The Shattered Dark
Read The Shattered Dark Online
Authors: Sandy Williams
PRAISE FOR
THE SHADOW READER
“A fresh take on the fae, packed with suspense, surprises, and real moral dilemmas.
Sexy and fun, this is a must for anyone who likes their fae modern, their stakes high,
and their property damage extensive.”
—Seanan McGuire,
New York Times
bestselling author of the October Daye novels
“Combines top-notch writing and world-building with characters you’ll adore…and the
star-crossed lovers may just break your heart…If you enjoy fae urban fantasy, then
don’t miss this splendid debut. Loved it. Can’t wait for the next book.”
—Ann Aguirre, national bestselling author of
Endgame
“When facing this stubborn, smart escape artist of a heroine, watch where you walk,
as every footstep leaves a shadow and every shadow tells a longtime reader like McKenzie
Lewis the truth…whether she wants to know it or not.”
—Rob Thurman,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Doubletake
“Fantastically fun urban fantasy! One of the best debuts of the year…[It] checked
off all my urban fantasy wish-list boxes, and I can’t wait to read the sequel.”
—
All Things Urban Fantasy
“A gutsy heroine and plenty of fae lore.”
—
Library Journal
“Fun and fast-paced.”
—
Fantasy Cafe
“Fantastic…filled with action and suspense. I was constantly on the edge of my seat.”
—
Urban Fantasy Investigations
“Sandy Williams packs a powerful punch with her debut urban fantasy…An energetic,
explosive story…fantastically complex…The ending felt like a roller-coaster ride…This
book will keep your emotions on overload till the very last sentence…I encourage all
readers with a love of urban fantasy to run, not walk, to your nearest bookstore and
get your very own copy…
The Shadow Reader
is a must-read.”
—
Smexy Books
“This is a book that kept me reading well into the night. It is without a doubt a
page-turner…I loved the main character, the world…I am more than excited to see what
comes out next.”
—
Paranormal Haven
“Inventive fantasy…a series worth following.”
—
Fantasy & SciFi Lovin’ News & Reviews
“I really love this book.”
—
Urban Fantasy Reviews
“Kept me turning pages frantically.”
—
Fantasy Literature
“An exciting, turbulent adventure…a home run of a debut novel. I encourage all fans
of urban fantasy to rush out and pick up a copy…You will not regret it.”
—
Fresh Fiction
“A gripping alternate-reality fantasy.”
—
The Romance Reader
“A solid block of entertainment…quite compelling.”
—
A Book Obsession
“Williams will have readers devouring the pages until the very end.
The Shadow Reader
has it all: suspense, romance, action, and laughs.”
—
Nocturne Romance Reads
Ace Books by Sandy Williams
THE SHADOW READER
THE SHATTERED DARK
THE
SHATTERED
DARK
Sandy Williams
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA
Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3,
Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) • Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand,
London WC2R 0RL, England • Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2,
Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.) • Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell
Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group
Pty. Ltd.) • Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park,
New Delhi—110 017, India • Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, Auckland
0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.) • Penguin Books (South
Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa
Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the
product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance
to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is
entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume
any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
THE SHATTERED DARK
An Ace Book / published by arrangement with the author
PUBLISHING HISTORY
Ace mass-market edition / November 2012
Copyright © 2012 by Sandy Williams.
Map by Adam F. Watkins.
Cover art by Gene Mollica.
Cover design by Lesley Worrell.
Interior text design by Kristin del Rosario.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or
electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy
of
copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized
editions.
For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
ISBN: 978-1-101-61215-6
ACE
Ace Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
ACE and the “A” design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is
stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither
the
author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
| ALWAYS LEARNING | PEARSON |
For Mom.
Thank you for always believing in me,
especially when I didn’t believe in myself.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
People say second books are harder to write than first books. That’s especially true
when you have twins a few months before your deadline. This book wouldn’t have been
written if it weren’t for a few awesome people.
My mom, who made the five-hour trip between Houston and Dallas more times than I can
count. Thank you for watching the boys so I could work. The same gratitude goes to
my husband, who was on baby duty every evening and weekend for months, and to my grandmother,
who helped keep me sane on the days I was home alone, juggling the babies and a deadline.
I couldn’t have done this without your sacrifices and support!
I also have to give a shout-out to Rissa Westerfield, who has taken such great care
of my boys. I don’t think any of us would have survived without you!
Mega gratitude goes to my beta readers, Shelli Richard and Renee Sweet. Renee, your
comments are always spot-on, and they never fail to make me laugh. Thanks so much
for knocking some sense into McKenzie!
To my agent, Joanna Volpe—wow! You always know exactly what to say to keep me from
totally freaking out. Thank you for your guidance and your many last-minute reads!
Also, much appreciation goes out to the illustrator, Adam Watkins, who endured many
“final” tweak e-mails from me to create a kick-ass map of the Realm.
And to Kat Sherbo, my editor: Thank you for being so incredibly understanding while
I learn how to be both a mom and a writer. Your patience made it possible for me to
make this the best book it could be.
Lastly, big hugs to my boys, who still love me despite the number of hours I’ve spent
banging away at my computer. Your smiles brighten the gloomiest days!
