Book Review: Isle of Shadows

About the Book:

Enslaved in a world of money and power, Tessa dares to be free.

Raised as courtesan to wealthy and powerful men, Tessa of Delos serves at the whim of her current patron, the politician Glaucus. After ten years with him, Tessa has abandoned all desire for freedom or love, choosing instead to lock her heart away.

But when Glaucus meets a violent death in his own home, Tessa grasps at a fragile hope. Only she knows of his death. If she can keep it a secret long enough, she can escape.

Tessa throws herself on the mercy of the Greek god Helios, but finds instead unlikely allies in Nikos, a Greek slave, and Simeon, Glaucus’s Jewish head servant. As Simeon introduces her to a God unlike any she has ever known and Nikos begins to stir feelings she had thought long dead, Tessa fights to keep her heart protected.

As an assassination plot comes to light, Tessa must battle for her own freedom—and for those to whom she has begun to open her heart—as forces collide that shatter the island’s peace.

About the Author:

From her earliest childhood, there was nothing Tracy loved better than stepping into another world between the pages of a book. From dragons and knights, to the wonders of Narnia, that passion has never abated, and to Tracy, opening any novel is like stepping again through the wardrobe, into the thrilling unknown. With every book she writes, she wants to open a door like that, and invite readers to be transported with her into a place that captivates.

Tracy started her first novel at the age of eight and has been hooked on writing ever since. After attending Philadelphia Biblical University, she earned a B.A. in English Literature at Rowan University. She then spent ten years writing drama presentations for church ministry.

A lifelong interest in history and mythology has led Tracy to extensive research into ancient Greece, Egypt and Rome, and shaped her desire to shine the light of the gospel into the cultures of the past.

She has traveled through Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Italy to research her novels, and looks forward to more travel as her writing continues. Click on the link Tracy’s Travels, to explore some of the fascinating locations of her books.

Tracy is thrilled to bring readers adventures set in the ancient past, and it’s her hope that in escaping with her, readers will feel they’ve walked through these deserts, explored ruins, felt the white sand and blue sea under their feet, and met with the Redeeming God who is sovereign over the entire drama of human history.

You can read more about Tracy and her books on her website: http://tracyhigley.com/

My Thoughts:

Tracy Higley is an accomplished author and I always look forward to her new book releases.  I saw Isle of Shadows up for review and agreed to review it before I realized that it was a re-release of Shadow of Colossus.

Since I have a stack of review books waiting to be read I am not going to take the time to re-read this novel at this time.  I will, however, leave you with just a couple of impressions from when I read this book back in 2008.  I remember being intrigued by the history and captivated by the Jewish connection.  I also remember that some of the subject matter is for mature readers.

Higley writes intriguing novels, weaving history and faith in a tapestry that surrounds and enfolds her characters.  I haven’t yet read a novel from her that I’ve found disappointing.

Thanks to Book Sneeze for providing me with a free digital review copy of this book.