Shadows: Sapphire Smyth & The Shadow Five (Part One)

By: R. J. Furness

Narrated by: Jayne Swift

Have you ever seen something you can’t explain? Did it vanish as fast as it appeared?

Perhaps that thing you saw was lurking in the shadows, and you caught a glimpse of it before it went back into hiding.

There’s a good chance, of course, that the thing you saw simply emerged from your imagination. Or maybe, just maybe, it didn’t...

Sapphire Smyth is no stranger to rejection. When she was only a baby, her father abandoned her after her mother died. Since then, Sapphire has never felt like she belonged anywhere, or with anyone. To make things worse, Sapphire's foster carers have now turned their back on her - on her 18th birthday.

After living with them throughout her childhood, Sapphire has to find a new home. Is it any wonder she finds it hard to trust people? Abandoned by the people she called family, Sapphire is alone and searching for some meaning in her life.

Except that meaning has already come looking for her. When Sapphire discovers mysterious creatures lurking in the shadows, she soon realizes that her fate is unlike anything she had ever imagined.

Sapphire Smyth & The Shadow Five is a six-part, serialized young adult fantasy story! Scroll up & grab your copy now.

©2019 R.J. Furness (P)2019 R.J. Furness

Great book but average narrator

I had talked with R.J. before and my son loves his Orgo books. When I heard he was writing a book that was more up my alley, I knew I had to get my hands on it. I was even more excited to hear I could listen to it as an audiobook.



The first thing I noticed about this book is that it sucked me right in. I immediately wanted to know what was happening. Sometimes it takes a few chapters to get pulled in but nope…not here. It was fast paced too so I never felt bored. I really think this is a great beginning to a wonderfully promising series. The writing style was so seamless and easy to follow along with that before I knew it, the book ended and I craved more. The concept for the book is very interesting as well, unique. R.J. takes normal aspects of young adult fantasy novels and puts his own amazing spin on it. This will take you on an amazing journey in the span of a short amount of pages.



Since the story takes place in modern times, there was not much world building that needed to be done. R.J. does do a great job using imagery and making you see and truly experience the story rather than blindly read words from the pages. I loved that I could feel the character’s emotions and see the scene revealed before my eyes as I read.



Sapphire seems to be a character that many can relate to. Honestly, how many felt like their world was turned upsidedown at 18? Well, my dad passed when I was 17…close enough though. I know that I can feel the fear and confusion she feels. She seems like such a strong woman as well, she doesn’t sit and cry over things that go wrong. She stands up, brushes herself off, and moves along to find a solution. Ben, Sapphire’s best friend, is one of those characters that you can’t help but like. I look forward to seeing more of him in future books as well.



Overall, this was a fantastic book. I had a few issues with the narrator though. Her voice was echoing, so much so that it sounded as if the book was recorded in a bathroom. The chapter narrations were mixed up and I really did not enjoy the narrator as much as I had hoped. I think what I enjoy most about this book is that it’s a novella! For someone such as myself who has very little spare time, these shorter books are fantastic! So, if you are looking for a fast-paced and addicting novella to fit into your busy schedules, pick up this book. You will not regret it. I can’t wait to read the second part…mermaids!!