Life can be tough, but that’s an understatement for Jessie, your typical teenage schoolgirl. Reese, a popular jock and his beautiful soccer star girlfriend, Amber, constantly bully Jessie at school. The only true friend Jessie has is Annie, a Goth chic that’s spunky and confident. It doesn’t help Jessie when she figures out that her father has been having an affair with a lady at work and decides to leave Jessie and her mom—hoping to bring Jesse with him. But Jessie stays where she is with her mom and life continues as usual. But there is trouble brewing on the horizon, something much worse than Reese’s bullying…

One day, Jessie’s life changes forever when she falls (literally!) into Wesley Preston’s arms. Wesley is a cute new boy at Jessie’s high school, but there seems to be more to the charming, smart, athletic boy than meets the eye. Claiming to have attended the school for a while already, Jessie is surprised that she has not noticed him before, but nonetheless, the two strike up a quick friendship. However, not long after meeting Wesley, mysterious deaths occur around town. When Jessie sees Wesley standing in front of a house where a man, who is later found dead, lives, Jessie’s suspicious are aroused. Is Wesley really behind these deaths? Can the sweet new boy really be a killer?

More of the story unfolds as Jessie walks in on something she wishes she never saw, and a chance meeting with Wesley’s brother, Brian (who happens looks the complete opposite of Wesley) who has his own secrets. Will Jessie believe the story Wesley has for her? Will she come to the bottom of this dark mystery and turn Wesley, the boy whom she now likes, in, should the need arise? Or has she already gotten herself into something much bigger that she cannot extract herself from?

Fans of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight, may find this book’s plot similar in several ways to Mrs. Meyer’s debut novel: no-so-special girl falls for the dark, mysterious boy with a secret, and the two are off on an unforgettable adventure! However, The Shadow Within has it’s own unique ideas that will keep you turning those pages until you reach the last one! This well written novel lets you relate to the characters, and sympathize with them, especially when the bullying gets worse and friendships become a bit rocky. The one bit of criticism that I have is that the ending did not seem as well written as the first parts of the book—it seems a little rushed, not as detailed, with the problem a bit too easily resolved. Nevertheless, fantasy fans will enjoy this novel.

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