#Blogtour The Silence Project by Carole Hailey

It’s a pleasure to take part on the Blogtour The Silence Project by Carole Hailey.

About the Author

Carole Hailey completed the six-month Guardian/UEA novel writing course taught by Bernardine Evaristo, who imbued Carole with such a love for writing fiction that she abandoned her career in law to undertake an MA in Creative Writing at Goldsmiths, followed by a PhD in Creative Writing at Swansea University.

Carole was a London Library Emerging Writer 2020/21. The Silence Project is her first published novel and was shortlisted for the Bridport Prize Peggy Chapman-Andrews First Novel Award 2020 and highly commended by the judges. She lives in Wales with her husband and two rescue dogs. Follow @CaroleAHailey on Twitter

About the book

On Emilia Morris’s thirteenth birthday, her mother Rachel moves into a tent at the bottom of their garden. From that day on, she never says another word. Inspired by her vow of silence, other women join her and together they build the Community. Eight years later, Rachel and thousands of her followers around the world burn themselves to death.

In the aftermath of what comes to be known as the Event, the Community’s global influence quickly grows. As a result, the whole world has an opinion about Rachel – whether they see her as a callous monster or a heroic martyr – but Emilia has never voiced hers publicly. Until now.

When she publishes her own account of her mother’s life in a memoir called The Silence Project, Emilia also decides to reveal just how sinister the Community has become. In the process, she steps out of Rachel’s shadow once and for all, so that her own voice may finally be heard.

Review

Somewhere along the blurred lines of this story the reader will probably wonder whether the mother-daughter relationship or Rachel and the Community are at the core. The truth is it is always both, because Rachel is a multi-faceted character. She is both mother and voice of the people.

I have to admit I found the silence between Rachel and Emilia, and the impact it has on Emilia, very poignant. Long before the Event the mother discards the child in the name of her protest. Nothing is more important than what her silence is meant to achieve. In fact what a fascinating movement of protest – the loudest silence that is heard around the world.

Whilst reading this I experienced the same thing I did with Daisy Jones – the lines between fiction and reality became blurred, perhaps because the premise and enfolding scenarios are far too easy to imagine as fact. Also possibly because we are already living a semblance of a certain structure that resembles some of the Community goals the author alludes to. 

Power corrupts. Ideology consumes common sense. When one group decides the fate of others – in the name of the greater good, there will always be calculated casualties. Who decides the worth of life or weighs it up against the greater goal? The Community, right? The group forged on the sacrifice and strength of people like Rachel.

It’s an incredibly clever and nuanced premise with many layers to unpack and dissect. I can imagine each core aspect will speak to in its own way to readers, whether it’s the mother and daughter relationship, the Community or the silence itself. This is the kind of book that sows the seeds for existential conversations. It’s an excellent read.

Buy The Silence Project at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Corvus pub date 9 Feb. 2023. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Betty Boo by Claudia Piñeiro

 It’s my turn on the BlogTour Betty Boo by Claudia Piñeiro – translated by Miranda France.

About the Author

Claudia Piñeiro, formerly a journalist and playwright, is the author of prize-winning literary crime novels that are all bestsellers in Latin America and have been translated into many languages. She lives in Buenos Aires. Follow @claudiapineiro on Twitter

The Translator – Miranda France is the author of two acclaimed volumes of travel writing: Don Quixote’s Delusions, a Cervantean tour through the Spanish psyche; and Bad Times in Buenos Aires, which explored the psychological condition of sullen resignation and impotent rage the Argentinians know as bronca. She has also written the novel Hill Farm and translated Claudia Piñeiro’s other novels into English. Follow @MirandaFrance1 on Twitter

About the book

When a Buenos Aires industrialist is found dead at his home in La Maravillosa, an exclusive gated community, the novelist Nurit Iscar (nicknamed Betty Boo after Betty Boop) is contracted by a former lover, the editor of a national newspaper, to cover the story. Nurit teams up with the paper’s veteran, but now demoted, crime reporter. Soon they realize that they are falling in love, which complicates matters deliciously. 

