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Shadows: Book 3 of the F.O.K. Series
Are you living the life you want to live?If not, what are you going to do about it?
Frances Olar Kavanagh knew she was not happy in her life, and so she set out to change it in some not-so-subtle ways. Her story shows what courage, friends, and laughter can do to find a life worth living. Frances, newly divorced, thought finding her freedom would be easy. Raised in the shadows of a strict Irish Catholic family in St. Louis, she had a lot to let go of from her past to find freedom. From the moment she steps into her new life, Frances finds her world turned upside down and inside out. Some of it is funny, some of it sad, and some of it downright scary.
Are you afraid to laugh? Jump in and continue the journey with Frances as she navigates her new life and the fact her close friend turned out to be a serial killer.
Frances Olar Kavanagh knew she was not happy in her life, and so she set out to change it in some not-so-subtle ways. Her story shows what courage, friends, and laughter can do to find a life worth living. Frances, newly divorced, thought finding her freedom would be easy. Raised in the shadows of a strict Irish Catholic family in St. Louis, she had a lot to let go of from her past to find freedom. From the moment she steps into her new life, Frances finds her world turned upside down and inside out. Some of it is funny, some of it sad, and some of it downright scary.
Are you afraid to laugh? Jump in and continue the journey with Frances as she navigates her new life and the fact her close friend turned out to be a serial killer.
360 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 25, 2022
1 person is currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 3, 2022
Passionate, Creative, and Hilarious with a Thriller Twist
The cast of characters I have grown to love through this wonderful, creative series, continue to evolve into new depths. Sheila M Sullivan has the ability to draw you into the story so you can feel story as if you are there experiencing the events as they unfold. One of the story threads is fully revealed and it will certainly make one pause and think about how precious life is and what it is to be human. This book is for smart readers who enjoy plot twists and intrigue mixed with an amazing dose of laughter and humor that made me laugh out loud several times. Love the characters, love the series and highly recommend.
The cast of characters I have grown to love through this wonderful, creative series, continue to evolve into new depths. Sheila M Sullivan has the ability to draw you into the story so you can feel story as if you are there experiencing the events as they unfold. One of the story threads is fully revealed and it will certainly make one pause and think about how precious life is and what it is to be human. This book is for smart readers who enjoy plot twists and intrigue mixed with an amazing dose of laughter and humor that made me laugh out loud several times. Love the characters, love the series and highly recommend.
December 6, 2022
Sheila M. Sullivan's Shadows (Book 3 of the F.O.K. Series) is like a soap opera in book form. It's filled with various lovers caught in a love triangle or rectangle as it were. It also has a murder investigation which is tied in with some of the central characters.
Artist Frances has returned to find that her girlfriend, Sam has bought a house and wants to get serious. Meanwhile, Josh, a trans man, is involved with Frances' sister Theresa, but Theresa discovers Josh's old letters to Frances. Police detective, Molly is investigating a serial murder and is in love with Emily but is hiding her own interest in Frances. Frances has also painted intimate portraits of Molly suggesting that she is in love with her too but is still finding comfort with Sam. There are various other romantic plots involving infidelity, commitment, and obsession.
Some of the chapters are interesting such as when Theresa discovers Josh's letters and reacts in an emotional and transphobic way. Molly has some sweet exchanges with the uncle who raised her and realizes that his love for her is supportive and unconditional.
Frances also has some moving chapters where she weighs her feelings for Sam and what she wants out of a relationship and for the rest of her life. These moments unfortunately are few and far in between.
Shadows is mostly a confusing mess with a dizzying array of characters, plots, and lover's quarrels. Every chapter appears to introduce a new character or subplot. It becomes hard to get emotionally involved when you need a flow chart to determine who is who and how they know each other.
It's also hard to care about the characters when the plot keeps throwing improbabilities at them to build conflicts. It is understandable that two characters would be in love with the same person, but when it becomes four or five relationships shaken because of this one person, it makes one wonder that either the author is stretching the plot too thin or the character is a complete sociopath. While the latter would be an interesting angle, the former is more than likely.
Also the mystery subplot seems to be a distraction to build suspense. It begins arbitrarily and ends with very little detection involved. The book could have done just as well without it.
Shadows is a complete mishmash that needs more substance.
Artist Frances has returned to find that her girlfriend, Sam has bought a house and wants to get serious. Meanwhile, Josh, a trans man, is involved with Frances' sister Theresa, but Theresa discovers Josh's old letters to Frances. Police detective, Molly is investigating a serial murder and is in love with Emily but is hiding her own interest in Frances. Frances has also painted intimate portraits of Molly suggesting that she is in love with her too but is still finding comfort with Sam. There are various other romantic plots involving infidelity, commitment, and obsession.
