A Court of Masks and Roses

Royal Scout #1

by Alex Lidell

A royal lady by night. A guardsman by day. A spy always.

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 . . . especially not with Trace. But for her sister and and her heart, Kali may have no choice. Even if it costs her everything.

One click this fantasy romance with a strong heroine, dark secrets, and dual identities. Perfect for fans of SJM’s A Court of Thorns and Roses and Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Of Blood and Ash.

Please Note: This story was previously titled Tracing Shadows

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Audiobook, Genderqueer, Action, Magic

262 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 8, 2018

About the author

Alex Lidell is the Amazon Breakout Novel Awards finalist author of THE CADET OF TILDOR (Penguin) and several Amazon Top 100 Kindle Bestsellers, including the POWER OF FIVE romance series. She is an avid horseback rider who believes in eating dessert first. She writes as both Alex Lidell and A.L. Lidell.

Join Alex's newsletter for news, bonus content and sneak peeks: https://links.alexlidell.com/News

Find out more on Alex's website: www.alexlidell.com

Reviews

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since watching Mulan as a child, one of my favourite things has been books and movies about females pretending to be someone else to make it in a man’s world. Be it fantasy or contemporary, aimed at children or adult, any combination you can think of, such stories always grab me. Thus, the instant I read the synopsis of Tracing Shadows, I knew I would be reading Alex Lidell’s Scout series.

I will be completely honest and say it took me a couple of chapters to get into this one. I questioned whether this book was linked to another by the author, as it took me a while to understand the world. Slowly, as I strode deeper the book, the details became clear. Information is slowly given, the world coming together in a wonderful way, and the more you read the more you find out.

It quickly turned into a book I could not put down.

In fact, I told myself I would only read a couple of chapters of this one before bed – and the next thing I knew I was finishing the book. This one sucks you in hard, refusing to let go. With so much happening throughout, with so many of the necessary elements of a great fantasy novel, this one pulls you in deep and refuses to let you come up for air.

The characters are amazing, and you quickly come to enjoy them all. The world building is fabulous, giving us so much yet leaving us curious for more all at once. The storyline is gripping, with so much leaving you intrigued. The pacing is wonderful, ensuring something has you wanting to read more with every page. Then that ending – damn, do I need more. I’m desperate for book two, really excited to see how everything comes together in the future of this series. Things are going to be big, I can feel it.

A great read, so worth grabbing.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Tracing Shadows is the first book in the Scout series by author Alex Lidell. I loved the first book in her Tides series (see my Ash and Air Review), which is an epic high fantasy adventure that takes place on the high seas! It was a five star read for me last year, and I have been kicking myself ever since for needing to continue on with the series. (I even bought the books!) But as soon as I saw that Alex Lidell was coming out with a new series, I knew I couldn't miss it. And honestly, the summary of Tracing Shadows appealed to me even more than the summary for Ash and Air did!  I absolutely loved this adventure. I loved everything about it! I loved the characters and I really really loved the world building that Alex Lidell created. Trust me, Tracing Shadows (and all of Alex's Books) is a book you do not want to miss. Alex Lidell has thoroughly impressed me with each of her two series. She is a masterful story teller.

Tracing Shadows is a book that builds slowly, but wonderfully. It takes a little bit of time to gather enough information to really shape the story, but there was really never a dull moment. Sometimes books that withhold information tend to be confusing or boring, but let me assure you that was not the case with Tracing Shadows. There is a bit of a Mulan vibe, with our main character Kali and her strong sense of family and honor. I loved Kali. A whole lot. I loved that Kali had to play roles as both a woman and man in her role as a scout. And her love interest interacts with her in both roles, which I thought was really interesting. I ate those scenes up!! And I liked it even more how awesomely she pulls it all off. She has the best personality for it. She is a hard worker and totally takes no prisoners. Kali is someone I want on my side, regardless of what the situation is. 

I am anxious for a bit more romance in the second book. I really liked the romance that we did get to see in Tracing Shadows, but it was by no means front and center. It wasn't the main focus of the story and I was totally ok with that, but it is something I hope to see more of in the next book. Tracing Shadows is mainly told through Kali's pont of view but we do get a smattering of chapters from secondary character's POVs. Some of those characters I liked and some...not so much. I cannot wait for the second book in this series. I love the spying, the politics and intrigue and the characters so much that I am really excited for me. But the ending was torture for me. I wanted so much more. It ended and I kept hitting the next page button on my kindle hoping there would be more! 

Bottom line: If you can't get enough fantasy, like me, this is a series you need to read. Plain and simple. Tracing Shadows is a fantastic first novel to what is going to be a favorite YA fantasy of mine. I can already tell. Kali is one of my favorite characters that I have met this year and Tracing Shadows is one of my favorite reads of 2018....hands down! Alex Lidell is such a strong author, that I am honestly becoming excited for anything she publishes. I am going to devour the rest of the Tides series and hope that it holds me over until the next book in the Scout series is released, because I am already itching for book 2! 

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

[Nicole (TheBookWormDrinketh) · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I will be honest. I actually requested this book based solely on the fact that the main character’s name was Kali, which used to be a nickname of mine. Lol! I’M SO GLAD THAT I DID! This book was very enjoyable. I loved Kali, she was strong and independent. I loved Trace, who is reliable and hiding a personal depth, and I love Luca, who is just plain loveable! I’m really looking forward to more from these character! If you enjoy well written fantasy with a little splash of war and romance, this book is a must have! It’s an easy read with vibrant characterization and the beginnings of a great world!

