It's almost a year since Gaby Winters watched her twin brother die. In the sunshine of a new town her body has healed, but her grief is raw and constant. It doesn't help that every night in her dreams she fights and kills hell-beasts. And then Rafa comes to town. Not only does he look exactly like the guy who's been appearing in Gaby's dreams, he tells her things about her brother and her life that cannot be true, things that are dangerous. Who is Rafa? Who are the Rephaim? And who is Gaby? The truth lies in the shadows of her nightmares. Gr 9 Up-Gaby has survived almost a year since the car accident in which her twin brother, Jude, was killed and she was severely injured. She's put together a quiet life for herself, living in a small beach community where she shares a little cottage and works in the library. But she suffers from violent nightmares that make no sense. When a character from her dreams appears in real life, Gaby's world is turned upside down. Rafa claims that he, she, Jude, and many others are Nephilim (briefly mentioned in the Old Testament and in the Book of Enoch), the offspring of fallen angels who chose to leave heaven and mate with mortal women. As more and more Nephilim start to appear in Gaby's life, it becomes clear that she's in the middle of a battle between two warring groups. At a disadvantage due to a lack of memories of her life before the accident, she has no way to know whom to trust. With the violence of her dreams invading reality, it becomes evident that her life depends on figuring that out. And the suggestion that Jude may still be alive provides the motivation Gaby needs. This fast-paced first novel, with its mix of realism and the paranormal, is a gripping read, and the occasional Australian slang shouldn't trouble American readers.-Nancy Silverrod, San Francisco Public Libraryα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. “This fast-paced first novel, with its mix of realism and the paranormal, is a gripping read….” — School Library Journal Paula Weston lives in Brisbane with her husband, a retired greyhound, and a moody cockatiel. She reads widely, and is addicted to paranormal stories. Shadows , book one of the Rephaim series, is her first novel. For more information, visit paula-weston.com. The author lives in Brisbane, Australia. Used Book in Good Condition