Some of the chapters are interesting such as when Theresa discovers Josh's letters and reacts in an emotional and transphobic way. Molly has some sweet exchanges with the uncle who raised her and realizes that his love for her is supportive and unconditional.
Frances also has some moving chapters where she weighs her feelings for Sam and what she wants out of a relationship and for the rest of her life. These moments unfortunately are few and far in between.
Shadows is mostly a confusing mess with a dizzying array of characters, plots, and lover's quarrels. Every chapter appears to introduce a new character or subplot. It becomes hard to get emotionally involved when you need a flow chart to determine who is who and how they know each other.
It's also hard to care about the characters when the plot keeps throwing improbabilities at them to build conflicts. It is understandable that two characters would be in love with the same person, but when it becomes four or five relationships shaken because of this one person, it makes one wonder that either the author is stretching the plot too thin or the character is a complete sociopath. While the latter would be an interesting angle, the former is more than likely.
Also the mystery subplot seems to be a distraction to build suspense. It begins arbitrarily and ends with very little detection involved. The book could have done just as well without it.
Shadows is a complete mishmash that needs more substance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2023
Interesting piece that will make you question the true meaning of freedom.
Author Sheila M Sullivan is nothing short of a great writer. Once more, she has proven herself in this book three. Frances Olar Kavanagh (F.O.K) just got divorced and decided to face her life and live freely. But then, what is the cost of freedom?
F.O.K faces fresh challenges, one of which is the feeling growing inside her. Her recent divorce allowed her to fully express herself and take charge of the things that happen inside her. The author introduces the LGBTQ+ subject in a way that goes beyond the standard perception.
Besides her fine sentence structure, the author knows how to weave suspense and drama together in a way that pulls out many emotions from the readers. F.O.K continues to live her newfound life after the divorce, only to discover that her close friend is a serial killer.
The story is a fine blend of thriller and adventure presented in a pleasing language that glues the reader from the first page. There is so much in this book that it is worth the time and money. I strongly recommend this book to anyone looking for some fresh ideas to relax with.
Author Sheila M Sullivan is nothing short of a great writer. Once more, she has proven herself in this book three. Frances Olar Kavanagh (F.O.K) just got divorced and decided to face her life and live freely. But then, what is the cost of freedom?
F.O.K faces fresh challenges, one of which is the feeling growing inside her. Her recent divorce allowed her to fully express herself and take charge of the things that happen inside her. The author introduces the LGBTQ+ subject in a way that goes beyond the standard perception.
Besides her fine sentence structure, the author knows how to weave suspense and drama together in a way that pulls out many emotions from the readers. F.O.K continues to live her newfound life after the divorce, only to discover that her close friend is a serial killer.
The story is a fine blend of thriller and adventure presented in a pleasing language that glues the reader from the first page. There is so much in this book that it is worth the time and money. I strongly recommend this book to anyone looking for some fresh ideas to relax with.
November 11, 2022
Birthday Cake Therapy
Shadows, the 3rd instalment to the F.O.K series, is a funny, sad and lesson filled life of Frances, our protagonist. We start with our protagonist starting her new life after her divorce, when she encounters new adventures and puts her life together. Frances is an interesting character and her growth as a character throughout the story is very impressive. Like Frances, I make a lot of crazy mistakes but I was able to outgrow it and laugh about it. The author did an impressive job of making Frances a relatable character. I love how every title of each chapter makes me laugh. There is a deep meaning to the characters and the story of Frances. I would love to read more about them. I would explore reading Sheila Sullivan’s other books and the continuation of Frances’ story!
Shadows, the 3rd instalment to the F.O.K series, is a funny, sad and lesson filled life of Frances, our protagonist. We start with our protagonist starting her new life after her divorce, when she encounters new adventures and puts her life together. Frances is an interesting character and her growth as a character throughout the story is very impressive. Like Frances, I make a lot of crazy mistakes but I was able to outgrow it and laugh about it. The author did an impressive job of making Frances a relatable character. I love how every title of each chapter makes me laugh. There is a deep meaning to the characters and the story of Frances. I would love to read more about them. I would explore reading Sheila Sullivan’s other books and the continuation of Frances’ story!
November 13, 2022
Shadows by Sheila M. Sullivan is a wonderfully entertaining read. Frances newly divorced is set out to mark a new path in her life. Drenched with her past of strict family upbringing, she struggles to let go of her ways and embrace the newly found freedom in life. A whirlwind of mishaps, humor, and terror she navigates through of which she thought would be an easy life. A terrifying prospect ahead of a new life and the fact her close friend turns out to be a serial killer is only the start. The author’s brilliance shines through with the storyline. All the characters, plot, the twist, and turns are well synchronized. I couldn't stop reading till the last page as its impossible to put down once started. The humor is on point and shines brightly throughout. A rollercoaster of a ride as the protagonist through her mishaps and adventures draw you in completely. A must read!
November 9, 2022
Shadows is the third-book in the F.O.K. series written by Sheila M Sullivan. You follow Frances, a newly divorced woman who’s come from a very strict Irish Catholic family background and who is looking to explore her new world. She finds it’s difficult, funny, sad and more often than not, scary. It’s a story about a woman trying to rediscover the world after being hidden from it for so long, and stumbling badly whilst doing so. To make matters worse, the story has a funny plot twist which is that her closest friend ends up being a serial killer. So now her world is blowing up big time and she’s having an odd time. It’s well written and you can feel the emotions and scenery happening in the book; it’s a good read!
November 12, 2022
Shadows by author Sheila M Sullivan is the third book of the F.O.K. series, being the initials of its main character Frances Olar Kavanagh. In this volume, she is recently divorced and faces different challenges to find her freedom.
What I like about this author is that, in her LGBTQ+ Genre fictions, she manages to break conservative structures and challenges her characters to different life experiences. In addition, in her stories, she weaves suspense and drama, with humor and cleverness, and this book was not the exception. Throughout their pages, I went through many emotions and could easily empathize with the main character´s feelings.
I enjoyed this reading and will be keen to read any more by this author.
What I like about this author is that, in her LGBTQ+ Genre fictions, she manages to break conservative structures and challenges her characters to different life experiences. In addition, in her stories, she weaves suspense and drama, with humor and cleverness, and this book was not the exception. Throughout their pages, I went through many emotions and could easily empathize with the main character´s feelings.
I enjoyed this reading and will be keen to read any more by this author.
November 12, 2022
Shadows by Sheila Sullivan is the third book of the series F.O.K. The story revolves around the main protagonist, Frances Olar Kavanagh, who knew she was not happy in her life. She is newly divorced, and the story continues as she navigates her new life and the fact her close friend turned out to be a serial killer. The heroine, the main protagonist is depicted as clumsy, accident-prone, humorous, talented, and giving, and given a glimpse into her life with all her adventures.
The story is a mixture of thriller and adventure. Written in very appealing language, it captivates the readers right from the beginning. The pace is moderate, and the climax especially is full of adventures and explorations.
The story is a mixture of thriller and adventure. Written in very appealing language, it captivates the readers right from the beginning. The pace is moderate, and the climax especially is full of adventures and explorations.
November 12, 2022
Shadows Book 3 of the F.O.K. Series teaches us a lot about life and about being happy.
Using different themes to sustain this fiction, author Sullivan resorted to well-defined characters, especially strong female protagonists responding to different circumstances. The underlying theme seems to be friendship and relationships in general.
The prose is spread across the pages in a really enjoyable way and once the story starts, it takes all our interest and attention until its very last word. The most important ingredient of this tale, however, is humor. There are certain scenes that certainly make readers laugh out loud, which guarantees the reader will have fun while enjoying a gem of a story.
Using different themes to sustain this fiction, author Sullivan resorted to well-defined characters, especially strong female protagonists responding to different circumstances. The underlying theme seems to be friendship and relationships in general.
The prose is spread across the pages in a really enjoyable way and once the story starts, it takes all our interest and attention until its very last word. The most important ingredient of this tale, however, is humor. There are certain scenes that certainly make readers laugh out loud, which guarantees the reader will have fun while enjoying a gem of a story.
November 17, 2022
serious character appreciation
Book 3 in the F.O.K. Series continues the saga with an interesting cast of characters with relatable personalities and charm to match. While the first two installments really set the introductions of the characters into full swing, book 3 provides just the entertainment I wanted when I set out for a good read. The whole series, but book 3 in particular offers readers a story that is full of humor and relatable situations, and some moments where you feel if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry. I would recommend this one to any reader who is looking for a new series to dive into. I would recommend starting with the first in the series though, as I feel that the character development throughout is significant to appreciating the story.
Book 3 in the F.O.K. Series continues the saga with an interesting cast of characters with relatable personalities and charm to match. While the first two installments really set the introductions of the characters into full swing, book 3 provides just the entertainment I wanted when I set out for a good read. The whole series, but book 3 in particular offers readers a story that is full of humor and relatable situations, and some moments where you feel if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry. I would recommend this one to any reader who is looking for a new series to dive into. I would recommend starting with the first in the series though, as I feel that the character development throughout is significant to appreciating the story.
November 18, 2022
Shadows by Sheila M Sullivan is a passionate and hilarious story with a thriller twist. The book tells the story of Frances Olar Kavanagh, a woman not happy with her life. She set out to change it in some not-so-subtle ways. She filled her life with friends and laughter, made it a life worth living. She thought finding her freedom would be easy. However, she had a lot to let go of from her past to find freedom. As soon as she got into her new life, her whole world turned upside down. I enjoyed the story very much; I had a pleasant time while reading it. I experienced many feeling along the pages; I believe this is thanks to the wonderful job of the author into transmitting the characters emotions to the reader. I recommend it.
November 11, 2022
Shadows is the third installment of the F.O.K. Series by Sheila Sullivan. In this thriller, Sullivan continues the story of divorcee Frances and her friends in Buena Vista through a blend of suspense and comedy. What I like about the F.O.K. books is that the characters are constantly maturing, and I think Francis and Molly especially explore their identities and find a new sense of freedom, to slow down even if a new mystery will inevitably make its way to them. The suspense was well dialled up throughout, really coming to a head when The Last Supper scene is unveiled to Molly. It’s a great balance of personal exploration and horrific elements.
November 11, 2022
Shadows is the third book in the series called “the F.O.K.” written by Sheila M. Sullivan. I have to emphasize that it is a book that caught my attention; its cover seemed the perfect choice and fair to the plot of the book.
It has a very interesting plot. By telling the story of the life and interpersonal conflicts of its protagonist, it offers the reader a series of ways to cope with the inevitable problems of life itself. Frances's story has caught me, and although it seems to lie, I empathize a lot with her reality. I have felt part of this novel and at times, I have suffered with it.
It is a pleasant and very interesting book to read.
It has a very interesting plot. By telling the story of the life and interpersonal conflicts of its protagonist, it offers the reader a series of ways to cope with the inevitable problems of life itself. Frances's story has caught me, and although it seems to lie, I empathize a lot with her reality. I have felt part of this novel and at times, I have suffered with it.
It is a pleasant and very interesting book to read.
November 12, 2022
"Shadows: Book 3 of the F.O.K. Series" by Sheila M. Sullivan is an emotional roller coaster. Reading this book will quickly take you from laughing to crying.The novel tells the story of Frances, who is recently divorced and sets out to find happiness. On that path of searching for happiness, you will come across different situations that will make you laugh and cry.
It is really a very enjoyable read. The author's narration style appeals to me. She has done an excellent job in both the development of the story and the creation of the characters, in my opinion. I could not put this book down. Five stars for this book!
It is really a very enjoyable read. The author's narration style appeals to me. She has done an excellent job in both the development of the story and the creation of the characters, in my opinion. I could not put this book down. Five stars for this book!
November 12, 2022
Shadows is a fun book about a girl that is looking to change her life, but she finds out that her best friend is a serial killer. The book was intriguing from the very first chapters and we get to know the main character that is one of the funniest people in the whole world of fiction reading.
I related to almost every character in the book. The writing was easy-going and simple to read. I enjoyed reading this book and it made me laugh a couple of times.
I would like to recommended it to those readers that want to enjoy a good humorous book and have a laugh about it
I related to almost every character in the book. The writing was easy-going and simple to read. I enjoyed reading this book and it made me laugh a couple of times.
I would like to recommended it to those readers that want to enjoy a good humorous book and have a laugh about it
November 17, 2022
"Shadows" is a novel that had me go through a lot of emotions. I found it quite hilarious because it could resemble a lot with life in general, from ugly crying to laughing a lot.
I really like the main character, Frances, and the way she was raised although I hope kids do not have a childhood like that but I think it made her stand up for herself and to go after what she really wanted.
Every change demands a lot of uncomfortability for her, a lot of scary moments, but also a lot of learning and happy new moments that also help bring new and lovely people into account.
I really like the main character, Frances, and the way she was raised although I hope kids do not have a childhood like that but I think it made her stand up for herself and to go after what she really wanted.
Every change demands a lot of uncomfortability for her, a lot of scary moments, but also a lot of learning and happy new moments that also help bring new and lovely people into account.
November 26, 2022
Entertaining
Shadows: Book 3 of the F.O.K. Series by author Sheila M Sullivan is an entertaining middle length reading that captured my attention completely. I liked it because the story was well developed and the narrative helped this to be a quick read. The author gave the book a good pace so the reader always wanted to flip pages.
The characters were well rounded and their dialogues believable. I really liked that because the racer can feel closer to the characters and empathize with them more. All in all, this is a book I recommend reading.
Shadows: Book 3 of the F.O.K. Series by author Sheila M Sullivan is an entertaining middle length reading that captured my attention completely. I liked it because the story was well developed and the narrative helped this to be a quick read. The author gave the book a good pace so the reader always wanted to flip pages.
The characters were well rounded and their dialogues believable. I really liked that because the racer can feel closer to the characters and empathize with them more. All in all, this is a book I recommend reading.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews