Item: Shift
Rating: 4
Author: Anjali Kay

Shift by Em Bailey
Published by Electric Monkey
on May 7th 2012
Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Young Adult
Pages: 304
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"There were two things everyone knew about Miranda Vaile before she'd even started at our school. The first was that she had no parents - they were dead. And the second was that they were dead because Miranda had killed them."

Olive used to be the school queen-bee. But that was before her breakdown. Now she's the class loner, and can only watch as new girl Miranda latches on to Olive's ex-best friend Katie. Soon Miranda is talking like Katie, dressing like Katie - even going out with Katie's boyfriend. And then Katie dies. Everyone seems to believe it was a tragic accident, but OIive isn't so sure. What if the wild rumours are true? What if Miranda really is a killer...?

Last updated on 18 December 2024

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What is Shift by Em Bailey about?

Shift, by Em Bailey, is a high school supernatural, almost horror-like story about Olive Corbett and the new girl at school, Miranda. When Miranda first arrives at school she is a drab-looking girl with baggy clothes and messy hair that hangs limp around her pale face, and Olive has an awful sense that there is something strange about this girl.

As Olive and her best friend Ami start to watch Miranda latch onto Olive’s ex-best friend, Katie, they know something isn’t quite right. With some good ol’ Googling, Olive and Ami find a fantasy site about Shapeshifters, and while they dismiss this theory, every day Olive gets more and more convinced that Miranda is slowly sucking the life from Katie.

My thoughts

This book was a great read, and I loved it. Written in first person, everything is from Olive’s perspective, which makes for interesting turns of events throughout the story. You’ll see what I mean if you read it. Shift has your typical everyday teenage drama – the popular kids and the cattiness that goes with them, the good-looking boy, the overprotective mother, the loyal little brother, and the fun-loving best friend – mixed in with this supernatural element with a creepy twist and horror-like elements.

“I believe in grey…Some things aren’t straightforward. Not everything is true or false, real or imaginary, black or white. It’s not that simple.”

Olive as the main character was good, for the most part, and I really liked her for the first half of the book, but I got frustrated at her throughout the second half, but I have a feeling that was supposed to happen. Miranda was manipulative and controlling, and the love interest for Olive, Lachlan, was sweet and caring.

The only character I would have liked to read more about was Noah, the guy Olive worked with at the theatre. He’s only in it a little bit, but it always seemed like they should have been friends, or …something. I’m not really sure, but I was a little disappointed we didn’t get to know a bit more about him. He seemed like fun.

Overall, Shift was a great read from Em Bailey!

Have you read Shift? What did you think?