What do you think?
Rate this book
Ascended Guardians #1
Shield & Shade
For fans of STORM AND FURY and MORTAL INSTRUMENTS. The Ascended Guardians series is a supernatural thrill-ride that never lets up.
It’s been over ten years since fifteen-year-old Zoey Taylor wandered away from her family home in the middle of the night. Or so she’s been told, repeatedly, by her mother—but the only thing Zoey knows for sure is that when her older brother, Corinth, found her in the woods, safe and unharmed, she returned with a crippling fear of the dark and no other memories from those lost days—except strange flashes of sharp teeth and red-flaming hair.
Since that time, she’s become a star pupil and is on track to graduate early … if and that’s a big IF her overprotective family doesn’t get in the way of her dreams first.
But when one of the wealthiest, enigmatic philanthropists on the planet—Gabriel Stanton—shows up on her doorstep on Thanksgiving Day, and reveals the truth about what really happened to her all those years ago, it completely shatters her perception of the world.
And the story isn’t anything like what she’s been told.
It’s been over ten years since fifteen-year-old Zoey Taylor wandered away from her family home in the middle of the night. Or so she’s been told, repeatedly, by her mother—but the only thing Zoey knows for sure is that when her older brother, Corinth, found her in the woods, safe and unharmed, she returned with a crippling fear of the dark and no other memories from those lost days—except strange flashes of sharp teeth and red-flaming hair.
Since that time, she’s become a star pupil and is on track to graduate early … if and that’s a big IF her overprotective family doesn’t get in the way of her dreams first.
But when one of the wealthiest, enigmatic philanthropists on the planet—Gabriel Stanton—shows up on her doorstep on Thanksgiving Day, and reveals the truth about what really happened to her all those years ago, it completely shatters her perception of the world.
And the story isn’t anything like what she’s been told.
472 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 3, 2021
60 people are currently reading
360 people want to read
About the author
Misty Hayes
8 books330 followersMisty Hayes is a professional nerd, young adult fantasy author, and almost-retired cop who spent years chasing bad guys before deciding imaginary ones were more fun (because fiction is the only way to get away with murder).
After decades of writing reports, she spends any extra free time she can muster crafting high-stakes adventures filled with magic, mayhem, and the occasional supernatural showdown.
When she’s not lost in world-building, Misty enjoys defying pizza norms (pineapple and black olives—fight her), embracing the chaos of retirement planning, and keeping one eye out for plot twists—both in books and in life.
Her Blood Dagger Series is a multiple award-winning, high-octane young adult paranormal trilogy.
Book one, The Outcasts, has earned a Literary Titan Award, an IndieBRAG Medallion, and was the 2018 Solo Medalist Winner of the New Apple Literary Awards for YA Fantasy as well as the 2019 2nd Place Winner of the North Texas Book Festival in YA Fantasy. The sequel, The Watchers, took 2nd Place in the 2020 North Texas Book Festival in Teen Fiction.
Misty’s Ascended Guardians series, a spin-off of The Blood Dagger Trilogy, kicks off with Shield and Shade, available now. Follow Misty for updates on her award-winning series and upcoming adventures.
After decades of writing reports, she spends any extra free time she can muster crafting high-stakes adventures filled with magic, mayhem, and the occasional supernatural showdown.
When she’s not lost in world-building, Misty enjoys defying pizza norms (pineapple and black olives—fight her), embracing the chaos of retirement planning, and keeping one eye out for plot twists—both in books and in life.
Her Blood Dagger Series is a multiple award-winning, high-octane young adult paranormal trilogy.
Book one, The Outcasts, has earned a Literary Titan Award, an IndieBRAG Medallion, and was the 2018 Solo Medalist Winner of the New Apple Literary Awards for YA Fantasy as well as the 2019 2nd Place Winner of the North Texas Book Festival in YA Fantasy. The sequel, The Watchers, took 2nd Place in the 2020 North Texas Book Festival in Teen Fiction.
Misty’s Ascended Guardians series, a spin-off of The Blood Dagger Trilogy, kicks off with Shield and Shade, available now. Follow Misty for updates on her award-winning series and upcoming adventures.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
October 30, 2021
Another amazing story with the characters from The Blood Dagger trilogy, striking a great blend between familiar faces and entirely new ones. With top shelf quality snark and pop culture references, everything about the characters interacting with each other feels so real, so vivid. But then Misty turns things around and writes some fantastic fight sequences, both physical and supernatural, and I was just left reeling at the sheer volume of emotional ups and downs this book managed to put me through.
Without ending in a cliffhanger, it still absolutely lets you know that there is plenty of room for the next story to pick up any number of storylines that had the groundwork laid for them in this first novel of a new series, so I can't wait to see what's coming next!
Without ending in a cliffhanger, it still absolutely lets you know that there is plenty of room for the next story to pick up any number of storylines that had the groundwork laid for them in this first novel of a new series, so I can't wait to see what's coming next!
October 4, 2021
I had a good time. While the beginning gave me YA vibes, it quickly turned not-YA over the course of the book. It was super action-packed and exciting, although I think I may have missed out on some details or just not have known the backstory from the original series since I haven't read it. Quite a lot of times I felt like this book was continuing a whole history that I'm not really aware of, like this great war between the vampires and the angels? How and why did Corinth kinda take away the vampires' vampiric natures? How and why is he a Nephilim? I think it's mentioned that he has an angelic father, so is Susan still his mother? If yes, how and why did that procreation happen? Why did Gabriel kidnap Zoey when she was 5? (Not sure if this was answered in the book or not) Is Zoey gonna turn out special like Corinth? I really thought Zoey was going to suddenly unleash and do some OP thing to defeat Angela and/or Trevor at the end, but that didn't happen. I also can't really believe Peter is dead somehow, I feel like he'll come back in the later books 🤔 IDK why I feel that way but I just do. Trevor and Angela are gonna come back, for sure. Overall, I think I would have enjoyed this book even more if I had read the original series, The Blood Daggers, before hand and could appreciate the already-established characters and history better. Nevertheless, it's still a pretty fast-paced and action-heavy ride that's enjoyable and quick to get through.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2021
This is a spin off to The Blood Dagger trilogy, and I haven't read that. I can imagine there are some benefits with having read it before Shield & Shade, but it works just fine on its own. I don't mind that it's my first time in this world, or that I haven't met some of the characters before. There are some references to events happening in the trilogy and I definitely want to read The Blood Dagger series too!
There's a lot of action, suspense and twists in this book! It made it hard to put down when I had other things I had to do, but sometimes I just needed a breather. The author sometimes puts her characters in some truly awful situations, that I couldn't imagine how they would survive (SPOILER: not everyone did...). I'm really impressed by Hayes; her ability to create a complex world and characters you get totally invested in!
If there's anything I might "complain" about it's the authors excessive and detailed descriptions of the character's hair-, skin-, and eye colours. She also seems to have some favourite phrases that she uses a bit too much ("The hairs on the back of my neck began to rise" and "My brother. Not my brother." for example). I also don't like when authors use cursive script way too much. In spite of these "complaints" I can't give this book anything else than five stars - it's that bloody good! I'm looking forward to reading more of Misty Hayes!
* I received an ARC from the author and I'm so happy I gave it a chance! My review is unbiased and honest in every way. *
There's a lot of action, suspense and twists in this book! It made it hard to put down when I had other things I had to do, but sometimes I just needed a breather. The author sometimes puts her characters in some truly awful situations, that I couldn't imagine how they would survive (SPOILER: not everyone did...). I'm really impressed by Hayes; her ability to create a complex world and characters you get totally invested in!
If there's anything I might "complain" about it's the authors excessive and detailed descriptions of the character's hair-, skin-, and eye colours. She also seems to have some favourite phrases that she uses a bit too much ("The hairs on the back of my neck began to rise" and "My brother. Not my brother." for example). I also don't like when authors use cursive script way too much. In spite of these "complaints" I can't give this book anything else than five stars - it's that bloody good! I'm looking forward to reading more of Misty Hayes!
* I received an ARC from the author and I'm so happy I gave it a chance! My review is unbiased and honest in every way. *
June 22, 2021
Shield & Shade: Ascended Guardians Series a spinoff of The Blood Dagger trilogy by a new author to me Misty Hayes. I did not know it was a spinoff and I have not read the original trilogy but had heard it was good and after reading this book I did not really feel like I was missing anything other than knowing characters. Although I will go back at some stage and have a read. Shield & Shade is a YA paranormal fantasy story where angels & demons battle it out and the suspenseful plot will keep you guessing. Misty’s world building is detailed, sometimes overly so but you can see her vision. Her characters are interesting and unique, and the story is told from multiple POV’s, which I love.
I look forward to seeing what she brings us next.
I look forward to seeing what she brings us next.
August 2, 2022
When she was five, Zoey Taylor, got lost in the woods she was found but nightmares have been her constant for the last ten years. Zoey has a close knit family but she finds it stifling at times, but what she doesn't realize is that secrets are surrounding her. When Gabriel Stanton, a wealthy philanthropist shows up Zoey finds out the carefully crafted bubble she has surrounded herself in is a bout to shatter.
I really enjoyed this one, the narration is done extremely well. Liked the concept of this story and was pulled in right away. Kept me guessing. Great beginning to a new series.
I really enjoyed this one, the narration is done extremely well. Liked the concept of this story and was pulled in right away. Kept me guessing. Great beginning to a new series.
February 6, 2021
This is an interesting start to a spin-off series. And the story itself makes sense without having read the original series, but I think the story would be better having read the original... This is sort of like a "new generation" jumping into this new-to-them world, with characters who were clearly the focus of the original series having a major role.
Zoey is 15 years old and Cruz is 17, giving this story a distinct YA feel and appeal. However, having so many older characters, 25-40 years in age, really changes the balance and the dynamic.
The last several chapters have a lot of wrapping-up happening...conversations and healing. More than half of the book feels like non-stop action, and a lot of that is in very dark places - literally. I think one of the things in a lot of YA lit is that we find tender moments, small breaks, new connections as we follow the action of the story...but I felt like we missed that. There were a few quieter moments, but everything was so intense for so long that I didn't feel the balance or any good breaks in the intensity as a reader.
There were a few other pieces that I was surprised about, but I want to make sure this is completely spoiler-free! I'm looking forward to the next book and am hoping we get some new and different interactions.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Zoey is 15 years old and Cruz is 17, giving this story a distinct YA feel and appeal. However, having so many older characters, 25-40 years in age, really changes the balance and the dynamic.
The last several chapters have a lot of wrapping-up happening...conversations and healing. More than half of the book feels like non-stop action, and a lot of that is in very dark places - literally. I think one of the things in a lot of YA lit is that we find tender moments, small breaks, new connections as we follow the action of the story...but I felt like we missed that. There were a few quieter moments, but everything was so intense for so long that I didn't feel the balance or any good breaks in the intensity as a reader.
There were a few other pieces that I was surprised about, but I want to make sure this is completely spoiler-free! I'm looking forward to the next book and am hoping we get some new and different interactions.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 19, 2021
I am so excited for this new series by Misty Hayes and also thrilled that we get to see much loved characters from The Blood Dagger trilogy again. This new series has us following Corinth’s little sister Zoey, who had been kidnapped years ago courtesy of Gabriel Stanton in the last series. She has been compelled so she wouldn’t remember all that happened while she was gone, but has been having dreams that are scary and make her wonder what happened during the time she was gone. When her family gathers for Thanksgiving, things come to a head. Alastair had gone missing and Larna has no idea where he is, Zoey’s best friend Trevor is NOT who he appears to be and Cruz, the cute waiter at the ice cream place ends up really coming through for Zo when she needs him the most.
