Gold Shadow

Bronze Rebellion #1

by L.C. Perry

In the North American continent, eighteen year old Ebony has been living as a slave for as long as she can remember. The underground cities, the tattoo, the scars and the shackles are a part of the only world she has ever known. She knows that in order to survive, she will have to stay strong. And she will stay strong, cursing those in power, until her very last breath. She waits for a meaningful way to die as she quietly pushes her body to its limit…but that all changes when rebels from the surface drop down right in front of her.

Now, Ebony is challenged to envision a life beyond slavery as she and the other escapees are thrown into the center of a rebellion against the monarchy. She has to embrace this glimmer towards a real life…this glimmer called freedom. But what can she contribute to a rebellion that is doomed to fail like those before it? How can they stop a corrupt monarchy that has lasted for a century? Among the lower class, those with hope are hard to come by, but Ebony has found refuge with people full of it. And through their strong desire, an idea emerges…one that has never been done before. The princess of the country is coming of age and what better way to send a message to the king and queen than to kidnap their only daughter?

Genres: Dystopia, Science Fiction, Young Adult

418 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 2, 2017

About the author

L.C. Perry is a young Black bi aromantic/grey-ace author who’s both socially awkward and distractingly imaginative. She has a BA in Creative Writing from Emory University and is a proud binge-watcher of anime and horror movies. She also knows too many Spongebob quotes, can’t dance to save her life, and has an unhealthy obsession when it comes to vanilla almond milk and caramel cake. Her goal as a writer is to continue writing YA while elevating underrepresented voices. Her areas of expertise are the Fantasy, Dystopian and Contemporary genres for the YA audience.
When she isn’t writing, reading, or binge-watching, she’s visualizing original stories inside her head—with the help of music, of course.

Feel free to follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/L.C.Perry3350/

Reviews

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gold Shadow is an enchanting story full of contrasts.

If I had to use metaphors to explain this book, I would use contrasting words - light and dark, the sun and the moon, soft and tough, etc. This story follows Ebony, a rough-around-the-edges type of girl who is apart of the rebellion, and Princess Irene, an innocent princess. While Ebony has seen the darkness in the world and is matured beyond her years with a tough exterior, Irene is quite the opposite! She is a foolish princess who doesn't understand how the world works because she's been 'locked in her tower' (in a sense).

Ebony's story is more centered around dystopia and rebellion (it reminded me of Divergent and The Hunger Games, for references) and Irene's a was a royal fantasy (think The Selection). I liked having the two separate stories within this world, but sometimes I got confused on who I was following. Most chapters said the lead character's name in it, but some took pages for me to be able to tell who was being followed. My only request would have been for the chapters to have titles or names to make sure I didn't get lost or confused when I pulled myself away from the book.

This book has serious potential to be the next big YA novel. It touches on many topics that most YA readers like - dystopia, destiny, romance, fantasy. It also has a diverse cast of characters that draw you in and make you feel for them. Irene was my favourite, but Ebony, Gavin and Aurora also stood out. There is also some massive world building within the book, since L.C. Perry is clearly setting up an epic series for these characters to partake in.

If I was to have any major cons about this book, it's that it took me a while to really sink my teeth into it. This is because of the world building with L.C. setting the scene for the reader. This shouldn't be much of a problem when the series continues, so it's only a 'minor' con in relation to the whole series. I also found there were many characters to follow, so when I pulled myself away from the book and threw myself back in, I couldn't fully remember all of them (similar to my Game of Thrones problems - so many characters, so many back stories - it can get tough!). That being said, I'd recommend binging this book. I read it in bits and pieces, and I found it really hard to remember some of the lesser viewed characters.

The book is a little bit dark at times - there are swear words, there is beating and humiliation and torture - but it is a dystopia. If you keep that in mind and you aren't a soft at heart reader, then you'll easily be able to enjoy this novel.

L.C. Perry's writing style is very easy to fall into and read. She's great with descriptions and character development. I haven't dipped my toes into YA for a while, so it was a bit of an adjustment for me, but the book was absolutely fantastic! I'd highly recommend this book if you love YA and fantasy (with a pinch of dystopia).

Finally - the ending. If you like books with cliffhangers, this one is for you! This book is definitely meant to be read in a series and not as a standalone. The ending closes enough to make you feel settled to wait for the next novel, but not enough to leave the book alone and be happy with the ending. There's truly no finale for these characters (yet).

Overall, this book was fun! It's a nice, YA dystopia that will be a great addition to your shelf!

Three out of five stars.

I received a free copy of this book from the author L.C. Perry in exchange for an honest review.

[Jessica Jesinghaus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out this review, and many more, on my blog https://jessjesinghaus.wordpress.com

Settle in and prepare yourself for a wonderful entry to the Bronze Rebellion Series. Gold Shadow, by L.C. Perry , introduces us to an alternate, dystopian world in which an elite ruling monarchy presides over the various continents and the ‘lesser communities’ outside their grand palaces. This is a world in which slavery is commonplace, with the majority of slaves toiling underground and unseen in deplorable conditions while under the thumbs of merciless guards and officers. It is from these two disparate worlds that author L.C. Perry gives us two very different main characters: Ebony (the slave) and Irene (the princess).

If I had to choose a favorite character it would be, far and away, Ebony. But I’m certain that was by the author’s design. Princess Irene (Ivory in my mind, given her stark contrast to Ebony) is a spoiled little girl on the cusp of womanhood with no idea what the world outside her palace is like. Her parents have kept the ugly truth hidden from her and it is for this reason that I can forgive Irene her callousness and her insensitivity. She really has no clue. The way she cows to her parents’ demands and manipulations was actually a warped mirror of Ebony’s life as a slave and one that was deftly utilized. Ebony, although downtrodden her entire life, is the strong one and, when fate gives her a chance to escape her life as a slave and join the Rebellion, we really see her shine. Ebony is a broken young woman, but with each break she seems to have healed stronger. Her torture and torment were visceral and not for the faint of heart.

While Gold Shadow, by nature of being the first book in a series, has a lot of exposition and world building to accomplish, L.C. Perry doesn’t waste too much time on explanations. She lets it develop and unfold organically as the story progresses. There are, at times, a plethora of characters to keep track of but Ms. Perry does a remarkable job of instilling unique personalities and features to them all, making our job as readers that much easier. The dialogue is crisp and true to life. Although I’ve said it already in this review, it is the stark contrast between the lives of the slave Ebony and the princess Irene where L.C. Perry’s writing truly shines. Each character supports and contrasts the other even though their paths don’t intersect until quite late in the story. I’m excited for the next installment and can’t wait to see where the journey takes us next.

