Minutes Before Sunset

By: Shannon A. Thompson

Narrated by: Sarah Puckett, Steve Campbell

Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's Summary

Two destinies. One death. 

"Her kiss could kill us, and my consent signed our death certificates." 

Eric Welborn isn't completely human, but he isn't the only shade in the small Midwest town of Hayworth. With one year left before his 18th birthday, Eric is destined to win a long-raging war for his kind. But then she happens. In the middle of the night, Eric meets a nameless shade, and she's powerful - too powerful - and his beliefs are altered. The Dark has lied to him, and he's determined to figure out exactly what lies were told, even if the secrets protect his survival. 

Jessica Taylor moves to Hayworth, and her only goal is to find more information on her deceased biological family. Her adoptive parents agree to help on one condition: perfect grades. And Jessica is distraught when she's assigned as Eric's class partner. He won't help, let alone talk to her, but she's determined to change him - even if it means revealing everything he's strived to hide.  

Minutes Before Sunset is the first book in The Timely Death Trilogy.

©2015 Shannon A. Thompson (P)2018 Clean Teen Publishing

Fun fantasy with interesting characters

I received a copy of this audiobook from audiobooks boom.

Thank you for no cliffhanger! I mean, the story is not by any means done, this is book 1 of the trilogy, but it has an ending, a good pause, if you will.

I had a chuckle to myself when I first started the audio because one of the narrators is the same narrator as the book I had just finished. That doesn't usually happen. So let's talk about narration now. I enjoyed both voices, and I like when the books are dual POV alternating between the guy and girl. Both voices were easy to listen to, enjoyable, and meaningful. This makes it easier to know who's narrating the chapter and puts you in the right frame of mind.

The story was interesting, a bit of a twist on magical people. We have the light and the dark, and they are at war. And apparently, they are all waiting for this prophesized battle between their kids, which is about on par for most fantasy novels these days. But our first descendant doesn't know the whole prophecy, some has been kept from him to protect him. But since prophecies come true whether you know about them or not, he meets this mysterious stranger who changes everything.

So I gotta say I was irritated that they did not know each other between their night forms as "shades" and their day human forms.  I get that they look different, but I feel like our male protag should have figured it out way sooner. I mean, she's the only new unknown in this town! But I did like how their shade lives and their human lives intersected and they had formed a connection in both aspects of their lives.

Anyway, so book one does end in a pause, but it's kind of tragic in a way. I want to know how this resolves. I want to know if their love can survive the coming battle. I want to know if the light finds out about her even with the effects of her (sacrificial) decision. 

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

A fantastic read!

Two destinies...
One death...

Wow...a really enjoyable and fantastic read! I had such a wonderful time listening to this book.

Lovely story. Wonderful writing.

The narrators were absolutely perfect. Those characters were brought to life. Loved listening to them!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Great Teen Drama

I loved this story. It has got all the drama and angst you expect when you read about kids in high school especially when you add in the paranormal. I really enjoyed following Eric and Jessica's story. It was really enjoyable finding out about the Dark and the Light. It was really get to find out secrets in this story I didn't expect some of the surprises thrown in but I loved them all. The ending was really killer. Sarah and Steve did a great job narrating and it made it where I didn't want to stop listening.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

FUN YA FANTASY!

I'm a tad older than most listening to this book (tad's my story and I'm stickin to it lol), but I found myself immersed in the story, just as I would have back when I was closer to this age. Stories were different back then, but in some ways it's all boiled down to good vs. bad, boy & girls, struggles, triumphs, tragedies. Which obviously works! We listened to it then, and now it's still thriving. I thought this was a great story, really enjoyed it, and thought the narrators did an excellent job in really giving it a little extra. I love listening to audiobooks - reading is one thing, but hearing it is really great fun. Well written, I would definitely be interested in reading more :)
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Really enjoyed it!

I really enjoyed this book. There was realistic teenage relationship issues without being over done. Along side that, there was a deeper storyline, action, secrets, and lies. I think it was well done and would definitely be open to checking out book 2!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Really good

Great story, I like that you kept the identity of each of them a secret from each of them. Really enjoyed, the narration was great as well, they really pulled me in and kept me there, waiting for what happened next.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Slow Start But Worth Sticking With

I had a hard time getting into this story. It is slow to start and the characters are somewhat flat. If I were reading it I would have skimmed and possibly not finished it. However the Narrators were so Fantastic in bringing the story and characters to life that I kept listening - and I am glad I did. Overall it ended up being a good story. I love the reversal of light being bad and dark being good. I would definitely give book 2 a chance.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

I love this book

I love the way Shannon writes books. they always keep me on my toes not knowing what is gonna happen next. her story keeps me interested the whole entire time. The performance of the books was also so great. I would really recommend this book!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

a nice teen story

a neci teen story to listen to .. the book was nice and the lng was good for teens as well.
a great book for teens indeed
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Good story

Good story with a different type of magic people at its heart. I like how their bodies change when they are in their magic form so the mystery of who is who remains a bit longer. The narration was good and fit the characters well.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

enjoyable YA

Follows all the thropes of YA, but is very well written and paced. There is a good amount of world building and s lot of the book is spent enjoying the setting up of things to come in the next books.

Sarah and Steve seems more like two great solo narrators put together here. They both do a great job when looking at their individual chapters and I very much enjoyed their performances, however in a duo book like this one, diction, speech patterns and the like needs to be as similar as possible and I just didn't feel they were quite there... It was nothing big, mostly how they pronounced certain names... but when that is the only complaint I've got, it's got to be pretty good