duration of the book. Ms. Gilbert takes you to Hawaii and lets you experience the characters and their emotions in a very real way. All in all, this is an excellent performance that paired with the beautifully written words of Edie Claire delivers a fantastic YA listen. Wraith is a nice blend of paranormal mystery, love and friendship that reminded me of the innocence of YA romance… In Kali’s point of view, we get taken through a beautiful and flawlessly written story with characters that jump off the pages to grab your attention and heart… I found myself lost and totally engrossed in Kali and Zane’s story. I listened to this audiobook straight through enjoying every minute of it. My only complaint is that now I have to wait for the next book, Empath, to be released on audio to learn how the story continues. I can only hope that it’s soon!" (HotListens.com, Loupe Duffy)

PERFECT. A 10/10. Truly.

What did you love best about Wraith?

I started to write a story with a somewhat similar storyline. I never completed it. If I could have finished that story in my perfect manner, this would be it. The author has a sixth sense about what makes a YA story tick. She knows how to rope in a reader and keep them teetering on the brink of knowing everything and keeping the mystery alive. This book is a winner. I would have bought the others in the series, except they're not available on Audible as an audiobook yet (so I bought the e-version through Amazon.)

Who was your favorite character and why?

I love Zane. Surfing as a spirit on other peoples' surf boards? Epic.

Which scene was your favorite?

Seeing the spirits during her date. Seeing them in the middle of battle as some are backed off of a cliff. I had brilliant visuals based on her lively descriptions.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Definitely.

Any additional comments?

PLEASE write book four in this series. I'm almost all the way through book 3, and love it. I'm 34 years old, but I love YA books the best. :)

Clearly for teens, but I loved it anyway.

Where does Wraith rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Fairly highly, its well read and is a good story. Made me want to hear the next in the series.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Zane of course!!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Completely. I hoped I'd figured out what was going on pretty early in the story, but wasn't completely sure, I just wanted to know that everything would end the way that I wanted it too. I really bought into the story and the characters.

Any additional comments?

Yes, this is teen fiction, its a great story and well worth a listen if you like paranormal romance type novels.

Enchanting

Loved this book and getting book2 to continue. It's heartwarming that 2 souls find each other and never question how or why.

Excellent ghost story!

Any additional comments?

I loved Wraith: Hawaiian Shadows! Edie Claire's writing style is very easy to listen to without being "dumbed down." The story centers on Kali, a 17-year old girl from Wyoming who is currently on Spring Break in Hawaii with her parents house-hunting due to her Dad's job transfer. Kali is special - she can see "shadows" of dead people. For the first time, one of the shadows, an 18-year old boy named Zane, can see her too and talk with her.

Kali and Zane are both extremely likeable, well developed characters, and the conversations between them are natural. Zane can't remember how he died or anything about his life. As Kali and Zane hang out, we slowly learn about his life. In turn, as Zane gets his memory back, his shadow fades out of existence, much to Kali's dismay.

Tavia Gilbert does an amazing job narrating. Her interpretations of Kali and Zane are very believable and I had no problem imagining them as teenagers. Even the adults are performed in a superb manner, with distinct voices for each character. Simply put, I'd listen to another Tavia Gilbert audio rendition anytime.

I definitely recommend the audio version of Edie Claire's Wraith: Hawaiian Shadows because I could not stop listening to it! My only question is: When will Book 2 be available in audio?!

love the story, very amazing detail

i couldn't stop listening. Being a Native Hawaiian i love books that take place back home. The author did beyond amazing job with detail on places on the island! i could see each location she decided. I love how the story was done!!! I was sharing by middle of chapter 1!! But i can't wait for book 2!!!

Too much drama

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No. Although I really liked the plot line, the overall narration and main character were soooo dramatic. The story did not have to have this much over-emphasized angst,worry and over-reacting to everything that happens. Love the supernatural element.

What three words best describe Tavia Gilbert’s voice?

Every word over-emphasized. Oh, the drama!

Was Wraith worth the listening time?

Not really, it was just too much over acting.

Any additional comments?

If the book would have been toned down a bit, the supernatural plot is great.