**Reviewed for Readers' Favorite**

[Michaela (Journey into Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*eACR provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*

This is one of the best dystopian novels I’ve read in a while. This story follows Ebony who has spent her whole life as a slave until one day she stumbles across a group of rebels who give her a reason to fight.
I really liked the character of Ebony she has a silent strength that I loved.  I also really enjoyed watching her journey to come to terms with the fact that she is no longer a slave and her determination to join the rebellion and fight to end slavery.                               Irene is our other POV character and she is the princess of the country. I didn’t enjoy her story as much as I felt she was very snobby, annoying and really irritating at times, but there is a lot of potential of her character to grow and I’m really excited to see this in the next book.                                                                                                                                                 We are introduced to a lot of great characters in this book though I do think we were introduced us to too many at the one time and it took me a while to figure out who was who.  There is also a lot of racial diversity in this books that I really like.
I think L. C. Perry did a wonderful job at portraying the atrocious conditions and lifestyle the slaves were subjected to.
The ending was brilliant and I can’t wait for the next book.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gold Shadow is a gritty, raw novel where you feel the bleakness of your existence come right off the page. Ebony has never known any other life. The hopelessness of her situation is shown in great detail, from frequent, graphic scenes of violence, to the way characters turn on each other for their perceived power (like in Scarlet’s case) despite the fact that all of them are nothing but cogs in the wheel.

Once Ebony and her friends are rescued by the rebellion, and meet Azure, the young, mysterious leader, we enter my favorite section of the book. Questions start being answered, and I especially loved… the scene with the interviews/interrogation where each of the character backstories were revealed. That was so well-done and moving, particularly Scarlet’s.

Princess Irene is your typical pampered, spoiled royal. She has a room where every wall is covered in instruments, tutors that come to teach her every subject, countless gowns, and she’s quick to tell her many servants that if they can’t put a smile on their faces, they need to come back later and not spoil her good mood. At one point, she even uses her princess authority to ORDER one of her friends to stop walking, and thinks to herself how defying her could be treason. The author does an awesome job using this perspective to play up the differences between slavery and the pampered aristocratic life, but needless to say, I found myself looking forward to the sections with Ebony and the rebellion.

And wow, that ending! Cool plot twist that ties the two story arcs together and sets things up nicely for both characters for book two! Really cool dystopian!

Trigger Warnings: graphic violence, graphic depictions of slavery, sexual assault, kidnapping

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.

[L.C. Perry]

Further details about the series: Includes a very diverse cast of characters but also includes violence, profanity, and mention of sensitive subject matter. If there are any questions, please do not hesitate to ask!

[sea · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review For: “Gold Shadow #1” by L.C. Perry
Rating: ★★★★
Link To Book Blog: www.inkblottings.com

Review:

I recently received a message on Goodreads from L.C. Penny enquiring as to whether I would be interested in possibly reviewing her young adult dystopian novel. After reading through the premise and finding it to my personal liking, I asked if she could possibly send me a copy if her offer still stood. I soon found myself immersed in the novel and, to my initial surprise, it was very captivating.

This first book in the soon-to-continued series follows Ebony - an 18-year-old girl who’s been living underground as a slave for as long as she can remember. She’s been raised learning that her strength is the only thing that will protect her from the horrors of what lurks within the Root Cities, far beneath the surface. Though, when rebels from the world aboveground find themselves in her path, she’s faced with the possibility of getting free and really making a life for herself. The issue is, the monarchy is only planning on getting stronger as the oblivious Princess Irene gets ready to be wed to a suitor, but Ebony thinks she knows a way to show the Princess the truth of her kingdom. 

The book gets moving quickly, which I really liked, as that meant that my attention was caught and maintained from the start as I grew increasingly interested in the storyline that was unravelling. From the start, the novel has been written in a way that makes good use of descriptive imagery - the world and the scenarios are well developed and explored, and the small details that contribute to the scenes make it feel all the more three dimensional. The audience is thrown into the character, her personality, and her life off the bat - which means that we’re able to get an idea of just how in-depth the characterisation really goes. Even though the reader is provided with enough context for the character to feel real and develop somewhat of a connection with her, there is still information withheld which makes the audience eager to explore her past and her present even further. There’s obviously a lot more details to uncover about Ebony’s backstory and what she’s been through as a person (not just as a cliched book character) so this prompts the audience to continue reading. As the book progresses, this also can be seen to be the case for the story and the world itself overall. The world has obviously been developed very well and there are a lot of different elements to take into account, so the reader does indeed feel truly immersed. 

One of my favourite things about the book is that, as the cast grows, there are a lot of various characters introduced that obviously have diverse and contrasting personalities, traits, and backstories of their own. This makes for a very fascinating mix of people which the audience wants to get to know and explore - and that offers further potential for more characters to be developed in the continuation of the series as well. It’s nice to see the various types of mindsets that the characters have and, quite obviously, this allows the reader to feel involved as they’re going to form their own outlook on these specific attributes of who plays a part in the overall story. The ways that the characters interact with each other and challenge their emotions are written incredibly well which means that I was able to pick up on the emotions that they were feeling in certain situations and put myself in their shoes. Not only does this directly pull the reader into the action of the story, but it also causes them to consider the future of the characters and the future of the plot a lot more as they’re immersed in such a personal way as they’re able to experience the characters developing alongside the story. The audience can relate to the feelings and, in turn, this means the story maintains attention a lot more easily.

Another aspect of the narrative that I enjoyed was truly the fact that it takes on and approaches such a dark premise in raw way. There are sensitive yet important issues that are addressed throughout the narrative and the various characters, though I felt that this made the storyline all the more riveting and compelling as it also allows the readers to get closer to the characters individually. I like the openness and the vulnerability that certain elements of the plot line takes on and addresses. I also liked the parallel storylines as you’re able to see how they become connected and you’re able to see the truth behind the hugely diverse lifestyles that the characters lead. 

Though, there were some aspects of the book that lacked, though this is a given with almost any novel out there. At the very beginning, before the introduction of the main character’s name and identity, I found myself getting confused when trying to pinpoint who was doing what and who was speaking in the dialogue scenes. Even though this doesn’t last for all that long, the few starting scenes are written in a way that poses puzzling for the reader, and this could cause them to lose interest in pursuing the story further. Throughout the development and continuation of the plot, there are some apparent cliches that make the situations and the premises feel familiar and, in turn, this means that some elements and plot points of the story are indeed easy to predict. For example, the way that Irene acts is rather predictable as it’s stereotypical of her character trope. Though, again, this isn’t always necessarily a bad thing as it does move the story along. During certain scenes, the dialogue does feel ‘wooden’ - I found that there were some points of certain chapters that ran off for a bit longer than was necessary and, once in a while, found my attention lacking as I wanted the scenes to move forward and for the plot to push through.