[Soo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mini-Review:

I am underwhelmed. A story about a female spy? Awesome. I'm in. The secondary characters, magic system and world are better designed than the main character Kali. There's a difference between conflicted and these contrary pieces do not fit within the story. I'm going to skim the sequel for the slim hope that the good parts will come together and leave off the dregs.

[Jennifer Ellision · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic! This one felt a little more on the older end of YA and pretty much confirms that I’ll read anything Lidell writes

[Kieran Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very impressed by this book. When I first got it I did not expect it to be this god. Especially by the cover, which I really didn't like, but that can be easily overlooked. All the characters were developed nicely and I felt a certain connection to almost all of them. Except for Violet. Her story was not as exiting as Kali's. However, I felt it did give me a little more insight into the world of Tracing Shadows. I hope she doesn't have many, or any, chapters in the sequel. Thankfully she only had a few in this book. She was just a snotty character with no real purpose to the main plot of the story. It was more her job to show us the citizen side of the issues and give background to some of the things they talk about. I really liked how Kali could 'see all' with her different disguises. It was also a look into different parts of the world. I felt that really helped me to understand where I was. The beginning was kind of rocky in that area. It took a little while to get the gist of things. And that was ok with me because I like to figure that stuff out, as long as no important story line is happening that I need to focus on when I still don't know where I am. It was a real treat to read this book, and I absolutely can't wait for the next one. The ending left me hanging and I need to know what happens next. I sincerely hope that the second book is as good as the first. I can't wait two whole months!!! Oh, the suspense!!!

[Hetal · Rating 4 out of 5]

To see more reviews, considering taking a peek at my first in series YA book blog here

3.75 stars!
I admittedly hate the cover of this book. it is atrocious, awkward, and yes I'm a book cover snob. Especially after how pretty the Tides' covers are. Anyway, it left me hesitant to read it, despite knowing I love Lidell's writing.

So, now that the cover rant is out of the way...

Tracing Shadows was quick and fun. Kali isn't like your normal blushy/blubbering woman masquerading as a man. Though she tries obsessively hard to be seen as a man.




Okay, okay to be fair, she actually pulls it off (better than most gender benders) and is a no-nonsense sort-of gal. Hired to find information on the murkey going-ons at court, she meets a slew of characters who baffle her entirely in terms of motives and personality.

Wil, the Crown Prince, is immature and lofty, but there is a hidden strength that stems from his loyalty to those he loves.

Trace - The King's guard who is MUCH more than meets the eye. He's a little rough around the edges and a main character, but honestly didn't grow on me till about 60% of the way through where we start to understand hide background and secrets.

Violet - Wil's sister is just a big pain and I, unfortunately, found myself internally groaning everytime her chapters came up. Hers is the only other POV we get aside from Kali's own. Violet's story line is essentially that of a devout follower of The Sparrow (for all you GoT fans out there.) At first I felt pity for her, then annoyed, then the desire to strangle her...and well, that feeling just never went away.

Leaf- Kali's sister. We don't know a lot about her, but I want to. She has a lot of potential I'd like to see explored in book 2.

Tracing Shadows takes you for a plot twist of sorts near the end. I generally pride myself on guessing the twists, but lordy, I did not guess this one. Oh, but Lidell knows what her readers like, that's for sure. And whoo boy she delivers!

Now that the storyline is all set up, I cannot wait for book 2 in this Duology! I have NO doubts whatsoever that it will be even better than book 1!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd give this one 3.5 maybe 4 stars.

While I did enjoy it there were times in the book I found myself asking wtf you doing? to certain characters, as well as really wanting to skip their chapters. It annoys me when characters are dumb, eeeevennn though I'll admit the character was young and their choices and actions did sort of fit with them and their situation. I just don't have the patients to read that.

and afterwards thinking back I realized that Kali the "spy" isn't a very good spy, of what we did see of her doing her job its like she wasn't trained at all? I wont give anything away, to me she just came across as young and not very good at her job. which didn't really go with her inner monologues in my opinion about her training etc.

So I am on the fence about whether or not I want to check out the next one, it ended with a pretty good cliff hanger but at the same time I'm not sure if I am interested in all the political/religious intrigue and half assed spying

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Medieval fantasy with a spy as the main character. This is one of those books that you try to savor as much as possible, even if you want to read it in one sitting.

I loved everything about this book. The pacing, the characters, and the world building which I could tell was complex and detailed but was revealed in subtle ways.

Kali, the main character is perfect. She is flawed, yet like-able. She’s good at her job, but not in a Mary Sue kind of way.

There is enough mystery and intrigue and some unexpected twists to keep you interested from start to finish!

[Raven_Blake (dreamy addictions) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Same Review Also Posted On My Blog: Dreamy Addictions

I loved Alex Lidell's Tides series and this new series didn't disappoint me.  I'm not much fan of the cover but the story was pretty entertaining! It totally gave me Mulan vibes. I love books where Woman disguises herself as a man trying to spy on the enemy or enter into a war. Tracing Shadows is a  first book in the scout duology and I think It was a good start to a series. I loved the main characters, the setting, the plot, the slow burn romance, and the world building. I recently read Lidell's NA Reverse Harem fantasy series which sadly didn't work out for me so I think I should better stick to her YA fantasy series only.

