Gabriella's past is a mystery, but that never stopped her from achieving her goals. As a supernatural specialist, and far more intelligent than anyone her age, she has always been ignored by her peers. Because of the isolation she has always felt, she put her life and soul into her job. Being a supernatural specialist hasn't given her the divine intervention she always longed for, until one day a shipment arrives from Italy containing three dead bodies with an uncanny ability to regenerate. Gabriella is frightened and intrigued, but not as scared as she becomes when a dark creature attacks her.
As the bodies come back to life, the plot takes an unexpected twist that you won't see coming. The supernatural world only begins to unfold as angels appear, her dreams start to haunt her, and the very past she has forgotten comes back with startling clarity. Romance blooms, escape plans are made, an assassin is out to kill her, and death is only around the corner. But what is more terrifying than all of that is the fact she is the chosen one, the Illuminator, the one who will save them all.
"With Shadow of the Sun, first time author, Laura Kreitzer, illuminates us with the first book in her Timeless series. The story starts off as her heroine, Dr. Gabriella Moretti, receives three bodies from an archeological dig in Italy. Dr. Moretti is a supernatural specialist for the Zelko Corporation, and the bodies have been sent to her for investigation. She walks into her lab and looks into the crates to find the supposed 2000 year old bodies to have no decomposition what-so-ever. She immediately contacts the dig to make sure she was sent the correct bodies, for these seem minutes dead and not centuries. She is soon emailed pictures of the bodies that were taken just four days prior, and images of three leathery, decayed corpses appear on her screen. Eager to find some answers, Dr. Moretti takes a tissue sample from the arm of one of the bodies, and in the time it takes her to turn around, the flesh has regenerated. For the first time in her tenure with Zelko, her skepticism is rocked to it's foundation.
Dr. Moretti seals her lab and rushes to contact her supervisor, both anxious and eager to return to her lab once he arrives to see what they will find there. While waiting in her office, her assistant delivers her dry cleaning and a mysterious box. Wanting to make herself presentable after practically living at her lab as of late, Gabriella puts all thoughts of the box aside. While in the en-suite bathroom of her office, she begins to hear noises in her office. Peaking out into the room, she sees nothing, until she realizes that the box appears to be punched opened. Soon a darkness overcomes her, and a shadowy creature appears warning her not to wake the angels. The mysterious bodies below are angels.
Soon her boss arrives along with the FBI, who want to take this whole operation under their jurisdiction. Feeling very protective of these creatures, with only Gabriella knowing their true identity, she is included in the detail to remove them from her lab. Hidden in the ranks of the FBI agents are a Shadow, Jeff, and an angel, Karen. Gabriella finds herself back in her office with Karen, who reveals herself. She tells Gabriella that she is her guardian angel sent to keep her and the bodies safe. More importantly, Kreitzer uses Karen's explanation that angels are immortals who protect humanity, and their depiction in religious texts was written by her self-righteous angel brothers. With this, Kreitzer has given herself creative liberty for her world of angels to not follow the archetype that angels are the messengers of God, and in turn frees the reader to accept Kreitzer's world as she unfolds it to us.
Karen accompanies Gabriella as she goes home to pack for the trip, and in the processes is presented with the angel elders. She is told she is the “Darkness Illuminatorâ€. A prophesy was made stating that the Darkness Illuminator would come and be the key to end the war between the angels and the Shadows. Because Gabriella survived her visit from the Shadow, which no human and few angels have survived, they believe she is the one who will save them and bring them peace.
Gabriella finds herself on the run, not knowing who to trust as she discovers more of the lore of this hidden world of guardian immortals. Not only does their history unfold, but her own hidden past is revealed to her as well. Gabriella hides, runs, and fights with the help of the three crated angels come-to-life, Andrew, Ehno, and Lucia; and a human FBI agent, Joseph. Other angels and shadows cross their paths, but as Gabriella learns, people are not always who they seem to be. Kreitzer's mix of narrative, flashbacks, borrowed memories, and even stored messages in inanimate objects presents the unfolding of this world, and Gabriella's past and future, in digestible pieces. As complex as this world is, you are able to keep track of who everyone is, and the various levels of lies that mask and complicate the situation Gabriella finds herself in. You can feel her emotion coming off the page,her anxiety in your nerves, and her weariness in your bones.
Along with the larger picture of ending a supernatural war is the slow unfolding of a love story between Gabriella and Andrew. Beginning with him coming to life in time to save her from a plane crash, they find themselves on the run together. They reveal each others worlds to each other, and gradually, pieces of themselves. They have an actually physical connection that they ignore at first, but soon there is an emotional connection as well.
Laura Kreitzer has created a world rich with history and intrigue. Just when you think you have it figured out, she throws you for another loop and you are no longer operating in the same reality you thought existed for the story. This is an intriguing start to what promises to be a captivating book series."
—
Beth (4 out of 5 stars)