The murder is no random crime. Five members of the Argentine industrial and political elite, who all went to the same boarding-school, have died in apparently innocent circumstances. The Maravillosa murder is just the last in the series and those in power in Argentina are not about to allow all this brought to light. Too much is at stake. 

Review

This is probably one of those reads where less is more in the review. If you don’t read or pay attention to the blurb and just read and enjoy based purely on what your presented with, as opposed to the assumption and the expectation, then I think you get a much more interesting read.

A businessman is found dead in an exclusive gated community – one with stringent rules when it comes to entering and exiting. Not a big suspect pool, right? Until Nurit – also known as Betty Boo – starts to uncover a bigger picture. A violent conspiracy of death and crime.

I think perhaps there is a lot more to say about the author and writing style than the actual plot – it’s really interesting how the style is completely different depending on which book. To the point of thinking it is a different author entirely. In this book I found it fascinating the way everything was constructed in an anti-norm structure. The minor characters take centre stage and minutiae rules.

The result is this snow globe version of a crime story where the falling snow keeps the eye focused on the world around the plot and the main characters are their own microcosm. Definitely an author to read.

Buy Betty Boo at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Bitter Lemon Press: pub date 14 January 2016. Buy at Amazon com. Buy via Bitter Lemon Press.

#BlogTour The Children of Pisces: The Two Pendants by R.E. Lewin

It’s a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The Children of Pisces: The Two Pendants by R.E. Lewin.

About the Author

Rachael has loved writing since she finished her first book at thirteen. Since then she has broadened her experiences by becoming a project manager, energy healer and helping animals with applied zoopharmacognosy, as well as helping to nurture creativity in others, including her twins, who are the primary age group for this, her debut.

About the book

It’s 2070 and our post-apocalyptic world is different. Aliens secretly invaded with a lethal biological weapon: a terrifying virus that annihilated almost every living creature in its path. People still believe it was a natural virus, oblivious to aliens and the truth. Humanity’s survival is in the hands of the alliance, a team of humans and aliens who stand against the evil arch-enemy alien leader. Orphaned children are raised in army-style schools. But from this barren wasteland, a few shall rise…

Tammy and Mikie are half-human and half-alien siblings, with immense metaphysical powers and a crystal weapon. Their powers are extraordinary alone, but together they are unstoppable. Their father promises to return for them when they reach thirteen – combat age. But at twelve, these two are already too powerful to ignore.

Tammy has been raised in an orphan camp, under the thumb of a bitter woman who rules with an iron fist. Now she has been adopted and taken to a new kind of safari park. Here, the scales shift and the animals help her to unlock her gifts with animals and nature. Can Tammy rise above her animal instincts and maintain her humanity?

Mikie, a strong telepath, can control people’s minds and is a martial arts expert like his uncle. Forced to live a lonely, home-schooled life to avoid detection, he often gets into trouble and battles with the responsibility of his powers. Can Mikie overcome his inner conflict? Will his compulsion to protect put those closest to him in even more danger?

This adventure will take them across the world and maybe into the stars beyond. They must reunite their family and decide where their loyalties lie. The seekers are coming…

Review

Going into the story the readers is given part of an origin story, which becomes important over a decade later. The characters move parallel in time, but at all times on a path towards each other.

Tammy, who has caught the interest of a couple after many years of waiting to be adopted, has an affinity for animals. It is more than just liking them – they see her and she sees them. A collective communication appears to take place, one that others aren’t privy to.

Then there is Mikie, a young boy who can read minds and control them. The two of them have something in common, something elemental that is full of possibilities. They are an enhanced version of those around them, which means they are valuable asset or are they a dangerous weapon, depending on the path they choose?

It’s an ambitious series with plenty of potential – a crossover and melding of genres. A futuristic, speculative tale, a dystopian world with elements of sci-fi. The author has drawn a tentative thread of humanity throughout, and only time will tell if they will be able to sustain it in themselves, each other – or whether it will be submerged by natural instincts.

I like the fact it is story that is suitable for younger readers too. What a way to experience creativity and expand horizons, and a multi-genre world. It will be interesting to see where the next part in the series takes the Children of Pisces.

Buy The Children of Pisces: The Two Pendants at Amazon Uk. Publisher ‏: ‎Matador pub date 28 Mar. 2022. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Troubador.

#BlogTour A Man of Understanding by Diana Janney

It’s a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour A Man of Understanding by Diana Janney. A stand out piece of literary fiction.

About the Author

Diana Janney is the author of the novels The Choice and The Infinite Wisdom of Harriet Rose, which has been translated into German, Spanish, Dutch and Portuguese. It was produced by the BBC as an audiobook and the film rights were sold.

Formerly she practised as a barrister in London after having qualified as a solicitor at a leading City of London international law firm. She read Philosophy at University College, London, where she received a First for her Masters thesis on Kant and Hume, and three Scholarships. She has received international acclaim for her writing, which combines her philosophical knowledge with her wit, poetry and keen observation of human nature. Diana lives on the Kent/Sussex borders. She has spent most of her adult life living in London.

About the book

It takes a man of understanding to rebuild a shattered soul: a man with a deep and learned grasp of philosophy and poetry, a man who can nurture and inspire an enquiring mind, a man with the wit and humour to bring the world alive. That enigmatic man is Horatio Hennessey.

His grandson Blue is that shattered soul. Following the death of twelve-year-old Blue’s parents, he arrives in the mountains of Mallorca, to live with the grandfather he has never met. But is Horatio, ‘Granga’ to Blue, upto the challenge? Or is he merely trying, through his own grandson, to make good his past? Gradually a bond evolves between them through a shared love of poetry. But when secrets are uncovered, will understanding turn to misunderstand? Will two souls be shattered this time?

Review

One could say it’s pretentious and ambitious  – it certainly speaks of a belief in a certain level of academic prowess and talent, when literary work is described in the confines, boundaries and expectations of poetry, philosophy and literature. And here we are. This book manages to work within those expectations, cross the boundaries and expand upon the expectations, and it is also so much more at the same time.

I tell no lie when I say that I shed a tear at the end. Not for the story or the characters per se, but rather for the beauty this work entails and encompasses, and brings together so seamlessly. A melding of word art, emotional turmoil and entwining it with such a firm grasp on existential thoughts and fears.

No thought or word to be uttered without deeper introspection. No interaction noted or action taken without an exploration of depth of connection, of creativity, and acknowledgement of simply being – of existence.

I adored it. I love the art of poetry, and questions of philosophy that burn to be dissected. This is such a wonderful combination of the two, which is only enhanced by the presence of the Blue and Horatio. The stripping of persona and relationships to the core of inner essence – soul, if one can identify something so elusive and tangible. Then using core emotions of grief, abandonment, the need to belong and be loved to drive this powerful story to a conclusion, which is in itself once more a beginning or end, a door to be closed or opened. Beautiful work.

Buy A Man of Understanding at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Cogito Publishing, pub date 7th April 2022 – paperback – £8.99. Buy via Cogito Publishing.

#BlogTour The Mersey Mothers by Sheila Riley

It’s my turn on the BlogTour The Mersey Mothers by Sheila Riley. This is the third book in the Reckoner’s Row series.

About the Author

Sheila Riley wrote four #1 bestselling novels under the pseudonym Annie Groves and is now writing the Reckoner’s Row series under her own name. She has set it around the River Mersey and its docklands near to where she spent her early years. She still lives in Liverpool.

Follow Sheila on @1sheilariley Twitter, Facebook, @sheilarileynovelist on Instagram, Sign up to her newsletter here

About the book

Liverpool 1953 – January sees the dawn of the Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation year as the mothers of Reckoners Row unite in preparation for the celebration of the new Queen.

Meanwhile Evie Kilgaren is dreaming of her summer wedding to Danny Harris, but trouble looms for Skinner & Sons with a new rival trying to put them out of business, but no-one knows why….

Ada Harris is summoned to the bedside of her estranged husband, who, in his dying moment confesses to a deadly secret – he knows who really murdered Evie’s mam Rene all those years ago and the consequences are far reaching.

Has an innocent man been jailed and is there still a murderer walking carefree? Will Evie get the happy-ever-after she so longs for with Danny? And will The Mersey Mothers unite and still be friends?

Review

If you’ve stumbled upon the Reckoner’s Row series before the beginning of the book gives us the events of The Mersey Orphan from a different perspective. That common thread or event now serves as the intro to the lives of the children left behind as they deal with the complications of a post-war world and adulthood.

Evie and Danny fight to keep his business afloat in the lead up to their nuptials. It seems someone is playing dirty when it comes to trying to shut them down for good. On top of that a killer close to home has escaped and is intent on finding himself some justice. It’s a constantly moving daily bag of troubles, strife, love and friendship, which is of course what readers are looking for in this kind of saga meets historical fiction with just enough cosy and large portion of reality.

Kudos also for the timely plot in regard to the coronation. What better way to give a nod to the upcoming milestone by referencing the beginning of her journey, the country and its people, who embraced the moment of light after times of loss and darkness.

The author gives readers a Cookson style relatable plot, but with less misery and more satisfying character developments if you like a wee bit of joy with your hard times.

Buy The Mersey Mothers at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎ Boldwood Books pub date 19 April 2022. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Homecoming by Anna Enquist

It’s a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The Homecoming by Anna Enquist, translated by Eileen Stevens.

About the Author

Anna Enquist studied piano at the academy of music in The Hague and psychology at Leiden University. She is the author of the novels The Masterpiece; The Secret, winner of the 1997 Dutch Book of the Year awarded by the public; The Ice Carriers; Counterpoint; Quartet; and the international bestseller The Homecoming, which received the Prix du Livre Corderie Royale-Hermione for its French translation. 

Anna is also the author of A Leap, a collection of dramatic monologues, as well as numerous poetry collections, including Soldiers’ Songs, for which she was awarded the C. Buddingh’ Prize; A New Goodbye; and Hunting Scenes, winner of the Lucy B. and C.W. van der Hoogt Prize.

About the Translator – Eileen Stevens

Eileen Stevens earned her MA in linguistics with a specialization in translation from the University of Amsterdam. Her many Dutch-to-English translation credits include Connie Palmen’s Your Story, My Story; Karin Schacknat’s In and Out of Fashion; Vera Mertens’s The Concentration Camp; and Ineke van Doorn’s Singing from the Inside Out. She has also translated numerous essays on classical music and the arts. A New Jersey native, Eileen spent twenty-five years working as a professional violinist in a Dutch orchestra and has lived in Amsterdam since 1990.

About the book

After twelve years of marriage to English explorer James Cook, Elizabeth has yet to spend an entire year with her husband. In their house by the Thames, she moves to the rhythms of her life as a society wife, but there is so much more to her than meets the eye. She has the strength to manage the house and garden, raise their children, and face unbearable sorrow alone.

As she prepares for another homecoming, Elizabeth looks forward to James’s triumphant return and the work she will undertake reading and editing his voluminous journals. But will the private life she’s been leading in his absence distract her from her role in aid of her husband’s grand ambitions? Can James find the compassion to support her as their family faces unimaginable loss, or must she endure life alone as he sails off toward another adventure?

An intimate and sharply observed novel, The Homecoming is as revelatory as James Cook’s exploration of distant frontiers and as richly rewarding as Elizabeth’s love for her family. With courage and strength, through recollection and imagination, author Anna Enquist brilliantly narrates Elizabeth’s compelling record of her life, painting a psychological portrait of an independent woman ahead of her time.

Review

It’s always fascinating to read about the women behind important historical figures. The people who remain anonymous, invisible and because of that they disappear into the folds of history books and archives. The importance of their roles is underrated and often never told. Putting that into perspective, who doesn’t know about James Cook, and who in turn knows anything about his wife Elizabeth.

We meet Elizabeth as she is preparing for her husband to return to her once again. Not unlike modern military wives, she is the glue that holds the family and home together, awaiting the man who is little more than a distant love. They have spent little time together for the duration of their marriage – his endeavours, tasks and adventures always come first.

She carries the weight of grief alone, the unusual existence of being the wife of an early version of a celebrity. It’s no wonder that the two of them have little common ground when he finally and reluctantly returns home. The feet they itcheth to be waterborne once more.

The subtle combination of historical fact, imagined dialogue, actual excerpts of letters and journals with a smidgen of faction thrown in to compliment the tale. It’s also a lovely homage to the woman behind the man.

I always appreciate a good translation, which when done well leaves no lasting impression of having been translated, and captures the true essence, the nuances and voice of the author. Kudos to Stevens for that, and to Enquist for the fascinating read.

Buy The Homecoming at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher Amazon Crossing, pub date 1st April 2022 | Paperback: £8.99. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Very Bad People by Patrick Alley

It’s a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Very Bad People: The Inside Story of the Fight Against the World’s Network of Corruption by Patrick Alley, with a foreword by George Soros. ‘Thrilling corruption exposé by co-founder of Global Witness.’

About the Author

Patrick Alley co-founded Global Witness in 1995 with Charmian Gooch and Simon Taylor. Since then Global Witness has become a global leader in its field. Patrick has taken part in over fifty field investigations in South East Asia, Africa and Europe and in subsequent advocacy activities.

Patrick conceived several of Global Witness’ campaigns and focuses on corruption, conflict resources, forests and land, and environmental defenders. He is a board director of Global Witness and is involved in the organisation’s strategic leadership. Alongside his two co-founders, Patrick received the 2014 Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship. Follow @paddy_alley on Twitter, Visit globalwitness.org

About the book

Three friends, Patrick, Charmian and Simon came together in 1993 with a joint obsession with the Cambodian civil war plus a big vision, a collective naivety, a shared anarchy, anger at injustice and a love of a good time. 

Setting up a tiny office above a junk shop in old Clerkenwell, and finding their first laptop in a filing cabinet they salvaged from a skip, they came up with an improbable scheme by which they planned to help bring down the Khmer Rouge by cutting off their funding from the illegal Thai logging trade and thus help bring the war to an end. Going undercover on the Cambodian border, with basic spy equipment, and risking their lives, against all the odds they pulled it off. Global Witness was born.

Global Witness is one of the world’s leading investigative organisations dedicated to rooting out corruption and environmental abuse around the world. Patrick Alley is co-founder of Global Witness and in his book Very Bad People: The Inside Story of the Fight Against the World’s Network of Corruption, Patrick exposes how warlords, kleptocrats, banks and governments work together to maintain a corrupt status quo, with global implications. Part memoir, part exposé, it shows us how the world really works.

Review

I’m not sure how anyone else will feel about this book after reading it, but I went away feeling disappointed at the level of destruction, depravity and greed that cements our world. In equal measures I am incredibly glad there are people like Patrick and his associates who are willing to do their bit to expose, change and throw a spanner in the machinery of these criminals – and make no mistake they are are criminals.

Simultaneously the book also puts quite a few political and historical events into perspective. The manipulations and the true core of certain skirmishes, genocides, conglomerates and heads of country and state, and their offspring – well it is an eye-opener. And if there was any doubt that Global Witness are making a mark – you only have to read the testimonials at the beginning of the book. If you’re declared an enemy of the state by certain ruthless criminal political figures, then you know you’re doing your job.

I think books like these should be part of political science, geography, history and the economic curriculum. Give new generations a true look behind the scenes. I’m sure the majority of people have no idea how few big companies run the world or that behind every conflict of a military nature there are always string-pullers with a hidden agenda. Money, profit, control, power – greed. It’s a fascinating and important read – I highly recommend it.

Buy Very Bad People at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Monoray pub date 17 Mar. 2022. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Take a Moment by Nina Kaye

It’s my turn on the BlogTour Take a Moment by Nina Kaye.

About the Author

Nina Kaye is a contemporary romance author who writes warm, witty and uplifting reads with a deeper edge. She lives in Edinburgh with her husband and much adored side-kick, James. In addition to writing, Nina enjoys swimming, gin and karaoke (preferably all enjoyed together in a sunny, seaside destination). Nina has previously published The Gin Lover’s Guide to Dating and has also been a contender for the RNA Joan Hessayson Award. 

Follow @NinaKayeAuthor on Twitter, Visit ninakaye.co.uk

About the book

Life is better lived in the moment – Meet Alex. She has a wonderful fiancé, a job she thrives in, and a best friend she’s known since childhood. Life’s not perfect, but it’s pretty fantastic. Until a shock diagnosis suddenly throws everything off course.

But Alex has never been one to back down from a fight. Now single and unemployed, she packs up and moves from her Glasgow hometown to vibrant Birmingham for a fresh start. In a new job, in a new city, she’s learning all over again what’s important in life.

Friendship, fun and even romance lie just around the corner – but can Alex get out of her own way and learn to just take a moment, and live? A stunning, uplifting romance for fans of Mhairi McFarlane and Jo Watson.

Review

Alex is looking forward to marrying the man she loves, her career is on the rise and life is good. Then fate deals her a difficult hand, which makes her question everything and everyone. In turn she sees sides of her family and loved ones she is completely unprepared for and she feels she has to do something drastic to take back control of her life.

I thought this was an interesting way to shine a light on our reactions to certain illnesses and/or disabilities, especially if we are the ones looking in from the outside. This is exactly how discrimination forms, builds and becomes a wave, which ultimately makes the person being discriminated against become even more isolated.

I guess the real core of the story, aside from the rebuilding and coming to terms with a debilitating illness, and finding both friends and loved ones who are there for them regardless – is how much the reactions of the world around them influences their wellbeing, mental health and health in general.

It’s a heartfelt read, one I think many will be able to connect with and perhaps even see a side of the story they were unaware of. Good intentions sometimes hide the truth of the matter.

Buy Take a Moment at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Canelo Escape pub date 9 Sept. 2021. Buy at Amazon com. 

#BlogTour The Crow Folk by Mark Stay

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour The Crow Folk by Mark Stay. This is the first in the The Witches of Woodville trilogy.

About the Author

Mark Stay co-wrote the screenplay for Robot Overlords which became a movie with Sir Ben Kingsley and Gillian Anderson, and premiered at the 58th London Film Festival. He is co-presenter of the Bestseller Experiment podcast and has worked in bookselling and publishing for over twenty-five years. 
He lives in Kent, England, with his family and a trio of retired chickens. He blogs and humble brags over at markstaywrites.com.
Follow @MarkStay on Twitter, on Goodreads, at Amazon, Buy The Crow Folk

About the book

Faye Bright always felt a little bit different. And today she’s found out why. She’s just stumbled across her late mother’s diary which includes not only a spiffing recipe for jam roly-poly, but spells, incantations, runes and recitations… a witch’s notebook.
And Faye has inherited her mother’s abilities. Just in time, too. The Crow Folk are coming. Led by the charismatic Pumpkinhead, their strange magic threatens Faye and the villagers. Armed with little more than her mum’s words, her trusty bicycle, the grudging help of two bickering old ladies, and some aggressive church bellringing, Faye will find herself on the front lines of a war nobody expected. Fall in love with the extraordinary world of Faye Bright – it’s Maisie Dobbs meets The Magicians.

Review

When Faye starts reading her mother’s diary she has no idea the book is actually a powerful magical tool. One that speaks to other magical beings of it’s existence and abilities. Faye is completely unaware of this and inadvertently sets things in motion that change the way she thinks about her mother and her own life in general.

Set in the 1940s and wartime Britain, the characters are dealing with the limitations and the trauma of war. The last thing they are expecting is to be drawn into a magical mystery with bloodthirsty straw-filled beings.

Scarecrows have been given a new lease on life since the reappearance of Worzel, and most definitely since their existence was melded together with magic. Now the solitary figures have gone from innocent bird-scarers to menacing threats determined to get justice and obtain the elusive book of magic Faye owns.

This is an entertaining first part of a trilogy following the paths of the Woodville Witches. A YA read that is also suitable for younger readers who like their magical mysteries and world-building. It will be interesting to see where the author takes this story and to see just how powerful this book is.

Buy The Crow Folk at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Simon and Schuster pub date 4 February 2021 | Paperback Original | £8.99. Buy at Hive. Bookshop org.. Waterstones.

#BlogTour Queen of Volts by Amanda Foody

Today is my turn on the BlogTour Queen of Volts by Amanda Foody. It is the third and final part in the Shadow Game series.

About the Author

Amanda Foody has always considered imagination to be our best attempt at magic. After a double life as an accountant preparing taxes for multinational corporations, she now spends her free time brewing and fermenting foods much more easily obtained at her local grocery store. She lives in Boston, MA with a hoard of books guarded by the most vicious of feline companions, Jelly Bean.

She is the author of The Shadow Game series and more. Her middle grade debut, Wilderlore: The Accidental Apprentice, hits shelves March 30, 2021, and All of US Villains, co-written with Christine Lynn Herman, releases in September 2021.

Subscribe to Amanda’s newsletter here, Follow @AmandaFoody on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Instagram, Visit amandafoody.com, Buy Queen of Volts

About the book

Return to the City of Sin, where the final game is about to begin…and winning will demand the ultimate sacrifice.

Only days after a corrupt election and brutal street war, one last bloodthirsty game has begun. The players? The twenty-two most powerful, notorious people in New Reynes.

After realizing they have no choice but to play, Enne Scordata and Levi Glaisyer are desperate to forge new alliances and bargain for their safety. But while Levi offers false smiles and an even falser peace to the city’s politicians, Enne must face a world where her true Mizer identity has been revealed…and any misstep could turn deadly.

Meanwhile, a far more dangerous opponent has appeared on the board, one plucked right from the most gruesome legends of New Reynes. As the game takes its final, vicious turn, Levi and Enne must decide once and for all whether to be partners or enemies.

Because in a game for survival, there are only losers…and monsters.

Review

This is the third book in The Shadow Game series and also unfortunately the conclusion to this fantastic Young Adult fantasy trilogy. I would absolutely recommend reading the other two in the series just to get the whole gist of it and experience the pleasure of the entire story.

It was interesting and also important given the age group this is marketed to for the author to take the time to insert scenes with certain characters engaging in discussions about toxic relationships. You can love each other till the cows come home or be attracted to each other like a bee to pollen, but when your relationship is toxic you eventually have to realise that being apart is sometimes the best for both of you. Looking at you Enne and Levi, and Bryce and Henry. When the toxicity becomes abusive, which it is because Bryce is a lost soul with a lack of compassion – Henry needs to just find the strength to sever those really tight ties.

The Shadow Game takes on an even sinister feel, and every time the players think they have played and won – there is actually no winning when it comes to this game, just saying – then a knife is twisted and the cards are reshuffled once more.

A few pages in I remembered why I love this series so much, and why I need to go back and re-read the first two in the series. I absolutely adore the complexity of this plot, the writing, the world-building, the depth of the characters and just in general the story overall. Also the way Foody took the opportunity to address certain tropes in the Young Adult genre.

This has a bit of a Caraval vibe and is most certainly one of those series that has slipped under the radar a little bit – underrated. Foody needs to be right up there with the best. Not quite sure why her talent for storytelling, weaving a plot and writing doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. I’m hoping this isn’t her last venture into this genre, perhaps an off-shoot of this series or a step up beyond young adult. Either way she is an author to keep an eye on.

Buy Queen of Volts (The Shadow Game #3) at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HQ Young Adult; pub date 1 Sept. 2020. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Waterstones.

Read my reviews of Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game #1) and King of Fools (The Shadow Game #2) by Amanda Foody.