This book was just as amazing as I’d hoped it would be and I sense a bit of a possible love triangle (kind of like the Corinth/Larna/Alastair one) between Cruz, Zo and a certain Angel that comes to help out our heroes. I have to also say, I am really liking this newer, nicer version of Gabriel and while the end of the book has me thinking it may not last, I really hope it does and he becomes a part of the family Corinth, Larna and crew have created. Can’t wait to see what will happen next!!
This book was just as amazing as I’d hoped it would be and I sense a bit of a possible love triangle (kind of like the Corinth/Larna/Alastair one) between Cruz, Zo and a certain Angel that comes to help out our heroes. I have to also say, I am really liking this newer, nicer version of Gabriel and while the end of the book has me thinking it may not last, I really hope it does and he becomes a part of the family Corinth, Larna and crew have created. Can’t wait to see what will happen next!!
January 29, 2021
I’ve just been made aware that this is actually a spin off series and maybe my concern of lack of information would be sorted out with those books.
Either way, here is my honest review.
I was beyond confused through the entirety of this book. Vampires becoming human again which no explanation drove me mental.
There were several POV’s, some that I thought were completely unnecessary and just a lot of plot holes.
The concept was a great idea but I wasn’t wowed with the execution.
Either way, here is my honest review.
I was beyond confused through the entirety of this book. Vampires becoming human again which no explanation drove me mental.
There were several POV’s, some that I thought were completely unnecessary and just a lot of plot holes.
The concept was a great idea but I wasn’t wowed with the execution.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2021
Zoey Taylor is just a normal girl on her way to graduating early, she studies hard and is a bit of a loner apart from one friend who she hangs around with, this is due to being an introvert by nature, but also because her family are really overprotective ever since she walked out of the house and into the woods behind in the middle of the night when she was five years old. As Zoey goes through her normal routine of school, studying, more school, more studying and maybe meeting her friend at the local diner for a snack before heading home, she is coming to terms with her desperate need to escape from it, to escape from her family and its drama which comes from being the only girl surrounded by four brothers, its loud and distracting.
One of the days she goes to the diner, her friend did mention that one of the guys who works there has a crush on her, but she didn’t believe it, she is too plain for anyone to notice her, but when she starts talking to him, she realises he is actually a nice guy under the uniform and permanent scent of sugar and grease from the fryers. When her friend turns up she is annoyed with herself bevuase of asking a stupid question which pretty much wrecked any chance of further conversation and she regrets it so she decides to leave early, unknowingly leaving her bag charm behind, her friend isn’t overly fussed and just proceeds to chat up the girls in the diner instead.
As Thanksgiving approaches, Zoey is worried that she won’t be able to study with everyone being in the house and tries to extend her curfew a bit so she can get some work done at the library, but her parents are having none of it, so she struggles ahead like normal. When her older brother comes home a couple of days after school has broken up, she is happy, but when a friend of his comes to see him, things start to turn odd, so she calls on her friend to come over to help her investigate what is happening and he agrees to come over on Thanksgiving itself.
When the day arrives, the family is preparing the meal, but unknown to her, the guy from the diner is going to turn up as well to return her charm and bearing cake, while she is talking to him, tensions rise between the two guys when her friend arrives and she asks one to leave. However, the day proceeds to become more shocking when someone she never expected turns up on her doorstep, Gabriel Stanton is wealthy, popular to the point of celebrity status and a philanthropist in his spare time and completely out of place in her living room, but there he is nonetheless. How will Zoey react when he manages to turn her life upside down with answers she never expected to hear and what will happen in the aftermath of these revelations? This is a thrilling tale of secrets, revelations and family bonds that is a rollercoaster of emotion and action as the story unfolds to reveal its final conclusion.
One of the days she goes to the diner, her friend did mention that one of the guys who works there has a crush on her, but she didn’t believe it, she is too plain for anyone to notice her, but when she starts talking to him, she realises he is actually a nice guy under the uniform and permanent scent of sugar and grease from the fryers. When her friend turns up she is annoyed with herself bevuase of asking a stupid question which pretty much wrecked any chance of further conversation and she regrets it so she decides to leave early, unknowingly leaving her bag charm behind, her friend isn’t overly fussed and just proceeds to chat up the girls in the diner instead.
As Thanksgiving approaches, Zoey is worried that she won’t be able to study with everyone being in the house and tries to extend her curfew a bit so she can get some work done at the library, but her parents are having none of it, so she struggles ahead like normal. When her older brother comes home a couple of days after school has broken up, she is happy, but when a friend of his comes to see him, things start to turn odd, so she calls on her friend to come over to help her investigate what is happening and he agrees to come over on Thanksgiving itself.
When the day arrives, the family is preparing the meal, but unknown to her, the guy from the diner is going to turn up as well to return her charm and bearing cake, while she is talking to him, tensions rise between the two guys when her friend arrives and she asks one to leave. However, the day proceeds to become more shocking when someone she never expected turns up on her doorstep, Gabriel Stanton is wealthy, popular to the point of celebrity status and a philanthropist in his spare time and completely out of place in her living room, but there he is nonetheless. How will Zoey react when he manages to turn her life upside down with answers she never expected to hear and what will happen in the aftermath of these revelations? This is a thrilling tale of secrets, revelations and family bonds that is a rollercoaster of emotion and action as the story unfolds to reveal its final conclusion.
