'Shimmer' by Paula Weston (*****)

As you should all know by my persistent raving of the Rephaim series, I am a massive fan of these books, and will continue to be so for a very long time! When I first got sent Shadows to review, I knew that I was stepping outside my comfort zone, for these are not the typical books I would pick up in a bookshop. However, as soon as I had finished Shadows I could not wait to read Haze, and last month I was lucky enough to be sent the third book in the Rephaim series, Shimmer.

For me, Shimmer has to be my favourite book out of the three. Although it has more of the battle scenes that I have become used to, and more of the conflict between the Rephaim, The Five and The Outcasts, I found that it was entirely gripping and kept you wanting to find out more. As Rafa was absent for the majority of the book, there was less of the Gaby/Rafa romance and more beheading, so for the fans of the book who loved the romance, there was definitely less of that until the end of the book... when there is a very steamy chapter! However, I found myself to be a lot more engrossed in Shimmer than I had been in the other books, even though I absolutely loved all three. Where I had loved Shadows and Haze, I found myself to be obsessed with Shimmer. I read the book in three days; it was definitely the right kind of summer read that kept you turning the pages, and wanting the story to last forever.

The characterisation was just as strong in Shimmer as it had been in the other two books. With Jude in the picture, I found that we, as the readers, learnt a lot more about Gaby and she became a lot more of a relatable character, whom I knew I could trust. Having been a bit confused before about the divided nature of the Rephaim and who the Outcasts were and so forth, I found that the whole nature of the Rephaim was a lot more deeply described in this book, which tied up a lot of loose ends. I thoroughly enjoyed how the entirety of the book was set in Italy, because I found that the action was more tightly contained; therefore more intense. Every single chapter ended on a cliffhanger, which is perhaps my favourite quality in a book. 

There was definitely more of an emphasis on Gaby and Jude's relationship in this book, which was a really refreshing new theme since we only met Jude for the first time in the last book. I found that the focus really shifted in this book, which was a pleasant experience for a reader who had read the other two books in the series.

As always, the ending was perfect in every way. The speed of the action until the last page was perfect, and the last line gave me shivers. I honestly cannot wait until the next book comes out, and I am sure that it will be the best one yet!

Have you read Shimmer? Let me know below in the comments!

Until next time :)