Gripping, stunning, mind blowing! These are just a few words that describe this powerhouse of a book, Scent of Shadows, by debut author Vicki Pettersson. You will not want to put this one down until turning that last page!

On the day before her 25^th birthday, Joanna Archer’s life takes an abruptly changing course… for the second time in her life.

The first was when she was 15, brutally attacked, raped, and left for dead in the desert of Las Vegas. But she survived, and this turning point set her on the course leading to her second life changing event. Joanna spent the next nine years learning and mastering martial arts, and prowling the dark and dangerous streets of Vegas swearing she’d never be so helpless again. The second event, involved a blind date with a seeming harmless banker who suddenly turns the tables, snatching her and planning to kill her. She escapes, only to later that same night, at midnight precisely, be attacked a second time and save herself only to see her dear sister Olivia killed before her eyes. Thus begins this new adventure and the latest stage of Joanna’s life...

Now Joanna learns of her real legacy. She is The Archer, The First Sign of the New Zodiac. One of the Light forces, sworn to protect Las Vegas from the evil Shadow Zodiac, known for their lust for power and chaos. But she is more… Legend foretold of one known as the Kairos, born of equal parts Shadow and Light, who would rise to aid the Light in their triumph over Shadow. This is the new Joanna. Amidst the doubts of her fellow Light Zodiac troop, and her own internal struggles, she must learn to harness her powers and channel her guilt, hatred, and quest for revenge, into her new gifts in time to save the Zodiac troop, and the city, from destruction.

Scent of Shadows is not for the faint of heart. There are some very graphic descriptions of death and torture that could make some readers queasy. However, Pettersson keeps it from getting too dark by adding a touch of quirkiness. I personally enjoyed such things as having a line of comic books and trading cards based on the adventures of both the Light and Shadow warriors and having a bubble-headed friend mistake Joanna’s glyph (a sort of unique “birthmark” found on all Light warriors) for a stiletto pump. Cat lovers will also enjoy having felines be the wardens (AKA guardians) of the Light signs. Only a fellow cat person would have dreamed that up!

This book is all the more impressive for the fact it is so refreshingly different. I love vampires, witches, and shape shifters as much as the next person, but they do get old after a while and thank heavens there is not a single one of those found here! Vicki Pettersson puts her own unique brand on the fantasy market. For centuries we’ve all known of the Zodiac, and the unique traits of each sign. With Scent of Shadows, we’ll all see it in a whole new light. This book will make us all dream of grasping our own sign in a new way, and reevaluate its inherent gifts.

Scent of Shadows is bound to be one of the best reads you’ll find all year! Thank you Vicki Pettersson for gifting us with such a fascinating story! I am chomping at the bit for book two, The Taste of Night!

© Kelley A. Hartsell, February 2007. All rights reserved.