However, when it comes to the ending of the book, I think it was rounded off nicely. The ending is open which leaves the audience with questions and with a want to continue exploring the storyline of the characters and the details of the world that has been established, which is effective because the reader is more likely going to want to continue reading the second book. 

To put it simply; I didn’t think that this book would entrap me as much as it truly did and, continuously throughout reading, I found myself getting more involved in the story and paying more attention to the various characters and the roles they played in the overall plot. The world is well-established and the story is very well-developed in a premise with quite a bit of originality, so it makes for a very interesting read. Though there are some tropes and cliches that make points of the story predictable, I found my interest to be maintained to the end, and the continuation of the series has a lot of potential. 

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Gold Shadow takes place in an alternate North America ruled by a monarchy that employs the use of slaves in underground "root cities" that never see the light of day. The main character, Ebony, who is about 17 or 18 and regarded for her striking gold hair, was born into slavery and the lifetime of abuse has led her to bury her feelings and emotions behind a veil of emptiness.

The early portion of the story pulled me in right away as I was caught up in the emotion of Ebony's predicament and her loss of will to go on. The story began to drag a bit as the reader is introduced to the rebels intent on overthrowing the kingdom. There are a lot of characters introduced at this point and it's tough to keep track of all the personalities.

Next enters Princess Irene, daughter to the king and queen responsible for the conditions in which Ebony finds herself. The princess is, by design, not likable and she's clueless about what is going on in her parents kingdom. Irene is the same age as Ebony, and it is inevitable that their paths will cross.

The book finds its groove again in the latter 20% of the story as Ebony and the rebels finally cross paths with Irene, and the emotion that came across in the beginning of the book begins to take hold again.

This is the first part of the series and the author really has something good here. Looking forward to the release of part 2!

[Morgan Wagner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good. A little of a slow start but otherwise a good book. Interesting characters and plot.

[Justine from Novels and Panda · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Teach her what she needs to know instead of feeling sorry for her."

I thoroughly enjoyed Gold Shadow!

Began with the scene of the hardship of being a slave, Ebony at the age of eighteen already went through a handful of hardships, abandoned and abused. Being alone for so long; she was embracing her life as a waste. Pushing her limit to the edge of tiring work to end her life. A vision that was quickly tossed out when a pair of rebels went in her path in the caves, looking for a way out.

It was told in a contrasting point-of-views, Ebony’s in which focuses on the gory details of the world of reality there is. I love how vivid the world building was taking place. The reality of slavery and abusive use of power. This side displays the dystopian world of Gold Shadow. Meanwhile, there’s Princess Irene’s. I mentioned contrasting because of this side was more of on the innocent vision of the reality. All dresses, lesson, reaching the coming of age, picking the rightful prince to rule the kingdom and her over. It displays a shallow thinking whereas contrast to Ebony. And it was to my liking.

Ebony already was a badass then I met another Harper! What piqued my wholesome attention was the characters. Appalled as I read on, the introduction of characters after characters were amazing. The technique used entrapped me. Having too much character to be in the same scene could be confusing yet it here it wasn’t.

The dynamics of them all was sailing smoothly. Their growing number of characters in a scene was one of the things I adore! Writing characters this rich and filled with different personality could be daunting and it was expressed here so highly. There was no bland person here. I love how I can even identify them through Ebony’s glances. As to Princess Irene’s I found it somehow confusing. Some characters in her point-of-view were not as introduced in ways that Ebony’s.

Plotwise, the pacing was slow in the beginning then it got picked up, what drove me to like it was; it may be slow but the rich building of the world is something I kept holding onto. I wanted it to last long. I wanted to stick around. (I know I may be dark sometimes.) THERE WAS THIS SCENE I LOVE, EBONY WAS SPARRING AND THE DETAILS OF THE MOVEMENT WAS FREAKING ASTOUNDING!

Also, I noticed that there could be a slow burn romance happening between Ebony and this certain person. Which I approve, I worry though I smell this could be a love triangle (and by this I mean there's this character that could be under a different sexual orientation, I AM LIKING IT) and from where the point I am looking at I am enjoying the slow burn torment from them. HAHAHA! It wasn’t specified yet, maybe on the next one. or maybe it’s just me.

Reaching the near end. SPOILER ALERT: It was a cliffhanger.

As an overall, Gold Shadow has

-rich world building
-a cast of diverse characters
-amazing character chemistry
-fighting back the oppressors
-talks of abuse/profanity
-violence
-and y’all huddle up: it was handled sincerely
-a read that’ll leave you wanting more

[USOM · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Disclaimer: I received this free book from the author. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

I loved Ebony and her perspective. She was such a great heroine, because she truly grows as a person - and you can't have to wait till the bitter end. Gold Shadow is a slow paced novel because it really looks at the characters around her and the whole kind of 'consciousness awakening' process. I really enjoy slow paced books that allow us to really see into the character's mind. Gold Shadow is even better in that regard because we also get to really see the side characters - who I really loved! We found out their own personal stories and we were able to really get to know them.'

The only thing I didn't really enjoy was the other protagonist, Irene. Is this any surprise there? Irene is pretty self-absorbed and, this is probably just me, but she reminds me of some of my family members - in the worst way. She's one of those people who would genuinely not know about global warming, but complain about it.

full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...

[Leigh Hatcher · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading a Gold Shadow.
I’m ready for the next one I The series.

[Kat Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book by the author for a free review.

It is very rare that I rate books this high, but Gold Shadow blew me away. First, lets talk about the main character, Ebony. Ebony was beautifully crafted and complex. She is everything you want out of a main character. She is easy to relate to and someone you can get behind. This book is told from two perspectives: Ebony, the slave from the root cities and Princess Irene. It goes back and forth to show how different their lives are, while still intertwining the story beautifully. The switching of roles helps the reader learn about the world the characters are living in, without actually giving straight facts. There are also a lot of secondary characters throughout the novel, however, even though they are secondary they do not get lost in the story. They each have their own strong character development and story line.

My reviews are going to be spoiler free, so I do not want to give a lot of detail on the story arc. But I do want to tell you that the story flows beautifully and the climax is perfectly formatted. The build up to the end is full of wonder and tension, and the book ends at a perfect spot to make you wanting more.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dysoptian, teen fiction, and action novels. I promise it is worth the read. This book needs to be sold in the big time booksellers and honestly, even though they are never as good, I could see it as a movie too! Thank you L.C. Perry for giving me the opportunity to read your amazing novel, and I can’t wait to read the second in the series!

Check out the full review on my new blog:
https://lovegoodbookreviews.wordpress...

[Serith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ugh. I Freaking LOVE Ebony.


I have a thing for icy characters, okay? She grew on me quickly and I was thrilled that she was consistent this way. And there was something rewarding about watching her embers grow into flames. The cast was full of rounded character, but she was definitely my favourite.

I got nervous for a moment when ablest language was used, but this was immediately corrected on page. This author is very aware and won’t needlessly harm the reader. So when this delves into dark topics (content warning for sexual abuse), it’s handled very sensitively. Not for the lighthearted, but defiantly worth it if you think you can handle it.

So. I won’t give anything away, but the climax was fantastic. Messed up, but in all the right ways.

Needless to say, I'm excited for more.

[Halei | DegenerateReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received this in exchange for an honest review*
The review is also published @ DegenerateReads here - https://degeneratereads.wordpress.com...

Going into this I had no idea what to expect. I knew this would be a YA dystopian version of North America with a monarchy government and aspects of slavery. What I got was a slow-paced, character-driven story following the perspectives of both a well-written yet insufferable princess and a slave who has never had the opportunity to hope for a better future.

Gold Shadow does feature fairly dark subject matter, which was an aspect of the story I enjoyed, but for others who may be upset by certain things mentioned, I'd like to give a content warning for the following; violence/brutality/physical abuse, mentions of rape/sexual abuse, and strong language.

Before we get into the bulk of this review, I'd like to mention that Gold Shadow is the first book in a series and any of the minor issues mentioned below may be improved upon or developed within the continuations. Also, the second book of the Bronze Rebellion series, Emerald Dream, will be published May 29, 2018.

Plot: Overall, this story seems to focus more on setting up the world and introducing characters, while the plot is minimal and doesn't resort to gimmicky plot twists to add a false sense of action. The first 20% of this is pretty slow-paced but uses this time to develop our main character, Ebony, and set up the slavery aspect of this world. From there, the pace picks up and we see a bit more action as Ebony's situation changes and we move into the events mentioned in the synopsis. For the last 15%, the story returns again to a slow pace as certain things are coming to a close. I did feel that the story had ended a bit abruptly and would have liked some kind of epilogue or another chapter to tie everything together after the climactic event of the abduction and bridge the gap between Gold Shadow and Emerald Dream.

The abduction is mentioned in the synopsis in a way that makes it seem as though it will be the focal point of the story, but when the time to plan it actually comes, we don't see that buildup. Instead, we follow the other perspective until the actual abduction takes place. Because this is divided between two perspectives, I feel the need to mention that most of the plot in this story takes place in Ebony's chapters, but I think this is done to really show us what Irene's life is like, even though the activities may be considered mundane.

Something I really enjoyed in this is the lack of romance. There are some hints at what may develop into a romance, but in this first installment, the romance is practically nonexistent.

There were a couple scenes that really stuck out to me that I would like to mention. At one point, Ebony begins strength, reflex, and combat training. There is one scene in particular where she is training and completely failing to hit her target, a failure for which he mocks her. After missing over and over again, she continues to get back up and eventually she takes her opponent by surprise and hits him. I really loved the message this sent and what it showed the reader of Ebony as a character.

The other scene I thought worth noting takes place after Ebony has become involved with the rebels. While dancing with friends, Ebony hears the beat of the music and experiences what is essentially PTSD. The stomps she felt coming from the everyone in the crowd causes her to flashback to when she was a child and saw the people in her village systematically murdered. I felt that this scene helped to develop Ebony a bit more by not only showing us a part of her childhood but by showing us how it has continued to affect her.

Characters: The change in perspectives can be a bit jarring as there is no indication that the perspective has changed and it didn't follow an ABAB pattern. That said, you can figure it out pretty quickly which character your reading about. The story is described as having a diverse cast of characters, and I will agree with that to an extent. There is a racially diverse cast and mentions of a hijabi character, and an albino character. However, both are minor characters, and neither are developed very much. This is an issue I had with quite a few characters, we're introduced to so many, but most aren't mentioned more than once or twice, making it easy to confuse the characters' names and descriptions. This is something I'm hoping will be developed with the continuations. Gold Shadow also features several strong female characters, again some of them being background characters. There were a few characters I would have liked to see more of, but they've been set up in a way that gives the impression they will play bigger roles later in the series. Below I'll talk a bit more about the two character's perspectives we follow.

Ebony - Of the two perspectives, Ebony is definitely my favorite character. She starts and ends the story as a total badass, but grows stronger throughout, and becomes someone who is doesn't just exhibit strength, but wields it like a weapon. I felt that her character was realistic in her reaction to the world above ground and the confusion and wonder she feels as she learns more about it. Ebony frequently reflects upon the idea that she is unfeeling and does not care about others, but she shows us over and over that she does, by doing things such as stepping in to take another's punishment or going out of her way to help another person. It almost seems as though she can't help but care for others, and unintentionally forms bonds with them, which is something I thought was absolutely adorable.

Irene - Irene is a very unlikeable character, but I think that's a testament to how well written she is. She is painfully ignorant of the world around her, incredibly spoiled, and shallow, all traits which feel authentic to her character. Characters that are realistic are not always likeable and I can really appreciate the 'unlikeable female character' aspect being a part of this story. Given how the story ends, I think we'll see major character development from her as the series continues. And despite Irene not being a favorite character of mine, I did enjoy the satirical view of the superficial and wealthy elite that we get in her chapters.

Another thing I enjoyed was the characters' lack of traditional family that appears throughout the story. Ebony and many of her friends do not have any family or they belong to a non-traditional one and consider each other to be close loved ones. Even Irene, who has both parents alive and well, does not have a typical family. The emotional closeness she lacks towards her parents shows up in her relationships with certain palace workers. There appears to be this running theme that family is those you care about and those who care about you, not people you share DNA with. This is something I love seeing in books, but only when it is done well, which I feel is the case with Gold Shadow.

Setting: This story opens in a city where most of the citizens are slaves and sets the tone for this side of society pretty quickly. The beginning is brutal, but brutal in the best way and it really adds to the vibe of this world. The other perspective follows the character's life inside her palace as she prepares for her coming of age. I will say, my only complaint with the setting was that I had a hard time picturing the outside world. To be fair, the story takes place primarily underground, in a palace, and in a building, so we don't see much of the world overall. Hopefully, this is something that's explored further in the sequel, but I would have liked to know more about what this world looks like and how it came to be given it is a dystopian world.

Writing: The writing is straightforward and not too flowery, which I appreciated. Though the author does demonstrate a knack for metaphor/simile usage and uses descriptions and phrases that add to the darker atmosphere of the story.

Quotes:
"If she were to let dreams back in, she would have to say hello again to nightmares too."
"Reminding a person of how weak they were was one of the cruelest things they could do to one another."
"Hell has been in my backyard for a long time now. And Death is a good friend of mine."

Recommendations: I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys YA dystopian stories with a strong female lead and dark subject matter. It was hard to find a book recommendation for this because the two perspectives we follow have two completely different vibes, but I think I've found a couple that fit. If you enjoyed An Ember in the Ashes, you may like this for Ebony's perspective as the slavery aspect is similar and Ebony as a character is strong in a way akin to Laia. And I think anyone who liked Of Fire and Stars may enjoy reading this for Princess Irene's perspective, as she, like Princess Dennaleia, is a royal who is buried under the burdens of being a Princess with little involvement of the less pleasant parts of the world around her.

[Tinka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Background source

I was sent an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

What the story is about

Gold Shadow is set in a world where there were royalties and slaves.

Our protagonist, Ebony, was a ‘root native’, meaning that she was born and raised as a slave, while many other slaves were brought into slavery during their childhood years. Slaves worked in underground cities and they seldom saw daylight. They worked for different masters. And Ebony’s master was a man that favoured female slaves, for the exact reason that you are thinking of. Whenever her master visited his root city, he would pick a few of the female slaves to serve him in a more intimate way than mining or carrying weights around. On an accident, 18-year-old Ebony met some rebels and she was offered an opportunity to get the freedom to see the daylight again, and ‘envision a life beyond slavery’.

We also got to see the story from the princess’s POV and I would talk more about that later.


Plot

Even though I have read a lot of dystopian fictions, this book is the first book I have read that includes slavery.

I enjoyed the plot a lot. We got to see enough of everything – a good amount of story on the slavery part and then more about the rebellion, including the joining and the training. The pace was kept pretty constant throughout the book. Even if things began to quiet down, the characters would be the one thing that kept the readers reading.

Did I mention that I love it when authors write about the different training one has to go through in order to become strong both physically and mentally? I loved how much we were able to see of a character’s personality and how they grew in the training. And this is seriously one of the main reasons I love fantasy so much – to read about characters doing all these impossible training sessions and growing. And since the characters undergoing the training were originally slaves, the training ground scenes were really interesting.

As I have mentioned above, there were two POVs. I liked Ebony’s POV a lot but I just couldn’t stand the princess’s one. I would get to the reason in the next section. Still, the two POVs gave the readers a more exclusive view of the whole story, though limited due to the positions of the characters.


Characters

Ebony, a slave-turned-rebel, drew a lot of attention, including her master’s, in her slavery time due to her golden hair. She gave off that very cool and cold-blooded atmosphere. When we first got to meet her, she didn’t let anyone into her life and didn’t seem to care about anything besides her own survival, which was understandable, considering that she was a slave that could easily be killed. As the story went on, we got to know more of her backstory and her personality. Ebony was actually quite sweet. Once she opened up, you would know that she’s witty, humorous and courageous. She would be the first one to stand up for her friends and herself. And by the way, she was a cinnamon roll when it came to food.

Princess Irene was the spoiled kid you would expect her to be. She seriously thought that all she had to do, as the princess of the country, was to look good so that someone handsome and powerful could fall in love with her and rule the country for her after her parents stepped down. She was that naive. And she didn’t even care about her country at all. She deemed herself too valuable to even really go and have a look at the working class. She never thought twice or tried to see for herself about what she was taught. She was so self-centred and full of herself. The only times I liked her was how much she thought about her old maid. Ah, she did have some sympathy and a heart to care about someone at a lower position than herself. Hopefully, we would be able to see her character growth in the next book.

Asher. Where do I begin with him? He was funny, encouraging and thoughtful for those around him. He put friendship at the top of his priority list and I loved him for it. He was one of those who would do anything if it meant protecting his squad. And although there wasn’t any romance in the book, I kinda look forward to his relationship with Ebony. They would be so cute together, haha.

There were a lot of side characters but the author did a good job giving each of them unique personalities that they all stood out in their own way.


General

Rating: 4/5

I enjoyed the book a lot and the story and characters were engaging. Yet, there was quite some space for improvement and I can’t wait to read more about the characters in the next book!


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[Alexandrea Furr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Earlier this year, I received an eMail from L.C. Perry requesting a review of Gold Shadow. In her synopsis, she introduced me to Ebony, a slave girl who is rescued by a group of rebels against the crown. As an Anti-Human Trafficking Advocate, I was intrigued. Many who are familiar with this blog may recall my passion for abolishing modern slavery. People should not be bought and sold like animals, so to read a book about a young woman who escaped this horror was exhilarating to say the least.

This is a story that is set in duel perspective - Ebony, a newly rescued slave who is learning what it means to be free and Irene, a naive princess who's only concern is her 17th birthday celebration. When Ebony hatches a plan to kidnap Irene, war breaks out. It is up to these two girls to salvage what is left of their dying country.

I LOVED this book. The story captured my heart from the first chapter and would not release its hold on me until the very last sentence. I am still reeling from the events that unfolded. While, Ebony and Irene are both admirable in their own way, one of the minor characters, Scarlet, was the one who caught my attention and quickly became my favorite. She was forced into some situations that even Ebony never had to endure in her time as a slave. She is shy and soft spoken for the most part, but can be set off like a firecracker if you provoke her or threaten her friends. I admire her spirit and strength. She is someone to keep an eye on when reading this book.

Now, I want to talk about Ebony and Asher. After Ebony is rescued, she is taken to a base camp of rebel operations. Each of the escapees are assigned a mentor to help them adjust to their new life, and Asher was assigned as Ebony's mentor. Both of them are snarky and sarcastic to a fault, so they obviously did not hit it off in the beginning of their working relationship. Although I cannot go into too much detail due to spoilers, I can say that I am a total 'Ashny' shipper. Every time Ebony would insult Asher, I would think to myself, "You know you are crushing hard, Eb. Stop playing." And every time Asher would taunt Ebony, I would think, "Ughhhh...just kiss her already!" Alas, I digress. You read it for yourself and decide if I am wrong for shipping these two.

As for the author's writing style, I have to say that it was enjoyable for the most part. There were a few times that were rocky and did not flow as easily from scene to scene as it could have. That is the only reason this book is not a perfect five star rating. Although, I desperately wanted to rate this as perfect, I knew I would be lying to myself and readers if I did this. However, I wholeheartedly love this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys good dystopian novels like The Maze Runner, The Giver, and The Fifth Wave.

A special thank you to L.C. Perry for sending me this book. And if you would like to see more reviews like this one, go to www.blondewithbooks.com

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

+Received a copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

THE WORLD: USA but messed up... after wars and bad politics USA ended up in a totalitarian monarchy that has divided the population into 3 types: the rich, the normal, and the slaves. Yes, they have slaves they use for building things and exploiting mines, etc. However, most of the population is not aware because these slaves are mostly kept hidden in underground cities (they call them Rot Cities). Basically, anyone can be a slave but of course poor people have the biggest chances and others are simply born slaves. Because of this injustice a rebel group rose up and gained supporters over time.

CHARACTERS: The main character is an 18 year old slave called Ebony who has lived all her life in a Rot City. On the other hand, we have Princess Irene, the heiress of the country who lives completely oblivious to the commoner and slaves' suffering. She only knows of riches and has been taught that her parents only work hard for the good of the people. The book alternates both POVs and they are of stark contrast. Apart from those we also have other important characters such as Chase, Tristan, Myra, Paige, etc who are other slaves too. We also get a glimpse of the rebels and their dynamics.

ROMANCE: There is no romance.

GOOD: I liked the introduction to the characters. They are all very different and well-rounded. They definitely have their own voice, which is great. The world building was also good though maybe a bit slow paced but I guess that's better for the first book because otherwise it could get confusing. The book addresses some hard topics //tw// dealing with slavery and abuse... but I think they were handled well. Just don't read this book if you are very sensitive or lighthearted.

BAD: I think my main problem was the introduction of a ton of characters in a very small window of time and pages. At first we are introduced the world and characters slowly but about 50% in suddenly we get a lot of characters introduced and it got chaotic. Since they are a lot of characters we only get a glimpse of their thoughts and personalities instead of a solid base for them. I hope we get to know more about them in the next books.

This issue also made the pace slow down during the 50-75% mark. I felt like I could flip through pages reading only 2 sentences from each and I would still be able to follow through. It definitely changed toward the end but that section was just boring.

OVERALL: 3 stars. Overall I enjoyed the book and I believe it has potential to be a YA hit though some elements feel overused in the genre.

—P.S. I Love That Book!

[Nikki · Rating 2 out of 5]

“... there was no way she could go back. In her mind, there were only two choices: Escape alive or die trying.”

The only life eighteen-year-old Ebony has ever known is that of a slave. Living in what they call a root city, she spends her days underground, having seen the sun only a handful of times. Only being able to stomach the life she leads for so long, she devises a plan to end it all. Ebony gets the surprise of her life when, as she’s enacting her plans, she encounters rebels from the world above. Originally thinking her only choices were a life of misery or death, she’s suddenly faced with an option she never thought she’d have: escape to freedom.

Honestly, it was a struggle to make it to the end of this book. If it were only the countless grammatical errors appearing on every other page, I could maybe look past them. Sadly, there are many other issues. The writing, for one, is completely contradictory between the narration and the dialogue. The conversations between characters is almost embarrassing to read because of how juvenile and ridiculous it sounds compared to the more sophisticated prose of the narrator’s voice. Additionally, the plot is static except for the beginning when she escapes and the end of the book. It also doesn’t help that there’s virtually no world-building to give the reader a sense the world and society in which the characters are living (very angry, shallow characters I might add). Oh, and because the story does this, let me randomly throw in here that there’s a second perspective told from Princess Irene whose role is confusing at best and irrelevant until the very end of the story.

The only reason I gave this book 2 stars instead of 1 is because the underlying concept of the story makes a thinly veiled attempt at being somewhat interesting. Otherwise, my overall opinion of Gold Shadow falls as flat as the characters.

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sheena Macleod · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in the Bronze Rebellion series. I ended up really enjoying this dystopian novel. I say ended up because I wasn’t sure at the start if I would. The Book really took off for me in the second half, with Ebony moving above ground. It was also at this point that Irene became a more interesting and rounded character. The author handled a multitude of characters with apparent ease, each of them different and flawed in their own way. I managed to follow who was who without any problem- in part due to their diverse personalities and appearances. As the plot developed so also did Ebony’s character. The slave system (in the underground root cities) was well developed and believable. I felt the horror at how they had to live- survival of the fittest. This work would benefit from a full edit to bring it to the level it deserves. Overall though, Gold Shadow was very enjoyable. So much so, that on finishing it I immediately got the second book in the series, Emerald Dream. – I had to find out what happened next. I would recommend Gold Shadow- Bronze Rebellion- to fans of The Hunger Games.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Original review here.

Thanks to the author for providing me with an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review. For my full review request policy, please click here.

“Don’t look like you’re going to cry all the time. Tears are one of their favourite drinks around here.”

I liked the second half decidedly more than the first; it was difficult believing both were written by the same person. But first, coffee some general observations: Gold Shadow promised diversity, and it delivered – superlatively. Some uninspired introductions were a little on the nose, unlike the easy assembly of Kaz Brekker’s criminal crew. But it never crossed into tokenism, and once the North American setting was revealed, it lost its studied air.

Imagine if Black Mirror’s Nanette Cole had yelled at Robert Daly, “You think you’re the misunderstood nerd, but you’re just another sick, entitled white guy who can only feel masculine behind a computer screen!” The first half of Gold Shadow would have been the expository equivalent. In fact, it may as well have been one grand explanation, with a side of sudden jumps into minor characters’ points of views, as if the protagonists’ running commentaries were not explicit enough. Besides, for a character whose whole life had been eked out in the same hellhole, the dutifully described details would have long been taken for granted. An especially exasperating scene saw another character explaining the types of slaves to an escaped slave.*

Having said that, getting through the first half was not hard; the plot was intriguing enough. It just could have been a much more full-bodied blend of form and function, given how much better the second half already was.

Ah, the second half. We were finally allowed some actual action, and Perry likewise progressed to more polished prose. Her writing showed such articulate restraint, I almost forgot my prior frustration. I especially enjoyed experiencing Ebony’s world through her enemy’s eyes – after all, this enemy was not privy to any information, so she had no explanations to lavish on us. No, she had to deduce, as we should have been allowed to deduce.

Without the crutch of clarifications, character development also flourished. The main cast was finally dressed with flesh beneath their stereotypical façades: the strong and silent one, the broken beauty, the outwardly cold but secretly soft-hearted leader… A few characterisations had come off as contrived in the beginning (Ebony’s soulless survivor persona, for example; the self-evident declarations of emotional detachment did not help), but Perry’s better bridled hand ended up convincing me to unreservedly, unconditionally invest my (rather delicate) emotions in the entire cast – the ‘good’ and the inane alike.