Seventeen Year Old Kali and her older Sister Leaf are the bastard children of the king's dead brother. After her father's death, King Firehorn of Dansil has cut ties with them and sent them to a remote estate where they're raised by a Spymaster. She grew up as a Scout and unlike other scouts, Kali can dress as man and woman simultaneously. Her sister Leaf is disabled since birth, she's a Whisperer who can manipulate and tune magic crystals. When a group of rebels named Viva Sylthia tries to overthrow Dansil throne by making unrest in his kingdom, king Firehorn orders Kali to gather information on Viva Sylthia or forfeit her sister's life. To infiltrate the high society,  she becomes Lady Lianna King's nephew by night, and by day she becomes Kai, a male guardsman trainee. She was trained under Trace, captain of the king's guard who's also a palace escort to Lady Lianna. Kai isn't happy to train under a harsh master but he's the best when it comes to swordsmanship. She needs to train with the men without getting her identity revealed. Under the disguise of Kai, Kali searches for the information on the Viva Sylthia which eventually leads her to dangerous secrets that could get her killed. As a scout, she was always told to observe, gather information and report but never to engage. To save the kingdom and her sister, she goes against that rule which lands her into deep trouble.

Kali is a strong protagonist! She's fierce, loyal, stubborn, rebellious and totally protective of her sister. She's skilled in combat and spying, but honestly she's not good at spying because she always engages with the enemy at the end when her job is to hide in the shadows and gather information. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed her character. She's fearless when it comes to scouting, but in front of sharp needles she's a total coward LOL! Trace is an intriguing character. He has secrets and a dark past that he's afraid to share. He always wears a hard edged face and seemed a bit harsh towards his pupils but there's a soft side hidden inside him. I loved the slow burn romance between Kali and Trace. I enjoyed watching their relationship develop with each interaction which mostly ended up with an argument. Leif is a wonderful older sister who deeply cares for her troublemaker younger sister. I really loved the sister-bond between her and kali. Luca is a total fun side character. I wish we had more of him. I also liked the sweet and naive prince Will who quickly becomes friends with Kai. I've mixed feelings about Princess Violet. I pity her but at the same time I hate her. 

The plot was engaging and interesting! It took some time for me to get into this world but it gets easier as the story progresses. The pacing was good. The twists in the plot aren't easy to predict but I did predict some of them. The writing was addicting and easy to follow. The whole book was told in multiple pov's but it's mostly written in Kali's first person pov. It also has Violet's POV which felt unnecessary and I don't know why it doesn't have Trace's POV. I would love to know what he's feeling inside and also learn a bit more about him. The world building was fascinating and the magical tuning with the crystals seemed very interesting. I'm still not sure about how the whole magic works but I hope we get a clear picture in the next book. 

Overall, I really liked this book! Despite flaws, I quite enjoyed it. It was an entertaining read filled with  mystery, magic, adventure, and a dash of romance. This one has a good cliffhanger at the end and I would definitely pick up the next book when it comes out.

[Yiota · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tracing Shadows is another great adventure in a new world from Alex Lidell. I think this must be my favorite one of her books. Kali is a wonderful kick ass heroine, strong, clever but still down to earth making mistakes at times and having a lot to learn. Her sense of duty and the love for her family make a special combination for a character who is already in a difficult position. She is not the only intriguing thing about the book though. This is a story full of adventure, danger, love and friendship - and for anyone who likes that kind of things, a very interesting and unique magic system, that we barely get a taste from and i really really want to learn more about. Can't wait for the next book :)

[Tera Comer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book that I have read by this author and wow I must say this book captured my attention and did not let it go. I like the fact that the heroine is also a spy that is capable of converting herself into a male without others noticing it. Plenty of action and suspense to keep you busy. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read that could have benefited from a bit more fleshing out of the world building. The main character was portrayed as super experienced and smart, but at odd times she seemed to act out of character in ways that were just too convenient and took me out of the story. However it was an interesting overall and I'll be reading the next to see if the bad guy is more than a mustache-twirler.

[Notes From 'Round the Bend · Rating 2 out of 5]

*sigh* I’ve read other novels by Alex Lidell (“Power of Five” and “Mistake of Magic”) that were really good, and I let those experiences convince me to go against my better judgement and listen to “Tracing Shadows”. See, I usually avoid YA novels—even fantasy—because I’ve just been burned too many times by a promising story ruined by stupid, flat characters. That was the case for this one and I’m pretty disappointed.

And on the subject of stupid, flat characters…

1. Kali/Kal/Lianna didn’t grow, didn’t change, and didn’t seem to learn from her mistakes. Like someone beating their head against a wall over and over and acting surprised that it hurts, Kali continued to repeat actions that didn’t end well for her in the past. She appeared incapable of considering more than one plan of action at a time and couldn’t seem to resist rushing into a situation without giving it any kind of analysis. Not surprisingly, those choices often led to trouble for everyone. While Guardsman Kal was her most fleshed-out persona, even he was ditched early enough on to be almost forgettable.
2. Trace was barely sketched in, and his behavior was tired, predictable, and served little purpose beyond goading Kali into ‘proving’ a woman could stand up in a man’s role/world. Kali seemed to sort of, maybe, kinda be attracted to him, but it didn’t seem mutual...or did it? I had a hard time figuring out what made him tick, other than Raza, and even that ended up being a painfully contrived 'misunderstanding'. Yay for overused tropes.
3. Luca and Will made brief appearances, and I almost forget their existence on more than one occasion. I think they were just there to make the world seem populated by breathing people—sorta like movie extras, though these two at least warranted names.
4. King Firehorn was an unapologetic asshole with so many blind spots that one wonders how he’d ruled a kingdom for so long without tanking the whole thing. I struggled to find a single thing to like about him.
5. The Bishop was your stereotypical villain in the shadows, though he was so thinly developed he might as well have been a shadow himself. I pretty much pictured him standing on the sidelines, rubbing his hands together and cackling when no one else was looking.
6. Princess Violet was the only character who showed any sign of life or potential for emotional connectivity with the reader…but that all went out the window when the priests got their hands on her. I understood why it happened, and her loneliness definitely stirred more emotion in me than anyone else did, so I was pretty upset when she became just another religi-zombie.