June 24, 2021
FYI: This was my first Hayes novel and I learned this is a spinoff series from the author’s The Blood Dagger Trilogy AFTER I read it. So be warned it won’t make for a good read, in my opinion, if you haven’t read that triplet first. If I have time this summer, I will go back and read the original series, because it has awesome ratings, and then update this review. With that said, I read this book believing it was the beginning of a new series since it isn't linked to the other in any way or sold as a spinoff. With that said, Hayes had a really FREAKING cool plot/world idea and I was truly excited to get into the meat of it, but (and here it comes), BUT the book could have spent about 100-150 pages filling the reader in on the world and characters, rather than on more battle scenes. I’m sure a lot of my questions and frustrations would have been answered had I read The Blood Dagger Trilogy first, but since I didn’t it just felt like the first 20% was crazy jumpy, going from several people's POVs that didn't quite make sense at first but really set the stage for an awesome adventure with a possible romance in the making. Once all the players were a little more fleshed out and the world was built as well as it was going to get, it became a really intriguing and fresh idea...super intense action, angels/demons/vampires/"magic"/mystery, a feeling like you didn't know what the climax was going to be, but you were on the edge of your seat to get there, and more action!! Then around 50% it was all action (no world or character building) and descriptions of everyone’s eye color/hair/what they were wearing and was it her brother or not her brother? Throw in an excessive amount of lightning bolts knocking people (mostly the humans) across the room where they landed in a ball on the floor, but SHOCKER they live through a serious butt-kicking from freaking demons, for hours on end...and you have the basics of the story down. So, having not read the original stories and understanding the different rules of Hayes’ world/characters, I just truly felt lost, annoyed, and disappointed that this storyline had sooo much potential but didn’t ever get there if that makes sense. Maybe I'm not the reading demographic she was writing for, and it really should NOT be considered a standalone, but it was just ok for me. I am hoping to go back and read the first 3 books because I think I could have loved this action-packed adventure had I understood her world better. Who knows...Hayes has a way of sucking you in and I did finish the book, I just wish the selling page stated that it was a spinoff of another series.
Pippa
Pippa
June 17, 2021
Riveting storyline that keeps you on the edge of your seat!
If you are looking for a story that keeps you wondering what will happen next, you have found it! If you want a compelling story with greater characters then you have found it.
When Zoey, a young girl learns the truth behind her disappearance at the age of 5, her life is thrown into a world of surprise! This story takes you along with her as she discovers what truly happened that night and the other secrets that have been held from her! It’s a whirlwind of emotions, heartbreak, and family.
If you want action that keeps you in suspense throughout a book this is a great one to read. It keeps you on your toes with twists and turns while still allowing you to love the characters you are reading about. It does have a bit of YA feel to it with the two main characters being young but the author does a great job of making an older audience feel welcome with the addition of the supporting characters.
I didn’t realize this was a spin-off to The Blood Dagger trilogy until after I had already started this book. I haven’t read the trilogy but imagine it may have helped with the storyline in Shield and Shade if I had read it before. Simply meaning I would have seen the bigger picture a bit clearer. This book explains the necessary bits and pieces and can be read alone and still quite enjoyable.
Overall, I loved the storyline in this book. It captivates you and keeps you wondering what else could possibly go wrong! The only complaint I had was the switching perspectives sometimes lost me and I would have to take a second to get into the mindset of the next characters (which is likely my issue as a reader haha!) But in general, this story was great and worthy of reading. It definitely reminds me of Mortal Instruments and stories along those lines. I look forward to reading more from this author!
If you are looking for a story that keeps you wondering what will happen next, you have found it! If you want a compelling story with greater characters then you have found it.
When Zoey, a young girl learns the truth behind her disappearance at the age of 5, her life is thrown into a world of surprise! This story takes you along with her as she discovers what truly happened that night and the other secrets that have been held from her! It’s a whirlwind of emotions, heartbreak, and family.
If you want action that keeps you in suspense throughout a book this is a great one to read. It keeps you on your toes with twists and turns while still allowing you to love the characters you are reading about. It does have a bit of YA feel to it with the two main characters being young but the author does a great job of making an older audience feel welcome with the addition of the supporting characters.
I didn’t realize this was a spin-off to The Blood Dagger trilogy until after I had already started this book. I haven’t read the trilogy but imagine it may have helped with the storyline in Shield and Shade if I had read it before. Simply meaning I would have seen the bigger picture a bit clearer. This book explains the necessary bits and pieces and can be read alone and still quite enjoyable.
Overall, I loved the storyline in this book. It captivates you and keeps you wondering what else could possibly go wrong! The only complaint I had was the switching perspectives sometimes lost me and I would have to take a second to get into the mindset of the next characters (which is likely my issue as a reader haha!) But in general, this story was great and worthy of reading. It definitely reminds me of Mortal Instruments and stories along those lines. I look forward to reading more from this author!
October 23, 2021
Rating 3.5 Stars
Zoey is just your ordinary girl with a good-looking best friend named Trevor who she has a huge crush on. But she misses out on a lot of fun because of her absurdly early curfew her parents set. Years ago, Zoey was kidnapped and her parents have kept her on lockdown ever since. However, nothing is as it seems, including her best friend.
Then, there's Cruz. He works at the diner she frequents and has a crush on her. When she invites Trevor over for dinner and Cruz shows up too, things take a turn for the crazy.. She discovers Trevor is a demon and her brother is half-angel. Forced to face an army of Shades, Zoey myst rely on Cruz to save the day, and her family.
SHIELD & SHADE is full of angels and demons who are fighting a never ending battle with characters you can't help but cheer for. Zoey will do anything to keep her family safe, but that isn't the easiest thing to do when your opponent is a sadistic demon. Cruz is sweet and loyal and refuses to turn his back on Zoey. Then, there are her brothers and Alistair who fight for what's right.
The author does a great job of holding your interest and paints her characters in a realistic light even in the paranormal setting. Both Cruz and Zoey's reaction to the demons seem appropriate and I love seeing their interactions. The only thing that seemed unnecessary were the point of view changes. There are so many that it takes away from the story a bit. Another character it switches to is Alistair, who is one of Zoe's brothers friends.
Final Verdict: I would recommend this to fans of paranormal stories about angels and demons. Fans of the Fallen series might also enjoy this series as it sort of reminds me of it.
