Oh, Lady Dear, Hast Thou No Fear?

With Varen trapped in the terrifying dreamworld surrounded by Edgar Allan Poe's most horrific stories, Isobel is determined to rescue him. Each night since his disappearance, Isobel has been visited by haunting and ghastly images of Varen's world. The more she sees, the more she is unsure of how to bring him back.
The "Poe Toaster", the one who visits Poe's grave on the early hours of his birthday, seems to hold the key Isobel is looking for. Unfortunately, her and her best friend, Gwen, find out that these dark dreams are dangerous and possibly fatal. But Isobel is relentless and pushes forward with any hopes of discovering where Varen is. Revisiting places present in her dreams, she slowly begins piecing the puzzle together.
Once in Baltimore, Isobel is prepared to take on any and all dangers in her way. But can she succeed in releasing Varen from this prison, or does he want to be saved at all? 

Enshadowed by Kelly Creagh was a book that took me a while to get through. It was not a bad book by any means, but because of the length and the subject manner, it does take more care.
Creagh's first novel, Nevermore, reflects the relationship between loner Varen and popular cheerleader Isobel. They were forced to work together on a project for English class, then suddenly they are sucked into an amusement park of Edgar Allan Poe's worst nightmares. After Varen does not return from the dreamworld, Isobel makes it her mission to get him out. This journey focuses on her determination and her transformation.
I adore Poe's writing, and these novels take all the most horrible aspects and combine it together to create a world of pain, despair, and fear. The second book expresses Isobel's desperation, and the reader can slowly see her slipping into Poe's "madness". These nightmares, illusions, and daydreams often deceive and take her to dark corners that hide reality and intertwine it with fiction.
This entire series has been great. The ride has been so full of passion and drive, yet the overwhelming theme of madness is present within.  The ending was unexpected, yet the entire concept of this story was unexpected. The lines between what Isobel sees as real and a dream are blurred, even for the reader.
The one tip I do have is that you need to take your time with this series. Because the dream world and the concept of Poe's stories are deeply embedded into the plot, it does take time to understand, comprehend, and move forward. And you truly want to savor it because the descriptions take center stage; not the dialogue between characters. The entire time reading I just kept thinking, "This would be a really cool movie" because I can see the scenes and I know this would be a great spooky concept for Hollywood to cash in on.
Also, Creagh made these stories long. You are not just getting a quick plot with a cliff hanger. Everything is carefully done, and it is so worth it. These novels definitely fall into the Gothic Romantic genre, and I am sure that Poe himself would applaud this writer's efforts. Well done, and I cannot wait to see how this one ends.