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Maya Rodriguez #1
In the Footsteps of Shadows
When Maya Rodriguez, an archaeologist with a sharp mind and an acerbic tongue, heads to Venezuela to retrieve a mysterious journal she has no idea what, or who, awaits her. Will she be able to follow the clues and uncover a secret long thought lost or will the treachery of those standing in her way prove too much?
507 pages, Paperback
Published December 27, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 10, 2017
There were so many things to like about this book. The dialogue was witty and sarcastic and wonderful, making me laugh out loud so many times. The search for clues, the action in every step of the discovery, the hikes through the jungle, all made for an action-packed read that kept me turning pages. The romance subplot was hot, sexy, and tense, with every move toward one another followed by a realistic distance. And yet, neither could ignore the chemistry drawing them together. There were several plot twists that I did not see coming, and they left me with my jaw dropped, wondering how the heck I missed that. And the length of the book was nice. I'm not saying that I want every book to be this long, because some stories don't need the length, but the length of this book allowed Ramsay to cram in all those action scenes and discoveries, and still have enough space to allow the relationships between all the characters to develop and flourish in a natural way.
I will say that the end of this book came as a big surprise. Spoiler alert for those of you who don't want to know, but there was no HEA or HFN at the end of this book. It threw me for a loop. I have to say, though, that the more I thought about it - and think about it I did, the ending would not let me go - that this ending was more in keeping with the person Maya was. Throughout this book, she has refused to look at the things in her past that give her the issues she has today, so expecting everything to just be resolved wouldn't really work. And the way the book ends leaves me with hope for the future. It also helps that I now know there's a book two on the way. This means there's a chance that this introspection and healing will happen, or at least start, in book two. I suppose my takeaway is that you shouldn't let the lack of a happy ending dissuade you from this book.
In all, this was a very enjoyable book, that gave me hours of entertainment and made me laugh in places. And that's what a book should do. Definitely a recommend from me.
I will say that the end of this book came as a big surprise. Spoiler alert for those of you who don't want to know, but there was no HEA or HFN at the end of this book. It threw me for a loop. I have to say, though, that the more I thought about it - and think about it I did, the ending would not let me go - that this ending was more in keeping with the person Maya was. Throughout this book, she has refused to look at the things in her past that give her the issues she has today, so expecting everything to just be resolved wouldn't really work. And the way the book ends leaves me with hope for the future. It also helps that I now know there's a book two on the way. This means there's a chance that this introspection and healing will happen, or at least start, in book two. I suppose my takeaway is that you shouldn't let the lack of a happy ending dissuade you from this book.
In all, this was a very enjoyable book, that gave me hours of entertainment and made me laugh in places. And that's what a book should do. Definitely a recommend from me.
June 17, 2017
In the Footsteps of Shadows is a book you should read.
P.J. Ramsay's debut novel is a gripping adventure, with an engaging plot and great characters.
There's fast paced action, witty banter and romance with a touch of drama. Not to mention a few pop culture references, which were a bonus for me.
What I really loved about it is how it defies a lot of the unwritten rules and conventions of lesfic.
The book is plot driven, rather than romance driven. The romantic subplot is cleverly woven within the fabric of the main story, without ever becoming the primary focus of the narration.
Also, this is a rather long read (590 pages on Kindle) compared to most of the lesfic works I've come across so far. I found the length to be a good fit for the plot, which was well developed and consistently paced.
Lastly, Ramsay leaves us with an open ending. In my opinion, this makes the story more realistic and satisfying than a cookie cutter romance with its customary happily ever after.
There will be plenty of opportunity for these characters to evolve in the sequel, which I'm eagerly awaiting.
My one minor gripe with this book is the presence of some very long sentences, mostly in the first half of the book. These managed to pull me out of the reading experience on a few occasions, which was kind of annoying.
Despite that, In the Footsteps of Shadows turned out to be a high quality and surprisingly polished self-published gem.
I would heartily recommend this book to anyone looking for a well written adventure story.
P.J. Ramsay's debut novel is a gripping adventure, with an engaging plot and great characters.
There's fast paced action, witty banter and romance with a touch of drama. Not to mention a few pop culture references, which were a bonus for me.
What I really loved about it is how it defies a lot of the unwritten rules and conventions of lesfic.