Zoey is just your ordinary girl with a good-looking best friend named Trevor who she has a huge crush on. But she misses out on a lot of fun because of her absurdly early curfew her parents set. Years ago, Zoey was kidnapped and her parents have kept her on lockdown ever since. However, nothing is as it seems, including her best friend.
Then, there's Cruz. He works at the diner she frequents and has a crush on her. When she invites Trevor over for dinner and Cruz shows up too, things take a turn for the crazy.. She discovers Trevor is a demon and her brother is half-angel. Forced to face an army of Shades, Zoey myst rely on Cruz to save the day, and her family.
SHIELD & SHADE is full of angels and demons who are fighting a never ending battle with characters you can't help but cheer for. Zoey will do anything to keep her family safe, but that isn't the easiest thing to do when your opponent is a sadistic demon. Cruz is sweet and loyal and refuses to turn his back on Zoey. Then, there are her brothers and Alistair who fight for what's right.
The author does a great job of holding your interest and paints her characters in a realistic light even in the paranormal setting. Both Cruz and Zoey's reaction to the demons seem appropriate and I love seeing their interactions. The only thing that seemed unnecessary were the point of view changes. There are so many that it takes away from the story a bit. Another character it switches to is Alistair, who is one of Zoe's brothers friends.
Final Verdict: I would recommend this to fans of paranormal stories about angels and demons. Fans of the Fallen series might also enjoy this series as it sort of reminds me of it.
June 25, 2021
Shield and Shade, the first book in the Ascended Guardians Series by Misty Hayes is actually the first book by this wonderful author that I have read and it did not disappoint at all! I have to say that it has been a while since I have read a paranormal book, a genre I use to read ALOT of, and now thanks to Ms Hayes my love for the genre has been reignited and I will be reading more especially from this creative author.
I read this book not knowing that it was a spin off from a previous series until I had completed it and went looking for more books by Ms Hayes. I don't feel that my not having read the Blood Dagger series has hindered my experience at all. In fact now I just want to go buy the other series and start reading. I wanted to mention that important point, as I have seen a lot of reviews address the fact that it is a spin off but I don't want people thinking you have to read the other series first. If you wanted to by all means do but I don't feel that you absolutely have too in order to follow the story line or characters. You WILL absolutely love this book either way.
There is an endless mixture of wonderful, fascinating creative characters and worlds, loads of action and even some moments you will second guess your feelings...am I really feeling for one of the bad guys here?? seriously?? hehehe!! I was totally hooked on the story from start to finish and hated it each time I was forced to take a break from reading it.
i really hope you will join me in reading Shield and Shade...I just know you will be hooked too!
I read this book not knowing that it was a spin off from a previous series until I had completed it and went looking for more books by Ms Hayes. I don't feel that my not having read the Blood Dagger series has hindered my experience at all. In fact now I just want to go buy the other series and start reading. I wanted to mention that important point, as I have seen a lot of reviews address the fact that it is a spin off but I don't want people thinking you have to read the other series first. If you wanted to by all means do but I don't feel that you absolutely have too in order to follow the story line or characters. You WILL absolutely love this book either way.
There is an endless mixture of wonderful, fascinating creative characters and worlds, loads of action and even some moments you will second guess your feelings...am I really feeling for one of the bad guys here?? seriously?? hehehe!! I was totally hooked on the story from start to finish and hated it each time I was forced to take a break from reading it.
i really hope you will join me in reading Shield and Shade...I just know you will be hooked too!
September 20, 2022
Action Packed Angels and Demons Realistic Fantasy!
Parents- PG13- Really geared towards middle school and up
Language- PG- I really don't remember any but there may have been a few bad words, no f-bombs
Violence- PG13-R - Is a bit heavier in battle gore and torture descriptions, so it really could go either way on the rating
Sexual Content- PG- kissing but kept pretty clean
So I didn't read the trilogy that is before this book and I really never got lost so I'd say it can stand on it's own away from it. The format of this book is one of those that you get to experience some events twice through two and sometimes three characters. This story revolves around Zoey and her very protective family... Events transpire that brings out hidden secrets and family members with abilities like super heroes, very real and scary demons, and a level of action that once set in motion doesn't let up. It really is a hard book to put down with the rollercoaster of emotions and action/fight scenes. It is left with a bit of a cliffhanger so I am now anxiously awaiting the next book. Looking for an intense supernatural realistic fantasy? This is your book.
The narrators (4⭐) were both great but just found it to be a touch slow in speed, it is fixed completely at 1.3x speed. I really liked having the two narrators to go back and forth as the character perspectives changed from male to female, it really helped ease the transition.
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Parents- PG13- Really geared towards middle school and up
Language- PG- I really don't remember any but there may have been a few bad words, no f-bombs
Violence- PG13-R - Is a bit heavier in battle gore and torture descriptions, so it really could go either way on the rating
Sexual Content- PG- kissing but kept pretty clean
So I didn't read the trilogy that is before this book and I really never got lost so I'd say it can stand on it's own away from it. The format of this book is one of those that you get to experience some events twice through two and sometimes three characters. This story revolves around Zoey and her very protective family... Events transpire that brings out hidden secrets and family members with abilities like super heroes, very real and scary demons, and a level of action that once set in motion doesn't let up. It really is a hard book to put down with the rollercoaster of emotions and action/fight scenes. It is left with a bit of a cliffhanger so I am now anxiously awaiting the next book. Looking for an intense supernatural realistic fantasy? This is your book.
The narrators (4⭐) were both great but just found it to be a touch slow in speed, it is fixed completely at 1.3x speed. I really liked having the two narrators to go back and forth as the character perspectives changed from male to female, it really helped ease the transition.
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
June 23, 2021
Shield & Shade: Ascended Guardians 1 is one of those books you pick up not really knowing what you’re getting into. I want to mention that yes this is the first book of the series, but this series is a spin-off of another one –The Blood Dagger. I didn’t realize when I started it. Well written with twists and suspense, I didn’t know what to expect when I turned a page. I loved the way the book started with the mystery around Zoey’s disappearance when she was a little girl. Definitely built the suspense. I thought the author did an incredible job with the characters and the wide range of emotions they went through. Several times, I found myself audibly muttering “what???”, “oh here we go”, or “I can’t believe that just happened.” I did feel I landed into a different world, and in the middle of the action. After getting several chapters in, I looked it up and found that indeed a prior set of books was written. If I had known, I would have started at the beginning with that series. This book was great, but I feel like reading the previous series with prior knowledge of characters and situations would have made this one an easier read. It’s a lot to take in at once. This book isn’t a sunshine and roses kind of book. It’s a guts and gore survival kind of book with good vs evil save the world kind of characters. Speaking of characters, can we get to know Nakir better?
June 28, 2021
Heads up, this is a spin off to The Blood Dagger trilogy, which I did not realize going in.
Having not read the Blood Dagger trilogy, this had slower start that left me scratching my head at some of the references, but once I got to about 30% I was completely immersed and couldn’t put the book down! All of my questions and confusion were answered, and then more! I’m in awe of the character building in this book and cannot wait to read more in this series!
Shield & Shade takes the paranormal genres for vampires, angels, and demons, and turns them on their heads!
I’m not normally a big fan of books that switch POV between more than two characters, but here I didn’t feel like I was losing out on information by being in another’s perspective, instead I felt it gave us more information and background than we would have otherwise had. I enjoyed the “coming of age” aspect for Zoey and Cruz, with their minds being blown that angels and the paranormal exist. I can appreciate Zoey’s mom wanting to protect her youngest child, who had a traumatic experience at 5, but c’mon, you also have to let your child live!
I will certainly be searching for the Blood Dagger books, as well as any others written by Misty.
Having not read the Blood Dagger trilogy, this had slower start that left me scratching my head at some of the references, but once I got to about 30% I was completely immersed and couldn’t put the book down! All of my questions and confusion were answered, and then more! I’m in awe of the character building in this book and cannot wait to read more in this series!
Shield & Shade takes the paranormal genres for vampires, angels, and demons, and turns them on their heads!
I’m not normally a big fan of books that switch POV between more than two characters, but here I didn’t feel like I was losing out on information by being in another’s perspective, instead I felt it gave us more information and background than we would have otherwise had. I enjoyed the “coming of age” aspect for Zoey and Cruz, with their minds being blown that angels and the paranormal exist. I can appreciate Zoey’s mom wanting to protect her youngest child, who had a traumatic experience at 5, but c’mon, you also have to let your child live!
I will certainly be searching for the Blood Dagger books, as well as any others written by Misty.
June 26, 2021
At fifteen, Zoey Taylor is different compared to normal high schoolers. Zoey, as a freshman, takes AP (or Advanced Placement) courses hoping that she can graduate high school early. She is always studying, and with a nighttime curfew of 7:30, she doesn’t have a lot of friends. Plus, there’s her secret. She’s afraid of the dark because that’s when she gets night terrors of the time when she wandered out of her house at night at the tender age of five.
The one person she considers a friend is Trevor. He has creamy skin, auburn hair, and chocolate brown eyes which he hides behind square rimmed glasses. You would think he was nerdy, but his athletic build and self-confidence made the girls fawn over him at every chance. His parents never seem to be home, but since his parents are mansion rich, he has money to do whatever he pleases or whatever his parents wish for him to do.
Zoey’s life has a dose of reality on Thanksgiving when she finds out the truth about the night when she was five. Read this amazing story about demons and Nephilim to find out how Zoey, her family, and friends acclimate to an ordeal that is definitely not “normal”.
The one person she considers a friend is Trevor. He has creamy skin, auburn hair, and chocolate brown eyes which he hides behind square rimmed glasses. You would think he was nerdy, but his athletic build and self-confidence made the girls fawn over him at every chance. His parents never seem to be home, but since his parents are mansion rich, he has money to do whatever he pleases or whatever his parents wish for him to do.
Zoey’s life has a dose of reality on Thanksgiving when she finds out the truth about the night when she was five. Read this amazing story about demons and Nephilim to find out how Zoey, her family, and friends acclimate to an ordeal that is definitely not “normal”.
June 23, 2021
I’m afraid I’m going to be a critic on this one. It made me want to read Cassandra Clare’s shadowhunter series again; similar genre that I enjoy.
To start, Shield & Shade is not a standalone book. It’s technically a spinoff of her Blood Dagger trilogy, but it has little story of its own. It constantly refers to the events in the previous series leaving holes in the back story that one hopes would be filled by reading the Blood Dagger Trilogy. Second, this book is action scene after action scene. There was only a few “chill, get to know you” scenes at the beginning of the book, the rest were action. And, while I enjoy the changing POV, I found it jarring to start the book off with switching back and forth between benign high school life to running for his life; maybe if it had continued alternating action/calm throughout the book, it might have flowed better. As is it felt disjointed. Overall, I found this a hard book to enjoy. Though the idea of the story was intriguing, I feel it needed more polish. I’m sorry!
To start, Shield & Shade is not a standalone book. It’s technically a spinoff of her Blood Dagger trilogy, but it has little story of its own. It constantly refers to the events in the previous series leaving holes in the back story that one hopes would be filled by reading the Blood Dagger Trilogy. Second, this book is action scene after action scene. There was only a few “chill, get to know you” scenes at the beginning of the book, the rest were action. And, while I enjoy the changing POV, I found it jarring to start the book off with switching back and forth between benign high school life to running for his life; maybe if it had continued alternating action/calm throughout the book, it might have flowed better. As is it felt disjointed. Overall, I found this a hard book to enjoy. Though the idea of the story was intriguing, I feel it needed more polish. I’m sorry!
June 16, 2021
Shield and Shade traces the war between angel and demon in this epic battle with an explosive finish. Zoey, a teenage girl, becomes caught up in a feud between rival factions, and in the process learns about what happened to her 10 years ago, and just who and what her family are capable of. The plot twists and turns on a dime, loyalties are tested and divided. She and those around her learn the limits of their bravery.
I enjoyed this book a lot. The writing is solid, the characters are interesting and diverse, and the plot is constantly on a hair trigger. I would have liked a bit of a breather in the action - 2/3 of the book seemed to be one long fight scene. While illustrated brilliantly, I feel like it would have been more impactful if there had been a lull in the action, and then resuming. All in all though, I thought this was a good story, and will definitely be checking out more by this authour.
I enjoyed this book a lot. The writing is solid, the characters are interesting and diverse, and the plot is constantly on a hair trigger. I would have liked a bit of a breather in the action - 2/3 of the book seemed to be one long fight scene. While illustrated brilliantly, I feel like it would have been more impactful if there had been a lull in the action, and then resuming. All in all though, I thought this was a good story, and will definitely be checking out more by this authour.
June 26, 2021
THIS WAS A FREAKIN' AWESOME ADVENTURE! The main Character Zoey is definitely on a roller coaster of dark twists and turns, angelic loops, and devilish corkscrews, and a story wouldn't be complete without a boy dilemma in Fort Worth, Texas! (Not Cowboys, oil companies, and horses anywhere in sight!) Zoey and her group face when an infernal demon decides on revenge and destruction of humanity as they know it! Ms. Hayes has written an extreme action-packed adventure, where the reader can view the action from ALL her characters, and I have never seen the action scenes with this detail and raw emotion on every page. The love the characters show for family and close friends is undeniable, and even though the characters are tested and brutally challenged, however, family and love is the strongest bond of all is what I read through this book. Join Zoey Taylor and others on this roller coaster adventure for a one-of-a-kind experience!
June 26, 2021
Vampires, angels, demons, we are all familiar with them and probably have come to expect certain things from those topics and types of characters, but Misty Hayes really made their own original spin on it. If you come into it expecting it to go a certain way you might end up being disappointed, but I greatly enjoyed the different take on the mythology of the creatures. At times it was hard to follow because of some of the changes but once you get used to the differences it is fun and exciting. There is a lot of dark material in the story so it is not a light read, it might trigger some hard feelings, but it is worth it at least in my opinion. I read it as an ebook but it definitely felt like a big thick book that you could lose yourself in if you had the time to sit and really dive into it. Recommended for anyone that is a fan of the vampire legend but wants something new about them to taste.
July 17, 2022
I kept reading it of hope
This book was hard to read it should have only taken me like 3 days, but this spread out over about a week. The story is different, about a family of people who have largely been adopted together, however not everyone in the family knows. Those who were adopted into the family, are actually nephilim, half angel half human or half angel half demon. I am a fan of this mythological style. The issue I had with this is it spent 90% of the story on fight scenes there was no actual progress or growth for the characters other than just ripping each other's heads off. It's also written in third person omniscient point of view, which I generally don't have Ann issue with, but three is a lot of passive voice that made it difficult to immerse myself into.
Overall it's not a bad read I would have like this when I was younger however I won't be reading the next book.
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Betrayal
Lies
Abandonment
Torture
Murder
Cancer
This book was hard to read it should have only taken me like 3 days, but this spread out over about a week. The story is different, about a family of people who have largely been adopted together, however not everyone in the family knows. Those who were adopted into the family, are actually nephilim, half angel half human or half angel half demon. I am a fan of this mythological style. The issue I had with this is it spent 90% of the story on fight scenes there was no actual progress or growth for the characters other than just ripping each other's heads off. It's also written in third person omniscient point of view, which I generally don't have Ann issue with, but three is a lot of passive voice that made it difficult to immerse myself into.
Overall it's not a bad read I would have like this when I was younger however I won't be reading the next book.
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Betrayal
Lies
Abandonment
Torture
Murder
Cancer
December 22, 2024
Soooo... I did not read the previous series that 'relates' to this series but it was not too difficult to catch on to what did happen as it's summarized pretty quickly.
While I feel like the author was creating a new series that focused Cori's little sister, I did not feel that from the read. It felt way more centered on him and his "crew" then on her. There were chapters/bits about her, Trevor and the other kid. I am guessing that now that she 'knows' the things she does that the 2nd book will focus more on her and her training, perhaps?
That said, I'm not interested enough and learning more about where this series goes to keep on reading it. I'm also not interested in reading books anymore that revolve around teenagers. I did not realize until after I bought this book and started to read it that the main female character was only 15/16yrs old. It sits in the same 'zone' as me not wanting to read books about single parents either. Not sure why exactly, just not for me anymore. :)
While I feel like the author was creating a new series that focused Cori's little sister, I did not feel that from the read. It felt way more centered on him and his "crew" then on her. There were chapters/bits about her, Trevor and the other kid. I am guessing that now that she 'knows' the things she does that the 2nd book will focus more on her and her training, perhaps?
That said, I'm not interested enough and learning more about where this series goes to keep on reading it. I'm also not interested in reading books anymore that revolve around teenagers. I did not realize until after I bought this book and started to read it that the main female character was only 15/16yrs old. It sits in the same 'zone' as me not wanting to read books about single parents either. Not sure why exactly, just not for me anymore. :)
January 25, 2021
Misty Hayes is back with a new spin-off series! If you haven’t read The Blood Dagger series yet… then what are you waiting for? Go and fetch those books first before picking up Shield & Shade.
If you are familiar with The Blood Dagger books, you’ll be happy to witness the return of all our favorite characters, plus a few more new additions. Cor’s little sister Zoey has grown older and has her own POV chapters—which were absolutely great. I love her. I can’t wait to see where her story will go.
Misty Hayes has such a talent with creating wholly different types of characters—good, shades of gray, and evil— I love all of them.
I wasn’t sure what to expect with Shield & Shade, since certain things had changed in the events of The Blood Dagger series, but as you can see I can’t express exactly how much I adore this book without going full fangirl.