Seriously, what exactly is it about the genre of Young Adult that makes so many otherwise decent authors, like Ms. Lidell, lose their mojo? I briefly wondered if this dumbing-down was born from a fear of making the characters too complex or difficult for ‘young’ readers. But when your story contains references to drinking, gambling, whoring, violence in the form of torture, murder, and slavery, main characters with enough dimension to populate such a world shouldn’t be too much to expect.

In contrast to the terrible characters, the world-building was pretty good. There was some rather intricate political maneuvering going on, and some fairly complex history and culture were hinted at, too. Dansel, Silthia, and Everette were unique and the populace’s differing relationships with and reactions to magic was interesting. I was also intrigued by the idea of the living crystals and how they’re used. There’s a lot of potential here for a stunning backdrop, and Ms. Lidell’s descriptions of her settings was a good as I’ve come to expect based on her other novels.

The narration also wasn’t half-bad, though it did have some issues of its own, unrelated to the story. Hayden Daviau has a pleasant voice, with good pitch, tone, and pacing, and I enjoyed listening to her read. Her characterizations were only a little overdramatized. The main issue with the audio was its quality: there was either no spacing/pause between one chapter and the next or too much, and in Chapter 29, one sentence was repeated twice (I don’t know if it was a typo or a narration error). I encountered a few staticy sections, but it’s entirely possible it was due to an interrupted Bluetooth connection.

Bottom line: This book was a prime example of my apparent inability to learn from the past. It had many of the shortcomings I’ve come to loathe in YA novels—mostly dumb characters. Honestly, if this had been my first experience with Alex Lidell, I’d likely never have read another word by her.

[Zachary Flye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review:

Protagonist(s): The majority of this fantasy tale is told from the first person POV of Kali, a young scout, and spy who is assigned to the palace early in the story in an attempt to keep her kingdom from going into all-out war, oh, and her sister's life is on the line. Kali is an adept spy who can easily pass as either male or female which allows her to take up two roles in the palace, both as the king's newly arrive niece Lianna and a new guard recruit Kal. Kali is very much a lone wolf and has been conditioned to never rely on anyone as you can never be sure who is on your side. I really enjoyed watching Kali grow and develop over the course of this story, even at the expense of her pride on most occasions. Kali is a force to be reckoned with and while she makes plenty of mistakes and does a few pretty unlikable things she gets as good as she gives sometimes. Then there's the Violet of it all. See, even though this book is mostly told from Kali's POV, there are third-person chapters from the POV of Violet, the princess of Dansil, who is still struggling with the loss of her mother and the inattention she gets for not being the king's next in line. Violet's storyline goes to some unexpected places and it was really interesting to watch her character arc blossom over the course of the book.

Romance: So, there's really not a whole lot of romance in this book. I mean, it's there, there's no denying that, but it doesn't really factor into the main plot all that much and most of the book focuses on establishing a relationship between the couple instead of diving head in, which I was very happy to see. The thing is though, I'm not a huge fan of the love interest, Trace, there are times when he can be pigheaded, stubborn, and sexist at times in this book, which is completely on purpose as Kali has none of it, but when I felt that a romantic relationship would start to form between the two, well Trace doesn't show his best side and while I'm sure that it's all part of his character development, it's hard for me to see these two together eventually, let alone root for them.

World Building: Okay, so in the recent past I complained about a series's world not feeling unique enough, in fact, that series has a lot of the same tropes woven into as this one, the difference, this world feels so different. First off there's the POV it's coming from, a spy trained to ferret out secrets and who is tasked with being a spy within the palace walls. Then there's the almost cult-like religion, Children of the Goddess, then there are the stand out characters and their own personal arcs, there is so much about this series and this world that completely blew me away. I love the spy angle and the magic system is very interesting even though I don't quite understand it, that's okay because neither do most of the characters. I was actually really bummed when I found out, at the end of the book no less, that this is going to just be a duology, I really enjoyed the little we saw of this world and am sad that we don't get to explore it for longer, though who knows, maybe the author will write a spin-off farther down the road.

Predictability: Looking back over the book I can say, without a doubt, that for the most part, this story did an excellent job of keeping me on my toes. In fact, of everything revealed in this story, I can really only think of one thing that I was able to predict and even then I wasn't 100% sure. I have to admit I was caught off guard by a twist more than I'm happy to admit, but it made for a very engaging and exciting story.

