Review ~ Game of Shadows by Erika Lewis & Random Things

Title: Game of Shadows

Author: Erika Lewis
Copyright: 2017
Type: young adult/fantasy
Pages: 400
Series: Possibly

Reason for Reading: I was offered an ARC by Jean at BookNerd and I read the blurb and thought "Uh yes please!"

Summary:
Ethan Makkai thought that seeing ghosts was the worst of his problems. Between his ethereal gift and life with a single mother hell-bent on watching his every move, he feels imprisoned. When Ethan sees a chance to escape, to leave the house by himself for the first time in his life, he seizes it, unaware that this first taste of freedom will cost him everything.

Ethan is thrown into a strange and eerie world, like nothing he's ever seen. He's assaulted by dive-bombing birds and rescued by a stranger who claims to be his bodyguard. His apartment is trashed, and his mother is kidnapped to a place Ethan never knew existed—a hidden continent called Tara.

Travelling to Tara in search of his mother, Ethan discovers that everything he knows about his life is a lie. His mother is royalty. His father is not dead. His destiny is likely to get him killed.

Confronted by a vicious sorcerer determined to destroy the Makkai family, Ethan must garner strength from his gift and embrace his destiny if he’s going to save his mother and all the people of Tara, including the beautiful girl he’s fallen for

Thoughts:
This book actually surprised me. There is a lot of action and a lot of catching up to do in the world. I loved every second of it though. We the read start off just as confused as the main character Ethan. He has no idea of his new world and so has to "filled in" on all the history, culture, customs and everything else related to what needs to be done. While at times there was a lot of telling not showing there was just so much happening that he had to be told this and that or we would have been even more lost. There are a lot of cultures/creatures/people and groups to keep track of add to it they are all based on an Irish folklore or mythology of some sort so the names themselves after a while felt like they were bleeding into each other. I did enjoy watching Ethan come into his own and I liked watching him figure out if this was going to be his new home how he was going to fight for it. The great thing for me is I hadn't read the cover or summary so I was just as surprised as Ethan about his title.
It did feel at times that book ran a little longer then it needed to but at other times I wasn't aware how long the book actually was. It will for sure be a series and I would be okay with that. I am a little worried that we are heading into a love triangle and I am trying hard to ignore it and wait to see what happens. There were a few moments throughout this book I had to remind myself that Ethan was only 14 and that is why he was making such stupid immature mistakes then at other times he made such mature decisions I couldn't help but wonder what cause the flip until I remember once again he is 14 they do that sometimes. Overall it was good book and I am excited to see where this series. Is going to go.

Grade: 3 out of 5 stars
Would I recommend: I think it was a great first novel of a series and would recommend for anyone who likes young adult action fantasy series.

Give up or keep: Keep

Now for some fun:
Random Things from author Erika Lewis

10 Random Things:

Most Random spontaneous thing you've ever done.

Spontaneous things can lead to the best days of your life, and the worst. Reader beware.

1.      I applied for an internship to CNN in my senior year of college, knowing full well that they’d never give it to a math major. But they DID!

2.     Then a couple years later, after three days visiting California, I quit my job and moved to L.A.

3.     I got lost my first day living in London on purpose. I highly recommend this.

4.     Drove around Ireland without a map or compass. I recommend this too!

5.     Hopped in a car (with people I knew!) on an impromptu trip to Jazz Fest in New Orleans, where I met Harry Connick Jr. and followed the Neville Brothers to watch them play in three different locations. Jazz Fest gets a big thumbs up!

6.     Took the polar bear challenge in below freezing temperatures wearing only my birthday suit. Don’t recommend that.

7.      When my daughter Riley was 6, and we were at “American Idol,” she wanted to meet Jennifer Lopez. We snuck backstage, but J. Lo. was surrounded by bodyguards. I told Riley that they’d see me, the adult, coming, and send us both away. But if she wanted to try and get in there, I had her back. The brave girl took a deep breath and walked right through the guards. J.Lo nicely brought her back to me J I’m still not sure if that was bad parenting.

8.     I cliff jumped in Jamaica after Olivia Munn. I wasn’t going to do it. She jumped first and told me it caused some serious booty pain. I should’ve heeded her warning.

9.     My aunt and uncle took me on a crazy cool trip to Vail to ski. After three days of gorgeous skiing, it snowed. A lot. The idea of freezing my booty off in blizzard conditions led to drastic measures. I convinced them that staying in and watching the every episode of the PBS series of “Anne of Green Gables” would be way more fun than freezing on the mountain. After viewing, the agreed!

10.  I kissed my husband first. I have a bit of Lily Niles in me.