If you are familiar with The Blood Dagger books, you’ll be happy to witness the return of all our favorite characters, plus a few more new additions. Cor’s little sister Zoey has grown older and has her own POV chapters—which were absolutely great. I love her. I can’t wait to see where her story will go.
Misty Hayes has such a talent with creating wholly different types of characters—good, shades of gray, and evil— I love all of them.
I wasn’t sure what to expect with Shield & Shade, since certain things had changed in the events of The Blood Dagger series, but as you can see I can’t express exactly how much I adore this book without going full fangirl.
June 21, 2021
3.5 Stars
Shield & Shade is the first book in the Ascended Guardians series by Misty Hayes. This is my first read from Ms. Hayes, so I was excited to find out what lay between the covers. I love a good YA paranormal story, so the premise of the story had me sold right away.
As I mentioned, this is a YA paranormal adventure story full of secrets, supernatural elements, dramatic moments, family, action, mystery, and suspense. I thought the story was quite creative and original- with richly textured world building. The story was quite ‘visual’ with lots of detail and vivid descriptions. Sometimes the descriptions got a little heavy handed- which did interrupt the flow of the story a bit, but overall, it was a fun read. Looking forward to seeing what’s in store for us in Book #2!
Thank you, Misty Hayes!
Shield & Shade is the first book in the Ascended Guardians series by Misty Hayes. This is my first read from Ms. Hayes, so I was excited to find out what lay between the covers. I love a good YA paranormal story, so the premise of the story had me sold right away.
As I mentioned, this is a YA paranormal adventure story full of secrets, supernatural elements, dramatic moments, family, action, mystery, and suspense. I thought the story was quite creative and original- with richly textured world building. The story was quite ‘visual’ with lots of detail and vivid descriptions. Sometimes the descriptions got a little heavy handed- which did interrupt the flow of the story a bit, but overall, it was a fun read. Looking forward to seeing what’s in store for us in Book #2!
Thank you, Misty Hayes!
June 21, 2021
Shield & Shade (Ascended Guardians Book 1) by Misty Hayes. This is a brand new series from Misty Hayes and its a good one! This is the emotional story of 15 year old Zoey & Cruz who is 17. Zoey is having flashback/nightmares of being kidnapped when she was 5 years old. No one in her family will tell her anything about what happened or discuss anything about it. Her family is very protective of her but they still insist on not talking about it. Zoey tends to be a loner but has always had Trevor as her friend and most recently Cruz has shown to be a true friend. When a stranger shows up at Zoe's door it opens the whole situation up! After that its on like crazy! You will be flipping the pages as fast as you can to find out what will happen! I loved this book and can't wait to read the next one!
June 24, 2021
I really enjoyed this young adult paranormal story. It is full of action and adventure and danger around every turn. The author does an amazing job with her characters. Her descriptions of the characters and their world is so detailed that it really brings them to life. The story is one that keeps you in suspense and gripped from beginning to end. I love the fight between good and evil and how they overcome adversity.
There are lots of secrets and deception which all unravel and make this story even better. People aren't who they appear to be and romance springs up in the most unlikely of places.
This book is a spin off from The Blood Dagger triology and even though I haven't read those I was still able to enjoy and follow the story. However I feel if that series is read first then some of the characters would make more sense.
There are lots of secrets and deception which all unravel and make this story even better. People aren't who they appear to be and romance springs up in the most unlikely of places.
This book is a spin off from The Blood Dagger triology and even though I haven't read those I was still able to enjoy and follow the story. However I feel if that series is read first then some of the characters would make more sense.
January 22, 2021
I loved the wild ride that Shield & Shade took me on! An imaginative, new version of angels and demons in the human world. The Hayes does a great job of grasping the reader's attention from the start. I would recommend reading the series that came prior to this to have a little more understanding of some of the events and characters that are mentioned as it could occasionally confuse the reader if you prefer more context/background to events that the characters reference throughout the book. Otherwise, this was my first novel read from Misty Hayes and I am eager to devour the previous series this one is spun-off from to experience more of the characters that really grabbed my attention and refuse to let go!
January 22, 2021
It was a really nice and smooth read!
I really enjoyed how, for once, the main character is not ok with how her life changed all of a sudden.
You know how every time the hero finds out she’s a witch, a demons hunter or that vampires are real they’re just like “oh, that’s cool!”?!
Well not in this story!
This was one of my favorites aspects, finally a character I can relate to....
The only downside I can think of is that, this being a spin off of The Blood Dagger Trilogy, I had some plot holes due to not having (yet) read the series(and that’s on me I guess)
In general, I loved the storyline and I can’t wait to read the next book...in the mean time I’ll use the time to go and read Misty’s other books!
I really enjoyed how, for once, the main character is not ok with how her life changed all of a sudden.
You know how every time the hero finds out she’s a witch, a demons hunter or that vampires are real they’re just like “oh, that’s cool!”?!
Well not in this story!
This was one of my favorites aspects, finally a character I can relate to....
The only downside I can think of is that, this being a spin off of The Blood Dagger Trilogy, I had some plot holes due to not having (yet) read the series(and that’s on me I guess)
In general, I loved the storyline and I can’t wait to read the next book...in the mean time I’ll use the time to go and read Misty’s other books!
June 15, 2021
I enjoyed this fantasy story. This is a well written story about having a past and finding out the truth that could just shatter your world. The characters are fun, entertaining and relatable. The author’s use of attention to details gave the story a realistic feel and gave it life. They really made the story for me. Fifteen years ago Zoey wandered away from her home or so she has heard but now she is not sure what happened during those years. Her life goes on and she is on track until one Thanksgiving Day when Gabriel shows up on her doorstep with the truth. Is she prepared for what she is about to hear? Perception is a big thing and hers may just be shattered by truth. This made a great afternoon read and I highly recommend it. I am happy that I picked it up and you will too.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews