Author: Alex Lidell

Narrator: Hayden Daviau

Length: 6 hours and 21 minutes

Serie: Scout Series, Book 1

Publisher: Danger Bearing Press

Released: May 21, 2018

Genre: YA Fantasy

To protect the throne, 17-year-old spy Kali must play a male guardsman trainee by day and royal lady by night.

Orphaned and trained on a spymaster’s remote estate, Kali is a scout who works alone in the shadows. But when a terror group threatens the Dansil throne, the king forces Kali to accept a mission at the palace or forfeit her sister’s life.

Suddenly thrust into the light, Kali must infiltrate high society as the royal Lady Lianna while penetrating the servant ranks as Kal, a male guardsman trainee. It doesn’t help that Trace, the harsh and enigmatic captain of the king’s guard, is soon assigned as both Lady Lianna’s palace escort and Kal’s commanding officer.

As Kali edges closer to the truth behind the violent group’s identity, she uncovers dangerous secrets that could bring her mission to a brutal end. A scout’s job is to observe and report, never to engage…but if it means saving her sister and kingdom, Kali may have no choice.

Tracing Shadows, by Amazon best-selling author Alex Lidell, is the first novel in the Scout series. Perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce, Leigh Bardugo, and Sarah J. Maas.

Alex Lidell is the author of Amazon best sellers AIR AND ASH and WAR AND WIND (Danger Bearing Press, 2017) and an Amazon Breakout Novel Awards finalist author of THE CADET OF TILDOR (Penguin, 2013). She is an avid horseback rider, a (bad) hockey player, and an ice-cream addict. Born in Russia, Alex learned English in elementary school, where a thoughtful librarian placed a copy of Tamora Pierce’s ALANNA in Alex’s hands. In addition to becoming the first English book Alex read for fun, ALANNA started Alex’s life long love for YA fantasy books.

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I have read as of know enough books by Alex Lidell to know what to expect: great plot, great action, great character development. With “Tracing Shadows”, I have received exactly that and much more. Suffice to say I liked the book very much, with the romance and politics and all the intrigues she does know her way around stories that reach our hearts.

Kali has been trained as a spy. She knows she is the only one who can protect herself (in fact, that’s her mantra all throughout the book) and her sister. She is not gifted in the art of magic as her sister, but she knows how to fight, get in trouble, and find her way into a forest. Her new task is to find out what is happening at court and who is trying to betray the king. The challenge is that she has to add one more identity to her already boyish one. Kal and Lady Lianna will have to coexist somehow. While Kali will use Kal as a way to infiltrate the guards and run the streets freely, Lady Lianna will be very useful at court, at the royal dinners. Her plans are disrupted when someone finds the truth about her. But will that someone help her?

We have here a lot of characters which contribute to the story in more ways than none. We have a lonely princess, willing to believe anyone who is willing to offer her a small dose of friendship, or the illusion of family. We have a prince who, in his desires to do good, he ends up into more trouble and drags his guards as well. We have a king who doesn’t know what to believe anymore. A lot, a lot of intrigue and unexpected turn of events!

Kali is unique. She is confident, her pride is over the top and her bravery challenge most men from the royal guard. She and Trace – captain of the said guard – will start a friendship based on not so honorable deeds, but Kali will soon learn she cannot solve thing on her own every time. I liked her, I liked her interactions with Trace and how much he helps her uncover her true strength.

Without a doubt, the author has managed yet again to create a complex story that will leave you wanting more. I loved this first book in the series and I cannot wait to find out more. Check this series out and let me know what you think. 5 stars for now.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Alex Lidell. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

 

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