Ending: So... where was the final climax? As this story was headed towards a close I was anxiously awaiting the final climax, whether that be a physical, action-themed brawl, or something more cerebral, I was waiting, and while there is a bit of tension at the very end, it felt like it was more happening around our characters rather than to them and without a true final climax this story just feels like it was cut short. Don't get me wrong the very end is intense and full of conflict, but much in the way a cliffhanger would be, since that's what it was, but without some sort of final challenge full of tension, something that the book had been building toward, it just sort of feels incomplete.

Rating:

I really enjoyed this book, I could barely put it down and was sad to see it end so soon. Luckily the wait for the next and final book doesn't seem too long. For the most part, I love this story, but I did have a few minor problems with it but I'm no less chomping at the bit for book 2.

[Holly Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, how I loved this book!! I am an absolute sucker for the girl-pretending-to-be-a-guy (or guy-pretending-to-be-a-girl) trope in novels, whether it’s fantasy or contemporary or science fiction…I’m just an absolute sucker! I would say that the majority of books I’ve read with this trope are in the fantasy genre, but that could be mainly due to the fact that fantasy is my most-read genre. But I think it works so well in fantasy, because the author can play with the story so much. I know for a fact that it works beautifully here! We’ve essentially got a character who has three “personalities,” with Kali having to play new royal guard member Kal, royal family acquaintance Lady Lianna, and of course being herself around her sister (and her awful uncle, King Firehorn). Kali navigated these three different lives better than I ever could, that’s for sure! The reader is constantly on guard for her secret to be discovered, as, of course, is she. It makes for a story that keeps that bit of butterflies in your stomach constantly while you’re reading.

On top of a wonderful main character in Kali, I enjoyed all of the supporting characters as well, from her sister, Leaf, to the head guard, Trace, to the royal siblings, Will and Violet. The characters are all distinct and have easily recognizable personalities, which is a feat to pull off when you’ve got a lot of characters. Together, the characters make for an exceptional story that is no end of fun to read. I could read about Trace, and also Luca, all day long :)

If I didn’t know better, I’d swear Alex has at least 10 novels to her name, because she displays a mastery of writing that one normally only sees with age and experience. I have only read one book by Tamora Pierce thus far, but I’d put this book on par with Ms. Pierce’s writing for sure! I had so much fun reading this book, and the beautiful writing made for a reading experience where you never felt “knocked out” of the story or disconnected from what was going on. If anything I felt it was all over way too soon! I wanted it to go on and on… I am thrilled to see, though, that the next book is slated for release in May!! That made me happy beyond belief :)

Basically, if you are a fantasy fan, you’ll absolutely want to pick up this book. If you are a romance fan, the same goes for you. If you especially love the “cross-dressing” trope like I do, it’s a no-brainer. Seriously, you can’t miss out on Tracing Shadows! It’s just so good. Thanks so much to Rockstar Book Tours and Alex Lidell for letting me take part in this blog tour! I’m so thrilled I did so, because with so many books and so little time, who knows when I would’ve gotten to reading this otherwise? Make sure you don’t miss out!

Rating: 5 fantastical stars!

*Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book from the author for purposes of the blog tour. This review is voluntary and is my honest rating and review.

[Lauralee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kali is a scout. When the king of Dansil has been threatened by terrorists, he assigns Kali to a dangerous mission. If she refuses, her sister will be killed. Kali is to act as his niece Lady Liana at night, and disguise herself as a male trainee during the day. As Kali searches to find out the terrorists identify, she finds herself getting into trouble with Trace, the captain of the royal guards. She learns that Trace may be hiding some important information. Soon, she realizes that Trace may be linked to the terrorists. Kali must fight to protect her sister and her kingdom against these dangerous threats.

I loved Kali! She is a very feisty character. She acts with instinct and not her brain. Therefore, she is always getting herself into trouble. I loved the fact that she can fight and is very tenacious. There were times that she could be very vulnerable. Those moments were what made her an endearing heroine. Thus, Kali was a witty and engaging heroine, and I rooted for her to vanquish her enemies.

I also loved her relationship with Trace. Trace seems cold. However, it turns out that he has a heart of gold. He has a sad background, and I can understand why he can be aloof. The romance between them is very slow, but it is built on mutual experiences. Both of them have tragic backgrounds. Eventually, he becomes Kali’s mentor and protector. I found Trace to be very mysterious, and I found unraveling Trace’s past was one of the best elements in the novel.

Even though the book was great, the audiobook really made the story come alive. The narrator really captured Kali’s gutsy personality. She also did an stupendous job in making the other characters come alive. She did an excellent job in portraying Trace’s broodiness. Thus, Ms. Daviau is one of the best narrators that I have ever listened to. It was hard to keep from listening! I would not only love to listen to this audiobook again, but I would love to listen more from this narrator!

Overall, Tracing Shadows is a novel of friendship, family, love, and duty. The novel is very fast-paced and is filled with courtly intrigue, danger, adventure, and mystery! I did wish for the supporting characters to be more developed, and I thought the world-building needed more explanation. Still, these flaws did not take away my enjoyment of the novel. When Tracing Shadows ended in a cliffhanger, I immediately downloaded the sequel and read it in one sitting! Tracing Shadows is a novel you do not want to miss if you love plucky heroines and mysterious love interests! This novel is perfect for fans of Defy, Cage of Deceit, and Flame in the Mist!
(Note: I received an ARC copy of this book as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review.)

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kali and Trace make a really good team! I enjoyed getting to know Kali on her own and even enjoyed her initial interactions with Trace, who was a bit high and mighty. There was a bit of silly tension between the two as they worked out their always fluctuating relationship but I can forgive them that.

Kali’s young enough to have doubts about her abilities on her first real espionage mission. Still, there were situations that I thought her training would have readied her for, like nudity in the guards change room, etc. So, I did do some small eyerolls. After all, what good is a spy that gives themselves away by blushing over a bit of casual nudity? Kali totally redeemed herself with her knife skills.

Leaf, Kali’s sister who is being held hostage, has her secret skills too – she’s talented with the crystal healing magic, a Whisperer. Alas, this talent can get a person killed. Even though she has such a small role, I liked her character and want to learn more about her.

Crown Prince Wil and his sister Violet are very different from each other. Kali is charged with protecting Wil, so she has to traipse around with him, and also Trace. Meanwhile, Violet is an introverted young lady who has severe doubts of her self-worth. She is also caught up in deep grieving over the recent death of their mother. While I didn’t particularly like her character, she gave us a window into a dangerous and manipulative religious group.

Next to Kali, Trace becomes my favorite character…. yes, it’s a tie between the two of them. While the plot and characters start off simple, we get a little layering later in the tale, with Trace especially. He’s got plenty of secrets and hidden skills. Kali eventually grows a bit after she makes a bad mistake that leaves her injured.

The story never lagged for me. Plenty of action interspersed with spy stuff kept me engaged. The tale does end on a cliff hanger so I hope Book 2 comes out on audiobook very soon. 4.5/5 stars.

The Narration: Hayden Daviau gave a really good performance with this narration. Her male voices are believable and she had distinct voices for all the characters. I especially liked her waspish, peeved voice for Leaf while she tries to attend to Kali’s injuries. She did a great job with the emotional scenes as well. 5/5 stars.

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.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since being orphaned when she was young, Kali has been trained to be the best at what she does: gather intel, stay in the shadows, and protect her sister Leaf. Alone. However, when a dangerous mission requires her to put on the facade of both a male guardsman by day and a royal lady of the court by night, she finds that she is relying on others more than she would like. And when the Captain of the Guard, Trace, is assigned as both her commanding officer and her palace escort, she finds herself wrapped in more secrets than she bargained for.

When I first read the summary of this book, I was intrigued by the idea of a spy becoming two very different people, maintaining the characters she was playing, while still completing her mission. I have to say, I had not read any other works written by Lidell before, so I had my doubts as to how well the story would written. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how amazing this book was. Writing style is something that usually catches my eye right away, and in this book, Lidell used rich, descriptive vocabulary, beautiful dialogue, and detailed characters to create a world that captured me and drew me into the story. Regarding plot, I thought that the plot overall was of a relatively good quality, but there were times when I could not exactly remember the main point of Kali’s mission, and the many antagonists that appeared in the plot made it hard to keep track of who everyone was; most of the main characters were written to be wonderfully complex and realistic, but outside of those few, the other characters were a bit flat. However, this did not really take away too much enjoyment from reading the book. Six out of the thirty two chapters were written from the perspective of Violet, the princess of Dansil, which originally confused me, but I later understood that there were some major changes to the character that needed to be shown from her perspective instead of Kali’s. There were some major plot twists that made me gasp, put the book down and take a moment to process, then continue to read, which added to the complexity of the story and eventually the reason I enjoyed the book so much.

Overall, I thought that this book was a compelling read, and although it took me a few chapters to get into the story, once I did, I could not put it down. I can’t wait for the second installment to this series, and I will be looking forward to reading more from this author.

[Camillea Camillea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Alex Lidell since reading the Tides series and now that I've read Tracing Shadows it's clear that writing adventure and action scenes are Lidell's niche.

Tracing Shadowsis told from two different perspectives, one is Kali's and the other is Violet's. The story starts out very slowly which put me off at first. Not much is given away in the beginning, in fact, the build up doesn't happen until more than half way through the book. The book is told from two perspective's one is Kali's and the other is Princess Violet's. I found this interesting because, to me, Kali and Violet seemed like the opposite sides of the same coin! Although one is born a royal and the other scout, both have a sibling who loves them dearly, and both are afflicted by this feeling that they are merely a pawn.

The world-building was good enough to get an idea of the world, but for me, I wanted to know more about the Goddess and her followers. They play a very essential in the book, so I didn't not knowing much about them and their motives, especially when it came to Bishop Bahir. And the romance wasn't something I was a fan of as I felt it was happening too fast.

Kali is a strong and yet tender character that I feel many can relate to. I wish we could have had more about her sister, Leaf.

Still, I enjoyed the book greatly! Tracing Shadows is a book I would recommend if you're looking for something to kick back, relax, and read - without worrying about too much details and information being dumped. Alex Lidell really knows how to build up a plot and make an explosion. I loved the conspiracy and I can't wait to know more about it!

I'd like to thank the author, Alex Lidell, for providing me with a e-copyin exchange for my honest opinion. Follow me at Camillea Reads for more bookish adventures

[Diana Lavaughn · Rating 5 out of 5]

racing Shadows: Scout Book 1 of 2 Kindle Edition
by Alex Lidell 
I received a complimentary copy and am opting to leave a fair and honest review.

Court intrigue, spy trade craft, missing royal heirs, a religious cult and a hot love!

What else could you want?

Kali is a spy and a royal relative. She and her scientist sister, Leaf, are summoned to the Royal Palace so that Kali may play two roles. Kal, the guardsman training and Lianna, a bit of a ditzy noble lady.

Trace is a hunk of muscle and also one of her trainers. He is far more than he seems and that is what draws Kali.

The plot turns, and no one is spared the darkness falling over the lands involved in a long, long war.

Ms Lidell handles the twists and turns masterfully, moving seamlessly from Kali's first person POV to secondary third person POVs. With that technique, we see hidden corners that add layers to the mystery of what is going on in the Palace, with the cult and its leader, and what is happening with Kali, Trace and Luca.

The world is well built, but my brain kept short circuiting on the names of the countries. It could just be me. I just couldn't keep the countries and their royalty. I've never ever asked for character and country list in my life but I am for this. I get so wrapped in Ms. Lidell's characters, I kind of forget who came from what country and whose rank was what.

As I said, I got really wrapped up in the characters. Kali wasn't the uber-strong female who kicks butts takes name and still gets home in time to hold court in the Palace. She is s a spy slipping in and out of character's skins. Ms. Lidell handles it masterfully, describing how Kali feels and how each character is different to her. This carries through to each and every character.

Enjoyable. I couldn't catch my breath.

5 stars out of 5.

https://www.amazon.com/Tracing-Shadow...

[Arys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tracing Shadows (Scout #1) by Alex Lidell is a well conceived and paced YA fantasy novel. Kali (Kalianna) is the bastard daughter of the king's dead brother. Cast out from the court she has been trained to be a royal scout. To learn and report without being seen. Her sister, Leaf, is a Whisperer, able to manipulate and tune magic crystals and outlawed publicly in the kingdom of Dansil. When Kali and Leaf are summoned by their uncle, King Firehorn, to work in the capital, Kali has a new challenge, be both Lady Lianna and guard trainee Kal, in order to uncover insidious plot against the kingdom.

The story moves at a steady pace and I very much enjoyed Kali's character. She is convincing as Kal and is quick thinking and tough, while also being witty and clever as Lianna, while still being intrinsically Kali in both places. As Kali learns more about the court, Prince Wil and guard Trace she is pulled deeper into both characters and consequences begin to mount. The hidden grit and character that Kali's character has, in all personas really makes Tracing Shadows a well written and complex tale. I enjoyed the character development that both Kali and Trace undergo as well as the twists that while hinted at are still left to mystery until near the end, and I can't wait for book 2 with all we are given by the end of this one.

Overall, Tracing Shadows by Alex Lidell was a very enjoyable and well written book which I enjoyed a lot. The progression of the characters and how they grow with each other and a menace that grows as we learn more makes it fun, complex, and engaging throughout. I couldn't put it down.

(I voluntarily reviewed an advance review copy of this book I received for free from the publisher in exchange for my open and honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.)

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and am impatient for the next one to be released. Luckily that is not too far away. The start of the book was a bit confusing because it was so fast paced and threw the reading into the story. I wish there was more time to story build. After Kali got to the palace, things finally did slow down enough for character building. I enjoyed each of the main characters, though I did personally become irritated with Trace’s conservative views on women. I, however,found myself frustrated with reading about Violet’s character. I think I’ve become so use to reading about empowered strong young women that it was hard for me to read about violets struggling (and I cringe to call it weak) personality. I have to remind my self the violet is a 14 year old child, who lost her mother, and received no love from her family. She is alone and this easy shaped by those who would take advantage of her.
I have to say, I was surprised by traces revelation the be the long dead prince. Which surprised me that I could be surprised. Usually I can see these things coming and I think it had to do with the subtleness by which it was done. The prince being mentioned as dead was a passing comment and was never emphasized, which I believe made it easier to throw in later.
There was so much going on in this book, that I barely wanted to put it down. This book could have easily been extended into a longer version to build more on Trace’s and Kali’s relationship, the training that took places, as well as with her spying. A lot of it did feel rushed, but made it no less a great book.
Immediately after finishing this book I preordered the second!

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile] · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a spy, Kali is used to being able to transform from girl to boy, and she must use her skills as fighter and spy with everything she has to uncover a group of guerrilla fighters terrorizing her kingdom. Operating under orders of the King, by day Kali is guardsman Kal, tasked with finding information on Viva Sylthia, a group determined to overthrow the invading Everett army from the province they annexed two decades ago, and by night she is Lady Lianna, a meek noblewoman spying on the Everett peacemaking team. But a terrifying religious cult, brutal guerrilla fighters and one too observant captain could topple Kali's mission to the ground and destroy everything she is fighting to save...

Horrific cover aside (seriously, that is really bad), this book is everything I've come to enjoy in Lidell's writing. A quick, snappy plot with a smart and determined heroine, and the angsty dude who's in charge of her...and for whom the heroine develops feelings.

There's a lot of politicking, a lot of spying, a lot of changing back and forth and admiring female bodies (particularly Lady Lianna's obsession with her soft curves), and an overall really good story with a lot of intriguing themes—plus a lot of loose threads that need tying up in book 2. I wish that the book had focused more on Kali spying—and had tidied up some of the plot holes that are going to arise when one person is playing two people living in the same castle—but it was really enjoyable and I can't wait for the second book!

I received this ARC from the author for an honest review.

[Writers N Authors Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strong Characters and an Exciting World
Tracing Shadows is the first book in the Scout series by author Alex Lidell. Alex Lidell may be one of my new favorite authors. I enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read book 2. Tracing Shadows is builds slowly, but comes together without a hitch. The characters were well written, the world was a different and interesting world, land, of course, a developing romance. This book also has twists “girl disguised as a boy”, the King forces 17-year-old spy Kalianna to pose as a palace guard as well as Lady Lianna of the court. If she doesn’t comply, he’ll hurt her sister. I love a strong female character!

The audiobook really made the story come alive. The novel is very fast-paced and is filled with courtly intrigue, danger, adventure, and mystery! The narrator did an amazing job Hayden Daviau is perfect one of the better narrators that I have had the pleasure of listening to. Portraying the emotions of each character and the different voices were great too! Hayden is a good choice to narrate this story.

Alex was able to create another really cool, unique world. I am really excited to see what will happen next, especially with the bombshell 🙂 I’m hoping to learn more about Trace, Luca, and Leaf in Book 2. Be ready for the ending what a cliffhanger The ending left me wanting more!

Suitable for a YA or adult audience, Tracing Shadows is a fun addition to the genre.

Purchase on Audible, Kindle, Paperback

[MJ James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tracing Shadows is the first in the series of a seasoned writer, Alex Lidell. This fantasy novel follows a scout that is skilled in transforming herself from the noble women that is from birth to the soldier she was trained to be. Content to do what she can to keep her sister from harm, She is instead brought in to bring down a terrorist cell.

Lidell is a new to me author that I am happy to have discovered. Her writing is well put together and her characters are captivating. I wish that there was a little bit more developed back story woven into the narration. There is some given near the end, but not for the main character. I wish I knew more what drove her.

I listened to this as an audio book with the narration done by Hayden Daviau. I was impressed with Hayden's narration. It allowed me to sink into the characters without being reminded of the narrator's presence. For the most part her voice flowed perfectly with the text. I am not overly fond of how she voiced the male characters, but it is better then I have heard a lot of narrators voice opposite genders.

This is not a book that I would say you need to get in audio. I am sure I would enjoy it as easily reading it on my Kindle. However, it also is not a book that I would say you should not get in audio, as the narration is well done.

[Denise Wengert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kali and her sister Leaf are orphaned and raised by a spymaster on his remote estate. Leaf, a whisperer, hardly leaves the estate. Kali, however, is trained as a scout (like a spy) and changes roles from a boy to a lady when needed. When Kali is summoned to the king's court to look into a terrorist group, Kali must tread carefully because her sister's life is at stake.

While there she will be go between the high society as the royal Lady Lianna while penetrating the servant ranks as Kal, a male guardsman trainee. What did not expect was for Wil, the crown prince, to take a liking to her and want her in his personal guard, or Trace, the mysterious captain of the king’s guard, to be so observant of both Kal and Lady Lianna. As Kali starts to uncover secrets, both Kal and Lady Lianna are in danger. Can Kali keep her secrets, protect the kingdom and protect her sister?

This book was amazing! When I first heard about the series, the blurb intrigued me (I have a thing for spy books) and I decided to give it a chance. I am so glad I did. The characters are great, the story line is unique, and there are traces of magic (whisperers), but magic doesn't overwhelm the book. I really really can't wait for the next book! I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Craig Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The narration in audio was a bit slow, but once I sped up the audio, the pacing went well. The narrator did a good job with the characters, and I enjoyed the tale. It uses the trope of a woman wanting to prove herself as good as a man in combat, and gets tasked with a mission to hide herself in the men's royal guard. The magic system is simple and revolves around crystals. I can see a lot more expanded on it if desired. Although the main character cannot use magic crystals, it seems it can, or she can affect it in some way.

My largest complaint of this book is the fact that she keeps changing from being herself (she's someone important in royalty as a woman) to being the male "guard" in the army, and I had a hard time keeping straight what role she was playing in several different spots. I think it could of used a bit more clarity at times which role she was playing.

Other than that, it does end in a pretty harsh cliffhanger with unresolved story without much resolution at the end.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book, and it looks like I may have found another fantasy author to keep an eye on. =)

[The Book Junkie Reads . . . · Rating 5 out of 5]

New exciting adventure in a new breathtaking world

Overall 5 out of 5 stars
Performance 4 out of 5 stars
Story 5 out of 5 stars

The world rich, intriguing, filled with secrets, danger, lies, deceit, and malice. This world one young girl finds she has to navigate by being a dual individual. A world this young girl finds lures her in deeper and deeper. She fights for her family (sister) and her country. There was a dual POV but not the way I was expecting it to be. Kali was so much and so little all at the same time. She was Lady Lianna and Kal a male trainee. There were layers and depth in this one. There was more that could have been revealed.

Narrator Hayden Daviau opened up some doors with the diction and flow of the narration. You could almost feel like you were in Kali's shoes while this part of the adventure was taking place. The ebb and flow of the audio was clear, clean and gave you a sense of experiencing it right before your eyes.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her latest release, Tracing Shadows, Alex Lidell has created a fascinating world where magic users suffer religious persecution in the war ravaged kingdom of Dansil. Kali, a young woman who has been trained her whole life as a scout (a spy working always in the shadows) finds herself inextricably tangled in a web of political intrigue and corruption. The problems she faces will cause her to act in opposition to years of training, but her training is what has kept her alive thus far. Will she survive this evolution? This book will completely absorb you and the end will leave you desperate for the conclusion in book two of the Scout duology! Alex writes complex and believable characters and action packed stories that pull you into her books. If you haven't read everything she has written yet I have one question for you, what are you waiting for?