Another reason Perry is a babe is the blessèd absence of romance. I do like my realistic romances, which I think add some welcome hope and lightness and angst and pathos to high-stakes and action-packed plots. Amongst these characters however, the mildest insinuation of that kind of emotional intimacy would have been a blue whale out of water. So thank goodness for Perry’s wisdom here – a virtue that is sadly absent in worryingly many recent and raved-about young adult releases.

Ironically, the few instances of additional world-building in the second half were also far more effective than all the descriptions in the first half combined. There were still some details missing that would have helped me care more about the characters’ country. I have yet to grasp just how advanced the technology has become, or what the general populace think or know or want. But since Perry concentrated on crafting the slave cities and the rebellion in this first book, it was understandable.

All this to say, I look forward to reading the second book. The ending of this one was tantalising, to say the least. And if the second half was anything to go by, I am sure the next instalment will have writing deserving of a place in young adult bestseller displays.

“Being early meant being on time. Being on time meant being late. But being late was unacceptable.”

And may it be published early, then.

Favourite quote: This may be my new favourite dedication: “To all those aspiring writers who dream first and sleep later.”

––––––––––
*Show, for heavens’ sake, don’t tell! seems to be my personal Peeves. A small selection of books that give their readers proper credit: A Darker Shade of Magic (its sequels, not so much), The Bear and the Nightingale, Caraval, The City of Brass, Daughter of Smoke and Bone, How to Live Forever (the novel), The Night Circus, and of course, the ever beloved Harry Potter.

“If a writer knows enough about what he is writing about, he may omit things that he knows and the reader, if the writer is writing truly enough, will have a feeling of those things as strongly as though the writer had stated them.

The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one-eighth of it being above water.” – Ernest Hemingway

[Joshua Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

L.C. Perry plants us in the middle of a dystopian war in Gold Shadow! Ebony has been a slave in the underground cities her whole life, but when she’s liberated by surface rebels, she’s left with an important question: how far is she willing to go to preserve her freedom? I really enjoyed the action and depth of emotion in Ebony’s struggle! Perry’s world was really interesting so I’m excited to see where the story goes next!

[Karen West · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS BOOK!..it kept my attention from start to finish. I had no idea what this book was about when I started it. It is very well written and thought out story line. I love Ebony and her story and Irene the Princess story too.I loved all the different characters and how they came together to be a family. the slaves and the Rebels together to right the wrongs of the world. I cant wait to see how this story ends. thanks for letting me read the first one. thanks again and keep up the great work.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gold Shadow is by L.C. Perry. This book is a Dystopian young adult book. It is extremely well- written and keeps your attention until the last page of the book. It is very difficult to put down. In fact, I was unable to put it down at all. Luckily it is easy to read and despite the number of characters and changes of places, it is very easy to keep up with. Basically, it is told through the lives of Ebony and the princess Irene.
Ebony is a slave and has been one all of her life. She decided early on that to survive, she must be strong. Depending on others or having them depend on you is a weakness so she became a loner. However, she could not deny her own nature and helped several other slaves through devious means so that they could survive. For example, Maya was being beaten by a female guard and it was obvious that the guard was going to kill her. No one was willing to step in and help Maya so Ebony tripped another guard which stopped the beating and during the confusion that ensued, she disappeared into the crowd. Another time, she walked a young boy back to his home in the city when his older brother disappeared. On the way back, a guard wanted to take the boy off; but Ebony stared her down and took the boy to his home. Ebony was waiting for her change to take her own life in a meaningful way and not let them kill her. When she was transferred to the mines, she took some explosives she found and intended to find a remote place and blow herself and the mine up. She chose a place where it would give the other slaves time to get out of the mine once they heard the explosion. Instead, she found herself facing rebels from the surface. They took her and five other slaves who were looking for Ebony to the surface to their rebellion headquarters. From here they would be taken to safe houses and taught to be returned to society. However, Ebony and four of the others decided to join the rebellion. Would they make it?
Irene was the princess. She was soon to turn seventeen when she would have a parade in her honor as well as balls during which she would be introduced to many eligible suitors. At the end of the week, she would choose her groom who would be the next King. She was looking forward to her week when she would finally be the center of attention and maybe her parents would pay attention to her instead of always finding fault with her. Would her plans work out like she wanted?
This book is a wonderful book and it definitely one that junior high and senior high students will like. There is violence; but it is not graphic and there is no offensive language. It does leave you hanging at the end and waiting impatiently for book 2. It is a fascinating book with almost equals Hunger Games.

[m.m. radford · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Striking Dichotomy Between Ebony And Irene

What would you do if you accepted your body and mind weren’t yours anymore, became an expert at hiding your pain, worked in a mine as a slave, slept in a worn-out tent with a hundred other slaves, ate slop, were emaciated and weak from hunger and lack of sunlight and fresh air, and knew that fighting back was pointless and was, in fact, suicide? What if you’d gotten so far beyond fear that you were no longer intimidated, felt angry and impatient, and could care less about being friendly, and then you had a miraculous out?

My favorite aspect of “Gold Shadow” is the dichotomy between Ebony and Irene, the first a slave and ultimately a rebel, and Irene, the pampered daughter of the king and queen who rule the land they live in. The ascent Ebony makes from weak to strong stands in stark contrast against Irene, who is entitled, pampered, sheltered, spoiled, and naïve regarding the politics governing the land. When the time comes for Ebony to enjoy what most of us do everyday, eating good food and sleeping in a comfortable bed, Ebony is astonished and grateful. By contrast, Irene is the fussiest eater, only eating the highest-quality food and used to the most excellent and lavish environs. The points made are clear: a life where you’re handed everything you want makes you ill-equipped to handle challenges and you can’t truly appreciate luxuries if you’ve always been swimming in them.

Another matter worth addressing is the excellent job the author does letting us really get to know Ebony through her thoughts, words, and actions. “I’m doing this because I want to get back something I left behind,” she said, clenching her fists. “Going to a shelter would mean having to stomach everything I’ve done and undergone without ever making it count. Moving forward doesn’t exist for me unless I move on. And I can’t move on until I’m able to look back. I’ve done what I can to survive, but I am not whole until I’ve helped others do the same. If you think I’m trying to be self-righteous, then you’re wrong. I’m helping these lost souls because I know what that feels like. I still am one until I make this right.” The moment she said those words she realized how true they were. Because, for now, this was it. This was her purpose.”

Finally, my favorite scene in the novel occurs when Irene’s ceremony is only a week away and she stops to watch the line of floats spilling toward the castle’s walls. Everyone is in such a hurry getting everything set up they don’t realize the princess has snuck out to watch them, and then everything goes awry. This leads us into the denouement, which sustains the drama and the action skillfully, and the book closes with the promise of more to come.

[Grant Leishman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

Two young women, from opposite ends of the polar spectrum are set to collide in L. C. Perry's Dystopian Fiction Gold Shadow (Bronze Rebellion Book 1). Eighteen year old Ebony, born a slave, has only ever known the horrors and struggle for survival underground as a slave in the root city, yearns for one thing only - to end it all and to take some of the accursed overseers with her. Princess Irene, surrounded by luxury and treated with deference by everyone, whose only focus in life is her Coming-Of-Age celebrations and to meet the man of her dreams and marry him, so he can rule and she can live the pampered life she is so used to, as Queen. Princess Irene has no clue of the way in which her country is structured; that it is slaves who allow the wealthy to live the life of luxury they do. She blithely believes her Mother and Father rule with a gentle and loving fist. This is a dystopian America, some time in the future and two very different young women will determine its future direction.

L. C. Perry, in Gold Shadow (Bronze Rebellion Book 1) has given us a fascinating vision of what a dystopian America could look like if democracy was swept away by a form of monarchial feudalism. The authors ability to contrast the two vastly different lifestyles and makeups of these two women gives the reader a hint of how clever and skilled a writer she is. On the one hand, we have Ebony whose entire life has been dedicated to following orders, to never answering back, to never making connections with others and most of all, to hiding her beauty from the cruel and merciless masters. Contrast that with Irene, who is the archetypal spoilt, little, princess whose every though is self-centred and vapid. Perry does a marvellous job of serving up both sides of this coin. The book is easy to read and will definitely appeal to a young adult audience, but is equally suitable for all adults. I think the biggest compliment I can pay any author writing the first book in a series is that I want to read Book two and find out what happens to these characters I have invested in. I can say this about Gold Shadow. As the beginning of a series, this book has hit the mark - bullseye. Great job L. C. Perry.

[Tristen Kozinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating 4.5

I was initially hesitant to read Gold Shadow, I did not want to read another teen love-triangle rebellion dystopia novel. Teen rebellion in general just saturates the market right now, and they're rarely more than passable. That being said, I loved Gold Shadow.
Although it says Teen Dystopia on the tin, this book is more suitable to new adult because the contents of this book are substantially darker than more teen books, and the characters (although teenagers themselves) reflect that.
Gold Shadows strongest feature are it's characters, which are numerous, varied and excellently fleshed out. My favorite is the Ebony (our man protagonist) who is a beautiful combination of apathetic, broken, lonely and just a little bit feral. Watching her journey through initial hell of her life in the Root Cities up to the 'normal/hopeful' life as a rebel was one of the most enjoyable reading experiences I've had in a while. However, some of that is probably due to my having a taste for characters like her.
The story itself progresses at a excellent pace, allowing the readers to enjoy the various scenes and emotion arcs without over staying their welcome or over stressing a point. The prose is generally good, though it occasionally suffers from wonky sentence structure. Nothing's grammatically incorrect, just uncommon phrasing that tended leave me momentarily confused.
Finally, my one real criticism for the book was that I just did not enjoy Irene's chapters (she being the second POV character.) I acknowledge that they're probably necessary for the narrative that takes place, and that her character likely is also, but they were just less interesting than Ebony's emotional-charged chapters and story arch.

(Edit)
For those interested my brother and I posted a video review of the entire series, discoverable by the intrepid and bored here-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxV-5...

[Nicki White · Rating 5 out of 5]

While following the growth of Ebony from slave to badass warrior, every emotion that is felt along the way radiates off the page through a series of well composed word. You instantly take a liking to Ebony and her silent strength. Any character that makes an appearances in Gold Shadow is meant to be there. At no point in time are you left wondering why was said person introduced or what do they have to offer to the plot. Every character introduced serves a purpose. Just as every scene makes sense as to why it was put into play and the order that it arrived. Along with these comes strong dialogue. Even though the storyline mainly follows Ebony, you easily feel bonded to the escapees, rebels and even Princess Irene. There is not one character was wasn’t perfectly crafted and described. As the scenes unfold you are able to not only see the personality of each character, but you see the friendships, hatred and essentially that past of the person who has made them who they are today and why they stand on the side they are on. Don’t think that just because this story revolves around the sensitive subject of slavery that this book is just going to be all drama. It is not. You have drama yes, you have comedy, action, and the thrill of what’s to comes. You have the intrigue of how can someone who is expected to run a country be so naive and dense as to what is going on right under feet.
To read the full review ----> https://shealwaysreads.com/2017/10/25...

[Bookworldliness · Rating 4 out of 5]

GOLD SHADOW, a young adult, dystopian novel is a phenomenal book with slavery as it’s main theme. It’s a book which portrays human desperation, survival with bare minimum infused with courage.

The story starts with the evils of slavery system. In a kingdom where cities are divided on the bases of class, there exists a section which is veiled from other people. Here people work as slaves and are forced to work in peril conditions. A girl, damaged but not broken, along with few other slaves manages to escape from this hell hole with the help of rebels. The slaves discover a world way different from theirs. Thus begins their quest to rebel against the crown and put an end to slavery system. The story also draws a parallel to the princess of this kingdom whose life is an unfortunate contrast to the slaves. The book ends with a note of beginning of something big and that’s something worth looking forward to.

The author, through her characters and circumstances, depicts human pain and fight. Characters’ pain and predicament are reflected in the author’s writing. Some of the scenes are penciled in such a way that readers find themselves losing their souls in those. There are scenes which are bound to leave readers speechless. They find themselves feeling desperation, shedding tears, getting inspired, as the characters go through all these motions.

The book is all set to release in December and is the first part of the BRONZE REBELLION series.

[Chiyo · Rating 5 out of 5]

*was given an ARC for an honest review*

The story is great and very well written. To start off from the MC Ebony and how she develops through out the story. I can simply say she is one of my favourite female lead characters.
I would highly recommend this book.
definitely waiting for the 2nd one ❤️
so many characters to love so many possibilities.

to start how Ebony and the others were trying to live for the sake of living but then they find a new purpose with the rebels. the mentor thing was so much fun for me to read specially Asher and Ebony I ship them together and the way she acts with him really makes my day.
I also loved the part when they test the escapees and each told their story, made me wanna know all the rebels stories too.

[Tacey Raye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sent this book in exchange for an honest review. This story had a really good start but I still found it very hard to get into. As a whole the storyline was intriguing though rather slow and somewhat predictable. I love the characters in this novel. They are all so complex and we’ve really only scratched the surface. I definitely would have liked some more explanation of the world as it could be a bit confusing. Overall I think Gold Shadow is a good read especially for people who enjoy The Hunger Games and The Dwellers Saga. I’m excited to see what this author has in store for the future. Rating: 3.5