The book is plot driven, rather than romance driven. The romantic subplot is cleverly woven within the fabric of the main story, without ever becoming the primary focus of the narration.
Also, this is a rather long read (590 pages on Kindle) compared to most of the lesfic works I've come across so far. I found the length to be a good fit for the plot, which was well developed and consistently paced.
Lastly, Ramsay leaves us with an open ending. In my opinion, this makes the story more realistic and satisfying than a cookie cutter romance with its customary happily ever after.
There will be plenty of opportunity for these characters to evolve in the sequel, which I'm eagerly awaiting.
My one minor gripe with this book is the presence of some very long sentences, mostly in the first half of the book. These managed to pull me out of the reading experience on a few occasions, which was kind of annoying.
Despite that, In the Footsteps of Shadows turned out to be a high quality and surprisingly polished self-published gem.
I would heartily recommend this book to anyone looking for a well written adventure story.
April 29, 2017
Nice
When I started reading this book I thought a female version of raiders of the lost ark...lol. I really loved the chemistry between Maya and Claudia. That's banner between each other had me cracking up all the way through the book. The storyline of the tracking through the jungle trying to figure clues keep me Intrigued. I couldn't put the book down. I really hope there is a sequel to this book. I definitely recommend this book.
When I started reading this book I thought a female version of raiders of the lost ark...lol. I really loved the chemistry between Maya and Claudia. That's banner between each other had me cracking up all the way through the book. The storyline of the tracking through the jungle trying to figure clues keep me Intrigued. I couldn't put the book down. I really hope there is a sequel to this book. I definitely recommend this book.
ugh
November 19, 2018DNF - PG 10
Why?
(prologue, page 2, one guy threatening another, wanting 'the book')
"And then I will give the order for my associates in New York to take your daughter and do...hmm, whatever they feel appropriate. Is this what you want?"
(chapter 1, page 9, set at a bar, a guy has just bumped into Maya, spilling her drink)
"I'm sorry senorita..." he slurred in her general direction before his eyes focused on her and went comically wide. "Wow, okay, really not sorry! You are all kinds of hot! Let me buy you another drink."
"Que te jodan," Maya snapped as she jumped away from her spilled drink and wiped the fluid from the front of her top.
"Was that a yes? I think that was a yes." Lobster man winked at his buddies as he raised his hand for a high five. "How about you and me get a bottle to go?" he leered at her as he sidled closer.
...
I will spare you of the notes I left on these quotes - mostly because I try not to cure that much around other people. But, let's just say, I'm done. I just want a good F/F romance without sexism, misogyny, male gaze and all the other stuff that women have to deal with on a daily basis. (Or a book that actually gives that the attention it deserves. This is like a version of rape as backstory.) And I'm starting to despair. I've read F/F books written by men that aren't as bad as this one and Barbary Station. (Which was my previous attempt at F/F that turned out badly and I've still not recovered, so I was especially short-tempered with this book.) But I am just so done.
Why?
(prologue, page 2, one guy threatening another, wanting 'the book')
"And then I will give the order for my associates in New York to take your daughter and do...hmm, whatever they feel appropriate. Is this what you want?"
(chapter 1, page 9, set at a bar, a guy has just bumped into Maya, spilling her drink)
"I'm sorry senorita..." he slurred in her general direction before his eyes focused on her and went comically wide. "Wow, okay, really not sorry! You are all kinds of hot! Let me buy you another drink."
"Que te jodan," Maya snapped as she jumped away from her spilled drink and wiped the fluid from the front of her top.
"Was that a yes? I think that was a yes." Lobster man winked at his buddies as he raised his hand for a high five. "How about you and me get a bottle to go?" he leered at her as he sidled closer.
...
I will spare you of the notes I left on these quotes - mostly because I try not to cure that much around other people. But, let's just say, I'm done. I just want a good F/F romance without sexism, misogyny, male gaze and all the other stuff that women have to deal with on a daily basis. (Or a book that actually gives that the attention it deserves. This is like a version of rape as backstory.) And I'm starting to despair. I've read F/F books written by men that aren't as bad as this one and Barbary Station. (Which was my previous attempt at F/F that turned out badly and I've still not recovered, so I was especially short-tempered with this book.) But I am just so done.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews